Something feels wrong Sweetie Belle mused sleepily as she walked through the familiar halls of Princess Twilight's School for Gifted Ponies. Drawing on her lessons from the aforementioned princess, she made a mental checklist of her usual morning. Saddlebags … check; makeup … check; breakfast … check; marefriend … no check. Silver Spoon had indeed failed to greet her with a kiss, and on further reflection, Sweetie hadn't seen her all morning. I'm a bad marefriend! Still, it was better to fix a problem rather than dwell on it, so she set out to find her.
As methodically as she could while still half awake, she began searching the places that Silver Spoon would likely be, coming up empty. Not in the mares' room, not at her locker, not in the lunchroom … but Diamond Tiara is! She probably knows.
“Hello, Diamond, have you seen Sliver Spoon?”
“I have; she's out back moping, I was about to bring her this tea; she had a fight with her dad last night.”
“Another one?” Sweetie took the tea in her magic, largely out of habit.
“Yes. They're getting worse and more frequent.” Hints of worry flickered across Diamond's eyes as she spoke, the emotion still looking somewhat alien on the former bully's face.
“Ouch … she needs to get out of there. How bad was this one?” If the last one almost got her kicked out …
“Bad … past that, it's not really my place to say. Let's bring her tea to her, and you can cheer her up.”
* * *
They found Silver Spoon right where Diamond Tiara said she'd be … slumped against the side of the school portions of Princess Twilight's castle, apparently watching the rain fall from the shelter of an overhang.
“Hey, Silvy. You hanging in there? Diamond told me you had another fight with your dad.” Sweetie moved immediately to embrace the gray mare, who weakly returned it.
“Have some tea and let it all out.” The pink Earth Pony said as Sweetie extended it in her magic. Silver took it with a weak smile, but clearly was wanting to talk to her marefriend first and foremost.
“Not really …” Silver Spoon nuzzled the off-white Unicorn, fighting tears. “As wonderful of a marefriend you are, I really wish I was into colts … then I might not get called an abomination every night … and get blamed for everything that goes wrong in his life. Last night he blamed me for costing him all the business he used to do with your families.”
“The retrograde plot-for-brains brought it on himself!” The pink mare growled, shaking her head, eyes hard.
“Rarity's been itching to ditch him for years … maybe it's time you let him go too. Your Aunt Ivory has offered to take you in more than once, and you know you're welcome at the Boutique.” Sweetie almost sang the last bit … she would like it if her marefriend moved in with her sister, especially since the Boutique only had ONE spare room for the time being.
“Maybe … after all, it's just a matter of time before he kicks ME out. I don't know if he won't try to go after whoever took me in, though” Silver shuddered, pulling Sweetie closer. “You know, to make it more of a punishment.”
“I'd like to see him try, but going after his sister-in-law – who just so happens to be the mayor – will come back to bite him HARD, to say nothing about going after a Bearer of Harmony. Hay, I'd invite you to come live with me, but … ” Diamond stopped short as the school's bell announced the start of classes. “C'mon, we need to go; we're late!”
“I think I'm not going … at least not to this one. We're just going to be cold-alloying pewter … I've been doing that since I was eight.”
“I'll stay with you, dear. I'm here for you. Always.” Sweetie punctuated her statement with a quick kiss.
“I can't afford to miss class. I'll see you at lunch, okay?” Diamond announced quickly before dashing off.
“Ok. See you. Thanks for the tea.” Silver replied to her oldest friend's departing form. After Diamond had left, she lay down on the grass, motioning for her marefriend to join her. “Sweetie, my love, would you sing to me?”
Sweetie accepted with her marefriend's invitation to cuddle. “One private concert coming up … just you, me, and the rain. Any requests?”
* * *
“Excuse me, is this the right room for the Advanced Pegasus Magic class?” The voice behind Scootaloo was rich and masculine, with an accent that she couldn't quite place.
“Yes, it is” she replied, turning. The voice came from a rugged looking Thestral stallion about her age. Whoa mama! She had to keep herself from staring at the obvious muscles under his steel-gray coat, only for her violet eyes to meet his warm, silvery orbs. “Come on in, nopony's claimed the seat next to me yet.” She gestured in a calculatedly flippant manner to the chair to her right. “I'm Scootaloo, by the way.”
