The Ponyville Community Theater was small and rustic, like the little town itself had once been. Even though Ponyville had recently grown into a fledgling metropolis, the theater had stayed unchanged, a quaint relic of a simpler, more peaceful past. Although it rarely put on shows any more--the Ponyville Opry and the Trediamanti Center for the Arts were the venues for finished productions--it still provided a warm, comfortable atmosphere in which to practice and to teach. It was also where certain after-school clubs and groups met to practice away from the prying eyes of their peers, which was one of the things that had drawn Sweetie Belle to it in the first place.

The unicorn had not grown up with a lot of confidence. Being Rarity the Unicorn's younger sister had cast a deep, long shadow to cower in, and through no fault of her own, Rarity had spent most of her life outshining her sibling, often to an extraordinary degree. As a result, Sweetie had never really considered herself worth much, and no amount of fawning, complimenting, or cajoling could shake that sense of inadequacy for long. Even her voice, which the other Crusaders insisted was sweeter even than Fluttershy's, was not something she felt comfortable showing off, much to the apparent chagrin of anypony who'd ever heard her using it to its full potential. The risk of public ridicule or even just simple disdain was suffocating, so she kept her voice to herself. She liked to sing, make no mistake, but the idea of performing in front of other ponies was nigh unfathomable.

At least, it had been. Then, some years ago, her best non-Crusader friend, Glittershell, had bounded excitedly up to her with a flyer in her mouth and elation in her eyes. The flyer had been an advertisement for a singing club, taught and led by the retired lead tenor of Manehattan's premiere choral group. The flyer promised fun and education for anypony and everypony, no matter what skill level or age. Sweetie had naturally refused to even entertain the idea, but Glitter's persistent wheedling and legendary guilt-tripping eventually wore her down, and Sweetie agreed to accompany her to a meeting.

Ten minutes into the first day, she'd been hooked. The teacher, Limelight, was warm and genuine, with a quick smile and a sublime voice. He'd started the first assembly by showing a video of himself from many years earlier, when he'd been just a colt with a passion for singing--but none of the necessary talent. The colt in the video had a thin, reedy voice, and overshot every note by a meaningful margin. Sweetie Belle cringed to see somepony actually performing like that, without a care in the world, but the video had the desired effect. If that colt could not only perform confidently despite his shortcomings, but also persevere and grow into the handsome, supremely talented stallion standing next to the TV with an apologetic grin on his face, then certainly she could at least give the class a try. The sentiment seemed to be more or less universal, and the small group had quickly grown into a reasonably competent chorus. She'd never had more fun in her life.

It was just as well that the club was meeting today, Sweetie reflected solemnly as she plodded down the road to the nondescript little building. She needed some fun. After the fiasco on Saturday morning, then the fight with Apple Bloom on the walk home, and then having Silver Spoon corner her and catch her in a bold-faced lie...it had not been a good week.

Sweetie reached the theater and made her way into the auditorium, pausing to allow her eyes to adjust to the gloom. The stage was clearly visible, the bright hooflights illuminating the crimson curtain, but the rest of the room was in deep shadow that slowly faded as her pupils dilated. Shadowy figures milled around the front rows of the theater, some chatting, some humming, others actively singing in an attempt to warm up their voice. Sweetie Belle's ears pricked and she smiled as she identified Glittershell's clarion alto ringing above the rest, dancing gaily through a series of arpeggios. Glitter's voice had been the most substantial change wrought by the transition the former colt had undergone.

Suddenly, the voice stopped and said, "Sweetie?" Sweetie Belle squinted at the fuzzy darkness and saw a figure trotting up the aisle towards her. Glittershell's broad grin materialized out of the gloom, and Sweetie's smile widened. "Hey, filly, how are you? Seems like we haven't seen each other in ages!"

Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes. "Get a grip, Glitter, it's been like five days." She smirked as the tall saffron unicorn gave her a hug that lifted her off the floor a few inches.

"Still!" Glitter said, putting her friend back down. "It sucks that we don't get to see each other as much as we used to."

Sweetie nodded solemnly. "Yeah, well...you know I don't really like hanging out at Rarity's if I can help it."

"I still don't see why," Glitter shook her head and pursed her lips. "She doesn't mean anything, she's just...enthusiastic."

"Enthusiastically critical," Sweetie muttered. "Not everyone can be her favorite, Glitter."

Glittershell didn't seem to have a response for this. Instead, she simply shrugged and said, "We should still set up a girls' night, like old times, right? Just you and me and makeovers and gossiping until the sun comes back up."

