Season Spike

by Haoryu Changer

[Episode 3: Bully Problems] Just An Annoyance... Right?

It was a normal school day, like every other... mostly.

The class was properly seated, the teacher was at the board teaching, the students were quiet, and it was not boring... Wait? Did I just say school wasn't boring?

***

Ms. Cheerilee was standing in front of the chalkboard. "Okay class, before the bell rings I'll give an introduction to our next subject; 2 digit-multiplication!" She heard a lot of groans but ignored them.

Meanwhile, Sweetie Belle was waiting for what she knew was about to happen next. As she slowly hid under her desk, she glanced at the clock above the classroom door, and saw that it was 2:58. She knew it was bound to happen as soon as the dismiss bell rung.

Apple Bloom looked at Sweetie, then to Scootaloo who looked back. They both nodded.

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo had a talk with Sweetie Belle the other day, and they had a plan this time to get Sweetie free. They told Sweetie Belle about some "Master Plan" that was "going to work". They haven't told Sweetie Belle this plan yet, but Sweetie Belle trusts them.

"Just thirty more seconds!" Sweetie Belle thought. "I hope their plan works!"

Just then, the school bell rang.

As soon as the bell rung, every pony in the class rushed up to Sweetie's desk, surrounding her.

Sweetie Belle looked around her, not to see her fellow classmates packing their stuff, but her fellow classmates surrounding her like news reporters.

"How is he?"

"You're sooo lucky!"

"Can I meet him?"

Everypony in the classroom knew about Sweetie Belle's relationship with Spike.

"Um? Um?" Yesterday, Sweetie Belle had to stay tucked in a locker for half an hour to shake off these "pests".

"Sweetie Belle?" One voice said.

Sweetie Belle looked down and saw Pipsqueak. "Yes, Pipsqueak?" Sweetie Belle asked kindly.

"Can you um, ask the prince to get in touch with Luna, to ask her to visit my dreams again?"

"I, um?"

Sweetie Belle got interrupted by Dinky. "He's my hero! Can I see him?"

"Uh maybe-"

"Can he teach me how to fly as fast as him?" This time, she got interrupted by Rumble.

The questions and demands kept on flooding.

"Apple Bloom, Scootaloo! Where are you?" Sweetie Belle thought.

Suddenly, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo with black suits and sunglasses zipped in front of Sweetie Belle, blocking the other fillies and colts.

"Stand aside! 'Future princess' needs some space." Apple Bloom said in a serious tone.

"If you have any questions, see us never!" Scootaloo said in the same tone.

Sweetie Belle face hoofed. "You guys aren't serious."

They both turned and faced Sweetie Belle. "Hey! We might get 'bodyguard' cutie marks!" Apple Bloom said while taking off her sunglasses.

"When you girls said that "you had a plan", I thought you meant something that will get me OUT OF HERE!"

On the opposite side of the classroom, two fillies were watching this "unbelievable" occurrence.

Diamond Tiara began to speak. "How could SHE be getting all the attention? She just happens to be dating a dragon that saved Equestria. It doesn't mean anything!"

"It's not like she did anything AMAZING. Look at us, we're divine, beautiful, talented, ugh! She doesn't even have a cutie mark!"

"We need to find some way to divert the attention to us. Then we'll be the winners here." Diamond put a hoof to her chin. "I just need to think of something."

"Maybe we can call her 'cool' so she'll let US see Prince Spike."

"No, don't you remember what happened last time. We got shunned by Princess Twilight."

"Oh yeah..."

"We need to hit her HARD, let her know that no pony steals our thunder!"

Ms. Cheerilee walked up to the group of students. "Okay children, leave poor Sweetie Belle alone please."

"'Poor'? She has Prince Spike, she's far from it." Snips said.

"Spike is just a normal pony, er? Dragon, just like all of you. He lives a normal life just like us, and he deserves respect and privacy. Do you all understand?"

The students nodded.

"Good, now go off, and stop wasting your afternoon." Ms. Cheerilee said kindly.

