There was only one objective in Diamond’s mind when she left the campus of Canterlot High, and that was to see Sweetie Belle. Sweetie had been on Diamond’s mind almost constantly ever since Diamond’s action inadvertently got Sweetie hurt, for it was Diamond egging Scootaloo on which caused Sweetie to get hurt. Ever since then, not only was Diamond concerned for Sweetie’s physical health, but scared to death that Sweetie would blame Diamond enough to end the friendship which Diamond herself desperately needed.
But it was one thing to have an objective and quite another to figure out how to accomplish it. A life of privilege meant most of her day to day things were handled for her by other servants. To get somewhere, for example, all she knew how to do was climb into her limo and tell the driver where to go.
But out here, by herself, her options were considerably thinner because she did not have access to her family limo or driver, she did not have her phone to call for such a ride anyway, and, for once, she barely had access to any money because she left her wallet back home when she ran away from home spur of the moment.
It was an odd and scary feeling for her to go out there and face the world while lacking the kind of resources that made the world go around. For her to walk out here without any money … it was almost unimaginable to her.
This greatly restricted her options. All she had going for her, at that point, was an address for Sweetie Belle’s home. An address she had never been to personally; therefore, she might not recognize it even if she was standing in front of it. Looking for the house number would be her main salvation in that case.
No money, no phone … it felt like Diamond was walking out here with no clothes.
How do peasants do this? Diamond wondered to herself. If they lack a limo, a driver, or even their own car … how does one go about the town?
One idea that occurred to her was inspired by the fact that a bus drove by her on the street. When it did, Diamond widened her eyes at it.
Ah, of course! The bus should be adequate for my purposes. I believe it’s dismally cheap, too, but even still … it may cost next to nothing, but the fact of the matter is is it isn’t actually nothing. Without bits, how am I going to bargain my way into this one?
Diamond Tiara weighed her options then eventually realized she had a few pieces of jewelry on her person such as a necklace, earrings, bracelets, and rings. Each of these items bejeweled with different sets of rich and valuable gems.
Huh. That should be more than sufficient to bargain my way into one bus ride. Yes. Diamond arrogantly fluffed her hair. Boy, some peasant is going to have a very lucky day today. That’s for sure. They’ll be so grateful for my generosity.
Mission and plan set, all she needed to do was find one of those bus stop thingies.
Diamond Tiara roamed about a little aimlessly, but she occasionally saw a bus pass by her which afforded her a bit of a clue where to go. She just had to follow the pathline of those vehicles until it eventually led to one of those commoner bus stops.
When her efforts were eventually awarded, Diamond mentally paused a moment to give herself a pat on the back. She never did anything like this before, but she was proving to be remarkably intelligent and resourceful considering how spur of the moment this decision was.
Still, when she approached the bus stop, she felt nervous and icky. She fought hard not to squint or cringe in disgust to see the commoner’s dirty clothes. Worst of all was when she saw some obviously homeless person pass her by with a stolen grocery cart full of … what? Were those soda cans? Why was this filthy peasant collecting cans?
The moment the homeless lady passed her buy, Diamond instinctively feared that she was about to be robbed, or at least begged for some change. As it turned out, the lady didn’t do so, but what she did do was sift through the garbage near the bus stop in search of gods only knew what. Upon seeing that, Diamond could not help but give a disgusted wince. Sifting through the garbage? Why would anyone do that? Why?!
It took forever, practically, for the bus to show up! It was so aggravating that she had to wait this long along with everyone else at the bus stop. How do these commoners tolerate such inconveniences?
When the bus pulled to a stop, Diamond was momentarily startled when the bus hissed then gave some weird beeping sound for some reason. She did not know why that happened, but it seemed like the bus lowered a bit for some reason.
Not long later, the door to the middle of the bus opened and a platform ejected out. On it, the driver secured one elderly gentleman on a wheelchair. When Diamond saw that, she at last understood the reason for the extra delay. While annoying, it was at least understandable.
Because of this, there was an extra delay before the driver finally started admitting other passengers into the bus. Diamond started to approach the entrance until she saw the others doing so. Instinctively, she backed off, afraid she was going to get pick-pocketed by these lowly commoners. If they did that, she might lose the resource she needed to get to Sweetie Belle’s home. Although it heavily annoyed her, she allowed the others to proceed in first.
