//------------------------------// // Prompt #7 - I've Had It! // Story: Diamond Cutter Anthology Entries // by Yukito //------------------------------// Prompt: Diamond Tiara is going to explode. Why did I ever agree to this? I’m terrified of heights, especially when I’m standing on a poorly-constructed platform made in the course of a few minutes by somepony who admitted to never having used any tools before. The wind is so strong it might blow me off or mess up my mane, and not to mention how cold it is up here. “You ready, Diamond?!” But, if it’s for her, then I… “R-Ready!” “Then on three, ah’ll shake the tree to scare the birds! You catch one when it flies towards ya!” “Okay!” We’ve been after our bird-studying Cutie Marks for the past week now, but every time we get close to the stupid animals they just fly away. And of course, my big mouth just had to point out that they always seem to go towards this cliff edge, so now I have to stand here on this unsteady platform, painted to look like the sky if looked at from below, so that I can catch a bird when it comes this way. “Three!” Wait, that’s not- You can’t just- You skipped one and two! I’m not ready yet! Ah! Birds incoming! Uh… Oh no, I missed one! And another! T-They’re flying too fast! “C’mon, Diamond! Get one already!” “It’s easier said than do-” Uh-oh. I lost my hoofing. “AAAAAAHHHHHH!” I’m falling! I’M FALLING! Somepony help me! I’m too young and rich to die! “Are y’all alright?!” … Oh, right. She set up this air mattress we ‘borrowed’ from the fire station at the bottom. “Wow, that was so cool!” No, it was not! “Ah bet ya got some kinda daredevil Cutie Mark for that, huh?! Oh! Ah wonder if ah got ma rescue Cutie Mark?” … Seriously? My life was just in danger for the sake of catching those stupid birds, and you’re worried about Cutie Marks, still?! “Uh, hey. I think we’ve done enough work today on earning our-” “Aw shucks, nothin’s there!” Listen to me. “Ah know! Let’s try paraglidin’ next!” Ugh, will you just stop it with the Cutie Marks for one second and- “… C-Can’t we take a break first?” Hold it in, Diamond. She’s your friend, you don’t want to lose her. “I’m pretty tired.” “Really? But we have so much to do!” Don’t give me that annoyed look. I’m the one who’s annoyed right now! “Just a five minute break, at Sugarcube Corner?” Don’t snap, Diamond. Keep it together. “Oh, fine! Spoilsport!” Well forgive me for wanting to do something else once. Honestly, Cutie Mark this, Cutie Mark that, it’s like you can’t think of anything else! I wouldn’t be surprised if your Cutie Mark turned out to actually be a Cutie Mark! “So how was dinner with your uncle yesterday? I bet he had some interesting stories to tell, huh?” “Not really. Oh, but he gave me a new idea for a Cutie Mark we could try ta get!” Back to Cutie Marks, again?! I just- How do- Why are- I I I I I I I… I am totally calm. I am in control. I am playing it cool. “Oh? That’s nice. Maybe you can tell me later, like, during a board game?” “Ah’ll tell ya at Sugarcube Corner!” I was afraid of that. “Mah sis said it’s too dangerous an’ she doesn’t want me tryin’ it, but was does she know, right? After all, she’s already got a Cutie Mark, so she doesn’t get how desperate we are ta get ours.” More like how desperate you are. I’d rather just go bowling, or to the cinema, or to the park for a nice, safe picnic. Is that too much to ask, for once? “Welcome to Sugarcube Corner! May I take your order?” I guess just the usual will be fine. “One strawberry and one vanilla please.” It’s too bad that Pinkie Pie isn’t here today. She usually gets our orders in literally a second. “So, Bloom, about how homework assign… ment…” Where’s Apple Bloom? Why am I sitting at this table talking to myself? “Please, be careful!” “Hey, watch it!” “Ah’m sorry!” Bloom? What is she- Why is she carrying a tray holding two milkshakes this way? “W-WHOA!” “AH!” … Great. Just great. Now I’m covered in strawberry and vanilla milkshakes, and the entire store is laughing at us. Ah, but more importantly! “Are you okay?!” “Ow…” Apple Bloom, you… Good, she looks fine. But why was she- “Did ah get it? Mah waitressin’ Cutie Mark?!” … … … I… You… C-Cutie Mark… This was for… You were trying to get a Cutie Mark… whilst I was trying to just have a nice, casual conversation with you. Oh, and I’m fine by the way, thank you for asking! “Well that blows! Diamond, why didn’t ya help me?” AM I A MIND READER NOW?! Okay, just calm down, Diamond. Blowing you top in front of all these ponies would simply not be dignified of you. Apple Bloom is still your friend, just talk to her calmly about it – if she’ll let you – later at her house. “Oh! Brain blast! Diamond, forget the break, let’s get out Cutie Marks in jugglin’ fire!” Snap. “Cutie Mark… Cutie Mark Cutie Mark Cutie Mark… Is that all you can think about, you half-wit?!” Well, no going back now. “All week- No, all month, I’ve been dying to know how you visit to the dentist went, or what happened to give you that gash on your foreleg, or why Applejack seemed to be angry with you two weeks ago, and I’ve been dying to