Sweetie smiled back. "Yeah, I'd like that."

"In the meanwhile, how've you been, filly? Anything new with the Crusaders?"

Sweetie tried not to visibly react, and strove to keep her voice steady as she said, "Nothing really. Just working on our projects and...you know, getting ready to graduate."

Glitter raised an eyebrow at her. "Nothing, huh?"

Sweetie shrugged and feigned emotional neutrality. "No, nothing special."

"Uh-huh," her friend said, smirking. "Tell you what, Sweetie, how about you try that again, except this time you tell the truth."

Sweetie Belle blushed. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Really?" Glitter blew her bangs out of her eyes with an exasperated sigh. "Sweetie, we've been friends for years. You knew more about me than my so-called best friend, and I'd like to think I know more about you than the Crusaders do. At the very least you know I can read you like sheet music, right?"

Sweetie Belle grimaced. "Yeah, I know."

"Come on, marshmallow," Glitter said, a look of gentle concern on her face, "talk to me. What's wrong?"

Sweetie sighed. "Alright, but...you gotta promise to keep it a secret, alright?"

The other unicorn solemnly crossed her heart with a hoof before raising it to cover her left eye. "Of course. I always do, don't I?"

"Yeah..." Sweetie Belle sighed again. "Okay, so the thing is--"

"Come along, fillies and colts, let's get started!" Her explanation was suddenly cut off by Limelight's ringing summons from the stage. "The Winter Wrap-Up Revue is only a few months away, and we have a whole new set list to learn." He started distributing thick packets of sheet music to the ponies already milling around the stage. "After the resounding success of our Hearth's Warming concert, I expect we'll be performing for a truly packed house this time." He smiled broadly. "I realize that sounds like a threat to some of you, but I promise it will be the experience of the lifetime."

"Shoot," Glitter said, pursing her lips. "We'll talk afterwards, right?"

Sweetie nodded, ignoring the flutter of panic at Limelight's prediction. In truth, performing in front of a large audience was still thoroughly terrifying, but as long as she had Glitter standing beside her on stage, singing her heart out without a care in the world, she knew she would enjoy herself all the same. "Sure. I gotta come back to Rarity's place after practice anyway 'cuz my folks won't be home and they still won't give me a key."

"Sparkles!" Glitter said happily, bounding up the aisle toward the stage. "I can't wait."

Sweetie Belle sighed and mumbled, "I can..."

"I love, love, love the Winter Wrap-Up arrangement Mr. Limelight got for us!" Sweetie Belle gushed as she and Glitter walked side-by-side through the town square. "I've been singing that song for years, but I never thought it could be so...moving!"

The other unicorn nodded, smiling. "Yeah, all the extra harmonies and counterpoints add a lot of depth. I never thought about that song being beautiful, but this arrangement really is." She cut her eyes at the shorter filly beside her. "And how about Mr. Limelight tapping you for the solo?"

Sweetie Belle grimaced. "Yeah, I'm not so sure about that part...I mean, I appreciate his confidence and all, but..."

Glitter giggled. "Oh, please. You saw what happened. The second he said 'female soloist', every head turned straight to look at you."

She blushed. "Yeah, I remember." She exhaled slowly, her bangs fluttering slightly in the breeze. "I dunno, Glitter. I mean, I know everypony else thinks I'm pretty good, and I know they like to hear me sing, but solo? I just...I'm not sure I can perform under that kind of pressure."

Glitter bumped their shoulders together. "Yeah you can, and you even know you can. You just want an excuse not to put yourself out there."

"I do not!" Sweetie huffed.

"Oh really?" Glitter raised an eyebrow at her. "Then what is it? Are you really afraid of failing at something I've never even heard you struggle with?"

Sweetie scowled at her. "Maybe."

The other filly rolled her eyes. "Oh, fine. Be that way." The two unicorns walked in petulant silence for a minute or so before Glitter's silent treatment predictably faltered. "So...the Crusaders...?"

"What about them?" Sweetie muttered, her annoyance at Glitter being right--as she often was--lending a hint more venom to her words than was necessary.

"That's what I want to know," Glitter said. "What's up with them? I know it can't be 'nothing', since you said 'nothing' before and you were obviously lying. So come on, marshmallow, what's wrong?"

Sweetie Belle considered the question for several seconds. For once, Glitter stayed quiet and let her think. Part of the unicorn wanted nothing more than to forget Saturday morning had even happened at all, to just pretend she didn't remember what Scootaloo had said, how Apple Bloom had reacted, or any of the internal conversations she'd had with herself since. It wasn't a solution, but it seemed easier than facing the truth head-on.

