“Calm down, Scootaloo,” Apple Bloom coaxed as reassuringly as she could. “Ah’m sure we’ll figure something out.”

“You think so?” Scootaloo looked up from the wooden floor she had been gazing at, eyes alight with hope. “Like, maybe we could just explain that I didn’t know that we all had to have something different. Maybe you and I could present Hearts and Hooves Day together, Sweetie Belle!”

Sweetie Belle didn’t share her enthusiasm quite so readily. “Yeah… except…”

“Except what?” Apple Bloom and Scootaloo demanded in unison.

Sweetie Belle raised her hoof, pointing to a sheet on the inside of the door to Cheerilee’s classroom. It broadcasted the words “Holidays of Equestria Sign-Up Sheet.” Below the heading, there were two columns. The left hoof column listed, in alphabetical order, the names of the entire class roster. Apple Bloom’s name topped the list, and adjacent to her name in the right hoof column was the holiday she had chosen; “Hearth’s Warming Eve”. The rest of the sheet followed suit until Scootaloo’s name, the only one without a selected holiday filled in next to it.

“Oh… right. Forgot about that,” Apple Bloom swallowed. It had been a busy two weeks since she had chosen the object of her research, and she had forgotten that she actually had to sign a sheet to make it official. Her eyes lingered on the noticeably blank line next to Scootaloo’s name. Scootaloo simply uttered a defeated groan.

“I don’t know if she’ll let you work with me,” Sweetie Belle continued. “I mean, you didn’t even pick a holiday.” She was probably correct. Cheerilee was a very sweet teacher, and was generally equal parts tough and fair. She had on more than one occasion pardoned a lapse in memory for an overnight assignment, but a two week long project such as this would almost certainly be found inexcusable.

“We can at least try though, right?” Scootaloo stammered.

“Maybe,” Apple Bloom said, gears visibly turning as she thought of another solution to save Scootaloo from a failing grade and humiliation in front of her classmates. “But, why ain’t ya even pick a holiday? There’s plenty to pick from.”

Scootaloo shuffled uncomfortably in place before offering her answer. “Plenty? I couldn’t remember any of them. At least, other than the ones we get days off from. I just… couldn’t remember, you know?”

“Well, that’s why you shoulda gone to the library with us,” Apple Bloom clicked her tongue. Like her sister, she believed in plain speaking, even if it might come across as abrasive at times, much to Scootaloo's chagrin. “Ah’m sure Princess Twilight woulda helped you pick a real neat one if you’d a bothered to ask her.” Scootaloo scoffed loudly at this.

“No thanks,” she protested. “Besides, I told you, I was busy.”

“Busy with what?” This time it was Sweetie Belle who expressed interest.

“Flying lessons – w-with Rainbow Dash,” Scootaloo answered hastily.

“But Ah thought – after the whole flag carrying thing,” Apple Bloom interjected. “Ah thought that you were cool with, ya know, not flying.”

“That doesn’t mean I shouldn’t at least TRY.” Scootaloo spoke defensively.

“What about your homework? Shouldn’t you try with that too?” Apple Bloom accused.

“You don’t get it! But you’re not a pegasus, I shouldn’t expect you to.”

“Maybe Ah ain’t, but Ah know that learning to do new things like schoolwork is just as important as practicing somethin’ you already know how to.”

“Clearly I don’t know how, or I’d be able to fly already.”

“Ah thought we already went through this…”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means that maybe you just aren’t meant to fly. Maybe you could learn to do somethin’ else?”

“Easy to say for somepony who does manual labor for a living, don’t you think?”

“Now what’s that supposed to mean?”

“STOP IT!”

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, whom had inched closer and closer as their voices got louder and louder, both stopped and turned to look at Sweetie Belle. Her pale green eyes shimmered as she grew closer to the verge of tears. “Just stop it, both of you!”

Mere weeks ago, the Cutie Mark Crusaders had won the privilege to carry the Ponyville Flag at the Equestria Games by showcasing a spectacular routine depicting what about Ponyville was so unique. However, due to Scootaloo’s own insecurities, coupled with the taunting of fellow classmates Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, Scootaloo very nearly missed attending the performance at all. She had decided that if she, representing the pegasi of Ponyville, couldn’t fly, that she simply wasn’t going to attend. Apple Bloom, in her frustration with a failed routine and Scootaloo’s stubbornness, branded her pegasus friend a quitter.

Of course, Scootaloo came around (with help from her fellow crusaders, and her idol Rainbow Dash), but it was evident that there was still a tension between the two. Apple Bloom in particular believed strongly in hard work, and she held little tolerance for apparent laziness just like her sister Applejack, and was just as resistant to excuses.

“I’m sick of this fighting,” Sweetie Belle pleaded. “We’re the Cutie Mark Crusaders! We should be trying to help each other, no matter what. Not blaming each other for things that happened in the past. You two didn’t forget that already, did you?”

Apple Bloom prodded the floor with her hooves, her face riddled with shame. “No… you’re right.” She turned to face Scootaloo, who had returned to looking at the floor. “Ah’m sorry, Scootaloo. I just get so worked up… and you don’t exactly make things easy.”

“Thanks, Apple Bloom. It’s been kinda tough this past month, what with Diamond Tiara constantly teasing me and all, but that’s no excuse for what I said, or did,” Scootaloo offered as an apology. “But it wouldn’t be worth it if it was easy, right?”

“What wouldn’t?” Apple Bloom asked quizzically, tilting her head.

Scootaloo smiled, looking down the hall to make sure no one was listening. “You know… being friends, despite our differences. Just like our routine showed,” she said earnestly.

“Awwww!” Scootaloo’s eyes bulged as her white unicorn friend pulled both her and Apple Bloom into a powerful (if somewhat asphyxiating) embrace that lifted them from the ground.

"Sweetie… Ah can’t breathe!” Apple Bloom choked.

“Nnng… me neither.” Scootaloo added as best she could muster, little wings buzzing as if to try and pull their operator free.

“Crusaders?” Sweetie Belle chimed as she released the gasping duo to the ground.

“Crusaders!” The other two chorused together.

“Oh, and don’t mention that whole… friendship thing I just said. I have a reputation to uphold,” Scootaloo added, blushing at the sentiment she normally strived to avoid.

“Wouldn’t dream of it, Rainbow Dash,” Apple Bloom teased with a toothy grin.

“Okay…” Sweetie Belle agreed reluctantly.

“Thanks, girls. So, you’ll help with my project then?” Scootaloo asked again, eyes just as hopeful as before.

“Of course we will!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed, her voice squeaking like usual when she was excited.

“What are friends for?” Apple Bloom asked rhetorically. “Now, how are we going to explain to Miss Cheerilee about this whole thing?” As if on cue, their teacher poked her head out of the open door to the classroom.

“Come on, girls! We have to get started immediately if we’re going to finish all of the presentations before lunch!” She retreated back into the classroom, calling the students to settle down for the third time that morning.

“Hmmm…” Sweetie Belle mused as a wide grin spread across her face. She hoisted her refolded project above her once more, and slyly hinted about her plan. “Maybe we won’t have to.”

“What do you mean?” Apple Bloom inquired as Scootaloo helped her lift her diorama onto her back. Sweetie Belle drew close to them, and whispered the newly hatched plot to her comrades.

“That’s a great idea! Why didn’t Ah think of that?”

