Money Don't Buy Love

Chapters

The Confession
The Rejection
The Deception
The Detection
The Escalation
The Conclusion

The Confession

“Is that another one?” Apple Bloom walked up to Sweetie Belle at her desk, where the little unicorn handled a small, intricately wrapped gift that must have been placed there sometime during recess.

Sweetie Belle nodded, “Yeah, and it’s the same as the other times. Fancy paper, perfume on the bow, and a tag that says nothing but ‘To Sweetie Belle’ with a heart next to it.”

“I’d say this was really sweet if whoever’s been leaving all these presents would just tell you who they are,” Apple Bloom said.

“You got a present again?” Scootaloo joined the other two Cutie Mark Crusaders after putting away the sports equipment she had been using at recess. “At this point, it’s getting kind of creepy.”

“Yeah, and no doubt whatever’s inside it is pretty pricey like the other five. It’s a shame they’re just wasting bits with all this,” Sweetie Belle said. The three fillies’ conversation was interrupted by their classmate, Diamond Tiara, giving an incredibly audible sigh after she sat at her desk and buried her head in her hooves.

“She’s… adjusting,” Scootaloo shrugged.

It wasn’t that long ago that Diamond Tiara was a constant source of stress for Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo. Ever since she got her cutie mark, she and her cohort, Silver Spoon, made it a point to hold the status of their flanks over those who had no cutie marks yet. The Crusaders were a favorite target of Diamond Tiara, but it was only during the most recent class election for student-pony president that she admitted she only picked on them because she was jealous that their future seemed to be open and bright while she was seemingly stuck in a destiny she never wanted.

Now that the Crusaders had their cutie marks and Diamond Tiara was working to become a better pony, the relationship between the two factions was growing more amicable. Diamond Tiara would still occasionally let out a snide remark or voice her displeasure at something one of the Crusaders did, but she was rather quick to retract such comments and apologize. The Crusaders understood, though, that it often takes a while for a pony to change because old habits tend to die hard.

Sweetie Belle kept her present levitated in front of her the entire way home from school. She was half-navigating, half-racking her brain as to who her mysterious admirer could be. Thanks to her divided attention, she smacked her face right into the door of Carousel Boutique, eliciting a small squeak of pain.

“Yes, I’m coming,” a voice came from the other side of the door. Sweetie Belle’s older sister and the owner of the fine clothing establishment, Rarity, opened the door. Her face quickly switched from disappointment that her sibling was not a customer to a pleasant welcoming smile.

“Oh, Sweetie, you’re home,” Rarity said. She was about to return to her business when Sweetie Belle’s present caught her eye. “Sweetie, darling, is that another gift from your paramour du mystique? They seem to be quite taken with you.”

Sweetie sighed, “Yeah, but I’m getting sort of worried. What if it’s not one of my classmates and is just some creepy Ponyville resident who’s a little too into little fillies?”

“Now, don’t talk like that, Sweetums. Ponyville is a very safe town—world-ending disasters notwithstanding—and I’m sure whatever filly or colt is leaving you these gifts is just a bit shy. Perhaps you should start asking around to clear all this up. Best case scenario, I get to cook for your first ever special somepony!”

“And worst case scenario I end up as the subject of next fall’s season premiere of ‘Pony Victims Unit.’” Rarity rolled her eyes,

“Little sister, you’re getting all worked up over nothing. The best way to approach these things is to take them head on. No beating around the bush. Be straightforward and ask each of your classmates if they are the one behind your presents. Even if they lie, love shows through all and you will find out who is after you soon enough. Er, after you romantically, of course.”

The next day, Sweetie Belle heeded Rarity’s advice.

“What? Do I look like I have the kind of bits to be dropping on gold necklaces and gourmet chocolate all the way from Trottingham?” Scootaloo raised an eyebrow, “Plus, we’re just friends, Sweetie Belle. I’m not into you like that.” Scootaloo was among the last of Sweetie’s classmates that she interrogated the next morning before school as to who was responsible for all her gifts. She figured she’d save the least obvious for last. She turned to Apple Bloom, who put a hoof up and gave her signature look of dismissive sass,

“No,” Apple Bloom’s country twang rang strong in that single word. Right, so it wasn’t Apple Bloom.

Sweetie Belle had gone through almost every single one of her classmates, but everypony vehemently denied being the one behind Sweetie Belle’s mysterious presents. The severity of some of the denials stung just a little bit. She surveyed the classroom to see if there was anypony she might have missed. She spotted Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon coming in. Sweetie’s stomach flipped. Nopony was absent today. They were the last two she had to ask. But… one of them? Could one of her former bullies really be her secret admirer? If it turned out Silver Spoon or Diamond Tiara had a crush on her that would mean… Well, Sweetie Belle didn’t know what it would mean, but she was nervous as all Tartarus about it.

She decided to ask the less antagonizing filly first,

“Hey, Silver Spoon, you know those presents I’ve been getting lately?” A slight, sly smile crept its way across Silver Spoon’s face,

“Yes, what about them?” she asked. Her voice was saccharine. It was the kind of tone Sweetie was used to hearing when Silver would sarcastically mock her and her friends. This off-put Sweetie a little bit. But Diamond Tiara wasn’t the only one who got a behavioral wake-up call back during the school election. Sweetie and the Crusaders learned that Silver Spoon’s sweetness could actually be genuine—it just took a little getting used to.

“You, uh, wouldn’t happen to be the one leaving them for me, would you?” The gray earth pony giggled and waved her hoof,

“Oh, I’m flattered that you think it might be me, but it’s not. Trust me, when I like somepony, they’re going to know they’ve got my attention,” she turned to her cohort, who was trying extra hard to stuff her saddlebags into her designated cubby for the ninth time. Her entire head seemed to be dyeing a deeper shade of pink than normal. “I can’t say the same for everypony, though,” Silver subtly pointed her hoof over her shoulder at her friend.

“You mean…” Sweetie wanted to ask Silver Spoon more, but she had already retreated to her desk, although she looked on as if she were about to watch a show. Sweetie Belle gulped. Her heart began pounding hard as she approached Diamond Tiara, who was still facing away from her—and still blushing intensely. She was mumbling something under her breath.

“Should’ve… sooner… dumb Crusader…” Diamond was grunting her sentences. Sweetie only heard some words.

