Ding, dong! Ding, dong!
As the bell rang above Cheerilee’s schoolhouse, she couldn’t help but get a nagging feeling in her head as her students settled in for class. Something was off...but what? Giving the students a quick once over, she could see little Twist, Snips, Snails, Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon- ah!
“Hm...excuse me, class?” Cheerilee started to ask, “Would anypony know where- ”
Before she could finish, however, she heard the sound of speedy little hooves on a wooden floor, and bursting into class and panting slightly, were Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle, collectively called the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Quickly trotting to their seats, Apple Bloom quickly spoke up for the group. “Sorreh we’re so late, Miz Cheerilee! We were tryin' to get here as fast as we could, but-”
Cheeilee waved her off, smiling warmly. “Don't worry, you made it, and that's what matters. Just don't make a habit out of cutting it so close all the time, alright?”
Apple Bloom and the other Crusaders nodded and snapped a short salute, smiling all the while. “We promise!” they said in unison. With that, Cheerilee turned to the board and soon began writing the day's lesson on the chalkboard.
In the next row, Diamond Tiara gave a derisive snort as she turned to Silver Spoon. “Probably trying something ridiculous to get their cutie marks again... like mud pie eating!” The two fillies giggled lightly over their little jest as Apple Bloom gave a small scowl toward the little rich pony. “Wuz not,” Apple Bloom hissed.
Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon simply laughed mockingly and turned to Cheerilee as she began the lesson for the day- however, it didn't escape Silver Spoon's notice that Diamond Tiara would occasionally glance in Apple Bloom's direction and give a small frown before shaking her head and returning to the lesson.
A similar frown formed on Silver Spoon's own mouth as she let her thoughts roam. 'Oh no...I hope she's not thinking about it too much again...'
Although she wasn't incredibly concerned, she made a note to talk to her friend about it after class.
At last, school was over, as the young fillies and colts headed home, homework in tow, some with smiles, others with frowns. Many of them made a point of racing out, eager to get fresh air, but Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon considered themselves a touch more 'refined' than that, instead taking the time to trot out casually, each projecting an air of nonchalance. As they stepped out, Silver Spoon tentatively debated how best to approach the topic she'd had in mind.
Keeping her voice casual, she decided to just ask. “So, DT...wanted to ask you what was up with you-”
“Ooh, hold that thought, Silver Spoon.” Diamond Tiara pointed off to her right at a familiar trio. “Blank flanks at 2 o'clock.” With a smug grin, Diamond Tiara set off towards the Crusaders, who were, by Silver's own guess, apparently getting ready to go riding around being carted in that silly red wagon driven by that danger prone pegasus filly. Silver herself followed behind Diamond Tiara as she always did, putting on a mischievous grin of her own once Diamond started laying into the three as usual.
“Well, now, off to try another useless plan to to get your Cutie Marks, blank flanks?” Diamond took one look at their transportation and scoffed. “Maybe you ought to try for a Cutie Mark in being losers. You're ALL just BOUND to get that one!” Both Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon let loose a tinny laugh at that, as the Cutie Mark Crusaders gave the duo an identical flat glare. It was Scootaloo who responded first.
“Shows how much you two know,” she said as she stomped a hoof for emphasis. “We're not even worried about that right now.”
Unnoticed by the other two, Silver Spoon caught Diamond Tiara's breath hitch slightly and her body tense, and her own pulse quickened a little as her friend continued. “Oh yeah? S-so, what, you're not trying to get your Cutie Marks anymore? You just not going to bother trying so stupidly hard?”
Sweetie Belle nodded eagerly as she spoke up. “Well, not today! We're gonna have a secret sleepover, so we can't get too tired.”
She could see Diamond Tiara relaxing a touch, and Silver Spoon felt relief flooding her system as she heard Sweetie's words as well- enough to fire off her own retort. “Awww, how precious...ly lame,” Silver Spoon snorted. As lame as it was, for a second there...
