Chapter 3
Diamond Tiara was not happy.
To be fair, she hadn’t really been happy for the past two years.
But still, she was not happy.
After Silver Spoon had betrayed her things had gone downhill. Her little empire of fear had been totally undermined, and nopony gave her the respect she deserved...
She glanced at her blank, pink flank.
Alright...so maybe she was getting the respect she deserved. Namely none. But that didn’t mean she had to be happy about it.
And so she wasn’t.
“Stupid Cutie Mark Crusaders...” she mumbled under her breath.
It was all their fault, really.
They got Silver Soon to attack her like that, and that led to all of this.
If Spoon were still by her side, she would be ruling this little playground. Instead, she was here on the single solitary tree swing while everypony around her gave her a three tails-length space.
Diamond Tiara was not happy.
And she was totally alone...
<<<|Ω|>>>
Alan sat at an outdoor table to his favorite Ponyville cafe, The Cup and Plate, enjoying a cream soda and apple tart.
Twilight was having a girls’ day out with her friends, and, though Alan’s own friends were busy today, he still took the opportunity to enjoy himself. A mana hand lifted the tart to his face, and he eagerly bit into it.
It was no Apple specialty, but it was a good tart.
As Alan munched away, his ears flickered as a familiar tune came to his ears.
“I walk a lonely road
The only one that I have ever known
Don't know where it goes
But it's home to me and I walk alone.”
Alan quickly pulled out his iPod, and sure enough, it was playing by itself again.
“I walk this empty street
On the Boulevard of Broken Dreams
When the city sleeps
And I'm the only one and I walk alone”
Alan’s brow furrowed. That was odd. Why was it playing this one? It’s not like it applied to his situation right now. What was it trying to say?
And then, Alan looked up.
A pink filly with a violet and white mane walked down the street. Her head was hung low, and she stumbled forward with frown on her face.
“I walk alone
I walk alone
I walk alone
I walk a...
My shadow's the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating
Sometimes I wish someone up there will find me
'Til then I walk alone.”
As the song continued to play, Alan felt a stab of guilt into his heart.
This was quickly followed by his brain asking, “Why should I care? She’s a jerk.”
A voice from the past answered, as he remembered Faust’s words. “I have given all of my children a choice, Little One, and many times, they choose to do wrong...”
“Yeah, she chose to do wrong.”
“I have given all of my children a choice, Little One...”
“Yeah, but—”
“My children...”
“But—”
“She is my child, Alan, and I love her too...”
Alan frowned. “So why do I have to talk to her? Couldn’t you get somepony who likes her to talk to her? Why are you even talking to me now? I haven't heard from you since I died.”
Alan did not get a reply; however, he couldn’t deny that he felt a little guilty.
The iPod continued to play.
“I walk alone
I walk alone
I walk alone
I walk a...
My shadow's the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating
Sometimes I wish someone up there will find me
'til then I walk alone.”
Alan watched as the little filly trudged along the street, frowning as she went.
Alan watched her go.
<<<|Ω|>>>
It had been three days.
Three days with this annoying sense of guilt.
He could live with it, sure. Alan could totally live with this terrible, gut-wrenching feeling he got every time he watched the little filly go by. All he had to do was not look at her.
Of course, that didn’t change the fact that one particular Green Day song was now permanently stuck in his head.
Oddly enough, the guilt wasn’t so much about leaving the filly in the cold. No, Alan had managed to figure out that it came from a different source entirely.
It was because he was disappointing Faust.
It was like one of those moments when you were a kid, and your parents caught you doing the exact thing you were told not to do, and instead of a fierce scolding, you only received a severely disappointed look.
He could practically hear the goddess’ motherly voice saying, “I am so disappointed in you, Alan.”
And, of course, his mood suffered for it.
Alan sat on the balcony of the library, his eyes glancing over at the schoolhouse, where the filly was undoubtedly sitting in class.
She was there, probably making fun of any and all the little fillies and colts she could. Being a terrible little devil.
“Alan?” he heard the voice of his wife call. “Is something wrong?”
He turned to face her, and gave her a slight smile. “Yeah...yeah. I’m fine.”
Twilight hesitated for a second. “Alan...I know you better than that. Something’s been gnawing at you for the past few days. I know there is.”
Alan sighed, and turned back to the schoolhouse.