Then Diamond stood in the front entrance of the bus.
This was it. The moment had arrived. A challenge she had never faced before. The thought of traveling with these lowly commoners made her feel so dirty, but she felt determined.
For my friend, Diamond reminded herself in an attempt to accumulate and regather her determination.
It worked well enough. At last she stepped onto the bus.
“This is your lucky day, peasant!” Diamond said pleasantly as she stepped on the bus, fully convinced that she was being polite. “Normally you only get a few worthless bits for your services, but today I got something much better for you! Instead of bits, how about I offer you some fancy jewelry instead?”
The dark gray-skinned bus driver regarded her oddly, then asked, “What do I look like to you? A jeweler?”
Diamond simply shrugged. “Money is money, peasant. What I’m offering you is far greater than any bits I could have offered. Do you know how valuable any one of these things are? These are rare and expensive jewelry. Most of it is imported.”
“I’m sure it is very valuable,” the driver agreed. “Nevertheless, we only accept bits for this ride. Sorry, Missy, but that’s our policy. I could get fired for making any exceptions.”
Diamond gawked, then exclaimed, “Are you kidding me? Are you seriously turning down my offer? Any one of these things are worth thousands of bits! Why, I could use these things to buy the bus itself! Please don’t be a fool!”
“Sorry, Missy,” the driver said back. “Rules are rules.”
A pleasant voice, a little shaky from age, spoke up from near the front of the bus. “Are you, by any chance, a Miss Diamond Tiara?” the light-grey skinned woman with silver hair asked as she gazed through a pair of thick spectacles set upon her nose.
Diamond was a bit startled to realize someone on this bus actually knew her name. She turned to look at the speaker and saw the old woman who apparently recognized her. It felt a little embarrassing to not recognize the woman in return, but honestly Diamond had encountered this situation before many times over. It was not all that uncommon for somebody to recognize their betters. The only question was, how exactly did this woman know her?
“Ah … yes. I am,” Diamond confirmed. “Um, excuse me, but how do you know me?”
“Pardon me,” she turned to the bus driver, fishing through a large pocketbook until she pulled out some paper bits and held them out, “I’ll pay for her,” the woman insisted with a pleasant smile, not answering Diamond’s question in the slightest.
“That’s mighty generous of you, Ma’am,” the driver accepted with a pleasant tip of his hat. “Thank you kindly.”
“What?!” Diamond exclaimed to the driver. “You’re calling her offer generous and not mine?”
The old woman gently patted the seat next to herself. “Why don’t you have a seat and quiet down a bit before you embarrass yourself anymore, dear?”
“Excuse me?! Embarrass my-” But then Diamond got a good look at the other passengers. Without a single exception, they were all regarding her strangely. For some reason, their impression even seemed to lean in a negative direction.
Upon noticing that, Diamond’s face flushed beat red. She had no idea what social blunder she may have committed, but it became clear to her, at that moment, that she did indeed make a mistake somewhere. Apparently commoners have their own social rules, and she somehow impinged upon it already.
At last, she nodded sullenly and moved to cooperate with the old lady’s suggestion.
“There you go. Now you and I can talk and enjoy the ride. I take it you’ve never been on a city bus before? I like the routine of it. I take the same bus every day, sit in the same seat, speak to the same grumpy driver,” the old lady smiled warmly at the back of his head.
“Well, it pays the bills,” the driver said with a shrug. “I also like driving and meeting new people … usually.”
“Um,” Diamond fidgeted uncomfortably when she sat down. She spared a brief moment to glance at the other passengers. Most eyes were still on her, so her flushing redoubled. “Thank you, Miss, for helping me out,” Diamond told the old woman meekly, followed by a painful wince. In her mind, she could already hear her mother mentally shouting at her in anger for showing any hint of humility.
“My brother was right. You are genuinely sweet underneath all of that bad influence,” the old woman said absently, taking a moment to turn and look at the other passengers, “Wouldn’t it be nice if people didn’t stare at you?”
Diamond briefly glanced back at the other passengers the moment the old lady said that. She noticed that a bunch of them suddenly made a conservative effort to avoid eye contact with Diamond the moment the lady pointed out that it might be rude.