The Cutie Mark Crusaders filed into the classroom, Apple Bloom taking point, with Scootaloo hiding between her and Sweetie Belle to hopefully disguise the fact that she didn’t have her project with her. Scootaloo sighed in relief, all of her classmates occupied with their own presentations, chattering excitedly amongst themselves about the holiday of their choice. All of them except –

“Well, if it isn’t the Cutie Mark Lame-saders,” came the high pitched drawl of the bright pink earth pony, Diamond Tiara. The Crusaders all rolled their eyes at this. Ever since they had won at the contest to carry the flag at the Equestria Games, Diamond Tiara (and by proxy, her friend and lackey Silver Spoon) were utterly ruthless in their teasing of the three. They had gotten used to it, mostly.

“Nice to see you too,” Scootaloo snapped at her sarcastically. “Still nursing that bitter defeat, huh?”

Diamond Tiara’s vivid blue eyes analyzed the pegasus meticulously, scanning for something else by which to taunt and tease her. She had a particular animosity towards Scootaloo after she showed up and ruined her and Silver Spoon’s chance of winning with their rather graceful performance of a high-class ballet at the flag carrying contest. Both of the wealthy earth ponies had been banking on Scootaloo quitting, and assuring both of them a victory. Despite their teasing of her underdeveloped wings, Scootaloo came through, much to their chagrin.

“I’m sorry, didn’t quite catch that, blank flank – you’re a bit more bare than usual today. Where’s your project?” She probed.

“It’s uh… none of your business!” Scootaloo retorted. Diamond Tiara’s eyes gleamed maliciously – she had touched a nerve, and she knew it.

“Imagine that – a featherbrained pegasus forgetting her schoolwork. Spending too much time with your head in the clouds? Oh, what am I saying? Of course not!”

Apple Bloom piped in to her friend’s defense, which was just as well. Behind Scootaloo’s furrowed eyebrows, she looked to be selecting and arranging some powerful choice words that would surely get her into more trouble than simply neglecting her schoolwork.

“At least her project’s got heart and hard work behind it,” Apple Bloom lied through her teeth, Scootaloo shooting a quick, confused glare at her. “How much did you pay for your servants to do yours?”

“Hmph!” Diamond Tiara snorted, looking down at the poster leaning against her desk, its’ contents facing away from the Crusaders. “If you must know, Late Bloomer, I chose this one and did it all by myself. I’m sure that you–” she pointed at Scootaloo, who didn’t as much as flinch at the hoof being mere inches from her muzzle. “–will appreciate it.”

“W-what’s that supposed to mean?” Sweetie Belle asked her, trying and failing to sound as tough or intimidating as Apple Bloom did when rushing to aid Scootaloo.

“Heh,” Diamond Tiara chuckled malevolently. “You’ll see.” she finished in a sing-song voice.

As the rest of the class began to settle, the Crusaders continued past Diamond Tiara’s and Silver Spoon’s (currently empty) desk towards their own.

“I hate leaving her with the last word…” Scootaloo grumbled.

“Ah know, Scoots, and so do Ah, but trust me – she ain’t worth the trouble.” Apple Bloom told her to try and alleviate her friend’s foul mood. Judging from the soured expression still worn by Scootaloo as she no doubt tried to burn a hole through the back of Diamond Tiara’s head with her eyes, it wasn’t helping.

“What’s with telling her about my project?” Scootaloo whispered with an irritated tone. “She’s gonna find that I don’t have it done. Then what?”

“Ah can’t stand her having the last word,” Apple Bloom echoed. “The thought of her with that satisfied grin…” Apple Bloom shuddered.

“It’s only going to be worse when it’s front of the entire class if Sweetie’s plan falls through,” Scootaloo replied worriedly.

Sweetie Belle leaned towards her two friends, a confident grin on her face. “Don’t worry, our plan will work. I know the history of Hearts and Hooves Day by, well… heart! And I know Miss Cheerilee will appreciate the extra details!”

“Yup,” interjected Apple Bloom. “Ah helped Applejack with her lines from the Hearth’s Warming Eve pageant, so Ah know Ah can run up the clock!”

“I sure hope you’re right,” Scootaloo said uncertainly.

“We’ll be just fine. Once we’re clear today, we can work on it this weekend for Monday’s make-up presentations,” Sweetie Belle replied. “Everything’s going to be just fine. But…” she wandered off.

“But what?” Scootaloo asked, slightly panicked.

“I wonder what she meant by that bit at the end. Diamond Tiara, I mean,” Sweetie Belle pondered out loud to her friends, both of whom shrugged.

“Who knows?” Apple Bloom answered.

“And who cares?” Scootaloo followed up. “She’s just a sore loser coming up with her stupid empty insults as usual.”

“I’m sure yer right,” Apple Bloom agreed.

A grey earth pony with a silver mane and large blue glasses burst through the door of the classroom, her two silk saddlebags bouncing against her flanks. The rest of the class flicked their gazes towards her momentarily, but only Diamond Tiara said anything. “Silver Spoon! What took you so long?” Scootaloo leaned forward, trying her best to listen to them in hopes of finding out what exactly Diamond Tiara was hinting at.

Silver Spoon, still panting from her sprint, mumbled a low apology to her friend. “S-sorry. Some of the fe-”

“SHHH!” Diamond Tiara interrupted her, turning back to witness Scootaloo practically lifting herself out of her desk in her efforts to eavesdrop. Scootaloo immediately collapsed back into her seat, nonchalantly looking away from the two, their glares still visible from her peripherals. Scootaloo felt the heat rising in her face, and looked with a bizarre level of fascination at Cheerilee organizing papers onto a clipboard. Finally, it seemed that both Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon had felt comfortable enough to resume their discussion, albeit in hushed tones. Scootaloo was half considering leaning forward again to try and catch wind of their plotting when Cheerilee addressed her charges.

“Alright, class,” she greeted them with her usual bright and excited tone at the prospect of teaching younger ponies. “As you all know, today is the day for our Holidays of Equestria presentations. I can already tell from here that you’ve all put a ton of work into making them extra special!” Scootaloo shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “I’d also like to take this opportunity to remind you that next week has another Equestrian holiday. Can anypony tell me which one it is?”

A plethora of hooves were raised in the air, some of the more confident ones waving side to side in a bid for their teacher’s attention. “Let’s see… Featherweight?” She called to a thin and lanky beige pegasus in the corner of the room.

“The Running of the Leaves!” he cried excitedly.

“Very good!” Cheerilee complimented. “Yes, the Running of the Leaves is indeed next week. Now, it falls on Wednesday, which means that we will unfortunately be dismissed early that day–” A chorus of cheers exploded from the students. Cheerilee rolled her eyes jokingly, smiling at their interpretation of the news. “I am certain that plenty of us will be attending along the trail in support, but I strongly encourage you to participate in the Running itself.”

“Will you be partithipating, Mith Cheerilee?” came a voice from the center of the classroom.

“Not this year, Twist,” Cheerilee replied, having recognized the telltale lisp of the filly. “I will be at one of the checkpoints to give out water and refreshments. However, if any of my students should come on by as a runner, I may give out a little something extra as well,” she said tantalizingly, brandishing a stack of purple coupons in her hooves. The class issued a collective “Ooooooh” – they recognized the slips of papers as coupons for a free pass on a homework assignment.