Twilight sat next to him.
“I...” he began. “I have a feeling like I should be doing something right now.”
“What?”
“There’s somepony I need to talk to,” Alan said.
“So what’s stopping you?”
“I don’t like her,” Alan grumbled.
Twilight blinked at that. She didn’t really know anypony in Ponyville that Alan didn’t like. In fact, eveypony she knew had been exceedingly nice to the human once he had moved in, and only remained so once his transformation happened.
“But...” Alan said, “if I don’t talk to her, I feel like I’m letting somepony else down.”
Twilight looked over at her husband.
“It’s...it’s not nice being between the two.”
Twilight nodded. “Do you know what I would do?”
Alan turned to her. “Couldn’t hurt.”
“I would go talk to her. Not for her though, but for the one I would be letting down. She’s your friend, isn’t she?”
“You can say that,” Alan said with a slight smirk.
“Then you have to be willing to make sacrifices for your friendship. If she is important to you, then she’s probably worth a little discomfort. After all, if friendship is worth fighting for, then its definitely worth a little talk.”
Alan smiled. “I knew there was a reason I married you. Besides the obvious, of course.”
<<<|Ω|>>>
Diamond Tiara decided to take the long way home.
She just felt like it.
Her thoughts turned to her classmates. How she loathed them. For the past week now, Applebloom had been showing off her Cutie Mark. The whole class had given her congratulations, and Cheerilee had even taken time out of class to ask how she had figured it out.
She hated her for it.
Everypony was happy for her. Everypony was happy for the “last” one to get her Cutie Mark, as she thought she had been five years ago. How convenient was it that none of them remembered her? Nopony remembered Diamond Tiara. It was all the Cutie Mark Crusaders this, the Cutie Mark Crusaders that.
She doubted anyone would make so much as a sound if she got her Cutie Mark.
Cutie Mark Crusaders.
Pah!
What kind of an idiot celebrates being a blank flank?
You weren’t even a proper pony if you didn’t have a Cutie Mark. Everypony knew that.
That’s why she hid hers...
The filly trudged up a hill, ignoring the laughs of her peers.
She looked down at her empty flank.
...her betters.
When she got to the top of the hill, she stopped, unable to continue for the tears in her eyes.
That’s where Alan found her.
<<<|Ω|>>>
There she is. Alan thought to himself.
I hope you know I’m doing this for you, Faust.
No answer.
Alan sighed.
Here goes nothing.
<<<|Ω|>>>
Diamond Tiara heard the sound of crushing grass.
She turned, and was surprised to see a stallion sitting next to her.
He didn’t look happy.
She turned towards the playground, hoping to hide her tears.
There was a long silence between them.
“What brings you up here?” Alan asked finally.
“Nothing,” Tiara answered.
“Nothing, huh?”
“Nothing.”
More silence.
Alan looked down at her. “What’s wrong?” he asked, an annoyed tone in his voice.
“Why do you care?”
Alan had trouble answering that one.
Silence.
“Well?” Tiara asked.
Alan didn’t answer.
“That’s what I thought. Nopony cares about a blank flank like me.”
Alan spoke up. “Answer me a question, Tiara. Why did you make fun of Applebloom and the Crusaders if you were a blank flank yourself?”
Tiara was silent.
That was the million-bit question, wasn’t it?
She felt compelled to answer. “I...I don’t know...”
Both ponies merely stared out at the horizon.
“Diamond Tiara,” Alan said, “I’m going to tell you a secret. Something I’ve only told ten or so ponies, two of whom were the Princesses themselves.”
Tiara’s eyes went wide.
“You remember I’m human, don’t you?”
“Y-yes...” she said. Everypony in Ponyville knew Mister Goldenhoof was human.
“Well, in my world, all of this is a story. My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, it was called. It was a good story, focusing on Twilight and her friends, but every now and then it would focus on Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo.”
Alan looked down at her. “When we first were introduced to them, we also met you, and the first thing we saw you do, was make fun of Applebloom for being a blank flank.”
Alan stared into her eyes. “In my world, nobody likes you.”
Tiara whimpered. The simple statement ripped into her.
“There are other stories, written by fans, that are nothing more than you dying a terrible death for saying such things.”
Tiara began to cry.
