Sweetie Bell cowered on the ground, eyes watering with unshed tears as her tormentors laughed cruelly.
“Aw, is widdle Sweedie Bew afwaid of the muck-muck?” Diamond Tiara chuckled, flicking mud onto the cowering filly, though careful enough not to get her own perfectly manicured hooves overly dirty.
“St-stop it.” Sweetie Bell whimpered. Why was it always like this? Though Diamond Tiara had a mean streak which she spared no one, it always seemed like they targeted her. She was the one who always heard loud snickering from the front corner of the room when she made a mistake. She was the one who always got gum stuck in her hair and lizards, which terrified her, placed in her desk, and cornered her behind the schoolhouse after school to taunt her, like now.
“St-stop it.” Silver Spoon answered, mimicking her high-pitched voice.
Sweetie Bell looked for a place to run off too, but any path of escape was blocked by the two bullies. She tilted her chin up, trying to be in brave. “You’re g-going to be in big trouble.” She whispered.
Diamond Tiara sniffed and looked around. “Oh, really? Then why’s nobody stopping us?” She sneered, pushing the other filly into the mud puddle.
Sweetie Bell lay there, too scared to get up for fear of being pushed back again.
“Probably because she doesn’t have any friends.” Silver Spoon snorted above her.
“That’s not true.” Sweetie Bell protested meekly, not even meeting their eyes.
“It’s because she’s such a wimp.” Diamond Tiara answered. “Who wants to be friends with a wimp?”
“Or somebody covered with smelly mud?” Silver Spoon responded.
“Yeah, Sweetie Bell smells alright.” Diamond Tiara laughed.
“Sweetie Bell smells.” Silver Spoon whispered in Sweetie Bell’s ear.
“Sweetie Bell smells.” Diamond Tiara repeated, grinning.
They leaned in closer too Sweetie Bell, who was petrified, hissing over and over, “Sweetie Bell smells. Sweetie Bell smells.”
Sweetie Bell wanted nothing more than to sink into the ground and disappear, away from the bullies, away from the mud, away from the everything.
But then-
“You leave her alone!” A voice called out.
“Huh?” Sweetie Bell wondered, daring to lift her head.
“What?” Asked Diamond Tiara, surprised at Sweetie Bell’s sudden shift from fear to curiosity, turning to see what the little unicorn was looking at.
“It’s just a distraction, Tiara, she’s messing with us.” Silver Spoon said, nonchalantly, splashing her with muddy water again, but Sweetie Bell didn’t notice.
“I said, leave her alone,” Said the voice. Sweetie Bell stood up, trying to get a better look at her rescuer.
A small orange pegasus stood staring at them with her head held high, fuchsia eyes glaring with steely determination.
“Who are you?” Asked Sweetie Bell.
“Diamond Tiara, dummy.” Diamond Tiara snapped. “Did your brain go on vacation or something?”
“Did your brain go on vacation?” The pegasus challenged.
“What’s your name?” Asked Sweetie Bell.
“What’s whose name?” Asked Diamond Tiara. “If you don’t start talking sense soon, I’m gonna push you again.”
“Um, Diamond,” Silver Spoon said, giving Sweetie Bell a wide-eyed look, “I don’t think she’s talking to us.”
“What do you mean? Of course she’s talking to us-Oh. Oh.” Diamond Tiara’s face flashed with understanding, which was immediately replaced with another sneer. “You’re really pathetic, you know that?” She turned to Silver Spoon. “I can’t believe her.”
“N-neither c-can I.” Silver Spoon answered, staring at Sweetie Bell.
“Come on, Silver Spoon.” Said Diamond Tiara. “Let’s get away from this loser.” She tossed her head and cantered off.
Silver Spoon cast Sweetie Bell one last bewildered look, before following.
The pegasus walked up to Sweetie Bell. “What acouple of jerks, huh?”
“Y-yeah.” Sweetie Bell answered.
“So,” The pegasus continued, “The name’s Scootaloo.”
