Going Down the Rabbit Hole
They had accepted her. For all the teasing, the insults, the bullying, they had helped her when she needed it most. Why did they do it? She treated them like dirt, so why? Why in Equestria had they helped her instead of returning the favor? Making her suffer as she had done to them? It was ridiculous. She could have never thought it possible. And for that, she was grateful.
Grateful for their forgiveness, their aid. Perhaps it was the influence of their loved ones, who had taught them their love and tolerance... their forgiveness. Among them were the Elements of Harmony, after all, some of the most understanding ponies she'd ever seen. They were truly blessed, then, to have been raised and taught by such ponies, rather than a passive father and an unbending mother like she had.
But she couldn't be jealous. How could she? She wanted the love and forgiveness they had, and just today, they had given exactly that to her. So she couldn't be jealous. She shouldn't be. She had no right, when she had deserved none of it, and perhaps quite the opposite instead. She couldn't understand why they forgave her. Perhaps, these ponies didn't see in black and white like all others? Perhaps they could believe there was good to be found in everyone?
What was their limit? She needed to know. She had to ask. Perhaps, they would accept her, even when they knew the truth.
But what if they didn't? What if she pushed too far, and they rejected her? She would be left with not a pony but Silver Spoon. That wouldn't be enough. She now had 4 friends, all equally valuable. She couldn't afford to lose just one, not to mention all but one. It was ridiculous to even consider! She'd be an idiot to go there now and ask.
It seemed she was an idiot, then.
"Hey... Crusaders." The three jumped in surprise, turning from their conversation to face her. Diamond Tiara grinned, waving at them. They smiled back, hopping off of their wagon-scooter... thing. She walked up to them.
"Diamond Tiara? What're ya doin' all the way out here?" Apple Bloom gestured around the apple orchard. Diamond blushed, taking a breath.
"I... never got the chance to thank you three properly for supporting me, so I wanted to come here and... thank you three." She awkwardly grinned at them. The crusaders remained quiet, as if expecting her to continue. She gulped, chuckling nervously.
"Well, uh, thank you, I guess..." Her gaze lingered on each of their faces. This was a terrible idea.
"Well, guess I'll be going!" She quickly turned to leave. The crusaders glanced at each other in confusion.
"That's it?" Diamond froze at Sweetie's outburst, before turning around.
"Er, yes? Was it not enough? I'm really thankful, serious! I... I'll show you! I'll get my father to send you-"
"That's not what we meant," Scootaloo said with a smirk. "You came all the way out here, and you just wanted to say thank you? You really didn't need to do that, you know."
"Ya sure ya didn't come here for anything else? We'd be glad to help!" Apple Bloom finished. The three gave her wide -and somewhat fake looking- smiles, showing their sincerity. Diamond stood nervously, considering the three ponies. Should she ask them?
"Well, we're friends now, right? And... we'll stay friends? You wouldn't just abandon me if... something came up, right?" She was stalling, still considering her options. The crusaders glanced at each other before nodding.
"Of course, Diamond! Friends don't just abandon each other. As long as we're not being mean with each other, Ah think we'll be just fine," Apple Bloom said reassuringly. The others nodded in agreement. Diamond breathed in, continuing.
"And that'd be the only reason, right? If I were to be mean again? As long as I was friendly, you'd still want to be my friends, right?" Sweetie Belle walked up to her, patting her back.
"Of course! If you're friendly, there's no reason not to be friends, right? We'll be friends till the end! Which, now that I think about it, I guess means that we wouldn't be friends anymore if you died, or maybe if we died, or if all four of us died, but-"
"Shut up." Scootaloo glared at Sweetie. They stood in silence for a moment.
Sweetie broke it.
"What'd I do?" Diamond subconsciously inched away from her.
"What's with all the questions, Diamond Tiara? Y'all be nice, we stay nice, we're all nice and friends. What's got yer bow in a twist?" The crusaders' attention was brought back to Diamond Tiara, who braced herself.
"Would it matter if I was a changeling?"
...
...
"Say what?" They stared at her incredulously. She glanced at each of them nervously.
"Well, you all said that as long as I wasn't causing any trouble, we'd be friends, right? S-so it shouldn't matter if I was a changeling, right?" She felt beads of sweat trickling down her forehead. They stood silent, only making the tension worse. Apple Bloom suddenly gave her a flat look.
"Yer jokin', right? Y'all ain't no changeling, are you?" Apple Bloom raised her brow.
"O-of course not! That'd be silly!" Apple Bloom doubtfully eyed her, and the others looked on in confusion. She drew closer, and soon Diamond found herself backing away nervously until she was met with a tree. Apple Bloom looked her straight in the eyes, narrowing her own in suspicion.
"Then it don't matter, cause' ya ain't no changeling!" Apple Bloom grinned widely. Diamond let out a breath of relief. But she hadn't really answered the question.
"But if I was, we'd still be friends, right?" The other two walked up beside Apple Bloom.
"Why does it matter if you're not? You're not, right?" Scootaloo questioned.
"No, but if I was," Diamond started. Sweetie Belle cut her off.
"But you're not, right?"
"No! Like, hypothetically, if I was a-"
"But you're not, right?" Apple Bloom glared at her. Diamond shrunk from the gaze. This was an awful idea and she should feel awful. Now Apple Bloom was suspicious of her being a changeling!
"Right?" Apple Bloom repeated.
"R-right! Definitely not! I- I need to go now!" Diamond shrugged away, and started to leave.
"Oh Celestia, she is! We have to tell Twilight!" She froze in her tracks. Apple Bloom panicked, tugging at her friends and rushing to the scooter. Diamond turned around and ran at them, grabbing Apple Bloom.