“Um, Diamond Tiara?” Sweetie Belle tapped her on the shoulder. Diamond jerked with surprise, but didn’t turn around to face Sweetie. “I want to ask about those presents. I’ve gone to everypony in class, and they all say they’re not the ones leaving them. That just leaves you and, uh, you’re the only one who started acting suspicious the second I began talking to them.” Diamond Tiara turned around quickly, but kept her head down. She nudged Sweetie Belle with a hoof. Well, actually she punched her, but Diamond was so full of embarrassment that there wasn’t enough strength for it to feel like anything more than a nudge.

“So stupid,” Diamond was barely audible. There was not a foal in the classroom whose eyes weren’t glued on the pair of ponies by the saddle bag cubbies. Cheerilee had even come in, but was curtly shushed by a foal before she even had a chance to address what was going on.

“I’m… I’m sorry?” Sweetie said, slightly tilting her head, “Look, Diamond Tiara I don’t know why you’re acting like this. I just wanted to know about the gifts.” The little unicorn’s heart skipped a beat. She hadn’t meant to sound as annoyed as she did. Did she upset Diamond even further? Diamond answered by finally lifting her head and staring at Sweetie Belle with tears in her eyes. It was a sad expression with hints of anger and fear. She took a deep breath,

“Yes, it’s me, okay? I like you, Sweetie Belle! I like your dumb beautiful mane, and I like your dumb green eyes, and I like your dumb adorable laugh, and I like the dumb way you’re always so nice and helpful! I like you, like you, like you, like you! Gah!” Diamond Tiara stamped her hooves with every ‘like.’

A wave of whispers traveled through the classroom. They had never seen a confession like that before. At least, they had never seen a confession like that from Diamond Tiara. At least three colts and two fillies were guilty of similar emotional outpourings to one of Ponyville’s elite.

Obviously, this was uncharted territory for Diamond Tiara. A pony with her poise and sophistication—if not also a bit of a sharp side—simply wasn’t equipped to handle the stresses of love in early adolescence. Such was evidenced by Diamond Tiara running out of the schoolhouse all the way back home.

Sweetie Belle turned to face her class,

“She’s… adjusting.”

Author's Note

Swootie Bloob and Dim Tim. This should be interesting.

The Rejection

Diamond Tiara did not return to school for an entire week. While most of her classmates forgot about her absence toward the fourth or fifth day, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Sweetie Belle in particular, became increasingly worried. One day, Cheerilee asked the three rambunctious fillies to stay after class.

“Crusaders, can you all hang on for just a moment?” she asked. They had some idea of what was likely going to be asked of them, and shot each other uncomfortable looks. “Girls, I need you to go visit Diamond Tiara.” The Crusaders seemed visibly uneasy.

“I know you’ve had your troubles with Diamond Tiara in the past. I also know you’ve been working with her to improve her character. This absence of hers is concerning to me, and I think you three are the best way for me to figure out what’s going on.”

“Well why don’t you send Silver Spoon? She’s been Diamond’s friend for, like, ever!” Apple Bloom protested.

“Silver Spoon is on somewhat of an independent streak right now—you know; finding herself like you helped Diamond Tiara to do. The two are still friends, but I don’t think Silver will be the right pony for this job,” Cheerilee explained.

“Miss Cheerilee, you saw what happened last week, right?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Yes, I did, Sweetie Belle, which is precisely why I want you to be one of the ones to go visit her. Her feelings toward you are important and they seem to be a key factor as to why she hasn’t been coming to school. It’s between you two, so I don’t want to get too far into it, but if there are unresolved problems between my students, it could be detrimental to the both of you in class. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Miss Cheerilee,” Sweetie Belle answered.

The Crusaders left the schoolhouse to head straight to Diamond Tiara’s mansion.

“It’s Sweetie Belle that Diamond has a crush on,” Scootaloo kicked her hoof, “Why do we have to go along to talk to her?”

Apple Bloom sighed, “Well, we’re kinda-sorta her friends, too. If more than one pony shows up, maybe it’ll show her that other ponies care about her. Plus, it’ll lessen the blow when Sweetie Belle turns her down.”

“Yeah… turn her down…” Sweetie Belle said. The three were quiet for a few seconds as they walked, then Scootaloo stopped in her tracks.

“Sweetie Belle. You are not thinking what I think you’re thinking.”

“A little,” Sweetie admitted. Apple Bloom’s mind clicked as well,

“Don’t tell me you’re actually considering… y’know, going out with her.”

“I don’t know!” Sweetie Belle squeaked, “I mean, she’s not so bad once you get past—”

“The fact that she tormented us for so long?” Scootaloo interjected.

“The too-good-for-the-rest-of-y’all attitude she has?” Apple Bloom added.

“But she’s changing that, girls,” Sweetie argued, “This is her first real try at expressing herself since we helped her after the election. Just saying ‘yes’ could really help her out.”

“But what if it’s all a trick? She could just be back to her old ways, waiting to set up a date with you then snapping pictures of you looking all sad when she doesn’t show up,” Scootaloo said.

“I don’t want to believe that. I want to believe she’s really changed and that her feelings are real!” Sweetie Belle fired back, shaking her head.

“And what if it don’t work out?” Apple Bloom asked, “What if y’all date n’ break up—how’s that gonna mess with all of our friendships?”

“Yeah, she may like you, but I’m not ready to just turn over and accept her completely just because she’s got the hots for one of my friends,” Scootaloo stomped her hoof. Sweetie opened her mouth to reply, but the words wouldn’t come out of her mouth.

Scootaloo scoffed,“You’re just going to have to put your feelings aside and say ‘no,’ Sweetie Belle. It’s better for everypony.”

“Not for me,” Sweetie Belle said under her breath.

The Crusaders plodded along in relative silence on their way to Diamond Tiara’s place. Apple Bloom asked about when their next writing assignment was due and Scootaloo reveled about how Rainbow Dash complimented her new scooter trick yesterday. Sweetie Belle gave short, curt replies, killing all energy in the conversations and returning the three to quiescence.

They arrived at the Rich mansion where Randolph, the family’s butler, was outside trimming the hedges in the front courtyard. He noticed the three fillies and bowed to them,

“You are here for Miss Tiara, I presume?” he asked politely. The Crusaders nodded, hardly bothering to even make eye contact. “I’ll fetch her right away. Please, this way.”

Randolph beckoned the ponies into the mansion. They still had their heads down, but their eyes widened as the ground they were staring at began staring back at them. They were standing on an impeccably polished white marble floor. In the reflection of it, they not only saw themselves but also the opulent foyer of the Rich household. This caused them to begin to look up from the floor and survey the luxury in reality. As their eyes slowly scanned back and forth, Randolph returned with a small, pink passenger, who froze when she saw who her visitors were. Randolph bowed and took his leave.

