(9_6)
“You really slept all day yesterday?” Derpy asked, softly chuckling.
“How could I not?” Carrot Top sighed. “Its days like that that make me miss working on the farm more and more.”
“I guess I can understand that, Derpy chuckled as their homeroom came into view, only to stop several doors down.
Just outside the room, Dilvent stood casually talking to Shooting Star. For several moments, Derpy watched as the two continued to speak to one another.
“Get over it already,” Carrot Top huffed as she walked past Derpy. “Good morning Dilvent.”
“Hello,” Dilvent called back. Before another word could be said, Shooting Star rushed into the classroom.
“Good morning,” Derpy grumbled once she finally found her voice.
“Good morning Derp…” Dilvent began until Derpy pushed past him into the room.
“Looks like somepony’s muffins burnt in the oven,” Dilvent grumbled as he followed behind.
“So,” Derpy began once she reached her desk. “What were you two talking about?”
“Oh, Shooting Star wanted me to tell you to be at the counselor's office once lunch period starts,” Dilvent almost mumbled. “Also,” he continued looking over at Carrot Top, “they want me, you and Minerva to meet at the office during fourth period.”
“Why?” Carrot Top asked as she took her seat and looked around. “And where is Minerva, usually she’s the first one here?”
“I guess she just wants to ask us some things beforehand,” Dilvent replied as he stole a glance back at Shooting Star. “And I’m sure Minerva will be here at any moment. You know her, she’s not one to miss a single day. Remember how I had to drag her home when she had that bad cold last year.”
“I still can't help but wonder how she got to school in the first place?” Carrot Top wondered.
“Because her dad brought her, remember?” Derpy replied with a huff, giving Dilvent an annoyed glare.
“Are you still mad?” Dilvent responded as he took a seat. “Look, I said I was sorry okay! I honestly thought it would help.”
“Sweet mother of Celestia, can we please stop talking about that!” Carrot Top groaned as she began rubbing her temples with her hooves.
“Sorry, but you can't expect me to not still be at least a little bit mad,” Derpy replied. Just then, the bell rang and ponies began to make their way into the room, as well as a frantic looking unicorn.
“Oh thank Celestia,” Minerva wheezed as she made her way over to her desk. “I was afraid I would be late.”
“Too homeroom?” Carrot Top questioned with a chuckle.
“Yes, well…”
“Wow Minerva, what happened to you?” Derpy interrupted. The mare’s hair was a mess and dark circles could be seen clearly under her eyes. Her eyes themselves also had a slight haze to them.
“Had a long night, that’s all,” Minerva chuckled, straightening her mane with a hoof. Derpy was about to respond, but was cut off when the teacher began role call. She couldn't help but feel that her friend was hiding something, but a quick glance at Shooting Star changed her thoughts.
For the entire morning, Derpy dreaded the up and coming counseling appointment. She couldn't understand why everypony was against her. Shooting Star was not only a bully, but had put both her and Dinky’s life in danger.
For a moment, she believed that everypony trusted Shooting Star more than her. But she quickly pushed those thoughts out of her head.
“Well, we'll see you later Derpy,” Carrot Top said, catching Derpy’s attention.
“What?” Derpy almost stuttered. “Where are you going?”
“We’re going to see the counselor, remember?” Minerva replied, her mane now in a more manageable shape than it had been that morning. “Be sure to take extra notes for me, okay?”
“…right,” Derpy mumbled as she watched her friends turn and leave.
“Just one period left,” Derpy grumbled as she made her way to her next class. “It’s going to be a long day.”
(Carrot)
“So,” Carrot Top began as the small group headed through the halls, “What do all of you think about how Derpy’s been acting towards Shooting Star?”
“I think its a little stupid,” Dilvent replied as he continued walking down the hallway. “Not undeserving, but definitely a little stupid.”
“I don't know,” Minerva began her reply. “I mean, I understand that Derpy’s angry at her. I even agree that Shooting Star should be in jail. But her immediate anger, and the fact that she won't even talk to her or let her apologize does worry me. What about you?”
