//------------------------------// // Chapter Six part 2: Leaving For Canterlot // Story: Twilight's Diamond Daughter // by deadpansnarker //------------------------------// “Okay Diamond, we can go whenever you’re ready… are you ready?” “Hold on a moment, Princess Twilight. I just have to run through my i-tinny-very. Let’s see: my favourite dresses, check. Spare tiara, check. Good Luck bracelet I got from Silv, oh no, where’s it gone? I absolutely positively refuse to go on any long haul journey without it. Who knows what could happen? We could crash midair, lightning might strike us, o-or worst of all, my hair might get wet!!” “Nice to see you trying out that new word I taught you, Diamond. And relax, I just checked in with Rainbow Dash. The skies are all-clear for the rest of the day. In any case, the trip to Canterlot will only take a few hours by pegasi carriage, and as for your lucky charm now…” “How can I possibly manage without it? Silv gave it to me when she found out I couldn’t come out to play because I had chickenpox. Daddy put it by my pillow while I napped, and you’ll never guess; next day I was all better! It was amazing! She’d kill me if she found out I’d lost it… well, maybe not, but you don’t know what she’s like when she’s mad…” “...Nice story, but we have to get a move on. I want to arrive before it gets dark, and I have some of my own possessions to unpack tonight. Mostly books, admittedly. I haven’t even organised my personal library yet! Oh, and Diamond…” “Y-Yes?” “You can stop panicking. If your bracelet is shaped like a horseshoe, you’re wearing it on your left hind leg. It’s been there all afternoon, to the best of my recollection. Now that that’s settled, can you start loading your things into the back of the carriage please?” “O-Oh, you’re right! Silly me! I was washing my forehooves after lunch, and I wanted to put it somewhere safe. So…” “Diamond!! I don’t want to come off as a ‘pushy princess’, but you’re slightly testing my patience now.” “Okay, message received, or whatever. Speaking of which, I’ve been meaning to ask: could you help me out with my bags, Princess Twilight? For a weak filly like me, it looks like a tough job. But for an awesome alicorn with super magical-powers…”  “...Fine. Just this once, so we actually make good time. But remember what I told you earlier: just because you’re going to live in a palace for a bit, doesn’t mean you’re going to be waited on hoof-and-foot. There are certain things you’re going to have to learn to do for yourself…” “Hurray! Thanks, Princess Twilight! I knew I could count on you!” Diamond Tiara only heard the alicorn’s first word, before she affectionately hugged the older mare around the neck and shot off into the distance. Maybe I was too literal before when I told her she ‘wouldn’t want for anything’... Twilight sighed in defeat as she observed the crowned youngster gallop away, nearly leaving hoofprints on Spike en route while rushing down the corridor. “H-Hey! Watch it!!” The dragon just managed to dive out of the way in time to avoid being crushed by the speeding pink blur, and whilst dusting himself off in the aftermath turned to stare questionably at a sheepish-looking Twilight. “Are you sure about this? I thought your first week as Princess Of Equestria would be tough enough, without adding foster care to your bulging in-tray!” “I know, I know.” Twilight stared down at her hooves thoughtfully for a second, as though trying to find the best way to explain. “It’s just… I can’t help but feel responsible for her. I was the one who took her away from everything she’s ever known, without having a clue what to do with her afterwards. It’s not like I planned for any of this to happen…!” “Hmm. So no regrets, then?” “None whatsoever! I made the right choice in difficult circumstances, and if I could go over and do it all again I wouldn’t change a thing. There was only one way things were heading if I’d left Diamond to fend for herself in that mansion, and it wasn’t anywhere good. By having her stay with me for now, I can keep an eye on her whilst taking full ownership of my decision. That’s what an accountable ruler would do, r-right?” “...I’m probably not the right dragon to ask, having no real family apart from you and the girls and being tickled half-to-death by the filly you want to live with us. But if you really, truly, honestly want my advice…” “Of course I do, Spike! Isn’t that why I hired you as Chief Advisor in the first place?” “Okay then, don’t say you weren’t warned. Listen up…” “...Well?” “Are you nuts?!” Spike practically screamed out his reply, before looking at a shocked Twilight with a frisson of contrition. “...Oops, I apologise. That came out a tad harsher than I intended. What I actually meant to say was: even if it was one of the fillies we know really well, I’d have my doubts about making it work. You remember what an ordeal ‘Twilight Time’ was in the past, don’t you?” “It.. It wasn’t that bad. I mean, there was the day Scootaloo nearly burned down the treehouse when she knocked that lantern over. I specifically forbade her from riding her scooter inside, too! Or Apple Bloom accidentally turning the Friendship Journal into a giant pumpkin on Nightmare Night. It took me days without sleep to find an effective counterspell! Also, who could forget ‘dear’ Sweetie Belle dropping that bucket on my head from above whilst practicing her magic? I don’t think I’ve ever been so embarrassed, when the entire