There were several meters between the Crusaders and Diamond Tiara. Although there was nothing physical separating them, neither party could move past the tension, keeping them firmly on opposite sides of the foyer.

“Hey, Diamond Tiara. It’s been a while,” Scootaloo called across the room. Diamond Tiara glared at her, looking as if she wanted to say something, but after a few seconds her gaze broke and she looked off at a random object in the corner.

“We, uh, brought all the work n’ stuff you missed,” Apple Bloom said, pulling out various papers and handouts from her saddle bag, “It’s a lot, so we could help you finish it if you want.” Diamond Tiara nodded, but the Crusaders weren’t sure whether she simply nodded in affirmation that she heard Apple Bloom, or that she was accepting the offer to study with them. She stole a couple glances at Sweetie Belle, but every time she did, her cheeks dyed redder. Another bout of awkward silence came between the four.

“Maybe,” Sweetie Belle started, “Maybe I should take it from here, girls.” Apple Bloom and Scootaloo looked at Diamond Tiara, then Sweetie Belle, then each other and nodded.

“We… hope to see you at school again, Diamond,” Scootaloo said. She meant it, though the tone of her words betrayed their meaning. With that, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom left the mansion and waited outside for Sweetie Belle. The front door had barely clicked shut when Diamond Tiara finally spoke up,

“You’re here to reject me, aren’t you?” she snapped at Sweetie Belle, “There’s no way you’d ever like me—not after everything I’ve done to you and the others. I don’t even know what I was thinking. After you guys helped me figure out who I really wanted to be I was so happy. I was so full of emotions I hadn’t felt in so long, and some I had never felt before, I just didn’t know where to put them all.”

“So they all came to me…” Sweetie Belle said, just loud enough for Diamond Tiara to hear.

Diamond nodded her agreement, “But it’s more than that. I meant all the stuff I said last week at school. I really do like your mane and your eyes. You’re always so upbeat, always looking at the brighter side of things. It gives me hope even on really bad days in a way that no other pony has ever been able to do. I just thought if I was with you… maybe I could feel that warm feeling every single day. But that’s too much to hope for.” Diamond Tiara hung her head low, barely keeping the tears from welling up in her eyes. With all her words exhausted, she retreated to a room to the right of the foyer. Sweetie Belle stared at her own reflection deep in thought, processing everything Diamond had just said to her. Then she followed her into the other room.

It was a small parlor with two large, luxurious chairs facing a fireplace that had the last of a couple logs still lightly flaming inside it. Diamond sat in one of the chairs, sobbing into one of the arms. Sweetie Belle climbed up into the other.

“You’re right,” Sweetie said, “I am here to reject you.” Diamond Tiara choked up, ready to release another tirade of crying. “But that’s not what I’m going to do.”

This caused Diamond to slowly lift her head and turn toward Sweetie Belle. She wore an expression that searched for every sign that what the unicorn had just said was real. “Wh-what?” she stammered.

“Apple Bloom and Scootaloo want me to reject you. They’re not quite… ready to see you as a different pony, even if they’re trying to be. They think you and I dating would just put a wrench in, well, everything really. I don’t see that, though. I see you, Diamond Tiara, and most importantly I see who you want to be, and honestly, that’s a pony I don’t hate,” Sweetie Belle said. Diamond Tiara’s breathing deepened.

“You mean,” she gasped.

“I’ll go out with you,” Sweetie smiled. Diamond Tiara leapt from her chair over to Sweetie Belle’s and hugged her tightly. Sweetie returned the favor.

“At least for now, though,” Sweetie Belle said, putting a hoof on Diamond Tiara’s chest and looking into her eyes, “We have to keep it on the down-low, especially around the other Crusaders. We can tell them soon, but it’s definitely better to ease them into it.” Diamond nodded enthusiastically in reply.

The two fillies sat in the same chair for some time. Now that the tension between them had broken they opened up a number of conversations about, well, everything. Sweetie told Diamond what it was like having Rarity as a sister, and Diamond told Sweetie about the various luxuries she had and insisted Sweetie just had to try them out one day. A knock came at the front door that took Sweetie and Diamond out of their stupor.

“Oh, jeez, I totally forgot! I should have been out like an hour ago!” Sweetie Belle panicked.

“Should I make some excuse for you?” Diamond Tiara offered.

“No,” Sweetie shook her head, “You’re supposed to be super-sad right now. If you come out they’ll suspect something’s up. Don’t worry—I’ll think of something.” The little unicorn began scampering to the front door.

“Sweetie Belle, wait!” Diamond Tiara called. Sweetie looked back with her magic surrounding the doorknob.

“Thank you,” Diamond whispered just loud enough for Sweetie to hear. Sweetie smiled in reply and made her exit.
Outside, two indignant Crusaders tapped their hooves.

“What in tarnation took you so long, Sweetie Belle?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Oh, you know. Rich girl drama. She’ll be fine. I just had to calm down all that crying,” Sweetie sighed as if she had just been through a major ordeal.

Scootaloo raised an eyebrow, “I didn’t hear any crying.” Sweetie Belle was about to defend herself when Apple Bloom unwittingly did it for her,

“Scoots, that house is like a bajillion square hooves. I doubt you could hear anything even if you were in the next room over.” Scootaloo shrugged in response.

“Come on girls, the sun’s going down. We’d all better get home,” Sweetie got everypony’s mind off of anything Diamond Tiara-related before any more questions were raised.

“Yeah, you’re right. Good work back there, Sweetie Belle,” Apple Bloom said as she patted Sweetie on the shoulder.

“Once DT gets over this, she’ll be back to kinda-sorta being our friend again in no time!” Scootaloo added. With that, the Cutie Mark Crusaders parted ways for the evening. As Sweetie plodded home, she felt an odd mix of elation and crushing dread fill her chest.

“Why do I feel like I’ve just made a huge mistake?”

Author's Note

Young love is complicated.

The Deception

Monday came and with it, Diamond Tiara’s return to school. She seemed incredibly chipper upon entering the classroom and turned in all her missed schoolwork to Cheerilee with a smile. Upon passing Sweetie Belle’s desk she stopped to wink at her in a not-so-subtle manner. This drew stares from the other Crusaders.

“What the hay was that all about?” Apple Bloom whispered to Sweetie Belle.

“I thought you let her down the other day,” Scootaloo narrowed her eyes.

“I-I did!” Sweetie stammered, “I guess she’s just teasing me again.”

