“Morning Blank Flanks!”
Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo rolled their eyes and groaned inwardly; no school morning was complete without the usual greeting from the diamond duo of the playground. Normally the exchange of words was brief, some simple taunting before the classroom bell sounded and they filed into the school, and normally it was simply accepted and forgotten; but that morning Applebloom didn’t feel in the most accepting of moods.
Her head was hung low to the ground, her steps plodding and slow like her body was made of concrete. Ironically it wasn’t far from the truth. The previous day had supposed to be her day off, a day to enjoy crusading with her friends before the week started a fresh, but this time that hadn’t been the case. Applejack had been taken ill following a trip to Appleloosa leaving a large selection of chores and duties with nopony to do them. Big Mac and Granny Smith had worked extra hard but even so it had fallen to Applebloom to fill in where they couldn’t.
So instead of a day spent crusading she had spent the day cleaning the pig sty, watering vegetables, cleaning the house, organising hay bales in the barn...the list went on and on. Applebloom had finally crawled into bed long after the sun had set and had been woken with the dawn thanks to the ever present rooster on the farm. To put it mildly she was exhausted and it was bad enough having to think about the fresh load of work Cheerilee was bound to give them without having to worry about the class bullies as well.
She snorted and carried on, her eyes half lidded as she stared at the school building ahead of her. She only made it a few steps though before she found her path blocked by the problems in question.
“Ooooooh, looks like Applebloom is more of an Appleflop today,” cooed Diamond Tiara with a grin.
“You said it DT,” added Silver Spoon, “still tired from yesterday blank flank?”
“I heard she spent most of the day covered in mud, can you imagine?”
“Ah live on ah farm, kinda what happens,” replied Applebloom, her tired expression unchanging.
“Oh yes, ‘the farm’,” retorted Diamond Tiara, the small filly making invisible quotation marks in the air with her hooves, “More like mud hole, right Silver Spoon.”
“Totally!”
“Whatever, just get on out of the way so ah can get to class,” Applebloom made a move to step forwards only to find Diamond Tiara blocking her path.
“I heard that Applejack just wanted a day off and faked the whole thing so she could spend the day in bed,” she hissed cruelly, “Always knew that pony was lazy underneath all that ‘yee-haw’ing.”
Applebloom’s eye twitched. Over the course of the last year she had started to develop, along with her fellow crusaders, a thicker skin whilst dealing with Diamond Tiara. Her endless ridicule and teasing never seemed to stop and usually it rolled off their back without affecting them much. This time though Applebloom felt a sudden rage building inside her. It was one thing to pick on her, it was an entirely different thing to make fun of her family...especially Applejack.
“Don’t ya dare say anything bad about ma sister!” she said loudly, one of her hooves flashing upwards and pushing Diamond Tiara backwards causing the filly to stumble slightly.
There was a collective gasp from Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo and Silver Spoon; Diamond Tiara looking too stunned to even speak.
“Ah don’t care if you make fun of me or ma lack of a cutie mark but don’t ya dare talk bad about Applejack,” continued Applebloom, her face coming alive as she spoke, “She works harder than any pony in town and does more for Ponyville than everypony else put together! She certainly does more than your mum and dad, all they ever do is sit on their money piles going ‘ooh, look how rich ah am’. Ah bet they just buy you loads of things to keep you out of their mane!”
Diamond Tiara tensed, her lower lip giving a small quiver. Applebloom herself didn’t even seem to notice, barging past the rich filly as she continued on her way towards the school.
“Come on girls, let’s go,” she said quickly.
Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo remained still for a moment, stunned by what had just happened, but eventually caught up with Applebloom as she climbed the steps of the school.
“Geez Applebloom, wasn’t that a bit harsh?” asked Scootaloo in a whisper.
“I know they can be a problem at times but I...” started Sweetie Belle.
“Ah don’t care when they insult us, ah can handle that. But nopony insults ma sister without getting a piece of ma mind...nopony!”
Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle thought best to leave the matter alone as they slipped into their seats; if they learned nothing else today they would always remember that annoying a tired Applebloom wasn’t for the faint of heart.