“While we’re on the topic, did anyone have the Running of the Leaves selected as their topic for the project?” Cheerilee questioned. Featherweight raised his hoof yet again. “I should have known,” she chuckled. “Would you like to start the presentations with yours?”

“With pleasure,” Featherweight beamed. He gripped his poster with his hooves, and flapped his wings several times, gliding to the front of the classroom after almost hitting the ceiling.

“Show off…” Scootaloo muttered quietly under her breath.

Featherweight flipped his poster to face the classroom. It was given a fitting outline of bright red, orange, and yellow leaves forming a border around the poster. The text spelling “Running of the Leaves” was assembled using only stems and small twigs, a rather creative touch judging from yet another series of “Oooooh’s” coming from the class again.

“Lovely! Alright, Featherweight… Whenever you’re ready, you may begin,” Cheerilee said, flipping to a blank grading template in her clipboard, quill at the ready.

It was around 8:30 in the morning when the presentations started, and to Scootaloo, time couldn’t have been acting more bizarrely. The presentations seemed to drag on forever, yet, each time she glanced at the clock, only a couple of minutes seemed to have passed. She tried to pay attention to the presentations themselves, but she couldn’t muster the attention span required. Even some of the more interesting ones, such as Buttons’ “Emergence Day” (which he insisted to Miss Cheerilee was “completely real”), which served as the anniversary for the entire planet being attacked by subterranean ponies whom had dwelled beneath the surface for centuries to wreak vengeance upon happy surface ponies. Despite not being an actual holiday, the class, Miss Cheerilee included, appreciated the creative contribution and effort applied, and offered ample applause.

Scootaloo absentmindedly clapped her hooves together at the end of classmate Dinky’s “Grace and Gratitude Day” project, turning her gaze to the clock again. It was 10:07. Another hour and twenty three minutes to go until lunch. Ms. Cheerilee had arranged a trip to city hall afterwards, where Mayor Mare would be telling the students about the town’s founding, and the holiday it was going to be receiving in light of the town’s 75th anniversary. The class already knew the history, owing largely in part to Apple Bloom’s grandmother Granny Smith detailing it during her Family Appreciation Day (which Silver Spoon, one of the descendants of the wealthy founding families, had chosen for her holiday), but it was still a pretty nice excuse to get out and about on a field trip before the weather grew too cold in the next couple of weeks.

“…and that’s why I encourage everypony here to remember the ones who fought and fell bravely in the line of duty to protect our nation, and to be supportive of everypony serving in the Equestria Royal Army on Remembrance Day!”

A cacophony of cheering and clapping pulled Scootaloo from her mire of thoughts, as fellow pegasus Rumble finished his presentation. Naturally, seeing as his brother Thunderlane would be applying after the winter season for the Canterlot National Guard from his position on the weather team, Scootaloo was hardly surprised at Rumble’s choice. Despite having told the entire class many times over, Cheerilee indulged his rationale with rapt attention.

“…Not yet, but my brother Thunderlane is going to be moving to Canterlot next year after the Winter Wrap Up to serve,” Rumble explained proudly. “He’s going to train to be a combat flyer!”

“How exciting! We’ll be sure to send him a great card when he settles in, won’t we class?”

There were many loud cries affirming Cheerilee’s idea.

“Wonderful! Thank you for the presentation, Rumble, it was very well done and personal. I can always appreciate a personal touch applied to a professional project,” Cheerliee complimented, handing Rumble his grading slip. He smiled broadly and raised it to the class, displaying a large red A on the top, with some small flavor text alongside it that Scootaloo couldn’t quite read. “You may take your seat, Rumble. Now then, who would like to go next?” Cheerilee asked the class.

Scootaloo felt queasy and bent her head down, hoping to avoid eye contact with the teacher. How many of her class had gone already? She didn’t dare look up at the clock, lest she attract any attention from her teacher and risk being selected. Suddenly, she heard Sweetie Belle move in the seat next to hear, as if sensing her friend’s unease.

“If you enjoy personal touches, then you are going to love my holiday, Miss Cheerilee!” Sweetie Belle rang.

Cheerilee looked amusedly at her. “Really? Why’s that?” she inquired.

“Because my holiday is Hearts and Hooves Day!” Sweetie Belle beamed.

The teacher’s eyes widened, and her face was lashed with a streak of crimson. “Oh goodness gracious… You don’t say!” Cheerilee gripped a cup of water, and began to gulp it down with startling efficiency, while Sweetie Belle hopped from her seat, taking her folded cardboard diorama with her. Sweetie Belle offered Scootaloo a reassuring nod before turning to walk to the front of the classroom.

“Now, Sweetie Belle, this is just about the history of Hearts and Hooves Day, correct? Not current, or, I don’t know, semi-current happenings?” Cheerilee laughed nervously, still brandishing a flushed countenance.

“Of course! It’s all about the history of Hearts and Hooves Day!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed.

“Good, good. History…” Cheerilee wrote Sweetie Belle’s name on the top of a fresh grading sheet, and underneath wrote “Hearts and Hooves Day” for the holiday. “Whenever you are ready, you may begin. But remember! History!” the teacher reiterated again.

Sweetie Belle nodded, unfolding her cardboard, revealing its contents to the class. Par for the course, it elicited a series of “Ooooohs” from her peers. They quite enjoyed being pelted with a volley of dazzle, sparkle, and of course, the color pink. She cleared her throat authoritatively, taking a deep breath –

“Did you know that Hearts and Hooves Day was originally started because of a love potion?”

“…So remember, especially on Hearts and Hooves day, be especially careful of what you drink. Otherwise, all of Equestria may fall into ruin, stricken by famine, and governed by uneducated ponies. Thank you!”

Sweetie Belle took several bows, her classmates staring at her with mouths gaping open, completely silent.

“Well, that really was the history of Hearts and Hooves Day,” Cheerilee said uncertainly. “I didn’t know it was so grim or…” She looked at the clock, which now read 10:43. “…extensive.”

“Oh yes!” Sweetie Belle squeaked, hopping up as she did so. “It’s one of my favorite holidays, I wanted to make sure I covered everything I could about it!”

“I think it’s safe to say you accomplished that,” Cheerilee confirmed. “It was very thorough, and I love your visual aid – it’s so…” She scanned the sparkle laden diorama trying to find a word for it. “It’s so glitterific!” she improvised.

“Really?” Sweetie Belle asked excitedly.

“Yes, it reminds me so much of the card you three made for me last Hearts and Hooves Day – I suspect you had a large hoof in making that one as well?” Cheerilee fished.

Sweetie Belle beamed proudly, and then suddenly stopped and frowned. “That reminds me! I forgot to include our Hearts and Hooves Day adventure in my presentation!” No sooner than after she had spoken the last syllable, her teacher thrust her grading sheet in Sweetie Belle’s face, a large red “A” emblazoned at the top in sloppy, hasty writing. Sweetie Belle grabbed it and gasped. “Yay! An A! Hey, that rhymed!”

Her teacher had taken the liberty of folding Sweetie Belle’s diorama for her, passing it to her quickly and somewhat roughly. “Yes, yes, you’re a poet and you didn’t even know it. Everypony, a round of applause for a fantastic presentation please!” Cheerilee called. Sweetie Belle returned to her seat, leaving a trail of glitter behind her as she gripped the corner of it with her mouth, her classmates cheering and clapping around her. She leaned it against her desk, and took her seat next to a grinning Scootaloo.