Apple Bloom rolled her eyes, “Yeah, I bet she’ll try n’ spin a story like you were the one that got rejected just to save face.” The other two Crusaders didn’t pay much more attention to Diamond for the rest of the day, but Sweetie Belle saw her steal away into the schoolhouse for a couple moments during recess. When Sweetie returned to her desk, she expected to find yet another expensive trinket on top. Luckily that was not the case.

Instead Diamond put it inside Sweetie’s desk. You’re a real innovator, Diamond Tiara, Sweetie Belle thought. It was a sweet gesture, though, and Sweetie couldn’t help but let a little grin grace her face as she slipped the silver quarter-note necklace into her saddlebag while her friends weren’t looking.

At the end of the day, Diamond Tiara sidled up to Sweetie Belle and said in a singsong voice, “Oh, Sweetie Belle! Ready to head to my place to study?” This impromptu meeting was news to Sweetie. Her surprised expression matched those of Apple Bloom and Scootaloo.

“Um, what?” Sweetie squeaked.

Diamond rolled her eyes, “Ugh, don’t you remember? I may have caught up on the work I missed but just barely. Miss Cheerilee asked you to help me make sure I understand all the material.”

“But Apple Bloom gets much better grades than I do. Why doesn’t she…” Sweetie Belle suddenly remembered she was dating Diamond Tiara, “Why doesn’t she take a break from helping out with schoolwork and let me handle it this time?”

“You sure you wanna do that?” Apple Bloom raised an eyebrow, “I mean, I can if you want me to—”

“Nope! If Miss Cheerilee asked me to do it then I’ll do it!” Sweetie Belle puffed her chest out proudly.

“All righty, then. We’ll be at the clubhouse when y’all are done.” Apple Bloom and Scootaloo trotted off. Sweetie Belle kept her pose until they were out of sight.

“Nice cover,” Diamond jabbed Sweetie in the side.

“Shut up,” Sweetie smiled and rolled her eyes. The two began walking toward Diamond Tiara’s mansion. “So, what’s the real reason you wanted me to come with you today?” Sweetie Belle asked.

Diamond put a hoof to her chest, “What? Do I need a reason to want to hang out with my girlfriend?” Sweetie Belle internally noted that Diamond could already refer to her as her “girlfriend” so nonchalantly.

“No,” Sweetie Belle answered, “But I get the idea that studying isn’t the only thing on your mind.”

“Well, I wasn’t lying about the studying thing. I do still need to catch up a little. I did want to ask something, though.” Diamond said.

“What is it?” Sweetie Belle cocked her head.

“You know those gifts I’ve been giving you? Are you, y’know, okay with it?”

“Oh, Diamond. I would have told you if I wasn’t. They’re really sweet gifts.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want you to think I’m trying to buy you or anything. It’s really just… the only way I know how to show you how I feel.”

“Diamond,” Sweetie took Diamond’s face in her hooves, “If that’s how you show how you feel about me, it makes me happy. Buy me all of Equestria if you want.”

“Really?” Diamond said through squished cheeks, “I’ll see what I can do, but buying all of Equestria would take a lot of—”

“Honey, it was an expression.”

“Oh.” Sweetie let go of Diamond’s face. Diamond dug into the ground with her hoof nervously. “Well, in the mean time, could you wear that necklace I gave you today?” Sweetie glanced back at her saddlebag, where the necklace was tucked away.

“I… I want to. But Apple Bloom and Scootaloo might find out,” Sweetie Belle said.

“They’re going to know eventually, right? Can’t you just make some excuse until we’re ready to tell the truth?”

Sweetie looked at the charm in her hoof, “I guess so.” She magicked it around her neck and let the cool silver rest against her chest. It jingled with the same delight that was showing in Diamond Tiara’s face.

“It looks beautiful on you,” she said.

Sweetie and Diamond spent until sundown studying, but when Filthy and Spoiled Rich didn’t come home for dinner, Sweetie stayed to keep Diamond company. Luna’s moon was rising by the time Sweetie made it back to Carousel Boutique.

“Welcome home, darling,” Rarity sang as Sweetie Belle came groggily through the door, “My, you look positively exhausted. Did you have a lot of fun with the Crusaders?”

Sweetie Belle’s eyes shot wide and her pupils constricted. She completely forgot she was supposed to meet Apple Bloom and Scootaloo at the clubhouse after studying with Diamond Tiara. The fact that they didn’t come looking for her meant that they were likely none too happy about it, too.

“Oh, no, they’re gonna be so peeved tomorrow!” Sweetie cursed.

“Sweetie Belle! We do not use that sort of language in this house!” Rarity chastised her sister.

“Sorry, Rarity. I’m just, uh, tired. Things slip out. Don’t worry about making me dinner, I think I’m going straight to bed tonight.”

Rarity raised an eyebrow, “I see. Well, be sure to watch your tongue in the future. I won’t let you off so easy next time.”

In her bed, Sweetie Belle plowed her face into her pillow and shut her eyes tight in hopes that once she woke up she’d find out the previous evening was just a dream. The intense weight in her stomach and heart the next morning reminded her that it was not.

Sweetie arrived at school and immediately felt two very unamused glares pierce into her the second she walked into the classroom. She sheepishly approached her seat abreast her friends. “Uh, hey girls,” she said. Once she sat down Apple Bloom and Scootaloo’s eyes broke from her but still carried no sympathy.

“Sweetie Belle,” Apple Bloom halfheartedly greeted the little unicorn.

“S-Scootaloo?” Sweetie leaned forward to look at her pegasus friend, who was giving the same empty stare to the chalkboard as Apple Bloom.

“Sweetie Belle,” was all she said in reply.

“Girls, I’m sorry,” Sweetie Belle lowered her head, “I was planning on coming, I swear. We got done studying but Diamond’s parents weren’t home and she seemed so lonely so I just stayed for dinner and I only remembered I was going to meet you after I got home.”

“Was Diamond Tiara really that fun for you to stay all afternoon?” Apple Bloom asked, finally returning her gaze to Sweetie. Scootaloo followed suit.

“I just wanted to be there for her,” Sweetie was barely audible.

“Yeah, well don’t stop being there for us,” Scootaloo pointed a hoof at Sweetie Belle, “The whole reason we went to the clubhouse yesterday was so we could talk about how to include Diamond Tiara together. It doesn’t make sense for just you to be hanging out with her if you’re not even dating or anything.”

“Right, not dating…” Sweetie Belle averted her gaze for a moment before looking both her friends earnestly in the eyes. “I’ll make it up to you two, I promise. We can have a day by the lake this Saturday. Doesn’t that sound like fun?”