waiting room at the hospital saw me stagger in with my horn sticking out bumping into everything! Fine way for a Princess to be seen. At least I gave some ponies an amusing snapshot to treasure...” “Exactly! You can see my point, then.” Spike seemed satisfied that Twilight was finally beginning to recognise the major ramifications of her impulsion. “If the situation got that out of control with three otherwise well-behaved fillies like the Crusaders, can you imagine what it might be like under the same roof as the one who’s got the worst reputation of them all? I have my own memories of ‘Twilight Time’, and I recall one very specific day when Diamond dragged along her entire class. She wasn’t even invited to the session, either! Do you remember? You made me prepare hundreds of nachos, and by the time I’d carried them down from the kitchen, everypony had already gone! My arms still ache just thinking about it! And let's not even mention the exploding giant apple... ” “Oh, yes. That was her, wasn’t it?” Twilight reminisced momentarily about the chaos back then. “...But what have I told you before, on judging others based on past mistakes? You sound just like Rainbow Dash, when I asked her about the forecast earlier. She said ‘are you nuts’ in almost exactly the same voice as yours when I told her about my plans. The two of you aren’t in cahoots, are you…?” “No! That’s just a coincidence. I think Rainbow just remembers how badly Diamond teased Scoots about not being able to fly before. Rainbow is very protective of her, as you know.” Spike refused to back down, having seemingly found an answer to everything. “I hear what you’re saying, but how can you be sure she’s changed that much? I mean, she practically assaulted me upstairs, almost flattened me down here and didn’t even say ‘thank you’ for the sumptuous feast I made for lunch…!” “I hardly think daisy sandwiches qualifies as a ‘sumptuous feast’, Spike. And I know for a fact she feels really bad about what happened in your room. If you hang on long enough, I’m sure she’ll tell you that herself in good time. Just… try and have a bit of faith. Unlike you, I’ve walked around town talking to various ponies about what she’s been like in the last year or so. Do you know what I found out?” “Please. Enlighten me.” “Less of the snark, Spike. Anyway, I heard nothing but glowing reports, even from those she used to pick on. From the colt who replaced her as class president telling me Diamond really helped in getting him settled into the job, to Granny Smith who got a sincere apology for being mocked at Family Appreciation Day. Does that sound like a bully refusing to change her spots to you?” “Hmph. I’d say she has more stripes than spots. And based on what I’ve seen so far, I’m still unconvinced. But I suppose, if you’re willing to, I could give her a chance. If I could get Thorax to change the entire philosophy of his species, I suppose anything’s possible.” Spike finally submitted to the selfless whims of his determined best friend. “If I’m going to be stuck looking after her sometimes, you better be right. Just because her name may be Diamond, doesn’t mean she’ll be as sweet as one.” “...Not sure I can relate to that particular analogy, but regardless…” Twilight had little experience in the field of gems-crunching, so she’d have to take her advisor’s word for it. “...I’m glad I was finally able to win you round. I’m not saying it’s going to be easy, but I think with both of our efforts and a bit of luck along the way, it might just turn out to be one of the most rewarding, nurturing…” “You! Filly! Come back with that ancient spellbook this instant!” “Hey, you weren’t using it. Plus, I needed something to doodle on.” “Why, you little… Sunburst entrusted that to me himself, and I’m supposed to give it back tomorrow! It’s completely priceless, and older than you can possibly fathom!” “If it’s that old, you might think about getting a newer one then! You should be able to get a good deal on it too, if it doesn’t have a price. Now if you don’t mind, I’d like to finish colouring in this picture of Songbird Serenade I’ve drawn. She’s so cool, whatever the media or her old fans try to tell me. That one unpopular song she did about mules shouldn't define her whole career...” “I don’t care about her, or your ‘artwork’! Just… give me my book back! Now!” As if on cue, an apoplectic Starlight Glimmer chased a surprisingly nimble Diamond Tiara through the central hall, with the smaller pony holding onto the aforementioned tome in her mouth as if her life depended on it, and Starlight… ...Well, it seemed the reformed unicorn was straining every sinew to avoid aiming a blast of pure energy at the runaway youngster. She’d resisted up till now, but judging by her irate demeanour the self-imposed ceasefire might not last for much longer. Twilight took all of a few seconds to assess the tense situation, before deciding that direct intervention was by far the best course of action. “I-I’ll just be a minute or two. Don’t think this changes anything I’ve said, because it doesn’t… hey, Diamond! Put that yellow crayon down right now! That’s an order…!’ As the noisy trio faded into the depths of the castle, Spike’s response to what he’d just witnessed was to make his expression ever more deadpan, his arms even more folded. “I wasn’t gonna say anything…” he flatly said, before whistling merrily on his way back upstairs to finish cataloguing the rest of his vast comic book collection.