“Pleased to meet you. I am Darksteel … I am new here.”
“I could tell; I'd have noticed you sooner if you weren't. Why don't you tell me tell me a bit about yourself before the professor gets here? We're way early, so we have a few.”
“Of course. For starters, my special talent is forging weapons.” He turned around to show Scootaloo his cutie mark – a hammer and anvil with a white-hot blade on it – along with the rest of his toned flank. “Yes, I know it's mostly an Earth Pony thing these days, but the Thestrals and Pegasi of old used to make the lightest and swiftest blades in the world; and I've done what I can to resurrect their techniques. What's yours?”
Scootaloo turned to show off her own winged-wheel-on-fire mark, hoping he also took the opportunity to check her out in return. “Extreme sports, though I also know a lot about athletics in general, along with some choreography … especially stunt choreography. I'm also starting to do a bit of coaching on the side … just flying lessons for now, but I'm hoping to get a foals' air hockey team going.”
“Interesting … if you do get it going, my younger sister might be interested, she's five, going on six, and could use an outlet for her energy.”
“Awesome, I'll let you know if I can get it going … what brings you to Ponyville, by the way?”
“My parents are both in the Guard, and my mom just took a promotion into Princess Twilight's guard, and my dad took a sideways move here to be with her.”
“Cool … my dad was in the guard … before he died …” Scootaloo trailed off, her eyes and voice heavy with the memory of loss.
“So sorry to hear that.” Darksteel replied, his voice full of sympathy, before an awkward silence settled in.
A silence broken a short while later by a tan Pegasus walking in. “Hello Scoots, hello new person”
“Hey Featherweight! Meet Darksteel; Darksteel, meet Featherweight.” The young mare cheerily made the introduction, glad to get her mind off the past. “Featherweight and I go way back … known each other since grade school.”
“Pleased to meet you as well … are you two an item?”
“Nope! I'm single and free!” Scootaloo replied, almost a bit too hastily, before adding “And Feathers here might as well be married to my best friend Applebloom.”
“Ahh, I see … while we're on the subject of introductions, why don't you tell me about yourself?” Was it just Scootaloo's ears, or had Darksteel sounded slightly relieved to find out that she was available? The thought made her heart flutter.
“Well, my special talent is Pegasus Magic, but I mostly use that to get better shots with my camera. I'm a photographer, and occasionally a cinematographer as well. Dunno if I want to do news photography more, or if I want to go into films more … I mean, I've already done stuff for the paper, and that was fun, but doing indie films was fun too …. especially the musical version of Cupcakes! I mean, two of the Elements of Harmony playing themselves as over-the-top cheesy as they could, singing, while one has her hooves buried in what's supposed to be the other's insides, but was a strawberry-flavored prop that the entire cast and crew got to eat part of after we were done with it, and the whole thing is based on a nightmare that Pinkie Pie had once, and Rainbow Dash said sounded like an amazing horror movie.” Upon seeing the other two ponies' faces, Featherweight paused. “Sorry, am I rambling? I've only had five cups of coffee this morning.”
“Five?! I think you've had enough, Feathers.”
“You did the camera work for Cupcakes!? I love that movie!” Darksteel's eyes shone with awe as he replied.
“Yep … also helped with a lot of the storyboarding, and helped with the lighting too.” Before Featherweight could launch into another high-speed monologue, an older blue-white stallion with one of his wings in a cast entered the room, a pack of young Pegasi following close behind.
“Was that Soarin? The Wonderbolt?!” Darksteel nearly gasped in shock.
“Yeah … he decided he'd teach a class while he's recovering from that epic wipeout he had in Las Pegasus. He's pretty chill as long as you don't fawn all over him.” Scootaloo whispered back.
Soarin' shuffled some papers as he walked to the front of the classroom, “Ok everypony, time to get settled; before we can go play with the rainstorm that Princess Twilight has graciously let us park over her castle, we need to go over some theory.” The class groaned collectively, to which Soarin' replied “Theory might bore some of you, but head knowledge is just as important as anything hands-on, especially when dealing with something you haven't dealt with before. Knowing your theory well can often mean the difference between life and death, especially when you're playing with lightning, or traveling near the speed of sound at treetop height. It saved mine a month ago. Now, let me quickly take roll before we get started, OK?. First off, Airburst?”