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo looked at each other, then to Sweetie Belle.

“Well, that does sound fun,” Scootaloo said.

“Yeah, we’ll take you up on that,” Apple Bloom nodded her agreement, “You can even bring Diamond Tiara along. Then we can really start patching things up.”

“Great, then it’s settled! We’ll all meet at the lake at ten on Saturday!” Sweetie Belle smiled. The bell rang for class to begin and the Crusaders eagerly got to work, the promise of a fun and productive weekend ahead now seated in their minds.

The Detection

The Rich mansion wasn’t far from Ponyville Lake, so Sweetie Belle arrived at 9:30 to pick Diamond Tiara up. Diamond opened the front door before Sweetie could knock even once.

“I’m ready, Sweetie,” Diamond Tiara sang.

“Wow, you’re punctual,” Sweetie said.

“Are you kidding? I’m don’t want to miss a single minute of this day. Now off we go to the market!”

“The market?” Sweetie echoed, “We have to be at the lake in a few minutes.”

Diamond scoffed, “And have me show up in last season’s swimsuit? I don’t think so. Come on, I know exactly what I want. We’ll make it in time.” She began trotting off without even waiting for a reply.

“If you’re sure…” Sweetie muttered, taking a glance down the road toward the lake, the opposite direction of the market. She followed Diamond into town.

At the swimwear store, Diamond had several swimsuits draped over her back.

“You’re getting all that?” Sweetie asked.

“Of course not, Sweetie,” Diamond almost seemed insulted, “But some of these they didn’t have the last time I was here. I just have to try them on.”

“You said you knew exactly what you wanted!” Sweetie complained.

Diamond Tiara hopped into one of the dressing room stalls and peered from behind the curtain, “I’m just revising my decision based on new information. Doesn’t Twilight teach you about that in your private lessons?”

“That’s for magic and science, Diamond Tiara.”

“Well I think it applies to swim fashion just as well. Don’t worry, we’ll still make it to the lake,” Diamond assured her girlfriend. Fifteen minutes later, Diamond settled on two swimsuits and the fillies left the store. Sweetie Belle looked at the sun to gauge the time.

“It looks like we’ll be a bit late, but Apple Bloom and Scootaloo won’t get mad over a few minutes.”

“Maybe we should get them something to apologize for being late,” Diamond Tiara suggested.

“What? No, we’re pushing it as it is. We’ve got to get to the lake,” Sweetie insisted, stamping her hoof indignantly. Her protest went unheeded, though, as Diamond was already headed further into town. “Ugh, Diamond!” Sweetie called as she scampered after her.

At the jewelry store, Diamond held a sapphire necklace up to Sweetie’s neck.

“What do you think, babe? Will Scootaloo totally flip over this or what?”

“Hm, Scootaloo doesn’t really like jewelry. Plus a sapphire’s more my color,” Sweetie Belle said.

“If you wanted me to get this for you, you know I’d say yes,” Diamond said with a wink. “Anything for my sweetie, Sweetie.” Sweetie Belle blushed, even though she didn’t mean to insinuate that she wanted the trinket. Rarity always said to never turn down a gesture of generosity, though.

The pattern of Sweetie and Diamond going somewhere that was not the lake, shopping, and Sweetie Belle ending up with a gift repeated over and over. With each stop Sweetie’s call to get back on task quieted more. By just after noon, Sweetie had completely forgotten about their appointment with the other Crusaders, as had Diamond Tiara.

Meanwhile at Ponyville Lake, Scootaloo took a quick glance at the sun’s position in the sky.

“It’s past noon now. You don’t think they got held up this long, do you?” Scootaloo asked. Apple Bloom floated by her on an inflatable raft and swirled her hoof in the water.

“Two hours is a long time to be ‘held up,’ Scoots. I’m thinkin’ that either both of them came down with something awful at the same time, or Diamond Tiara’s up to her old tricks again, keepin’ Sweetie Belle away on purpose to drive us apart.”

Scootaloo spun around lazily and sighed, “I hate to say this, but I really hope it’s the first one.”

Apple Bloom dove into the lake and pulled her raft to the shore. “C’mon, Scootaloo,” she said after pulling the stopper from the raft to let it deflate, “We gotta go see what’s up.”

“Please be sick,” Scootaloo muttered to herself as she swam to shore as well.

The two fillies checked Carousel Boutique and the Rich mansion, hearing from Rarity and Reginald that Sweetie Belle and Diamond Tiara had both left home before ten that morning. That meant that they were somewhere that was obviously not with the Crusaders, as they were supposed to be.

Apple Bloom huffed as she and Scootaloo headed into town to continue their search, “When I see Diamond Tiara, I’m gonna… I’m gonna… Well, I don’t know what I’ll do but you can bet your apples she’s gonna regret messing with Sweetie Belle.”

“Maybe you should cool it a little, Apple Bloom. I mean, I want to figure out what’s going on as much as you do but if we go in assuming it’s bad, we could make the entire situation worse.”

Apple Bloom sighed, “Yeah, I guess you’re right, Scootaloo.”

The fillies’ search took them from the swim store to the jewelry boutique to Quills & Sofas, but everywhere they were pointed they didn’t find Sweetie Belle and Diamond Tiara—that is, until they rounded a corner and spotted them sitting at a table outside a café with parfaits and several bags of shopping. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo ducked behind a large flower pot and peered over its rim toward the café.

“So, Scoots,” Apple Bloom said, “What were you planning on doing if what we saw was exactly how bad we thought it was?”

“You mean Diamond using Sweetie as a pack mule to carry all her stuff while they ditch us?”

“I don’t think that’s what’s going on. Look at the way they’re oglin’ each other,” Apple Bloom pointed out. Scootaloo looked on and pondered for a moment. Then her eyes flew wide, “No way.”

“Yup. Diamond’s buying her and Sweetie’s too much of a sweetheart to realize it.”

“Even if she did realize it, she still abandoned us when she promised she’d be at the lake. I didn’t think anypony could sink so low,” Scootaloo shook her head.

Apple Bloom frowned, “Diamond Tiara can. And it looks like she took our friend down with her.” The two Crusaders peeked over the flower pot again and saw their targets getting up to leave.

“Are we going to talk to them now?” Scootaloo asked.

“Not today. I wanna give Sweetie Belle the rest of the day and Sunday to come by and apologize. As angry as I am we owe her that much since we’ve been friends for so long.”

“And if she doesn’t?”

“Then both of them will get what’s comin’ to ‘em Monday morning.”

Author's Note

Thought I abandoned this, didn't ya?

