//------------------------------// // Attitude // Story: Diamond Cutter Anthology Entries // by Mudpony //------------------------------// "Hey, check it, Sil.  Is that who I think it is?" Diamond Tiara asked, directing Silver Spoon's attention over to another earth filly with a flick of her head.  Silver Spoon held her head up high and moved it from side to side, trying to see over and around the other foals in the hall.  Not an easy task, given all the horns, as well as pegasi taking advantage of the space between the ground-bound ponies and the ceiling. "I think so," Silver Spoon said.  "What's she doing here?  I thought she was still in Manehatten." To see her slinking around at their new school was not something either filly had expected.  Of course, little that had happened today had gone as they expected.  It had all seemed so promising, when, by strange happenstance, both their families had decided to move to Canterlot at the same time, for completely unrelated reasons.  Finally a place with classy ponies, who would welcome them.   But it had not happened.  Instead of the Canterlot ponies welcoming the two new students, they had mostly kept their distance.  Some had made snide remarks about how out of fashion the clothes worn by Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were.  One had even asked if their jewelry had come from a thrift shop.  A thrift shop!  As if either filly would be caught dead shopping there.  That was for ponies that had to dress like grandparents or liked to wear something as embarrassing as flannel zebra jammies, not for those who could afford to pay fifty bits for a stylish new t-shirt. Nor were the teachers any better than the students.  It seemed every one of them had singled them out.  When they asked a question they did not expect a correct answer to, they always seemed to single out the two of them.  It did not help that Silver Spoon knew the answer to some of the questions, as that only seemed to make the teachers determined to put them down.  Additionally, whenever some little demeaning task needed doing, it was them that was asked to do it.  Their coats, manes, and dresses were covered in dust from all the erasers they had cleaned. And so the two fillies had found themselves feeling something they had never expected to feel: they actually missed Ponyville.  They missed being the cream of the crop.  They missed being the pinnacle of fashion.  They missed being idolized by their peers.  They missed Miss Cheerilee and her cheerful disposition.  They even missed a certain three fillies they had a short while been so happy to joke about never having to see again. So, no, it had not been a pleasant day.  And now to top it off, she was here.  A pony they had welcomed into their social circle.  A pony with whom they had thought to turn their duo into a trio.  A new friend for life.  Only to have that pony betray them, to rebuke their offer of friendship as if it had no value.  And to do it all when they had shown up to see her off, to wish her a safe trip home. "Come on.  Let's go say hi to her," Diamond Tiara suggested, with a mischievous grin. "I've been, like, waiting forever to talk to her about her bad attitude."  Silver Spoon laughed, imagining finally getting to use all the things she had planned to say if she ever saw Babs Seed again. Their feet clacked on the marble tiles as they picked up their pace, earning dirty looks and the occasional comment from the other foals crowding the hallway, each eager to leave the building now that the school day was done.  Once, they almost lost sight of her, but Silver Spoon managed to catch sight of a waft of mane, as their quarry headed out a door. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon stepped outside into the crisp air of Canterlot.  Around them, buildings of stone rose.  Tall pillars, majestic domes, and balconies with intricate railings towered around them.  Everywhere was the white stone architecture that was responsible for Canterlot being declared the most beautiful city in Equestria, year after year. "Which way'd she go?" Diamond Tiara asked. Silver Spoon looked around.  Their target was not in sight.  Quickly she ran some calculations, factoring in time, rate of travel, and likelihood of different destinations.  "This way, I think.  Toward the gym," Silver Spoon said, pointing to the left.  "Quick, we don't want to lose her." The two fillies ran, able to move faster thanks to the crowd being more dispersed outside.  They skidded around the corner.  There was the pony they sought, she who had thought that she could get away with threatening the two most important fillies in Ponyville.  Only she wasn't alone.  She was surrounded by four colts, her tail pressed up against her side, back against the wall, yet still trying to move backwards.  Her eyes frantically moved around, looking for a way out, but finding none. With smiles on their faces, the duo approached.  Apparently, they were not the only ones with a score to settle with the duplicitous filly.  