She looked away from the stallion, wanting nothing more than to curl up into a ball and die. There were people in another world that didn’t like her, either! Nopony liked her. She was just a blight on all of Equestria.
And then, she felt a soft, soothing...thing rest on her shoulder.
She looked, and saw it was a hand, made from magick, resting on her withers and giving them a slight, relaxing hug.
“But there are other ones. Stories that have you mellowing with age. Stories where you finally figure out what it means to be nice, kind, and generous.”
She looked up at him, sniffing.
“There are stories about you becoming friends with the Cutie Mark Crusaders, much like Silver Spoon did. And do you want to know something?”
She nodded.
“I like those versions of you.”
“But...but I don’t have my Cutie Mark!” Tiara said, as though the world depended on it.
“So?” Alan asked.
So? So!
“Tiara. It’s your personalities and talents that make your Cutie Mark, not the other way around. You are who you are, and the color of the fur on your flank won’t change that. Now, before we continue, I have a question for you.”
“What?” she asked.
“Are you sorry?”
Tiara continued to cry.
She missed Silver Spoon. She missed their little outings. She missed having somepony to talk to.
“Yes! Yes, I’m sorry! I want my friend back!”
Alan gave a soft sigh. “I believe you,” he said, “I believe there is a good pony in there somewhere. Unfortunately, it’s going to take a lot of convinving to get others to believe you.”
“So what can I do, Mister Goldenhoof?” she asked, staring up at him with her azure eyes. “What can I do to say I’m sorry?”
Alan smiled. “Well, it’s not going to be easy. But I do have one idea.”
<<<|Ω|>>>
Dawn Flame walked quietly next to Daisy Chain.
He was off today, and as such, he had decided that now would be the best time to ask.
The widow and widower had grown fairly close during the war. To be fair though, he had been assigned to protect her household until the war was over.
It also helped that her son and his daughter were good friends.
He was secretly thankful that Pipsqueak and Scootaloo got together so well, it really made this easier.
The two walked through the market, Daisy comparing prices and produce, while Dawn followed close behind.
Dawn had taken her out to dinner a few times, neither one of them daring to mention the word date, lest their children begin calling each other brother and sister. No point getting their hopes up.
Of course, the way things were going, they may not have needed to worry about it.
“Alright,” Daisy said, floating a head of lettuce into her saddle bags before paying the stall owner. “I think I’m done shopping for the day.”
Dawn nodded. “Did you remember to get Pip more toothpaste?”
“Yes, yes I did,” Daisy said, already heading to her home.
“What about the pasta for dinner?”
“Yes.”
“The carrots?”
“Yes.”
“The peas?”
“Yes.”
“What about the new kitchen knives?”
“Yes!” Daisy Chain said, annoyed.
“Well then,” Dawn said, before he held out a small bracelet, “what about this?”
“What about wha— Oh...”
Dawn smiled. “I know we’ve both been through this, Daisy, but I think it’s about time we tried it together.”
<<<|Ω|>>>
Diamond Tiara paced.
Oh, this was never going to work.
Never, never, never.
They would throw her out and mock her.
She would feel every second of the pain she had given them.
Why had she let him talk her into this?
“Ah. Oh. Eeh...maybe I should just move to Aus-tail-lia...I hear it’s nice there.”
She continued to pace around the apple tree, the orchard around her filling her nose with the smell of...well...apples...
How could the Apple family get around here? All these trees looked the same! Was there even a difference between that one and the next?
At the very least, she knew this one tree was different. This one tree that she had circled five, wait for it...six times now, and even after those six times the only difference she could really spot was the large house hanging in its branches.
As she paced under the window again, she heard the voices of her judges, jury, and executioners.
“And you want us to trust her?” That was Scootaloo.
“After all she did to us?” Applebloom.
“After all the mean things she said about us?” Sweetie Belle.
“After what she said about the soldiers?” Pipsqueak asked.
Admittedly, that wasn’t her proudest moment.
“No, no,” Alan said, her lawyer in this case. “You don’t have to trust her, just give her one more chance. She’ll have to earn your trust, but she can’t earn it if you guys don’t give her a chance.”
The conversation faded as she moved away from the window, chewing on her bottom lip as she went.
She wasn’t sure if that fact that she hadn’t heard a peep from Silver Spoon was a good thing or not.
This could only end badly...
She paced around the tree, her hooves slowly wearing the grass around the roots away.