“You did awesome, Sweetie Belle! That was almost half an hour – if Apple Bloom can match it, we’ll be golden!” Scootaloo whispered happily.

“I told you it would work! We just need to run the clock out until lunch,” Sweetie Belle confirmed. “Apple Bloom, you ready to go?”

Apple Bloom had already left her seat, and was marching past Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon’s desk with her presentation in her mouth. She leaned it up against the blackboard, and proceeded to unfold it for the rest of the class to see. After it was opened, she stepped aside and turned to face her teacher, who was eyeing the holiday collage with interest.

“Ah yes, the one holiday that everypony guns for – Hearth’s Warming Eve!” Cheerilee thought out loud, writing down Apple Bloom’s name and holiday on a new grading sheet.

“Yup! Ah feel pretty lucky to have snapped it right quick like Ah did.” Apple Bloom replied.

“Yes,” Cheerilee started. “But you also have one of the most difficult ones to impress with.”

“Whaddya mean?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Everypony knows about Hearth’s Warming Eve, so you’ll have to work extra hard to stand out,” Cheerilee continued. “I’ve seen the pageant fifteen times, but I’m sure you will be very creative and offer a brand new insight! Whenever you’re ready…”

Apple Bloom cleared her throat, and stepped forward towards the rest of the class. She stood with an unnatural stiffness, her little filly chest puffed out to make herself appear to have more of a presence.

“Why thank you, Miss Cheerilee. Ah cannot begin to impress enough how important this holiday is for me, and for mah family; For Ponyville. Heck, for all of Equestria!” she boomed.

“Well, you’ve certainly got my attention already! It’s already shaping up to be more exciting than the pageant!” her teacher complimented from behind.

Apple Bloom nodded curtly before continuing. She turned her head upwards and angled it, as if to appear lost in thought. “But where would Equestria be, if not for Hearth’s Warming Eve?” she asked. “Ah am goin' to tell you a story now, everypony. A story of a land before Equestria.” Apple Bloom cleared her throat again, and spoke in a very peculiar accent that did not mix at all with her charming southern twang. “Once upon a time, long before the peaceful rule of Celestia, and before ponies discovered our beautiful land of Equestria, ponies did not know harmony. It was a strange and dark time. A time when ponies were torn apart... by hatred!”

“…We are a circle of pony friends, a circle of friends we’ll be till the very eeeeeeeeeeeeennd!”

Apple Bloom finished her song, and like Sweetie Belle before her, took several bows. “Fillies and gentlecolts, Hearth’s Warming Eve!” she exclaimed. A series of mixed murmurs and disorganized claps made their way throughout the room. Apple Bloom looked around the room, large amber eyes scanning her audience.

“…and now I’ve seen the pageant SIXteen times” Cheerilee said aloud behind her. “Apple Bloom, I can’t say that I’m impressed by your well-worn take on Hearth’s Warming Eve…” the filly looked down embarrassedly. “…but am I ever impressed that you memorized the entire thing word-for-word! And your singing was wonderful! Let’s hear it for Apple Bloom, everypony!”

Scootaloo joined the clapping with the rest of the class, thoroughly entertained at the one-pony play put forth in front of them. Apple Bloom hadn’t been kidding – she memorized the entire Hearth’s Warming Eve pageant script. That was sure to chew up a whole bunch of time, right? She looked at the clock and saw –

11:08. Apple Bloom walked proudly up to her desk, slipping for just a moment of a pile of excess glitter from Sweetie Belle’s poster , and upon seeing Scootaloo’s expression, immediately turned and to watch the clock face as well. She spat out her grading slip (with an A written on it) and let her diorama fall to the floor.

“Ah’m sorry, Scootaloo! Ah didn’t know the pageant was only twenty two minutes!” Apple Bloom apologized.

“It’s alright, Apple Bloom. And you too Sweetie Belle, thanks so much for trying,” Scootaloo offered her most sincere smile that she could, given her disappointment. “I’ll just tell her the truth that I didn’t do it.”

The three sat for just a moment in silence, waiting for Cheerilee to call Scootaloo up to the front of the classroom. Although it was only a moment, it seemed to drag on and on. Finally –

“Alright, next presenter, come on up, please! Quickly now!” Cheerilee’s suitably cheerful voice rang, piercing Scootaloo’s ears. Scootaloo took a deep breath and used her front forehooves to lift her from her desk when suddenly –

“Excellent! What holiday have you chosen, Diamond Tiara?”

Scootaloo slunk back into her seat. That’s right, she thought. Diamond Tiara didn’t go yet. Scootaloo hated to admit that she was curious to see exactly which holiday Diamond Tiara had chosen. She also simultaneously dreaded it, because of the nefarious connotation that Diamond Tiara had given it earlier.

“I’m sure that YOU will appreciate it.”

Diamond Tiara stood at the front of the class, her poster facing the blackboard. She cleared her throat, ready to begin her speech. However, she was interrupted when her friend, Silver Spoon of all ponies, raised her hoof.

“Yes, Silver Spoon?” Cheerilee asked.

“May I be excused to use the restroom, please?” Silver Spoon replied in turn.

“Of course,” Cheerilee answered. “Just hurry back. You wouldn’t want to miss your friend’s presentation, would you?”

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” the grey earth pony said as she quickly shuffled out of the open door, the door clicking softly as it closed.

Diamond Tiara didn’t seem all too perturbed that her best friend had just left before her presentation. Rather, she simply smirked amusedly, and started presenting.

“Like Apple Bloom’s tame holiday choice before me” – Apple Bloom rolled her eyes – “my choice is one that originated many centuries ago, and involves all of the different pony races working together in a very unique fashion.” With that, she turned her poster around, revealing the title of her holiday: “Storm Ward’s Eve”. Diamond Tiara swept aside a stick of chalk from the tray beneath the blackboard, then stood on her hind legs to place her visual aid on top of it. She hadn’t been kidding about the age of the holiday. The depictions of the pegasi, unicorns, and earth ponies in the pictures were definitely that of a much older era.

“I can’t say I’ve heard of this one,” Cheerilee spoke, scribbling the title below Diamond Tiara’s name on her grading sheet, whispering it as she wrote it.

“It’s a very important holiday, just not one that’s very well known,” Diamond Tiara explained, pretention seeping from her voice. “I figured I might as well present something that wasn’t an obvious choice everypony already knows.” Scootaloo heard Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom exhale sharply next to her. Although Cheerilee didn’t catch it, the Crusaders knew that those remarks were directed towards them.

“In that case, I very much look forward to hearing about it,” Cheerilee exclaimed. “Please, go on.”

“With pleasure,” Diamond Tiara grinned with an almost sinister smile, looking Scootaloo directly in the eyes as she said so. Scootaloo sneered back at her, not giving her the satisfaction of getting under her skin. Her reaction proved futile, as Diamond Tiara simply continued to smile.

“Now, we all know the pegasi as the keepers of the weather, the only pony race who can walk on the clouds unaided,” she started. “Yet, we also know that with their magic, unicorns can, to some degree, emulate their abilities.” She pointed at a hoof-drawn picture of a white unicorn with a curled purple mane, it’s horn generating a light blue beam connecting with a distorted cloud. “Yet,” she paused for dramatic effect. “How did the unicorn learn the secrets of the pegasus?”

