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                         Play nice                         
                -by thebestpartofwakingup-                 
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                         Chapter 1                         
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Chapter 1
“HEY! Give Applebloom her bow back you big stinkin’ bully!” Scootaloo yelled as she and her friends chased after Diamond tiara and Silver Spoon, who had snatched away Apple Bloom’s hair bow.
“Honestly this ribbon is so outdated, you three should be thanking me,”  Diamond Tiara said, trying to hide the gasps for air in her voice as she did her best to outrun the orange filly’s wing-powered scooter. She might have been a cripple but her scooter and wings were still faster than any earth pony on hoof. It was inevitable that the CMC would catch up with Diamond Tiara, and she knew this, she just had to run a little ways further into the woods,where she and Silver Spoon could dispose of the faded red bow.
Silver Spoon winced at the sound of Scootaloo’s buzzing wings she was catching upon them, and soon the two rich fillies would be caught. It had been Diamond Tiara’s idea to steal the stupid thing anyways, and it tasted horrible, so why wasn’t she the one carrying it!?
“Guys! wait for me!” Sweetie belle called from the rear, stopping every couple minutes to try and cast a spell in attempts to overpower Silver Spoon and snatch her friend’s bow back from out of her mouth.
“Give it back! This ain’t funny!” Apple Bloom shouted, her voice strained with tears.
“Honestly...this piece of cloth is more of a mud rag than a bow, hey! a mud rag for a mud pony!” Diamond Tiara laughed.
That comment sent Apple Bloom over the tipping point,and she charged forth, faster than her little legs had ever carried her. Faster than scootaloo and her scooter.When Diamond Tiara turned her head back she gasped, Apple bloom threw herself from the ground at Diamond Tiara. Diamond Tiara screamed in surprise and the three fillies tumbled to a heap on the forest floor. Scootaloo slammed her hoof down on the ground to bring her scooter to a halt. Sweetie belle, who was still trotting as best she could to catch up, ran head first into the heap of ponies, Scootaloo cringed at the carnage.
“What happened?” Scootaloo’s head shot back as she stared dead-eyed at the yellow pegasus that had snuck up behind her, and who now looked over the three banged up fllies lying in the dirt. Silver spoon yelped when she heard Fluttershy, she and several other fillies had heard the horror stories of her stare, and she did not want to stay around to fall victim. she spit out the bow and galloped as fast as her tired little legs could carry her back to Ponyville.
“Fluttershy! It was all Diamond Tiara’s-”
“It was an accident!” Sweetie Belle blurted out, the least hurt of the fallen fillies. The CMC had been scolded before for playing so far out in the woods. “I- we- Diamond Tiara-” Sweetie belle stuttered, failing to remember exactly why she had been running in the first place.
Fluttershy smiled and shook her head, “Oh girls, don’t worry, here, come inside and we can discuss the details over some milk and cookies.”
“No way!” protested Diamond Tiara, who wasn’t about to just sit there and let herself be tattled on. she attempted to pick herself up, but when her weight shifted onto her back hoof, she yelped in pain and fell back down, tears pricking out the corners of her eyes.
“Oh my,” Fluttershy sighed. she walked closer and took a better look at the hurt leg. “Oh dear,” she sighed again.
“What?” Diamond Tiara sniffed
“I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I think you’ve sprained your ankle Diamond Tiara, here don’t move, i’ll run inside and fetch you a bandage” the cutiemark crusaders followed Fluttershy inside her cottage, with Apple Bloom stopping to yank her ribbon out from under Diamond Tiara.
“That’s what thieves get,”
Once inside, Fluttershy had Apple Bloom lie down onto the couch, with sweetie belle sticking bandaids to the couple cuts she had received, while scootaloo assisted Fluttershy in fetching the bandages for Diamond Tiara. Down by the door laid a large crocodile. His large size and sharp teeth intimidated the small unicorn filly.
“Do you think she’s dangerous?” Sweetie belle asked Apple Bloom. Apple Bloom, who had grown up around herding dogs shook her head.
“Nah, Fluttershy takes in alls sorts of animals, I’ve seen her tame bears, besides, she’d never put a couple of her friends in harm's way” Sweetie belle nodded, and yet, the crocodile still unsettled her.
Fluttershy had scootaloo support Diamond Tiara’s weight whilst Fluttershy wrapped her leg. “Now we just wrap the bandage tightly around the injured leg, and tie a nice bow at the end,” Scootaloo watched intently as Fluttershy tended to Diamond Tiara. “There, and now the pressure on the leg will help it heal faster.” Scootaloo had had her own share of sprains and bruises before, as an athletic little filly, and scooter accidents were a dime a dozen. So in her own run Scootaloo had developed a mild fascination with the pony body and medicine. Once Diamond Tiara’s leg was wrapped the two pegasi brought the unicorn filly inside the small cottage.
