Friday, May 20, 2016

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Today's Horoscope (Virgo): When a passenger of the foot heave in sight, tootle the horn. Trumpet at him melodiously at first, but if he still obstacles your passage, then tootle him with vigor.

Lunch

On the way to the cafeteria at lunch, Rarity pulls me aside.

"Flash, have you...er...bought a new suit for tomorrow night?"

I frown and shake my head. "I've got two, I was just going to pick one of those."

Rarity gasps as if offended. "Oh goodness no, Flash! You simply must wear a new suit! Listen...I happen to be free after school. Why don't we go shopping, and I'll help you pick a sensational new outfit for the dance?"

"I dunno—"

"You simply must!"

I sigh. "Well...if I must..."

Rarity clasps her hands together. "We'll meet back at the dorm and head out from there!"

Oh brother...

After School

When I return to the dorm, I find Rarity waiting in the lounge. She looks agitated...

"Let's...let's go shopping," she says. "I...I need to do some shopping, to calm my nerves..."

I find Coach in the apartment and ask to borrow his car. Once we're on the road, Rarity starts to fidget uncomfortably. She looks miserable...

"What's wrong?" I ask.

Rarity sighs. "I...I got a call from Mother a little while ago," she says. "There was an...an incident at Sweetie Belle's school."

My hands tighten on the steering wheel. "That picture."

Rarity snaps her head around to stare at me. "How did you know—"

"Who do you think reported it?"

"Oh." Rarity pauses, blinking. "Well...thank you," she says.

I shrug. "I couldn't let it slide."

"Of course not," Rarity says. "How...how did you know in the first place?"

"Fluttershy. She's still watching what people say on Canterbook. She's just not doing anything with what she finds."

Rarity frowns. "Hmm. That...honestly bothers me a little, but in this case, at least...at least some good came of it." She heaves a deep sigh. "I just can't believe those...those little..."

"Does...does Sweetie Belle know?"

"I honestly don't know," Rarity says in a worried tone. "I'm...I'm terrified of how she'll take the news..." She bows her head. "My poor, sweet little sister...she'll be so devastated and...and humiliated..."

"She's stronger than you think," I say.

"I know, but..." Rarity trails off, drumming her fingers on her thigh. "I just...I worry for her. I want to look out for her, but—"

"You can't protect her from everything," I say. "And you shouldn't try. People need to learn to protect themselves and look out for themselves. Be there for her when she needs you, but...but don't try to put yourself between her and the world. Because one day, something's going to happen and you won't be there. She'll need to be able to stand on her own."

Rarity sighs. "You're...you're right, of course."

Stopping at a red light, I reach over to give her shoulder a comforting squeeze. "When we get back to the dorm, we'll check up on her. For now, let's worry about getting ready for tomorrow night, okay?"

Rarity smiles and nods gratefully. "Right."

We spend the next couple of hours shopping; I end up with a white suit with a black dress shirt and a royal blue cummerbund and tie. Rarity picks up some new shoes and accessories for herself, and we return to the dorm.

Evening

When we get back to the dorm, Twilight is waiting with a concerned, anxious look on her face.

"Rarity," she says, "Sweetie Belle went straight to her room when she got home, and she won't talk to anyone. Not even Apple Bloom!"

Rarity grimaces. "I was afraid of that," she says. "I'll go right up and check on her." She hands Twilight her bags. "Put these in my room, will you?"

Twilight nods. "Of course."

I hand Twilight my own bags. "And put these in mine," I say. "I'm going up with Rarity."

Rarity smiles gratefully. "Thank you," she says.

Twilight precedes us up the stairs; as she heads to the third floor, Rarity and I walk down to Sweetie Belle's room. Rarity knocks on the door. "Sweetie Belle? It's Rarity."

No answer.

Rarity tries the door; it's locked. She frowns and knocks again. "Sweetie Belle, please let me in."

We wait a moment longer, but Sweetie doesn't answer.

Rarity looks at me. "What...should we do?"

I hold out my hand. "Hairpin."

Rarity's brow furrows, but she reaches up and pulls a pin out of her hair, handing it to me. I crouch down in front of the lock and, with a little difficulty, pick it.

I open the door and we walk in. Sweetie Belle is lying on the bed in shorts and a T-shirt, wearing headphones. She has a pouty, sullen expression on her face.

