There it is. That is a limousine, alright. It is also an open invitation to the next phase of my plan.

So why am I hesitating?

Best I can figure, it's because my confidence in myself has been shaky lately. I've made too many mistakes recently. It is causing me to not trust my calculations too much. I thought I've weighed all the factors, but several things have surprised me in recent history such as overlooking Scootaloo's recent change in behavior or not realizing Diamond Tiara's problem was that serious.

Just like Sweetie Belle, Diamond had not been texting or emailing anyone about how serious her own problems were. She really tried to keep this to herself.

Statistically, most suicidal people give a lot of signs and hints as if subconsciously crying out for help. Did Diamond do that and I've been so incompetent lately that I missed all of those cues?

“You coming or what?” Diamond asks me irritably at the limousine ahead of me. She is crossing her arms and tapping a foot impatiently. She is rolling her eyes like she can't believe that this is her reality now.

“Do you have to go?” Scootaloo complains to Sweetie Belle nearby me which drew my attention towards them.

Scootaloo is wearing an orange button-up shirt but it's open at the front, revealing a bit of a torn sleeveless deep purple shirt beneath. She is wearing very tight black spandex pants that are torn at the front but likely on purpose in that case because the tears show a regular pattern down her pants. The pants are secured by a white leather belt with lots of square metal studs on it. On her left wrist, she is wearing a thick black bracelet with one-inch tall metal spikes. I know she's not allowed to wear the latter at school, so she takes it off and stuffs it into her backpack before stepping on campus.

“You know I have to,” Sweetie replies to Scootaloo. “I already told you why.”

Scootaloo looks depressed by that answer. A sort of sad acceptance.

“I know, but why does it have to be you specifically?” Scootaloo complains. “She needs to see a shrink, if you ask me, and get her head examined. You're not licensed to handle something this serious so . . . why does it have to be you?”

Sweetie Belle folds her hands and hangs it low near her lap. She also bows her head and sighs in regret before saying, “For some reason, Diamond wants to keep this a secret. She wants it so desperately that I'm afraid she'll . . . um . . . do the act if I tell anybody. I don't want her to be hurt, so I have to watch her.”

“Then let her hurt herself!” Scootaloo growled in annoyance. “Let's see how serious she really is. You remember what she did to us back in the old days, right?”

Sweetie Belle flashes her friend an angry and astonished look as she said, “Scootaloo, I can't believe you'd say something so ugly to my face!

“Besides, you know I can’t stand aside and let someone hurt themselves like that! It's not right, and I won't let her do it!” She gestures to herself. “I wouldn't be me if I ever knowingly allowed something like that.”

“I know,” Scootaloo agrees sadly as she looks down. “That's one of the things I love about you. You really care about people. You find lost souls and you bring them home when they really need it. It's just that . . . I can't help but feel like we're out of our league here.” She looks back at Sweetie. “I agree with you about the fact this is serious, but I don't think you are trained or qualified to handle something like this.”

“I can be her friend,” Sweetie returns with a simple shrug. “That's not too hard. Perhaps that will even give her a reason to want to live.

“Besides, I got Cozy Glow to help me now, so I won't be so alone anymore!” Sweetie announces cheerfully.

“Alone anymore?” Scootaloo echoes in a bit of a haunted way. “No one should feel that way, Sweetie Belle. You least of all.”

“And neither should Diamond feel that way!” Sweetie insists with a bit of a firm look to her friend.

“Fine! Whatever!” Scootaloo put on her rather radical-looking helmet that probably has a paint job that she did personally. “Try to save the whole fucking world, why don't ya!”

Sweetie Belle frowns. “Scootaloo, you know I don't like you talking that way!”

“You're not my goddamn mom!” Scootaloo snaps at Sweetie. “Just leave me alone and go take care of your new 'friend'!”

Scootaloo races off and hops onto her skateboard which she previously had tucked in her arm. I know it was in her locker before that. Using it, Scootaloo skates away in a hurry and an angry huff.

“Scootaloo,” Sweetie Belle moans sadly as she watches her angry friend skate off in a hurry. “You're my friend too. I wish you could understand and forgive me.”

“Just give her time,” I advise Sweetie. “I'm sure this is a shock to her. I know it was for me.”

“You seem to be taking it well,” Sweetie commends me as she looks at me with an impressed expression.

“If it isn't clear to you yet,” I thumb behind me at the school, “I am a politician. We know how to put on an act.”

