//------------------------------// // The Plan // Story: The Long Drop and Sudden Stop // by Wise Cracker //------------------------------// The next morning, on the way to school, the girls had already settled on their first mission of the day. Cutie Mark Crusader Damage Control. “Look, Rumble, I know my sister might have said some, err, silly things to ya the other day, but there’s a good reason for it,” Apple Bloom started, dashing in front of him. Sweetie Belle pouted as she flanked him with Scootaloo. He wasn’t even flying to school today. Maybe he’d overworked himself, or maybe he really didn’t feel like flying? Would that count as progress or not? Rumble stopped and glanced at the clock on the school building. Plenty of time left. “Okay. I’m listening.” Apple Bloom took a deep breath and promptly remembered that she’d forgotten to plan ahead. She hadn’t counted on the boy actually stopping to listen, oddly enough. “Well… umm, she was distracted!” “She didn’t see you very well!” Scootaloo cried out, quickly moving to stand next to Apple Bloom. “Yeah, she, umm, she needs glasses, that’s why,” Apple Bloom lied. Rumble’s left ear flicked. “Sure. So she can’t see very well, huh?” “Exactly, honest mistake,” Scootaloo added. “Why, Applejack’s even starting to mix up Apple Bloom for Winona, right?” She nudged her friend. “D’err, yeah, yeah, my poor sis can’t see, it’s so bad she’s started tryin’ to feed me dog food.” Apple Bloom flashed him a smile that was all teeth and all nerves. Rumble’s expression shifted. It shifted to one that was incredulous and annoyed, but at least they got a response from him. “Uhuh.” “Look, I think what we’re trying to say is...” Sweetie Belle joined them. “We’re sorry Applejack hurt your pride. Part of that is our fault: we didn’t tell her it was you when you came to the barn, and since we usually only hang out with girls, she assumed it was a girl helping us out with the dancing thing. We never told her that was you because…” “Applejack can be pretty embarrassing sometimes,” Apple Bloom said. “Case in point.” Much to their surprise, he lightened up at that. “Oh. So she did recognise me, she just didn’t know who I was.” “Exactly. She thought the pony leaving the barn was a girl, and she knew that was you, so she thought you were that girl. She didn’t see you up close the first time. She didn’t see. She couldn’t have. That’s why,” Apple Bloom explained. “We’re really sorry, and we hope that you’re not gonna, you know, go back to bein’ on your own all the time and not talk to anyone.” “I’m fine, girls.” Rumble resumed his pace. “You don’t need to make such a big deal about it. She only called me a girl. It’s not like that’s such a bad thing, right? Plenty of strong mares around. And you’re all girls, too. Why would I be bothered?” “Phew, I’m glad we got that sorted out,” Apple Bloom wiped her brow. “And in record time, too,” Scootaloo said. “Usually that sort of thing takes a whole hour.” “I thought it was more like twenty minutes?” Apple Bloom said. “That’s because you don’t count breaks, Apple Bloom.” The schoolbell rang. “Girls!” Cheerilee called out. “Don’t dawdle, class is starting.” Rumble snorted as Apple Bloom and Scootaloo galloped off. Sweetie Belle walked next to him. “Sorry about them. Really.” “You already apologised, Sweetie Belle. Applejack made an honest mistake, that’s all.” “I don’t mean that. I mean Apple Bloom and Scootaloo. We’re kinda new to the whole ‘boy issues’ thing. Usually it’s stuff boys and girls deal with, and with our cutie marks...” She glanced at hers. “We all want to help, but we don’t always know how, so it can get kinda...” “Awkward?” “Yeah.” “That’s okay.” He smiled at her. “And the thing is, we were hoping to do another dance thing after school.” “Oh. That’s why you’re so nice.” “That too. We were going to ask you during recess but, you know, you don’t have to do it if you don’t want to. We won’t make you.” “Well, what do you need me for, exactly? You know more ponies than I do. Doesn’t Apple Bloom hang out with a dancer?” he asked as they reached the door. The last few stragglers were coming in at the sound of the bell. “Sure, Apple Bloom knows a couple of ponies, and so does Scootaloo, but none of them can do what we’re planning to do. None of them can fly and carry a filly like it’s nothing, for rescuing or for