Chapter 23
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Silver Spoon walked into the school and spotted all of the crusaders gathered around Apple Bloom’s desk. She took a breathe and walked over.
"Hey, Silver Spoon," Apple Bloom said, turning as the grey filly neared. It was three days since Silver had visited Stellar in the hospital and, while the crusaders had been hesitant at first, after some encouragement from Stellar, they'd tried to be friends with Silver.
Turned out, without Diamond guiding her into being cruel, Silver was a really nice, quiet pony. She told them about how Diamond used to be, before they'd all met during school; the kind Diamond they'd never gotten to see, but whom she hoped they would see one day.
"I've never seen you three at school so early," Silver commented, glancing around at the three.
Scootaloo grinned. “Yeah. Applejack and Rarity told Sweetie and AB that they could come for a sleepover at my house.”
Silver’s expression fell, a little. “Oh. Okay.”
“We’d have invited you too, Silver,” Sweetie Belle said, stepping towards her. “But, it was kinda short notice and we looked for you, but didn’t find you in time. Plus, Applejack mentioned something was happening at your house yesterday, so you were staying the night with your aunt who lives just outside of Ponyville.”
At that, Silver’s face flushed red and, after quickly glancing at Scootaloo, she looked at the ground.
The crusaders all shared confused looks at this, before Apple Bloom asked, “Uh, Silver?”
She gave a small squeak, sounding for a moment like Fluttershy.
“Um,” Apple Bloom scratched her neck with a hoof. This was clearly something awkward, but what kind of friend would they be if they didn’t ask. “What is it? Did somethin' happen?”
Silver gave a split-second glance at Scoots again, before looking to the ground. I saw my dad kissing Rainbow Dash.
“Uh, could ya’ll repeat that?” Apple Bloom asked, leaning her head closer towards Silver. “Didn’t quite catch it.”
"My dad... was kissing Rainbow Dash," Silver mumbled.
“Sorry,” Scootaloo shook her head. “Didn’t get that.”
"My dad kissed Rainbow Dash."
“You’re going to have to speak up if you expect us to—” Sweetie began, just as other fillies and colts started filing into the classroom.
“I saw my dad kissing Rainbow Dash, okay?!” Silver shouted, then clamped her hooves over her mouth.
A silence rang throughout the classroom as everypony within earshot of Silver’s shout processed what they’d just heard her say.
Scootaloo’s mouth was hanging wide open, her eyes just staring at Silver Spoon as if she’d suddenly grown a second head. A second head telling her her idol had been kissing her former second worst enemy’s father.
“Yer dad... was kissin’... Rainbow Dash?” Apple Bloom asked, her expression saying she wasn’t sure if she’d misheard Silver or not.
Silver Spoon gave a weak nod, then mumbled, “And... she was kissing back.”
For several moments, silence returned.
Then Sweetie Belle sighed, “Aww.”
Scootaloo blinked, before she realized the sigh was one she’d heard her use whenever she saw couples together. It took only a second longer to realize just what Silver had implied.
“Wait, wait, wait,” Scootaloo said, shaking her head. “Your dad was kissing Rainbow Dash... and she was kissing back?”
Silver nodded weakly. “It’s not the first time, either. They’ve been secretly dating for... well, since Princess Twilight got her crown. I didn’t say anything before because I wasn’t sure what Diamond would think of me for having a dad that was dating the pony who’s like your big sister, Scootaloo. And, after the flag carrying competition, I didn’t say anything to you because I saw how far Diamond and I went with talking about your wings.”
Scootaloo just stared, then opened out her wings. “Well, I can fly now. Dash taught me.” Then her face fell and her wings returned to her sides. “Why didn’t she tell me?”
“Probably the same reason why Rarity and AJ didn’ tell us bout their relationship.”
Silver blinked. “Wait, what?’
Apple Bloom grinned. “It happened the day we all went to visit Stellar. After she learned Stellar really is her sister, Sweetie shot off faster than a Wonderbolt and Scoots and Ah went after her?”
___________________________________________________________
“Where’s Rarity?!” Sweetie Belle shouted, annoyed as she bound out of Carousel Boutique, only to crash into her two friends as they tried to catch up to her.
“Ow! Watch it, Sweetie Belle,” Scootaloo said as they disentangled themselves from each other. “Look where you’re going next time, will ya?”
“Sorry,” Sweetie replied, then frowned. “But where is Rarity? How can she not be home when I’ve got something as big as this to tell her?”
Apple Bloom shrugged. “Dunno. But mah sister said she might be meeting with somepony later today. Maybe she was meetin' with Rarity?”
“Well, either way, we’ve gotta tell Applejack that she’s got another little sister at some point,” Scootaloo shrugged, “so we might as well go to Sweet Apple Acres now and try and find Rarity and the others later.”
Sweetie pouted, clearly upset she had to wait to tell Rarity about their family relations, but nodded and they headed off to Sweet Apple Acres.
As they walked through the fields, Apple Bloom noticed Big Macintosh pulling his plow. This wasn't unusual, however, was unusual was that he kept glancing towards the barn, an uncertain, yet happy look on his face.
Confused, Apple Bloom nodded the crusaders towards the barn. As they got closer they could faintly hear Applejack’s voice, though the barn muffled it so they couldn’t actually tell what she was saying.
