At last Sweetie and Silver pulled into the parking lot of the college and got out of the car as Rarity parked next to them. They knew that before they could do anything else, they would have to check in at the front desk. They saw all the other students arriving heading straight to the front desk so they followed suit. They noticed the line was very long and Sweetie said, "Well it looks like we are going to have a long wait."

Silver sighed, "Yeah but we should be able to get everything taken care of today."

Rarity asked, "So what all do you have to do today?"

Sweetie replied, "Well at the front desk when we give them our names, they will give us the name of our advisor with the appointment time that has been scheduled for us and then send us to the housing department where we will be given information about where our dorms are and a key to the room."

Rarity knew that there was no way that all the advisors could get the appointments done in one day. Rarity asked, "So, if you're appointment is not today, I'm going to have to wait around here until you get your classes scheduled?"

Sweetie replied, "Well yeah."

Rarity sighed, "Sweetie Belle, I can not just afford to be away from the boutique for more than a couple days."

Silver chimed in, "Well you could always give her a few hundred bits for her books." She saw Sweetie give her a slight smile and continued, "And maybe a few hundred bits for new clothes. That way once she gets settled into her dorm you could just head home."

Sweetie added, "Yeah, you could always do that."

Rarity threw her hands in the air, "Seriously Sweetie, do I look like I have ATM flashing on my forehead?" She saw a slight look of frustration on her younger sister's face and continued, "Fine. I'll just give you a thousand bits. How does that sound?"

Sweetie's face lit up, "Really? Thanks sis.."

Rarity interrupted, "Don't go thinking I'm going to be giving you money all the time. Yes I'm turning a profit at the boutique but I just can't afford to give money to you on demand." She saw a big smile on Silver's face and finished, "And Silver Spoon, I only want her using this money on books, clothes and some gas money for you. I don't want you conning her into buying you things."

Silver replied, "Don't worry Rarity, I won't."

The wait in line seemed to take forever but finally they reached the front of the line. Silver Spoon was sent to the housing department and then the receptionist greeted Sweetie, "Name please?"

Sweetie replied, "My name is Sweetie Belle."

The receptionist typed in her name and continued, "You're from ^Appleton, correct?"

Sweetie replied, "Yes."

The receptionist gave her a slip of paper which gave her the name of her advisor and the time of her appointment. When Rarity saw this she was not pleased as Sweetie's appointment was not for a couple of days. Rarity sighed, "Well Sweetie, I guess I will just have to give you money for books because I can not afford to stay away that long."

Before Sweetie could reply the receptionist interrupted, "The housing department is down the hall, third door on the right."

The two nodded and headed down the hall. Like it was at the front desk, there was a very long line. Silver Spoon saw them get in line behind her and asked, "So Sweetie, who is your advisor?"

Sweetie replied, "Professor Matilda Songheart."

Silver said, "You too. Look's like we have the same advisor. My appointment is Wednesday at 1100, what about you?"

Sweetie replied, "My appointment is at 1030 on Wednesday."

Silver said, "Well it looks like we'll be able to go to her office together and then go get books together."

Rarity was shocked to see how Silver Spoon was behaving towards Sweetie, especially given how things used to be so long ago. She asked, "So you two are going to do all this together? Do you two plan on doing any other things together as well, such as the same classes?"

Before Sweetie could say anything, with a smile on her face Silver Spoon replied, "I hope so. We do know each other very well and it is nice to have a friend by your side."

Sweetie added, "Yeah, we are friends after all. Why wouldn't we?"

Rarity sighed, "Well I just remember how things used to be between you two....."

Silver interrupted, "Rarity, that was nearly ten years ago and we have all forgiven one another. Even Diamond Tiara became friends with her and her friends in the end."

Before Rarity could reply Silver was called back to find out where she would be living. Rarity asked, "Sweetie Belle, I know how you and Silver Spoon used to be, I remember how she used to mock you. Why is it all of a sudden that she is hoping you two can do so much together?"

Sweetie replied, "Like she said, those times are long gone and out of me and my friends, Silver and I did become closer than she did the others and even during our senior year, it seemed like Silver was closer to me than she was with Diamond Tiara."

Rarity sighed, "I know. I just hope she doesn't wind up taking advantage of you." She got closer to Sweetie and whispered, "I just don't want her to pretend to like you as more than a friend and con you into buying her things."

Sweetie's jaw dropped when she heard this, "Sis, you know that's not going to happen......"

Before she could finish her statement her and Rarity were called back. On the way back they passed Silver who gave Sweetie a huge smile. Once they got back to the worker's desk she asked, "Name?"

Sweetie replied, "My name is Sweetie Belle."

She typed in her name and pulled up her information. She asked, "You're from Appleton, right?"

Sweetie replied, "Yes, that is correct."

The worker continued, "We were initially going to put you in one of the dorms closest to the main campus but it looks like you have been moved to RaRa Hall at the last minute. That is where all the female performing arts majors live." She typed in some more information and continued, "And it looks like here just within the last couple minutes you have been moved to room 569 on the fifth floor so you can room with a student from your hometown."