Apple Bloom by this time had had enough. “Aw, shoot, jus' forget 'em, girls.” With little fanfare she hopped onto the wagon, Sweetie Belle following suit a moment later as Scootaloo finished hitching herself up. “We got us a sleepover to get ready for!”
“CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS SLEEPOVER! YAY!” And with that proclamation, they sped off, leaving Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon waving away the dust that was kicked up in their wake.
“Ugh...” Diamond Tiara made her best effort to shake out her mane. “Losers...I can't believe those three. So stupid. So weird. So...so stupidly weird! Like, like they don't get how big of losers they are!” She sniffed disdainfully. “Why, I'm practically doing them a service trying to let them know, but they're just sooo lame they just never figure it out!”
Silver Spoon made a halfhearted attempt to clean her glasses, keeping an eye on her best friend. “Well, it's not like you haven't tried...but at least we know they're still just as nutty about it as ever. For a while there...” she let the statement go unspoken, hoping her friend would pick up on the hint.
Diamond Tiara did not disappoint, as she continued the line of thought. “Yeah...I thought they stopped worrying about it too. THAT would've been bad. If they'd just quit, then before you know it, we...we would be...”
Silver Spoon shook her head as the duo turned to head home. “Di, I know. That's why we're so mean to them in the first place.” She gave a soft grin toward her friend. “Like we promised, right?”
Diamond nodded. “Right...no way we're ever going to let THAT happen to us!”
As they parted ways to go to their respective houses for the day, Diamond Tiara stopped short briefly once Silver was out of earshot. Breathing a shuddering sigh, she couldn't help but speak to herself.
“No way...especially not me.”
Diamond Tiara was not having a good day. Oh sure, her breakfast had been absolute perfection (she would accept nothing less), her mane immaculately coiffed as per her explicit instructions, and her coat brushed to a fine, glimmering sheen. However, this all paled before one unfortunate fact:
Not Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, nor Sweetie Belle were at all around today. Somehow, the trio had apparently done the impossible and made themselves particularly scarce- a fact that was frustrating Diamond Tiara to no end. Silver Spoon had managed to inform her that she would be unavailable for the better part of the day due to her parents forcing her along on some sort of shopping trip. While Diamond Tiara normally LOVED shopping (it gave her an always welcome opportunity to flaunt her wealth and opulence), Silver Spoon had actually recommended she in fact NOT accompany her, due to it being 'not that kind of shopping'. Silver had promised she'd be back and that she'd look for her as soon as possible, which would be in a couple of hours; Diamond Tiara pretty much had no choice but to agree and wish for her quick return.
That turn of events had led to her trotting around town, head held high, posture impeccable, hoping that at the very least she could gain some curious looks- maybe an adoring stare or two? If nothing else, she'd at the very least gain a semi-disdainful look from a classmate; after all, most of those foals really didn't know an astonishing young pony when they saw one, did they?
'Oh, well,' she thought. 'I guess my status is just too much for them to-'
Suddenly, a bump from her right sent her stumbling, although she managed to catch herself in time to avoid an oh-so embarrassing faceplant.
Quickly, Diamond turned to the offending pony, smoothing out her mane and resetting her tiara; the object having been severely jostled out of it's usual position. “Hey, how dare you! Like, don't you know who I am?” She gave a quick check at the offending pony- who just so happened to be Twist, one of their classmates; a friend of Apple Bloom's as well, as far as she recalled. A devious smirk grew as she reveled in finally having something to do- it might not have been the blank flanks themselves, but a friend would work just as well. “Or maybe those gigantic nerd-glasses of yours just aren't working!”
There. That should at least make her a little-
“Oh, thorry. My glasseth have been really thmudgy lately. I wanna get new onth, but they're tho ethpenthive theses days...well, gotta go!” Shaking her head somewhat ruefully, Twist turned back and continued on her way. “Bye now!” With a casual wave, she was gone.
“...” Diamond Tiara was left speechless for several moments, watching Twist's retreating form. It took some time before she was able to articulate words again.
“...No...did...did she...” Shaking her head as if to clear it of cobwebs, she looked out again.
The words almost didn't make it out. “She didn't care at all...”