Carefully, the fillies tiphoofed inside and followed the sound of Applejack’s muffled voice. Though, now it had turned into soft moans, though not ones of pain. Scootaloo didn’t know what kind of moans these were, but they weren’t any she’d ever heard before.
As they reached the top of the ladder from the hayloft, Sweetie shouted, “Rarity!”
When the other two reached the top, Rarity and Applejack looked like they’d gotten themselves tangled in each other legs. Their faces were bright red and both were stammering.
“N-n-n-n-now, Sweetie Belle,” Rarity said once she and the farm mare had untangled themselves from each other. “I-I’m sure you know that nosing in on other ponies isn’t polite—”
“Why were you lying on top of Applejack?” Sweetie asked, looking confused. “And how come you’re faces are red?”
“Uh— well— Ya see—” Applejack stumbled on her own words.
“An’ why are ya’ll wearing AJ’s hat?” Apple Bloom asked Rarity, her eyes narrowed suspiciously.
“Uh...” Rarity said blankly, her eyes slowly moving up to the Stetson sitting atop her head.
“Wait a minute,” Sweetie said, a smile spreading across her face. “Were you two... kissing?”
The increase of blush in their faces and their sudden inability to look at any of them, or each other, was the answer.
Scootaloo gagged.
Stellar had mentioned to her before Hearth's Warming that Luna had told her two of the Elements had feelings for each other, but not who. Only that they were two you would never have guessed as being in love with each other, but she'd have never thought of putting Applejack and Rarity together. That was just...
“Hey, Rarity! Guess what! Guess what! Guess what!” Sweetie Belle said, bouncing up and down in a very good imitation of Pinkie Pie.
“Uh, what?” she replied, trying to straighten her mane a bit. It was really frazzled, as if she and Applejack had been wrestling or something.
“Stellar’s our sister!” Sweetie chirped, then squeed.
Rarity gave a slightly annoyed, slightly confused look to her little sister. “Yes, Sweetie, I know we feel like Stellar’s our sister. I don’t see why you—”
“No! You don’t understand!” Sweetie said, annoyance and excitement blended together so much in her voice that it was weird. “She’s got your blood in her. She’s literally our sister.”
“Ours too, AJ!” Apple Bloom grinned. “Stellar’s our sister, too!”
“Come again?” Applejack cocked an eyebrow.
“Uh, I beg your pardon?” Rarity looked just as confused.
The fillies quickly explained what Luna had to them, but as they did so, the mares' faces went slightly pale.
“Wouldn’t that technically make you and I...?” Rarity asked, slowly moving her eyes to Applejack.
“Related?” Applejack gave a big gulp. “Ah... Ah think it would.”
Scootaloo looked confused. “I’d have thought learning you had more family would’ve made you happy, Applejack. Why do you and Rarity both look like you’ve seen a ghost?”
“Uh, Apple Bloom?” Applejack said, looking to her little sister. “How would ya’ll like ta have a sleepover at Scootaloo’s place?”
Apple Bloom and Scootaloo’s eyes lit up. “Really?” the youngest Apple said, her grin as wide as her face., but then frowned in confusion “But, it’s a school night. Ya’ll never let us have sleepovers on a school night.”
“You too, Sweetie Belle?” Rarity asked, giving her sister a shaky smile. “Would you like to be a part of the sleepover, too?”
Sweetie Belle just grinned. “Sure!”
“G-good. It’s settled then,” Applejack gulped again.
“Um, if you’ll all excuse me, I need to go... talk about... something, with... somepony... uh... BYE!”
And with that all that was left of Rarity was a smoky imprint of her when she’d been standing that slowly faded away.
The three fillies looked at each other, unanimously thinking the same thing. What was that all about?
___________________________________________________________
“Didn’t Miss Cheerilee get annoyed that she was so suddenly hosting a sleepover at the last minute?” Silver asked, confused.
Scootaloo looked up, frowning as she thought. “A little. Though, she didn’t complain after we told her why. And, for whatever reason, the sleepover's been going on for a few days now.”
“And, what was the reason?” Dinky asked, having come closer during their tale.
“That Applejack and Rarity were kissing and got all weird when we told them they were both my sisters,” Sweetie shrugged. “Dunno why, but she blushed even redder than they did and didn’t say anything about it after.”
“Alright, that’s enough gossiping, please!” They all turned to see Miss Cheerilee sitting at her desk, her face just as red as it had gotten last night. “If you’re going to continue that conversation, please wait until recess.”
They all pouted as they said, “Fine.” Jeez, why were grownups getting like this just because they’d found out the Element Bearers were their sisters because of their blood being Stellar's blood.
As class started, Silver couldn’t help noticing that Diamond Tiara’s seat was still missing its host, as it had been for many days now. She was really getting worried.
She spoke with the others about her concerns during recess. Scootaloo said she probably was just too embarrassed to show herself now that she didn’t have Silver Spoon as her lapdog. The fact she hadn't shown up for the Student Pony President election didn't help lessening that idea.
This earned her a hoof to the head from Apple Bloom and a glare from Silver and Sweetie.
After a bit of talking, they all decided we’d go to Diamond Tiara’s house and find out why she hadn’t come to school. Silver Spoon didn’t seem too eager, but at the same time, was impatient for school to finish once they’d decided. After all, she still thought of Diamond as her friend.
___________________________________________________________
“Alright, Rarity, Applejack, we’re all here now,” Twilight said, looking around at the other five mares gathered with her in the throne room. “What was so urgent that I had to come back from Canterlot so early? You realize how hard it was to get permission to leave, right? It took days to even get it finalized.”