show you my new doll collection, the new chocolate at Bon Bon’s store, and this great spot by the lakeside, but I can’t! Because all you can think about is earning a stupid Cutie Mark!” “D-Diamond? A-Ah was only tryin’ ta-” “I get it, you want to know what your special talent is! So do I! So does everypony in our class! But oh my gosh, Apple Bloom, give it a rest already! I just want to hang out with you, talk to you, and do normal filly stuff for once! Is that too much to ask?!” “Why’re ya yellin’ at me?! You said we’d help each other out! If ya didn’t like goin’ after our Cutie Marks so much, y’all shoulda said somethin’!” “I tried to, but you wouldn’t listen! You never listen! You’re always flapping your gums and never give anypony else a chance to talk! That’s why you have no friends!” Am I going too far? But, she really has been driving me crazy these last few weeks… “Oh, ah have no friends?! Says the pony who was cryin’ ta herself on our farm because nopony wanted ta play with her!” H-How dare she bring that up?! She promised she wouldn’t! “I guess I must’ve been really desperate to have hung out with you this far! All we ever do is what you want to do, we never seem to have time for anything I like!” “You said you liked hangin’ out at the farm an’ helpin’ us out!” “Well guess what, bonehead! I lied! That farm is so filthy, so dull, and it’s so much hard work that I have to shower as soon as I get home!” But it was worth it, because you were there… Should I say that? “Yeah, well… maybe if ya weren’t so uptight, it wouldn’t bother ya!” Uptight? “What’s with ya, all of a sudden? Why’re ya actin’ like a spoiled lil’ child?” … Oh, that is it. “You… You are simply, the worst, most annoying, most uncouth pony, that I’ve ever met! I act like a child?! Who was it that had to sit through detention with you because you couldn’t resist making silly jokes in class?! Who is it that goes along with you stupid quests to find some magic pool from a children’s storybook?!” “Who was it that had ta defend ya from those older colts when y’all ran yer mouth off to their younger brothers?! Who was it that had ta sit through what felt like hours of you complainin’ ‘bout how yer daddy cut off yer allowance?!” “Who’s the idiot who’s going to get a Cutie Mark in having no friends?! You, because I’ve had it with you!” Don’t cry, Diamond. Don’t let her see any weakness. “W-What-” “You heard me! I’m tired of going along with every crazy idea you have, of you always talking and never listening, and never even apologising when you mess up! I’m never speaking to you again!” I turn around and storm away. Some filly walks past me on my way out… Twist, I think her name was. She gave me an angry look. Hmph, like I care. That stupid filly had this coming to her. “Oh yeah?! Well that’s fine by me! In fact, I-I’d be happy if we never even saw each other EVER AGAIN!” … “FINE!” “FINE!” “FINE!” I storm off, heading towards home as fast as my legs will let me. Stupid Apple Bloom. Stupid, stupid, STUPID! Just for once, couldn’t you pay less attention to that blank flank of yours, and more attention to me? Stupid… inconsiderate… rude and obnoxious… I-I don’t need her. I can make better friends than her, friends who can think of more things than finding their special talent. Friends who actually care about me, who stop to ask if I’m okay whenever I’m hurt. “Are you okay?” Ah! What? I only stopped for a moment to catch my breath. Who was that? “Hey, aren’t you…” Darn it, what was her name? “Silver Spoon. I just moved here last week.” That was it. I’ve seen her around a few times, but never really learned her name. “You look upset. Did something happen?” “… I don’t wanna talk about it.” I just spilled everything to the one pony I actually cared about talking to… and then she turned around and tried to make me the bad friend. Stupid Apple Bloom… “Well, how about tea? I just got this new tea set, but I don’t really have anypony to share it with.” “… Sure, that sounds fine.” Whatever. I could use some tea to calm myself down. If I went home now, daddy would notice that something’s up. “My name’s Diamond Tiara, by the way.” “Silver Spoo- Oh, wait. I already told you.” … Heh. This one’s pretty spacey, huh? “I think we’ll make good friends, you and I.” “… I hope so.” Compared to Apple Bloom, anypony’s better. “Uh, you don’t care about finding your special talent at all, do you?” She shakes her head. “Not really. I mean, sure it’d be nice, but I’m in no rush. Why?” Yeah, I think I’m gonna like this filly. “Nothing. So… how’s your time in Ponyville been so far?” She turns and leads the way to her house, and I follow by her side. I turn back to look in the direction of Sugarcube Corner for a moment… and then back to Silver Spoon. Apple Bloom, I hope I didn’t hurt her too bad… Wait, yes I do! That filly never cared for our friendship one bit, she just wanted somepony to help her get her Cutie Mark, then she would just forget all about me, I’m sure! Well I could care less what happens to her. You hear me, Apple Bloom? We’re through! We’re through! We’re through! We’re… through…