* * *
“Ok, how did it go? Did everypony ask who they were supposed to ask?” Pumpkin Cake announced over the lunch table, her food completely untouched.
“I asked Scootaloo after our flying lessons, and she's game.” Pound Cake's mouth was full of some fancy pastry he'd made, and Pumpkin knew it had to have something weird in it.
“Wants to do something to pass the torch from them to us too … which sounds like a blast!” That got some cheers.
“Auntie Bloom's OK with it, though her mind was off on something else, and when I asked what, she told me it was 'none of my beeswax'.” Cinnamon seemed aghast at that last bit. “Oh, and Scootaloo showed up for dinner out of the blue, but I didn't have a chance to ask her a thing.”
“Good thing my dear brother was handling that, then. What about you, Winesap? Oh, and who is your new friend?” Pumpkin glanced between Cinnamon's slightly younger cousin and the dark blue Thestral filly next to her.
“Yeah, I saw Sweetie Belle while I was at the Ponytones practice with Pa and Mama Fluttershy, and she thinks it's a great idea. Ma and Mama Fluttershy made me Pinkie Promise to be careful crusading, though, and Pa 'Eeyup'ed' their concerns.” The red-violet filly gestured to her companion. “Oh, and this is Midnight Star, she just moved here, and doesn't know anypony in town yet, so I decided I'd be her friend, and introduce her to all of you.”
“Hello Midnight Star” Pumpkin's greeting was soon echoed by the rest of the regulars. “Pleased to meet you.”
“Pleased to meet all of you … ohhh, this is going to be great … Winesap's been gushing all morning about the adventures you have planned.” Midnight's golden eyes shone with excitement as she bounced in her seat. “I hope we do all the stuff she says her aunt did, and all of the other stuff she said we'd do, and I have a few ideas I want to try too!”
“Oh hey, sorry I'm late.” A chestnut brown Pegasus colt announced his arrival as he took a seat. “Had to talk to the teacher about the science fair in a few months. So, what'd I miss? Are we good to go?”
“Hey Flywheel! We are!” Pumpkin smiled, “Everypony on three … one … two … three.”
“New Cutie Mark Crusaders YAY!”
* * *
“Hey Applebloom! You doing any better today?” Sweetie Belle greeted her old friend as she approached the lunch table where Sweetie was sitting with Silver Spoon.
“Somewhat … at least I know a little bit more, enough to move on forward. It's high time I told y'all anyway, but I'm gonna ask y'all to Pinkie Promise not to tell anypony without my permission.”
“Cross my heart, hope to fly. Stick a cupcake in my eye” Silver and Sweetie replied, going through the motions – echoed by Diamond Tiara right behind Applebloom.
Applebloom barely restrained from jumping in surprise. “Dagnabbit, don't sneak up on me like that!”
“My apologies. Please continue.” The pink mare nodded, taking her usual seat.
“Apology accepted.” The yellow Earth Pony waited her enemy-turned-friend take her seat before continuing. “The short version is … well … I'm pregnant.” She silenced the replies her friends were beginning to make with a gesture. “I know y'all have a bushel of questions, so I'm gonna get the obvious ones outta the way. First off, yes, it's Featherweight's, and yes, we've been using condoms, but one broke on us. Second, I haven't told him yet; I didn't confirm it until yesterday because that's when I could bum a test off Fluttershy, and I haven't seen him yet today. I've only told AJ, Caramel, and Scoots so far. Third, if the pamphlet that came with it is right, I'm about five weeks along, which means I'm due a little after the next Summer Sun Celebration. And third, I don't right know what I'm going to do; I need to talk to Featherweight and a doctor at very least before I decide for sure. I do like the idea of being a mom, though, but that depends on what Feathers and the doc have to say … there, that about sums it up.”
“I think I speak for all of us here,” Diamond began, “When I say that I'll support you no matter what, and will do anything I can to help you.”
“Thank you … that really means a lot to me.”