But Glittershell really was one of her best friends. Had been her best friend for years, almost on par with the Crusaders, and sometimes moreso. Their relationship, and the candor they shared, had a history that stretched all the way back to the first time they'd ever spoken to one another alone. It had been Sweetie's fault, insofar as there was fault to be laid, because she had been the one whose incessant snooping and insatiably observant curiosity had revealed Snails' deeply guarded secret in the first place. The initial shock had worn off quickly enough, and she had actually approached Snails one day after class, away from anypony else, to let him know what she had learned.

His initial denial was short-lived, and from that moment the two had slowly forged a deep bond, taking advantage of Rarity's generosity to provide a safe haven for them to talk and an adult for them to ask certain...difficult questions. In turn, Rarity had grown rather fond of the confused young colt, and had even offered to be their cover if anypony asked why Snai--no, she preferred female pronouns, and the name Glittershell now--spent so much time in the boutique. Nopony ever did--even Snips, who remained oblivious until the last possible moment--but it was comforting to have the option.

Over time, the relationship had grown deep enough for Sweetie to share certain insecurities and problems with Glitter in return, problems the filly was eager to face with a desperate determination, as though trying to balance Sweetie's selfless kindness with her own. It was the best possible resource Sweetie could have had; adolescence was a challenge for anypony, but Sweetie had been facing it alone until Glitter had come along. Where Scootaloo had always had Rainbow Dash and Apple Bloom had always had Applejack, Sweetie Belle and her sister were not so close, and asking Rarity questions about 'becoming a young mare' usually devolved into red-faced mutterings and unpleasantly candid discussions about unrelated topics. Glittershell had filled that void when it truly mattered; facing issues, even mysterious ones, was easier with a friend by your side.

A lot had changed since then, but the one thing that had always remained was Glittershell's devotion to Sweetie Belle, and her genuine concern for her. In return, Sweetie had never doubted Glitter's candor or her discretion. She was a good friend, and a great emotional resource. Talking to her about her problems had never steered Sweetie Belle wrong before.

Sweetie Belle sighed. "Yeah...there is something wrong. Something...well, a lot of things." She glanced sideways at her friend. "But I don't want to talk about it out here. Let's wait until we get to Rarity's place and get behind a closed door. It's...private."

"Oooh," Glitter murmured, her eyes widening. "Private...is it about-"

"Private as in I don't want to talk about it in public at all, Glitter," Sweetie Belle huffed. Glitter nodded her understanding, and they finished the walk in silence. Ever thirsty for gossip, Glittershell fairly hummed with anticipation.

They arrived at the site of the heavily renovated Carousel Boutique. The little building still stood in the middle of town, but now only to provide a decorative monument of the humble beginnings of the Trediamanti clothing empire. It's primary function these days was as an entrance foyer to the much larger building that had been constructed around it as the proprietor's business had expanded. Wing after wing had been added on until the little boutique had grown into a monolithic emporium.

Easily the largest standing building in town, it was a staple of Ponyville's economy. The massive floor plan housed a vast array of clothing, from the highest of haute couture to the most basic prêt-à-porter, each and every stitch hoof-designed by Rarity herself. Her dedication to perfection and care in every stage of design for every kind of outfit for any class of pony had made her both an anomaly and a treasure in the fashion world. Her name was now synonymous with high fashion, and a fair amount of Ponyville's income was either through her store or by virtue of wealthy Canterlot and Manehattan tourists taking advantage of a day trip to the Boutique to also spend some of their money elsewhere in town.

Sweetie Belle and Glittershell walked into the store along with a small throng of other ponies and weaved among the various shoppers, eyes idly scanning over racks of clothes and dozens of clotheshorses decked out in the cutting edge of fashion. Rarity's unparalleled knack for design was evident in every corner of the Boutique, even to the finest details of the decor she had hoof-picked. Eventually, the pair made their way to the back of the store and went through a door marked "Employees Only". Behind the door was a short hallway with an elevator at the end. The elevator had no buttons or markings to indicate its purpose, but as they approached it, a speaker on the wall crackled, and a voice said, "Good evening, Sweetie Belle. Glittershell, welcome home."

