//------------------------------// // Chapter 40 - The Big Apology (Not Rewritten) // Story: New Life in Equestria // by jkreader //------------------------------// Chapter 40 - The Big Apology *Nyx’s P.O.V.* Silver Spoon and I kept our eyes on the staircase, waiting for any signs of Joshua coming down. We were worried that Joshua was going to get another round of bullying from Diamond Tiara. Soon we heard Joshua’s footsteps coming down. He had a determined look on his face when he came at the bottom. Silver Spoon, Mr. Rich and I walked over to him. “Well?” I asked Joshua. “Will my pumpkin be coming out?” Mr. Rich asked. “I think she will be,” Joshua said, “And she has something she needs to say to the whole class.” He then turned to me and Silver Spoon. “Girls, I need your help. We need to get all of our classmates over to the park. Diamond Tiara has something she would like to say to everypony.” “It’s nothing bad is it?” I asked. “I promise,” he said, “that what she has to say is nothing bad.” Silver Spoon and I looked at each other. The unsure looks we were giving showed we were thinking the same thing. We looked back at Joshua. “You sure?” Silver Spoon asked. “She and I will explain at the park after everypony is there,” he said. “Okay,” I said a little unsure, “I’ll go along with you Joshua. You okay by yourself Silver Spoon?” “Sure,” she said, “The whole class already forgave me. I just hope they do the same for her.” The three of us left Mr. Rich’s mansion and went to gather up our friends. Joshua and I got the other Crusaders along with Snips, Snails, and Pip. While Joshua and I were at Sweet Apple Acres, I made sure to keep myself hidden, because Granny Smith was the one who answered, and we still weren’t on good terms. Soon enough, the whole class was gathered up in the park when Silver Spoon rejoined Joshua and me. Just then, before we reached everypony, Joshua looked over to a tree, then back to me. “I’ll be right back, Nyx,” he said, “I need to check on something.” He then climbed off my back and walked over to where he was looking before. Silver Spoon and I then went up to our classmates. “What’s this all about?” Scootaloo asked. “Joshua will tell you when he comes back over,” I said. “Everypony!” Joshua said standing near a picnic table, “Could you all come over here please?” We all trotted over to where Joshua was standing, and he stood up on one of the seats. “Why are we all here Joshua?” the grey pegasus named Rumble asked. “Okay,” Joshua said, “Let me say what I have to.” He took a deep breath and then explained. “I’ve been talking with Diamond Tiara, and I found out why she was being a bully to us.” Several of our classmates gasped and started murmuring. “She didn’t tease you at all did she Joshie?” Dinky asked. “I promise Dinks, she didn’t,” he replied, “She just has something she needs to say to all of you.” He then turned his head over to the tree he went to a moment ago. “Come on out Diamond Tiara!” he called out. We all looked over at the tree and Diamond Tiara came walking out with a sad look on her face. Some of the class had glares on their faces, including Scootaloo, while others had looks of confusion, like Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. Diamond Tiara stepped up next to Joshua and looked out at us. “Everypony,” she said sadly, “This probably isn’t enough to make up for what I’ve done, but I’m really sorry for everything I’ve done: for the way I treated you all, the way I looked down at all of you, and for thinking I was better than any of you. As Joshua said, he knows why I did what I did.” She then looked at Joshua who offered a comforting smile. She then looked back at us. “I did it because it happened to me, before I got my cutie mark. Some big colts were teasing me for my blank flank and I had no one to help defend me. After I got my cutie mark, they didn’t apologize for what they did, so I wanted everypony else to know how I felt. So again, I’m sorry, and I can understand if you don’t want to forgive me.” She then lowered her head down in sadness. The class looked at each other talking amongst themselves. There was then a long moment of silence. Then Apple Bloom stepped forward. “Ah forgive ya, Diamond Tiara,” she said. Diamond Tiara looked up in surprise. “You do?” she asked. “Sure Ah do,” Apple Bloom said, “Your situation was much like Babs’. Before she first came to Ponyville, there were bullies in Manehatten who were teasin’ her for her blank flank. Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and I forgave her after the parade float incident, so Ah guess Ah can do the same for you.” Diamond Tiara looked at Apple Bloom for a while, and then smiled. “Thanks Apple Bloom, and I’m sorry for everything I did wrong to you.” The two of them hugged each other for the first time, in friendship. Sweetie Belle then came up and hugged Diamond Tiara as well. “I forgive you too,” she said. Scootaloo looked a little hesitant at first, but eventually, she finally walked forward and joined the hug. “So do I,” she said. Diamond Tiara smiled and hugged them all back. “Thanks girls,” she said. Eventually, the whole class, Silver Spoon, and I joined in the hug. Diamond Tiara looked over at Joshua after the hug and walked up to him. “Thank you for helping me Joshua,” she said, “Are we friends now?” “Yes Diamond Tiara,” Joshua said, “We are. I’m proud of you.” The two of them gave each other a quick hug. “I’m glad to see you’ve changed your ways Diamond Tiara,” said a voice. We all looked and saw Miss Cheerilee standing behind us with a smile on her face. “I owe it all to Joshua, Miss Cheerilee,” Diamond Tiara said, “If he hadn’t come to my house to talk, I probably would’ve kept myself shut in my room. And just like I Pinkie Promised Joshua, I Pinkie Promise to all of you that I’ll try my best to be a better pony from now on.” She then went through the motions of the Pinkie Promise. “Let’s hope you do,” Miss Cheerilee said, “Well class, you’d all best head back home. It’s getting pretty late, and I look forward to seeing you all in school tomorrow.” She then walked back toward Ponyville. Joshua looked to the west and saw the sun going down. “She’s right everypony, we should head home. See you all tomorrow!” Joshua said climbing back onto my back. Everypony went back to their homes as Joshua and I did. Later that night, as we were all sleeping, I woke up to the sound of Joshua whimpering in his sleep. I looked over at him and saw some tears coming out of his eyes, as well as a strange wisp of purple smoke. I was starting to get worried. I started shaking him. “Joshua! Joshua!” I exclaimed, “Wake up!” “AAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!” he yelled shooting up off his pillow. He started panting heavily and quickly. He looked like he had just seen a ghost. “What happened?!” I asked quickly, “I thought I saw some purple smoke coming from your eyes!” Joshua didn’t answer me, he quickly tossed the covers off himself and ran over to Twilight. “MOMMY! MOMMY!! WAKE UP!!!” he said, “THERE’S TROUBLE COMING!!!” Twilight woke up instantly. “Joshua, what are you doing up in the middle of the night?” she asked sternly, but she softened up as she saw the tears in his eyes. “Are you alright?” she asked concerned. Joshua shook his head quickly. Twilight quickly brought him up and hugged him. I heard Spike groaning from his basket as Joshua’s screaming slowly woke him up. “What’s going on?” he asked groggily, “I was dreaming of having a nice dinner with Rarity.” “Joshua had a bad dream apparently,” Twilight replied. Joshua suddenly pulled back and shook his head. “It wasn’t a dream!” he said bawling, “I know why I got turned into a unicorn a while ago!” “You do?” Twilight asked quizzically, “But Princess Celestia said she couldn’t find anything when you first got your horn.” “That’s because who was doing it hid himself from her magic!” Joshua exclaimed. “What do you mean himself?” Twilight asked. “Wait a minute Twilight,” I said, “He might be right. While he was whimpering in his sleep, I saw a strange purple wisp of smoke coming from his eyes.” “Purple wisp of smoke?” Twilight asked suddenly. She then suddenly gasped and looked at Joshua straight in the eyes. “You don’t mean to say it’s...!” “It was Mommy!” Joshua said still crying, “It was KING SOMBRA!!!”