“And you realize I was still in bed when you got me, right?” Dash folded her forelegs, frowning. “Iron Forge took ages to calm down after you just popped out from under the bed covers. I still don't even know how you did that. You're not Pinkie Pie.”
"Of course she's not me," Pinkie said, looking confused. "She's Rarity. If she were me, I'd be Rarity. Wait." Her frown became one of puzzlement. "If she were me and I was her, who would be Gummy?"
They stared at Pinkie for several moments, before shaking their heads. Pinkie was just being Pinkie; random as always.
“While I’m sure whatever it is you have to tell us is very important, couldn’t it have waited until I’d finished giving Barry Bear his back rub?” Fluttershy asked, the hid behind her mane. “I mean, I don’t mean to seem rude, but he’s been waiting for it all week and has a lot of tension he needs me to work out of it.”
“Sorry, girls,” Applejack said, shaking her head. “Ah realize this is a bit sudden, but it is urgent.”
“Indeed,” Rarity said, then sighed. “It’s to do with Stellar.”
“Don’t tell me that Tiara kid’s still picking on her,” Dash said, her eyes narrowing. “I swear, if she hurts that filly one more time, I’m gonna—”
“Let her father handle it,” Twilight cut her off. “We can’t just go doing whatever we want to her, Dash. I care about Stellar too... even if she doesn't want anything to do with the rest of us right now."
The room fell silent for a while as each before felt the sadnnes of knowing the little filly they'd all come to care for as family still felt too hurt to even talk to any of them when they tried to visit her and she was awake.
After some time, Twilight cleared her throat as she wiped her eyes. " Anyway, I won’t defend that brat for how she’s treated Stellar either, but we can’t just go after some other filly for hurting her. We need to approach this carefully.”
“Well, while Diamond Tiara may have caused her suffering with how she kept making it hard for Stellar to feel normal by treating her as if she were Nightmare Moon, she is not the reason Stellar is involved in this particular instance,” Rarity said, bringing the conversation back to where it was meant to be headed.
“Oh, right,” Twilight blushed a little, realizing just how far they’d veered off the topic at hoof. “Sorry, girls. Go on.”
Rarity cleared her throat. “Well, you girls might not know this, but Applejack and I... Well, we’ve sort of become... uh...”
“You’re dating?” Dash smirked.
Applejack seemed to choke on thin air and Rarity’s mouth dropped open in a very unladylike manner.
Dash’s smirk just grew. “We’ve all known for a month. Frankly, we’ve been waiting for you to come out with it.”
“You... you knew?!” Rarity asked, flabbergasted. "How?"
Fluttershy gave a small blush. “Well, actually, it was some of my animals that found out. They told me and I... might’ve... accidentally let it slip to the others.”
“I... well...” Rarity glanced at the farm mare, who looked back at her with the same dumbfounded expression.
“So, what were you going to say after that, girls?” Twilight asked, trying to suppress a chuckle. "Or is that all?"
For a moment, Rarity looked like she was going to say something to the Alicorn, but Applejack put a hoof on her shoulder and shook her head.
Rarity sighed. “Right. The reason we’re here is more important. Well,” she looked around at the other mares, “a few days ago, Applejack and I were spending some time together at Sweet Apple Acres—”
“Rolling around in the hay, I bet,” Dash snickered.
“— and the crusaders,” she continued as if Dash hadn’t interrupted, “came by and told us something... well, they said that... um...”
They all leaned in when Rarity’s face went an even darker shade of red.
“What? They catch you two in the act or something?” Dash joked, but when neither mare met her eyes, her jaw dropped. “They didn’t?!”
“Well, yes an’ no,” Applejack said, putting a foreleg around the unicorn. “Sweetie saw us, but she only saw Rarity lyin’ atop o’ me an’ us kissin’..." then muttered, "luckily.”
“So, what did they tell you that’s got Rarity redder than your brother?” Twilight asked, nodding her head to the mare Applejack was holding.
Applejack gulped. “They told us somethin’ that sounds right, but...”
“Is this about us all being related to Stellar because she’s got our blood inside of her, thanks to that spell Moonie used to make the body?” Pinkie asked.
Dash choked on thin air, Fluttershy eeped and Applejack and Rarity blushed.
Twilight, however, just frowned. “How’d you find out, Pink—?” she began to ask, before shaking her head. “Look who I’m asking. You probably figured it out with your Pinkie Sense, right?”
“Nope,” the pink mare shook her head, giving a calm smile. “I overheard the crusaders talking about it with Silver Spoon at Sugar Cube Corner yesterday!”
“Wait a minute!” Dash turned to Twilight, pointing an accusing hoof at her. “You knew it, all this time, and didn’t say anything?”
Twilight cocked an eyebrow at her, then shrugged. “I thought it was obvious to all of us. I mean, Princess Luna explained how our blood was used in the spell to give Stellar her form. I assumed you all realized it too.”
Dash deadpanned. “Twi, not all of us are eggheads, like you. How were we meant to realize that and at that time?”
The Alicorn looked a little offended by the egghead part, but just shrugged again.
“Wait, what does that make us to her?” Dash asked, her deadpan being replaced with confusion. “Are we all her mothers too, along with Luna?” Her face paled. "I'm a mom?"