Carrot Top hesitated with her answer. In all truths, even she didn't know what to think. “Well, Derpy is my friend and I don't like seeing her get angry like that, but…”
“But what?” Minerva asked as the group reached the office. “She put another mare in tears and scared her own foal, what’s there to be confused about?”
“That’s not it!” Carrot Top quickly responded. “Its the way everypony else is going about this. Your all kind of making it sound like, Shooting Star is completely innocent, when she was a big part in everything that happened.”
“Nopony is taking her side in this,” Minerva replied. “I’m behind, Derpy one hundred percent.”
“And you?” Carrot Top asked, raising a questioning brow towards Dilvent.
“What do you mean by that?!” Dilvent responded, visibly taking the comment as an insult. “Shooting Star simply asked me for help. That doesn't mean I’m on her side!”
Suddenly, Dilvent’s expression of slight anger and annoyance faltered and changed to one of worry and fear. “It doesn't look like I'm taking Shooting Star’s side… does it? I mean, I just wanted to help her because she seemed desperate and asked… I mean, I know Derpy doesn't really like her, but I’m only trying to help her, you know?”
“Yes, we know,” Carrot Top sighed as the group entered the office. “Why else do you think we keep you around?”
"I don't know…” Dilvent said, obviously becoming even more confused. “Why do you?”
Both Carrot Top and Minerva had trouble containing their giggles as Dilvent sat on his haunches and began to think to himself.
“Its good to see you all came in high spirits,” a soft voice chuckled, ending the laughing. Turning, Carrot Top wasn't surprised to see the school counselor, a earth pony mare with a black mane and tail and light tan coat, standing in the middle of the room.
The room itself looked exactly as Carrot Top expected it to. The walls were covered in motivational posters and education graphs. On one side of the room was a large desk with one large chair behind it and two smaller ones in front. On the other side of the room were several bookcases with an assortment of binders, books, and board games mixed between them. The last thing in the room was a large table where several different folders and files were stacked on the far side.
“So what did you want to talk to us about?” Minerva asked as she lead the way towards the table.
“Well, Miss Dian told me about what happened between, Miss Hooves and, Miss Star this weekend,” the mare began, sitting down at the table and folding her forelegs professionally in front of her. “And since all of you were not only there, but you’re Miss Hooves friends, I was hoping to get some little tidbits of information so I can better understand the situation.”
“Sorry Miss E, but if its about why Derpy is so mad at Shooting Star, then its not really our place to say.” Carrot Top replied.
“Oh no, I already know everything I need to about that,” Miss E began. “And please, just call me Essa. Miss E just makes me sound old.”
“Well, you are a counselor, so aren't you already…” Dilvent began, only to stop when Minerva launched a large book into the back of his head.
“As I was saying,” Essa continued, obviously ignoring what just happened. “I already know enough about the current situation, I was just hoping to get a little more information on the kind of pony Miss Hooves is.”
“Oh,” the other three said in unison.
“Well I can tell you everything you want in that case,” Carrot Top replied proudly. “I am her best friend after all.”
“And here we go once again,” Dilvent sighed, flailing his front hooves in the air. “You know what… I’m not even going to bother arguing with her about that again…”
“Just so we don't spend the next three hours here, I’m going to follow Dilvent on this one,” Minerva sighed as well.
“Ok,” Essa chuckled, a mild look of confusion on her face. “So, Miss Harvest, is the way Miss Hooves acted on Saturday something you’d expect from her?”
“No,” Carrot Top replied without a second thought. “I mean, I knew she was angry at her, I mean, who wouldn't be? But, Derpy’s the last pony I’d expect to get that angry at somepony.”
“Would you mind explaining why?” Essa asked.
“Of course,” Carrot Top replied with a smile. “It all started when I first came here for high school…”
(9_6)
Derpy watched the wall clock as best as her good eye would let her. Part of her, annoyed by how long the morning had been. The other part, screaming at her to just not go to the counselor's office.
“Oh buck…” Derpy sighed as the bell rang, signaling the end of the period. Sluggishly, she packed up her papers and trotted out of the room. Nopony noticed the scowl on her face as she slowly made her way to the office.
“Why can't they just leave it as it is,” Derpy grumbled as the office came into view. As Derpy finally made to the door, her friends were exiting. As well as a earth pony, who’s right eye was slightly twitching.