“I-I’m Sweetie Bell.” Sweetie Bell introduced herself.
“Nice.” Scootaloo smiled. “Wanna hang out?”
“Yeah!” Sweetie Bell agreed. Nobody had ever asked her to hang out before! It wasn’t that everybody was as cruel as Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, Sweetie Bell was just a rather shy filly, and shy fillies tend to be overlooked. But Scootaloo wasn’t overlooking her. Scootaloo was nice.
Then Sweetie remembered her voice, and added, “We can go over to my house, if that’s OK with you.”
“Cool with me.”
So the two fillies walked off, Sweetie Bell leading the way, and with a warm feeling that this was the start of a lovely friendship.
Author's Note
And so begins the story of Sweetie Bell and Scootaloo. But tread carefully-
Nothing is what it seems.
“Hey, Smelly Bell,” Diamond Tiara called as Sweetie Bell and Scootaloo walked by her on the way to the schoolhouse the morning after the mud incident.
Sweetie Bell froze. “W-what do you want now?”
“Oh, nothing.” Diamond Tiara said innocently. “We just heard you have a new friend.”
“The name’s Scootaloo.” Scootaloo turned her head casually, “And Sweetie Bell and I were just walking to school together.”
“Yeah!” Sweetie Bell agreed, a little more confidently.
Diamond Tiara smirked. “Oh, Sweetie Bell,” She murmured. “You are so cute.”
Sweetie Bell gulped, detecting a subtle barb under the sickeningly sweet honey in the tone.
“What does your friend say?” Diamond Tiara whispered.
“Tell her,” Scootaloo whispered darkly, “That she ought to leave us alone and go roll around in that mud puddle so she looks more like the pig she is.”
“A what?” Sweetie Bell asked. “Well, she is the right color.” She mused. “And she is greedy like that.”
“What?” Diamond Tiara asked, a bit curious.
“A pig!” Scootaloo shouted. “You’re a pig!”
“Yeah, a pig!” Sweetie Bell shouted.
“What?!” Diamond Tiara gasped. “Would you care to repeat that?” She asked Sweetie Bell softly.
“She said you’re a pig, and she’s right!” Sweetie Bell called.
“‘Cause you’re a mean, greedy, pig!” Scootaloo chimed in. “Oink, oink!”
“How. Dare. You.” Diamond Tiara growled.
“Uh-oh.” Sweetie Bell whispered.
Scootaloo spit on the ground. “Hayfeathers. I’m not scared of pigs.”
Diamond Tiara stalked up closer towards them, a look of tranquil fury on her face.
“Nobody calls me a pig and gets away with it.” She whispered, raising her hoof.
“Hayfeathers.” Scootalooo said again, sounding more frightened. “Run for it, Sweetie Bell!”
Sweetie Bell didn’t need to be told twice. She ran to the classroom at full gallop. Diamond Tiara was faster and stronger, despite her prissy demeanor, her furiosity left Sweetie Bell with no doubt that she could still cause physical pain with ease.
“Run, run!” Scootaloo shouted again. "She's gaining!"
“I’m trying!” Sweetie Bell shrieked.
“What is going on?” Asked another voice. Sweetie Bell looked up just in time to slam head on with her teacher.
“Oof! Sorry, Miss Cheerilee.” Sweetie Bell said meekly as her teacher looked down at her.
“Miss Cheerilee, Sweetie Bell called me a pig!” Diamond Tiara exclaimed dramatically.
Miss Cheerilee looked on Sweetie Bell disapprovingly. “Sweetie Bell. Is that true?”
Sweetie Bell hung her head.
Cheerilee seemed surprised and a bit disappointed. “Sweetie Bell, Why would you call Diamond Tiara a pig?”
“She doesn’t care about the rules.” Diamond Tiara sniffled for effect. “She’s a big meanie, that;s what she is.” From behind Cheerilee, Diamond
Tiara flashed Sweetie Bell a malicious look.
Cheerilee looked at Diamond Tiara, than Sweetie Bell.