Twilight shook her head. “I’ve spoken with Luna about it. I think it’s more accurate to think of us as her big sisters, rather than her mothers.”
“Oh, my,” Fluttershy gave a warm smile. “I’ve always wanted a little sister. Now I have one.”
“Heh, now Scoots has three awesome sisters,” Dash grinned as her colour returned, puffing out her chest.
“Shining was very surprised to learn he’s got another little sister,” Twilight smiled. “And my parents were overjoyed, if a little confused. And Cadance loves the idea that she can once again cuddle with a little filly.”
“Ooh, Pinkamena’s going to be so happy when I tell her!” Pinkie bounced up into the air. “I mean, I thought it meant we were cousins and she’s already happy that she’s got me, Maud, Limestone and Marble for sisters, Applejack and all her family for cousins and now she gets her own little sister! This is going to be the best party ever!”
“Don’t any of you understand?!” Rarity shouted, causing them all to turn their attention back to her and AJ. “If we’re all her big sisters, that means, by default, we’re all sister to each other!”
The other four glanced at each, then Dash looked to the seamstress, an eye cocked. “Uh, yeah, Rare, we got that. But, why’re you making it sound like a bad thing?"
“Yeah?” Pinkie said, looking just as confused and a tiny bit angry. “You’re closer to Stellar than any of us. I’d have thought learning she was really your sister would’ve made you happy, not angry.”
“If we’re all sister, that means Applejack and I are sisters!” Rarity shouted, a bit of her mane coming undone.
The four mares glanced at each other, still confused as to what was upsetting the unicorn.
Applejack smacked herself with a hoof. “We’re sisters an’ we’re datin’!”
The others all stood there for several moments, processing what she’d said, before their eyes widened a little in understanding, before Twilight chuckled.
“And just what do you find about this situation that is so amusing, Twilight?” Rarity snapped, glaring at the purple mare. “I love Applejack more than anything in the world. But our love can’t be now, because,” she made an unpleasant expression “that’s just... eww.”
Twilight shook her head. “Even if being related to Stellar makes us all sister, we’re more like half-sister to each other. And, while courtship between direct siblings is frowned upon, courtship between siblings with a few distances between them is perfectly fine.”
“Wait, so... we’re okay?” AJ asked, her farming mind not quite understanding everything Twilight had said, what with all the other stuff whirling through her head at the time.
Twilight nodded. “You two aren’t doing anything wrong with loving each other, trust me.”
“Are... are ya sure, Twi?” Applejack asked, her grip on Rarity tightening slightly. “Ah... Ah wouldn’ wanna make Rare do anythin’ bad. An' Granny made it pretty clear to Big Mac an' me when we first starting noticin' others like that, that incest weren't right.”
Twilight shook her head. “No. I’ll ask the princess, but I’m certain it’s fine.”
Applejack and Rarity still looked unsure, but Pinkie leapt between them, wrapping a foreleg around each of them shouting happily, “Now let’s get that party ready!”
“Um, what party would that be, exactly, dear?” Rarity asked uncertainly.
“The Stellar, You’re Related to All Our Families party, duh,” Pinkie said matter-of-factly.
Dash shook her head. “And what a crazy family it is.”
___________________________________________________________
A knock on my door made me look up, thinking maybe Mama was back already. Instead, I saw somepony who that I didn't expect. The crusaders and Silver Spoon were standing there, but, in front of them, looking like she'd been crying, was Diamond Tiara.
We just stared, my eyes wide as I took in a Diamond Tiara I'd never seen before.
Suddenly, Diamond ran forward and, before I could do anything wrapped her forelegs around me, taking me by surprise.
“I’m so, so sorry,” she said, her hoarse voice barely a whisper. “It’s all my fault. I’m sorry I caused what happened to you. It's my fault. I'm so sorry!”
Tiara winced as her hooves brushed where my wings were still growing back and when she pulled back; the sadness in her eyes broke my heart. It looked like she’d been through Tartarus and back, seeing only the sadness throughout the world’s history.
She winced again as her eyes fell on where my horn was still regrowing.
I pulled her back into a hug, holding her firmly. It was all she needed to fall into fits of sobs again. I just held her, letting her cry it all out.
I somehow knew now that things would be better. Maybe Diamond and I could even be friends now. It might take a little time for her to get comfortable around me and the crusaders, but it was possible now.
I had a sneaking suspicion that Mama had something to do with this, though. I would ask her about it when she got back from Canterlot, but for now, I had a possible new friend to comfort and let know that she was forgiven.
Once Diamond had calmed down, I looked to the others. "Tell me what happened."
___________________________________________________________
Silver Spoon knocked on the door to Diamond Tiara’s family mansion.
Scootaloo couldn’t help wondering, just like the last time she and the other crusaders had been here, just how much money Diamond's father spent of just making the front of the house look nice, let alone the costs for everything else.
A few moments later, the door opened to show an elderly stallion wearing a butler’s uniform. “Yes?” he asked, looking to each of them, his eyes showing recognition as they fell on Silver.
“We came to see why Diamond didn’t come to school the last few days,” Silver said and the crusaders could hear the worry in her voice clearly. “Is she sick?”
The butler looked at Silver for several moments, before closing his eyes as he stepped aside. “Please come in, ladies. I will go get Mr. Rich to speak with you. Just wait one moment.”
“Ever notice how everypony says that, then take ages?” Scootaloo commented as Silver Spoon led them over to a large couch and they sat down.