Glitter grinned at the camera above the elevator. "Hey, Mackinaw." Some years prior, Glitter's secret had been revealed to the worst pony possible, and Diamond Tiara had taken her newfound knowledge and run with it. The truth had disseminated among the rest of the class so quickly that Scootaloo and Apple Bloom had found out before Sweetie had had a chance to explain it to them herself. The result had been general ridicule and wary distaste from most of the class, and outright loathing from a select few--Glitter's former friend Snips and Diamond Tiara's toady Silver Spoon included. From the schoolhouse, the news had spread like wildfire through the town, eventually making its way to Glitter's parents, who proved less than understanding when they threw her out. Only barely of age and unable to survive on her own, Glitter had come to Rarity, the only pony who had ever really treated her like family, for help. The unicorn had been overjoyed to take her in, and Glitter had been living there as Rarity's foster daughter ever since. "Can we come up?"

"Sure thing. I'll open the elevator for you." The elevator chimed and the doors slid noiselessly open, revealing an elegantly decorated interior, with red velvet lining the walls up to the midway point where they met with the mirrored upper half. A gleaming brass bar ringed the division, glistening in the soft white fairy light emanating from the ceiling. Sweetie and Glitter entered the elevator and the doors slid shut behind them. After a moment, the lift ascended, swiftly but gently, and came to graceful rest only a few seconds later. The elevator chimed again and the doors opened onto a vast, opulent foyer, as long as the store beneath it. Paintings--mostly portraits--adorned the walls, spaced by lush houseplants in intricately decorated vases. A full-sized grand piano sat idly on the other end of the hall, the black polished wood gleaming in the light cast through the tall frosted window behind it. On either side of the foyer were doors leading to other rooms of the loft.

Rarity came trotting out of one of the nearer doors, clad in a fuzzy white bathrobe and slippers. "Glitter, darling, is that you?" Upon seeing the pair, she smiled broadly and said, "Oh, Sweetie Belle! How good to see you, my dear sister. I hope you are well?"

Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes at her sister's affectation. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Wonderful, wonderful," she said absently, trotting lightly across the foyer and pausing in front of Glittershell to fix the younger mare's mane. "How was chorus, Glitter dear?"

Glitter patiently weathered the preening. "It was good. We're starting to practice for Winter Wrap-Up."

"Oh? Will you be performing at the ceremony this year?"

Glitter nodded. "Yeah, and guess who's going to be the soloist?" She turned to grin at Sweetie Belle.

"Oh, Glitter, how wonderful!" Rarity gushed, clasping Glittershell's face in her hooves. "I'm so proud of you! I always knew--"

"No, it's not--" Glitter struggled to escape Rarity's grasp, her face flushing in embarrassment. "It's not me. It's Sweetie Belle."

"Oh." A flash of disappointment followed Rarity's gaze as it turned to Sweetie's face. "Oh, that's marvelous, Sweetie." The older unicorn beamed at her sister, the smile only slightly tainted by the dejection in her eyes.

Sweetie Belle didn't return the look. "I guess. I'm not really looking forward to singing alone in front of a crowd, but Mr. Limelight thinks I can do it, so..."

"Of course you can," Rarity scoffed. "You are extraordinarily talented. Your performance is sure to be simply sublime." She shook her head. "Honestly, Sweetie, you really must stop being so self-conscious. It comes across as feigned modesty in somepony so gifted, and that in itself can be quite unattractive." She sniffed haughtily.

Sweetie narrowed her eyes at her sister. "Yeah, I'll get right on that. Wouldn't want to look unattractive, would I?"

"Not at all," Rarity said breezily. "You are a beautiful young mare, Sweetie Belle. You should be proud of that and flaunt it." Sweetie Belle sneered as Rarity turned back towards the room she'd come from. "Anyway, I am unfortunately quite busy today. The house is, of course, open to your utilization, as always. Adieu."

"Thanks, Rarity," Glitter said, eyeing the seething Sweetie Belle with caution. "We'll stay out of your mane." The moment the door closed behind Rarity, Glitter said, "Sweetie, I know what you're thinking, but--"

"Do you?" Sweetie snapped. "Does she talk to you like that? Try to tell you how to act and look and think?"

Glitter looked away. "No, not really...and I'm not sure--"

"Exactly." Sweetie Belle gritted her teeth. "It's just me."

"Sorry, Sweetie." She looked like she really meant it. Her eyes even shimmered.

A pang of guilt tightened Sweetie Belle's stomach, and she sighed. "No, I'm sorry, Glitter. It's not your fault." Her ears drooped down onto her head. "She's always been that way. It just...gets to me sometimes."

Glitter nodded, hazarding a smile. "I bet. It would get to me, too."

"Actually, I'm glad she doesn't talk to you that way." Sweetie returned the smile wanly. "At least she treats somepony like family."