Across the classroom from them Silver Spoon slipped into her own seat. For a moment she glanced over at Applebloom, a firm glare setting on her face for a moment before she let it fade as Cheerilee started handing out the morning pop quiz sheets.
By the time the end of the day came Applebloom had long since forgotten about the earlier confrontation with Diamond Tiara; in fact it had left her head almost as soon as Cheerilee had started her lesson when she realised she hadn’t studied the previous evening like she had meant to. Not only did she get a lecture from the earth pony on good study practice but she now had an extra essay to write on how proper study helped learning. She would barely have time to eat that evening if she wanted to get all her work done.
“Sure you won’t come crusading this evening?” asked Scootaloo for the third time, “I got this wicked cool idea for…”
“Ah’m sorry girls but ah think ah should just head home,” replied Applebloom mournfully, “Wish ah could but if ah don’t get this work finished Miss Cheerilee is gonna be so mad.”
“Yeah I guess so…”
“How about we help you out?” suggested Sweetie Belle.”
“That’s ok Sweetie Belle, ah got myself into this and ah’ll have to get maself out. You two head on without me.”
“Alright,” sighed her two friends together.
They exchanged farewells and parted ways, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo heading in the direction of town while Applebloom turned away and began the walk to Sweet Apple Acres. Her mind began to run over what she had learnt that day in class; or rather what she should have learnt. Cheerilee had once again swamped them all with so much information that Applebloom had needed to borrow several pencils from Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle over the course of the day.
Her attention was so focussed on her thoughts in fact that she didn’t even notice what happened next until it had already happened. As she rounded a corner something struck her hard across the face causing her to stumble over backwards.
“Aaah, what in the…?” she groaned to herself as she looked up from the ground.
Above her stood Silver Spoon, the young filly looking at her with boiling rage in her eyes. Applebloom didn’t even get time to speak as Silver Spoon leaped at her, raining blow after blow towards the farm pony. Applebloom cried out and curled up, trying desperately to shield herself from the barrage the grey filly was dealing. Finally she kicked out with her hind legs catching Silver Spoon square in the chest and forcing her away. Quickly she backed away, scrambling to her feet and looking up. Her body ached from the previous assault but it seemed her kick had done more to Silver Spoon than she had so far suffered. The grey filly stood a few steps away, her glasses lying nearby caked in mud. She hugged a hoof to her stomach, her breathing slightly laboured as she continued to glare daggers at the farm filly.
“What in the hay is going on?!” demanded Applebloom quickly.
“I’ll make you sorry for what you said to her,” replied Silver Spoon before making a diving leap towards Applebloom.
This time Applebloom was a little more prepared and managed sidestep the tackle albeit barely. Silver Spoon landed with a thud and for a moment simply lay still breathing heavily.
“Please Silver Spoon, what is going on?” asked Applebloom once more as she took a few steps towards her.
Silver Spoon used the moment not to reply but to spin quickly, once more launching herself at Applebloom. This time she connected sending both fillies crashing to the ground although Applebloom didn’t just let it happen this time. Using the momentum she shoved her rear hooves into Silver Spoon stomach and flipped her over the top of her. As Silver Spoon hit the ground she rolled onto her stomach and finally lay still, a silence falling between the two fillies. Applebloom was about to speak when a new sound interrupted her, a gentle sniffing sound punctuated by stifled sobs.
“I’m sorry DT,” murmured Silver Spoon through her tears as she lay face down in the mud, “I’m just useless…”
“Silver Spoon?”
Applebloom approached cautiously, wary of another flying leap but this time none came. Slowly Silver Spoon looked up, her eyes teary with regret and sorrow. Applebloom paused, despite Silver Spoon’s earlier actions she couldn’t help but feel sorry for her, just what was going on?
“I-I’m sorry Applebloom…” Silver Spoon quickly looked away and sighed deeply.
Applebloom blinked, this was getting more complicated by the minute!
“Ah don’t understand,” she replied as calmly as she could, “What did ah do? That is…did ah do anything? What’s goin’ on?”
