Fluttershy had awoken rather early today, her animals had no real needs to attend to, but she had made a habit of getting up to make herself and Angel Bunny some breakfast and tea before she went into her morning routine.

The cream colored pegasus was completely unaware of the drama that had gone on since Scootaloo's little show back at Sugar Cube corner. She found it odd Rarity had not invited her to the spa—nor was she there when Fluttershy went on her own invitation. She had not heard from any of her friends in the better part of a week, however she was somewhat happy about this, it gave her ample time with her animal friends, tending to her cottage and garden among other things she enjoyed doing. It had been a tranquil week for the pristine pegasus.

“Ahh,” Fluttershy relaxed as she sipped her tea, “Isn't this such a lovely morning Angel Bunny?”

The abusive, self centered rabbit didn't acknowledge her friendly caretaker's question, as he was busy eating an unnecessarily nice salad with special trimmings just for his spoiled little flank.

“I do wish my friends would stop by soon, I do miss them—oh but I'm sure they're enjoying the sunshine too. I know I most certainly am!”

Again, no response from Bunnicula, but the animal-over didn't seem to mind. She blissfully exited her cottage and began her array of housekeeping tasks which consisted of many things, from feeding the birds, squirrels, and everything in between, to repairing the dens and burrows of the underground critters, to keeping her own house pristine and beautiful, humming a sweet song to herself all the while.

She decided that she would go into town and get some food from the market as her feed and fruit were in low supply, and given that mating season was closing for most of her creatures, there would be plenty of new mouths to feed. Fluttershy made her way into the center of town, taking an alternate route that passed Twilight's library. The giant force-field seemed rather odd to her.

'Well that's strange, I wonder why Twilight has a force-field around her home?' The Pegasus thought to herself as she continued through the main road into the Ponyville market.   As she made her way to each stall, seeing the wares for sale and purchasing what she needed as she saw it, she noticed a familiar filly walking oddly through the market.

Applebloom was mortified to be here, though she was the one who wanted to “get some fresh air” while Twilight did her shopping. Her curiosity lured her to a candy stand, but her paranoia compelled her to keep returning to where Twilight stood. To any passing pony it looked as if she was trotting in circles. This last trot back to Twilight did not end successfully though. Twilight was nowhere to be found, she must have left, to busy to notice the filly was gone. Applebloom instantly ran to Fluttershy.

“Why thank you so very much sir.” Fluttershy thanked the less than enthusiastic vendor who was selling lettuce. She really felt the price her had set of thirteen bits for one head was a but much, though she figured the stallion wasn't in much of a bartering mood. She squealed as a filly appeared right behind her.

“Hi Fluttershy! Sorry ta scare ya like that.” The filly said, nervous for some reason as she fidgeted with her hooves.

“Oh it's okay—Applebloom.” It took Fluttershy some time to remember her name, after all she hadn't seen anypony she really knew for quite some time. “What brings you out here? Aren't you supposed to be in school?”

Applebloom raised her gaze from her hooves to Fluttershy, “Well—Ahm lost actually. Twi an' ah were just getting' some errands done an' ah went to go look at some candy an' she done left me.”

“Oh dear, well, come with me. We'll find that silly unicorn.” Fluttershy was surprised somewhat by how quickly Applebloom took clung to Fluttershy, all the times she had seen the Applebloom she'd been a stubborn, independent, and awfully whiny filly.

Fluttershy decided to take this time searching for Twilight to see if the filly could fill her in on what her friends were up to. Naturally of course, this being AppleJack's sister...

“SO, how's AppleJack?”

Applebloom pondered for a second, she was having an awfully fun day—well, up until getting left behind at least, she still was somewhat confused that Fluttershy didn't know about what had happened. She figured Twilight would be the best mare to explain everything.

“Uh...she's—uh—just fine ah reckon.” She lied.

“Aw, that's nice. What about your little friends?”

Finally, a cozy, safe subject. “Well, mah friends are great! Scootaloo lives with Rarity ya know?”

“M hm, I sure do.”

“Yeah well—uh, she's great. And Sweetie Belle is doin'..... alright too.” Applebloom's voiced trailed off.

Now that she thought about it they hadn't really done anything noteworthy for nearly a month. Certainty no crusading, the club-house was in a very unhappy place and with what had happened, all three fillies were under constant supervision.

Fluttershy was put off by this as well, this filly usually had a million things to say, no crusades? No mishaps? Weird. She wasn't sure what to do at this point, they had walked through most of the market. No sign of Twilight.

“Where do ya think she went?” Applebloom asked. At this point she had climbed on Fluttershy's back and was surveying the view from above. “Ah don't see her anywhere.”

“Don't worry Applebloom, we'll find her.” Fluttershy assured with a determined look on her face. They left the market now and were headed back to Twilight's house when somepony—or something smacked into them, sending Fluttershy on her back and Applebloom on her flank not too far behind her.

“Oh my gosh I'm so sorry I—Applebloom!” Twilight squealed. “There you are, thank goodness you're okay!” She wrapped the filly in a hug. “Thank you Fluttershy, I was so worried! One minute she was with me buying some bread and the next minute—poof!”

“Oh it's no problem Twilight, I had just come in town looking for one of you anyway, it's been an awful  long time since I've seen anypony. I was starting to get worried.”

