For the sake of a story.by Phoenix Kitten
Chapters
Week 1 Day 2: The Editor and Columnist's.
I'll be honest with you. I'm not exactly sure how this all happened. I hope you can help me fill in the blanks with the notes you have written down already miss.
Anyway. It all started on a Tuesday, I remember it was a Tuesday because my parents needed help with their job, so I had to go straight home to help.
I was supposed to become one of the columnists for the school newspaper, which my friend was going to be the editor of for that term, but because of helping my parents, I missed my chance, which is a shame.
I was walking to school with my friend the next day and she'd just told me all about it.
"You should have seen the look on their faces Silver." She cackled at me. "I think they were about to bolt right out of the room. It was priceless." She smirked before frowning slightly. "I have to give them credit though, they turned in a good story, and it got the paper really popular."
"That story about Tweedledee and Tweedledum stuck together by their docks with some gum?" I asked. It had seemed a little lowbrow in my opinion, which I shared with her, naturally.
"Oh you saw it? Yes, it was really, but it was better than nothing." She smirked again. "The best part is that stupid moniker they came up with for themselves." She cackled again. "Nopony is gonna buy it, especially not Miss Cheerilee."
I thought about that for a minute. "Miss Cheerilee won't, no, and no pony else will, but I don't think they'll really catch on to who it is."
"What makes you say that?" She had stopped cackling, a confused look adorning her muzzle.
"Do you read papers Diamond?" I asked her. "Not just the headlines or the business section or the comics. The gossip page. You don't really think that the ponies who write those articles use their real names do you?"
I adored Diamond Tiara, I really did, she was my closest, and only, friend... but she was a bit thick at times. Such as at that moment. She stopped to think about that.
"Oh well. I'll just put an article in the paper ousting them at the end of the term." She giggled.
I rolled my eyes. That was her in a nutshell. A giggly, thick, mean pony born into a life of luxury and ruthless business practices. She wanted for nothing, and that made her easily bored. Which is why she turned to bullying to get her kicks.
Really, the only reason I tagged along with her was because my parents and hers were 'good friends'. In actuality we were worlds apart.
Her grades were always fairly bad, down near the bottom with Scootaloo, Dinky and Pinchy's, she was a little bit overweight, and quite vain.
Me? My grades were and still are almost always top of the class. Almost always. Sweetie Belle and Applebloom were a lot smarter than they appeared. I was and still am in decent shape and very modest.
Though that last part seems to have worked against me somewhat, but I'll explain later, I'm getting off topic.
Our talk devolved into the usual gossip and giggle after that, which is why we were thrown for a loop when the Crusaders rolled by in their cart... well two of them did. Sweetie Belle was charging up behind it yelling at her friends.
"Come on girls! That isn't funny! My bags have everything we need for today in them! Girls!?" She stood there for a few seconds, watching the retreating dust cloud and listening to the laughter of her friends before stomping the ground and huffing. "Urgh... dumb scooter." she grumbled.
Diamond Tiara stuck up her nose and trotted onwards. I glanced between the two of them before moving to follow my friend, deviating slightly to give Sweetie a light pat on the back to help her feel better. I think it worked, she looked a bit confused as to why I'd try to offer her comfort since I was one of her bullies.
At that point, my enjoyment of bullying had long since worn thin.
It was fun at first, because who doesn't enjoy the feeling of holding power over others? But I'd seen the things they did to try and get their cutie marks, Scootaloo had even visited my parents store a few times to ask for new axles and screws and things for her scooter. They had my respect for just how far they were willing to go.
I had just caught up with Diamond when Sweetie shot past us towards the school.
"And they're your columnists?" I asked her. "I wouldn't be surprised if that first story of theirs was a fluke."
Yes I know what I just said, but we all put on a different mask around different ponies.
"Well if it was I can just stick them with the gossip column, nopony's going to read that in a school newspaper." She rolled her eyes. "It'll keep them out of my mane."
I chuckled, seeing as how I wasn't involved in this scheme, I decided to poke fun at her a bit. "I can't wait to see how this backfires on you."
She glared at me. "What makes you think this will backfire?"
I just stared at her pointedly. "How is our track record when it comes to dealing with them together?"
"Not.. great..." She deflated.
I just smiled. "I'm just going to enjoy being out of the way of the train this time."
"You're going to be eating those words when I have them wrapped around my hoof." She sneered as we made it into class.
We split off from there, I gave my homework from yesterday to you, then took my seat. Diamond had already started doodling in her book as the lesson began.
Week 1 Day 4: Good journalists never reveal their sources.
Another thing to remember. I wasn't part of any of the paper meetings, because I wasn't part of the paper. But I knew I wasn't alone in wondering how the three blankflanks and Featherweight had managed to get their hooves on a picture of Princess Celestia with a piece of cake.
I did tend to hangout by the schoolhouse near the end of the meetings though, which is when I spied a pair of ponies making their way to the meeting.
Sweetie Belle was talking with Featherweight about something or other, it wasn't important. What was important was that I was able to figure out right then and there, that these two were the brains and eyes of Gabby Gums.
How did I figure? I did say that Sweetie and Applebloom had some of the highest grades next to me. Though while I tended to fluctuate between high distinction and distinction, they tended to stay solidly in high distinction, Sweetie usually coming out on top by two or four marks.
But I'm getting off topic again. It was idle curiosity that made me approach them, nothing more.
"Sweetie Belle, Featherweight." I nodded a greeting at them.
"S-Silver Spoon..." Featherweight stuttered and nodded back shakily while Sweetie just leveled a glare in my direction.