Glitter's cheeks flushed. "Anyway," she said hastily, "let's go to my room. You still need to tell me what's up with the Crusaders." She led the way down to the end of the foyer and into another wing of the loft, past several more doors and rooms until they finally found their way into a small bedroom at the end of the second hall.

Glitter's room was not very large. It wasn't even as large as the guest room that Sweetie Belle was occasionally forced to stay in, but she had gone to great lengths to make it her own. Her mint-green bed was pushed into a corner to make space for her vanity and her desk, both of which were completely covered in their respective kit. The former had rows of lipstick, mascara, blush, foundation, and eyeliner strewn across the top; the latter had books and papers related to her schoolwork. The rest of the room was modestly decorated--with the exception of several dozen photos and diagrams of various mollusks pinned to a corkboard above the desk--but the real majesty of the bedroom was in the closet.

Glittershell's clothes closet was as big as the rest of her bedroom. It was jammed completely full of outfits, almost exclusively designed and made by her foster mother. Like most ponies, Glitter tended to go around in the buff most days, but she relished the opportunity to get dressed up, and living with Rarity provided her with plenty. There were short summer dresses and long evening gowns, sharp pantsuits and cheeky sportswear, along with dozens of pairs of classy shoes, bows, and ribbons, not to mention two jewelry chests full of glittering trim to complete each outfit to perfection. Sweetie Belle knew that Rarity simply adored having somepony else around who really appreciated fine fashion like she did.

Sweetie Belle liked fashion just fine, and she and Glitter had spent plenty of time trying on her various outfits and modeling them for one another, but the truth was that Sweetie Belle simply didn't have the same flair for it that Glitter and Rarity did. She'd wanted to be a designer like her sister, once, but when it became clear that she lacked any real design sense, she'd rather lost interest in haute couture in general. Glitter was not so afflicted.

"So," the other filly said, kicking her door closed and then nearly bouncing over to sit on the edge of her bed. "Spill it."

Sweetie Belle sighed and slowly walked over to sit next to her friend. "Alright, alright. Promise you won't tell anypony, though?"

Glitter nodded. "I promise."

"And you won't say anything to the Crusaders, either."

"I won't."

"And..." she paused, grimacing. "You can't make fun of me or be mad at me or scold me or anything, okay?"

Glitter raised an eyebrow at her. "Uh...I guess? What did you do that I might need to?"

Sweetie pursed her lips and hung her head. Her cheeks warmed slightly as she said, "So the Crusaders had a sleepover on Friday night."

"Yeah, game night. Same as always."

"Right. Anyway, it...wasn't just us this time."

"Oh?" Glitter tilted her head curiously. "I thought it was just a Crusader thing. In fact, that's why you never invited me, remember?" she said with a touch of offense.

"Yeah, I know. And I didn't invite her, Scootaloo did. Without asking us first, or I'd have seen if you could come, too," she added hastily.

Glitter nodded her understanding. "Who was it?"

Sweetie hesitated. "Promise you won't be mad."

"Why? Should I be?" the unicorn asked.

Sweetie Belle grimaced. "Well...it was Silver Sp--"

"What?" Glittershell shrieked, leaping to her hooves. "Are you bucking kidding me?" Sweetie shook her head and looked down at her hooves in on the bedspread as Glitter started to stomp back and forth across the room. "Of all the...I mean, the worst...just, anypony else..." she sputtered, unable to put her thoughts to coherent form.

Sweetie Belle winced. "I know, Glitter, but--"

"You know? You know!" The unicorn's eyes flashed with rage. "What do you know, huh? Did they spend every day making nasty comments behind your back? Starting rumors that spread all the way through town? Did they leave hate mail in your desk every day?"

"No," Sweetie admitted, pathetically casting about for common ground. "But, I mean, they messed with us, too..." she trailed off as Glittershell's eyes bugged incredulously at her.

"Messed with you? They messed with you? Sweetie Belle, they tortured me," she said, her voice straining at the edges as years of haunting memories crept back into her tone. "Every day they tortured me, saying the most awful things, throwing things at me when Miss Cheerilee wasn't looking, tripping me in the yard...how could you even think to compare what they did to me to having them call you 'blank flank' for a few years?" The strain turned to a crack, and her composure dissolved completely. Tears collected on her eyelids. "They hated me, Sweetie Belle."

Sweetie Belle nodded sadly, still looking down at her hooves and avoiding her friend's gaze. "I know."

"They're the reason I had to drop out, and now you just invite one of them in like everything's fine--"

"No!" Sweetie cut Glitter off. "I did not invite her in!"