“Sweetie Bell, I’d like you to stay in at recess.” Cheerilee admonished. “We can talk then.”
“OK.” Sweetie Bell sighed resignedly.
“What?! Not fair!” Scootaloo shouted indignantly, but to no avail.
“Sorry about that.” She said as Sweetie Bell was led inside. “I’ll come in with you. It’s my fault.”
“No, it isn’t.” Said Sweetie Bell wearily. “Diamond Tiara’s just really good at fooling adults. It was really brave of you to call her a pig.”
Scootaloo blushed. “You called her a pig too.”
“Well, yeah.” A small smile appeared on her face. “She did kinda deserve it.”
“Alright, my little ponies, recess!” Miss Cheerilee smiled, ringing the schoolbell.
Scootaloo, who’d been perched on the floor next to Sweetie Bell due to a shortage of seats, got up quickly. “Alright!”
“Don’t you remember?" Sweetie Bell whispered. "We have to-”
“Sssh!” Scootaloo told her. “Maybe she’ll-”
“Sweetie Bell.” Cheerilee was glaring at her. Sweetie Bell gulped. Most of the time Cheerilee was sweet and kind, so much you always forgot how
stern she could be.
Scootaloo sighed. “So much for recess.”
“It’s OK.” Sweetie Bell told her. “You can go if you want to. I’m the one who’s in trouble.”
“Sweetie Bell, who are you talking to?” Cheerilee asked, voice tinged with confusion.
“Scootaloo.”
“Sweetie Bell.” Cheerilee said, even more sternly than before. “Let’s focus on you.”
“O-OK.” Sweetie Bell replied, slightly confused.
“Now,” Cheerilee said more gently, “Can you tell me what happened?”
“Well, Scootaloo and I were walking to school together. She’s my new friend. We met yesterday after-a-a-after-”
“After what?” Cheerilee asked, confused.
“After-a-a-after-” Sweetie Bell floundered, “Never mind.” Even with Scootaloo to protect her, the wrath of Diamond Tiara was something that
Sweetie Bell did not wish to tempt.
“Well, we were walking, and then Diamond Tiara walks by and-and-” Sweetie Bell faltered.
“Tell her.” Scootaloo hissed.
“She-She-”
“Yes?” Cheerilee asked.
“Well, Scootaloo called her a pig, and then I called her a pig too, and then she-she got mad-”
“And why did this Scootaloo call her a pig?”
“‘Cause-cause-she was being mean!” Sweetie Bell burst out.
“There you go!” Scootaloo called encouragingly.
Cheerilee’s eyes softened. “I see. Tell me more.”
“She called me-smellybell."
“She called you what?”
“Smelly Bell..”
“Sweetie Bell, you are going to have to speak you louder then that.”
“Smelly Bell.”
“Ah. So let me get this straight. You were walking to school, Diamond Tiara called you Smelly Bell, and you retaliated by calling her a pig?”
“That’s about the size of it.” Sweetie Bell agreed.
Cheerilee sighed. “I see. Well, I’ll have a talk with Diamond Tiara-”
“Please don’t do that!” Sweetie Bell yelped.
“Why?” Cheerilee was curious.
“She-Nothing.” Sweetie Bell hung her head.
“As I was saying, I’ll have a talk with Diamond Tiara about name calling as well. You may leave, But Sweetie Bell, you shouldn’t let bullies provoke you. That’s what they want. Next time, don’t take the bait. Do you understand?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Don’t take the bait.” Scootaloo mimicked later as they left for the day. She growled and went back to her normal voice. “That’s the stupidest thing I ever heard!”
“Well, maybe she has a point. She is a teacher.”
“Diamond Tiara didn’t want you to fight back! We totally caught her off guard!” Scootaloo chuckled at the memory.
“Yeah, but maybe she secretly wanted to chase us.”
Scootaloo snorted. “Sure, she did. I bet she just loved being called-”
“SWEETIE BELL!”
Diamond Tiara was not in a good mood. She glowered and pawed the ground before leaping down the steps to the schoolhouse she'd just exited.