A light teal pony with an untidy orange mane raised his hoof in the back of the classroom. “That was a rhetorical question, my dear Snips!” Diamond Tiara spoke with a sickening politeness. “Back to what I was saying, the study of pegasus magic began many hundreds of years ago, headed by none other than the brilliant unicorn, Storm Ward,” She pointed at another picture of a unicorn on her poster, bearing a brilliant blue coat, with a butter yellow swath running along the chest, and thin horizontal stripes of the same hue above each of the unicorn’s four hooves. His mane was stark white.

“As I’m sure you can all see, it’s very likely that the pegasi elite, the Wonderbolts, had their current uniform inspired directly by Storm Ward’s natural coat, and he’s currently the only non-pegasi pony to have done so. So yeah, like I said, pretty important,” Diamond Tiara announced smugly. There were several “ooohs” and “aaahs” across the classroom. Scootaloo herself was rather impressed by this tidbit, but bore a steadfast face of indifference.

“Much of what we know about inherent pegasi magic is derived from his studies. Everything from how clouds seem to bend to their will or mood to their perception of air currents to detect changes in weather. Just like how unicorn’s horns act as a conduit for their brand of magic, Storm Ward surmised that the same was true for pegasi and their wings,” Diamond Tiara explained. Scootaloo heard a rustling to her left, and saw her classmate Rumble looking at his outstretched wings, as if to try and find a sparkle or shimmer among his feathers.

“Storm Ward’s Eve might not be a very well-known holiday, but that may well be because it shares the date of our much more famous Winter Moon Festival – the 21st of December, the longest night of the year. And it was on this night that Storm Ward asked of the ancient pegasi tribes for volunteers to study their wings,” Diamond Tiara continued, until she heard her teacher’s voice behind her.

“Please pardon the interruption,” Cheerilee interrupted. “You mentioned that all of the pony races were involved. I have to know, how are the earth ponies involved in this particular holiday?” Her eyes glimmered as she asked, quite curious to see how her own race fit in the grand scheme of things.

“Oh yes, Miss Cheerilee, I’m getting to that part next,” Diamond Tiara said quickly, glancing at the clock, which now read 11:15. “As I was saying, the pegasi tribe leaders sent forth many brave volunteers. 52 brave Pegasi, one for each week, until the next year’s ceremony.”

Scootaloo winced whenever she heard the word “brave”. The only time Diamond Tiara had ever used the word to describe a pegasus of any kind as brave, it was in an attempt to mock Scootaloo for daring to present the Ponyville flag as a flightless pegasus. Something didn’t feel right…

At that moment, however, her thoughts, and Diamond Tiara’s presentation, were interrupted by the piercing cry of the school bell. It was a bell that should not have rung for another fifteen minutes to signal lunch and recess. A steady mix of confused filly voices swelled as the bell rang ceaselessly, prompting the flustered teacher to action.

“Settle down, everypony! That bell has been acting all sorts of strange the past two weeks, let me go and take care of it,” Cheerilee cried above the din, walking past Diamond Tiara and her poster towards the door, but not before Diamond Tiara stopped her.

“Miss Cheerilee, what about my presentation? Should I finish it now? I would hate to interrupt these ponies and their lunch time because of a silly delay,” Diamond Tiara did her best to sound sincere, which was good enough for her teacher.

“Ooh, alright! I’ve seen enough to know that you’ve clearly put a lot of hard work into it for your grade, but you will have to let me see the reference material later, okay?” Cheerilee conceded. Scootaloo suspected that she was being especially considerate to show up on time, knowing that any delay in the lunch schedule would leave Mayor Mare waiting on them for the field trip. She guessed that was something that Cheerilee definitely did not want on the table come the next school budget meeting.

“Of course,” Diamond Tiara nodded, watching Cheerilee gallop out of the door. She then pivoted to face the class, calling them to attention.

“Listen up, everypony,” she yelled over the bell, her high pitched voice managing to drown it out. “I’m going to do my best to finish this up, so you had best pay attention!” It was clear that without the presence of her teacher, Diamond Tiara was no longer entertaining the notion of civility towards her classmates.

“Remember what I was saying about the volunteers? The 52 brave pegasi?” she shouted.

A hoof rose in the back of the room. “That was another rhetorical question, Snips!” she snapped. “Anyways, they weren’t actually volunteers. They were chosen, chosen for a very specific reason.” Diamond Tiara glanced at the door again, turning her gaze to her classmates again.

“See, in ancient times, pegasi were the warmongers of the pony races. They were always preparing to fight and train, to outfly any other warring tribes that dared to cross them. So it makes sense that they wouldn’t volunteer their strongest and most able fliers, right?” Nothing but the constant ringing of the bell answered her.

“No, instead…” Diamond Tiara looked at the door again, face breaking into a sinister grin. She raised her hoof and beckoned towards her. The door, slightly ajar from when Cheerilee left, burst open. From her presumed restroom break, Silver Spoon had returned. Only now, she looked completely different. For starters, her mane was now purple, and much shorter and messier. Secondly, she was wearing a piece of clothing – a crimson cape, with a blue shield-shaped emblem on the side. Inside of the blue shield was a bright yellow silhouette of a caped filly rearing up on it’s hind legs. Thirdly, and lastly, was a brand new set of wings. Small, orange wings, poking through precariously placed holes in the cape. The wings were misshapen, with several feathers either missing, or the size of the feathers terribly inconsistent.

“…Instead, they chose the ones that couldn’t fly.”

The entire class roared with laughter as Silver Spoon bounded clumsily into the room, hopping up and down as though she were trying to take off. She continued her behavior, with a blush on her own face at the sheer silliness of her actions, yet devouring the attention she was getting.

“Maybe if I try, like, twice as hard!” Silver Spoon drawled mockingly, jumping up and down with a strained look on her face, revealing the shiny golden material on the opposite side of her cape. Meanwhile, Diamond Tiara carried on, struggling to keep from laughing herself.

“Even the weakest of the pegasi, despite their inability to actually, you know, fly, still has essence of magic in their wings,” Diamond Tiara explained, shouting over the din of the bell and her raucous classmates torrent of laughter, leaving a pause enough for Silver Spoon to bellow –

“Three times as hard!”

“For all of his brilliance, Storm Ward had quite the temper. If he didn’t get his required amount of sacrifices, he had control enough over the weather to overpower even the greatest of pegasi efforts and keep them in line. And if his subjects were to resist his methods of study…” she motioned for Silver Spoon, who was hunched over gripping invisible handlebars on her invisible scooter that she was pretending to ride around the front of the room. Silver Spoon stopped, and quickly skipped in front of Diamond Tiara, kneeling down before her, eyes closed in anticipation. Diamond Tiara used her forehooves, pushing the makeshift orange wings together, bracing herself. She muttered something inaudibly to her friend, whose eyes were clenched shut even tighter than before. And then –

Silver Spoon cried out as the orange wings she had glued to her back were ripped away, taking a small tuft of her grey fur with them. The entire classroom gasped. With one hoof balancing the pair of wings, Diamond Tiara’s other hoof gently massaged Silver Spoon’s back.

“…the uncooperative pegasus would become an earth pony. They would be banished from the pegasi kingdoms, left to fend for themselves with no practical earth pony skills or magic to speak of on the world below. Some would be taken in by natural earth ponies, given a chance to make themselves useful by fulfilling whatever rote work an unskilled laborer could conduct. The rest…” Diamond Tiara trailed off.