“Um, excuse me, but … not that I’m ungrateful to you or anything … but how do you know me? Who is your brother?” asked Diamond to the woman sitting beside her.
The woman chuckled pleasantly, “Well, I don’t know you personally. I’ve never met you, though I feel as though I have. My brother, Randolph, talks about you all the time. I swear, he thinks of you like a granddaughter. He cares very deeply for you. He worries so, and he tells me that,” the old woman began, “He did help to raise your father, after all. So I suppose he does feel a deep connection to you.”
The old woman fished into her large pocketbook and pulled out a wallet. An accordion sleeve of pictures rolled out, and the woman showed Diamond a picture of herself as a toddler. Diamond recognized it as one of the days when Randolph would have been watching her in her parents’ absence which, on reflection, made up the majority of her days.
Diamond looked down and twiddled her thumbs on her skirt. She blushed again, but this time in a fond way. She felt deeply touched to encounter another so obviously sympathetic to her. Honestly, Randolph had been very good to her. If it weren’t for her mother’s influence, she would have shown her gratitude far more. It hurt her to have that restriction. She wanted to show how much she cared, but such things were not “appropriate” for a lady of her station.
“Thank you!” Diamond said in a very quiet, meek voice, almost as if afraid to be heard.
“Oh it’s no bother at all. So, where are you heading then?” the old woman asked politely, still not having properly introduced herself.
Diamond gave a startled blink as she realized aloud, “Oh, that’s RIGHT! Nobody knows.
“Um,” she glanced between the driver and the old woman. “I’m trying to get to the Belle household. It’s at 510 Starlight Street, in Canterville, I think?”
“510 Starlight Street, you say?” the driver repeated since he overheard the conversation. “Aye. You are fortunate. That is along my route. I’ll let you know when we’re pulling close, okay? Don’t worry, Missy. I’ll take care of ya.”
“See how nice people are when you’re nice?” the woman offered.
Diamond’s blush returned as she looked down at her dress. She wrung her hands nervously.
“Oh, my. I haven’t introduced myself, have I?” the woman asked, a little embarrassment creeping into her voice. “My name is Ruby. Randolph is my baby brother,” she said with a smile.
Diamond flashed Ruby a soft smile as she replied, “Pleased to meet you, Ruby, and thanks again for helping me out. I really appreciate this, and I won’t forget your kindness on this day.”
“Just you be sure you show Randolph a little more appreciation now. I understand you tend to ignore him… That isn’t right,” Ruby admonished.
Diamond frowned as she looked down at her skirt. She wanted to stay honest with this woman, but she could not make any promises even though, in this case, she wanted to. Such things just weren’t her lot in life.
The woman smiled pleasantly, “Isn’t this neighborhood lovely?” she asked as she watched the houses pass by, now that they had turned into the residential area the storefronts had been left behind, so too had the bulk of pedestrian traffic.
Diamond looked up from her dress at the window ahead of her. She also looked over her shoulders sometimes at the middle-class suburban homes. After examining them for a little while, she asked, “Aren’t these homes small? They have to share the whole neighborhood with their neighbors? No fences, no guards or that sort of thing to protect their privacy? How do commoners live with that kind of insecurity?” She looked at the woman with worry as she added quickly, “I hope you don’t find any of my questions offensive. It’s just that … I’m not used to any of this.”
“Dear, they learn to trust and befriend their neighbors… They become close, a community… There’s no insecurity in that… Certainly, there are some bad people out there who don’t care to respect the property of other people, but with good neighbors, there’s always someone watching out for you,” Ruby said.
“Are you sure?” Diamond asked with a squint of her right eye. “Nobody can tell what others are thinking, right? Aren’t these people worried that their supposedly ‘friendly’ neighbors might decide to rob them one day on a whim? Without that extra security to keep them safe, how do these people sleep at night?”
“You’re thinking of material things dear, little shiny baubles like those jewels of yours that don’t really mean anything at all. The people here worry about their loved ones, their memories… About the good times they may have with their neighbors. What happens once you get along with someone? What happens when you spend kind and quality time with them? You have less reason to fear what you just described,” she said warmly, “Have you ever been to a backyard barbecue? A birthday party?”