Silver Spoon sighed again. Applebloom could tell she was waging an internal battle as her expression flickered back and forth between various different emotions.
“What you said this morning really hurt her you know.”
“What ah said? You mean Diamond Tiara?”
Silver Spoon just nodded.
“Geez, ah know it was a little rude but then ah was tired and just didn’t want to deal with her constant teasing…plus like ah said, nopony makes fun of ma sister.”
“She wasn’t trying to…she was just…”
Silver Spoon stopped again and looked towards Applebloom.
“I want you to promise me something Applebloom.”
“Ya want me to promise something? What?” replied Applebloom with a curious expression.
“I’ve only told a few ponies about this and they all had to promise as well. If I tell you have to promise not to tell any pony else and you’re not to use it against DT in any way or…or….”
Silver Spoon trailed off. It was doubtful that any further threats would be useless considering how badly she had just lost in a fight against the farm pony. She picked up her glasses, dusting them off and placing them back on her nose.
“Just promise me,” she finished.
“Ah really don’t know what this is all about but uh…ok, ah promise,” replied Applebloom.
“Swear it!”
Applebloom sighed, “Cross ma heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in ma eye.”
Silver Spoon gave a small nod and slowly stood up. She still looked a little shaky but she managed to hold herself well enough. Turning away she looked back over her shoulder.
“Follow me.”
Applebloom still had no idea what was going on but curiosity was now the overriding factor in her mind. Silently she followed Silver Spoon as the filly led her across town. They mostly stayed out of sight, keeping to the back streets that were less travelled but Applebloom could still work out where they were.
At length Silver Spoon came to a stop behind one of the houses in Ponyville’s main residential areas. The house itself was no different to any other in the town and was certainly nothing special to look at. Thinking more carefully, Applebloom was sure she even knew who lived there.
“Uh…why are we here?” she asked curiously, “Isn’t this where that ol’ crazy pony lives?”
Silver Spoon looked round at her with daggers in her eyes. Applebloom flinched, sure that any moment now the grey filly would launch herself at her again. It didn’t happen though and eventually the look faded from her face.
“…Don’t…don’t say things like that…” she replied after a moment, new tears threatening to roll down her cheek, “You…you remember your promise, you can’t tell anypony about this!”
“Ah know ah know, what’s going on?”
Silver Spoon motioned towards one of the windows that had been left partially open to allow a gently breeze into the room. Together the pair moved closer and, at Silver Spoon insistence, they both looked into the room. Applebloom blinked hard at the scene.
Sat in the middle of a sofa was a sky coloured earth pony, her white mane tangled up into a mass of hair that seemingly had a mind of its own. She was dressed in a white hospital gown that left just enough room for Applebloom to see her cutie mark, a single screw. What was even more shocking though was the pony, or rather filly, that sat curled up next to her. Diamond Tiara looked sad and mournful, an expression that Applebloom hadn’t seen on her face ever. She clung to the pony next to her, gently nuzzling her cheek against the pony’s front hoof. She hadn’t noticed the two eavesdroppers, Diamond Tiara’s attention focussed somewhere between the floor and a point several miles away. What came next though was even more shocking than seeing diamond Tiara like she was, something that turned Applebloom’s world upside down.
“…I miss you mom,” murmured Diamond Tiara, her words carried on the breeze to the two fillies listening outside, “Why won’t you come back? Please come back, please? I’d give up everything just to have you smile at me again. Daddy keeps trying to cheer me up by buying things but…it’s all worthless without you. Please mommy…please come back to us…”
The pony next to her didn’t respond initially but when she did it only caused more tears to roll down Diamond Tiara’s cheek. Opening her mouth the only thing that left her lips were a series of barks, her gaze still fixed ahead of her. Applebloom couldn’t sit still, she needed to get away and work this out.
Without warning she dropped from the window sill and bolted. Silver Spoon was slightly shocked but quickly followed her as Applebloom zig-zagged down several of the back streets before finally coming to a stop in an alleyway behind Sugar Cube Corner. She took a few deep breathes as Silver Spoon finally caught up, the grey filly looking both shocked and annoyed at her.