“Fillies and gentlecolts, I want you not to think about not just Princess Luna come this Winter Moon Festival, but think of those pegasi. The unfortunate stragglers of a proud race, whose tiny bit of sacrifice paved the way for understanding and adapting pegasi magic. When you see the Wonderbolts flying high above the clouds, I want you to think of those who can’t…”

She stopped to stare directly at Scootaloo, her eyes gleaming maliciously once again.

“...and never will. That concludes my presentation, thank you.”

The bell had finally stopped ringing, and the silence that followed was overwhelming. With help from Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon removed the red Cutie Mark Crusader cape and the purple manepiece she had been wearing. The two earth ponies returned to their desks, every step they made amplified against the wooden floor. Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom eyes glared ceaselessly at the two until they finally took their seats, and then they both turned to look with concern to their friend Scootaloo. The rest of the class followed suit.

Scootaloo quivered in her seat, looking straight down at the desktop. Her ears burned something fierce as she felt the gazes of every filly and colt in the classroom scorching her. The desk became distorted as her large violet eyes filled with tears.

Don’t blink, she thought. Please, don’t blink.

As her eyes fluttered shut, a large drop of moisture collided with the desk. Then another. And another. Scootaloo tried as best she could to contain herself, holding her breath, gasping and choking as she shivered violently. She shuddered when she felt somepony wrap their foreleg around her neck.

“Shhh… it’s okay,” Sweetie Belle’s voice whispered into her ear. She felt another arm wrap around her from the opposite side as Sweetie Belle’s.

“Tha’s right… We’re right here for ya, sugar cube,” Apple Bloom spoke softly, adopting her sister’s term of endearment.

Scootaloo couldn’t say anything. A high pitched whine escaped her throat instead, when she felt the tip of Sweetie Belle’s hoof press against her lips.

“Shh… you don’t need to say anything,” she said reassuringly as Apple Bloom’s other free hoof stroked Scootaloo’s mane comfortingly. Scootaloo nodded jerkily, careful not to raise her head too much and expose her tear-laden face to the class.

Scootaloo had never been so embarrassed in her entire life. Never. Was that what really happened to a pegasus that couldn’t fly? If she had been born in those times, would her wings have been ripped from her back, sentencing her to live as a shell of her former self? And Silver Spoon dressing up as her, making fun of her efforts to fly for the flag-carrying ceremony… Where did they get the cape, wings, and mane? How long have they been planning this? Scootaloo had never really been too fond of Diamond Tiara or Silver Spoon since they had harassed Apple Bloom at Diamond Tiara’s cuteceañera, and her dislike grew even more when the duo made fun of her inability to fly over a month ago, and continued to do so. But now? She hated them. Hated, hated, HATED. To top it off, the rest of the class just laughed at her. Like she was one big joke.

She inhaled sharply, sucking in the dribbling snot that threatened to abandon her nostrils. The stroking of her mane had stopped, and Apple Bloom’s foreleg slowly slid away. Scootaloo didn’t want her to go – being embraced by the warmth of her friends was the only thing keeping her from completely bawling.

“Come on, Scoots… Let’s go get you cleaned up,” Apple Bloom whispered.

Scootaloo was reluctant to get up. She didn’t want to have to feel the stares of her peers as she retreated out of the door, or worse yet, actually seeing them staring at her. As though Sweetie Belle could sense her concern, she addressed it.

“Keep your head down, and just follow me, okay?”

Scootaloo nodded again, sliding out of her seat towards Sweetie Belle. She heard Apple Bloom quickly shuffle to get behind her. Just like how they entered the classroom, they were leaving the same way – Scootaloo hidden between her two best friends. As they started moving towards the front of the classroom, the door shot open, with Cheerilee galloping inside.

“Ponyfeathers! I missed it! How did… the story… end?” She trailed off, noticing the piercing silence, something most unusual for her class of normally rambunctious students. She followed the stares of the classmates towards the left side of the room, and saw the only signs of life in it.

“Girls?” she inquired. “Is everything alright?”

“Miss Cheerilee, Scootaloo ain’t feelin’ too well,” Apple Bloom told her.

“Oh?” Cheerilee said with a look of concern on her face, trying to catch a glimpse of Scootaloo’s face, which was zeroed in on the floor of the classroom.

“Yeah,” Sweetie Belle added. “We were just gonna take her to get some water, and get her some fresh air.”

“Poor thing… you three go right on ahead,” Cheerilee informed them sympathetically. “Did you get to do your presentation, Scootaloo? You were the last one after Diamond Tiara.”

Two “YES”s and two “NO”s met the teacher. The affirmatives issued forth by Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom, and negatives from Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon.

“Hold on, which is it?” Cheerilee snapped her head back and forth between the four ponies, trying to decipher the incoming wall of sound.

“She sure did! It was fantastic!”

“She did not!”

“It was stupendous! Amazin’, even!”

“She didn’t present anything!”

“I–“

The chatter stopped as Scootaloo spoke again, her voice unusually hoarse.

“Yes, Scootaloo?” Cheerilee pressed.

“I-I didn’t…” Scootaloo answered morosely, head still staring at the ground.

“Oh,” Cheerilee said simply. “Well, it’s almost lunch time, so if you like, you can just give me your visual aid, and I can grade you with that. I already know you would have done a great job presenting it, considering your narration for the flag waving ceremony. Does that sound alright?”

Scootaloo swallowed loudly before answering. “I don’t h-have it. I don’t have anything. I didn’t do anything.”

Cheerilee frowned, unable to hide her disappointment. “I’m sorry to hear that, Scootaloo.” Scootaloo only sniffed in response. “If you didn’t do any of the required work, then-”

“I know. I-I failed,” Scootaloo’s voice cracked. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle both flinched when they heard the words of defeat come from their spirited best friend herself.

Their teacher’s eyes looked down, for just a moment, her expression heartbroken. As a teacher, she had to enforce a standard among her flock, and nothing was more difficult than watching one her favorite students fail. Especially after Scootaloo and her friends had claimed the honor of carrying the Ponyville flag at the Equestria games, there had to be something she could do.

“Listen… come and see me during lunch when you’re feeling better, okay? We’ll get this worked out,” Cheerilee offered, still trying to catch a glimpse of Scootaloo.

“Will do!” Apple Bloom exclaimed.

“Alright. I hope you feel better, Scootaloo,” Cheerilee said. “Everypony else, time for lunch! Be back about five minutes early, please, so I can get attendance for our trip to the town hall.”

“Thanks…” mumbled Scootaloo as the rest of the class burst to life. The trio continued forward, slipping past Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon’s desk when Scootaloo found herself plummeting face first to the ground.

“Mmmf!” she cried, swollen eyes watering again as she rubbed her muzzle. From the floor, she looked behind her and saw the cause of her fall – Diamond Tiara’s pink rear leg had extended itself in between Scootaloo’s legs as she walked by. Of course.

“Are you alright, Scootaloo?” Apple Bloom asked from behind her.

Scootaloo was about to answer when she heard something else. A vicious hissing in her ear.

“A flightless, flunkout, failure of a pegasus. No wonder your parents gave you up,” Diamond Tiara’s words slithered into Scootaloo’s brain.

Her tiara sailed across the room, colliding with the wall nearest the door before settling on the floor with several bounces. Scootaloo had finally had enough.