Before Sweetie could say anything Rarity interrupted, "All female performing arts majors live there? So is it a girls' only hall?"

The worker replied, "Yes. All of the residence halls here are segregated by sex." While Sweetie had a smile on her face, a look of concern developed on Rarity's face and the worker could see it. She continued, "Don't worry about Sweetie. We used to have co-ed dorms but when President Celestia and Vice-President Luna took over, they changed that and grades here have improved dramatically."

Rarity sighed, "Oh alright. I just don't want my sister's college experience being watered down by segregated dorms."

The worker replied, "Don't worry, her experience will be just fine."

She motioned for them to get up and go. When they got back out to the hall Silver Spoon was standing their waiting with a beaming smile on her face. Rarity asked, "Silver Spoon, what's up with the smile?"

Sweetie added, "Yeah and where will you be living?"

Silver replied, "Well I will be in room 569 in RaRa hall." She began to giggle a little and continued, "Where will you be living?"

Sweetie replied, "Wait a minute, I'm going to be in that room too!"

The two embraced one another and it was at that moment that Rarity knew that her suspicions were correct, that Silver must have swayed the housing department to change where Sweetie would live. Whether she used her father's status to do it or what, she was not sure. Regardless of what it was though, Rarity couldn't help but wonder what Silver's true intentions were. Did she simply want to be with her friend more or did she have other, not so pleasant plans for her younger sister.

After a minute of embracing, Sweetie and Silver broke and headed towards the parking lot. Silver said, "Well Sweetie, let's go park in the lot, grab our stuff and get settled in."

Sweetie replied, "Sounds like a plan to me."

Rarity sighed, "A-hem Sweetie Belle?"

Sweetie asked, "What?"

Rarity replied, "Do I get to come with you so I'll know where you live or are you just going to toss me aside since you have your dorm key now."

Sweetie sighed, "Well uh...."

Rarity continued, "If you want that thousand bits for your books and clothes you'll let me come with you."

Sweetie rolled her eyes, "Alright, come on sis. Follow us."

As they drove to the hall's parking lot Rarity couldn't help but feel a sense of disgust. While she was happy for her sister, she felt like all she wanted was her money, that she didn't want to spend any time with her now that Silver Spoon wants her to spend a lot of time with her. Despite all of this though, Rarity tried to look happy.

Once they arrived in the lot Sweetie grabbed her two suitcases but was stunned when she saw that Silver had packed up five suitcases of clothes. Silver looked Rarity's way and whined, "I forgot how much I brought, I guess I'll have to make two trips."

Rarity, being the generous woman she was sighed, "Let me give you a hand with some of these."

Despite Silver having grabbed five suitcases of clothes, none of them were particularly heavy which caused Rarity to wonder what she was carrying in those things. She then took a closer look at Silver and realized that, outside of winter, she had never seen her in jeans or any kind of heavier shirt, that that was why they were so light.

When they got into their room both of them were in shock as it was larger than what they thought it would be. Sweetie would be the first to speak, "I call the bed closest to the window!"

Silver grabbed her and giggled, "Hey, that's not fair! You never even gave me a chance to say anything."

Sweetie snickered, "You gotta be fast!"

The two began to play fight giggling and smiling the whole time. All Rarity could do was hang her head low and wonder what was going on with her sister, how she could just be so carefree and playful with a girl that at one time hated her.

Neither of them were paying any attention to her until Rarity finally spoke up, "Well Sweetie, I suppose I'll give you your money now since you obviously don't want to even pay any attention to me, much less spend time with me."

She approached Sweetie and continued, "Hold out your hand."

Sweetie did as requested and Rarity began to count out 1,000 bits. Some of it was in 100s, some in 50s and some in 20s so that she wouldn't have exclusively bigger bills. Sweetie hugged Rarity and squealed, "Thanks sis! I love you so much!"

Rarity had a feeling that Sweetie was simply saying that to placate her since she gave her that much money but was not going to make a scene over it. She replied, "You're welcome Sweetie." She looked at her watch and sighed, "Well I guess I should get going. Maybe I can get a couple of hours work in at the boutique after all." She looked at Silver and added, "And you have a good day Silver Spoon. Good luck with your studies."

Silver replied, "Thank you Rarity. You have a good day as well."

Rarity closed the door and headed towards the elevators. Both Silver and Sweetie listened carefully for the elevators to open and close. When they finally heard the elevator close and begin its descent, they both began to celebrate. They engaged in a tight embrace and began to jump up and down.

Sweetie said, "Yes, finally! I will be away from home and not always have my sister watching me!"

Silver added, "And I won't have my father watching my every move." They both calmed down and Silver continued, "I'm guessing you are happier to get away from home than you have been letting on?"

Sweetie replied, "Yes and the fact that we get to room together makes me even happier."

Silver said, "Me too Sweetie, me too."

Author's Note

^ Throughout this story, Sweetie Belle and Silver Spoon's home town will be referred to as Appleton rather than Ponyville since they are humans in this story.