//------------------------------// // Remember- The Young Mare Years // Story: Apple Bloom's Diamond Anniversary // by Lome //------------------------------// It was late winter in Ponyville, and all felt right with the world. A chill hung in the air, but every few minutes a brief patch of blue peeked through the puffy gray sky. Snow blanketed the sleepy village in crisp piles as the sunlight dazzled off each flake like a million tiny gems. The last of the winter snow was being scheduled by the busy Pegasus ponies, and Hearts and Hooves day was just around the corner. Diamond Tiara was all too aware of the coming holiday, bracing with nervous apprehension as she looked out from her bedroom window. With a heavy breath she sighed, fogging a single pane of the frost-covered glass. Why does life have to be so ... complicated? It had been nearly three months since the election for student pony president had ended in a spectacular failure. A failure that should have destroyed her but instead had changed everything. Once again her life had been turned upside-down at the hooves of that tenacious country pony. A pony who by all rhyme and reason should have been her mortal enemy. The young country mare had, with the help of her friends, shown her how to be the pony she wanted to be. She could scarcely admit it, but on that day she had also learned which pony she wanted to be with. "But there's just no way." The pink pony proclaimed as the last bit of snow began to fall heavily. "It's just a silly crush. I'd have to be a foal to believe she'd be... like me." The words stung as they left her mouth. Like me. She let the words echo in her mind as two snowflakes stuck to the window. What am I going to do? She wondered, watching the two flakes melt together into a single droplet. Even if she does somehow have feelings for me, my parents expect me to marry some rich stallion someday. How would I ever tell them that's not who I am? Would they even care? Tears dripped down her cheeks like the melting snow outside her window pane. As a young filly she had heard the awful things her parents had called other ponies who failed to conform to the typical 'mare/stallion' pairing. They shared a similar displeasure towards lower class working ponies and their 'offspring', as they had so eloquently put it many times before. How would they possibly react to their daughter falling for two of the biggest things they hate in all of Equestria? Perhaps it was a moot point, her parents weren't exactly stellar at expressing love in a way that isn't measured with coin. "I have to know." She declared aloud to herself, staring down at the blank pink paper below her. Gently tugging a crayon out of its box, she began to write in very deliberately uncharacteristic script. DEAR APPLE BLOOM.... Apple Bloom trotted excitedly into the classroom, a folded pink note clenched in her hoof as she rushed to her two best friends. "Scootaloo! Sweetie Belle! You'll never believe it! Ah got a letter from a secret admirer! On Hearts and Hooves day!" "A secret what?" Scootaloo tilted her head, nearly being bowled over by the overenthusiastic pony. "Admirer!" Apple Bloom answered, beaming as she carefully unfolded the note on the desk. "Dear Apple Bloom," Sweetie Belle began, dictating the note with increasing disbelief at what she was reading. "Though I have watched you from afar for many years, only recently have I allowed myself to feel the way I do. Would you be my very special somepony? Signed, A SECRET ADMIRER?!" The yellow farmer ponies cheeks turned bright red as she grinned with glee. "Isn't it great?!" She prodded, positively beaming. On the opposite side of the room, Diamond Tiara peeked around her open schoolbook to get a better view. "Uh, yeah. Great." Scootaloo concurred half-heartedly. Sweetie Belle shot the orange daredevil pony a glance and took a step forward. "What she means to say is it's great to have an admirer and all, but... it could be anypony in the whole school!" Her off-white coat ruffled as she sat on a nearby chair. "Hmmmm. You're right! Not much else to do but get to the bottom of it ourselves, I reckon." Apple Bloom pondered out loud. "Wouldn't be much of a secret, then." Scootaloo said flatly, yelping quietly as her off-white companion stepped on her hoof. "Erm, I mean.. sure! Cutie mark crusaders... secret admirer finders?" She held a hoof up and was met