Applebloom and Diamond Tiara reunited for their first day of school as their new personas. They were feeling nervous as they approached the doors, mainly on how the other kids would react to seeing them. However, Silver Spoon and Sweetie Belle reassured the two that nothing bad would happen to them.
"Well," Applebloom said as she placed a hoof on the door and pushed it open. "Here goes nothing..."
When the door was opened, the two were greeted by an entire class of ponies, who just sat there thinking of a response to Diamond and Applebloom's new styles. Eventually the silence was broken with somepony laughing at them.
"Did you two wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?" The voice said, in a mocking tone towards Diamond and Applebloom.
Eventually the rest of the class decided to join in, singing songs of torment and mockery, some even calling Applebloom a 'Blank Flank'. Diamond would have been smiling at Applebloom's torment, if it weren't for the fact that she was getting mocked and scorned as well.
"Looks like this is one diamond which ended up in the rough!" Another voice laughed at Diamond Tiara. "Talk about reversal of fortune!" This voice was Scootaloo's, she had been longing to take revenge on Diamond Tiara for ages now, and seeing her in an embarrassing cowgirl get-up was exactly the trigger that Scootaloo needed.
Silver looked at the laughing ponies with a blank expression, until she looked down at her hooves. This can't go on any longer. She thought to herself. It's time to defend my client's temporary honour.
"ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT! CAN IT, YOU INSIGNIFICANT IDIOTS!!!" Silver whipped her head up violently and roared at the class at the top of her voice. The fury in her voice was undeniable, Silver was angry at the class for taunting her client. "YOU'VE HAD YOUR LAUGHS FOR TODAY, BUT NOW THE TIME FOR JOKING IS OVER!!!"
This caused the class to stop completely, their laughter replaced with pure fear. Silver was no pushover, even after all the time she had spent as Diamond's lapdog.
"Alright then, you two. Let's take our seats." Silver's voice was calm now as she turned towards Applebloom and Diamond. "We don't want anymore insipid comments from these buffoons."
"Silver, before we sit, I must know. Why did you defend us like that?" Applebloom asked as she placed a hoof on her chin.
"Because, it's our duty as Role Switchers to make sure your experience with another side is as enjoyable as possible." Silver then pulled out a document from her saddlebag. "That, and your contract states we can take decisive action when somepony teases you for this debacle."
"Ya made a contract fer Applebloom?" Diamond saw the contract closer as Silver pulled out a copy of the contract and hoofed it to Sweetie Belle, who stuffed it in her saddlebag.
"Not just for Applebloom, she made one for you too, Diamond." Sweetie said as she walked Diamond to her seat. "We want to make completely sure that nopony gets under your skin whilst you're walking in the other's horseshoes."
"Thanks, Sweetie." Diamond smiled as she saw Applebloom and Silver take their seats in the class. "Ah'm certain things will all work out from now on, so long as that there contract ain't violated."
After everypony was all settled and quiet, Miss Cheerilee walked in, with that usual look on her face whenever she began a day at her school. That smile on her face was a sign that she was ready for another day of sharing her knowledge with the students that were lucky enough to learn from her.
"Alright class, now before we get to work on our first subject, I want you all to say a nice big 'hello' to our two new students." She said, confusing Diamond and Applebloom for two completely different ponies altogether. "Why don't you two step forward and introduce yourselves."
"Oh, that won't be necessary, Miss Cheerilee." Silver said as she raised a hoof to grab her attention. "Because, these two ponies are none other that Diamond Tiara and Applebloom."
"Oh, that's silly!" She cracked a little chuckle after hearing Silver finish up her sentence. "Last I checked, Applebloom had a giant pink bow, and Diamond Tiara wore a diamond tiara. These two don't have either, so logically, they're completely new ponies."
"Well, that's completely false, for one thing." Applebloom said, keeping her accent intact, even through the slight snickers of other classmates. "We're merely taking a walk on the other's road, that's all."
