Author's Notes:

I have, IReadYouWrite, to thank for becoming my new editor.

As Diamond Tiara and Apple Bloom reached the Ponyville Schoolhouse, the former noticed that her best friend Silver Spoon wasn’t present outside. There were a few other foals waiting in front of the building for the morning bell to ring. Many greeted the pair as they walked toward the left side to admire the new playground equipment. Apple Bloom jumped up one of the fence boards and leaned on the top board to take in the view. Diamond joined her after slowly climbing up onto the post.

It may have taken help from a few adults, but everypony managed to work together to put up the new playground. Even Princess Twilight, pitched in to help. The ones who had gotten bored enough were already laying on it. Button Mash was playing his GameColt under one of the plank bridges. Hedgie was spinning the Merry-Go-Round minding her immense strength. Carrot Crunch and Bubblegum Brush were talking to each other while on the swings. Twist looked like she was taste-testing something, but it was hard to see exactly what it was due to her being too far away. But, whatever that was had to be candy related in some way.

Diamond felt a wave of calmness wash over her weary mind. I feel a bit better, but… The guilt that she had threatened to blackmail her classmates two days ago loomed. It didn't help with that her feelings about her mother were already twisted. For the first time in quite a while, Diamond was taking the full brunt of her emotions. Before the events of yesterday, she had never concerned herself with her feelings deep down.

Diamond heard the slight creaking of wood near her so she looks to her left. Apple Bloom had hopped down from the fence post. When she was about to ask why her friend had hopped down, Apple Bloom unknowingly answered it for her. “Do you mind if I leave you by yer lonesome and start playin’ on the slides?” asked the earth pony filly.

“It's alright. Go on ahead,” replied Diamond Tiara who mustered up a small smile. She probably got bored with just watching the other foals play. Diamond watched as her friend's eye lit up and started to make a quick gallop toward the swings.

Just as her new friend reached the swing set, she became lost in her own thoughts. I would never imagine myself talking to Apple Bloom and my words not being insulting to her or the other Crusaders. My own worst enemies managed to change my entire view in just two days. Still a bit hard to believe. Of course, Silver Spoon standing against me was enough of a shock already. Speaking... or thinking of my worst enemy; isn't there that saying…

“Timber Wolves and Dragons may attack those who wander too close, but you can be your own worst enemy for venturing in their territory.”

Would that last part apply to myself or Mother more? Probably myself, for the most part. I was the one to listen to her all these years. Still, she was at home more often than Father, so I relied on her as an example. I was too young to have all that pressu-

An unexpected tap on her right shoulder interrupted Diamond from her string of thoughts. She nearly falls off the fence post as she suddenly turns her head to look behind her. To the filly's relief, a surprised Silver Spoon accompanied by Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo greets her. A few moments later and her hooves calmly land on the dirt road.

“Sorry about that. Just a bit lost in my thoughts,” explains Diamond Tiara as she tries to regain her composure on the outside at least. That was soooo embarrassing!! Thankfully, her pink coat hid her slight blushing from the trio's sight.

Silver Spoon was the first to respond. “It's fine, Diamond. I should be the one apologizing. I didn't mean to surprise you like that,” as she had been the one to tap her best friend on her shoulder and almost give her a slight heart attack.

Silver Spoon avoided eye contact while the two Crusaders decided to join in this awkward conversation to clear the air.

“Anyway, do you girls have any plans for today?” asked Sweetie Belle in a cheerful tone.

Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon looked at each other, then to Sweetie Belle, and finally gave their answers respectively.

“I would usually have a tanning session, but I might have to stay inside my house if the weather doesn't clear up. No real specific plans.”

“I have a plan. However, it isn't exactly for my enjoyment. My dad is taking me to a specialist to adjust my glasses because they have started slipping whenever I look down.”

“Does that mean you'll have to get a new pair, Silver Spoon? Or are they just going to alter your current one?” asked Diamond who was genuinely curious.

“I think the specialist is only going to tweak my glasses, but who knows? I might have outgrown my current prescription,” responds her best friend who wasn’t completely sure.

“Well, I hope everything works out,” Sweetie Belle wished Silver the best, then asked Diamond on the whereabouts of their friend. “Have you seen Apple Bloom anywhere? Scootaloo and I bumped into Silver Spoon on the walk over here. We need to work a few details out in a Crusader meeting.”

Seeing a spark of curiosity on the two fillies’ eyes, Scootaloo decides to explain. “We’re having a day after our triple cute-ceañera party with Pinkie Pie. Plus, a sleepover tonight at Sugarcube Corner! It's gonna be awesome! Although, I was still shocked to see this when I got up this morning,” she finished while pointing at her cutie mark, beaming proudly.

“That sounds fun,” she replied with a hint of enthusiasm. “Apple Bloom actually met up with me just before the fork back there. We walked the rest of the way and she decided to play on the slides,” comments Diamond Tiara.

As if conveniently timed for a tired writer, Apple Bloom waves to the group of four from the slides. She quickly makes her way toward them, still waving. Right as her hooves touched the dirt path the morning bell rang.

“Time for class, everypony!” said Miss Cheerilee as she opened the front door of the schoolhouse. Many of the foals playing on the new equipment pretended to not hear the bell just so they could have an extra minute. Our five fillies quickly walk toward the front door while Miss Cheerilee spoke louder to the other students still playing on the new playground.

“Time for class!” she repeats with a slight edge in her voice. Just as the Crusaders and Silver Spoon walked to their seats, Diamond Tiara does her best to stifle a small yawn. This ended up making her bump into one of the desks by accident. She awkwardly walks to her seat while avoiding eye contact with the other students.

Yeah, this morning couldn’t have gone any worse… She looks at the chalkboard to see they were studying how to determine the hypotenuse of an isosceles triangle. Math happened to be her worse subject so, I thought that only worked when you said it out loud!