"Fine, but--"

"No, it's not fine, Glitter, because you don't know anything about what was said, or what happened, or how it even started!" Sweetie startled herself with her own sudden spirited defense, but maintained the tack when she realized Glitter's eyes were shocked, but dry. "Look, I get it," she continued, forcing as much emotion into the words as she could. "Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon and all of them were awful to you. I'm really sorry about that, but I don't know what more you want me to say. I did everything I could for you back then, and I don't regret the crap that we had to deal with when we were defending you, but you have to realize I know that you suffered, okay?" Tears burned at the corners of her eyes as she struggled to convey the intensity of her feelings to her distraught friend.

Glitter opened and closed her mouth a few times, her tirade stalled at Sweetie's sudden rebuttal. "Well, yeah, I do, but--"

"No, Glitter, no 'but'." Sweetie got off of the bed and came over to nuzzle the other filly. "I know you're upset, I know you're hurt, I get it. I'm sorry, I really am, but..." She sighed. "Look, life went on at school after you left, you know?" Glitter looked away, but she nodded. "And some stuff's changed...like, a lot."

Glitter looked back at her through her bangs. "Like what?"

Sweetie sighed. "Well, as it turns out, like Silver Spoon. Yeah, I know," she said, reacting to Glitter's skeptical look, "I didn't believe it either. At least, not until I had some time to sit and talk to her without Diamond Tiara around."

Glitter blinked. "With...out Diamond Tiara?"

"Crazy, right?" Sweetie said, smiling wanly. "Trust me, it gets weirder."

Glittershell followed the white unicorn back to the bed in a daze, climbing back onto the comforter and staring incredulously at her. "Weirder?"

"Yeah," Sweetie said, "like...weird enough that that's kind of the whole...'deal' with the Crusaders that I was talking about."

"Oh...oh!" Glitter said, her face suddenly lighting back up. "Right, I almost forgot! Damn, Sweetie, I'm sorry, I didn't think--"

Sweetie Belle waved her off. "Don't worry about it. I really should've known better than to just drop Silver Spoon's name like that. I mean...she was pretty awful to you."

Glitter shrugged and pursed her lips in resignation. "Yeah, well...I guess it was a long time ago."

"Still."

"Anyway, what happened?"

Sweetie sighed. "Alright, so, first of all, Scootaloo's the one who invited her in the first place, right?"

"Wait, Scootaloo invited her?" Glitter breathed. "But I thought she hated those two."

Sweetie nodded. "Yeah, which is kind of why Apple Bloom and I went through with it. We figured if Scootaloo could get along with her, anypony could."

"Yeah, I'll say. So what happened?"

"Well," Sweetie said, "we actually had a great time. Yeah, I know," she added in response to Glitter's dumbfounded expression. "Never in a million years did I think we could have even tolerated Silver Spoon for more than an hour or so, but it turns out she's really sweet and kind and fun to talk to. I know she and Diamond Tiara together are a nightmare, but I guess that's mostly just Diamond Tiara. Anyway, we had a ton of fun. We played games, watched movies, and just chatted until we all fell asleep. It was kind of awesome," she added, her cheeks coloring slightly in guilt.

Glittershell frowned and made a skeptical noise. "Great. So it's just me they hate, then."

"No, no," Sweetie Belle said, shaking her head. "It's not even that. Silver Spoon doesn't hate anypony, probably not even you. Diamond Tiara hates ponies, and since she's the only friend Silver Spoon's ever had, she just went along with it to stay on Diamond Tiara's good side."

"Whatever," Glitter said, brushing the comment aside. "That still doesn't exactly sound like a problem so private you couldn't have told me about it earlier."

"Yeah, that's because that's not the problem," Sweetie Belle said darkly. "The problem is what happened during the night, and the next morning."

"Why? What happened?"

Sweetie Belle pursed her lips, a gnawing anxiety stirring in her middle. "Well...Silver Spoon left really early the next morning, like before Scootaloo or I were even up."

"Really? Why?"

Sweetie Belle hesitated for a moment. "She...Scootaloo kind of...freaked her out."

"How?"

"She...held her hoof. When she thought Silver Spoon was asleep."

"Held her ho--...ooh," Glitter said, all previous emotion draining from her face to be replaced by dawning comprehension. "Oh...wow. So she...?"

Sweetie Belle nodded glumly. "Yeah, Scootaloo is...you know." She blushed.

"Like her mothers?"

"Something like that," Sweetie said.

"Wow. That's...kind of a big deal. I mean," Glitter said, "it's not surprising, given how she acts and talks and...well, except she always swore up and down that she wasn't, right?" Sweetie nodded. Glitter smirked. "Then again, isn't that always the way it goes? Denial before acceptance?"