"What the-" Cheerilee never forgot that voice, it did indeed belong to Applebloom. "Applebloom, is that really you?" She looked quite bewildered at the fact that Applebloom was all fancy-looking and wearing a little necklace with an apple shaped gem in the middle of it.
"It sure as sugar is!" Diamond Tiara said in a country accent that embarrassed herself quickly afterwards. "Just as sure as ah happen ta be wearing these cowgirl duds fer the next 6 days."
"Diamond Tiara?" Cheerilee was even more surprised after hearing another recognizable voice, even though it sounded a little more country than she remembered it. "You too?"
"Thanks to a dare that Applebloom set up, Diamond Tiara's gone country, and Applebloom's gone posh." Sweetie Belle explained, raising her hoof and waving it rapidly to grab Cheerilee's attention. "They have to stay in character while we're here with them, otherwise we're authorized to give them a little... how do they say it? Forfeit?"
"If they break character when we're here, they have to do one thing we tell them to do. no matter how extreme it is." Silver said in her usual refined and smart tone. "Anything besides any forms of crime, that is."
"Oh jeez, girls, I'm sorry for not recognizing you sooner." Cheerilee face hoofed at the realization. "Forgive me for acting like that, I didn't know you two were doing one of your silly little dares during school hours."
"It's alright, Miss Cheerilee. I was kind of expecting this reaction, so it's all fine." Applebloom said to make Cheerilee feel at ease.
"Well... Alright then." Cheerilee regained her composure and started writing something on the blackboard. "Now then, if my idiocy is out of the way, let's jump into the history of Alicorns..."
Once the lesson on every alicorn in the history of Equestria's history (Including Princess Twilight) was over, the class was dismissed for recess, mostly so that they could all gawk at Diamond Tiara and Applebloom for the entire session.
"And you really decided to go along with this?" Pip asked Diamond, gazing at the scruffy parts sticking out of her hair.
"It was that, or be called a wimp fer the rest of the mah time here at school." Diamond said, in her country accent, since Sweetie Belle was breathing down her neck. "And ah was certain ah weren't gonna lose mah integrity on this class."
"So, Applebloom, I have to know, what is it like, living life in the big leagues?" Scootaloo asked, with her enthusiasm at quite a high level. She was happy for Applebloom's idea and wanted to hear some feedback on her side of the story.
Well, to be honest..." Applebloom paused for a dramatic effect, to give Scootaloo some tension. "IT'S THE GREATEST IDEA I'VE EVER COME UP WITH!!!" She declared at the top of her voice, grabbing the attention of EVERYpony in the schoolgrounds.
"Well, I'm glad you're happy." Scootaloo said as she pushed her way through the crowd of schoolponies who were now crowding Applebloom. "You won't forget us and stay posh forever though, right?"
"Actually..." Applebloom had time to think here. She either had the chance of taking up this life forever, being one of Silver's friends, and forging a bond between the two of them, to give her some leverage between her and Diamond Tiara once this was over. But on the other hoof, she could end this charade at the end of the week, and then return to the CMC and make things the way they were.
It was truly a tough choice for her to make, and for some reason, Applebloom didn't like either decision in front of her. She was at an impasse, both choices had both positive and negative outcomes, and she didn't particularly like the negatives of either option.
"Take all the time you need, Applebloom." Scootaloo said, rubbing her shoulders as Applebloom dwelled on her thoughts. "I won't be sad with the choice you make from this point."
"But, Scootaloo, what will you and Sweetie Belle do without me?" Applebloom said as she pushed herself out of the crowd, who now turned their attention to Diamond again. "How will you be able to run the Cutie Mark Crusaders without me?"
"I'm sure it should be no problem to run the group without you." Scootaloo looked confident in her words as that look was showing on her face again, as it usually did. "If I grab some more ponies to join the club, the Cutie Mark Crusaders could be the most populated kids group ever!"
"Well, I'm glad for you, Scootaloo." Applebloom said, in the most modest fashion she could sum up. "Even if I do earn my Cutie Mark, I'm glad to know that you'll be moving the Cutie Mark Crusaders into a brighter generation."