They walked toward the gathering, taking a bit of care not to make noise, so as not to disturb what was happening, their ears eagerly moving to better hear what was being said. "Thought you'd sneak out of here, Babsy?" the leader of the group, a grey unicorn colt with a bluish mane asked.  "You don't belong here, you know, no matter what the princess might think.  This school is for those with magic." "And wings," one of his cronies, a pegasus, added, earning a bit of a scowl from the leader, though he nodded anyway. Both Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon stopped in shock.  For a pony to be singled out for race in a negative way was something unheard of in Ponyville.  Everyone knew that all three races were equally valued, even if pegasi did not tend to be ponies of influence, wealth, or status unless flight was required for the position.  Nopony held that against them.  They just had their hooves full with the weather duties was all. It was Diamond Tiara who recovered first, taking a step forward and loudly clearing her throat.  "Watch what you're saying to her," she said.  "There's nothing wrong with her race." Silver Spoon moved up beside her friend.  "Yeah.  I mean, she's lame and all, but it isn't 'cause she's an earth pony.  There's, like, so many other things, like how she's a blank flank, her lame manestyle, or how she's a bad friend.  But all our races are special in their own way." "Well, of course you'd think so," the leader said.  "I mean, just look at the pair of you."  He gestured at them as if it should be plainly evident what was wrong with them. "All dressed up in their sunday best, I bet," one of the cronies said. "But couldn't find any dirt to roll in, so they had to use chalk instead," another added.  Silver Spoon looked at her dress, with the patches of chalk dust on it, and scowled. "Just goes to show, you can take the earth pony out of the field, but can't take the field out of the earth pony," the leader joked. Silver Spoon's mouth dropped open.  Quickly, she shut it and took a determined step forward, moving her face within inches of the leaders.  "You can't talk to me that way.  You'd, like, totally better watch your tone." "Or what, four-eyes?" the leader asked.  "You'll run home to the homestead to get Ma, Pa, and the cousins?"  He laughed and shoved Silver Spoon.  "We're quaking in our horseshoes.  Stupid mud-ponies." Two seconds later, the leader lay on the ground, rubbing a sore jaw, while Silver Spoon and Babs Seed struggled to hold Diamond Tiara back, while the three cronies stood around with shocked expressions on their faces. "What's going on here?" a gruff voice called out.  A quick glance revealed two security guards, one running, the other flying, closing on the foals. "They just attacked us, sir.  No reason at all," the leader lied blatantly, while he struggled up to his feet.  His cronies nodded in agreement. "How typical."  The security guard turned his attention to the earth ponies.  "What's with you earth pony types anyway, always starting trouble?" he asked.   "But that's not what happened!" Silver Spoon protested. "They started it!  They called us names and then shoved us.  Ask Babs, she'll back us up!" Diamond Tiara said, pointing to where Babs Seed stood. Except she was not there.  Diamond Tiara's jaw dropped from disbelief.  They had tried to help her, to stand up for her, in spite of what she had done in the past, and she had betrayed them.  Again. The unicorn security guard looked at his partner and shook his head.  "I swear they all have dirt for brains." "Probably been eating mangoes.  You know how they are," his partner replied.  He glared at the two fillies.  "Come on, you two.  You're going with us to the principal's office."  He gave a glance to the colts.  "You boys have a good afternoon now.  Try to stay out of trouble." Even with Diamond Tiara majorly turning on the charm, the best she had been able to do was to get the principal down to an hour of detention.  An hour for a crime they had not committed.  Needless to say, the two fillies were not pleased.  Once again the universe was out to get them for no good reason.  Diamond Tiara was sparing no words in making it clear to Silver Spoon just how unfair it all was. And so it is easily understandable that the two fillies might easily become lost, what with being in a strange city and distracted by their anger.  It was Silver Spoon who figured it out first.  She stopped and looked around.  Her eyes grew wide, and she looked more frantically.   "Tiara, I think we've wandered into the wrong part of town," she said, her voice trembling. Diamond Tiara cut off her rant mid-sentence and looked around.  All around them buildings loomed.  In front of each was a small garden.  Trees lined the streets.  The windows sported flower pots with brightly colored flowers.  Even balconies were covered in plant life, a veritable palette of color: red, blue, yellow, white, and even purple flowers. Silver Spoon was right, she realized.  It could all only mean one thing: They were in the ghetto. There was no doubt about it, Silver Spoon thought.  They were definitely lost.  And with the shadows lengthening, the two fillies were getting scared.  This was not their world.  