Rarity walks over and pokes Sweetie Belle in the foot. Sweetie Belle jerks and looks up, frowning. She takes off her headphones. "HEY! How'd you two get in here?" she asks.

"Picked the lock," I say. "Everybody's worried about you."

Sweetie Belle groans. "Yeah, I know. That's why I locked the door."

"Sweetie Belle, darling," Rarity says, sitting down on the foot of the bed, "you simply mustn't worry everybody so!"

Sweetie Belle lets out a frustrated sigh and sits up. "Yeah, but I don't wanna talk about it, and everybody here is so nosy!"

"We're not nosy, we care," I say.

"Sweetie Belle," Rarity begins, "about...about what happened today—"

"I DON'T WANNA TALK ABOUT IT!" Sweetie Belle screams.

"Well I do," Rarity says. "It's...it's a terrible thing, what happened to you—"

"What do YOU know about it?" Sweetie Belle cries. "You don't know ANYTHING!"

"We know you've been the victim of something terrible on Canterbook," I say. "Sweetie Belle, you...you really need to talk about this."

"No, I don't," Sweetie Belle says, crossing her arms and pouting. "I don't care."

"Obviously you do," Rarity says, putting a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Please, Sweetie Belle. I...I know you feel violated..."

"Violated?! More like BETRAYED!"

Betrayed...?

Sweetie Belle shoots to her feet suddenly and begins pacing around the room. "I stuck up for that little piece of shit! When nobody else would! I've been calling his mom twice a week to check on him! Nobody else but me ever cared about him, ever wanted to be his friend!" She spins around and clenches her fists. "THAT LITTLE FREAK DOESN'T DESERVE FRIENDS!"

I exchange a startled, confused glance with Rarity. "Sweetie Belle?" Rarity asks. "What...are you talking about?"

Sweetie Belle sits down suddenly, putting her face in her hands. "Butthole Mash," she says hoarsely.

I tilt my head. "Sweetie Belle? What...what does Button Mash have to do with that picture that the kids at your school were passing around on Canterbook?"

Sweetie Belle blinks. "You...you don't know?"

Rarity and I shake our heads.

Sweetie Belle frowns. "So you know about the picture, but...but not about..." She shakes her head, stands up, and starts pacing.

"When the principal found out about the picture, he had everybody involved rounded up and questioned them. Then he called Mom and Dad. Then they called me in, the counselor was there, the whole big 'I hate to break it to you' thing.

"When they told me about the picture...showed it to me, even..." Sweetie Belle rolls her eyes and blows on her hair. "Honestly? I was more annoyed than upset. So some little dork got a panty shot on me, big deal. It didn't really bother me, it's just...stupid." She turns and scowls. "But then...the principal told us something else.

"The kid who put the picture on Canterbook in the first place got expelled for it and he's in a lot of trouble, and I mean a lot of trouble. But he swore he didn't take the picture. He tried to weasel out of at least some of the trouble he's in by ratting out the kid who really took that picture. And others."

Sweetie Belle goes quiet for a minute and stands still, fists clenched at her side. She's trembling.

"You see, those kids...they ran into Button Mash at the comic store and stole his phone. His phone...it was full of pictures of me. Really...really bad pictures." She bows her head; tears are glistening in her eyes. "They gave the principal Button's phone and he went through it. All...all the dates are back before Button's mom pulled him out of school. Back when we were still fr-friends. Before he stopped talking to me.

"I...I asked to see the phone. I made the principal show it to me." Sweetie Belle's voice goes quiet. "Button...that sick little asshole..."

Rarity stands up and moves over to Sweetie Belle, pulling her into a hug. "Oh, my sweet sister," she whispers.

"I stood up for him," Sweetie Belle whimpers. "I tried to be his friend, and I screamed at you for saying bad things about him...and...and..."

Rarity looks over at me. "Flash? Could...could you please...?"

I nod and quietly leave, closing the door behind me.

I head back to my own room to find Twilight waiting there. She gives me a questioning look; I shake my head.

"Rarity's taking care of it," I say. "We shouldn't get involved."

Twilight nods. "A-alright."

I put on a shaky smile and take hold of Twilight's chin. "Come on, let me show you this suit Rarity talked me into getting..."

Tomorrow is the Spring Fling...