Diamond on the other hand, was getting a mix of both praise and a little scorn for her current attire. She decided not to let opinions get in her way, and instead just answer any questions that these kids had to offer.
"So, how's it feel to be working for the Apple Family?" Snips was the first to ask that question as he stepped forward from the crowd.
"Oh, it ain't much, really." Diamond said, keeping that accent on, lest Sweetie Belle overhear that she was breaking character. "Sure it's hard work fer an upper-class pony like mahself, but on the bright side, ah earn Bits fer doing this kinda dirty work."
"How much?" Snails came from behind Snips and extended the question to her.
"It all depends on how long ah buck those trees fer." Diamond explained, remembering how complicated it was to work out her pay from the day before. "Ah never really paid attention to how much ah earned yesterday. Ah just bucked the apples, and they paid up, simple."
"One question still remains, Diamond Tiara," Twist was the next to speak, adjusting her glasses as she burst through the crowd to get a better look at her. "Will you choose to stay like this after it's over?"
"Ah haven't really thought about that yet..." Diamond too was at a tough choice, she could end it and go back to her life of snobbish pestilence, but at the same time, she'd lose friends, friends she'd made deep connections with, even if it was just the 1st day.
On the other hand, she could choose to end her reign as the princess of the classroom, stay as a country pony, earn money, and keep all of her friends. Diamond was also having a tough time making the decision, she looked over at Applebloom, and noticed that she too was deep in thought.
Applebloom's got downsides in this as well, I see. Diamond said to herself as she peered at her rival's hoof on her chin. She has downsides on this dare as well?
"Uhh, Diamond?" Twist was now waving her hoof in front of Diamond Tiara's face, in an attempt to grab her attention. "You were kind of spacing out for a second there."
"Huh? Oh, sorry bout' that." She chuckled awkwardly for a few seconds. "Ah was just busy thinkin' bout Applebloom over there." She looked at Applebloom, then back at Twist. "Ah actually don't know whether or not ah wanna continue being a country pony after this ah'm finished with this."
After answering the questions of many of their class, Diamond and Applebloom were off having some fun with their session of recess, finally being able to run around like happy fillies again, instead of trying to embrace the other's heritage.
Everypony was with a group, besides Diamond. She was wandering the playground alone today, as Silver was now with Applebloom as per the dare's regulations. She sighed before getting an invitation from a nearby pony she knew all too well.
"Hey, Diamond!" It was Applebloom, of all ponies. This baffled Diamond immensely, why would her enemy be inviting her to play? Something she'd never expected to see in this class, nor any other.
"What do ya'll want with me?" She asked right back, addressing Applebloom in her cowgirl's voice.
"We were playing a game of hopscotch with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo here, and we were wondering if you'd like to join us." Silver asked now, bearing that slight little smile as she spoke. Even though Diamond was now a country pony, that didn't alter their friendship in anyway possible.
"Alright." She said lightly, cracking a slight smile. "Ah'd like that."
Diamond felt something was coming over her as she approached the group, something she'd never experienced before; True friendship. She wasn't a popular pony to grab everyone's attention, she was plain and ordinary now, and for some reason, it was giving her friends, and she liked it.
"So, how did you convince Diamond Tiara to go along with the whole role reversal idea?" Scootaloo asked Silver as Diamond was approaching the group.
"Well, it wasn't anything really." She said, a tiny hint of self pride showing. "Applebloom merely stated the dare for Diamond, and she accepted, for fear of being mocked for cowardice if she refused."
"Why didn't I think of that?"
"Alright, ah'm here." Diamond arrived just as Sweetie Belle finished the hopscotch grid for the 5 of them. It was quite accurate, for a member of the CMC. "So, where's that doggone pebble?"
"Let's see..." Silver was scanning the grass for pebbles. They usually wound up here, near the road, for reasons which are pretty self explanatory. "Ah! Here's one."