Soon enough the colts and fillies started to pack their things and exited the room.

Right as Sweetie Belle was about to leave, Cheerilee called her from her desk. "Sweetie, can I talk with you for a moment?"

Sweetie Belle trotted up to her teacher's desk. "Yes, Ms. Cheerilee?"

"So um? How is he?!?" Cheerilee said while resting her cheeks on her hoofs.

She said those last three words a little too quickly for Sweetie Belle's taste. "URG! You're all the same!" Sweetie Belle proceeded to walk out of the classroom angrily.

Cheerilee ignored her words as she was daydreaming about her hero.

Sweetie Belle walked out of the school. Luckily, those who were waiting there was only Apple Bloom and Scootaloo.

"Thank Celestia you girls took off those stupid outfits." Sweetie Belle said.

"Well we didn't get our 'bodyguard' cutie marks, so we didn't need them, duh!" Scootaloo said.

Apple Bloom gave Scootaloo a stern look, then turned to a sad Sweetie Belle. "Sweetie? Ya alright?"

"No! I'm not! It's been the same thing this whole week! Lunch, right after the bell rings, or free time, I get flooded with our 'friends', then after, either you girls, myself or Ms. Cheerilee saves me. But right after Ms. Cheerilee turns into one of them!"

"Look, soon they will wear off, we just have to wait," Scootaloo informed.

"I guess so."

"How about we go get some shakes at Sugarcube Corner, that'll cheer you up!" Apple Bloom suggested.

"Yeah! How about it? Sweetie Belle?" Scootaloo asked.

"Yeah sure, let's go." Sweetie Belle said with a sad smile.

---

The Next Day (Friday) 11:29 AM

Sweetie Belle sat quietly in class. She looked around to see the worried faces of Apple Bloom and Scootaloo. She gave them the "It's going to be okay" look and faced the front once again.

Just after that, her worst nightmare happened.

The bell rung.

Sweetie Belle bolted towards the door as fast as she could. She made it out of the classroom and headed to the playground. Once she did, she went to go plop onto the merry-go-round.

Though she ran as fast as she could, she wasn't the first one out. Other ponies from other classes were out but they weren't paying any attention to Sweetie Belle.

"That's weird." Sweetie thought. "Maybe they wore off like Scootaloo said they would." Sweetie started to smile a little.

Soon after, her class started to come out of the school including Apple Bloom and Scootaloo.

She waved at her friends and they met her at the merry-go-round.

"Wow, ya sure got out of there fast Sweetie Belle." Apple Bloom said.

"Yeah, not as fast as Rainbow Dash, though," Scootaloo said.

"I think the others got the 'hint'!" Sweetie explained.

Sweetie looked to her left and she saw a big group of fillies and colts having a conversation. She couldn't make out what they were saying, but at times three or four of them would look back at her, and then quickly turn back to their group.

Sweetie's smile turned back into a frown. "Or maybe not."

Across the playground, once again, were the two evil bullies.

"I think I got something!" Diamond said.

"What? Really!" Silver Spoon said excitedly.

"Yeah, I think- oh, no, it's just another stupid rock."

What in Equestria are those two doing?

---

"Five, four, three, two, one..." Sweetie Belle said in annoyance.

(Ring)

In a mere second, everypony in the classroom surrounded Sweetie Belle.

Sweetie Belle screamed in annoyance.

Ten Minutes Later

Sweetie Belle was alone in the hallway, she was putting away some of her things in her locker.

At the end of the hall, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were looking at Sweetie Belle with frowns on their faces.

Suddenly, Diamond grew a smirk on her face. "Silver, I think I thought of something."

"Really? What?"

Diamond leaned closer to Silver. "Here's what we're going to do..."

Sweetie Belle was still at her locker, putting away her things.

At the end of the hall, Diamond Tiara finished explaining her plan.

"That's perfect! That'll show her not to steal our spotlight."

As Sweetie finished putting away her things, she looked to her left to see Tiara and Spoon coming towards her.

"Urg! Let me guess? You want to see my drakefriend, Prince Spike? Well, forget it!" Sweetie said as she slammed the locker door.

Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon both started to laugh, loudly.

Sweetie Belle tilted her head in confusion. "What happened?"

Diamond Tiara laughed as she talked. "You actually BELIEVE, Prince Spike is your drakefriend?"

"What do you mean? He is." Sweetie grew more confused.

"No, he's not, he's acting. He doesn't love you one bit." Silver said, barely containing her laughter.

This time, Sweetie was the one to break up in laughter. "Out of all the things... you two have said... to try to hurt me... that was... the saddest... attempt... EVER!" Sweetie fell to the floor.

"We're not trying to hurt you, we're... telling you the truth. Think really hard Sweetie Belle. Why would Spike want to be your drakefriend?"

"Um? He always says that I'm pretty, I'm cool, I'm nice." Sweetie said, checking things off mentally. "He calls me cute." Sweetie said while blushing. "I saved him from that darkness magic thingy, and the obvious, he loves me."

The two bullies started laughing again.

"Come on Sweetie Belle, I THOUGHT you were smarter than that," Diamond said.

"Huh?"

"Alright. Who's the pony Spike wanted the most before you?"

"Everypony knows that, my sister Rarity."

"Good, now who do you think is closest to Rarity?"

"Mom and dad?" Sweetie guessed.

"Closer than that."

"M-Me?"

Diamond Tiara nodded. "Spike wants to be with you, not because he loves you, because he wants to be closer to Rarity, the one he truly wants most."

Sweetie's smile turned into a frown. "N-No, that's silly. That's not true... Is it?"

"Of course it's true, Spike doesn't want to be with a Stupid, Untalented, Blank Flank Nobody like you."

Sweetie Belle was on the verge of tears. "He... he doesn't-"

"And what's worse, you take advantage too. You use your relationship to get more popular. You use HIM!" Silver Spoon added.

"I... I..." Sweetie shut her eyes shut, trying not to let her tears escape. She failed, and tears were streaming down her face.

"You don't deserve him, the way you use your relationship." Diamond Tiara said.

She soon started to run away, hearing Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon laughing behind her. She ran out the hallway, and soon out the School. She ran past her two friends who were waiting for her.

"Sweetie Belle? Hey! What's wrong?" Apple Bloom tried to call out to her, but she was long.

"What's the matter with her?" Scootaloo asked worriedly.

"Ah don't know."

"That deals with her."

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo knew that voice a little too well. They both turned angrily at Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon.

"What's wrong with you two?!?! Sweetie Belle didn't do anything to you!" Apple Bloom spat out.

"Yeah! What did you do to her?" Scootaloo asked.

"We, didn't do anything. All we did was tell her the truth." Silver Spoon said smugly.

"What, truth? Why is she cryin' like that?" Apple Bloom asked.

"The truth hurts, doesn't it."

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo grunted.

"Ya'll will pay for this." Apple Bloom and Scootaloo began to run after Sweetie Belle. "Ah'll be sure to tell Spike about this. He'll banish you two for good." Apple Bloom said as she was running away.

"Wait, Tiara, they're right! What if Prince Spike finds out about this. We'll be in deep trouble." Silver was worried.

"Relax Spoon. Right now, Sweetie Belle is not going anywhere near Spike. She'll fix our problem herself."

"I-I hope so."

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo ran past several buildings. They looked all around but couldn't find Sweetie Belle anywhere.

"Where's she?"

"She can't be at Carousel Boutique, she ran the opposite way," Scootaloo explained.

"Let's go check Sugarcube corner." Apple Bloom suggested.

After searching every table in the sugar loaded place, they found no sign of Sweetie Belle.

"Hmm, we didn't check the clubhouse," Scootaloo explained.

"Yeah, let's go check."

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo ran to their clubhouse, hoping to find their friend.

They passed the apple orchard and soon made it to the clubhouse.

Apple Bloom opened the door to find Sweetie Belle sitting, facing a wall. "Sweetie Belle?"

Sweetie Belle was holding a picture of her and Spike. They were both smiling and looked like they were enjoying themselves.

