Apple Bloom looked around the orchard. She could see Sweetie Belle behind a tree, while Scootaloo hid further back behind a stack of overturned apple baskets.
"Dang. Where in blazes could she be?" she whispered, nervously looking left and right.
A rustle of leaves caught Apple Bloom's attention, but as she spun her head up, her back twisted and she landed supine on the forest floor.
"Gotcha now, ya little runt!" shouted Babs Seed with an impossibly wide grin, as her body smashed into her target like a cross between a ninja and a falling sack of apples. Moments later, Babs was back on all fours and Apple Bloom was wheezing and gasping for air.
"Yikes. I think you winded her," said Scootaloo as she came galloping over to the other Crusaders.
Apple Bloom began to cry as she tried to take in air in deep, whooping gasps.
"Ah, geez! I didn't mean to," said Babs, looking terrified. "It was just a little roughhousin'!"
"It's (gasp) oh (gasp) k-kay (gasp)," said Apple Bloom, wiping her eyes with a fetlock. "J-just (gasp) g-gotta (gasp) breathe!"
"She knows you didn't mean to hurt her, Babs," said Sweetie Belle. Scootaloo helped Apple Bloom into an awkward seating position.
Babs began to rock back and forth on her haunches, clutching her face in her hooves. "Oh colt, oh colt. I'm real sorry," she said.
"It's... (cough) it's really okay," said Apple Bloom. She sniffled and wiped her eyes. "I ain't mad or anything. Kind of a (gasp) thrill, really."
"Yeah. You're really good at this game," said Scootaloo.
Babs took in a deep breath of her own and nodded. "Yeah, I... I guess. I mean, I never woulda pounced one of ya's other than Bloomie here, cause you ain't earth ponies. Still, it was stupid, and I was just teasin'..."
"I'm... okay, just a little (cough) stunned," said Apple Bloom, rising to her hooves and stretching her back. She wiped the tears from her cheeks and smiled. "See! No harm (wheeze) done."
Sweetie Belle frowned. "Actually, I'm a little worried about you, Babs."
"Yeah, you're taking this kinda hard," said Scootaloo. "Apple Bloom wasn't hurt bad or anything, see? This kinda stuff happens when you play with friends."
"I know that! I got friends back home," growled Babs, then she looked down at the ground. "I just... you guys are kinda special to me, and I don't wanna ruin it like I almost did when we met."
The other three crusaders exchanged knowing looks that seemed to confuse Babs. Then they pulled her into a tight group hug.
"Ah, geez. Again with the huggin'," said Babs, blushing. "You're killin' me here."
"She loves it," said Sweetie Belle, with a giggle.
Babs sighed and held her tongue until the hug broke. "Colt. I guess I am a little out of sorts," she admitted, then stared off into the distance through the apple trees.
Sweetie Belle looked up at the pegasi overhead as they gathered dark clouds. "It's been a lot of fun playing with you Babs, but I think I need to head home now."
Scootaloo nodded. "I'm staying with Sweetie for the weekend, so I guess we're both heading out. Will you be here tomorrow?"
"I'm here for the whole weekend too," said Babs. "Maybe I'll rassle ya's tomorrow. Though you don't really stand a chance, since I weigh..."
"You're on!" said Scootaloo, buzzing her tiny wings behind her. "I might not weigh much, but I'm wiry!"
The two Apples waved goodbye to their friends, then Babs turned to Bloom. "You maybe should have said somethin' there," she said, grimacing. "We weigh, what, four times what Sweetie weighs? And it's gotta be six for Scoots."
Apple Bloom shrugged. "Yeah, but it's okay if she loses."
"She gotta know the odds, though! Don't they teach you foals 'bout earth ponies here in this earth pony village?" asked Babs, kicking at a rock.
"Rainbow Dash is probably puttin' ideas in her head," said Apple Bloom. "She likes to brag about wrestling Applejack."
"What? No way. AJ'd lay her in the dirt!"