The Escalation

“Remember, Scoots, we gotta be firm but calm when we confront Sweetie Belle. She ain’t never been too strong when it comes to this stuff.” Apple Bloom was probably telling herself that to steel her own nerves just as much as she was telling her pegasus friend. Scootaloo only nodded tersely in reply. The two fillies waited just inside the doorway of the schoolhouse for their friend and fellow Crusader—if they could even call her that anymore—to arrive. As if harkening what was about to come, the sky darkened as the storm scheduled for that day was making its way toward the school.

A few minutes later, Sweetie Belle walked in, blissfully unaware of what her friends had learned about her. She smiled at them and went to set her bags down. When she returned, Apple Bloom rushed her and pinned her neck against the wall.

“You gosh darn TRAITOR!” Apple Bloom yelled. The buzzing classroom fell silent. Sweetie Belle choked,

“A-Apple Bloom, wh-what are you—” Apple Bloom lightened her hold, only to slam her right back onto the wall. A poster fell.

“Y’all know exactly what you did! I can’t believe you! I can’t believe you’d do that to us!” Apple Bloom’s voice began wavering and her eyes welled up with tears. Stark realization struck Sweetie Belle. She couldn’t believe it. She had completely forgotten about the day at the lake she promised her best friends. If that weren’t enough, she and Diamond Tiara had been found out. Sweetie didn’t have time to think or ask how or why before her girlfriend scampered in, barely escaping the first drops of rain.

Diamond Tiara surveyed the scene. It only took a second for her to piece together what was happening.

“Don’t hurt her,” Diamond breathed. Her expression was one of regret and concern. Apple Bloom read this and snapped out of her rage, releasing Sweetie Belle and kicking her hoof in disgust at the ground.

“’M sorry, Sweetie,” she mumbled, not entirely sure if she meant it or not.

“You betrayed our trust,” Scootaloo spoke up, looking between Sweetie Belle and Diamond Tiara, “Both of you did.” Scootaloo went over to Sweetie Belle, who was still slumped against the wall.

“It’s one thing to give her a chance. It’s a whole other thing to go behind our backs and just… just…”

“Just what?” Sweetie Belle heaved, “Just be her friend? Like for real? It’s a whole other thing to treat her with respect and see that she’s a good pony no matter what she’s done to us? It’s a whole other thing to go out with her? Just what, Scootaloo?”

Scootaloo shut her eyes tight and reared to rub her forehooves in her mane in frustration. “Grah! I don’t know! It just makes me so mad I want to scream!”

“Then scream,” Diamond Tiara said. Thunder rumbled overhead, enough to make the windows rattle slightly. “Scream at me because I wanted Sweetie Belle to make me feel special. I said I liked her and I meant it—”

“Then why didn’t you tell us you were dating? Don’t you think that might have gotten the message across?” Scootaloo threw a hoof in the air.

“It was because of how you were treating me! It felt like you were training me to be your friend—like I wasn’t worthy of even being called a decent pony without the almighty Cutie Mark Crusaders’ approval! Sweetie was the only one of you to even let me be the pony I wanted to be.” Scootaloo’s visage softened, but her scowl returned just a few seconds later.

“You don’t know what it was like to be targeted by you. My wings, Apple Bloom’s family—you can’t just attack that and expect us to forgive you when you ask for it.”

“I wanted Sweetie Belle to have everything, including you. That’s the other reason why we decided to wait.”

“Oh, is that why you kept buying her things? You think Sweetie Belle can just be bought if you throw enough bits at her? Do you think anypony can? That’s not how love works, Diamond Tiara!”

“And how would you know?” Diamond snapped back. The rain outside intensified, accentuating the silence between the ponies. Diamond Tiara knew exactly what she could say next. She knew exactly what would send the pegasus over the edge. It was a weapon she never got the chance to use as a bully. It was a knife that Scootaloo always had pointed at her own heart.

“Don’t you dare say it,” Scootaloo shook her head slowly and warned her. She had been down this road one too many times.

“No one ever loved you.”

Scootaloo’s right-front hoof connected with Diamond Tiara’s chin, lifted her off the ground and sent her sprawling onto her back. Some foals in the classroom gasped in surprise. Diamond Tiara slowly lifted herself up. Her mouth was bleeding. Pure fury filled her eyes. She charged at Scootaloo with a scream, and the brawl was on.

Diamond tore into Scootaloo, swinging wildly at her face and landing several hits. Scootaloo caught a break and headbutted Diamond in the side, knocking her over and allowing Scootaloo to position herself over the earth pony. Scootaloo’s forehooves punched Diamond’s face back and forth until Diamond bucked with her rear hooves into Scootaloo’s abdomen, knocking the wind out of her. When Scootaloo recovered, she screamed again and grappled Diamond, putting the two in a tight wrestling match. Diamond bit Scootaloo’s flank. Scootaloo growled through the pain and jabbed Diamond’s face repeatedly with her elbow.

Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, and even Silver Spoon pleaded for the fillies to stop, but their ears were full of blood and rage, and would hear none of it. They continued to battle until several desks were turned over, a shelf was broken, and their classmates were thoroughly terrified of their savagery. Then, the only thing that could have stopped them at that point walked in, bearing a face none of the schoolponies had ever seen before—and never wanted to see again.

Using her earth pony strength, Cheerilee broke Scootaloo and Diamond Tiara’s hold on each other and sat them down hard. The fillies’ animosity turned to abject fear as they saw their teacher looming over them.

“Children, there will be no class today. Take an umbrella and get home safely.” Cheerilee’s voice was flat. It was the sort of flat that only the deepest of anger hid behind. It was the sort of flat that none of her students questioned. The foals were gone in a moment. Even Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Silver Spoon only dared a single look back before they hastily took their leave. It felt as if even the smiles on the flowers of Cheerilee’s cutie mark could not show themselves.

Cheerilee turned her back to Diamond Tiara and Scootaloo. She sighed at the chalkboard.

“I had hoped you would mend your wounds before you opened them even further,” she said, “You’ve always been so good at solving problems with others using friendship. This, though… To say I’m very disappointed in you is an understatement.” Outside, thunder rumbled. The battered and bruised fillies said nothing. They only looked at the floor in shame.

“I certainly hope you’ve got all of that out of you, because if you’re worried about how Filthy Rich and Rainbow Dash will react now, just imagine how they might punish you if you ever fought like that a second time.”

Tears welled up in Diamond Tiara’s eyes. They stung against her cuts. Scootaloo wasn’t faring much better.