"I guess," Sweetie said quietly. "Still, it was a shock."

"I bet." Glitter smiled. "Well, I know it helped to have a couple of supportive friends to be there for her. It really helped me a lot just having you." Sweetie Belle didn't respond. She simply stared at the floor, not daring to meet Glittershell's gaze. The unicorn leaned over to look her in the eye. "I mean, you were there for her, weren't you?" Sweetie stayed silent and closed her eyes. Tears of shame collected along her eyelids. Glitter's voice took on a horrified tone. "Sweetie Belle...you didn't..."

"It wasn't my fault!" Sweetie suddenly said, her eyes snapping open and finding Glitter's stunned face. "Apple Bloom and I...we were already arguing, and...I mean, Silver Spoon could have just stayed and explained, but...and Scootaloo was so...Scootaloo about it..." She rambled desperately, casting about for some words that would justify her actions that night and assuage the icicle of guilt slowly piercing her chest. "I just...I was surprised, and upset, and confused, and I just...I needed more time! I needed to think about it, to talk about it, but Apple Bloom...Apple Bloom started it!" she blurted, now searching for anything she could say to stop Glittershell from frowning at her, from staring at her with disgust and disbelief, her eyes dark and hateful. "Apple Bloom was the one who was angry about it, who said awful, horrible things to her! If she'd just let it go, or just left, or...or...if Scootaloo had let her leave, and not gotten so angry and--"

"Don't you dare," Glittershell suddenly interrupted her with a hiss, her voice cold and her eyes narrowed. Sweetie Belle quailed and shrunk back into herself as Glitter took a step forward, growling through clenched teeth. "Don't you dare make this Scootaloo's fault."

"I wasn't--"

"Scootaloo needed a friend, she needed somepony to talk to, to understand her, she needed you, Sweetie Belle!" Glitter's eyes shone and her voice shook. "She needed you to tell her it was okay to be gay, that it was okay to be different than she, or you, or anypony else thought she was." Sweetie Belle hung her head in bitter shame. "Why didn't you?"

Sweetie Belle sniffed back tears. "I don't know, Glitter."

"So what did you do, then?"

Sweetie shook her head. "I left. Scootaloo asked if I agreed with the awful stuff Apple Bloom was saying, and I...I didn't know what to say."

"'No' might have been a good start," Glitter deadpanned.

Sweetie grimaced, the tears breaking free and sliding down her cheek. "I know, I was just...it came out of nowhere, and it was right after Silver Spoon left, and I didn't want them both to hate me, but...oh, Glitter, what am I gonna do now?" She burst into tears, putting her hooves over her eyes and just trying to hide from the accusatory glare of the only friend she had left in Equestria. "She looked so scared and nervous, and when Apple Bloom said those things, I couldn't...I should have said something, I should have stayed, and I didn't, and now..." She trailed off into a sob as Glittershell turned and walked away from her, stopping in front of the vanity and looking at herself in the mirror. "Glitter, I really messed up," she blubbered, "I'm sorry...don't hate me, please..."

"I don't hate you," Glitter said softly. "I'm..." She sighed. "I'm really disappointed. Of all ponies, I would've thought you would be able to support and accept your friend, no matter what she told you. I mean..." She smirked at her reflection. "You were there for me, and I told you something much stranger, didn't I?"

Tears streamed down Sweetie Belle's face as she fought to regain her composure. "I know, Glitter, I--" She hiccuped. "I should have stayed, I should have talked to her, but I didn't, I just--" She burst into sobs again.

From across the room, she heard Glitter heave a sigh. Then she walked across the room and wrapped her forelegs around Sweetie's shoulders and held her tightly, pressing the ivory unicorn's muzzle into her chest fur. She rested her chin on Sweetie Belle's head and murmured, "Alright, alright, calm down."

Sweetie Belle shook her head and wailed through Glitter's fur. "It's all my fault! Scootaloo hasn't even come to school since last week, and now Apple Bloom won't talk to me, and I just want everything to go back to normal!"

Glitter sighed again. "It won't. It can't. But, you know, maybe that's a good thing, right?" She held Sweetie Belle at arm's length, smiling faintly as the unicorn hiccuped and swiped at the tears still staining her cheeks. "I mean, sure, it didn't go great, but at least it's done, and Scootaloo's out, and you guys can go from here, right?"

"I dunno," Sweetie said miserably. "Apple Bloom--"

"Forget Apple Bloom," Glitter scoffed. "We talked about her before, remember? We kind of always figured she might be...weird about it."