“Maybe not Aus-tail-ia...that may be too close. Maybe Zebrica...or Camelu...How is the climate in Cowrea? I hope it’s not cold...I can’t stand the cold...”
Under the window again.
“She’s been nothing but a liar at the best of times!”
“And a complete bully during the rest!”
That was true.
"Oh...why am I even here? They won’t take me, and I’ll be alone again...who am I kidding? No one likes me.”
I like those versions of you, he had said.
Somepony liked her.
An alternate universe version of her, but that still counted, right?
Under the window again.
“How do we know she isn’t just saying all this to get us when our backs are turned?”
“How do we know she won’t betray us?”
“How do we know she ain’t lyin’?”
“I can tell.”
Tiara froze at that voice.
That was the voice of her...well...her ex-friend.
“She never could lie to me. I will be able to tell.”
Tiara strained her ears to listen as the grey earth pony spoke for the first time.
“So what? Do you think she’s really sorry, for all of this?” Scootaloo asked.
“I think she’s lonely,” Silver Spoon said simply.
“Last Ah checked, lonely wasn’t a synonym of sorry.”
“How do you even know that word?” Pip asked.
“No,” Silver said, “but she could be lonely enough to become sorry.”
Tiara remained utterly silent.
“How does that work?” Sweetie Belle asked.
“I was sad and lonely enough to become sorry, and then you let me join,” Spoon pointed out. “What’s the difference between her and me?”
There was a long silence in the clubhouse above her.
“Well, she was...and you were...you...punched her?”
“So because I was bullied by her too, I was okay?”
“Yeah!” Pip said.
“And because she’s sick of bullying, she’s not?”
“Right! Wait...”
More silence.
Tiara smirked. She could picture it now. Silver was giving them her over-the-glasses stare, something she reserved for only the most stupid of comments.
“Do you want to try that again, Pip?”
“Alright...alright, I get it.”
“Look, let’s just...”
And that’s as far as Diamond Tiara heard before walking away.
Silver Spoon was still on her side! Well, actually, that wasn’t quite right. She wasn’t on her side, it was more she was willing to keep an open mind, give her a chance.
Just that thought made her smile.
“Diamond?” a voice called from the front, and the pink filly quickly ran to the ramp that went up the side of the tree and up to the door.
Alan and the five foals stood on the balcony.
Alan face was utterly impassive, and that alone nearly crushed the smile she had earlier. This was compounded by the fierce look on the faces of the rest of the Crusaders.
The only thing that was keeping that fleeting sense of hope alive was Silver Spoon’s eyes. Her gaze was not an angry glare, or an unapologetic stare. No, instead Tiara saw herself looking into the violet, gentle eyes of a kind, understanding, and, dare she hope, forgiving filly.
They stared at each for a few long seconds before Applebloom spoke up. “Well? Whatcha got to say fer yourself?”
Diamond Tiara blinked, before giving a long sigh. “I’m...sorry,” she said, before looking up at the Crusaders. “I’m sorry for making fun of you guys. I’m sorry for all the mean things I’ve said, and I’m sorry treating you badly when I was as ba...worse than you.”
There was a short pause.
“And I am really, really sorry about talking about the army the way I did.”
The foals all turned to Silver Spoon.
She nodded.
They turned back to Tiara.
Applebloom gave a frown. “Well...alright...apology accepted, Tiara.”
Her heart leapt at the words.
“But!”
And it was immediately shot dead.
Applebloom glared down at her, and Tiara’s hopes began to wither and die.
“We haven’t forgotten the kind of pony you were. But...” she paused, and looked over at Silver Spoon, who waved her hoof as though to say ‘get on with it.’ “But it would be wrong of us to not allow you the chance to change. With that in mind, we are willin’ to provide you with the rank of probationary member of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Take it or leave it.”
Spoon sent the farmer a disapproving glance for the curt ending, but nonetheless smiled at the earth pony at the bottom of the ramp.
Diamond Tiara took a few, cautious steps up the ramp, her eyes on her...they...they were her friends, weren’t they? She...she had friends now...
When she finally made it to the top, there were already tears in her eyes.
Then she did something that surprised even her.
Diamond Tiara hugged Applebloom. “Thank you!” she said through happy tears. “Thank you, so much, Applebloom!”