enthusiastically by a yellow hoof, then a white one. On the other side of the classroom, a book thumped on the floor loudly. A blushing Diamond Bloom turned quickly away from the trio, suddenly very interested in the cat poster hanging on the far wall. "Hey, wait a minute... I know who it is!" Sweetie Belle declared loudly as Diamond tried desperately to keep from falling off her chair. For a moment, the rich pink pony swore her heart had stopped completely. "Yeah, it's gotta be PIP!" The white pony declared, her two friends immediately agreeing with her deduction. "That makes sense! You helped him become student pony president AND he gave you extra candy on Nightmare Night!" "Pip, are you mah secret admirer?" Apple Bloom asked with a giggle, the scrawny white young stallion with brown spots stopped dead in his tracks. "Erm. It wasn't me!" He declared, blushing crimson and scurrying out of the classroom as the class erupted into a fit of giggles. "Awwww!" Scootaloo squealed "It was TOTALLY him!" Diamond Tiara slumped in her seat, feeling relieved but utterly deflated. Well, so much for that brilliant plan. "Oh, where is that pony?" It was early morning on the day of Winter Wrap-up, and a bundled up Diamond shivered in the cold. Hearts and Hooves day had come and gone several weeks ago. Nothing had come of it, aside from a few days of teasing for poor Pip. In the meantime, Princess Twilight had taken special interest in the rich ponies blossoming leadership abilities. "You know, with all of my new duties, I could sure use another pony to help me manage the wrap-up this year." Twilight had hinted slyly over the past week. The pink pony gladly accepted, much to the delight of her parents. Helping a Princess? There was no higher honor in their eyes. It felt much less flattering now that she was standing out in the freezing cold. Her teeth chattered as a bitter breeze blew across the tall snowdrifts. A faint cloaked figure approached from the distance, could it be.. "Twilight? Is that you?" Diamond inquired, hardly able to see through the blustering cold. "Huh? No, it's just me." Apple Bloom answered, her voice cutting clear though the howling wind. "Oh. I see. What are you doing here?" "Ah'm supposed to help Applejack plant the new spring harvest, but right now.. well..I have somethin' for you, seeing as this is your first time on wrap-up duty." The country pony dug into her saddlebag and pulled out a freshly knit green and red scarf. Diamond allowed the country pony to wrap the hoof-made gift loosely around her neck. She immediately felt warmer, as if the cold bite of the early morning were being warded away by the simple woolen warmer. Their eyes met for a moment, Diamond could almost swear the twinkling night sky danced in those saffron-yellow eyes the same way they had done all those years ago. "Ah know it was you. On Hearts and Hooves day. Ah knew it was you right away. And... Ah.. do want you to be my very special somepony, even if Hearts and Hooves day is over. Sorry it too me so long to say so, it's been a mite difficult gettin' you alone.. " Apple Bloom breathed. Before she could even take a moment to deny it, they were kissing. Diamond felt the world swirl around her like the wild snow, her heart began to beat fast inside her chest. There wasn't a hint of cold left in her body as she felt her muzzle flush hotly. The massive castle door creaked open as a bundled up Princess Twilight emerged from within. Between the time the door opened and the princess appeared, the two had broken their kiss. The pair of them blushed as the warmth and light of several roaring hearths poured out into the dark. "Good morning Ms. Diamond Tiara! Sorry if I kept you waiting, Spike forgot to set my alarm. Good thing I had a back-up! Oh, Apple Bloom, I wasn't expecting to see you here! Come in, you're both so rosy-cheeked from the cold!" Apple Bloom and Diamond Tiara exchanged a knowing glance and giggled quietly to each other as they stepped inside. The now faded and well-worn scarf hung on the coat rack amidst other seasonal apparel. The pair looked at it for a moment, lost in the memories it contained. "It wasn't the last thing Granny Smith made for you." Apple Bloom chimed in, gently nuzzling the large quilt that encompassed her love. That much was certainly true, In the years since their romance first blossomed that elderly mare had gifted many knitted wares