Tears were rolling down her cheeks. She wiped her eyes, but more tears replaced them. She sniffed as she remembered Diamond Tiara's words.

"Why would Spike want to be with a Stupid, Untalented, Blank Flank Nobody like you?"

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo trotted up to Sweetie Belle and looked at the photo she was holding.

"What did they do Sweetie Belle?" Scootaloo asked.

She got no response.

"Well, don't worry about it. I'll let Spike know about this right away."

Sweetie gave a light gasp as she remembered another thing Diamond Tiara said.

"You don't deserve him, the way you use your relationship."

Scootaloo turned to the door and began to walk out, only to be stopped by Sweetie belle hugging her hind leg.

"Please don't..." Sweetie said softly.

"Sweetie Belle? What's wrong? Why can't I go tell Spike?"

"J-Just please..."

"O-Okay, if you really want it that way."

---

7:00

It was quiet for the next few hours in the clubhouse. Both of Sweetie's friends were trying to comfort her.

Apple Bloom was sitting beside a sleeping Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo was pacing around the clubhouse angrily.

"She cried herself to sleep Scoots." Apple Bloom said quietly while stroking her friend's mane.

Scootaloo looked down, worried about her friend.

"This isn't any normal teasing that's been happening. Something bigger happened between Diamond Tiara and Sweetie Belle, and ah'm gonna find out."

Scootaloo turned to Apple Bloom and nodded. "I'm with you."

Suddenly, Apple Jack opened the front door to the clubhouse and stepped in.

"Alright girls, it's getting late, how about we head on-"

"SHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"

"What in tarnation?"

"Big sis, we need to talk..." Apple Bloom said quietly.

---

Rarity was enjoying her tea while sitting on her couch when she heard a sudden knock at her door. "Now who could that be?"

Rarity walked over to her front door and opened to see Apple Jack, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo, with a sleeping Sweetie Belle on Apple Jack's back.

"Hello dear, I see you have your hoofs full." Rarity said giggling while taking Sweetie Belle with her magic.

"Rarity, this is more serious than ya think. Can ah have a word with you?"

"Why sure, come in the three of you." Rarity stepped out of the way to let the three in.

"Just give me a minute to take this sleepy head upstairs to her room." Rarity trotted upstairs with Sweetie Belle on her back.

"Alright, let me talk to Rarity about this. Are ya'll sure we should be keeping this from Spike?"

"Sweetie Belle got so scared and begged us not to tell him. I don't know if ah can."

"Well, we'll have to sort this out then."

Just then, Rarity walked back downstairs.

Apple Jack guided her to the kitchen, away from Apple Bloom and Scootaloo. She then told Rarity what Apple Bloom and Scootaloo explained to her.

"They what?!?!" Rarity screamed.

"Rarity, quiet down."

"You wouldn't 'quiet down' if you found out that your little Apple Bloom was being hurt by some ruffians!"

"Apple Bloom's apart of it too. And the only reason I stopped myself from yelling was because your sister had fallen asleep."

Rarity grunted, but then sighed. "Sorry, it's just that hearing about my little sister crying herself asleep was just a shock."

"I understand."

"No pony deserves to fall asleep in that condition. I just pray to Luna that she doesn't have nightmares as well."

"Right."

"Who are these fillies anyway? Who do they think they are?"

"I don't know myself. This is very serious."

"But why is Sweetie so afraid to tell dear Spike. Isn't he her drakefriend?"

"All of this is confusing, but we should get this sorted out tomorrow. It's late, I'm gonna drop off Scootaloo then go home."

"Very well then." Rarity and Apple Jack trotted back to the living room.

"Alright you two, let's get going."

"Is Sweetie Belle gonna be alright?" Scootaloo asked.

"...Ah'm not really sure, we'll have to wait until tomorrow."

"A-Alright, g'bye Rarity."

Apple Bloom and Apple Jack also said their goodbyes and headed out.

Rarity shut the door and looked up the stairs. "Oh, Sweetie Belle..."