“... and there was this one time that I convinced her to put a funnel into…”
“Ok!” the older mare yelled, cutting off Carrot Top’s sentence. “I think I’ve heard all I needed to… and more…”
“But I wanna hear what Derpy did with the funnel!” Dilvent quickly whined.
“Carrot Top, If you continue that story I will tell everypony what you did with that stalk of celery!” Derpy quickly yelled, a mild blush on her face.
“Oh, Miss Hooves, thank Celest… I mean, I’m happy to see you came,” the older mare said with a caring smile, preventing Carrot Top from responding. Although the blush on Carrot Tops face was enough to say that she wouldn't have responded in the first place.
“You can go get your lunch first if you want,” the mare continued.
“No, I just want to get this over with,” Derpy grumbled as she made her way around the group and into the office.
“And we will,” the counselor responded as she followed Derpy back into her office.
“Wait!” Dilvent called as the door began to close. “What did Carrot Top do with the stalk of…” the door closing before Dilvent’s question could be finished. Although, a very loud thud was heard soon after.
“Well, your friends are quite… lively, to say the least,” the older mare commented as she took a seat at the large table in the middle of the room.
“Sorry if Carrot Top weirded you out Miss E,” Derpy softly chuckled as she took a seat opposite from the other mare. “I think she was dropped as a foal.”
“First of all, just call me Essa,” the mare began as she pulled out a few papers from a nearby folder. “Secondly, Miss Harvest… she…”
“I know exactly what you mean,” Derpy said as she looked down at the table. It was at that point that she noticed that they were the only two in the room. “So where’s, Shooting Star?”
“She should be getting her lunch and then heading here,” Essa said as she continued to look at the papers in front of here. Just then, the office door reopened and Shooting Star carefully walked in with a tray of food on her back. Without saying a word, she walked over to the side opposite Derpy and placed the tray on the table with her wings.
“I grabbed some extra if you’d like some,” Shooting Star hesitantly said as she looked towards Derpy. Looking up slightly, Derpy did notice that there was a slightly larger amount of food on the tray then what ponies usually got.
“No thank you,” Derpy seethed, the muffin incident from the summer replaying itself in her mind.
“Okay…” Shooting Star trailed off.
“Well then,” Essa began, drawing both pegasus’ attention. “Now that that you're both here, lets get down to business. Now then, Derpy, I hear you're having trouble with Shooting Star.”
“’Trouble would be an understatement,” Derpy groaned. “I don’t see what the problem is here! So I don't want to talk to her… Would you?”
“Derpy, I just wanted to…” Shooting Star began, only to be interrupted by Essa’s raised hoof.
“Of course Miss Hooves,” Essa began, her voice calm and soothing. “I fully understand your anger and while I know you didn’t want to, I’m very happy that you came here to help settle this problem.”
“How could you possibly know?” Derpy questioned. “The only ponies that know, are me, my friends, and a few other ponies.”
“While I don't know everything,” Essa began, looking down at the papers in front of her. “I do know everything that involved Shooting Star because she checks in with me here at the school,” Essa clarified.
“So you know everything…” Derpy grumbled as she stared at Essa with a blank expression. She expected as much. More and more ponies seemed to be learning about what had happened during the summer, and all she wanted to do was forget all the troubles and move on with her life and new daughter.
“Not everything,” Essa quickly reassured. “While I do know that, Glittering Gem did have a personal vendetta against you and your daughter Dinky, congratulations by the way, I do not know its origins and there is no need to tell me.”
Derpy couldn't help but cringe at the mention of the horrid mare’s name. Quickly pushing it away, Derpy let out a soft sigh. “Well… I guess that’s okay.”
“Okay, now then, Derpy,” Essa began, a soft smile on her face. “I understand your anger and I simply want to help settle it between you and Miss Star. Do you understand?”
“I guess,” Derpy mumbled as she looked over at Shooting Star. The mare was sitting almost motionless as she stared blankly at the tray of food in front of her.
“Good,” Essa replied with a little chuckle. “Now then, by what I’ve heard, you haven't been really open towards an apology from Miss Star, right?”