“Scootaloo, I…” Diamond began, but she was cut off by a small stamp of the pegasus’ hoof.

“I hate you,” Scootaloo hissed. Cheerilee turned around.

“Neither of you will return to school until this entire situation is sorted out. Scootaloo, you may pass that on to the other Crusaders. Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon should count herself lucky she was not as involved as she could be, but you owe her an apology.” Cheerilee took a deep breath.
“It is entirely unfair to the other ponies to have your personal squabbles undermine the safety and peace of mind of the schoolhouse. Once this is all over, it will not happen again. Do I make myself perfectly clear?” Scootaloo and Diamond Tiara nodded. “I will stay here and repair the classroom. Go home.”

Author's Note

I've had this chapter written for months. In fact, I had it done before I even wrote the first chapter of the fic. Something had to lead up to it, though.

The Conclusion

A light wind fluttered the curtains of the Cutie Mark Crusaders’ clubhouse’s open window. The smell of wet wood from the previous day’s storm permeated the room, but the sun was shining brightly today. Perhaps just as yesterday’s rain was a harbinger of the fight between Diamond Tiara and Scootaloo, the present clear weather foreshadowed better times ahead.

“You know, I never really took the time to look at this place,” Silver Spoon said, surveying the various charts and pictures on the clubhouse walls. “They really did give everything with all their crusading business.”

“They still do,” Diamond Tiara nodded, not particularly looking at anything. “After getting to know Sweetie Belle… It sort of hurts coming here, knowing what we…” she trailed off. “We” was incorrect. There’s no doubt Silver Spoon wouldn’t have been a part of the teasing and bullying Diamond did if she didn’t feel like she had to. “What I did to them.”

“Diamond Tiara…” Silver Spoon sighed.She stood in front of her friend and lifted her chin to force her to look her in the eyes. “I don’t want you putting this all on your own shoulders. I feel just as guilty as you about how we were before the election.”

“But if it wasn’t for me, you wouldn’t have to be guilty. You’ve always been so nice and I forced you to hide that just so I could feel like somepony was on my side.I was a horrible friend.” Diamond began to sob. Silver Spoon wiped her tears,

“Diamond, no one’s perfect. The fact that I’m still here with you means that I think you’re worth sticking by. If I’m as nice as you say it means I’m with you because I see just how great you can be and I’ll still be your friend even when it looks like the entire world has its back to you.”

“You’ve spent so much time away from me lately. I thought that meant you didn’t want to be friends anymore.”

“I know, and I’m sorry for not telling you I just needed some space. I’m my own mare, too, you know. I just needed some time to find myself.” Silver Spoon said.

“And? Did you find yourself?” Diamond asked expectantly.

“Sort of. The details are an entirely different story, but I do know that whatever’s next for me, I’d rather not be alone.” Silver Spoon extended her hoof. “Bump?”

“Bump, sugar lump rump.” Diamond Tiara concluded their signature rhyme by meeting Silver’s hoof and they finished the hoofshake that they shared, albeit with less gusto than they usually perform it with. The situation didn’t really call for all the enthusiasm. Diamond then pulled Silver Spoon into a tight embrace.

“Thank you. Thank you so much. I love you, Silver Spoon.”

“I love you too, Diamond Tiara.” As they broke their hug they heard the plodding of hooves up the planks to the clubhouse. The Crusaders had arrived.

Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon didn’t tell Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle that they would be there that morning. Diamond thought that the last thing the Crusaders would want to do is make up so quickly, but she knew that the longer she let the wounds of yesterday fester and the longer she let her and Sweetie Belle’s relationship become a painful, lie-filled memory, the worse off all the fillies involved would be. For her sake, for the sake of the Crusaders and Silver Spoon, and for the sake of Miss Cheerilee and all the other schoolfoals caught in the middle, she had to put things to rest once and for all.

A sharp gasp escaped Sweetie Belle’s mouth when she saw who was waiting for her and the other Crusaders in the clubhouse. When Apple Bloom and Scootaloo caught up, Apple Bloom’s piercing scowl formed in an instant.

She immediately yelled, “Get out! Get the ever lovin’ buck outta here! You’re on my property and you ain’t welcome! Get out!” Without even waiting for a response, Apple Bloom started to rush at Diamond Tiara, but suddenly found herself upside-down and then on her back as Silver Spoon grabbed her and threw her down with a move expected more out of a pro-wrestler than a bespectacled rich filly.

“No, Apple Bloom! I know you’re mad but we’re not here to rub salt in anypony’s wound,” Silver Spoon said, “We’re here to patch things up.”

“What the hay are you talking about?” Scootaloo asked.

“What makes y’all think we want to patch anything up with you?” Apple Bloom growled, recovering from the throw Silver Spoon just did to her.

“All of this… Everything… It’s all my fault.I’m here to apologize for everything from yesterday all the way back to the beginning,” Diamond Tiara said. The pleading look in her eyes and the wavering tone in her voice told the Crusaders that she was telling the truth. Apple Bloom’s rage was quelled by Diamond’s sincerity and her stance eased.

“None of you ever deserved what I did to you,” Diamond continued, “I was scared and jealous and insecure and it brought out the worst in me. It may not be today or even for a long while, but I hope you can find it in your hearts to forgive me.” Diamond bowed to the Crusaders as if they were princesses, a gesture that took them aback. The three looked at each other and exchanged painful glances.

Here was their former bully, on her knees before them. Sure, Diamond Tiara certainly had somewhat of a change of heart back during the schoolhouse election, but her secret relationship with Sweetie Belle and her fight with Scootaloo made the Crusaders question whether it was worth giving her another chance.

Sweetie Belle especially, who had gotten closer to Diamond than her friends because they were dating, felt intensely conflicted. How much of her feelings toward Diamond were genuine? How much of it was feeling sorry for Diamond?
How much of it was Sweetie being naturally nice and accommodating? Could she forgive Diamond for fighting and insulting Scootaloo? It felt like she was being put on the spot with Diamond right before her. She had to make a decision.

“Diamond Tiara, I…” Apple Bloom was the first to speak, though, “I’m mad at you.I’d be a gosh darn liar if I said I wasn’t. Personally, I ain’t ready to see you as a friend yet. You took two steps forward when you helped Pipsqueak with the election, but hiding being with Sweetie Belle and beating the apples out of Scoots? That’s like twelve steps back in my eyes. This is up to Sweetie in the end, though. If she still wants you, I’ll give you one more chance,” Apple bloom pointed her hoof, “One more.”