"No need for the stink eye, I called you by your name didn't I?" I smiled. Not the smile of a shark closing in on it's prey, a genuinely friendly smile. "I just wanted to ask you both something."
Sweetie just eyed me critically, though the venom was gone from her gaze. "What?"
She was being cautious, I can't say I blamed her. Really, I wanted to expand my list of friends back to how it was before I met Diamond.
An unlikely goal, but a goal nonetheless.
"Only the same thing I'm sure everypony in Ponyville is asking. How did you get the photo of the Princess?" I shrugged. I figured I wasn't going to get an answer.
"Sorry, but a good journalist never reveals their sources." Sweetie chuckled before passing something to Featherweight. "Give this to Applebloom, it's today's story."
Featherweight nodded slightly and raced past me to get inside.
"Aren't you going to follow him?" I asked her.
"Later, if the meeting lasts that long. I left something important at home." She shrugged, flicking her mane over her shoulder and turning. "I guess if you have nothing better to do you can come with me. I wanted to ask you something. About Tuesday morning."
I blinked. "You mean when your friends hauled flank away from you on their scooter?" I asked as I started to follow her.
"Slightly after. You touched my back as you went past me right?" She nodded.
"Oh that. It was more like a pat, trying to cheer you up a bit. And before you ask, because unlike Diamond, I have a heart." I figured that might get her to chuckle, try to build some common ground.
I wasn't surprised when it didn't.
"Riiight..." I imagine if one tried hard enough they'd be able to taste the distrust in her voice, that surprised me honestly, though knowing her sister.. well lets just say that miss Rarity has a reputation for having an icy tongue when she needs to. "Thanks I guess, it surprised me a bit, but it did help a little."
I smiled a little at that. "That's good. Does that sort of thing happen often?"
"The girls leaving me behind? A little bit." she sighed. "They seem to think I'm some sort of doormat."
As soon as she said that, I knew exactly how she felt.
Remember how I said I used to have more friends? Yeah.. lets just say some of them thought they could get away with anything by me as long as they apologized enough times. That was actually how I met Diamond, but I'll get into that another time.
"I uh.. I actually know how that feels... so I can sympathize." I felt awkward saying that. Not because of our history but.. well more because Diamond is... or was, the only one who knew that at the time.
Sweetie turned to look at me and arched an eyebrow. "Pardon my skepticism but... really?"
I nodded and told her what I just told you. "That's why I'm friends with Diamond Tiara. She saved me from some bad friends."
"Are you going to suggest I ditch the girls and hang out with you two now?" She asked.
I mentally kicked myself then, it did seem like that's what I had been setting up to do now.
"No no. Just.. telling a bit about myself I guess." I looked around awkwardly.
She just blinked and shrugged. We continued the journey in relative silence until we reached her house and she opened the door.
As soon as the ding-a-ling of the bell on the door sounded her sister launched into her introduction.
"Welcome to Carousel Boutique, were everything is chic, unique and magnifique! How can I... oh Sweetie, I wasn't expecting you home until later." Miss Rarity smiled at her sister, who returned the gesture as she made her way upstairs, before noticing me. "Oh and I see you've brought a friend.. you look familiar dear, have you been here before?"
I nodded. "Silver Spoon ma'am. You designed my dress for my friends cute-cenera a year ago, and adjusted it a few months ago for Twist's."
"Ah. I remember now. Still so polite." The older unicorn smiled at me. "Well if you need my help with it again..."
"I'll ask ma'am, thank you." I nodded before following Sweetie.
As soon as I entered her room something grabbed my attention. "This might be a bit rude but... why is your diary just laying on your bed?"
Sweetie poked her head out of what I assume was her wardrobe. "Oh. I always leave it there. My sister keeps hers out in the open too, we trust others to respect our privacy and not read them."
I actually had to stop and think of a response to that. It's true that we, as a species, tend to have a very good grasp on what's acceptable and what's not, even bullies like myself and Diamond know what boundaries we can and can't cross. In the end I could only think of one thing to say to that. "Scootaloo."
"What?" That got her attention. "What about her?"
"How often have your friends been in your room?" I asked.
"A.. few times. Not very often, we mainly meet at Applebloom's place. Why?" She tilted her head, an untied bow sliding off her horn to the floor.
"Have you ever left them alone here? Even for a minute?" I was probably doing nothing but inadvertently instilling paranoia in her head. But I have often entertained exaggerated ideas of their personalities, and while Applebloom and Sweetie usually end up being similar to their siblings, it's Scootaloo that always ends up becoming the bad egg in my head.
A selfish, egotistical brat.
Not surprising considering who she models herself on. We've all seen Miss Dash at her worst. But a lot of ponies seem to forget her redeeming qualities.
Scootaloo embraces the negative aspects, she wants to be a rebel, but she's in danger of crossing the line into a delinquent.
I'm rambling again.
She thought for a few seconds before responding. "Nope."
"Consider this a bit of friendly advice." I warned her. "Hide that thing from now on. Trust is a good thing, but make sure it's not misplaced."
Sweetie blinked before seeming to catch on. "Those bad friends you mentioned before.. did they.. read your diary?"
I opened my mouth... and hesitated. "Sorta. Just... be more careful with it. You don't want to end up leashed by the ponies you call your friends."
She blinked and nodded slowly before retreating back into her wardrobe. There were a few minutes of silence before she emerged. "Okay. Found it." she looked at the clock. "And the meeting is over. Darn."
I looked at the clock too and blinked at how late it had gotten. "Drat. I have to get home. My parents need my help again today."
I waved to Sweetie and headed downstairs quickly, hoping I wasn't going to be too late home.