“I hope everything’s okay,” Silver murmured, looking down at her hooves.
“Mr. Rich is here.” They all jumped at the sound of the butler’s voice and turned to see Filthy Rich walking towards them.
They all saw the worried look in his eyes.
“Mr. Rich!” Silver leaped from the couch and hurried up to him. “Where’s Diamond? How come she hasn't been at school in days? Is she sick? Did you send her away for how she what happened to Stellar? Please tell me you didn’t send her away!” Her eyes were pleading and full of tears.
“Easy! Easy, Silver Spoon,” Rich said, putting his forehooves on Silver’s shoulders. “Don’t worry. I haven’t sent Diamond away.” His face fell a little, matching his eyes.
“Sumethin’ bad happened, didn’ it?”
They all turned to Apple Bloom. She had a sad look on her face.
Rich sighed and nodded. “Silver, sit down. There’s... something you need to know.”
SEVERAL DAYS AGO
Filthy Rich sighed as he sat in his armchair and looked over the morning paper, a cup of coffee resting on the tabletop beside him.
The news was still the same as always , with very little interesting things catching his attentionaside from word on Princess Stellar's rate of recovery... until he noticed something small mentioning him.
She knows now was all it said, with his name directly underneath.
Rich frowned. She knows now? What the heck was that suppose to mean.
“Tiara!” he called. “It’ll be late soon and you’ve got school today.”
After a few moments he heard the sound of his daughter’s hooves clopping on the floor upstairs, then coming down the stairs.
She was moving slowly, not unusual on a school morning... but there was something else about her hoofsteps that sounded... different.
“Daddy?”
Rich lowered his paper, expecting to hear another of his daughter’s complaints about having to go to school, as it was every morning— but froze when he saw her.
Diamond was standing before him, a look of utter sadness mixed with empathy and many others. It was a look he’d never seen in her eyes before.
“I... I remember,” she said, almost a sob.
Rich blinked, not understanding. She remembers? She remembers what? What could she...?
Suddenly, the words from the paper returned to him. She knows now.
It clicked, his eyes widened and she gave a sad nod.
Rich put his paper down and held out her forelegs. Diamond ran towards him and jumped into his waiting embrace, sobbing into his coat.
“It’s okay, Diamond. It’s okay,” he said soothingly, trying to hush the distraught filly.
“I—I—I—I— I’m so, so sorry, Dadd-y!” she wailed, her body shaking like a leaf, her sobbing making it hard for her to breathe.
Rich held his daughter, continuing to hush her. He had always wondered if her memories would someday come back and it seemed today was the day.
Whoever had put those words in the paper had also known. His fears made him think for a moment that maybe it was her grandparents, before reason returned to his mind, telling him it was most likely Princess Luna, the only pony he knew who could visit the dreams of others.
It was the only way he could explain Diamond spontaneously remembering everything from her past, the past she hadn’t needed to worry about for so long.
NOW
The four fillies stared at Rich wide-eyed after he explained what had happened all those days ago and then explained to them Diamond’s past, a past none of them could’ve ever guessed she’d had, not in a million years.
“She’s currently resting,” Rich said, looking up at the ceiling. “She's been to see a psychiatrist every day since. It... wasn’t easy for her.”
"And... how's yer ex-wife takin' it?" Apple Bloom asked cautiously.
The stallion scowled, looking away. "That witch? She'll soon be rotting in the Canterlot dungeons."
The four fillies' eyes widened.
"For what she did to Diamond?" Sweetie Belle gaped.
He shook his head. "Princess Luna found out my former wife was involved with that group that foalnapped the princess." They all gasped, but he went on. "In fact, she was the one who gave them the information that Princess Stellar would be in Canterlot on Hearth's Warming. I'm just glad that witch can't infect my Diamond's mind anymore."
Since rang for several moments.
“Can... can I see her?” Silver asked after some time.
Rich gave a sad shake of the head. “Maybe tomorrow, girls. For now, Diamond needs her rest and—”
“Silvy?”
The croaky voice made them all turn. Standing at the top of the stairs, still wearing a pink nightgown, with bags under her eyes, was Diamond Tiara.
However, this was not a Diamond Tiara any of them had ever seen before. She held none of the air of superiority you could smell. Instead, she seemed like a weak, lost child.
In her eyes they saw none of the scorn or malice the crusaders and other fillies and colts had seen since their first meeting with the pink filly. Instead, they just saw uncertainty and longing, mixed with sadness.
Silver slowly got up off the couch. “Dia?”
They stood for several moments, just looking at each other. Then, faster than any of them would’ve expected, they rushed towards each other, meeting at the foot of the stairs.
They held each other, crying rivers.
“I’m so, so sorry, Silvy!” Diamond sobbed as she held onto her friend. “I’m sorry I was so horrible, that I made you go along with all those things I did. You’re the best friend I could’ve ever ask for and don’t derseve. I’m so sorry!”
“I was so worried about you, Dia,” Silver sobbed right back. “When you didn’t come to school I thought it was nothing. But, when you still weren't at school for all these days, I thought something bad might have happened. Oh, Dia, I’m so glad you’re okay!”
The crusaders all watched for several minutes as the two of them cried everything out. When they finally finished ten minutes later, Silver led Diamond over.
She saw them, then looked down, shame and grief practically forcing itself onto her face.
