Farm Diamond
Chapter 7
If there was one thing Diamond Tiara loved more than weekends, it had to be Spring Break. It was her favourite time of the year; instead of waking up on an early Monday morning and preparing for another day of school, she had to opportunity to sleep in for an entire week!—or at least try to with the stupid roosters making noises outside at this time. Luckily for the filly, however, she found an easy way past this problem, one that she facehoofed at for not coming up with earlier.
Rising from her bed, she took off the earmuffs she purchased yesterday and set them on her nightstand. She yawned and outstretched her forearms, lazily dragging herself from under the blankets. Stands of hair from her ruffled mane fell in front of her eyes as she shuffled over towards her mirror. She got a chuckle from seeing her reflection and promptly started to comb her mane back into place.
It wasn’t too long into this process that a knock on the door drew the filly’s attention. “Come in,” she called out, not taking her eyes away from the mirror. She needed the utmost care and tenderness when doing this.
Applejack opened the door and cantered in. Lately the two earth ponies had gotten along more than they used to, though Applejack still failed in trying to get Diamond and Apple Bloom to do the same. With help from Big Macintosh and Granny Smith, the least she was able to do was get them to stop breathing down each other’s neck all day. “Morn’n, Diamond. Jus’ came in to check in on ya.”
Diamond set her brush down, glancing over at the orange earth pony. She isn’t all that bad, I have to admit. Not as bad as her sister, though, she thought. “Do you need something?”
“Actually, yeah.” Applejack sat on her haunches, gazing at the filly in front of her with a friendly smile on her face. “Wanted to see if you’d like to tag along with us on our annual family camp’n trip.”
“Camping?” Diamond Tiara cringed at the thought. It wasn’t her type of activity to partake in, especially since it involved that much dirt and bugs. “Sorry, but I don’t do camping. Too much… dirt.”
Applejack trotted towards her and put a hoof around her shoulder. “Aw, c’mon. It’ll be fun. Don’t tell me you’ve never been camp’n before.”
“I went on that class camping trip a month ago,” said Diamond.
Applejack raised an eyebrow in response to that answer. “Apple Bloom told me you faked being sick and skipped out on that. You even got into trouble with your dad and Miss Cheerilee because of it.”
Darn it, Apple Bloom, Diamond thought, releasing herself from the older mare’s grasp. “Look, I just don’t think I’m cut out for camping like you are. But thanks for the offer, though. I’ll be sure to take it to heart.”
“Never know if you don’t try,” said Applejack, hoping to reassure her one last time. It didn’t seem like it was working, however. “Listen, if you ever change your mind, you know where to find me.”
With that said, Applejack left the room, and Diamond Tiara returned to combing her mane. In the silence, however, she did begin to consider what Applejack said. She’d never gone camping before, never truly experiencing what it was like. She heard lots of ponies saying how fun it was, but she never understood what entertainment there could have been living in the woods for a week.
She set the brush down after combing through the hundred-and-fiftieth time in a row, grabbed her saddle bags, and headed for the door. She stepped out into the hallway, just in time to see Apple Bloom leaving her room. The yellow filly was carrying a pair of saddle bags, which she had a lot of things stored inside.
“What do you have in there?” she asked.
“Jus’ some stuff for the camp’n trip,” Apple Bloom replied, “though Big Macintosh gave me some bits to get a new sleep’n bag since m’ah old one was torn up. And by the way, aren’t you come’n with us? We could always bring another pony along for the fun.”
Diamond shook her head. “I already told your sister I don’t like camping.”
“How can you not like something you’ve never tried?”
“Camping isn’t my thing, unlike you,” said Diamond. “I don’t see how spending the weekend in the woods can be considered ‘fun’.”
“Ah, come on.” Apple Bloom wrapped her foreleg around Diamond Tiara. “You’re never gonna know until you actually try it. Me an’ m’ah family’s been doing this for ages! Can’t you give it at least one try? You might even end up like’n it.”
Diamond rolled her eyes. “I doubt it.”