"Well... don't tell anypony, but AJ lets her win sometimes," whispered Apple Bloom.
Babs laughed. "That's... uh..."
"Sweet?" Apple Bloom said, with a smile.
"I was gonna say weird, but whatevs. You don't think I gotta do that kinda stuff with Scootaloo, do ya?" A look of concern crossed her face.
"Oh, of course not! AJ just, y'know, she likes Dash a lot." Apple Bloom sounded like she'd completely recovered from the earlier blow, but she cleared her throat awkwardly nonetheless.
"I don't get it. Ya sayin' I don't like Scoots 'cause I don't let her win?" Babs said, furrowing her brow.
"No, not at all! It's just, um..." said Apple Bloom, pursing her lips. "Y'know, never mind. Sure, she's weird."
Babs nodded, took a sidelong spit onto the grass, and looked toward the farmhouse in the distance. "Bloomie, you mind if I get a little 'me time' in the orchard? Where I live it don't get quiet, and I need a break from all the socializin'. It kinda wears me out sometimes. Don't go spreadin' that, though."
Apple Bloom made the motions of a Pinkie Pie promise. "Sweet Apple Acres is here to be enjoyed! But there's a big downpour scheduled, see?" She pointed up at the pegasi blocking off the sky with rainclouds. "No lightnin' or anythin', but if you stay out long you'll get wetter than a polecat fishin' in a river. You sure you wanna be out in that?"
"Swank. I love the rain! Especially on a hot Summer day like this one. Back home, rain just brings the stink up from the alleys, but here it's all natural, and clean..." Babs's voice drifted off as she looked back over her shoulder. "Yeah, I'll be fine. I'll come runnin' for the supper bell."
"Okay! Just don't wander too far off, now. With a rain like this, Applejack will get a search party together if you don't show up within thirty seconds of the bell," said Apple Bloom. "Though she's mellowed out a little, so you might get closer to forty-five."
Babs grinned wide. "No prob, Cuz'. For the kinda high-quality chow you folks put on, I'll be there in a gallop in ten, tops."
As the rain began to fall, Babs Seed took in a deep breath of the warm, humid air. "Nice," she said. It was only afternoon, but so much of the sky was covered in black clouds now it was dark out. Fortunately, she knew the path to the Clubhouse by heart.
By the time Babs arrived at the Crusader Clubhouse, the rain was pouring in sheets. "Geez. When Cuz' said 'downpour', she wasn't kiddin'. I prolly shoulda stayed closer to the house... the trees ain't even much shelter here." The ramp to the treehouse was wet, so instead of going inside Babs stood beneath the landing where it was dry.
She was about to sit on the grass when the sound of an exasperated shriek caught her ear. Her head turned and she saw a figure under a nearby tree.
"Hay! Come over here, it's dry," she shouted.
It wasn't until the filly made it out of the rain that Babs recognized her. It was Diamond Tiara, and she was a wet mess. It took a moment for it to register because she wasn't wearing her eponymous crown.
"Oh. It's you," said Babs, narrowing her eyes.
Diamond sighed and planted a muddy hoof over her face without actually touching it. "Ugh, this is perfect," she said, dropping her hoof to the ground. "Look, is your cousin up there, Babs? I came here to talk to her."
"You don't belong here," said Babs. "Didn't I tell ya to leave the Crusaders alone? You wanna hoof sandwich or somethin'?"
"I'm not... like that anymore," said Diamond, frowning. "I don't bully Apple Bloom or her friends. I try not to bully anypony."
"Pfft. Yeah, Bloomie told me all about it. Sounds like a load of wet horse apples to me," said Babs.
Diamond's face shifted from shocked to furious to hurt in a matter of seconds. "W-well, okay, fine! I'll leave then," she said, and without hesitation galloped off into the rain.
"What? Sheesh, don't go and get yourself soaked," shouted Babs. "Get back here you crazy filly!"