"She supported you," Sweetie said.

"Just barely, remember? And that was probably just because you were. This time it's different, though. This time it's one of her best friends who's coming out. Somepony she's known for years, who--let's be honest--has been lying to the both of you for a while, right?" Sweetie nodded glumly. "It might just take her a while to come around. In the meanwhile, Scootaloo needs somepony to be there for her." She gave Sweetie Belle a meaningful look. "Somepony like you, right?"

Sweetie looked away. "She doesn't want to talk to me."

"You don't know that."

"I wouldn't want to talk to me."

"Well, even so," Glitter said, "you need to talk to her."

"I suppose..."

"No, you do. In fact," Glitter's gentle smile morphed into something vaguely mischievous. "You might even break the ice by finding some common ground, you know?"

"Common grou--oh," Sweetie Belle's eyes widened above her rapidly flushing cheeks. "Oh, no, no way," she said, shaking her head.

"Why not?" Glitter asked. "You don't think it might help her to know she's not alone?"

"How would that help?" Sweetie asked, her cheeks still darkening as panic flooded her chest. "This all started because she told us she has a crush on Silver Spoon. How in Equestria would telling her...you know...that--"

"That you've had a crush on her for years?" Glittershell finished with a smirk.

"Shhhh!" Sweetie Belle hissed, stuffing a hoof in Glitter's mouth to silence her. She cut her eyes at the door, magically pulling it open to verify nopony was behind it. The empty hallway stretched into the distance. Sweetie Belle sighed in relief.

Glittershell giggled as she pulled away from Sweetie's hoof. "What? You think Rarity would even be surprised to hear about that? Come on, Sweetie, you know she already thinks you and I might have a thing, right?"

Sweetie frowned at the floor, her face still burning. "Yeah, yeah...but that's different. I don't care if ponies think we're together."

"I do," Glitter scoffed. "Just because you like mares doesn't mean I'm not hunting bigger game."

"You know what I mean," Sweetie groused as she closed the hallway door again. "I just...Scootaloo's my best friend. I don't want to screw that up."

"Yeah, I know," Glitter said. "But maybe it would help her to know she's not the only pony our age struggling with this sort of thing."

"Still..." The unicorn sighed. "Look, even if that were true, I...I'm not ready, alright?"

Glitter nodded. "Yeah, alright. It was just an idea."

"I know." There was a moment of silence, and then Sweetie said quietly, "Besides, I already burned that bridge years ago."

"How so?" Glitter asked.

Sweetie sighed. "Oh, we were talking about Trixie and Starlight Glimmer and how big a deal it was that two mares got married and were living together in Ponyville, and she asked if I could ever be with a mare like that, and I kind of panicked and gave her a pretty strong 'no'."

"Ah. Was that before or after she starred in your very first sex dream?"

"Glitter!" Sweetie yelped.

The other mare laughed. "Well?"

The white unicorn's face blazed. "After."

"So you were trying to throw her off the scent, then?" Sweetie nodded, and Glitter smirked. "Well, what's done is done, I guess. Still, it's not like she wouldn't believe you came around. After all, she did, didn't she?"

"I guess."

"Anyway, I think you should tell her. She deserves to know, don't you think?"

"To what end?" Sweetie snapped. "It's not like she's ever shown any interest in me, and besides..." She looked back at the floor, her voice suddenly soft and slightly thick. "She's already got her eye on somepony else."

There was a long silence that Glittershell gently broke. "I see. So all this isn't just about Apple Bloom's anger or Scootaloo coming out, is it?" Sweetie didn't answer. Glitter pressed on, leaning forward to look Sweetie in the eye. "It's because she went from being completely and permanently straight to having a crush on a mare who isn't you in less than a week, right?" Sweetie Belle still didn't answer. She sniffed as tears collected in her eyes and slowly slid down her muzzle to fall to the floor. "Oh, Sweetie..." Glitter said gently. She snuggled up to Sweetie Belle and hugged her tightly. "I'm sorry, marshmallow..."

Sweetie couldn't respond. She could only cry.

Author's Notes:

Many props to Sharp Spark for helping me massively with this chapter. (Also some scolding, for writing fics so good I got lost reading them for a few days while working on it.) Additional help from Daedalian, Quill Trace, and MrBackpack, of course.

Glittershell is a creation of Kryptchild, who JUST RESTARTED THE GLITTERBLOG, HOLY CELESTIA'S KNICKERS. I hope I got her right enough to not make Krypt hate me...