Sweetie raises an eyebrow at me slightly as she asks, “Does this mean you are not really okay?”

I look back at the limo. That's when I notice that Diamond has already entered the vehicle. It is her elderly butler that is waiting for us in her place.

“No, I'm not okay,” I admit honestly.

For lots of reasons, in fact.

I am startled when a hand claps my right shoulder. I look at that hand then follow it to its source, which is Sweetie. She's looking at me with gratitude.

“Well, I, for one, am grateful that you're here. Your presence makes me feel a lot more confident,” she tells me.

That makes one of us.

“Come on,” I bade. “Let's go before Diamond decides to drive on without us.”

I may never have seen it, but I know for a fact that Apple Bloom lives on her family's farm, Sweet Apple Acres. Based on what I have heard, the architecture on that farm is pretty archaic. But, speaking strictly in terms of the sheer size of the land they have, the Apple family might have the most owned land of anyone I know, including Diamond Tiara's family.

Scootaloo, I heard, lives in a foster home with a lot of kids, she being the oldest. That house is a pretty good size but it's packed to the brim. Of the three original members of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Scootaloo seems to have the poorest financial situation and that by a pretty wide margin, but at least her house has wifi. I don't think Apple Bloom's home does.

Sweetie Belle, in contrast, seems to be in the middle of the road. She has a classic suburban family home that most of the rest of the world thinks is pretty standard living for this country but, in actuality, middle-class families like that are growing pretty rare.

That picture is nearly perfect. They have the classic car in the garage to the white picket fence in their front suburban home. They even have lawn gnomes on it.

I don't know what Sweetie Belle's parents do for a living, but I vaguely recall that her father, Hondo Flakes, is now retired from God only knows what. In contrast, Sweetie's mother, Cookie Crumbles, has always been a housewife as far as I can tell.

It is their eldest daughter and Sweetie's older sister, Rarity, that seems to be shaping up to be the true breadwinner of the family these days, but they seemed to have had this house for quite a while. I don't know how they afforded it.

I wait in the limo with Diamond as Sweetie Belle races into her home to collect enough stuff for a slumber party over the weekend. While she is gone, I try to restrain my giddy excitement at finally being able to sit in an actual limousine. As it is, I subtly rub my hands on the smooth black leather that covers the seats. I am sitting on one of the long sidewards seats on the right side of the car while Diamond sits across from me.

Diamond herself has her eyes closed, arms still crossed, and she seems permanently stuck on huffy mode. It does not surprise me that luxury we find ourselves surrounded with does not faze her. She grew up with this her whole life, so it's downright normal to her.

For the moment I can't help but envy her but I know that, someday, I'll surpass her by far, especially when I tear her down to nothing.

I look over my shoulder out the window behind me when I hear activity. By then it’s been about thirty minutes. I see Sweetie Belle exit her home with a small suitcase. She sets it down for a moment as she hugs each of her parents one by one, then both of them together.

I smile at her warmly for that. It's good to finally see exactly why she grew up all warm, kind, and generally optimistic.

Next, we stop at my home. Now it's time for me to collect my stuff.

After Diamond's butler opens the car door for me, I tell them as I start to crawl out of the car, “Wait here while I go in and fetch my stuff.”

But Diamond surprises me with an unexpected request. “Actually, I'd rather join you.”

Pausing in confusion at the threshold of the car door for a moment, I then look back at Diamond with a questioning look as I ask, “Really?”

“Well, it's only fair!” Diamond argues. “You're pushing yourself into my life! Why should I not get the opportunity to even the score?”

“Actually, I want to come too!” Sweetie requests excitedly.

I peer my eyes sharply at Sweetie as I say, “You've already been to my home several times. You know what it's like.”

“Exactly!” Sweetie agrees excitedly. “Your mother invented a lot of neat stuff! I feel like I've traveled into the future every time I visit your place. Plus, I want to pet K-9!”

“Canine?” Diamond sort of echoes with a disgusted, snobby snort. “That's a stupid name for a dog. Why not just name it 'Dog' instead?”

Sweetie shook her head at Diamond. “No. Not canine, as is c-a-n-i-n-e. Instead, it's the letter K followed by the number nine, which is the name of their pet robot dog.”

“Robot dog?” Diamond asks Sweetie while raising an eyebrow, which is an expression she passes to me a moment later. “You got a pet robot dog?”