“Because there is nothing she can say to ever make up for what she did,” Derpy quickly responded, her anger rising again. “If you know what she did, then you should know that!”
“Miss Hooves,” Essa addressed sternly. “You may be angry, but I will not have that kind of tone in my office, am I understood?”
Derpy couldn't help but shudder as Essa talked to her in the same calm way she had been already, yet still to the point of striking fear into her heart.
“If there’s nothing I can say…” Shooting Star voiced, finally joining the conversation. “Is there something I could do?”
“How about rot in a prison cell…” Derpy mumbled to herself.
“What was that Miss Hooves?” Essa asked, apparently not hearing Derpy.
“Nothing…” Derpy grumbled as she looked back down at the table. “If you really regret what you did, then you shouldn't have done it in the first place,” Derpy told Shooting Star, her gaze continually on the table.
“But I didn't know that was going to happen!” Shooting Star quickly responded.
“Yeah right!” Derpy yelled back, her good eye staring daggers into the other pegasus. “You two followed me for almost a whole week. Dinky even had nightmares because she kept seeing you two sneaking around behind my back! So I highly doubt you didn't know what was going to happen!”
“Miss Hooves!” Essa said, her voice now raised. “I don’t care how angry either of you get, we will talk to one another calmly and professionally as long as we are in my office. Understood?”
“Yes ma’am,” both pegasus replied timidly.
“Good,” Essa said, a smile on her face and her voice soft once again. “Now, lets try this again. Derpy, by what I've heard, your a smart mare, so you have to realize that you're placing a lot of blame on Shooting Star. Some, I can't help but feel that she doesn't deserve.”
“Doesn't deserve?” Derpy questioned, becoming slightly confused. “Because of her, not only was I drugged and my foal foalnapped, we both almost died!”
“And Shooting Star caused all of this?” Essa questioned, the skepticism easily noticeable in her voice, “because I’m pretty sure that was all Glittering Gem’s doing, correct?”
“Well, yes, but you knew what she was doing,” Derpy began as she continued to look at Shooting Star. She was once again feeling like everypony was against her.
“But I didn't know that she was going to do that!” Shooting Star tried to reply. But Derpy wouldn't hear it.
Instead, Derpy decided to pull out some of her homework from her morning classes and get it done. Amazingly enough, neither Essa or Shooting Star said anything as Derpy silently worked.
Looking up from her work every few minutes, Derpy noticed that while Essa was writing down something on the few papers she had in front of her, Shooting Star was doing nothing. She hadn't even touched the food in front of her, which Derpy was sure was cold by now.
After almost twenty minutes, Essa decided to break the silence, “would you like to continue from where we left off?”
“I guess,” Derpy sighed as she put her homework away. She had to admit, she did feel a little better than she had earlier, but all that did was worry her. “Maybe I am blaming her for a lot,” she quietly said to herself.
“Alright,” Essa said as she looked over at the still silent pegasus. “Shooting Star, why don't you calmly explain your side of the story.”
“Her side of the story?! I already know what she did, she…” Derpy began, only to fall silent as Essa glared at her.
“Okay, I guess I should start with the morning the incident happened,” Shooting Star began as she began to retell the events of the day from her perspective. At first, Derpy wasn't going to listen, but a small part of her decided to at least give her a chance.
-----
Just like everyday for the past week, Shooting Star waited outside of the hotel for her idol to come out. She remembered the first day she did it and all the joy she felt, thinking that she would not only get back at Derpy, but learn some tips for her own future firsthoof from her idol.
But as the days went on, all the unicorn would talk about was about the foal Derpy was taking care of. It started to get to the point that Shooting Star was having second thoughts on if she should continue hanging around the mare or tell somepony.
“Are you just going to stand there gawking like a hillbilly bumpkin or are you ready to finally set our plan into motion,” a soothing yet cenacle voice said, cutting into Shooting Star’s thoughts.
“Yes Miss Gem,” Shooting Star replied as she quickly began following Glittering Gem down the street. Like normal, the unicorn wore a large sun hat and sunglasses. It always confused Shooting Star how nopony seemed to recognize the model.
“Now the first thing we have to do is figure out where that bitch and foal currently are,” Glittering Gem said as they walked towards Derpy’s neighborhood.