“Do you know what has just transpired between Cheerilee and I?” Diamond Tiara hissed.
“N-n-no.” Sweetie Bell backed away slowly from Diamond Tiara.
“Nope, and we don’t care.” Scootaloo began to head away and beckoned toward Sweetie Bell, who was frozen with fear.
“I have just received a detention.” Diamond Tiara whispered. “And it is all your fault!”
“I’m sorry.” Sweetie Bell muttered.
“Oh, it’s too late for I’m sorry’s.” Diamond Tiara breathed. “You’re gonna pay for this Sweetie Bell. And your new friend isn’t gonna be much help, I’m afraid.” Diamond Tiara laughed unpleasantly and flounced off.
“You take that back, nitwit!” Scootaloo cried, but it was no use. Diamond Tiara didn’t even turn around.
Sweetie Bell shuddered. “Now what?”
Scootaloo spread one small wing over her friend. “Your buddy Scootaloo is gonna watch your back, that’s what.”
Sweetie Bell gave her friend a small smile as they started walking. “Thanks.”
“No problem.” Scootaloo answered as she smiled back.
Rainbow Dash flew high above the clouds, then tucked her wings in for a dive, sinking closer and closer towards the grassy field below. Aw, yeah. This rocked.
“Hey, Rainbow Dash!” A familiar little voice called.
Rainbow Dash expertly pulled out of her dive and pulled up. “Oh, hey Sweetie Bell.” She called, looking down at the pony below. “What’s up?”
Sweetie Bell answered cheerily, “Scootaloo and I were wondering if we could watch you do some neat tricks.”
“Oh.” Rainbow Dash answered. “So...Scootaloo’s here?”
“Yep.”
“Uh, OK.” Rainbow Dash said, kicking herself mentally. She promised Rarity! But nothing in the promise said-
“Hey!” Sweetie Bell called. “We’re waiting!”
“Oh, OK, sure.” Rainbow gave them the super-slick Rainbow Dash grin. “Eyes to the sky!” She took off, leaving a trail of rainbow as she loop-de-looped through the air.
On the ground, Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell watched in awe.
“She’s amazing!” Sweetie Bell gushed. “Look how high she is!”
“I know, right?” Scootaloo added. “I wish I could do stuff like that.” She said, with a sad look at her small wings, excellent for propelling her scooter through the streets, but of little use for the true flight she yearned for.
“Your wings will grow someday.” Sweetie Bell assured her. “At least you have wings.”
“Hey, your magic is cool too!” Scootaloo reassured. “I wouldn’t trade it for my wings though.” She added.
“Yeah.” Sweetie Bell mumbled.
Scootaloo, seeing that she’d made her friend sad, quickly changed the subject. “Um, so, was the homework hard?”
“Oh, I’ll say!” Sweetie Bell answered. “How’d you do?”
Scootaloo’s eyes snapped back to the sky. “Oh, look!” She cried. “Rainbow’s doing a back spin!”
“Scootaloo, you didn’t answer my question.” Sweetie Bell pressed.
Scootaloo hung her head. “Didn’t do it.” She mumbled.
“Oh, Scootaloo, not again!” Sweetie Bell groaned. “You’re gonna fail!”
“Miss Cheerilee never fusses over it.” Scootaloo defended herself.
“Well, that’s not normal of her.” Sweetie Bell insisted. “She’ll crack down on you soon enough, just you wait. She’s dealing with a very big class, and when she gets around to you-”
“I know.” Sighed Scootaloo. Her eyes lit up for real. “WHOO! Rainbow’s doing a Sonic Rainboom!”
“Go Rainbow!” Cried Sweetie Bell.
Rainbow Dash heard the soft shout and smiled. How could she have ever hesitated into doing this?
“Scootaloo thinks you’re amazing!”
Rainbow Dash’s smile turned into a frown in a blink.
Oh, right.
Author's Note
Food For Thought:
What promise did Rainbow Dash make to Rarity?
Why is Rainbow acting strange around Scootaloo?