“Um, yeah. My mother invented it many years ago when she was around my age now,” I tell Diamond. “I think she did it to give her other dog, Spike, a companion to hang out with.”

Sweetie looks a bit sad as she recalls, “Oh. Spike passed away over six years ago, didn't he?”

I nod at Sweetie as I say, “Just before mother adopted me.”

“Well . . . are you going to invite us in, or what?” Diamond asked impatiently and irritably. “I don't have all day, you know.”

I sigh as I look out the door. “Fine.”

“Pretty neat security system,” Sweetie compliments as she and Diamond enter my house along with me.

As I predict, K-9 rushes up to greet us. Sweetie Belle bends down and happily obliges the robot dog’s eager attention.

“It's okay, I guess,” Diamond partially agrees. “But I heard a rumor that someone broke into your home over a month ago. I guess your 'security system' wasn't much help then.” Diamond scoffs.

“Whomever that was, it was a professional,” I remark. “Also the security system has been stepped up ever since then. Now my mother gets a text message alerting her if anyone enters or leaves the premises, and she also gets an alert if anyone tries to tamper with the security settings.”

“Is your mom home?” Sweetie asks curiously as she continues to play with and pet K-9.

I shake my head. “Mother still has a few more issues to wrap up in school. She is the principal of Canterlot High. Such duties would keep her busy from time to time.”

“And you end up Student Council President,” Diamond announces with a pouty face. “I used to have such an illustrious position back in grade school and before you took the position from me in Canterlot High.”

I hide an evil grin as I think, “Yeah, I know!”

“Welcome home, Honey!” happily greets what appears to be a hovering television with two robotic arms extending from it. On the screen itself is the face of my mother. I know she is using a drone floating in front of her which is sending her image to the TV screen. If she steps forward in real life, the floating screen follows her movements as if she is actually here. The two muscle sensors on her wrists are communicating information to the two robotic arms on the screen.

On this end, the camera on top of the TV screen is sending information to her smart glasses.

Diamond Tiara leaps back a bit at this sight, startled. She holds a kung fu pose as she continues to regard the floating television guardedly, but I calculate a seventy percent chance that she is not actually trained in martial arts. Ballet dancing maybe, but not true self-defense training.

“What the heck is that? Your robot mom?” Diamond asks me with wide eyes.

“What? No!” my mother in the screen denies. “I'm simply communicating to you all through this screen from where I am at.”

Sweetie Belle stands up then approaches to stand beside Diamond. She whispers into Diamond’s ear, which I'm close enough to overhear. Sweetie advises, “Don't ask her how she's making that TV screen hover or anything else to do with science. If you do, you'll get a long-winded technical jargon explanation that will leave your head spinning.”

Diamond widens her eyes slightly at that uncomfortable thought, then says quietly back to Sweetie, “Good idea. Thanks for the warning.”

“Anytime!” Sweetie replies happily with a big thumbs up.

“What was that?” my mother asks curiously.

“Oh, nothing!” Sweetie says with a very innocent-looking smile while folding her hands behind her back. “We're just talking about school stuff and boys we like.”

“Good save,” Diamond commends Sweetie in a whisper.

I feel like bursting out in laughter but I manage to hold it in.

“Eh. Whatever.” My mother's robotic arms seem to shrug when she does so on the screen. “Anyway, um . . . what are you doing here, Diamond? You don't usually swing by my home.

“Oh, excuse me.” My mother gives me an apologetic look. “Our home,” she corrects herself.

“Oh, that's the best part!” Sweetie jumps up and down excitedly. “Me and Cozy here were thinking about having a slumber party over at Diamond's house. Is it okay if Cozy joins us too?”

My mother's eyes in the screen widen excitedly. The screen shoots forward until it's two feet from my face. She virtually leans close to my face as she asks me, “A slumber party? Really? Did she say slumber party? Is this true, Honey? Are you making new friends?!”

Since she is invading my close personal space, I lean back unconsciously as I reply, “Ah . . . yes, mother. I hope that's alright with you. Judging from your reaction, I'd say that-”

“Oh this is PERFECT!” my mother exclaims ecstatically. “You can finally test out my slumber party cellphone app!”

I can feel Diamond peer at me sharply from behind me as she asks, “Slumber party cellphone app? Really?”