on the young couple. "True, but it was the first thing that got me in major trouble, aside from my big mouth." Diamond rebutted, blinking back a less pleasant memory. "Diamond, what is that... thing?" her mother Spoiled Rich demanded. A dirty and soaked red and green scarf flopped wetly on the table. Diamond flushed, cursing herself for her poor choice in hiding places. Her father, Filthy Rich, simply coughed in the momentary silence the moment created. "Oh, that old thing?" Diamond answered, pointing to the scarf hanging off the back of her chair. "One of my friends gave it to me a few months ago." "I do hope you didn't wear that out in public, dear." Spoiled Rich groaned. "I won't have my daughter seen wearing such... low class garb." "It ain't low class!" Diamond countered, immediately aware of her mistake but catching it far too late. She was beginning to pick up her country girl mannerisms. After all that time they had been spending together, it was bound to happen. Spoiled Rich gasped loudly in horror. "Diamond Dazzle Tiara!" She shouted, gawking at her daughter. "Filthy! You must do something, now she's starting to talk like that... that.. blank flank!" Filthy Rich continued to noisily chew his food, seemingly looking through his wife and daughter. "Apple Bloom is not a blank flank, mother!" Diamond exploded, anger rising up inside her as she stood up from her seat. The plates clattered in protest, a cacophony of tinkling china and crystal finery. "She got her cutie mark nearly a year ago! For helping me, or don't you remember?" "Helped you spend your fathers' money, more like." Spoiled Rich huffed. "I think you're doing a good enough job of that yourself." Diamond countered hotly. "That is quite enough!" Spoiled Rich yelled. "Diamond Tiara, I forbid you from consorting with those.. low class pony folk." "Or what?" Diamond demanded, unwilling to give an inch to her overbearing mother. Her angry was burning out of control, making her say things she knew she would regret. "You're going to kick me out? For being friends with the kindest, friendliest, and most helpful pony I know? For spending time with a beautiful pony who just wants me to be happy?!" "Diamond! Don't say such things, ponies will think you two are..." "We ARE a couple, or did you not notice that either?" Diamond screamed, feeling a weight lifting off her chest but also suddenly feeling very foolish. "GET. OUT." Spoiled Rich commanded, pointing a hoof out the front door. "You're no daughter of mine." "F-fine!" Diamond replied, the words hitching in her throat as she grabbed the scarf ran from the table. She slammed the door behind her, the windows rattling loudly with the force of her swing. She didn't cry until the large mansion house disappeared completely behind her. Tears stung her eyes as she galloped blindly forward, her breath ragged as she sucked in air between sobs. She had nowhere else to go,she knew she wouldn't be welcome back home with open hooves for quite a long time, if ever. So she ran, clear across Ponyville as the afternoon sky turned to evening. After what felt like hours she finally saw it, the familiar red silo and barn. The moon began to rise as she wrapped on the door of the simple farmhouse, the door eventually opened with a creak. "I'm a comin', hold your horses..." Applejack called from the living room, her hooves clattering off the wooden floor. "Oh. Diamond. What brings ya here at this hour?" "I... I have nowhere else to go..." The pink pony tried to say, instead leaning against the orange farm pony and sobbing deeply. "Applejack? Who is it?" A familiar voice called from upstairs. Diamonds ears perked up and her crying lessened as she heard the yellow farm ponies hoof-steps descending the stairs. "Have Big Mac pull out the guest bed, Apple Bloom." The country mare said with the warmest smile she could muster. "We got ourselves some company." "Okay, I'll admit. I may have overstayed my welcome by a year or two." Diamond mused, bittersweet tears tricking down her face. "Silly filly." Apple Bloom clucked, dabbing her eyes. "We weren't about to leave you with no place to go. Besides we still had a year of school to finish and after that we needed to save money for..." "The wedding." Diamond answered with a soft smile, shifting her glance to one of the many framed pictures hanging on the wall. "How could I ever forget that beautiful disaster?"