"Please don't tell Twilight!" Diamond shouted at her, panic gripping her heart. They found out. Of course they found out! What kind of idiotic changeling asks ponies that? Apple Bloom looked up nervously at her, and Diamond quickly let her go. She composed herself as Apple Bloom brushed herself off.
"So you're really a changeling, huh?" It seemed like a statement more than a question.
"I'm telling you, I'm not!" The crusaders looked at her skeptically.
"Well, if you're not, it'll be fine if we all went to Twilight to check, right?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"No!" They couldn't! That was the mare who had her brother drained and mind-controlled, her step-sister imprisoned, her mentor struck down, her birthplace crumble around her, all by the changelings!
"Why not?" Scootaloo asked, the accusation clear in her voice.
"Because! I... I..." What could she say? She was done for! What if they really told Twilight? Why did she have to ask stupid questions? What would Twilight do to her?
She felt her eyes well up.
What if they banished her from Equestria? Used their Rainbow power on her? What if they just outright... killed her?
"Please..." Tears slid down her face, sobs and sniffles quietly escaped her mouth. "Because... I'm scared. Of her. What she could do if she found out. P-please..." She fell to her haunches, sobbing quietly to herself, as she heard no response from the crusaders.
Maybe, they had already ran away, looking for Twilight.
Maybe, Twilight was flying over right now to banish her.
Maybe, they were gathering the six Elements to strike her with Rainbow power.
Maybe, the ponies would end her themselves.
Maybe, it wouldn't hurt.
Thump
Her eyes shot open at the sound. All three had crouched down in front of her, worried looks on their faces. They didn't look worried about her... In fact, they looked... worried for her? Why hadn't they gone to find Twilight?
Did she dare believe they decided not to?
"That's the wrong answer, Diamond Tiara." Apple Bloom said lowly. Her head snapped up.
"W-what?" She inched away nervously. The other two gently and reassuringly held her.
"It's because we're your friends, and nothing else matters." Apple Bloom hugged her.
She was hugging her, a changeling.
This had to be...
This was...
Sincere? Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo joined in.
It was sincere. She could feel the emotions swirling through them. They really accepted her! How could they accept her, how could they be so trusting as to hold her so close?
"How could-"
"Friendship. It's probably friendship, whatever your question was." Sweetie Belle said gently.
"Nothing matters in comparison to that, right?" Scootaloo continued.
So that was the answer. She could feel the joy welling in her, all the tension and fear slipping out. Her eyes were watering again. She let out a quiet sob into Apple Bloom's back.
"What's wrong, Diamond?" Concern riddled the question, and it felt amazing. Amazing to know they cared so much.
"I'm so lucky to have you three... think of me... as a friend!" She returned the hug threefold.
And she cried in their embrace, treasuring every moment.
Considering this story's structured around the infamous question, you might realize this story went through different phases before reaching this point. It was originally a parody of the scenario, but turned darker, then turned into a similar concept as this with different events at the clubhouse, and then became this.
I hoped you liked it. 
We need more filly emoticons!
This is incomplete because I plan to release an alternate ending, the original comedy/parody. I may also make a small follow up using some dummied-out ideas. It might even explain why Diamond Tiara of all ponies would be a changeling.
Should I change this to Teen or add a Dark tag, considering Diamond Tiara's fears?
Hey, kind of noticed the lyrics to Supporting Me from Sonic Adventure 2 is kind of fitting.
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Lol you so got me
6513988 Score!
Mind adding to favorites?
Unless I'm totally misinterpreting what you meant.
Hmm... I seem to remember seeing a similar fic to this before today's spectacular episode...
Still, interesting way of creating more tension and feelz in the situation. If you were the writer of the show, would you make this canon? ;)
Boy! What a twist! Thumbs up!
6514020 Thank you!
Overall, I really enjoyed this story, though there was a tiny thing at the back of my head that bothered me (and no, it wasn't a flea). I don't get why Diamond Tiara would be a changeling. It doesn't really make any sort of sense. Or logic. Then again, this story is a parody, so it probably doesn't want to be taken that seriously. I think it deserves an upvote. You've given us a quick, enjoyable read, just so long as one doesn't think too hard about the logic.
6514132 Well, it was originally a parody, but I turned it serious during the writing process. I thought up of a backstory that would explain why Diamond Tiara's a changeling that makes sense (and is not too convoluted and totally defeats the point of changelings), but I didn't see a good way of incorporating it, so I decided it was fine as it is. I did leave it incomplete, as I think I could make a followup that would explain it without feeling too tacked on.
Edit: Watch for those fleas, though. Might be a changeling disguised as a flea to drain your love.
Or it could be a flea.
6514006 Glad you liked it! And I don't think I would, at least, not for until DT's Heel-Face turn is at least a season or two old. DT already stole the show from the CMC as it was, and having such a revelation would throw the CMC in the dust.
Of course, if this really was canon, I think the entire season would have to have an arc where the changelings are slowly discovered and accepted into society.
..... *sniffs* come on dude! My heart strings man! I am getting to dang soft! Curse you ponies and your sappiness!
6516800 cri moar.
Glad you liked!
6516931 I blame being sick damn it! *sniff* I get sappy when sick!
Oh dear please...
First of all, this was an interesting read as is very well-written! I'm envious off how smoothly the dialogue and exposition flow between the characters. But... (yeah the but was coming)
There's a big problem with the premise, and it all comes down to how excited Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were to be around Twilight in "Twilight Time." DT is so terrified of being brought before Twilight here that even if her cover wasn't blown at the time of the episode, I would think she would avoid her at all costs.
So much so, in fact, I was totally expecting DT to admit at the end the whole admission was just a test like the story summary implied.