I turn my body halfway towards Diamond with my right shoulder to her. I turn my head the rest of the way to fully look back at her as I say, “Yeah. The app is called, 'Slumber 101'. Basically, it's just a glorified checklist of slumber party activities we could do. The idea is, if we do them, I click the checkbox on the application to mark off the completion of each individual activity. At that point it sends a notification to my mother that I completed the activity. From there, she can make a reply to that specific activity or another activity in order to discuss it. Another thing the app allows me to do is click the name of the activity itself. From there, it shows an expansive 'how to' instructions of each individual activity.”

“So it's like a how-to manual and checklist all wrapped in one,” Sweetie realizes, then smiles excitedly. “I love it! Can I download it too?”

“Sure!” My mother beams at Sweetie proudly. “I'll send you the link to the application in your e-mail!”

“Thank you!” Sweetie cries out in appreciation.

“No problem! The more people I get to test the application, the more data I can collect in order to refine it.

“Oh, and . . . Honey.” My mother places one of the screen’s robotic arms on my left shoulder which draws my attention back to her. “You don't have to use it. I'm not going to punish you if you choose not to use it. Rather, it's more the other way around. Instead of punishing you, I'm going to reward you if you use it. You'll get an extra special bonus if you complete every item on the checklist.

“And, ladies,” she directs her attention at Sweetie and Diamond, “make sure she's honest about that checklist. Don't just go checking off each item one by one all wellie-nilly. If you are going to do this, make sure you actually do the activities.”

“Time to put your halos on as you reply,” I advise my guests. My advice makes Sweetie Belle giggle sweetly.

Meanwhile, K-9 gently paws at Diamond Tiara's leg in the hope of getting her attention.

“What do you want, you miserable mutt?” Diamond asks in annoyance.

“Your attention, obviously!” my mother answers. “Go ahead and pet her. She won't bite.”

“She doesn't really have a mouth,” Sweetie Belle adds.

“She?” Diamond passes a queer look to the projected image of my mother on the screen. “Robots don't really have a sex.”

“I've been telling her that for years,” I inform Diamond. “Trust me, you're not going to convince her.

“I, on the other hand, like to be precise.”

“I created her as a companion for Spike several years ago,” my mother mentions, growing depressed at the reminder of her loss. “I couldn’t always sneak him with me wherever I go so I invented a companion to keep him company whenever I left. He kind of got along with her back in the day, but he made it clear to me that she is no adequate substitute for me. Still, he appreciated the gesture.”

“Oh, I forgot he could talk!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed as she covered her mouth. “Oh, I'm so sorry for your loss! I know it must be very painful for you.”

“Yeah.” My mother rubs her right arm with her left hand. The robot arms end up mimicking the gesture. “Yeah, it's . . . hard to move on sometimes.”

“Hey! I know!” Sweetie cheers up. “How about we take her with us to Diamond's house?!”

“Absolutely not!” Diamond rejects fiercely.

“And besides, it's best to keep her near her charger at home,” my mother agrees with Diamond a little sadly. “I made some upgrades to her over the years that gives her more sensor information, but those things cost her power. On average, she can run fifteen hours a day before needing to recharge. During that time she'll be sort of 'asleep' for about four to six hours. I don't want to risk that charger being lost or damaged so it's best for it, and her, to stay home, but,” she claps her hands. The robot hands do the same. “thank you for offering! I know you only did it out of the kindness in your heart. Fluttershy would be proud of you, and so am I!”

“Get away from me, mutt!” Diamond orders as she scoots the robot dog away from her leg using the same foot. K-9 sits down and moans sadly. Digital tear symbols blink down the screen displaying its virtual eyes. I know that K-9's actual eye is a camera hidden on its forehead.

“Oh, Diamond! You made her sad!” Sweetie Belle remorsefully complains.

“She isn't real! She's just a stupid robot dog!” Diamond barks back at Sweetie.

“Stupid? Hardly!” my mother objects. “K-9 has true artificial intelligence. It may not be advanced, but she is a thinking machine, and you're hurting her feelings.”

“Yeah! Make it up to her by petting her!” Sweetie Belle says in an almost demanding tone.

“Gah! Fine!” Diamond exasperates.

Diamond bends down and pets the dog. In response, K-9 immediately reverses its behavior from sad to happy, pleased to receive the attention it wanted.

During this time, I carefully observe Diamond's reaction. Because of that, I notice a very small grin on the corner of Diamond's lips. Because of that observation, I calculate a sixty-five percent chance that her initial resistance was putting on airs, but the truth is she desperately wanted to return the robots affection.

Diamond is a classic case of tsundere anime trope. Annoyed and off-putting on the outside, but soft and affectionate on the inside.