As soon as she finished shouting, Babs heard another loud shriek. This one wasn't the irritated or the playful kind. It was the kind every parent has nightmares about. Before she even realized her hooves were moving, Babs was galloping full-tilt in the direction Diamond had headed.
The patch of mud caught her by surprise, as did the fall and the splash. Babs had landed at the bottom of a muddy hole. It was about eight feet deep, and the hole was slowly filling with water. Diamond Tiara was here too. She was desperately yanking on her right foreleg with her left, to no avail.
"Ow," said Babs. "You okay?"
"Do I look like I'm okay?" asked Diamond Tiara, without turning her head to look at Babs. "I'm soaking wet and my hoof is stuck!"
"Ugh, this is just swell. Why'd you have to go and run off into the dark like that?" asked Babs, shielding her eyes from the downpour with a hoof.
Diamond stopped struggling, and her ears lay flat against her soaked mane. Her head turned to Babs, and somehow even in all this rain Babs could tell she was crying. "To get away from you," she mumbled.
Babs facehoofed. "Fine. This is all my fault. Are you happy?" Without waiting for a response, she grabbed Diamond's leg and began to feel beneath the water. "Damn. Feels like a block of granite under there. It's wedged pretty good in that crack. Does it hurt?"
"Yeah, it cut my frog up and I'm probably bleeding. It doesn't matter, though," mumbled Diamond, her eyes downcast.
"What? This hole could flood before the rain stops! Of course it matters," said Babs. "Don't talk crazy. C'mon, help me pull."
"It's karma," said Diamond Tiara. Her tail swished limply in the muddy water. Babs yanked at Diamond's foreleg, but Diamond wasn't pulling. "I've earned it. I've earned all of this... this awful rain, this disgusting mud, the cut on my hoof..."
"Well you haven't earned drowning," grumbled Babs. "Why ain't ya pullin'?"
"Hah! How do you know what I deserve?" said Diamond, glaring right into Babs's face. "I've been a miserable brat for most of my life."
"Ah geez," said Babs, backing away. "Look, ain't no filly deserves to drown in a hole like this. Not even what's-her-face, that evil one..."
"Cozy Glow," said Diamond.
"Yeah, that's the one. Now c'mon and help me pull, okay?" Babs stared down at the water level, only an inch or two below her barrel. "Please, we ain't got time for this."
"Fine," said Diamond. "I guess, grab it, and we can pull on three?"
"Yeah, on three." Babs held her soggy body against Diamond Tiara's and sniffed. Even soaked to the bone, Diamond had a light perfumey smell to her.
Diamond huffed. "Well? Do you want me to count?"
"Sorry, distracted," said Babs. "Three, two, one, YANK!"
Both fillies pulled as hard as they could. Babs grunted while Diamond yelped in pain.
"You gotta keep pullin'!" said Babs. "I know it hurts, but..."
"I haven't stopped!" shouted Diamond. "And YES IT HURTS!"
After a few more seconds, Babs let go and Diamond slumped halfway down into the water. "I... I don't think I've been in this much pain before," she whimpered between heavy breaths. "I don't know why I'm not crying right now."
"It's 'cause you're a lot tougher than you think," said Babs. "But we gotta fix this, pronto."
Diamond Tiara took a deep breath and gritted her teeth. "Babs, go save yourself first. You can go get help and come back for me," she said.
"I... I don't wanna leave you here, but if that's the only way to save your sorry rump I guess I got no choice," said Babs. She looked straight up the edge of the hole. "Goes straight up. They must have dug this to transplant an apple tree, or somethin'."
Babs tried to scale the wall and mud came off in clumps in her hooves. She ran around the hole, sampling the ground in each place. "Crap. It's slippery the whole way 'round. Okay, you can do this Babsie, focus..."
Diamond's face looked tired. "I know you can do it," she said, weakly.
"Thanks for the vote of confidence," said Babs, sarcastically. "Er... sorry. I don't mean to be like that."
"It's fine. Just do your best," said Diamond Tiara.