dancing. So yeah, you’re kind of the only colt we can ask for this sort of thing,” Sweetie Belle explained. He nodded curtly. “Okay, then, I’ll do it.” “Really?” “Sure. What are friends for?” “Thanks. For what it’s worth, I think you’ll make a great Wonderbolt one day, too. Just like Rainbow Dash. Or your brother.” He bit his lip before smiling and walking in. “Thanks. You’d make a good one, too, you know, if you had wings.” “I’m not that fast.” “No, but you are that nice. Wonderbolts don’t bail on team mates. They look out for each other. Like you do, for your friends.” Sweetie chuckled. “Well, you never know. I might just end up as your tailor once you make it big.” He chuckled along with her. That, in her book, was a win. Now to score the second one. “So why aren't Apple Bloom and Scootaloo with you?” he asked. Sweetie Belle kept her eyes on the older colts in the air. They were a real sight to behold, those teenagers: broad shoulders, distinguished chins, deep voices that chuckled and grumbled like any stallion's would, not at all like the older fillies flying with them. She felt, more than saw, Rumble's wings clench against his sides at the sight. She couldn't blame him; these kids were half a head taller than him or her, and the size advantage alone put them in a different league altogether. “They're getting another practice partner,” Sweetie Belle replied. “And what are we practising again, exactly?” “Umm...” Sweetie bit her lip. “It's an aerial performance. So kind of like a dance, but not really. You’ll like it, I promise.” To her surprise, he didn't object to that notion. “Oh, okay. What sort of performance?” As much as she wanted to, she couldn’t hide it for much longer. “The Guilty Tango. It's from a Canterlot opera, about a boy who gets pulled back and forth between two families.” “Uhuh. And why would you wanna practise that?” “Umm, well, you know... Diamond Tiara's birthday party is coming up. And her mom doesn't want anyone giving her presents, but she never mentioned anything about performing. I thought, maybe if we did a little something for Diamond, if it looks fancy enough, then her mom might stop worrying about the crowd she hangs out with.” He mulled over that thought for a moment. “That's not a bad idea, actually.” He smiled. “What do you need from me?” Her heart skipped a beat when she saw him smile. With all the intensity and seriousness he usually acted with, it was a refreshing change of pace. “Umm, I need somepony who can carry a filly while flying. And I need three ponies who can do a complicated routine in flight.” “Okay, so that's me and Scootaloo. Who's the third one?” Sweetie Belle looked past him. “Here they come.” Rumble turned and furrowed his brow when he saw the three girls approaching. “Zippoorwil? You want me to do an aerial performance with Zippoorwil?” “Yup. Why, is that a problem?” He shrugged. “Uh, not for me, no, but are you sure she can do it? I'm pretty advanced, and Scootaloo was already a great dancer before she could fly.” “Just trust me, she's a great flyer. You're gonna love Zippy.” He grimaced and whispered when the girls got closer. “I hope you don't mean that literally.” “Eheh, umm, no, not like that.” “Hiii, Rumble,” Zippy greeted with a distinctly sweet and syrupy tone in her voice, the other two girls right behind her. “Umm, hello, Zippoorwil,” Rumble replied. “Nice weather we’re having, huh?” “Why is the track still taken? I thought it'd be open by now,” Scootaloo said. “Oh, they should be leaving any time now,” Rumble said. As if on cue, a green teenage colt with a brown mane and tail came flying by while the coach gave everyone their last orders. “Hey, you’re Sweetie Belle, right? Cookie Crumble’s daughter?” Sweetie nodded. “That’s me.” “I thought I recognised you. Your mom helped us out with bake a sale a while back. You gals looking to take the track next?” “Yup,” Sweetie Belle replied. “Aerial performance. The Guilty Tango.” The colt furrowed his brow. “Really? The three of you?” He gestured to Rumble, Scootaloo, and Zippy. “Pretty advanced for little ponies.” “We’re pretty decent flyers,” Rumble said. “You’d have to be,” the big colt replied, before jumping at the sound of the bell. “Well, track’s all yours. Tell your mom Pistachio said ‘Hi’, okay?” “Will do,” Sweetie Belle replied. “Great. See you girls around!” Rumble's jaw