“Was that really Diamond Tiara?” asked Applebloom after a moment, “And…and was that…was that her mom?!”
To both of her questions Applebloom simply received a nod in response. This only seemed to heighten her state of panic.
“But that was Screw Loose wasn’t it? She’s been at Ponyville Hospital for years now, ma sister always takes her a basket of apples each month.”
“…You’re…you’re sister does that?” interrupted Silver Spoon quickly, seemingly unaware of this piece of information.
“Y-Yeah, she’s been doing it for years, says she feels sorry for her and all.”
Silver Spoon’s expression seemed to brighten, a small smile flashing across her face for a moment.
“But…but how can that be her mom? Ah thought she worked away in the city,” continued Applebloom.
“She did…once,” replied Silver Spoon as she sat herself down on the ground, “I don’t know the full story myself, DT always get emotional when she tells the story. It all happened a few years ago…there was an accident. DT’s mom was working in Manehatten, apparently she was really good at engineering and spent most of her time away from Ponyville supervising construction projects. She hardly ever came home and when she did it was only for a few days…but DT still says those memories stay with her more than any other.”
Applebloom allowed herself to sit down as well as the story began to unfold around her.
“DT says there was a fire and part of the building she was working on collapsed. She ended up trapped and it was hours before the emergency services could get to her. Apart from a few cuts and bruises she was fine physically but…well DT says the paramedics told her that her mom had been exposed to toxic gases for longer than was safe. It affected her mind and well...”
Silver Spoon trailed off but Applebloom could fill in the blanks herself easily. Could it be true?
“But…but how did nopony know that Screw Loose was related to Diamond Tiara?” she asked after a moment.
“Her name is Tight Fit not Screw Loose,” snapped Silver Spoon harshly, “I hate that name…and DT hates it even more.”
“Ah…ah’m sorry…”
Silver Spoon sighed, “No I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to snap at you.”
For a moment neither of them spoke but ultimately it was Applebloom that decided to break the silence.
“So…how did they not know?”
“Not a lot of ponies have met Tight Fit; she was normally always working away from town. After the accident Filthy Rich had her moved here and asked everypony who knew her to keep quiet.”
“So…who else knows?”
“Aside from me and the doctors treating her, not many; Mrs Cake, Berry Punch and Golden Harvest as far as I know.”
“Is that why Mrs Cake is always…”
“…always so nice to us when we visit Sugar Cube Corner? Yeah I guess it is.”
“Ah’m so sorry, what ah said this morning must have really upset Diamond Tiara,” murmured Applebloom as she hung her head.
“You didn’t know and…well…DT did rub you the wrong way this morning,” admitted Silver Spoon with a small sigh.
“Why is she always so mean to everypony?”
“It’s her way of coping, I know it’s not very nice but I’m not about to stop her. DT is much frailer than she appears. She gets upset really easily and is always worried somepony will find out about her mom. I do what I can to keep her happy but when she gets worried the only thing that can cheer her up is making other unhappy.”
Applebloom frowned, “That…that’s awful.”
“Don’t you think I know that? Don’t you think I’d rather see her happy without having to upset and torment others? It’s just…I don’t know what else to do.”
Silver Spoon sat down, trying desperately to stop herself from crying as she did. Applebloom meanwhile was still trying to take it all in; it almost seemed too unreal to be true. Was this really the reason Diamond Tiara was so mean at school? Was she simply trying to cheer herself up due to what happened to her mother? Applebloom knew the pain of losing family all too well. Her own mother and father had died when she had been very young and even though she didn’t remember much about them she still felt the loss…and she knew Applejack and Big Mac did as well.
Applejack had always been there for her though; her older sister had become as much a mother to her as she was a sister. Diamond Tiara didn’t have that; she didn’t have a sibling to turn to…and her father was always so busy she doubted that he had much time to help support her. That’s where Silver Spoon fit into things she wagered, helping to keep Diamond Tiara going. Still it wasn’t the right way but how could she know any better? Silver Spoon was barely older than Diamond Tiara without any of the life experiences her sister had been through…how could she hope to be the supportive pillar Diamond Tiara needed?