Babs backed against one wall of the hole, then charged the other side and jumped. The water made the jump ineffective. She landed low on the side of the wall, flailed against the mud, and splashed right back down into the water. "Nuts! Colt, am I peeved right now," she growled as she righted herself and washed off her hooves in the muddy pool.
"Language," Diamond Tiara acidly intoned.
"Look, pal, that ain't helpin'," said Babs.
"Ugh! I'm sorry, okay? Another bad habit from Mother," said Diamond. "You should be thrilled you weren't raised like I was."
Babs took another charge at the wall, from another angle. Then a third, a fourth, and a fifth. She finally collapsed into the water, spent, but with her legs flat on the bottom she had to crane her neck up to breathe. "I'm tryin'. (gasp) I swear," she said.
"It's not your fault," said Diamond. "Look, take a break, or something."
Babs stood up. The cold sensation of water resting on her barrel sent a sense of urgency into her. "Nuts to this. Nuts to all of it. We're both gonna croak here ain't we?" she asked.
"Don't talk like—" said Diamond, and then she winced. "No. I'll drown here, but you'll be fine. So... it's okay."
For a pause that seemed endless, nopony said anything.
"You ain't the same pony I knew," said Babs, still struggling to regain her breath. "Bloomie was right about ya, I guess. Either that or ya got a crazy death wish."
"I don't want to die, and I'm scared, but I still want you to be okay," said Diamond, with a sigh. "Besides, I can tell you've changed too."
Babs snorted. "Changed? Whaddaya tryin' to say? I was embarrassed about my cutie mark, and I used to get picked on a bunch, so when I came to Ponyville I joined in with your bullyin'. I still feel awful about it," she said, stomping a hoof and sending a big splash of water all over. "End of story."
Diamond looked Babs dead in the eye. "You don't need to hide it from me. You were a bully before you came to Ponyville. I can tell," she said. "You hurt them and you liked it, just like me. It wasn't new to you."
Babs's face contorted into a grimace. "Th-that's a bunch of nonsense!" she said, pointing a shaking hoof.
"No, it isn't, Babs. Tell me: what's the first thing you did when you stopped bullying them?" said Diamond.
Babs stared back at Diamond, her mouth wide open, but no words coming out.
"You bullied me and my friend. Don't worry, your secret is safe with me. I mean, obviously I never told your cousin," said Diamond. "And it's not like I'll be able to tell her when I'm..." Her voice trailed off, then she closed her eyes and shivered.
"Fine," mumbled Babs, wiping at her eyes as though her whole face weren't already drenched in water. "I ain't like that no more, though. Since startin' the Crusader chapter, I turned over a leaf, or whatever it's called. You gotta believe me."
"I believe you! I know why you feel the way you do, too. You hate me because I remind you of yourself," she said, motioning awkwardly with her free forehoof. "It's easier than hating yourself. That's called 'projection'. I... have to see a therapist every week."
Babs sniffed. "I guess. And now we both get to kick the bucket," she said. "Whoopee."
Diamond rolled her eyes. "You'll be fine. After I drown you can swim to safety."
"Nope. Can't swim. You don't always learn in the city, 'specially if you ain't rich," revealed Babs. "This ain't happenin' to us 'cause of no buckin' 'karma', though. That's a load of horsecrap."
Diamond Tiara laughed. "Well... Mother likes to call it karma when I get hurt. She loves blaming the victim," said Diamond. "But I'm pretty sure she's projecting, too. I used to hate her, but now I just feel sorry for her."
"Life's too short for hate. Er, no joke intended," said Babs, shaking her head. "I'm real sorry to hear 'bout ya folks. I got me problems too, though. Everypony got problems, some of us just gots more than the others."
For a moment, Diamond looked up, and then her eyes widened. "You have one fewer than I do, Babs. I can teach you how to swim before I drown."
"What? Nothin' doin'. I won't even be floatin' until you're under. Won't work," she said. "And I don't wanna talk about it."