Twilight let out a groan, “Let me tell you, it has been one hell of a week. You have time for tea? I'm taking these groceries home anyway.”

“Sure, I finished my morning chores, tea sounds lovely.” Fluttershy helped Twilight with her things and they made their way to the tree-house.

--------------

The day seemed to drag painfully for the unicorn and pegasus filly that sat in the back of Cheeriliee's classroom. Their recent shift in world-view had made school a grueling, agonizing snore-fest. They did their best to act like they cared, but really there was nothing there. Cheeriliee's lesson of the day pertained to the war between Chaos and Order. The two fillies had remained incognito, save the times Scootaloo couldn't help but snicker at the obvious nonsense the school-teacher presented as fact. Good for them nopony seemed to care much so they remained unnoticed.

It was finally time for recess The fillies stampeded out into the playground, Again, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo really didn't find much fun in any of the activities, and certainly none of the fillies would be worth wasting time with. Especially the one who seemed to take the most pleasure in seeing the dejected and empty looks on their faces as they sat under a tree.

“Well, well well if it isn't Sweetie Fail and Scoota-looser!” Diamond Tiara crowed mockingly as she approached the two fillies, her side-kick Silver Spoon at her side, providing the mandatory courtesy laugh.

“Go away Diamond Tiara!” Sweetie Belle hissed. She wanted nothing to do with this brat.

“So you're inbred redneck friend hasn't been around for awhile?” The snarky filly began, “They finally figured out how stupid she is and show her the door? Pssh, we don't need trash like that anyway.”

“I said go away Diamond Tiara!” Sweetie Belle was offended by this careless slander against her friend, not enough to do anything aside from hope she'd get the hint and leave.

“D'aww what is it Sweetie Belle? You should be happy! Now you have that dirt eating doofus to drag you down, you can hang with the cool kids now!”

“Shut up Diamond Tiara.” Scootaloo growled.

“Wha? You think I'm going to listen to you Scoota-looser? Ha! Why don't you Cutie Mark-less crusaders just go die and do us all a fav--”

Diamond Tiara didn't have a chance to finish that sentence, she was on the ground, one hoof pushing her down by her face, and the other one firmly planted on her tail.

Scootaloo stared at this scene in amazement.

“Say one more thing you brat!” Sweetie Belle was fuming.

Scootaloo feared for the worst. Diamond Tiara was a very tough pony, despite her dapper demeanor and seemingly feeble appearance, Scootaloo herself likely wouldn't start anything with her unless it was last resort.

And, her fears were confirmed, Sweetie Belle's next location was in a pit of mud, nearly body slammed into it. The pink filly on top of her glared at her.

“You think a puny little unicorn like you is going to take me down? I don't think so!”

Sweetie Belle was audibly crying, that impact must have hurt considering there was a tree nearby and she likely smacked into a raised root somewhere. Diamond Tiara wasn't letting up, she began to punch the unicorn filly brutally, making Scootaloo's assault seem like foal's work. The sound of the unicorn being beaten was loud enough to summon the school fillies in a circle around the scene.

“Get off of her!” Scootaloo yelled.

“Make me!” Diamond Tiara roared. She yanked up the unicorn and slammed her into the ground again, a squeal of pain let out of the white filly, tears mixing with the blood, mud, and dirt that caked her matted face. Suddenly though, Diamond's vice grip on the filly was ended. It was her turn to be the target of precise and painful bombardment. Scootaloo had her on the ground and was relentlessly letting her have it.

Hoof by hoof Diamond's face became an inflated, bruised and bloody wasteland. As the pink filly struggled to free herself from this physically superior pegasus who was going to damn near end her at this rate, was met with sharp teeth to her mane. Scootaloo tore at it as if it were cotton candy. Loud screams from the filly could be heard as her mane was literally being ripped off, with hooves still bearing down upon her, now on her stomach.

“Okay Okay! I give up! I give up! Please stop!” Diamond Tiara was beyond tears now, her pride didn't matter. For the first time in a long time she was scared. This filly was going to kill her.

Scootaloo obviously had no intent in doing this, though she did want to make something very clear to her. Scoots picked up the pink filly by the sides and slammed her to the base of a tree and held her there.

“I want to make something very clear to you Diamond Tiara.” Scootaloo spat, a look of unmistakable hatred on her face. “Don't you ever lay a hoof on my friend again you got me?”

Diamond nodded desperately, she wanted to get away.

“I'm not done with you. You have no idea what Applebloom has gone through, and you never will. My advice to you would be to shut the fuck up. Talk about her again and I won't think twice.”

Diamond was sobbing now. “Okay, Okay! I'm sorry!”

“GIRLS!”  Cheerilee pushed through the gathering of fillies to see a horrid sight.  “Scootaloo put her down NOW!”

Scootaloo abruptly dropped Diamond Tiara into the same puddle of mud that she had shoved Sweetie Belle into. Scootaloo turned around and walked past Ms Cheerilee. She wasn't going to deal with this.

“Scootaloo get back here this instant!” The teacher hollered while tending to the two injured fillies, however the orange pegasus ignored her and continued through the back door of the school-house and out the front. She made her way down the road to Ponyville. She wasn't returning to that place ever again. Next Chapter: Sweet Apple Animosity Estimated time remaining: 5 Hours, 15 Minutes