They all waited for several moments as silence fell. After the silence became too much, Diamond spoke. "I'm... sorry, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo... for everything."
___________________________________________________________
"After she'd apologized, we asked if she wan'ed to apologize t' you too," Apple Bloom said.
She and the others had taken turns telling me the story, all the while I held a sobbing Diamond Tiara with my forelegs.
"She said "yes"," Scootaloo said, none of her usual attitude in her voice. She gave weak smirk and nodded her head at Diamond. "Bet you didn't know, huh?" she joked weakly.
I nodded, closing my eyes, a smile on my face. Things were definitely going to be better from now on.
Good chapter can't wait for more
6704695
at least it wasn't only a first comment
Didn't Rarity moved out to Canterlot?
umm the talk with Silver Spoon didn't happen with the rewrite. they did it at the hospital.
As for what the girls can do? Honestly I don't know. Stellar has lost trust in them. That is something not easily gotten back if ever. It's got to be big what ever it is.
Wow, this is a mess. The facts and events are all over the place, forcing Tiara's canon mother in at this point doesn't fit and there are even chapters with the same explanation written twice.
I think i liked this better before the first rewrite.
6705450 But every single comment with the words 1st! or First! (both the same, really) will still earn my ire.
6708619 I think Autum (dat name typo) wanted to put every single character in a good light, or explain their (bad?) behavior. No one said the explanation was going to be good. Although I can't deny the writing style and having the same explanation written twice, Autum (dat typo again) is still a first-time writer, thus inexperienced.
P.S. I'm the kind of guy that rolls with whatever the plot is.
6711109
Meh, I'm not too bothered over earnig the ire of others.
6711109 Which is exactly I can't bring myself to just drop this story and forget about it. Plus I still want to see what else he has in store for Stellar.
6711157if you are an author, by earning the ire of me I won't read your stories
by earning my anger your stories will have +1 dislike
by earning my hate (which is often after I read a really bad fanfic which the author insists is good), I will dislike + leave a (often) rude comment.
6713128
And by being apathetic i don't really give a shit, and by automatically disliking something without reading it you display incredibly petulent behaviour.
6714401 When I don't read something, it usually has a description like this.
(written by a whiny kid)
or, this
(FOR GOD'S SAKE, THIS IS A STORY CONTAINING XENOMORPHS, WHY THE HELL IS THERE EVEN FRIENDSHIP.
6714758
Then by all measn don't read it, but it's incredibly petulent to say that you will dislike something simply because someone on the internet posted words that you didn't like, it makes it look like you are throwing a tantrum. At lest try to show decorum when dealing with others.
6714759 Meh, I read the story anyway.
BOTH SUCKED. Period
On Fanfiction.net I read a lot of stories that have bad descriptions.
The stories were really really bad.
I must admit the changes in the chapters some small some huge are making for a good story.
6714762
And there is nothing wrong with that, the point I was referencing was when you said that you would down vote authors for pissing you off, and in this instance was from a "First" comment. Down voting something with no relation to it is an incredibly petulent thing to do. Doesn't matter if the author is an arse or not.
Show her that she was basically mentally dead that would help in the reconcile.
6722617 looking up recipes on ingredients alone isn't that easy...
6726152 Thank you.
You've been watched
The watcher
(@-@)
6759630 Wasn't one of the ploys of the ponies trying to kidnap Stellar to set the school house on fire for what ever reason? If you don't remember this then I might be confusing this for a different story... soz.
6759628
My mistake.
Given how closely you were following canon on so many other things in that part, I was having trouble finding it engaging (what's the point in reading a summary of what you already know?) and kept slipping into skim-reading without noticing. As a result of that, I thought I read about DT having her canon change of heart because I noticed that various Derpy-Rich relationship bits had been removed and the CMC are now getting their marks in helping others understand their talent, as in canon.
(Which is one of the hazards of following canon too closely. People start to get complacent in the idea that they already know what's going to happen, which can lead to boredom and/or not reading very closely, depending on how you go about it. In this case, it was made worse by my having read the earlier version and, thus, being aware of how much you'd changed things to bring them closer to canon.)
Why isn't there a reading of this
6773951 most likely cos i've yet to finish it, but thank you for such praise,
That was fun, may I have another? Looking forward to more.
Keep up the good work. Deus tecum.
6932691 Did they get different cutie marks? Did they get them only after giving up on finding their own talents? Did they, in effect, get a "group" cutie mark in the one thing they are canonically TERRIBLE at? These are the fundamental fail-points, and you seem to have incorporated them into your story.
6933215 Well, as i don't want to get into a heated argument, i'm just going to give my opinion on the meaning of their marks and what i feel is what the show was going for there.
First of all, yes, the same cutie marks they got in the show are what they get in this story.
However, them canonically TERRIBLE at understanding the meaning of cutie marks? I don't think that's what was meant to be implied. What they canonically terrible at was trying to find what their own cutie marks were or what they were about. They main special talent, as far as i can see, has been shown to be understanding cutie marks when NOT focusing on themselves. By thinking of others, they're able to actually come to reasonable ideas and understandings about what they're doing. It's only when they tried applying that to themselves that it became a problem, because it was focusing a talent that wouldn't work on them, on them, if that makes sense.
Also, i don't see it as them giving up on finding their own marks and that's what they get them for. they got their marks for deciding to help out others instead of always focusing on trying to find their own. it wouldn't have meant they wouldn't still be trying to get their marks had they not gotten them, they just wouldn't have been wasting all that talent trying random things for themselves and instead being able to focus it so they can think carefully about what the marks of others might be or to their meaning.
