The next day Alula went to school as normal where she was met by a scowling Silver Spoon and an unhappy, pale, tiara-less Diamond Tiara, her mane and tail hanging down. "Diamond, I'm sorry for what I did last night, I just wanted to watch you sleep. Is there any chance that we could hang out together?" Silver Spoon narrowed her eyes and snorted in annoyance, and Diamond looked at the ground.
"After you destroyed my pride and joy? I would rather go and play with the blank flanks then with you. You have done more damage to me then they ever did. It could be weeks before my tiara is fixed."
Alula wanted to shout in front of everypony near them "I'm not a blank flank anymore! I have a cutie mark and it shows that my special talent is loving you!" but decided that doing such a thing would deeply embarrass an already very upset Diamond Tiara, and decided to do what she said. So reluctantly she walked over to the Cutie Mark Crusaders who greeted her with smiles and hugs. "That was great what you did, I wouldn't have dared crack Diamond's tiara like that. You must really hate her even more then I do. I've never seen her so upset," Scootaloo said. Alula looked at her sadly.
"You don't understand...I wish Diamond was my very special somepony, and now I've blown it. Look at my cutie mark...it shows that my special talent is being in love with Diamond. And I managed to destroy her finest piece of clothing. Can you help me make a new one for her?"
Sweetie Belle stared at her. "You want her to be your very special somepony? I think if she was to pick a fillyfriend, it would most likely be Silver Spoon. But I'll help you make a new tiara for her if that's what you really want. What are your plans to make one?"
"Well, I want to start with a cardboard base, and then attach all manner of jewellery to it, obviously within my means as I don't have anywhere near as many bits as her. Small silver charms, pieces of amber, other gemstones if I can get my hooves on them legally. Could you help?"
Sweetie Belle gently prodded Alula's cutie mark with her hoof. "Well...all right then. Maybe one of us will get a cutie mark out of it. Perhaps I can persuade Rarity or Spike or both to give you a few gemstones or at least buy them at a lesser price.
You must genuinely love Diamond to get a cutie mark from it. I really doubt that Diamond or Silver will come to your cutecenara somehow." The bell rang for the first lesson of the day and Alula was not surprised to find that she had been given a new seat as far away from Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon as possible. She only got scornful glances from Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara refused to look at her at all. When the school day ended, a member of the Royal Guard in full armour was waiting outside the school for her.
"Alula, if you were an adult pony you would be arrested for what you did, and might well end up serving time in the royal dungeons. Stay away from the Rich mansion and don't stalk Diamond or despite your youth you will end up in a cell. Diamond is deeply upset with what you did to her." When she had seem the officer, Alula had flicked her tail over her cutie mark fearing that it might get her into further trouble. "I'm sorry, I really am," she told him. And she was sorry. All I wanted to do was gaze at Diamond as she slept, and I've made her so unhappy.
She soon cheered up when the Cutie Mark Crusaders invited her back home with them. Sweetie Belle helped her make a tiara from strong cardboard, and from her saddlebags she brought out the few jewels that she had so far. A single small piece of Fool's Gold, two silver charms, a bit of amber and a chunk of amethyst. Over the next few days, the number of jewels grew. Sweetie Belle went to her sister. "Sis, Alula wants to make amends to Diamond by making a new tiara for her. Is there anything you can donate to the cause.?"
"It's strange that you want to help Diamond, she's not one of your friends after all. But you can take an emerald from my gem stores. Only one, I trust you not to steal from me."
Next Sweetie Belle went to Spike. "Rarity said it would be really kind if you donated a ruby from your hoard to Alula, who is making a new tiara to replace Diamond's which she broke." In fact Rarity had said no such thing but Sweetie Belle decided it would not hurt to tell a little white lie.
"I was saving it for my supper, but if Rarity asked for it, ok then," Spike said, handing over the ruby. Sweetie Belle gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you Spike, this is a kiss from Rarity," she said, and Spike blushed.
Over the next two weeks, Alula brought a few gems, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders donated a few more. Alula meanwhile helped Scootaloo gain her confidence and learn how to fly, at first in short hops, then for longer periods. Finally Scootaloo was able to take off and soar through the sky, and was very pleased when she flew back down again. "Thank you, Alula, without you I might still be grounded! My parents and Rainbow Dash have been too busy to teach me flying skills." She looked at her flank. No cutie mark had yet appeared, but the sheer excitement of being able to fly was enjoyable enough.
Slowly, what had been a bare cardboard crown ended up glittering with gems. Amethyst and amber and topaz. Emeralds and rubies and fool's gold and many more, with a single diamond set in the centre. At last it was ready, and that afternoon Alula went up to Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. "I know that you are still angry at me, but I made you a replacement tiara." Diamond looked at it for a while, rubbed a hoof lightly over the gems, put it on, and smiled. "Thank you, Alula." She walked in a circle around her and touched her cutie mark with a hoof. "I've been reading up about cutie marks recently, and yours is a rare lover's mark, it really does mean that your special talent is being in love with me. If you still want to...we should start hanging out together. Don't expect anything too quickly, but I think you would make a great special somepony. But you'll have to stop hanging out with those blank flanks if you want to be my fillyfriend."