Several times already, rough looking characters had approached them, offering to sell them mangoes, guavas, and, once, even a pineapple.  They had never seen a single illegal fruit in their life before, other than in pictures at school, and now they had been offered all sorts within a short period. "Is this what life is like in the ghetto?  Does everyone here sample forbidden fruit?" Diamond Tiara asked, keeping her voice quiet for fear that somepony might overhear. "I... I don't know.  Maybe, I guess.  If you were forced to live in these" --Silver Spoon gestured to the well maintained buildings teeming with plant life-- "you might too."  She shook her head at the thought of any pony living in such conditions.  "Come on.  I see a store ahead.  We can get something to drink and some directions to get out of here." Silver Spoon shoved open the door, causing a bell attached to it to jingle.  An older pegasus mare looked up, eyeing them carefully.  Ignoring her for now, Silver Spoon walked down an aisle toward where the drinks were.  She brushed her hoof down the shelves and, finding one of Diamond Tiara's favorites, pulled it out and tossed it to her friend.  A bit more searching and she found an acceptable flavor for herself as well.  Now to get a snack. Silver Spoon looked around the store for something suitable.  She glanced at a curved mirror that hung from the wall and noticed that the clerk seemed to be watching her and Tiara intently, going as far as to hover near the ceiling so as to have to a better line of sight.  A quick nudge got Diamond Tiara's attention.  "Check out the clerk in the mirror," she whispered to her friend. Diamond Tiara gave the mirror a quick look.  "Probably just never seen two fillies as classy as us," she said, drawing a giggle from Silver Spoon. Silver Spoon looked at the mirror again, seeing that the clerk was still watching intently.  She did not like it, she decided.  It felt like the clerk watched them as if she was expecting them to suddenly reveal themselves changelings.  It made her uncomfortable.  "Come on.  Let's grab some apples and go." Up front, they placed the two bottles and two apples on the counter.  The pegasus worked the register with practiced ease, rapidly ringing up the items. "That'll be eight bits." Silver Spoon nearly gagged at the cost.  It was three times what the same items would have cost in Ponyville.  She knew life in the big city was more expensive, but she had not figured it would be that much more expensive.  She would definitely have to negotiate an increase in allowance when she got back home.  With a sigh, she counted out four bits while Diamond Tiara did the same, then slid them over. Silver Spoon grabbed her apple and drink.  Taking the lid off, she took a big gulp.  Then she tossed her apple up in the air, absentmindedly. The clerk's eyes followed the apple, growing wider with every second.  "We don't want no trouble," she said. Silver Spoon looked at the clerk, confused.  Then she caught on.  "I just bought that apple, here, to eat.  It's not a weapon." "No trouble.  You go now," the clerk said. "Actually, we were hoping you could give us some directions on how to get to Central Plaza.  We're sort of lost," Diamond Tiara said, using a tone that Silver Spoon recognized as her best manipulate grown up ponies voice.. The clerk seemed to be immune.  Her eyes just continued to follow Silver Spoon's apple.  The activity seemed to have winded her, for she was breathing heavily, Silver Spoon noticed.  "No trouble.  You go now," the clerk said. "Now wait just a mule darned minute," Diamond Tiara said.  "First you charge us prices that amount to robbery, and now--"  Diamond Tiara cut off as the clerk fainted.  She growled in frustration.  "Let's get out of here. I swear every pony in this part of town is crazy." Back on the street, the two friends munched on their apples and sipped their drinks while they contemplated who to ask for directions.  Whenever one of them made a suggestion, the other quickly had several reasons not to approach that pony.  At last they settled on a stallion wearing a suit, with a package wrapped in brown paper on his back.   Before they could approach him, a carriage pulled up in front of him.  Out of the carriage poured a bunch of royal guards.  They quickly boxed in the stallion, several guards holding their weapons at the ready.  The stallion screamed in fright, and the package he had been carrying fell of his back, hitting the ground and exposing its contents. "Look out!  He's got a pie!" a guard cried out. "What?  Huh?" the frightened stallion said.  "No, that's just for dinner--"  But it was too late.  At the warning cry that their suspect was armed, the other guards unleashed a volley of apples, several of which hit the stallion, flinging him back into the wall, from which he slid to the ground..   The entire area erupted into panic at the sound of apple splatter, with ponies running in every direction.  Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon joined the insanity, desperately seeking to get to the safety.  They ran down streets, through allies, without a clue where they were going, until they found themselves face to face with a group of older foals in an alleyway. "Well, well, lookie what we have here," said the biggest filly  in the group.  "Some fancypants types in our territory."  She casually used a banana to scratch behind her ear.  The other ponies grinned evilly and held up fruits of their own. "Just leave us alone," said Silver Spoon, glancing behind her only to see that escape was cut off as a couple more ponies slide down off a fire escape behind them.  She held her half-eaten apple in front of her.  For good measure, she started tossing the apple up into the air and catching it, like she had at the store.  It seemed to have scared the lady there; maybe it would have a similar effect here. "I'm having a bad day," Diamond Tiara said flatly, as she pulled out her own half-eaten apple.  "You sure you want to be part of it?"  Silver Spoon knew from her friend's tone that she was tired, but to anyone who did not know her, it sounded like she was as tough as they come. Silver Spoon focused her attention on the leader.  Silver Spoon felt she could almost read his mind.  He looked around, no doubt to make sure he had not miscounted.  But no, there were definitely just two of them and seven ponies on his side, and so the two of them should be pleading with him not hurt them.  His face flipped between bewildered, scared, and determined, and she knew he could not back down.  No doubt the loss of face would likely result in him losing his position as leader.  Unless he had a reason to let the them pass quickly, he would have to attack. "Back off, Riff Jets.  They're all right," a familiar accented voice called out. With relief evident on his face, the gang leader turned to the newcomer.  "You know these pointy-posers, Babs?" "I do.  Ol' friends o' mine from my Ponyville days.  They may dress like boneheads, but they're okay.  Some of the time." "Well, any friend of yours..." the gang leader said. Babs sat on her bed, looking at the other two ponies in her bedroom.  Of all the ponies she would not have expected to see in the hood, these two were near the top of her list.  And had she written a list this morning of ponies she would rather not have seen, these two would have been near the top, just below the bullies from Manehatten and the Olden Pony.  She felt her hairs rise at the thought.  She knew the Olden Pony was not real, but ever since Scootaloo had told her that story... she shuddered.  But she was letting herself get sidetracked. On the way to her home, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon had explained why they had moved to Canterlot and how they had gotten lost in the ghetto.  Babs in return had told how her parents had moved from Manehatten to Canterlot, and how she had gotten a scholarship to the exclusive private school, part of Princess Celestia's program to racially integrate the schools. She watched as Diamond Tiara walked up the window and looked out at the street.  Babs blew her mane out of the way, then hopped off the bed to stand beside Diamond Tiara.  "See the remains of the chalk outline there?  A drive-pie just last weekend." "How can anyone stand to live in such conditions?" Diamond Tiara asked.  "I mean, not just the drive-pies, but, well, just look.  You've got greenery everywhere instead of cold, bare stone.  There's somepony selling illegal tropical fruit at every corner.  Probably not a single decent spa nearby." "Where else can we live?" Babs said.  "My parents would like to live in a nice neighborhood, but they can't afford it.  And that's assuming the unicorns and pegasi are even willing to rent the place to you, that the apartment isn't suddenly unavailable." "So why doesn't somepony stand up for themselves?  Get a lawyer or something?" Silver Spoon asked.  "The princesses would back you, for sure." "What can one pony do against all the unicorns and pegasi?  Even if that one pony is princess?" Babs replied.  "They just humor the princesses with a token gestures, like Fancypants or my scholarship, and then continue on like they always have." "Pathetic," Diamond Tiara said, frowning at Babs.  "Where's the filly we used to know and like?  The one with big city attitude?  The one who was strong and despised weakness?" "I... I was never like that," Babs protested.  "I was just pretending to because I didn't want to be bullied myself." "Oh please.  Quit lying to yourself.  That was the real you.  And you loved every minute of it.  You even tried to do it to us, when we showed up to see you off," Silver Spoon said.  "And now look at you.  You're, like, a sniveling coward, covering your flank at the slightest chance of conflict." As Babs opened her mouth to deny it, she became aware of her tail.  It was indeed covering her flank.  It was true, she realized.  After becoming a crusader, she had lost the habit, but since moving to Canterlot, it had returned, worse than ever.  She shut her mouth, and Silver Spoon just smiled smugly at her. "I'd best show you girls the way home, before it gets dark" Babs said instead. "Sweet Celestia," Diamond Tiara cursed.  "Every earth pony in this place has no sense of self worth.  You all, like, let them push around you.  It sickens me.  