clenched. “Excuse me?” Just like that, the boy was gone, tagging along with the rest of his class as they left. “But I'm not- Hey!” “It's okay, Rumble, I don’t think he meant anything by it,” Sweetie Belle said. “Yeah. Lots of boys look girly when they're little,” Zippy said, before going into the same sort of lecturing voice Cheerilee liked to use. “I think it's very cute and you have nothing to be ashamed of. Like Miss Cheerilee said.” He did his level best not to growl at that remark. He ended up puffing his cheeks into a pout again, like he was about to burst. But, Sweetie Belle figured, Cheerilee would likely hear about it if he did erupt again. Whether that was why he held it back, she didn’t know, but he kept his cool, regardless. “Thanks. I appreciate it.” Sweetie Belle grimaced. “She's right, you know. There's nothing wrong with a girly boy. Nopony’s gonna laugh at you for that, not really.” “Yeah. Nopony laughed at Big Macintosh when he put on a dress. Besides, you boys call us ‘guys’ all the time, don’t you?” Zippy remarked. Rumble took in a deep, slow breath through his mouth, swallowed whatever he was going to say, and blew out the air through his nose. “You're right. Let's just practise this Tango thing. I am in the middle, though, right? The boy part?” “Of course,” Sweetie Belle replied. “You have to be. Now, the Guilty Tango is a very emotional piece, so try and put some swing into your flight. You know, whip your whole body into it. Like you're trying to push a pony away from falling debris.” “Wait, Guilty Tango?” Apple Bloom asked. “Why ain't you doin' the Tango de Muerte, like we talked about? That's a much more impressive one.” “Yeah, but turns out Eureponean law doesn't let you call it ‘Tango de Muerte’ if nopony dies doing it. Go figure.” “Okay, let's do this.” Scootaloo braced herself for a grueling exercise session. “How do we start?” Rumble asked. “First Scootaloo and you hold hooves.” The pair got on their hind hooves and let their front hooves touch. “Then Scootaloo flies up, pulls Rumble along over the ground, then she does a twirl and lands on his nose.” Scootaloo flinched. “I have to stand on his nose? Wouldn’t that hurt?” “Actually, it says here Rumble should do a twirl too and end up with one arm bent. That’s what you stand on.” Rumble nodded. “I know the move. Go ahead, Scootaloo.” “Are you sure?” “Sure I’m sure. Basic stabiliser for a cumulus pile. I do it all the time.” “Well, okay.” Scootaloo flew up, did a quick twirl, then Rumble spun the other way and ended up with his right arm bent over his muzzle. Scootaloo carefully put a hoof down on his arm, keeping her other leg extended like a ballerina doing a pose. “Like this?” Rumble didn’t even shake, but then Scootaloo was buzzing her wings to keep the weight off. “I’m good. How’s it looking for you?” Sweetie Belle nodded and smiled. “Like that. Now, Zippy pulls him back from Scootaloo, and she stands on his back. You two go up high, then Scootaloo follows.” “Okay. So, Zippy?” Only now did they notice Zippy’s mouth was hanging open and her glasses were dropping. She pushed her glasses up, then her jaw. “You want me to do stuff like that? Umm...” Zippy carefully put a hoof on his shoulder and pretended to pull him away, before clumsily swinging her body around his to land on his back. “Oof!” He buckled, not so much under the pressure as he was under the shifting weight. “Try to stay still, would you?” “Hey, I’m not the little Wonderbolt here,” Zippoorwil retorted, wobbling on his back and trying not to slip on his soft and shiny coat. “Don’t you practise this?” “Yes, but usually ponies are unconscious when you have to catch them like this. They don’t… wiggle around and… slip… will you stand still for just one second?!” He ran this way and that, constantly trying to keep the girl stable. Said girl apparently forgot she had wings, because she fell flat on her back, dragging Rumble down with her. “Ugh. I don’t think I’m cut out for this, girls. You’re going to have to ask somepony else if this is what you had in mind.” “Huh?” Rumble quirked an eyebrow as he got up. “What's the matter?” She blushed. “For starters, I can't fly very high yet. And I don’t exactly have a lot of balance.” She pushed her glasses back into order. “I prefer to dance on the ground, thank you very much.” Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom flinched. “Wait, what?” Zippoorwil grunted and got back on her hooves. “I can't fly very high. I haven't learned yet.” “But I thought... you can just go as high as you can, you know,” Sweetie Belle said. “We won't tell.” “Tell what? I thought you wanted me to practise with Rumble?” At this point, Rumble suspected some shenanigans. Because he was very clever like that. “Girls, what is going on?” Rumble asked. “I thought you said Zippoorwil was a good flyer?” “I am a good flyer!” she protested. “But I'm not competing with anypony. Not like you girls.” Rumble's ears twitched. “What's that supposed to mean?” “I mean, I don't do contests like you do. I don't pretty up and pull out all the stops to win.” “Hey, I do not pretty up! I don’t wear make-up, I don’t use lip balm, I don’t even wear gel! I only do personal grooming, just like any Wonderbolt stallion would!” he yelled. Sweetie Belle recoiled. “Umm, Rumble, I think she was talking about us, not you.” He panted for air. “Right, sorry.” Zippy took a step back from the girls. “What exactly were you hoping to do? Were you trying to get me and Rumble together?” “Kinda,” Apple Bloom admitted. “We're sort of short on flyers in this town, and since Scootaloo's still new to it, we figured we might try and get some more together.” Zippoorwil tilted her head, confused. “Wait, are you starting some kind of Junior Flyers Club? I thought we were too young for that?” “We are.” Rumble shot a glare towards the trio. “And that’s not what they told me. In fact, I'm waiting for them to tell me what exactly this is all about.” “D'err, well, we just thought it was kinda lonely with not that many pegasi to relate to,” Apple Bloom started. “So we figured we'd encourage a little umm, what's the word...” “Social cohesion,” Sweetie Belle said. “Gesundheit,” Scootaloo replied. Zippoorwil scrunched her nose at the very idea. “Wait, that’s why you invited me? You thought I was lonely, so you matched me up with the most popular boy in school?” “I’m popular?” Rumble asked. Because in that regard, he was kind of a dunce. Zippy continued obliviously. “Why would I be lonely or unpopular? I have my puppy, and my cutie mark, and plenty of friends. And I am not that ugly that I need you to find me a boyfriend. Honestly, I think I might tell Cheerilee on you.” “What? Why? What did we do wrong?” Apple Bloom asked. Zippy humphed and stuck her nose up in an undignified manner. “How would you feel if I invited you to the gym because I thought you were too fat?” Something clicked in Sweetie Belle's mind. “Huh. You know, I think I just figured out why Babs didn't wanna join us at first.” The white filly turned and revved up her wings again. “See you around, Rumble. You might wanna consider being a little more careful about whom you hang out with next time. I mean, you are the prettiest boy in school, after all. None of the girls would mind you hanging out with them.” Sweetie Belle saw a twitch near Rumble’s gut. Was he gagging? “I'll keep that in mind, thanks.” Zippy turned and fluttered off, buzzing this way and that like a drunken dragonfly. Rumble grunted once she was gone. “Okay, so who's next?” Apple Bloom shook her head. “Wait, you're not mad? You're not gonna chew us out?” He shrugged, right back to his old self again. “No point. Zippy's just not like me and you. So we need another pegasus if we're gonna do this. You girls have always got a back-up plan, so who's next?” Something nagged at the back of Sweetie Belle's head. Did she have a back-up plan? Part of her thought she did, but nothing came to mind. “Umm, maybe Featherweight? Then Scootaloo can be in the middle.” “I am not playing the pretty girl for the boys to fight over.” “It's just for an act,” Apple Bloom replied. “Yeah. Doesn't bother me,” Rumble said. “But Featherweight's not much of a performer, either. Trust me, I tried getting him in my act before. He's fast, but he doesn't have any rhythm yet. Or endurance. Or strength. He’s got speed, though, that’s good. As long as it’s close to the ground.” Sweetie Belle sighed. “Right, of course. Then, umm, I guess this is a bust. Sorry, Rumble.” “Hang on.” He squinted at her. “Did you do this so I'd get my cutie mark?” “Would you be mad if we did?” He closed his eyes and turned his head down for a second. When he looked up again, he smiled. “No. I