Dash Challenges Sparkle! A Race for the Ages!

Diamond Tiara had a perfect prize. For some reason, the little chicken ran off from her friends. She only had two to make an example of, but they were vulnerable. Her usual barbs and jabs had way more effect than normal. This was how you assert dominance over others. The rest of the schoolyard was watching and they knew that only by staying in line were they keeping themselves safe from her.

And then the weather decided not to cooperate. It had suddenly gotten dark. Odd, there was no rain scheduled for today. That was when she noticed the other students were not looking at her, they were looking behind her.

Her first mistake was turning around. Her second was not running immediately. Her third was looking at the angry, yellow pegasus and asking, "W-what are you looking at?"

With a Stare that would break the will of dragons, she shouted, "YOU ROTTEN, LITTLE MEANIE! You see two of your classmates over here crying, and you decide that instead of helping them, you're going to make fun of them? I heard the stories about you but I thought, 'oh no, a little filly couldn't be that mean. There must be some mistake.'  Yet here I find you, being nothing but a horrible, VICIOUS MEANIE!!"

Diamond Tiara felt something she never experienced before. Remorse wasn't usually in her repetoire of reactions. Now, all she could do is worry what sort of punishment she would receive. Instead, Fluttershy went over and picked up a crying Apple Bloom and held her. Rarity picked up her sister and hugged her tight. Rarity cast a sideways glance at Diamond and scowling, said, "I suggest you go home. We have more important things to deal with than the uncouth mannerisms of a ruffian." Without thinking twice, she hightailed it.

In the back of her mind, she thought it best not to mention this to her mother.

Big Mac cradled Apple Bloom over his shoulder. "There there, l'il sis, it'll be alright." After a quick word with Cheerilee, they brought her to her closest family as they tried to get what happened out of them. All they could gather was Scootaloo had to leave, something about her wing, and not being friends with them. "Miss Rarity, I hate to impose, but could you watch over Apple Bloom fer a bit? I gotta close up shop before I could take her home."

"Darling, please, you take all the time you need. Finish up for the day. I'll keep an eye on both of them. They were going to spend the night anyway, we're just accelerating the time table a bit. We had to let you know though."

Sweetie Belle just squeaked and sobbed. "I just don't understand why. We di-didn't care about her wings before. Why couldn't we be friends because of her wing?"

Fluttershy thought for a moment. "When she said her wing, did she say anything else?"

Apple Bloom snuffled and nodded her head. "It had something to do wi-with Rarity and Twilight an' my sis. I didn't understand it at all."

Fluttershy's eyes went wide. "Oh. My. Um, Rarity, let's get them to your place. I think I know what's going on."

"Oh? Well then, Bic Mac, we'll get going. I'll take good care of Apple Bloom for you. I think my sister is going to need her best friend." At the word 'friend', they just started sobbing again. As they walked away, Rarity asked, "So, what's is going on?"

"Well, Scootaloo may not have been talking about her wings, but more like... um, what was it you called it? When ponies in high school would keep to themselves in groups?"

"Oh, a clique!"

"Yes. It's like that. And what's more, I think all the Pegasi in Ponyville are siding with Rainbow Dash. That would explain why the market was so empty."

Sweetie Belle said, "Wait, she chose Rainbow Dash over us?"

Fluttershy shook her head. "I don't know if she chose. She might have been seeing what all the other Pegasi are doing and thought that was what she was supposed to do!"

Rarity hurried her along. "Come now, we'll not solve anything at the moment. Let's get these two comfortable and then we'll think about what can be done."

Fluttershy had left, leaving Rarity with two sobbing, little fillies. She did her best to make them comfortable and thought about getting them some ice cream when she remembered the box in her saddlebags. She pulled out the chocolates and offered them. She figured it was as good a remedy as any.

Rather than chowing them down like she expected children to do, they just nibbled on them meekly. They were quiet for a while. She was more than happy to let them just slowly relax and come to terms with things or ask her questions. After a good while, she asked, "How are you girls feeling? I know you're sad, but is there anything I can get you?"

Sweetie Belle nibbled on a chocolate and asked with red, weepy eyes, "I don't understand what happened. Was it something we did? Why would she just leave like that?"

Rarity cuddled up next to her. "If I understood Fluttershy correctly, she felt she had to. You girls are lucky enough to not understand some of the more complex, and frankly inane, social structures that are in our society. A lot of ponies, Pegasi especially, look up to Rainbow Dash. Now that she is competing against Twilight, they think they have to be loyal to Rainbow rather than just cheering her on."

Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom just looked at each other, confused. Sweetie Belle asked, "But Rainbow's the Element of Loyalty, right? Wouldn't being... uh, unloyal be unloyal to her?"

"They may not think so. And Scootaloo may not want to do what she did. In fact, I'm sure she feels just as bad as you too do, except she doesn't have a friend to help her feel better."

Apple Bloom sat up and said, "Maybe we should go find her! Maybe she just needs somepony to tell her what she did was wrong!"

Rarity held a hoof out to stop her. "No, darling. I don't think we can just tell her she's wrong. Either somepony she can really listen to tells her to follow her heart, or she realizes it on her own. We would only makes things worse for her." She was feeling upset herself. She swiped one of the chocolates herself. It had a mellow, soft, minty flavor, almost like a tea she would brew when she or Sweetie were having a restless night. Not scrumptious, but certainly a relaxing flavor. "Now, let's see if we can find som--" A knock came from her door. "Oh. You know, I think I'll take a holiday today. You girls need me more than a customer."

Rarity got up and walked over to her door. She opened it and started talking. "I'm sorry, but I'm going to be closed..." There standing before her, was one of her best friends, with rainbow mane and tail.

Under her was a small orange filly who looked liked she had cried enough to water all of Sweet Apple Acres.