“Shut your stupid mouth!” Scootaloo screamed at the top of her lungs after striking Diamond Tiara square in the jaw. Her classmates stopped and stared in stunned silence as Scootaloo sprang to her hooves and dove into Diamond Tiara, knocking her clear out of her desk, landing atop of her.

“I hate you! I hate you!” Scootaloo shouted, raining down blow after blow on Diamond Tiara’s stupid pink face, trying with every fiber of her being to bruise her hateful blue eyes shut. Scootaloo had her pinned, and Diamond Tiara’s feeble attempts to ward Scootaloo away were just that – feeble.

“You think you’re so much better than everypony else, you – you miserable entitled worthless – How does that feel? HOW DOES THAT FEEL?”

Every word was punctuated with the sound of Scootaloo’s hooves against Diamond Tiara’s cheeks, jaw, and temple. Tears flowed freely from both ponies, Scootaloo’s from months of pent-up rage finally being set free, Diamond Tiara’s from sheer surprise for finally being confronted.

Scootaloo had undergone a complete reversal in her mood. From feeling worthless, helpless, and embarrassed at the hooves of Diamond Tiara, she now felt powerful, supreme, and superior. She didn’t ever want to stop, until –

A blow to the back of Scootaloo’s head left her reeling, her head pushed forward colliding with Diamond Tiaras. “Get off of her!” It was Silver Spoon’s voice. The rest of the sounds in the classroom were nothing but a blur of shouting, crying, and yelling. It was a terribly chaotic mix.

“How about you get offa her!”

“Tell your spastic friend to leave her alone!”

“Why? Ya can’t say she didn’t have it comin’ after the stunt you two pulled.”

“She-she’s going to kill her! Make her stop!”

“GIRLS! STOP THIS RIGHT NOW! Sweetie Belle – let me go!”

Sweetie Belle was clinging to Cheerilee’s forelegs with a vice grip, sobbing into them. Sweetie Belle wasn’t the only one who had started to cry at the vicious onslaught playing out in front of them.

Silver Spoon wound back up, about to send another punch to the back of Scootaloo’s head, who had resumed her assault on Diamond Tiara. Apple Bloom caught her foreleg, not allowing Silver Spoon to interrupt.

“Ah don’t think so!” Apple Bloom exclaimed. “You ain’t gonna lay a hoof on my friend!”

Silver Spoon turned to face Apple Bloom, lowering her foreleg. “And what about my friend? Please! You have to stop Scootaloo! Diamond Tiara is - she’s bleeding!” she pleaded, tears of her own forming behind her blue-rimmed glasses.

Apple Bloom looked down at the two, and sure enough, she saw flecks of blood catapulting through the air with each successive blow that Scootaloo landed. “Oh mah,” she gasped.

Apple Bloom reached down and slipped her forehooves underneath Scootaloo’s shoulders and pulled up, effectively stopping Scootaloo’s flailing hooves from hitting anything but the air in front of her.

“Lemme – lemme go! LET ME GO!” Scootaloo cried out in protest.

“No, no, and no! You’ve got to calm down now! It’s over, see? Ya got her back good. But ya gotta stop now, okay?”

“N-no… she doesn’t deserve it,” Scootaloo sobbed, trying in vain to lunge forward out of the grasp of her earth pony friend. Apple Bloom pulled even tighter, using her natural strength to her advantage. She felt Scootaloo’s wings beating furiously against her chest.

“Ah know she don’t, Ah know… but look at her.”

Scootaloo looked down at the mess of the pony below her. Diamond Tiara was sobbing erratically, covering her swollen, bloodied face while she curled into a protective ball. It was a pathetic, disheartening, and sickeningly beautiful sight.

“Ain’tcha think yah’ve done enough?”

Scootaloo only heard a whimper from Diamond Tiara’s figure on the floor.

“…I guess.”

Scootaloo’s buzzing wings slowed down before folding to her sides again, and she allowed her forelegs to droop down and hang freely. She suddenly felt very tired, and wanted nothing more than to collapse to the ground. Apple Bloom was still holding her up, however.

"So, can Ah let ya go? You ain’t gonna flip out again?”

“Flip...out?" Scootaloo asked hazily.

“Look around ya, Scootaloo. Ya scared a lot of ponies. Here…”

Apple Bloom withdrew her forelegs, and Scootaloo landed on all four hooves. As she did, she heard the scraping of desks behind her. She turned to see her classmates pressed against them, eyeing her warily. She looked at the front of the room, where Diamond Tiara’s poster still sat in front of the blackboard, and saw Cheerilee consoling a weeping Sweetie Belle, and several other classmates, shielding their eyes. Scootaloo turned around again, looking down at Diamond Tiara. She was curled up in a ball still, and still shaking. Scootaloo couldn’t help but notice the speckles of blood stuck in her mane, clashing vividly against her white and purple coloration. Had she really done that much damage? She lifted her front left hoof, and noticed flecks of crimson staining it. She promptly lowered it onto the ground, and gulped. What had she done?

“D-Diamond Tiara? Are you alright?” she asked, kneeling down beside the earth pony. She gave a gentle prod to Diamond Tiara’s shoulder, and was promptly met with multiple swats from the recipient.

“Get away from me, you-you PSYCHO!” Diamond Tiara choked out.

Scootaloo hastily retreated, stepping on the Cutie Mark Crusader cape from Diamond Tiara’s presentation.

“Rumble, can you fly over to Ponyville General? Tell them one of our students is injured and to send help right away,” Cheerilee said quietly.

“Yes, ma’am,” Rumble replied obediently, opening the window and taking off through it.

“Everypony else, please go grab your lunches. Five minutes early, please,” Cheerilee continued with an eerily monotone voice. “Not you, Scootaloo. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Silver Spoon, I want you all to stay as well.”

“Yes ma’am.” The four voices echoed Rumble's.

“Please, you four, take a seat in the front row. I need to see to Diamond Tiara,” she commanded as four sets of hooves shuffled to their desks.

Scootaloo sat quietly, staring at her hooves resting on the desk. She glanced to her right, and witnessed Apple Bloom staring at the poster on the blackboard. Scootaloo leaned forward and saw Sweetie Belle, puffy eyes looking back at her. Scootaloo tried to offer a smile, but found it very difficult to muster one. Behind Sweetie Belle, Silver Spoon looked fervently to catch a glimpse of her best friend being tended to by their teacher.

“Alright, Diamond Tiara, can you show me your beautiful face?” Cheerilee asked soothingly, in a much more approachable voice than the robotic tone she used a minute ago.

“N-no! I look hideous, I j-just know it,” Diamond Tiara refused, burying her head deeper in her self-made cocoon.

“Come now, I’m sure it’s alright.”

“R-really?”

“I’m certain of it.”

“O-okay,” Diamond Tiara sniffed as she moved her forelegs away from her face. Cheerilee did her best to suppress a gasp, but it proved to be a futile effort.

“I knew it!” Diamond Tiara wailed, throwing her head down and raising her forelegs again. “I’m disgusting!”

“No, it’s not like that at all!” Cheerilee tried her best to reassure her. “We just need to get you cleaned up, that’s all! You’ll be looking right as rain in no time at all.”

“No, I won’t! My life is OVER!” Diamond Tiara shrieked into her chest. “That-that MONSTER turned me into a monster!”