She trotted away from Apple Bloom, heading downstairs. She saw Big Macintosh packing up some saddle bags and suitcases for the camping trip, while Granny Smith slept in a rocking chair nearby. Apple Bloom eagerly cantered past her, passing her bags over to her brother. Diamond Tiara continued out through the front door and followed the dirt path into town.
She made her way through the meager crowd of ponies setting up their shops as she approached Silver Spoon’s house. It was the same routine she picked up as the days came and gone, and admittedly, she silently wished that she could change things up a bit, just for the fun of it. She saw the door open and Silver Spoon trotting out into the open, and promptly called to her.
“Oh hi, Diamond!” Silver greeted the pink earth pony. “I was just about to head over to Sweet Apple Acres to meet you. You still surviving over there?”
“I have to admit; it’s not as bad as it used to be,” said Diamond. Aside from her and Apple Bloom’s rivalry still simmering, living at the farm was becoming pleasant for her. They served great food, most of which were her favourite kinds, the family was nice like they had always been since she was brought here, and she liked whenever Winona was around to keep her company. I wish I had a dog, she thought.
“So I take it everything’s going well for you?”
“As far as I can see,” said Diamond. “And once my dad gets back from wherever he is, everything will be all right again.”
Silver Spoon smiled. “Let’s hope so.”
This normal spring afternoon was humid for any pony out under the sun. Diamond Tiara took a sip of her lemonade, waiting outside the store as Silver Spoon made her own purchase. She watched the ponies trotted by, birds flying in the sky above her, and then wondered what Apple Bloom and her family were doing.
Sure Diamond Tiara had never gone camping before, and possibly she would never want to go, but ever since Applejack told her about her family’s annual camping trip, she couldn’t help but keeping about it. What if it was fun like everypony said it was? She didn’t want to miss out on it, but it was like she told Apple Bloom this morning: Camping just wasn’t her thing.
She hadn’t the desire to partake in it, whatsoever, right?
Silver Spoon finally exited the store, a cup of strawberry lemonade in her hoof, and trotted over to Diamond. She noticed a familiar yellow, red-maned filly cantering by with a bag hanging from her mouth.
“Blank-flank; three o’clock,” she muttered to Diamond. She pointed over to Apple Bloom, the filly continuing through the crowd of ponies as she made her way back to Sweet Apple Acres. “What was in that bag she was holding?”
“She told me she was gonna buy a new sleeping bag for a camping she and her family were going on,” Diamond said.
Silver Spoon gazed at her, her eyes lightning up. “Camping trip? I love camping!”
Diamond eyed in gray pony. “You do? Since when?”
“Since the class camping trip last month. I didn’t have the brilliant plan to fake being sick like you, but after we actually went on the trip, I kinda liked it.”
“You liked it?” Diamond Tiara never took Silver Spoon for a pony that could really find enjoyment in it.
Nevertheless, the gray filly nodded in confirmation. “Yeah, totally. I know you think it’s not really your thing, but maybe you should give it a try. You might actually start liking it, afterwards.”
Those words were similar to the ones Apple Bloom had told her this morning. Could a pony like her really find living outdoors—out in the dirt, no less—fun? Silver sure seemed to believe this, and Diamond trusted her much better than any other pony she knew. “I’ll see you later, Silver.”
She stood and threw the rest of her lemonade away.
“Where’re you going?” Silver Spoon asked.
“I need to have a chat with Miss Applejack,” replied Diamond. “And I may or may not be thinking about what you just said.”
“Just try it, ‘Tia.” Silver Spoon gave her a reassuring smile. “Trust me.”
Diamond nodded and continued on her way, heading off through the sea of ponies in search of Applejack. The cowgirl had to be somewhere in the marketplace selling apples, if not back at Sweet Apple Acres or off with her friends. She searched around the area, trying to find the apple kiosk where she’d be selling her inventory.
She ushered her way past the ponies in front of her, looking left and right, until she finally found it. Applejack was maintaining the store as she expected, giving apples and apple bi-products to anypony that came her way.