"I can tell you, it's easy! You just have to keep moving your legs—" began Diamond, but she stopped short as Babs clamped a hoof over her mouth.
"No. If I watched you drown I'd have nightmares for the rest of my life. I don't wanna live with that," she said, and released her grip. "Besides, I'm scared of water, okay? No matter what you tell me, I'll panic and lose it. It just ain't happenin'."
Babs felt something tickling her withers, and noticed the tiny pond had almost submerged her back. Her rump was an island in a tiny pond. Diamond Tiara fared a little worse, since her stuck forelimb angled her neck down toward the water.
"I... I guess this is it, then," said Diamond. "I have no idea why I'm not panicking. Or crying. That'll probably start soon."
"At least it's pretty," said Babs. "I mean the rain in the water, all the ripples, not the muddy hole... ah, I don't know what to say. This is so wrong."
"The company makes it better," said Diamond. "So, um, I noticed you got your cutie mark, but I didn't get a good look at it. Congratulations."
"Thanks. It's scissors. I'm prolly gonna be a manestylist or somethin'. I mean, prolly would have," she said. "You know what? You got some really pretty hair, Di. Wish I could of did somethin' with it. I can tell that wave is natural, even with the rain."
"Really? I... thanks," said Diamond.
"What is it?" asked Babs.
Diamond offered a weak smile. "Sorry. I'm just not used to being complimented by another filly."
"Eh, you can pretend I'm a colt if'n ya like. I almost is, anyhoo." Babs chuckled to herself.
"Filly or colt," said Diamond, correcting herself. "Daddy's the only one who tells me nice things about myself, and he always does so I don't really believe him... though Apple Bloom and her friends do now too, but they're probably just trying to keep me from backsliding into villainy."
"They ain't lyin'! You're gorgeous as a rainbow, Di. How can't you see that?" said Babs. "I mean, you gotta be turnin' heads like they's tops or somethin'."
"Please don't call me Di," said Diamond Tiara.
Babs's face fell. "Oh. Sorry. Didn't mean to get too familiar—"
"No, I just mean it sounds like 'die'," she explained. "I like it, it's just... it's a bad time." Diamond looked up at the sky for a moment, then sputtered from the rain.
"Okay then. How's about I call ya Beautiful, instead?" said Babs. "Maybe that'll help drill some sense into that dumb, pretty head of yours."
Diamond closed her eyes and dropped her chin into the water. "You're slipping, Babs. Do you really want to bully me before you watch me drown?"
Babs lifted Diamond's chin with a hoof. "I ain't kiddin', Beautiful. Just 'cause you can't see it in a mirror don't mean it ain't real. Don't that shrink you see tell you this kinda stuff?"
"Yeah, she does," said Diamond Tiara, blushing. "I appreciate you being nice to me. Now you should probably stand over there. I don't want you to suffer by watching me die."
"Once you take a deep breath of water, so do I. Only fair," said Babs.
Diamond smiled oddly. "Wow. You said you were afraid of water. I guess you're really brave, huh? Here I'm shaking like a leaf during the Running."
"Bravery ain't about not havin' fear. It's about facin' it," said Babs. "You're doing a pretty bang-up job yourself, Beautiful."
Diamond sniffled and sighed. "I wish I could be strong like you, Babs."
"Eh, you're an earth pony, and you're big enough. You could prolly rassle half the foals your age and win if you trained a little," said Babs.
"Not quite what I meant, but, uh, thanks," said Diamond. "Argh, there's so much stuff I wanted to do with my life! I wish I could've lived in Manehattan like you. I always thought of it as some kind of pristine paradise. I didn't even know there were poor... oh. Wait, I didn't mean it like that..."
"It's fine. There's rich and poor there too. Rich livin' off the backs of the poor most places, but that's normal," she said. "Oh, crap. I didn't mean that either."
"No, it's true. I don't think it has to be that way, and I wanted to change it," said Diamond Tiara. "Manehattan is probably totally different than I imagined, I suppose."