“Why do you think she attacked you? I’ve never known her to do anything like that,” Cheerilee asked, clearly prying for information, and doing her best to remain as objective as possible in case Scootaloo was listening. Which of course, she was.

“How should I know? She started getting sick after my presentation, and then she slipped by my desk on the way out – and – and she just went berserk!”

“You’re sure there’s nothing you might have done that would have made her lose her temper? No stunts you may have pulled?”

“Of-of course not!”

The Crusaders all shook their heads, silently scoffing amongst themselves. They heard a rustling of wings, and Rumble returned through the window. “Miss Cheerilee? The pegamedics are here.” Through the door, two Pegasus ponies entered, carrying a stretcher via a harness between the two of them.

“Is this her?” The pegamedic in front asked Cheerilee.

“Yes it is. Thank you, Rumble; Run along and get some food before the field trip,” Cheerilee dismissed Rumble, who nodded his head before turning around. His eyes met Scootaloo’s for just a moment before he hastily leapt out the window to the schoolyard. Cheerilee looked back at Diamond Tiara, who was still shielding her face. “Diamond Tiara? These two gentlecolts are going to take you to the hospital, okay?”

“The h-hospital?,” Diamond Tiara whined.

“Yes. I’m going to come and visit you once the field trip is over, just to make sure you’re doing okay. Relax and just concentrate on getting better,” Cheerilee requested.

Diamond Tiara sniffed into the chest of the Pegamedic that had lifted her up, taking care to cover her face as soon as she was placed on the stretcher, “I’ll try, Miss Cheerilee.”

“Good girl,” Cheerilee said, petting the top of her mane, noticing that her trademark diamond tiara was missing. She quickly scanned the floor next to where she had collapsed and spotted it resting along the wall. “If you could wait for just a moment before taking her, please,” she beckoned the two ambulatory ponies.

“Sure thing ma’am,” the rear pegamedic nodded. “So,” he turned his attention to the filly in the stretcher, lying on her side doing her best to curl back into a ball, despite the restraints preventing her from doing so. “Your name is Diamond Tiara?”

“Yeah,” Diamond Tiara answered, muffled by her forelegs.

“I know your father,” the pegamedic informed her. “He’s a good colt. We see Mr. Rich at all sorts of charities for medical causes.”

“Really?”

“Really. We’re going to take extra special care of you, how’s that sound?”

“Th-Thank you.”

Cheeriliee tapped Diamond Tiara on her shoulder, “I’ve got your tiara right here.”

“My tiara!” Diamond Tiara exclaimed, removing her forelegs from her face for the first time since she had been wounded. She scrambled for the jeweled headpiece, almost frantically removing it from Cheerilee’s possession. It was then that the other four ponies caught a glimpse of just how badly she had been rendered by Scootaloo. Silver Spoon, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo had already seen her, of course, but for Sweetie Belle, it was the first time. Sweetie Belle’s eyes widened, taking in only a second of the view. Diamond Tiara’s eyes were barely visible from the swelling, her pink coat stretching across patches of purple skin underneath. Her muzzle had drying blood forming a broad streak to her top lips from her nostrils. From the corners of her mouth were more dark brown lines, one running across her split lower lip towards her ear from the way she had been leaning on her side while she had been curled up. Sweetie Belle turned away from the sight, burying her face in her folded forelegs on the desk, and Silver Spoon did her best to stifle a choking sound. Diamond Tiara didn’t take notice of these instances, focused primarily on recovering her adornment. As quickly as she could, Diamond Tiara affixed it atop her head, and retreated back into her shell.

“You take care, Diamond Tiara,” Cheerilee whispered as the stretcher and the three ponies accompanying it made a hasty exit through the door. The teacher walked slowly to her desk situated in front of the four fillies, not looking at them as she sat down. She bent down in her seat, rifling through a drawer, searching for something for a moment. Then, she began to speak.

“I have two main jobs as a teacher. One, obviously, is educating the fillies and colts in my charge; to teach critical thinking skills, how to apply them to various situations they may encounter once school is over. The other,” she paused, lifting a sheet of paper to the surface of her wooden desk before resuming. “The other is ensuring the safety and well-being of my students, both in school and at home. Scootaloo-” The pegasus winced as she heard her name, and refused to look up at her teacher who was no doubt studying her with her trained green eyes.

“What you did today was completely unacceptable. Everypony, and I mean everypony, regardless of who they are or what they did has the right from Celestia herself to feel safe at school. I don’t know what you think Diamond Tiara said or did, but nopony deserves to be hurt the way she was.”

“But Miss Cheerilee,” Apple Bloom interrupted. “You shoulda seen what-”

“I will not tolerate interruptions, Apple Bloom. Not now,” Cheeriliee scolded.

“But it really was horrible,” Sweetie Belle joined her friend in trying to defend Scootaloo again. “Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon–”

“Sweetie Belle, please! I intend to find out why this fight – no, not even a fight, why this – why this ATTACK happened, but I need to lay down some consequences that were evidently not made clear to you, understood?” Cheerilee asserted.

“Yes ma’am…” Sweetie Belle pouted.

“Good,” the teacher cleared her throat. “Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, neither of you are in trouble. I’m going to let that fib about Scootaloo’s presentation slide, because she told me the truth, and I know you were only doing it to help her.”

“But what about me?” piped up Silver Spoon. “Am I going to be in trouble?”

“Yes, you are, Silver Spoon,” Cheerilee answered.

Silver Spoon exclaimed dejectedly, “But why?”

“I was just going to tell you, if you’d allow me to finish. I saw you hit Scootaloo in the back of the head,” Cheerilee explained.

“B-but, I was trying to help my friend too,” Silver Spoon mirrored the rationale that her teacher had applied to Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. “Doesn’t that count for something?”

Cheerilee shook her head. “Be that as it may, the standard I am trying to set here is a zero tolerance policy on violence. If Scootaloo got in trouble for hitting Diamond Tiara, how would it look to the other classmates if you got away scot-free after bludgeoning her?”

“I’m sure they would understand! They saw what that savage was doing to Diamond Tiara, I was just trying to help her,” Silver Spoon shouted angrily.

“I know you’re upset at Scootaloo, and I can’t say I blame you,” Cheerilee spoke in a calm voice, one that she had clearly had to use before when dealing with feuding students. “But two wrongs don’t make a right, and we don’t hit. Ever. I would also appreciate if you didn’t call anypony names, and to keep your voice down. Is that clear?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Silver Spoon said morosely.

“That goes for you three as well,” Cheerilee added. “I want everypony to address each other respectfully like mature ponies.”

Apple Bloom snorted audibly.

“Is there something funny about that, Apple Bloom?” Cheerilee inquired.

“You wanna talk about respect, Miss Cheerilee? I think it’s high time you finally let us explain what happened – what’s been happenin’ for that matter,” Apple Bloom replied.

“Been happening?” Cheerilee tilted her head, and Silver Spoon squirmed uncomfortably in her seat.

“It’s kind of a long story,” Sweetie Belle told her.

“Well then, let’s get started,” Cheerilee announced, dipping her quill in the same bottle of red ink she had used to grade their presentations not twenty minutes ago.

Author's Notes:

Poor Scootaloo!

Had to retcon this a little bit regarding the uniforms, I had this chapter written many weeks before the Wonderbolts history was examined in "Testing, Testing, 123..."

All comments are appreciated!