“Um … no. Instead, we have an investment in tight security to keep people out,” Diamond described. “But, what you are talking about actually does sound kind of … pleasant. I wish I could experience it.”
“Does this Belle household contain a friend of yours?” the woman asked slyly.
Diamond looked down with worry, then eventually replied, “I hope so. Sweetie kind of saved my life, but then I got her into trouble recently and it injured her. I egged one of her other friends on who proceeded to attack me, but Sweetie Belle defended me. It sounds like she got very injured for it. It’s bad enough that she couldn’t come to school today, so instead … I want to check on her and make sure she’s okay.”
And to check if we’re still friends, Diamond added privately.
“In the middle of your own school day, it sounds like,” the woman guessed.
“Yeah,” Diamond admitted. “It’s just that … I can’t stop thinking about her. I can’t stop worrying. I hope she’s feeling better, and ...” Diamond trailed off. Admitting that Sweetie might not want to be her friend anymore was just too painful to concede out loud.
Also, there was no backup plan in case Sweetie didn’t forgive her other than maybe for Diamond to literally throw herself under the next bus if she received that rejection.
“And…” the old woman coaxed, gazing at Diamond. She noticed Diamond’s body language, the slump in her shoulder, the fidgeting of her hands, the overall restless aura.
“And, I …” Diamond began as her chin wrinkled with pain. “What if she doesn’t like me anymore? What if she hates me now?”
“What reason would she have to hate you, dear?” asked Ruby.
“Because … I got her hurt! Not on purpose, mind you, but still … she might decide that I’m more trouble than I’m worth.” Diamond looked down sadly. “And she’d be right. I am a terrible person. I’ve hurt lots of people and made them feel awful. I’ve, I’ve …” Diamond trailed off as her face scrunched in pain.
“Have you ever known your friend to hold a grudge?” she asked politely.
“I think so?” Diamond said with uncertainty. “Back when we were little kids, Sweetie definitely expressed a dislike towards me, but I can hardly blame her. I was awful.”
“That’s when you were kids. You’re quickly getting ready to enter adulthood, so surely some things have changed, yes?” the woman offered.
“Adulthood …” Diamond mused with a distant look as she wondered what that would be like. For some reason, it was hard to imagine a life outside of her mother’s oppressive thumb. After all, her mother had a firm hold over many other adults in the world. It seemed unlikely she could escape her mother's tyranny just for turning eighteen. After all, her mother would be no less concerned how her misbegotten daughter could taint the reputation of the Rich family name.
“Well, you’re definitely trying at least. You never know if you never try, yes?” The woman asked encouragingly.
“I guess,” Diamond said lamely. “At the very least, I desire to be happier, and I can’t help but suspect that I might accomplish that with some good friends.” She looked out the window behind her as she added aloud, “I’ve been told my whole life what to do and what to say. Nobody else showed me that there might be some better way, but I always hoped and suspected that it was possible. I just … don’t know how. I don’t know what to do.”
“The friends you make, if they’re true, will show you the way,” the old woman assured solemnly.
“In that case,” Diamond gave the old woman a questioning look, “what about my old friends who look down upon my new friends? What should I do with them?”
“Help them to see things in a different way? Help them to get to know your new friends?” the old woman posed the two questions with a hint of sarcasm, proving that she had more than a little attitude in her.
Diamond looked off to her side as she asked, “Do you really think that’s possible? To encourage others to change for the better?”
“What’s to stop you, dear?” the woman asked.
Diamond shrugged and replied, “I don’t know.”
“Only your own self, I think. Do you want your old friends and new friends to get along?” Ruby asked.
“Oh yes!” Diamond responded very brightly. “That would be so wonderful!”
“Then work towards that, dear. You might not have all of the tools for that, but you can try to learn those from your friends, okay?” Ruby offered.
Diamond smiled softly at the old woman as she expressed to her, “You’re really kind, Miss. I don’t know what I’ve done to you to deserve this.”
“You’ve made my brother very proud, and very happy, a great many times. That means a lot to me,” Ruby answered.
“And he means a lot to me,” Diamond said with a bittersweet smile. “I only wish I was allowed to express it more.” She brightened with an idea, then looked over to Ruby. “Can you tell him that for me? Please? Let him know how much I love him and how much he means to me. I’m not allowed to express that myself, but please let him know.”