“Its still really early…” Shooting Star said as she looked over at the rising sun. “I think she may be with her friend Carrot Top though.”
Just as Shooting Star finished her statement, Derpy’s house came into view. Just outside stood Carrot Top, Derpy, and in a small wagon, the small foal. Shooting Star couldn't help but notice that both Derpy and the foal looked very tired.
“Good, looks like they’re leaving for the morning,” Glittering Gem commented with a chuckle as the small group walked off in a different direction from their stalkers.
“Okay… so what’s the plan anyways?” Shooting Star asked, a little scared due to the older mares chuckle.
“We’re just going to scare her a little,” Glittering Gem replied as she turned and walked back the way they had come. “But first, we need to get a few things.”
From there, the two spent the entire morning trotting through the town. They ended up stopping at a pharmacy, the grocery store and then to Shooting Star’s house.
“My parents are both at work right now and they don't really like it when…”
“I only need to borrow your stove,” the unicorn smugly replied as she made her way towards the kitchen.
“Why do you need to use the stove?” Shooting Star asked as she walked into the kitchen. Without replying, Glittering Gem proceeded to use her magic as she pulled out a muffin tray and all the ingredients necessary to bake them.
“We’re making muffins?” Shooting Star questioned as she tried to look at a strange bottle of liquid Glittering Gem had set next to the ingredients. “But Derpy loves muffins?”
“Exactly,” the older mare responded, taking the strange bottle before Shooting Star could figure out what it was.
For the next hour, nothing was said as the older mare made chocolate chip muffins. Once they were done, Shooting Star had to admit that they smelled and looked really good. But when she instinctively tried to take one, her hoof was forcefully pulled away by the older mares magic.
“Those. Aren't. For. You!” Glittering Gem seethed as she placed them on a plate and walked out of the room. Shooting Star took one last glance at the mess her idol had left in her kitchen before quickly following her out of the house.
As they made their way towards Derpy’s in silence, Shooting Star couldn't help but worry as Glittering Gem continuously mumbled to herself, chuckling every few minutes. Once they made it to Derpy’s house, Glittering Gem didn't waste a second as she tried to open the door, only to be held back by its lock.
“Well what do you know,” Shooting Star laughed, her fears and worries starting to take hold. “The door’s locked and nopony’s home. Heh, might as well just come back later…”
Shooting Star turned to leave only to stop when she heard a click and the sound of a opening door.
“What do you know, turns out is open,” Glittering Gem said as she continued into house, the plate of muffins floating just ahead of her. “Now which room is that retards?”
“This is breaking and entering, we could be arrested for this!” Shooting Star tried to tell the other mare, hesitating just outside the front door.
“Never mind, I found it!” Glittering Gem’s voice called from somewhere in the house. Closing the door behind her, Shooting Star cautiously made her way into the house and all the way to Derpy’s room.
Inside the room, Shooting Star watched as Glittering Gem looked around the room with disgust. After a few minutes, the unicorn placed the plate on the bed as well as a small card.
“Now we hide,” the unicorn said as she pushed past Shooting Star and made her way to a nearby closet.
“But… but,” Shooting Star began to stutter as fear started to overtake her mind. She couldn't help but feel that this was going too far just for some petty revenge. But before she could back out, a magical grasp pulled her into the nearby closet.
“Soon,” Glittering Gem kept mumbling to herself, a strange look in her eyes.
Suddenly, a new sound filled the house as the front door was opened and a new voice filled the house.
“Today has been pretty calm, huh muffin?” Derpy’s voice echoed, causing Shooting Stars blood to run cold.
This was too much for her to take and wanted out, but no matter what she tried, she could neither move or talk as Glittering Gem began to smile sinisterly.
house
Chocolate
Aren't
3537542
Fixed, thanks
3537602 No problem
“Okay, now then, Derpy,” Essa began, a soft smile on her face. “I understand your anger and I simple want to help settle it between you and Miss Star. Do you understand?”
Simply instead of Simple,
3553188
No, Dinky is currently unable to speak. What your seeing is just what she thinks. Kind of like what she would say if she could speak.
I think you did well