Sweetie Belle was staring at the ground. Her eyes darting back and forth showed that she was still deep in thought. Listening, but not quite ready to talk. Seeing this, Scootaloo decided to say her piece,

“I’m with Apple Bloom. I don’t think we can be friends just yet, but to be honest,” she gave the slightest smirk, “I kind of got a lot of my feelings out at you when we fought yesterday. If Sweetie Belle still wants to go out with you, I think supporting you is the best thing I can do. If not, well, things are going to be different at school for a while.”

Now all eyes were on Sweetie Belle. Diamond Tiara rose from her bow to hear from her girlfriend… if that’s what she still was to her.

“Sweetie Belle?” Diamond sheepishly asked. Sweetie’s eyes locked onto Diamond’s. She took a moment before speaking.

“I… I love my friends. Fighting with Scootaloo, all the times you bullied us—that’s not something I can easily put out of my mind. Like Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, I’m mad at you.I’m really, really mad. ”Diamond Tiara lowered her head. This was it, Sweetie Belle was going to officially break up with her and they might not ever be friends again. Suddenly, she felt her chin being lifted up and Sweetie’s huge emerald eyes took up almost all of her vision.

“But I also can’t ignore that I know you now, Diamond Tiara. I know you as a pony and as a friend. I can’t know exactly how you felt or how you feel now, but I know that the things you’ve been through have caused you pain. That doesn’t make it right, but it does explain it, and maybe it’s just me, but I can’t be too hard on you for that.

“And then there’s how you’ve been to me as a girlfriend. That’s where I saw the real you shine. You were really invested and me and I could feel the warmth of your heart inside me. Heck, you were willing to buy all of Ponyville for me if I wanted it. That’s the true Diamond Tiara—the one willing to give so much to make sure somepony else is happy. When I saw that part of you I knew that this pony had always been inside you. I wondered what things would be like if we had been friends from the beginning—all of us. If what led you to act out wasn’t there, or had we known how to help you all that time ago, we’d probably be very different ponies today. We’d be different… but we also wouldn’t be the ponies who are as strong as we are now. I’m sad that we fought so much, but at the same time I’m glad we had the chance to grow from it. We understand our feelings… and our relationships better, now.” Sweetie Belle turned to face the Crusaders.

“I need to apologize, too. Both Diamond Tiara and I should have been honest with you from the beginning. We could have avoided all of this if we were just forward with our feelings and took the time to explain things. You two went through a lot of trouble that you didn’t have to.I’m so sorry I did that to you.

“Romance is something new to me. Even now I’m not totally sure I understand it. When I say, ‘I like Diamond Tiara,’ though, it doesn’t feel like a lie. My heart skips a beat whenever I see her. Her voice makes me melt. I know I want to be with her.”

“Sweetie Belle,” Diamond Tiara gasped, tears welling in her eyes.

“Sweetie Belle…” Silver Spoon echoed, surprised to hear such a monologue come out of the white unicorn.

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo looked at each other and nodded in silent agreement.

“If you feel that strongly, Sweetie Belle, we’ve got your back,” Apple Bloom said. Sweetie kissed Diamond Tiara on the cheek and hugged her tightly. Wrapped in Sweetie’s hooves, Diamond began bawling loudly, a deluge of tears filled with regret and relief.

“Come on, y’all,” Apple Bloom gestured toward the door, “I think they need some time alone.” As she and Scootaloo made their exit, Apple Bloom turned back. They needed one more pony in tow. “You coming, Silver Spoon?”

Silver Spoon’s eyes widened, “But…”

“Hey, we’re probably gonna be friends with DT one day. You two are sort of a package deal.”

“Just like the Crusaders,” Scootaloo added. Silver Spoon nodded and followed the two out of the clubhouse.

Sweetie Belle held the crying Diamond Tiara for several minutes. Sweetie’s shoulder was wet from Diamond’s tears, but she didn’t mind. Once Diamond’s sobs finally stopped, Sweetie took her face in her hooves and kissed her again.

“I don’t deserve you, Sweetie Belle,” Diamond said.

“That’s the first thing you say after I kiss you?” Sweetie said, “I like you, Diamond Tiara. I like you, like you, like you. I don’t want to be deserved. I just want you to be with me.”

“Even after—” Diamond began again but was interrupted by yet another kiss.

“Enough of the past.Don’t the best diamonds only form from a bunch of pressure? That means no matter whatever you’ve been through before, whatever hard things are ahead, you’re going to come out more brilliant each and every time.” Diamond smiled at Sweetie’s words. She finally accepted that her feelings were real.

“Let’s go catch up with Apple Bloom and the others,” Diamond said.

Sweetie nodded, “Yeah but only for a bit. Just to tell them that it’s all okay.”

“Why?” Diamond asked.

“I think you need a nice date tonight. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

“I can get us a table at Ponyville’s most exclusive restaurant!” Diamond’s eyes lit up.

Sweetie Belle giggled, “You know any old café is fine. As Apple Bloom would say, ‘Money don’t buy love,’ but that does sound nice.”

Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders agreed to meet outside school the next day. They called Cheerilee to come early to tell her that all their quarrels had been resolved.

“It’s nice to see the five of you all smiling together. I haven’t seen that since the class election. I trust this means you won’t be causing any more trouble for other students—or property damage to my classroom?” Cheerilee said.

“Yeah, Applejack really let me hear it when she heard what happened,” Apple Bloom sheepishly rubbed the back of her head.

“Really? Rainbow Dash just asked how many hits I got in—ouch!” Scootaloo was jabbed in the side by Sweetie’s elbow, “But I learned my lesson, too.”

“It’s slow going, but I think we’re on our way to a good… friendship,” Silver Spoon said, a tad hesitant to use that last word, but reassured when the Crusaders smiled and nodded in affirmation.

Cheerilee surveyed her students, and noticed Sweetie Belle and Diamond Tiara standing rather close to one another, “And this?” She gestured to the two fillies, who blushed in response.

“Oh, yeah, ‘this’ is still happening. We won’t be a problem, I promise,” Sweetie Belle said.

Cheerilee winked, “Just keep the flirting to a minimum, okay? I still have a class to teach, you know.”

The school bell rang, and Cheerilee and the fillies made their way to the schoolhouse.

“By the way, Silver Spoon,” Scootaloo said on the way in, “Where’d you learn to suplex like that?”

END

Author's Note

The dust has cleared and Diamond Tiara, the Crusaders, and even Silver Spoon are all the better for it. Sweetie Belle and Diamond Tiara's relationship stands strong through the trials, and this time, *for good*, Diamond Tiara is on the right path.