“I will certainly tell him that. On one condition,” Ruby began, waiting for Diamond to acknowledge she was listening to the condition.
“What?” Diamond asked with a cautious tone.
“You gotta work up the courage to do things the way you wanna do them, dear,” Ruby finished.
Diamond sighed, then said, “You are asking for a lot, and I thought I made a simple request. It’s not that I don’t want to, but it’s sooooo hard! How do you people do it? I don’t get it. People are insensitive and they only care about their own wealth and personal image. Why would you ever want to reach out to anyone?”
“I think you misunderstand people… Or at least those without the kind of money you’re used to having. Not everyone is as you say. Am I? You just met me. Have I come across in any of those ways?” Ruby asked.
“Are you really rich, Miss?” A young boy sitting across from them asked. A boy in a white T-shirt, green skin, and who wore a baseball cap. “That’s so cool! What’s it like?”
“More than you can imagine, kid,” Diamond answered him, then looked at Ruby beside her. “To answer your question, no. You don’t come off as that way, but I’m having trouble figuring out why that is so. You could gain so much by trying to take advantage of me. Most people I meet tend to do that. You’re clearly an inferior social status, so why don’t you envy me? Why do you even seem content in your life?”
“Am I though? Inferior, I mean? I don’t feel that way. In fact, I feel the opposite. I pity you, dear. I’m content because I’ve grown old while doing what I loved, meeting a man who made me very happy, had a family, and spent plenty of time with all of them. I’m content because my brother and I grew up in a good home with loving parents who raised us to stand on our own, and while Randolph’s chosen occupation is to no one’s liking but his own, it makes him happy. Happier, still, getting to be around your dad and then you. You’re like family to him,” Ruby answered.
Diamond gave a thoughtful frown as she looked forward, then said, “I was going to point out that your social status is inferior because you could afford less stuff, but that thing you said about growing up with loving parents and happy family … gods! What is that like? I have no idea!” She looked back at Ruby as she adds, “I must admit, I do envy you, Ma’am.”
“Randolph says that your home is the largest in the Heights. Is that right?” asked Ruby.
“As far as I know, it is,” Diamond confirmed. “At least, that’s what my mother likes to brag all the time. The only reason I’m not completely certain is because I haven’t taken the time to research the exact size of every single home in the Heights.” She shrugged. “I just take my mother’s word for it.”
“In such a big place… How often did you run into anyone when running around as a child? Or even now?” Ruby asked.
Diamond looked at Ruby strangely. “Running around in the mansion? Why would anyone do that? That’s terribly inappropriate.”
Ruby sighed, “Of course. If you were strolling or walking around in your mansion, then?”
Diamond glanced to her side as she thought about it, then gave a casual shrug as she said, “Well, if one were determined to walk across the entire mansion, then one would get very good exercise. Especially if they walked back and forth through all of our four stories.”
“Are you avoiding the point deliberately, dear?” Ruby asked knowingly.
Looking back at Ruby, Diamond admitted, “I honestly can’t remember when I last did something like that. For fun, I mean.” She looked forward as she continued to think about it, then said, “Actually, maybe I do. Think I was playing tag with Silver Spoon. We were running all around the mansion, playing. It was fun until my mother scolded us for being inappropriate.” She frowned. “That was when I learned that having fun was not allowed.”
“Well… You may have continued avoiding the point, but you got to another one just like it in the end. When my little brother, and sister, and I would play… Our parents often joined in. Or, at least, father did. Mother kept busy, but she was warm and caring, and let us need for nothing. It was great fun, playing with either of our parents, and with each other. It was never discouraged or… or banned…” Ruby finished, looking as though she’d had a bitter taste on her tongue.
Diamond sighed, then said, “Now it’s official. I really do envy you.”
“Just remember never to repeat the cycle, dear.” Ruby said.
“I often thought about what I would do if I inherited all of our family’s fortune,” Diamond mused. “If my parents died and I inherited the estate through a will. A lot of people in my station actually look forward to such an event, but I can’t help thinking about what I’d lose at the same time. What I’d gain is some freedom, I think, but also responsibility for the estate.” She looked at Ruby. “There is a reason we’re filthy rich, Ruby, and it takes a lot of effort to ensure it stays that way. With all the companies we own and … other stuff … it feels like even our fortune alone is a ball and chain. Would I really have the luxury of raising my own kids with a better fate than I suffered? Is it possible for the wealthy to still have a warm and happy home and family?”