That's curious to note, because I am the reverse of that trope. I am a sweet-looking, poisonous apple like the one that took down Snow White.

“Ladies, I need your attention for a second,” my mother requests as she, and the robot hands, clasp together. When she successfully gathers our attention, she asks, “Now the answer to this question will determine if I give my daughter permission or not to join you at Diamond's house. Do any of you know how to give her a shot of insulin if she starts having a seizure?”

“Mom!” I complain as my face flushes in embarrassment. I don't like having my weaknesses advertised, especially in front of Diamond Tiara.

“It's a legitimate medical concern, Honey,” my mother explains to me.

“Ooo-ooo! I do! I do!” Sweetie Belle announces as she raises her hand up high.

“That's all I needed to know! Thank you, Sweetie Belle!” my mom says happily to Sweetie, then asks me, “You do have your supplies, right?”

“Of course,” I answer as I look at the screen while crossing my arms. “I always keep it handy on me.”

“Sweetie Belle,” my mother looks back at Sweetie, “her watch should beep a warning if she starts having problems. By itself, it is not monitoring her blood sugar level but it does give a sort of warning if her body starts getting out of whack. If you encounter any problems you don't think you can handle, call me immediately! If I don't answer, then call for an ambulance. I need you to promise me this, Sweetie.”

“I will. Oh, I mean,” Sweetie stands up then curtsy's slightly to my mother, “I promise.”

“I still need to gather my stuff,” I tell my mother as I look from Sweetie to my mother on the screen.

“Make sure she knows where you keep your emergency supply of insulin is,” my mother commands me.

“I already know!” Sweetie Belle announces. “I went over this in class already, and I paid attention like a good girl!” Sweetie beams in pride. “She keeps her supply in that thing that looks like a cute bow on her back.”

“Excellent! Then I have no more concerns,” my mother says happily.

Mother looks at me as she says, “I bid you to have a wonderful time with your new friends, Honey. Remember, friendship is very important. I underestimated it too when I was your age. I'm so glad someone finally taught me how important it is. Friendship is literally magical. It's a great source of our strength.”

“I know, mother. You tell me that all the time,” I tell her, then inwardly think, “Frankly, I'm sick of hearing it!” Outwardly again, I tell her, “Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go pack for the weekend.”

“The whole weekend?” my mother checks.

“Yes,” I confirm. “Is that a problem?”

“No.” When she shakes her head no, the floating TV screen somewhat mimics her. “It's just unexpected. I assume you just got home, right?”

“Yes, and don't worry,” I assure her. “I have a way to do my homewor-”

I get cut off when I notice my mother gets distracted. Someone tries to gather her attention at her current location, most likely for business purposes.

“Yeah, I'll be right there in a moment,” my mother assures someone off-screen. After that, she looks back at me. “Yeah, I know, Honey. You're one of the most responsible little girls that I know of. I'm so proud!”

My mother actually is misty-eyed. She lifts her smart glasses for a moment to wipe tears from both of her eyes one by one. The robot arms end up attempting to do something similar to its own screen.

“Anyway, there is just one more thing I need from you before I let you go,” my mother tells me.

“Which is?” I ask.

My mother gives me a “come here” gesture with both of her hands and robot hands.

I groan.

“Come on! Do our thing!” my mother softly demands.

“Not in front of them, please!” I request.

“Come on!” my mother repeats, unrelenting.

I sigh, then say, “Only for you, mother.”

I brace myself for the impending embarrassment. I'll just get this over with.

My mother and I perform a very childish pattern of claps and slaps between me and her robot hands as we chant.

“Sunshine, rainbows

Radiant hearts, divine!

Clap our hands and show a little shine!”

We end this little pattern of ours with bright happy smiles which is quickly followed by a traditional hug.

“Oh . . . my . . . gawwwwwwwwwd!” Sweetie sequels in giddy delight because of what she saw us do.

“What the hell was that?” Diamond asks in predictable disgust, although she might be secretly jealous.

“I love you, Honey, more than anything else in the world!” my mother tells me with so much rich emotion that it makes her voice unsteady. Meanwhile, my face is pressed against the TV screen which is as close to her face as I can get right now.

“I know, mother,” I reply with almost equal levels of emotion. “I love you too.”

Next Chapter: Chapter Twenty Five: Slumber Party, Part 2, Do Come into My Home Estimated time remaining: 9 Hours, 52 Minutes