It was then she decided she REALLY needed to find Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, or Sweetie Belle. Or at least Silver Spoon.With a bit less decorum than she first had waltzing through the town, she set out again on her search.
Diamond Tiara was scared. Sitting under a large oak tree in a corner of the park, she struggled to control her breathing. As she desperately trying to avoid hyperventilating, one sentence ran through her head, clear as day.
'They...they all ignored me...'
The day's happenings ran through her head so clearly she wanted to puke. As much as she had been astonished by Twist's casual dismissal of her- her!- she had managed to shake it off as a fluke; a simple result of one of the silly useless dregs of society misunderstanding her place.
What was NOT a fluke was the owner of the jewelry story ignoring her in favor of another mare who had just stepped in.
What was NOT a fluke was the various ponies she'd tried to impress with dazzling movement and grace not even glancing her way.
What was NOT a fluke was no pony even bothering to help her up when she DID trip over some ever-so rude branch that was right in the middle of the pathway- she'd had to get up and do it herself!
And what was most certainly NOT a fluke was, when she'd asked a passing couple of mares just who she was, they responded with sheer uncertainty. EVERPONY should know who she was in this rinkydink...no. With a sigh of near-finality, she slumped down, loathing, depressive, and yet entirely willing to at last face facts.
'They all...must've finally figured it out. How...no, I guess how doesn't matter. Just that they know the truth about me.'
A voice shouted in the distance. “Diamond Tiaraaaa!?” She failed to hear it, such was her state of mind.
'It's not THEM that are useless...it's-'
Suddenly, a rushing of tiny hooves. “DIAMOND TIARA!” Silver Spoon was frantic. “Where have you been!? Di, I've been looking all over for you!” Her breathing was rapid, as if she'd been running more than usual. Judging from her face, she had. Giving her best friend a halfhearted once over, Diamond managed to at least morosely ask about her friend's wellbeing. “Like, what happened to you?”
Silver Spoon gaped. “Me? What happened to you?! Why are you all the way out here? Why are you all plopped down in the dirt? Why are you crying?”
Diamond Tiara blinked once, then reached a hoof to her eyes. Sure enough, there were tears- no doubt they'd come about as part of her realization. They'd no doubt ruin her good looks...and yet, Diamond couldn't find the will to care at the moment. Putting her hoof back down, she sighed again, giving Silver Spoon a defeated look as she spoke.
“They know, Silver,” she moaned.
Silver Spoon blinked once in confusion, then her eyes widened in shock. “No...what happened!” Quickly moving down to her friend's side, she spoke quickly and clearly. “Don't panic, tell me what happened first, THEN I'll tell you if they know.”
As distraught as she was, Diamond found it in her to tell her best friend exactly how her day went-, all the mishaps, the ignoring ponyfolk, the disrespect, and how she had come to find herself at that tree. Oddly enough, however, at the end of her tale, Silver Spoon gave a small 'oh...' and then a sigh of relief.
“What are you sighing for, Silver?” Diamond was confused. “That was like, the worst day I've had in forever!”
Silver nodded. “Yeah, it was a bad day...but I don't think they know, Di. Sounds more like everypony didn't notice you because they were either too ignorant or busy...not because they figured it out...I hope,” she added as an afterthought.
Diamond nodded. “Me too...I'm scared though. We can't let them do that again. Our promise...”
Silver nodded. “I know, Di, I remember. I remember when we both got our cutie marks- it wasn't THAT long ago. I remember when we were so happy...and I remembered when we figured out what they mean...and what that means for us. I remember...I remember how we both cried. How we both wanted to scrub them away, how we both raged at whatever decided to play this sick joke on us just 'cause we're rich. And I remember what we promised. What we swore.”
Diamond Tiara nodded almost automatically, lost in memories. “If they think we're special...they won't realize we...we're...” she choked on her words, unable to go on.
Silver was able to finish, however. “They won't realize...that we're useless. No matter what, we won't let them forget us.” They both found the strength to finish the last part of their creed.
“Even if they only remember to hate us.”