"Alright, ya remember the rules of Hopscotch, Diamond?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"Oh course ah do." She said, a tiny bit smug. "Ah might be a country pony fer the week, but that doesn't mean ah'm stupider than anypony else in this class."
"Fine then, you take the first shot." Silver hoofed her the pebble. "And remember, inside the lines."
Diamond didn't even respond to that. Tightening her focus, she pinpointed exactly where she wanted to throw the pebble and launched it forward with her hoof. It bounced for a second, before landing right next to the line, but not on the square she wanted.
Letting out an exasperated sigh, Diamond took her hops, making sure her movements were accurate as she nimbly leaped from square to square. Once she made it to the stone's location, she picked it up and placed it in her mouth, before hopping back across the grid, back to the start.
"Nice work, Diamond." Applebloom complimented as Diamond dropped the pebble back down onto the floor for the next pony to use. "Even though you didn't hit the square, you still made a great series of hops."
"Thanks." She cracked a small smile and kicked the stone to Applebloom, who immediately bent down and picked it up. "Now it's your turn, Applebloom."
Applebloom was also thinking hard, she wanted to get the square at the end of the grid, so that she could be the best of the group so far. Her focus was mighty, but her aim was something else. The stone ricocheted off the ground like a golf ball on a cart path, bouncing off the wall of the school and landing right by her feet.
"Ouch. Tough break, Applebloom." Scootaloo was by Applebloom's shoulders, there to give her support after that mess of a throw. "But hey, you did try, and that's all anypony can ask of you."
"Even ah hafta admit, that was pretty bold of you, Applebloom." Diamond was there as well, helping Applebloom to pick up the rock and hand it to Silver. "And truth be told, ah could never have made an incredible shot like that in mah life." She was actually smiling at Applebloom's failure, and it wasn't an evil smile, it was a kind, caring smile.
"Thanks, you two." Applebloom said, picking her head back up and grinning a tiny bit. "I could sure use the support."
"Ya'll gotta teach me a trick shot like that sometime." Diamond smile as she was now looking at all of the CMC. "Maybe after we come back from lunch?"
"I don't know about that..." Scootaloo was a little concerned by this. After all her experiences, she had to be prepared for anything. "I'd have to check in with the rest of the Crusaders about that-"
"Oh, stop worrying, Scootaloo!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed back at her. "She's not THAT Diamond Tiara anymore, I'd be more than happy to teach her a few shots like that."
"Yeah, come on, Scootaloo. You need to stop dwelling on the past, let that stuff go, girl." Applebloom was the next to give Scootaloo some moral support.
"Oh, alright then." Scootaloo knew she didn't want another petty argument with the Crusaders, so she decided to let it be unanimous in the end. "Sure, let's talk after lunch."
And then, just out of nowhere, the bell went, signalling the kids it was time for their next lessons. Silver heard the bell and put the game on hold, walking out of the grid to reunite with the rest of the group.
"Diamond, I just wanted to say that you've really done a great thing with this deal." Applebloom smiled as the two of them walked side-by-side. "You've not only forged friendships with us, but you've also shown me that anypony works, no matter how poor or how wealthy, or even how powerful they are. Everypony is their own person, and we're both a great inspiration for that."
"Really?" Diamond looked surprised. She was receiving a congratulatory speech, from her rival. Another thing that shocked and bewildered her mind.
"Why yes, you've sacrificed all that power and class control, to show us all that you are a nice pony underneath the rich and powerful crust." Silver was the next to give her some recognition. "Diamond Tiara, you're one amazing pony for going through with this. You're always gonna be a friend in my eyes."
"Thanks. Thank ya'll for helping me through this and giving me yer thanks." Diamond was... happy, she was happy to be hanging with the CMC, she was happy for being a country pony for the week, she was happy, because she had friends. REAL friends, and that was something that couldn't be replaced. She smiled at all 4 of the others, giving them all a sign that she was now their friend. And they both knew that here on out, things would be smooth sailing for the 5 of them...