appreciate it. But seriously, don't try to get any more girls involved next time? Unless they're Cutie Mark Crusaders like you, they probably won't be up for it. Do you need me for anything else now?” “No. You can go do your reps now. Sorry again.” “It's okay. It was worth a shot.” Sweetie Belle came into Carousel Boutique with a resigned grunt and a carefully aimed, delicate flop on the pillows downstairs. Rarity noticed, of course. “What happened this time?” “We were wrong about Willow Bark. Zippy couldn't fly, and we had to spill the beans. Rumble just thinks we tried to get him a cutie mark. It was a bust.” “And how angry is he about it?” Sweetie Belle thought for a moment, lying on the pillows, facing the ceiling. “He wasn't angry at all. That's the weird part. It happened so fast, and he just... did nothing. He wasn't upset or anything.” “Well, he must be very understanding, then.” “Must be. But what are we supposed to do now? Zippy was the only one who might be Willow. And it's not her. Maybe we were wrong. Maybe Willow and Rose aren't Ponyville fillies. Maybe it's just Rose who's from Ponyville, and we need to find a unicorn filly first. Maybe Willow is from Canterlot, or someplace else.” Rarity sighed and sat down. “It's certainly a sound theory. You're sure Rumble wasn't upset?” “No, he... he was pretty calm about the whole thing. Mostly. I don't know what it is. Maybe he doesn't need helping.” “Or he does, and he's not upset because at least you tried.” Sweetie Belle sat up and shook her head. “I don't know, Rarity. I don't know what to do. I wanna do him a favour, help him get his cutie mark.” “Then why make such a big affair about it? He's only a little boy, after all. If you can’t get him his cutie mark, give him something else. It can't be that hard to find something he likes, at least. Why not just offer him a present, a small token of your appreciation? A pretty bow, perhaps?” “I don't think he'd like that, Rarity. He hates prettying up.” “Ah. One of those boys, is he? Likes it rough and dirty?” That got Sweetie Belle thinking. “Actually, no. That's another weird part. He's really clean. Like, really, really clean. Big on grooming, just not on prettying up. I think he said something about grooming like a Wonderbolt stallion, but nothing more. Like, he really doesn’t want prettying up.” “Huh. Well, that's just nonsense. If he is that dead set on becoming a Wonderbolt, you'd at least expect him to want to look like one. And Wonderbolts are easy on the eyes, as they say. No reason why Rumble wouldn’t want to be.” Yeah, he wouldn’t look that bad in a Wonderbolts costume. Would he? Sweetie Belle sighed. “So what do I do? Do I just leave it like that?” “There is one final option, I suppose. Rose and Willow, they're both aspiring to join the high society, no? Become important ponies, make their families proud?” “Yes, so?” “So, if even one of them is from Ponyville, it stands to reason they'd attend any social gathering with a pony of importance.” Sweetie slapped herself. “Of course. Diamond Tiara's birthday party. They'll be at Diamond Tiara's birthday party.” To say that the Rich estate was located in the finer part of town would be like saying Princess Celestia was located in her palace: it’s not that they’d moved the centrepiece to a good location, it’s that everything else was built around it to match its glory. High hedges and a golden-hued gate separated the premises from the common folk, and only the finest of ponies were given the honour, neigh, luxury of entering. Except when there was heavy lifting to be done, of course. Practicality had a way of trumping that sort of thing. “Okay, the ice sculpture will go next to the punch, the DJ can set up near the poolside, and has the caterer given the okay yet?” Diamond Tiara asked as the stallions carried in some tables and chairs for tomorrow. “They have, Madam,” Randall, the Rich family butler, replied. “All is in order.” “All except the entertainment,” Spoiled Rich added, coming up behind them. Diamond froze. “U-umm, but we have, like, music, don’t we? DJ-P0n3 is performing.” Spoiled hrumphed at that. “And that may be well enough for the lower folk you consort with, but what about the important ponies? Fancy Pants will be attending. You expect him to dance to that… that electronic noise you call music?” The girl