It's like an entire neighborhood of them crusaders." For a second, Babs felt something flare within her.  A desire to put the pink filly in her place.  But as quickly as it appeared, it was gone again, and she became painfully aware of her tail pressing up against her flank. "Hey, look!  An earth pony guard.  That's the first one of those I've seen," Silver Spoon said. "I knew they couldn't all be unicorns and pegasi.  Earth ponies represent!" Diamond Tiara called out. Babs looked at where the other two were looking and her eyes went wide, before she quickly looked down at the ground, overcome with dread.  "Don't look at him.  That's Oaken Shield," she whispered.  She felt her tail moving to cover her flank, while she instinctively tried to act meeker than Fluttershy in a spotlight.  "Oh no, he's coming over here.  Let me do the talking." Indeed, both Oaken Shield and his partner, a unicorn, were heading their way.  Quickly, she pleaded with the universe that the two fillies she was guiding out of the ghetto would do as she asked and let her take care of it.  The universe, however, rarely listened to such pleadings, preferring things to go in more interesting ways. "Hello, officers," the two fillies in question said together as the guards strolled up. "What are you three up to?" Oaken Shield asked. "Nothing.  Just walking," Diamond Tiara replied. "Not going somewhere to peddle tropical fruit?" "What?  No, we'd never--" Silver Spoon protested. "Yeah, sure.  Where'd you get the gaudy jewelry then, huh?" the unicorn guard asked. "We'll have you know our parents bought those for us," Silver Spoon said, haughtily. "Oh, so they traffic in fruit?" "No.  Well, yes.  But only the legal types.  My dad is a successful businessman.  He donates lots to the guard.  You should be nice to us," Diamond TIara said. "And my mommy knows the commissioner.  She's a good friend of hers.  Made a lovely piece of jewelry for her last Hearth's Warming," Silver Spoon said. The two guards laughed.  It was not a nice laugh though, but rather a harsh laugh that sent a shiver down Babs's spine. "You expect us to believe that Guard Commissioner Gordhorn is on the take?" Oaken Shield asked.  "Everypony knows she's trying to clean up this city.  No way she'd take bribes.  I oughta arrest you just for suggesting it." "No, that's not what she meant," Babs protested.  "Their parents, see, they're rich.  Like very rich, and--" "I think I've heard enough.  We're taking you in.  Whatcha think, Jackboot?  Loitering?  Suspicion of thievery?  Attempted bribery?"  He reached a hoof out to grab Babs, only to have Diamond Tiara push it out of the way. "And resisting arrest.  I love it when they try to resist arrest," Jackboot said, grinning evilly, as his horn started to glow. Diamond Tiara could not believe it.  They had gotten arrested for lacking a horn or wings on a Friday night.  She had not even believed such a thing was possible.  It certainly had not been in Ponyville.  And by an earth pony no less. That she even thought that shocked her.  She never really considered race as a factor before.  Well, race of pony.  Obviously, there were other species, like mules, donkeys, griffons, and that pet dragon of the librarian.  And, yes, earth ponies were better at growing things, pegasi flew, and unicorns had glowy foreheads, but ponies were ponies.  There were plenty of reasons one pony might consider himself superior to another, but race did not factor into it.  Or so she had believed. "Why didn't you let me handle it?" Babs asked. "Because I shouldn't have to.  I did nothing wrong and I'm not going to cower like I have." "Indeed.  I'd rather be dead than like you, barely alive inside," Silver Spoon said.  "What happened to our friend?  The filly with the big city attitude?  The one who was too cool for mule?  She even stood up for those lame blank flanks.  But I bet she would, like, totally be ashamed of you right now." "Well, I'm sure that'll be a great comfort when we're all in prison," Babs replied.  The three lapsed into silence, waiting in the cell. The bailiff rang a bell, causing the entire courtroom to go quiet.  A big unicorn stallion sat down in the judge's chair.  His face made it clear he had little desire to be here, and that he was likely more interested in getting out of here than doing a good job.  "Night court is now in session, the honorable Prince Blueblood presiding," the bailiff called out. From there, the case proceeded rapidly.  Witnesses were called, gave their testimony, and left.  And though Diamond Tiara asked pointed questions that made it clear to anypony with a brain what had actually happened, and Silver Spoon somehow had knowledge of the law that frequently flustered the prosecution, it was clear what the outcome would be.  For with almost everything he said, it was obvious that Blueblood was as biased as they come.   With every racist comment he made, Babs felt herself hammered down more, sliding down in her chair.  But like a hammer striking metal on the anvil, every blow also unleashed a shower of sparks within her. The witnesses gone, all that was left was the closing arguments before the judge pronounced them guilty.  