“Scootaloo,” Fluttershy began, all the ponies now seated in a circle in the cottage, “Could you get on your scooter and run down into ponyville for me and fetch some ice? I’m afraid i’m fresh out,” Scootaloo frowned, Apple bloom had been injured and it had been, in Scootaloo’s own mind, her fault for not being fast enough. She didn’t like the idea of leaving her friends after she had caused a problem, although it really was Diamond Tiara’s fault.
“Please?” Fluttershy asked again “You’ve been practicing on your scooter so much, I bet you could be there and back in ten seconds flat,” Scootaloo perked up, always game for a challenge and raced out the door
“Bye Fluttershy! By Sweetie Belle! By Apple Bloom!” Now that Scootaloo was gone, Fluttershy rose from her seat and slammed the door shut. Diamond Tiara flinched. When Fluttershy came back into the cottage, the fillies were all enjoying their cookies she had baked earlier, all except Diamond Tiara.
“Wow Fluttershy! These cookies are even better than the ones my mom bakes!” Sweetie belle exclaimed. Apple Bloom nodded in agreement, not that she would ever admit anypony to be a better baker than AppleJack or Granny Smith out loud.
“So how about you girls tell me what happened,” Fluttershy said, sitting back down in her chair.
“mMMMHMMM!” Sweetie Belle frantically tried to explain the story as she understood it, although her mouth was still full of sweet cookie goodness and milk, she politely swallowed and continued. “We were running and-”
“It was all an accident!” Diamond Tiara proclaimed
“Accident my-”
“Apple Bloom, please, if you know it wasn’t an accident,how about you tell us all what really happened?” Fluttershy asked. Apple bloom smirked as Diamond Tiara seethed.
“Well,” Apple Bloom took ever such delight in  bringing justice to Diamond Tiara, as she explained what had happened earlier that day, as she did, Fluttershy’s attention shifted from the filly speaking to Diamond Tiara,
“Thank you Apple Bloom, I think that’s enough,” just then there was a knock on the door
“Fluttershy! I have the ice!” called Scootaloo from outside the cottage. Wonderful! Thought Fluttershy, perfect timing. Fluttershy opened the door and placed the bag of ice on the counter.
“you girls go on now, oh and Apple bloom? I think your bow is very pretty,”
“thanks again Ms. Fluttershy!” the girls called as they scampered off back to town, giggling all the way.
Once again, Fluttershy got up and slammed the door closed. “Now Diamond Tiara, I understand that you weren’t the only filly who was bullying Apple Boom,”
“No! It WAS all my fault!” Diamond Tiara would have LOVED to have shared the blame with Silver Spoon, who was not even present at the moment. “It was all MY idea! I made Silver Spoon do it!” Fluttershy smiled in satisfaction that Diamond Tiara was being honest. The large menacing crocodile that had been lying by the door pulled itself up from it’s position and slunk over to Fluttershy’s side, where from it growled at Diamond Tiara, who squeaked and pulled her hooves back up onto the chair
“Keep that monster AWAY from me!”
“Oh I’m sorry, I’ve been watching Applesauce here as favor for an old friend, they just couldn’t keep her anymore,” It was clear that the one thing keeping Applesauce from coming any closer to Diamond Tiara was Fluttershy.
“Well keep her under control! That….that THING looks like she belongs in the Everfree forest!”
“My apologies, she’s very excitable around earth ponies, I wonder why?”
Diamond Tiara didn’t care to know.
“Now, Diamond Tiara, i wouldn’t usually let a multiple offender off with just a warning, but i know you’re fully capable of being a good little filly, right?”
Diamond Tiara nodded simply, she was a little afraid of Fluttershy, the weird yellow pegasus pony who lived alone in the woods who spoke to animals, and only occasionally ever came into town. Even if Diamond Tiara didn’t think much of Fluttershy’s ‘warning’, she still couldn’t find herself able to pull her eyes away from Fluttershy’s. She’d have to be more careful about her bullying in the future, she didn’t need some social outcast running her mouth.
“Yes ma’am, I’ll be good”
“I mean it little filly, I want you to pinkie promise you’ll play nice from now on” Applesauce nudged ever so much closer to Diamond Tiara, lips pulled back like curtains revealing a cave of pearly white teeth.
“Okay! I promise!” Fluttershy’s glare broke and she happily sent Diamond Tiara home with a doggie bag of cookies.