Babs nodded, wetting her chin in the process. "It ain't all bad. I like it enough. There's always stuff to do, if you're into it, even if you're on a budget. But it ain't pristine by a long shot. That's more a Ponyville thing. It don't always smell good there like it does here."
"It's funny. I always used to look at Ponyville as a backwards, muddy hole like we're stuck in here, but... I just wanted something different in my life, I guess. Something to fix what's missing inside me," said Diamond. "Maybe it's not so bad here after all. Not the drowning part, obviously."
Babs sniffed at Diamond's mane again. "I recognize your conditioner, by the way. It's some high quality stuff. You's pleasant on the eyes and the nose, Beautiful," she said, then winced. "Ugh, I ain't no charmer. I'm just sayin', you're nice to be around now, and I wish..."
"I'm going to look horrible when they pull me out of the drain," murmured Diamond, struggling to keep her chin over the water line. "Even if they dredge me out an hour from now, I don't have any makeup on. I can see Daddy crying..."
"You look great without makeup. I guess that ain't what you wanna hear, though," said Babs. "Hay, I know a trick to put some color in those cheeks." She grabbed one cheek and pinched it hard.
"Ow!" said Diamond Tiara. She looked more surprised than hurt.
"Relax, Beautiful," said Babs, and she planted a kiss on the red mark. Diamond's mouth dropped almost low enough to take in water.
"W-what... why did you do that?" asked Diamond. "I mean, it didn't hurt much, my hoof is worse, but, w-with your mouth..."
"Hoof or no hoof, I still don't wanna hurt ya. So, it's like Momma does. Kiss it and make it better, y'know? Here, you need a matched set," she said, then pinched the other cheek. This time Diamond didn't even flinch, and the kiss lingered longer and felt warmer. "There ya go. Nice and rosy. Though... huh, I didn't know they'd get that red."
"Th-that's not all from the pinching," whispered Diamond Tiara, and Babs's cheeks reddened as well.
After a moment, Babs regained her senses and looked around the hole. "Forget this. I gotta do somethin' to save ya. Here's an idea: maybe you can hold your breath, and I'll stand on my hind legs as long as I can, and every few seconds I'll bob my head under and give you some air?"
"I'm so scared, Babs," whispered Diamond Tiara.
"I mean, that'll give 'em more time to find... Oh my gosh. We're idiots," said Babs, slapping her forehead down into the water. "We've been so scared, we both forgot to do the most basic thing of all!"
"What? Do what? Just... do it!" said Diamond.
Babs Seed took in a deep breath and tilted her neck skyward. "HELP!!!" she shouted, up into the rain. "Somepony help us, we're drowning!"
"HELP!" shouted Diamond, her voice considerably weaker.
In the distance, they both heard a voice calling out, but it was too weak to tell who it was or what they were shouting.
"HERE! HELP US!!!" screamed Babs, so loud her voice cracked with raw energy.
"We're coming!" came a distant response. It sounded like Apple Bloom.
"Babs?" said Diamond Tiara.
"What is it?" asked Babs.
"I won't be able to talk (spit) much longer," she said, spitting out water as she talked. "Maybe we should practice that thing real quick?"
"The... thing?" said Babs.
"The (spit) breathing thing (spit)." Diamond took in shallow breaths through her nostrils and looked expectantly up at Babs.
"Yeah, let's... just to be safe, I guess," said Babs. She looked beneath the rippling water and could see... was that a smile on Diamond's muzzle? No, that was impossible. "You gotta form a seal with the lips, I s'pose, so here goes...."
Babs Seed took in a deep lungful of air and lowered her lips just beneath the rippling water. Then she gently kissed Diamond Tiara's mouth and pressed hard to form a seal. Both fillies slowly opened their lips as Babs tilted her head and breathed warm air into Diamond's mouth. Diamond breathed the same air right back. Neither filly seemed to know what they were doing, but they kept it up for several seconds, until...
"Babs?" shouted Apple Bloom, standing at the rim of the pit. She looked stunned.