Then it hit her, an idea that could work. It wouldn’t be easy and it certainly wouldn’t be quick. She’d have to battle against more than just petty teasing and name calling but right then it didn’t matter. She approached Silver Spoon, reaching out to place a hoof on the filly’s shoulder.
“Ah think ah have an idea.”
The next day the walk to school was taken with apprehension for Applebloom. Her two friends chatted joyfully beside her but she could feel a weight hanging round her neck that felt heavier than her brother’s yolk. Yesterday it had seemed all too easy but now her upcoming task was causing her to dread the inevitable. As she neared the school her head started flicking one way and the other. When she finally spotted who she was looking for she gulped slightly.
“Ah…excuse me one minute girls,” she said slowly as she set her eyes on her target.
Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle cast curious looks at her as Applebloom made her way towards Diamond Tiara. The rich filly was currently tormenting a pair of young fillies from the year below them. On her face sat the usual vicious smile and smug expression. Applebloom gulped again.
“Uh….howdy Diamond Diara…” she announced as happily as she could.
Diamond Tiara looked slowly before rolling her eyes towards Silver Spoon who stood beside her.
“Oooh, lookie what we have here, Cutie Mark Crybaby number 3,” she replied with a small giggle, “What wrong? Lost your cutie mark…oh that’s right, you don’t even have one to lose yet.”
Diamond Tiara giggled to herself as Silver Spoon remained silent, the grey filly casting a few nervous glances at Applebloom. Normally Applebloom would have reacted to such a comment but this morning she bit her tongue and focused on her goal. Reaching into her saddlebag she pulled out a small envelope and held it out in her hoof. Diamond Tiara looked at it oddly for a moment, not even reaching out to take it before looking back at Applebloom with an unimpressed expression.
“Ah…ah wanted to apologise for what ah said yesterday,” continued Applebloom, “It was awful unkind of me to say those things. Ah’m sure your mom and dad do lots of important stuff around Ponyville and ah reckon they love you just as much as ma family loves me. So uh…ah wanted to invite you to this weekend’s hoedown at Sweet Apple Acres. Ah know we don’t really hang out but ah just wanted to apologise properly is all…”
Applebloom trailed off and went silent. As she watched she could see Diamond Tiara’s expression softening slightly as she finally accepted the envelope and looked at it. On the front her name had been crudely hoofwritten and embezzled with a few hearts over the i’s. The filly’s soft expression didn’t last though and she quickly handed the envelope to Silver Spoon without even opening it. She turned away sharply and took a few steps towards the school house.
“Pfft! As if I’d be seen getting my hooves dirty at some rustic folk dance,” she jeered, “Come on Silver Spoon, I have better things to do than waste my time here.”
Diamond Tiara headed off, Silver Spoon following close behind. As the pair entered the school house though Silver Spoon turned her head towards Applebloom and mouthed the words ‘thank you’ before vanishing round the corner. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle quickly walked up and flanked the farm filly.
“Geez, you invited her to your hoedown?” queried Scootaloo in surprise, “Aren’t you afraid she’ll just ruin everything?”
“Yeah, Diamond Tiara hasn’t really been kind to us,” chipped in Sweetie Belle as the three headed towards the school door.
“Ah know, ah know but…ah think everything will be alright,” replied Applebloom.
“Wish I had your confidence,” replied Scootaloo.
The three fell silent as they headed into the classroom, Cheerilee already writing up today’s lesson on the chalkboard. As they slipped into their seats Applebloom stole a glance at Diamond Tiara. It was awkward to see but Applebloom could tell that she once again had possession of the envelope she had given her but it still looked like she hadn’t opened it. Diamond Tiara turned it over a few times in her hooves before opening her desk and sliding the letter inside.
Applebloom looked away. It wasn’t going to be easy and it wasn’t going to be quick…but now that she knew the truth she wasn’t going to rest until she had done everything she could to help the pink filly…everything!