Fluttershy, despite her reclusive nature, was a very well respected member of Ponyville society. Not only was she an element of harmony, but she was also praised for her fairness and responsability, not unlike her friend Applejack.
“Good afternoon Fluttershy,” Booksmarts greeted fluttershy
“Hello Booksmarts, I’m sorry I missed the last meeting of the Pony-teacher-association”.
“We sure missed you too Fluttershy,” a bittersweet tone at the memory of what would forever be known as ‘Terrible Tuna Tuesday’.
“Oh dear what happened?” Fluttershy asked concerned.
“why don’t we head on over to the school together and I’ll tell you all about it on the way, you were going to today’s meeting, weren’t you Fluttershy?”
Fluttershy smiled humbly. “Why I wouldn’t miss it for the world”.
Once at the Ponyville schoolhouse, Booksmarts, Fluttershy, and all the other teachers and ponies that prioritized foal education gathered together in the small school’s courtyard. While Fluttershy did her best to attend all of the Pony-Teacher-Association meetings, they were only held once a month, and Fluttershy was not a social pony, so she was still only acquainted with a hoof-ful of the members
“Good Afternoon Miss Shy,” Filthy rich nodded his head in respect. Fluttershy smiled and joined him, the two had become friends since first attending these meetings. “i assume you have heard the news about ‘Terrible Tuna Tuesday’ Miss Shy?” Rich raised an eyebrow.
Fluttershy laughed in response and nodded. “You know Rich, I recently ran into your daughter, Diamond Tiara,”
Filthy Rich gulped, usually when a pony brought up his daughter to him, although he loved her very much, it was usually followed by an awfully detailed story about how she had been spotted tormenting other foals. “How was she? I’ve been trying to get her to stop getting into so much trouble I-”
“Oh she wasn’t any trouble at all” Fluttershy had promised Diamond Tiara that she would be let off only with a warning, and Fluttershy intended to stick to the promises she made.
“Yes,” Filthy Rich agreed, “She’s growing up to be quite a nice mare, although w both know you have a certain ‘way’ with foals,”
Fluttershy chuckled “Oh well you know what I say Rich,”
“A pony who won’t play nice, better think twice,” the two friends said in tandem before laughing casually together.
After a short session of socialization the ponies were all seated as topics involving the school’s hot lunch plan, and recent changes to the language used in the foals’ history textbooks that described Buffalos and Zebras were discussed. Fluttershy did her best to pay attention to what everypony was suggesting, but her attention was constantly disrupted by a naysayer grey pony a row ahead of her, who kept making faces of disgust and complaining to the ponies around her about the ‘ridiculousness’ of it all. Noticing his friend’s grimace, Filthy rich nudged Fluttershy halfway through the discussion,
“Don’t mind her, that’s Silverware”
“Silver who?” Fluttershy asked.
“Remember?” Filthy asked “‘Terrible Tuna Tuesday?’ Silver Spoon’s mother?” Fluttershy made an inaudible ‘Ooh’ as she recalled the mare from the story.
“Pardon my french, but that mare has been nothing but a pain in my mane! I’m sorry Fluttershy, that’s no way to talk around a mare, or even ABOUT a mare!”
“Can you believe this!?” The Silver Ware whispered to the pony standing next to her, this time loud enough for Fluttershy to actually hear the specifics of the conversation. “These teachers test our foals on HORSEFEATHERS! Then they want us, hard working, hay-winning ponies to pay not just for the lunches for OUR foals, but for the foals of those low life moochers!” Fluttershy cringed and grimaced, how could a pony, a pony with foals of her own no less, believe such a thing?
“But the worst thing,”Silverware started, “the worst thing!” her voice starting to raise in volume and intensity, “The worst thing of all are these refreshments! Bleh! like easting horse apples!” she cried. Fluttershy and Filthy rich gasped, he and the Apple family had chipped in to provide those apple fritters and non-alcoholic cider.
The meeting broke soon after that outburst, and the ponies returned to frivolously socializing amongst themselves. During the casual social hour, Fluttershy made herself through the small crowd and found Silverware.
“um….excuse me,” confronting school fillies was one thing, but confronting grown ponies was completely out of Fluttershy’s comfort zone, even if he knew she was completely in the right. Silverware’s attention snapped from her clique to the yellow peasant horse who dared speak to her.
“Cat got your tongue dear? Perhaps you shouldn’t spend so much time around those filthy animals dear,” Silverware turned up her nose and laughed at the pegasus below her, and her friends all joined in.