Babs broke the kiss and pulled Diamond's neck sharply upwards so she could breathe from her mouth. "Oh no. Don't tell nopony, Bloomie," she said. "Look, we're both gonna drown here, her hoof is stuck, do somethin'!"
"I'm in," said Apple Bloom, and she jumped into the pit. "AJ! They're over here!" she shouted up, then went to see what was holding Diamond down.
"I don't blame you," whispered Diamond. Her eyes crinkled at the edges. "I wouldn't want anypony to know I kissed Diamond Tiara either."
"What? No! I meant that for you, Beautiful," said Babs. "Sheesh, I'd be proud as Tartarus to kiss you. I just figure you wouldn't want anypony to think that... like, you got a reputation and stuff."
"I hate my reputation," hissed Diamond. "And I don't care who knows. Besides, it was just..."
"Right. 'Just'," said Babs, her lips pinched tightly together.
"Extraordinary circumstances, y'all," said Apple Bloom. "I know you didn't mean nothin' by it. Now heave-to on three."
Babs looked up from the picnic table to see a filly walking slowly toward the farmhouse. She had a wheel on one leg, her hoof in a cast, and a familiar sparkling tiara on her head.
"Hay, just in time for lunch!" called Applejack. Apple Bloom and her friends waved to Diamond Tiara, but Babs rushed over at a gallop.
"Jeez. You okay, Beautiful?" she asked.
"Eh, not really. Broke the coffin bone, so it'll look nasty for a while," said Diamond. "I can't complain, though. You're seriously going to keep calling me that?"
"Not in front of nopony, not unless you want me to," said Babs. "I don't wanna embarrass you. Where I come from, some ponies are funny about that kind of thing, from a filly to a filly, y'know."
"Mother would hate it," said Diamond, and an evil smile crawled across her face. "It's perfect."
"Heh. Sure," said Babs. "Hay, um... I ain't shy, but I'm a little scared to say..."
"Go on," said Diamond, as the pair walked together. "It'll take me a minute to roll this slow thing to the table. I'm still getting used to it. They won't hear if you whisper."
Babs blushed. "You wouldn't wanna, um, try out that breathin' thing again, just in case we ever end up in a watery grave together, like yesterday?" she asked with a sheepish grin. "I mean, it never hurts to be prepared, or um... ah, geez, Babsie, you're messin' it up again..."
With a laugh, Diamond placed her good forelimb around Babs's neck. "You're doing fine," she said.
As the pair approached the table, Apple Bloom stood to greet them. "Glad you could make it for lunch, Diamond Tiara!" she said.
"Didn't know I was invited, but thanks," said Diamond. "I guess I can eat, at least. I can't play much like this, but, could I bring Silver Spoon along this afternoon? I bet she'd have a good time with you."
"Don't be silly about the hoof," said Sweetie Belle. "We'll find something you can play with us. You don't need four hooves to play most games!"
"And of course Silver can come," said Scootaloo, her wings buzzing. "The more, the merrier! Well, within reasonable limits, of course."
Diamond Tiara took a seat next to Babs, though Diamond had to reposition herself so her wheeled hoof wasn't in the way. Applejack began to serve them what looked like a hearty dandelion stew.
"I hear Babs may have talked you outta movin' to Manehattan someday," said Apple Bloom. "I might be a little selfish, but we'd all miss you if you left, y'know."
Diamond brushed aside a tear with her good forehoof. "I'd miss you too. Though maybe I'll still move there someday. I have at least one business interest there."
"Oh, really?" said Applejack. "Does Filthy Rich have family out there, or a new branch of his store?"
"Different kind of business," said Diamond Tiara. She took a deep breath and thrust her muzzle over, kissing a surprised Babs directly on the mouth.
"Eww, you mean funny business!" said Scootaloo, sticking out her tongue.
Then everypony laughed as though two former bullies kissing over lunch was no big deal... because, honestly? It really wasn't.