Again, i don't wanna get into a debate, i'm just trying to put into words how i feel their talents are represented. I hope this answers your question and, if you still feel it wasn't right, that's. that's your personal opinion and you can have it, there's no law against that. I'm just letting you know what i think is all.
Have a good day,
Autum
6934327 No, it was pretty explicit that they didn't "get" cutie marks--- even after the Mane Six explained it explicitly. Scootaloo's line about wanting to hear how to get a cutie mark, not "all these stories about self discovery and junk", lampshaded it.
I'm not sure I can ever explain this clearly to anyone who is deeply entrenched in our culture's perverted understanding of charity, and it's collectivist participation-award mentality. It's rather like trying to explain to a fish the difference between "dry" and "wet".... but it lies in the impassible gap of difference between the agape-rooted concept of charity, and the self-destructive Comtean philosophy of altruism.
Again, let's review. They did not get even their own marks until they:
1) Expressly stated they were giving up on looking for anything special about themselves.
2) Gave up their individuality to a collective identity. ( namely, the Cutie Mark Crusaders.)
3) Proposed to spend their lives "doing for others" what by nature each pony is supposed to do for themselves ( namely, understand their special talents and cutie marks. It's innate in the process of receiving one in the first place!)
Above points repeated in their cutie mark design; aspects of their actual individual personalities (lightning bolt, music note, and... apple-- ooo, real creative stretch there, writers) sublimated to a secondary detail in their otherwise identical, membership-badge-like marks.
The more you look at it, the more Marxist it looks. That's not a cutie mark story, it's an introduction to the borg collective... or to your new place in the Glorious Fatherland's People's turnip farm.
Can you continue writing this story? Its good story, even #very_God_story.
Catch my fav.
7015680 thanks!
7029555 "George Lucasing."
Wow. OUCH.
7047550 No she hasn't that style is a very flawed style made by progressives who have no common sense.
7036187 In all honesty, the bluntness, once i bothered to step back and think about it, was needed.
Meh, I was never a fan of inter-mane-6 relationships. It's that power of friendship not the power of courtship. (That's a good idea for a fanfic)
But for now it's just a small little bruise on this glorious, beautiful, tasty apple.
If we look at this from at Rarity's and AJ's relationship from a genetics stand point it should be fine. It would be like like their parents had married each other and had a foal. It would be fine for the two of them to be together because despite the marriage relationship there is no actual direct blood relationship. The same could not be said if they had such a relationship with the child from their parents.
7152778
Not to mention stel only has 2/7 of their blood. So the common genes they shared would make her 7 cousins removed. So yeah id say sister is pushing it.
you have a fascinating way of making me care for characters I previously did not like. Such as blueblood and Diamond tiara.
I love how every one thinks steller is a girl when he is a Boy named micheal
7470398
*Stellar
I have read this story and liked it but I always did have a few problems with it. This chapter right here is one of them. The 'genetics mentioned in this chapter do not make very much sense. Your characters start talking about how wrong their relationship is even though they aren't really related. They would have to share DNA to be related(physically anyway) and just because their DNA was appropriated does not make them related. Good story overall though.
8732721
That is in case they actually know much about genetics. Maybe only Twi does and even that depend on the level of technology in their world which is not great as it seems even with magic. Hard to tell how much they actually know about DNA.
Besides, it's a whole different world filled with magic to the brim where your destiny manifests on your ass and clouds are artificially made by pegasi (well, except those over Everfree, and they are considered an oddity and weird). I wouldn't be too surprised if their local genetics is as wonky and more often than not depends on magic rather than on science or at the very least common sense.
Holy shipping! That's not a ship it's a fleet!
10124099
A full-size fleet with bloody dreadnoughts
Are they gonna walk in to see something that they really shouldn't see?
Thank Celestia for childlike innocence.
It's not often someone can say that and mean it literally. Then again, the show does it all the time.
First of all, I don't think "half-sister" is quite accurate. Because half-sisters still share a parent. I refer to my half-sister as just my sister, and there would be nothing okay if I dated her, even if I referred to her as a half-sister. Granted, she's my half-sister on my mother's side. But I don't think it would be much better if it were on my father's side. Then again, as I said, I don't think that analogy works, since half-siblings still share blood. The Mane 6 don't share any blood. So it's more akin to them being either step sisters or sisters-in-law. I think the in-law analogy works the best since an in-law needs someone in the "middle" to connect them. To put it simply, their blood is in Stellar, making them sisters. However, it's a one-way connection. Think of the Mane 6 as jugs of water, the water is their blood, and a drinking glass is Stellar. Each one of those jugs of water contributed to filling that glass with water. That water from the 6 jugs combines in that glass of water. However, water from one jug never actually gets transferred to any of the other jugs. That's also similar to how in-laws work. There's a connection through a third person.
I don't think step sisters work as well as an analogy, because, with step-siblings, you actually have to add an extra step. To use that jug analogy with step-siblings, there'd be two drinking glasses and three jugs. One of the jugs is empty at first. one of the glasses is filled with water from one jug, the other glass is filled with water with the second jug, and then the empty jug is filled with the water of the two other jugs.