“Um….” Fluttershy stuttered, “ I uh…..I…..I believe you’re daughter was picking on another  filly today…”
Silverware’s eyes went wide for a moment, while the pegasus wasn’t understood by the rest of the ponyfolk, she could have sworn she heard her say something about her daughter. Her daughter would never associate herself with a lowlife like this pathetic pegasus! How dare this yellow marshmallow speak to her daughter! Heir to the Silver family fortune!
“You stay AWAY from my daughter!” Silverware barked, before leaving with her friends. Fluttershy whined and curled in on herself on the ground. Filthy Rich and Apple Jack came running over.
“Yeah that’s right! You run away! And if ya’ll ever say anything to mah friends again I’ll tie ya’ll privileged legs together like a...faster than a….ah I got nothin’,”
Applejack and Filthy Rich helped pick Fluttershy off the ground. Filthy Rich sighed in annoyance
“That gosh darn mare, can’t imagine what her daughter’s influence is doing to Diamond Tiara”
“Yeah,” stated AppleJack blankly “cause you’re daughter is just a model filly”
“Don’t mind her Fluttershy, some ponies are too far gone for even your kindness, it’s not your fault.” And so, one by one, the ponies all said there goodbyes and walked home.
“I hope it’s not inappropriate Miss Shy, but may I walk you home?”
“Thank you for your offer Rich, but I have a few errands to run, and I’d hate to keep you from your family,” the last comment had been a bit sarcastic, Filthy Rich’s wife, Spoiled Rich, wasn’t much better than Silverware.
Fluttershy crept around the market, she had allowed Diamond Tiara a second chance, and while Silver Spoon had ran away, it would go against Fluttershy’s code of conduct to not give both fillies a fair shot at forgiveness. Sure enough, Fluttershy spotted the little grey filly buying ice cream with her friend Diamond Tiara. The two ilies tipped the vendor handsomely and sat down at a picnic table with their dishes.
“Oh, hello girls,” Fluttershy called, casually approaching the two fillies. Diamond Tiara had ore confidence this time around, they were out in public, Fluttershy wouldn’t dare try to do any weird sort of...what it was that weird anti-social pegasi who lived on the outskirts of town did.
“What do you want now?” Diamond Tiara snapped annoyed.
“Hello…” Silver spoon mumbled, a bit shy herself around adult ponies.
“Oh, don’t mind me, just wanted to make sure that the two of you were playing nice, as part of our deal,”
“What deal!?” Diamond Tiara shouted.
“What deal!?” Silver Spoon leaned in and whispered into Diamond Tiara’s ear.
“Oh it’s just, well, I had told you I was only going to let you off with a warning over what happened, that is, as long as you agreed to play nice, you wouldn’t want dear ol’ Fluttershy to have to tell anypony that-”
“OKAY!” snapped Diamond Tiara, “yes, we’re playing nice,” she mumbled annoyed.
“I-I’m sorry about what happened,” stuttered Silver Spoon “W-We were only teasing, we never meant for anypony to get hurt,” Fluttershy smiled in approval, it seems that she had been right n extending Silver Spoon’s second chance at redemption.
“I know you girls didn’t mean it, you two have fun now, and play nice, we wouldn’t want anyone to have another ‘accident’, now would we?” and just as quickly as Fluttershy had snuck into the fillies’ conversation, she snuck out.
Fluttershy went home where she carried out her usual daily activities, until nightfall, when she slipped on her full-body rainsuit. Applesauce was very quiet.
Fluttershy flew above the clouds on her way to Ponyville, invisible to the ponies below or up on Cloudsdale. A perfect night for her. The cold night air tricled against her wings and face, blood rushing in her ear. Just her, alone with herself and the night. Fluttershy landed as softly as she flown, she quietly made her way into the Silver family appraisal house, where sure enough, Silverware was standing behind the counter.
The oblivious earth pony had drifted off into space when Fluttershy had first walked in, but was brought back to reality the distinct  sound of somepony going through her goods.
“Hey! Can I help you with something ma’am!? Can’t you read!? That sign says to keep your filthy hooves off! And what’s with that raincoat?! It’s plain to see it’s not raining!!”
“What I think is plain to see, is that you haven’t been playing nicely,” And thus, as quietly as Fluttershy entered, as quietly she left.
There had been no witnesses, besides the polished silverware on display all over the room, that had reflected the act of manually scooping out the mare’s eyes back at Fluttershy
The next day, ponies all over Ponyville woke to the sight of one of their most respected members of the upper crust, crucified on the top of her shop, eye’s replaced with large silver plates. Her body was thin and caved in on itself, insides hollowed and replaced with a skeleton made out of various silverware, forks and knives jammed into her appendages, hanging her on display for all to see.