The farmer filly, caught off guard by the sudden embrace, stared wide-eyed at the back of Tiara’s head. She blinked, and then, after a few more seconds, returned it.
Silver Spoon hugged her old friend, happy to have her company again, especially on the right side.
Sweetie Belle joined, hugging the three, and she quickly pulled Scootaloo into the hug.
“Hey! Get off of me!”
“Just be quiet and join the hug!” Sweetie said.
As she was pulled in, Scootaloo quickly grabbed Pipsqueak. “Hey!” he cried in shock.
“If I have to do this, you’re coming with me!” she whispered harshly.
Alan chuckled as he watched the group hug, some members more willing than others.
It was kinda cute.
“There, Alan. Was it really that bad?”
Alan rolled his eyes at the voice in his head.
Rub it in, why don’t ya?
Alan got the distinct impression that she laughed.
<<<|Ω|>>>
Scootaloo walked home that night, Pipsqueak next to her, still unsure about the whole deal. “I just don’t think it’s a good idea,” she explained.
“Yeah, but Mister Goldenhoof made a lot of good points, and so did Spoon.”
“Yeah...I know...I’m just waiting for this to bite us in the flank is all.”
They didn’t say anything else until they came up to the house on the outskirts of town.
“You sure your mom won’t mind me staying over tonight?” the pegasus asked.
“Please. You and your dad practically live here anyway. Your dad helped build the place. There’s no way she’ll mind,” he said, opening the door. “Mom, I’m home! I brought Scoots over!” he called.
“Oh? Good!” Daisy Chain said, poking her head out from the kitchen. “Both of you, come to the kitchen, we have some news for both of you.”
Scootaloo sent Pipsqueak an unsure glance.
Pipsqueak returned it, before walking into the kitchen. “Are...are we in trouble?”
“No! No!” Daisy said from the kitchen.
The two preteens walked into the kitchen, unsure of what to expect.
The first thing that really stood out was Dawn Flame. Now that he had removed his armor, and the enchantment in the chestplate, he now appeared to be a red pony with a bright yellow mane. Pipsqueak had only really seen him without his armor off maybe three times in the three years he’d known him.
The second thing that caught their attention was the unusually large smiles worn by both of them.
It was slightly unsettling...
“Kids, we have great news!” Dawn said.
“Yeah...” Scootaloo began.
“Well,” Daisy said, smiling, “we decided that since you guys like each other so much,”
“You wouldn’t mind being brother and sister,” Dawn finished.
The foals blinked.
They turned to each other.
Blinked again.
Turned back to their parents, and in unison yelled at the top of their lungs. “You’re getting married!?”
“That’s Awesome!” Scootaloo yelled.
“I have a sister!” Pipsqueak cried.
“I have a Mom!”
As the two began to excitedly yell at each other about shared awesomeness, the two older ponies watched, amused.
Daisy looked down at the engagement hoofband, and smiled. Pip was happy, and so was she.
--------------------------------
And Chapter Three is done and done!
“So what’s next?”
You’ll have to wait and see, Pinkie.
“Can I have a hint? Just one? Please-y Weasy?”
Alright, just one. Here are three words that relate to the next chapter. Twilight. Spell. Babysitting.
“Ooh! Sounds fun!”
It will be!
Until then, be sure to give this story a comment, a fave and a thumbs up if you haven’t. And I will see you next time.
Bye!
--------------------------------
Omake (or “Just Desserts for When Diamond Tiara Says Mean Things in Season 4”):
While Diamond Tiara may have been saved in this Equestria, there are others where she is not so disposed.
“I am Diamond Tiara!” she yelled, standing in the penthouse suite of Stock Industries. Next to her floated a magical staff, its power imbued in her. “I am your Queen!” she yelled down on the massive, hulking, orange mass that was once a pegasus. “I am—”
That was as far as she got.
A massive, orange hoof grabbed her by the leg, and in the blink of an eye she was thrown into the air, before slamming into the ground.
She was yanked up again, and again slammed into the tile floor by the super strength of the Gamma-mutated pony.
Wham! Wham! Wham! Wham! Wham!
The tile smashed with audible cracks as Diamond Tiara was thrown into the ground repeatedly.
And then for a moment, everything was still.
Scootaloo, the massive, muscle-bound beast, smirked. “Puny Queen.”