“Of course it’s possible. It’s just… that thinking right there… where you think that managing the money is more important than your own family… You have plenty. If you lost a few hundred… even thousand… Would your life be any worse off?” Ruby asked.
“I’m not sure. I honestly think there is a chance my life would improve,” Diamond said with a shrug. “Let me ask you something. How much money would you charge in exchange for your ability to be happy?”
“I would never sell it because my ability to be happy only exists in my ability to spread that happiness,” Ruby answered.
“Really?” Diamond asked with a rising, hopeful inflection, but also very surprised. “Your ability to be happy depends upon your capacity to spread it to others? What is that like?”
“You tell me, dear, because I’m not the judge of how happy you are or aren’t,” Ruby replied enigmatically.
“Well, I enjoy my birthday parties when I have lots and lots of friends over,” the young boy sitting across from them added to this conversation. “When I see them happy, it makes me … I don’t know. Kinda good inside.”
“Well, for me, I think I have forgotten how to be happy,” Diamond said sadly. “I haven’t been happy in such a long time. I don’t even know how to generate it anymore.”
“You’ll remember. I’m sure of that,” Ruby said as she placed a hand over Diamond’s and squeezed gently.
“How can you be so sure?” Diamond reflected.
“Experience, dear,” Ruby replied.
Diamond brightens a little as she admits, “Well, I suppose you do have more experience at it than I do.
Compared to me, I have to trust you.”
“You can trust Randolph, too, I want you to know. He covered your little escape by sending everyone in the wrong direction, and did his best to keep tabs on you after that. If you ever need a sympathetic ear in your mansion, you can trust him to listen to you,” Ruby said.
“I didn’t know that!” Diamond said in amazement. “Thanks for telling me that. That honestly does make me feel better.”
“Please don’t ever hurt him,” Ruby pleaded.
“If, for some reason, I ever do, then know this … that is also the day I gravely wounded myself,” Diamond promised.
Ruby smiled warmly in response, just before the bus driver spoke up.
“510 Starlight Street coming up,” the bus driver announced then glanced back at Diamond for a brief moment. “This is your stop, Miss.”
“Oh, he’s right dear. You’d better get ready to hop off,” Ruby said as she reached up and yanked the bus’s driver alert pulley. As a result, a sign lit up in the front which said, “Pull over at next stop”. Along with that lit up sign was a “ding” sound.
Diamond looked back out the window as she examined what this neighborhood looked like. While she did that, she swallowed nervously, feeling afraid that she might not find Sweetie’s house within this neighborhood.
Later on, when the bus pulled to a stop, Diamond stood up and faced Ruby. “Well, it’s been so great talking to you, Miss. I can tell you honestly care. I am not used to that.”
Ruby smiled warmly, “Well, I hope you’ll get used to it and start to share some of it soon,” she said as she playfully pushed Diamond on her way.
“I hope so, too,” Diamond agreed over her shoulder as she moved to step off the bus.
Praxton Blackjack had watched the entire exchange from beginning to end. It was touching, which forced him to restrain a wretch. Well, during that exchange, he had also gotten the address for this “Sweetie” girl’s house, so he didn’t have to jump off here. He decided to wait for one more stop, then double back and keep track of her that way.
All of this was his bread and butter. He lived on being inconspicuous, and since he had a largely unassuming physical appearance, most people just treated him as part of the background. He worked that into a skill set that earned him a living, even if it wasn’t always ethical. He had his doubts about this “Spoiled” lady. She didn’t seem very maternal to him.
The bus’s door closed after Diamond stepped down onto the sidewalk, and it began to move again shortly after that. He looked around and noticed that the bus was full of murmured conversation. People were genuinely interested in that exchange, and in what the old lady had said to the kid. Or maybe what the kid was saying to her?
In any case, she was something of a celebrity in this town, so they all knew who she was even if they didn’t always have a name to put to the face. He realized that this was going to get around town quickly, and wondered if that Spoiled lady would be even angrier about this display.
Then again, it wasn’t his problem anyway.