Babs watched as Diamond Tiara gave a performance that was far from her best.  Her anger was raging, and it was interfering with her usual ability to bend adults around her hoof with a sweet smile and innocent look.  When the prosecutor made a snide remark and Blueblood laughed, she snapped. "This whole trial stinks like mule droppings!"  She didn't even bother to offer a quick apology to the stenographer, a mule, something a pony would normally do without even thinking about it.  "Everypony here knows we're innocent.  I demand you let us go or..." Diamond Tiara yelled at the judge. "Or what?" Blueblood asked, sitting forward and peering down from his lofty position at the three fillies. For a change, Diamond Tiara said nothing.  Her mouth just opened and closed like a fish out of water.  Nor could Silver Spoon think of anything to say.  But Babs, Babs felt the sparks from this latest hammer blow catch, and a fire she had thought lost roared back to life.  She rose out of her chair and hammered her forehooves on the table.  Looking up, she met Blueblood's eyes and sternly declared, "Or I'll tell your auntie about your bad attitude towards earth ponies." The entire courtroom gasped, Blueblood sat back in shock, and Diamond Tiara's mouth closed, forming into a smile. "You... you wouldn't dare..." Blueblood stammered. "Try me.  My cousin's a friend of hers," Babs said. He could not bring his gavel down fast enough, hammering it several times before even calling out, "Case dismissed!" "Now, with that out of the way..." Diamond Tiara said, as the three fillies walked down the courthouse steps. "You owe us an apology," Silver Spoon finished. "What?" Babs asked, confused. "An apology.  For being mean to us when we showed up at the train station to say goodbye," Diamond Tiara said. "We walked all the way to the train station, even though the streets were, like, totally muddy.  And when we get there, you get all up in our faces," Silver Spoon said. "But... but you were mean first.  Sayin' those things about my cousin and her friends," Babs protested. "So?  All you had to say was 'they're my friends, take it or leave it'," Silver Spoon said.  "You didn't have to threaten us." "Yeah. We'd have been cool with that.  It isn't like Silver Spoon and I agree on everything.  Like how Sil liked a stupid story Granny Smith told one time while I hated it," Diamond Tiara said. "Well, you gotta admit it was funny and a good tale," Silver Spoon said. Diamond Tiara rolled her eyes at Silver Spoon's remark.  "See?  Different opinions.  Still best friends." "But you hate blank flanks..." Diamond Tiara scowled.  "We liked you just fine, before you got all lame.  And Silver Spoon certainly didn't have a problem with me even though I was one of the last ones in our class to get a cutie mark." "But we didn't have anything else in common but bullying my cousin..." "Do you seriously think we spend all our time obsessed with her?  We've usually got, like, far better things to do.  But it was what you wanted to do... and it was fun, so..." Diamond Tiara said, smiled, remembering the good times, before the smile disappeared as she poked Babs accusingly with a hoof.  "But you didn't even try to see what other things we might all have enjoyed."  She shook her head in disappointment. "And we've got plenty in common now, don't we?" Silver Spoon added. Babs thought about it.  It would be nice to have some ponies at school who did not pick on her.  In Manehatten, her life had gotten easier not just because she talked to her sister more, but also because she had recruited a few more crusaders.  Strength in numbers.  And she had had fun with these two fillies, even when they had not been picking on her fellow crusaders.  Perhaps there was some common ground for friendship.  It certainly would not hurt to try.  "Fine.  I'm sorry.  I should have handled that better."  She paused to blow her mane out of her face.  "But if I find you picking on my cousin or her friends, I'm gonna have words." "Apology accepted, and wouldn't, like, expect it any other way," Silver Spoon said.  "Just don't expect us to hang around with those babies." "Friends again?" Diamond Tiara asked.  "Okay, then, on the count of three... one, two, three." "Bump, bump, sugar lump, rump!" the three fillies chanted together. Diamond Tiara nodded, satisfied.  "Now, we got some planning to do if we're gonna show these stuck up ponies at school the true power of the earth ponies.  But first, after the day we've had, I'm thinking..."  She paused a bit waiting for Silver Spoon. "Spa!" exclaimed Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara. "And don't worry, Silver Spoon's paying," Diamond Tiara said. Silver Spoon protested loudly with a "Hey!" "No givebacks!" declared Diamond Tiara with a laugh.  "Besides, you know I'll get it next time." Silver Spoon nodded and looked around at the buildings of white stone.  It was good to be back in the nice part of town, and yet... "This place could use some more greenery."  With that, she bounded off in the direction of the spa she and Diamond Tiara had noticed on the way to school. The other two fillies looked around, nodded, and set off after their friend.