Personally, I would've liked to see Rarity attempt to get together with Blueblood (the real one this time). Perhaps the real Blueblood would've fit her fantasies better. Even if that's not the case, I never really understood why so many people force a RariJack ship. And yes, it's a forced ship. Just because it's such a popular one, it doesn't change the fact that it is forced. It's forced because there's nothing to work off of beyond the "opposites attract" cliche. And I'm calling it cliche and not a trope because it's so overused without good reason. It did make for an amusing scene though.
6933215
6934327
The CMCs never gave up on anything. At most, you could make the argument that they gave up on a method that clearly wasn't working anyway. In other words, they gave up trying to put a round peg into a square hole.
And it was never canon that they were terrible at helping others with their cutie marks, which is what they're talent is about. But Autum explained it best.
6935376
Why are you referencing their understanding of cutie marks in Season 1? Do you honestly not think that the CMCs could've grown since then? And why are you using what Scootaloo said as if it applies to all three of them?
What "perverted understanding of charity" would that be?
First of all, how is charity, as you put it, "agape-rooted"? And how is altruism "self-destructive" if it benefits the group? Do you know what the perfect example of altruism is? "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few." But perhaps I have a misunderstanding of what altruism is.
They only gave up on a process that wasn't going to work whether they gave up on it or not. And they said that it doesn't matter if they never get their marks as long as they're together and will feel fulfilled by helping others with their marks. That's not the same as saying that they gave up on getting their marks. It's just saying that as long as there are other things that are fulfilling to them that they can focus on, then it doesn't matter if their journey to get their marks never reaches a conclusion.
If being the cutie mark crusaders means giving up their individuality, then they gave that up back in Season 1 and has nothing to do with what their cutie marks are. But the thing is, having the same special talent doesn't take away individuality. They each have their individual personalities. And if you'd pay attention, you'd see that they are NOT identical cutie marks. They follow the same theme. But there are details in the marks that still make them individuals (pointed out in Season 9). Being part of a group doesn't mean your individuality is stripped from you. If following a theme removes individuality, then there are no individuals in MLP, or in the real world.
Self-discovery does not mean you can't have help. What the CMCs do is just help to point in a specific direction. As for being innate in the process, I'll grant that much. But that doesn't mean a pony can't misinterpret what their mark means. Trouble Shoes for example got his mark because he wanted to entertain. But how it happened and the mark itself mislead him. They can also explain to parents what a cutie mark means, like when parents thought a skull and crossbones mark, as well as the parents' own backgrounds, meant their child was a pirate, when in fact it was in paleontology. And then there was the time when a pony got a mark in something completely different than the CMCs suggested, but it was still thanks to their help that the series of events lead him to his talent. And besides, a cutie mark doesn't dictate what a pony does, it's simply a reflection of the pony.
Above points repeated in their cutie mark design; aspects of their actual individual personalities (lightning bolt, music note, and... apple-- ooo, real creative stretch there, writers) sublimated to a secondary detail in their otherwise identical, membership-badge-like marks.
The Apple family is all about family. There's not a single member of the family who doesn't have an apple-related cutie mark. I'd argue that an apple mark is simply a genetic marker of the family. In fact, if Apple Bloom didn't get an apple mark, it would make her so unique that it would make absolutely no sense. (And if you want to bring up Babs Seed's mark as a counterargument for not being apple-related, take a look at the handles of those scissors. What shape do they make when they're brought together?) And consider this: Flim and Flam also have apple marks, yet they have no relation to the Apple family. And do you really think a music note is an original mark? Music-related marks are not uncommon. And a lightning bolt cutie mark is far from being original. Rainbow Dash, Lightning Dust, Soarin, Thunderlane... not exactly original. And you seem to forget that there was other symbolism in their marks. A wing, a star, and a heart.
What about it is Marxist? I'm not an expert on Marxism. But I'm pretty sure there's nothing about individuality in Marxism.
If a cutie mark dictated the personality, and if their marks were identical, you'd have a point. In fact, there WERE identical cutie marks in the Season 5 premiere. And the characters still had individuality despite Starlight's attempt to remove individuality. And I'll refer to Pinkie and Surprise again. They actually do have nearly identical cutie marks (even more so than the CMCs). Yet they have significantly different personalities. And those cutie marks weren't forced on them.
7049011
That actually is the duty of a teacher. They have to be objective. It's a flawed style, but it's the truth. Besides, the alternative is equally if not more flawed.
And there's nothing wrong with progressives. The root word is "progress".
7148446
I'm not a fan either. But love doesn't mean they're not still friends. In fact, friendship is a type of love. And "friends with benefits" is a thing.
7360098
2/7? Why is it 2/7 and not 2/6? Who's the 7th? It can't be Luna, because her blood wasn't part of the equation in the ritual.
7470398
The boy named Michael died. as for his soul, well, would are genderless. She WAS a boy named Michael. She IS a girl named Stellar Nova. Regardless of the name, she's a she. If she is going to be a he, she has to be considered trans.
Wait, wait, wait.... Just frowned upon??????? *Winces* Nope don't think those thoughts.
F*uck, I just realized that Stellar could be considered Nightmare Moon's jinchuuriki.
y.yarn.co/232da9db-7c99-40b4-93d0-2e708a324052_text.gif
I am surprised spoiled milk get dungeon time, but I guess life long imprisoning will do.
Did we just have a flashback . . . within another flashback?! (Insert Inception BWOM)
Considering the pattern of this train of thought, Gummy would be Winona.