winced. “Umm, well… I hadn’t really thought about that. I mean, I kind of figured it was just going to be me and my friends.” Spoiled Rich leaned in and gave the girl’s chin a gentle tap, before pushing it up to make Diamond look her in the eyes. “Don’t be silly. Of course there will be important ponies at your party, how else will you make the right connections? You need to start working on your socialite skills, darling, and soon. You understand how important it is, don’t you?” Diamond gulped. She could never break eye contact with her mother, not like this. She was alone, no one there but mom and Randall. She felt so small, always having to look up, everyone looking down at her. “B-but mom...” “Yes?” The glare in her mother’s eyes intensified. Stars, Diamond could feel that pressure building on her throat. If she didn’t know any better, she’d swear her mother had some kind of artifact on her, some sort of hidden gem with a curse on it, perhaps. But experience told her Spoiled Rich had no need for such silly crutches. Diamond’s neck always ached when her mother forced her to look up like this, with that oppressive hoof under an otherwise indistinguishable girlish chin. It made her shoulders lock up, her ears fall, her breath stop. For all her bravado, all her confidence, all her cheer, a simple tilt of the head was all it took to make it come crumbling down and bring her in line. Everypony more important than her looked down at her. And no one who looked down at her would stand up for her. “Hi, Missus Rich. What’s going on?” Diamond finally managed to turn away from her mother and looked up at the new arrival. “Ah, Rumble. Just the young stallion I was hoping to see.” Spoiled Rich straightened up to speak to the hovering boy. “It seems my little Diamond can’t think of anything good for entertainment at her party.” Rumble. The first pegasus in her class who could fly. At least one pony who could look Spoiled Rich in the eyes and not flinch. Him being able to get up to her eye level must have helped. Diamond still dreamed of the day she might become a Princess like Twilight Sparkle and do the same. She could do without the horn, if it came to that. Just something to stop having to look up, and never have to worry about fences or hedges in her way. If only she’d won the genetic lottery, like Pound Cake had. If only she’d been born with wings. But she knew that ship had sailed already, exactly nine years and three hundred and sixty one days ago. Her mother would be celebrating that missing out tomorrow, in fact. Rumble set down and nodded towards the gates. “Maybe a walk will help clear her mind? Get some fresh ideas?” Spoiled pursed her lips. “I suppose. If push comes to shove, I’ll make the arrangements myself.” Rumble, already halfway leaving, bit his lip. “I’m sure we can think of something.” A walk through Ponyville was just what she needed. No stallions lugging stuff about, no one looking down at her. “So what did you do wrong this time?” Rumble asked. Diamond gagged. “It’s the party. My mom’s invited all these important ponies, all grownups.” “But it’s your party, not hers.” “Doesn’t matter to her. It’s my cuteceñeara all over again: a bunch of ponies I don’t know and can’t talk to. Except now, they’re not even there to celebrate their own cutie marks.” Rumble thought it over. “And the reason your mom is pushing you is because...” “She wants me to be, like, the perfect hostess, of course. She wants me to think of something to entertain the grownups. Me? She got Fancy Pants to show up. What am I supposed to do?” He pondered the options for a moment, thinking aloud. “You could ask Sweetie Belle, but your mom probably wouldn’t like that. And Pinkie Pie-” “I can’t ask for a party planner. My mom wants me to do it on my own.” “Well, what were you gonna do, if Fancy Pants didn’t show up?” “Just get DJ-P0n3 to play some music. Everypony in class likes to dance.” He quirked an eyebrow at that. “Okay, almost everypony. And even if they don’t, at least some music can help liven things up. Ponies like music. Even you. Don’t you?” He nodded and smiled. “Sure I do. And there’s your answer. Just ask the DJ to bring some fancy music, too.” “You really think that would work?” “Sure. Look, everypony in class is bringing over a grownup guest as well, right?” “Yeah,” Diamond said with a sigh. “Probably