“With that said, I don't think you're ready to be a parent.” The pink mare held up her hoof to cut off the retort that Applebloom was obviously readying. “Hear me out, please. While I think you have what it takes to make things work in the long run; it would throw your life into chaos, and those disruptions to your career, your social life, and your development will have long-lasting repercussions for you, and for your foal. On top of the mountain of statistical evidence that's out there, you know people who've gone through this. Your brother and sister experienced a lot of this raising you, and Peach Delight got the full deal raising Scootaloo with her ex-coltfriend only really providing financial support and the occasional weekend. While it is your decision, I strongly urge you to choose differently.”
“I … yeah, I see where you're coming from.” Applebloom sighed deeply before continuing, “And I trust you … we've been friends for six years now, and in that time, you've not led me astray. That said, I don't like the idea of an abortion … I'm not going to prevent somepony else from getting one, but it don't sit well with me unless it's medically necessary.”
“I didn't say anything about an abortion, adoption's an option too!”
“I don't like the idea of carrying a foal for nearly a year and then just handing her off to some perfect stranger in another town, never to see her again.” Applebloom was approaching tears, the thought of going through all that, and then just walking away was too much to bear.
“Who said anything about the pony adopting your foal being a stranger from out of town?” Silver Spoon interjected, still nuzzled next to her marefriend. “There's got to be plenty of couples in Ponyville looking to adopt, and I'm sure most of them would love to let you be a part of your foal's life.”
“Oh.” Applebloom hadn't really considered that option. “That might be workable, especially if it's somepony I already know. And I was wondering when one of y'all would rejoin this conversation.”
“Honestly, we couldn't get a word in edgewise,” Sweetie Belle replied, “And honestly, Silvy had a bad night.”
“Fair enough.” Applebloom replied, before she felt a twinge of nausea. Hastily getting up, she added “We can talk more after I get back from the mares' room!” Struggling to keep her lunch down, she rushed off in the general direction of the facilities without waiting for a reply, oblivious to her surroundings. At least until she ran into somepony else, thankfully not hard enough to knock either of them down, but still hard enough to stagger both of them. “I'm really, really sorry” she began, taking note of the other pony for the first time – a white Unicorn she didn't recognize, not a grayish off-white like Sweetie Belle, but pure, sparkling white, with a blue-and-gold mane.
“Watch where you're going, you stupid mud-pony!” The Unicorn sneered in a high-pitched nasal voice.
“I said I was sorr...” Applebloom's second attempt at an apology broke off as she lost her struggle with her stomach, vomiting all over herself, the floor – and the rather irate pony she was facing.
“Ewwwww! How dare you!” The Unicorn's face contorted in disgust. “Go get a mop and clean this up, peasant! Mud-ponies and featherbrains! What sort of school IS this?”
Applebloom wished she could disappear. What could she do to fix this? Nothing came to mind. Thankfully, somepony else came to her rescue.
“A school that teaches Ponies of all tribes how to be their best selves. My friend here is obviously not well right now, and I need to help her to the mares' room. I'm sure that one of the lunchroom attendants can handle the mess and find you a place to freshen up. Wait, I know you … you're in my economics class … Gilded Lily, if I remember right?”
“Glad to see somepony knows who I am, even if they're a peasant mud-pony trying to impersonate nobility. Your feeble attempts don't impress me, I'm the daughter of the Earl of Trottingham!”
“First off, Applebloom is by far one of the smartest alchemists of our generation, she earned her cutie mark by developing a potion that helped me regrow my foreleg after it got crushed, which I might add she did when she and I were most emphatically not friends, making her a far better pony than I was then, let alone you. In fact, if not for her, I could have easily become like you are now. On top of that, she was one of the students that inspired Princess Twilight to turn part of her castle into this school. Second, if money and land are all you care about, not only does her family own nearly a thousand square miles, most of which were granted to them by Princess Celestia herself – personally – but they work it all themselves. I'm sure that even you've heard of Sweet Apple Acres. As for me, my name is Diamond Tiara, my daddy is Filthy Rich, who owns Barnyard Bargains, which rakes in more bits every year than your entire noble family will see in TEN, because unlike you, we aren't a bunch of racist, stuck-up pricks! Oh, and Sunset Shimmer is my stepmom, she's a professor here and a good friend of the Princess.” Diamond mentally leaned as hard on the interloper as she dared. “So would you kindly leave us alone until you grow up!” Turning to Applebloom, she softened. “Come on, let's get you to the mares' room.”