another excuse for my family to show off to everypony.” “And a good excuse to be a perfect host to lots of different ponies. Just mix up the music a little. If anypony asks, say you’re, umm, ‘accomodating different tastes.' I know where Vinyl Scratch lives, I can fly over and ask her. Trust me, it’ll work. For class and for Fancy Pants.” Diamond nudged him with her hips, pressing her cutie mark against the spot where his would be. Where it really should be by now, she felt. It was one thing to be a blank flank, but Rumble was only a blank flank by technicality. Even her mother didn’t treat him like one. “Thanks, Rumble. You’re the best.” He smiled at that. “I don’t know. I don’t really have anyone to compare to.” “You know what I mean. I owe you, big time. I mean-” she lowered her voice to a whisper. “Nopony else can talk to my mom like that. I only talked back to her once, and you know how that turned out.” He looked left and right, then up, in case anypony was listening. He whispered, even with no one nearby. “You can tell somepony about it, you know. Missus Mayor wouldn’t stand for it, Princess Twilight would say something about it. Even Rainbow Dash is starting to notice.” “I know. But you can’t tell. She’s still family. And I don’t rat out on family. I don’t bail on family.” She turned away and sighed. “You just bail on friends?” She bit her lip. “That was what you were gonna say, right?” “It’s complicated,” she replied. “No, it’s not. It’s Silver Spoon. If you two still haven’t made up-” “There’s nothing to make up, Rumble. Sometimes ponies just hang out less, and sometimes they stop hanging out. That’s all it is. If she doesn’t want to be around me anymore, that’s fine. I don’t blame her. I wouldn’t blame you, either.” “Aww, come on, you’re getting sappy.” He patted her back with a wing. “That’s not like you. What happened to the Diamond Tiara who was going to put her school newspaper on the map? What happened to the Diamond Tiara who was going to get Princess Twilight Sparkle to notice her? What happened to the Diamond Tiara who was going to carry the flag at the Equestria Games, without any help from her future Wonderbolt friend?” “That Diamond’s mom happened, that’s what.” Rumble snorted. “Do you really care that much about what she thinks of you?” “Yes. Of course I do; she’s my mom. And as bad as she can get, she’s right, and you know it. I’m not the only one who gets it bad. You’re under just as much pressure as I am, maybe more. But you do it to yourself. If you really think she’s wrong, why do you listen to her?” He looked up at the sky. “I guess… because you need a lot of pressure to make a diamond?” “That’s so cheesy it stinks.” He chuckled. “Okay, maybe you have a point. Maybe I go a little overboard sometimes.” “A little?” He glared at her. She cringed. “Sorry. Forget I said anything.” The glare softened into a smile. “Why are you so scared? I won’t tell your mom. You know I won’t.” She shivered and gulped, and her stomach churned so hard he could hear it. “No, but… I just wouldn’t want you to, you know…“ He nodded. “Right. Of course.” “Hey, which reminds me: have Apple Bloom and her friends tried getting you a cutie mark yet?” He shrugged. “Sort of, but it’s nothing, really. They’re still going over the options. I don’t know, I think maybe I should just wait until Flight Camp or something.” Diamond winced in sympathy. “That might take a while, you know. With everything that’s been going on, the changelings, Tirek, not to mention the Equestria Games and the Crystal Empire, there aren’t a lot of pegasi left to be teachers. And turns out Flight Camp wasn’t exactly child friendly before that.” “I know. But things will calm down eventually, they’ll fix things up, and then they’ll have to hold a Flight Camp. I’m sure I’ll get my cutie mark then. And I’ll have Scootaloo to keep me company, so I won’t be alone there, either.” “I hope you’re right.” She looked back at his flanks. “You really don’t look good with a bare bottom. No offense.” Again, he chuckled. “None taken.” Diamond kept her eyes on that blank flank, trying to will it to turn. Sadly, her own talent for getting ponies to do what she wanted had its limits. His flanks remained grey. But at least he was a good blank flank. “You really think tomorrow will work out?” “It’ll be perfect,” Rumble replied. “I promise.”