“Howdy there, Diamond.” Applejack waved as the filly approached. “What can I do for ya?”
“Actually, I’ve thought about what you said,” Diamond responded, rubbing her hoof across the dirt, “and maybe I’d like to go camping.”
Applejack cracked a smile at this. “Really? An’ I thought you weren’t into that sort’a stuff. What made you change yer mind?”
“Just curious, okay? I wanna try it.” If Silver says it’s fun, then it has to be, the pink filly thought to herself.
“Well I can give you some cash to buy a sleepin’ bag.” Applejack reached behind the kiosk and grabbed a few bits out the box metallic box she kept them in and tossed them into Diamond’s saddle bags. “Suggest you get ready quick. We’ll all be leavin’ first thing tomorrow morn’n.”
“What?” Diamond saw her hopes for sleeping in—at least for tomorrow—suddenly smashed. “Why so early?”
“Applebuck Season’s come’n in earlier than usual, which is someth’n we definitely can’t ignore,” said Applejack, “so we had no choice but to push it back to tomorrow. Really, if we could find another day, we would take it.”
Diamond sighed. She figured it wouldn’t be too bad for her. After all, they’d only be staying out in the woods for a couple days, so she would have the rest of Spring Break to herself after they returned to Ponyville. “Alright, fine. That’ll do.”
“Don’t worry, kiddo. You won’t regret it,” said Applejack.
Hearing this, Diamond once again gave out a sigh. I sure hope not.
“Thank you so much for your help, Fancy Pants.” Filthy Rich was relieved. In fact, he was more than relieved, like a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders. His financial crisis might very well be a thing of the past, nothing but a long-lost memory after this moment.
“Not at all. I was more than happy to help,” said Fancy Pants. He, Filthy Rich, and Cash made their way through the Cantrlot marketplace. They sought out the unicorn soon after arriving in the city a couple weeks ago, and it was by a stroke of pure luck that he would have a way to help.
They eventually reached the center of the marketplace which was where Fancy Pants decided to take his leave. “Well I believe I should get going now. It’s been very nice meeting you again, Filthy Rich. I’ll get back to you once everything is settled.” He shook Rich’s hoof before going his separate way.
Filthy Rich couldn’t get rid of the huge grin on his face. Nearly two weeks of running around had finally paid off.
“You think you got everything from here?” asked Cash.
Filthy nodded. “I’ll still need to take care of a few small things, but yeah, everything should be alright again. And most importantly, I get to return home to my daughter. I can’t thank you enough for your help, Cash.”
The green stallion waved it off. “Ah, don’t mention it. I was glad to help. Besides, it gave me something else to do instead of sitting in a stuff old office all day. Anyway, I’m headed back to Fillydelphia. I’ll see ya around.”
Filthy Rich waved his friend off as he disappeared into the crowd. Finally, he thought to himself as he wandered back to his hotel. Things were at least beginning to look up. He could finally head back to Ponyville where he belonged, and hopefully, over the course of his trip, Diamond Tiara and Apple Bloom could’ve gotten along as he intended.
Things were beginning to look up for him.
The next morning was nothing like the last—far from it, exactly—but she’d have to endure it for now. Diamond Tiara groggily arose from her slumber, rubbing her eyes as they adjusted to the sunlight. Remember, Diamond: Just a few days living out in the wilderness and you can go back to enjoying the rest of your break. You should be able to survive until then.
She hopped out of her bed and made her way over towards the mirror, just as Apple Bloom burst through her door. “Good morn’n!”
Or maybe not, Diamond thought and turned to face the yellow filly. “How can you even handle being up this early?”
“It’s only ten a.m.,” said Apple Bloom.
Diamond Tiara sat on her haunches and cross her hooves. “Well that’s early by my standards.”
“But we’re headed out today. I thought you’d be ready.”
“I am ready, but I still need some time to wake myself up.” Diamond Tiara picked the brush and started running it through her lavender mane. “I was planning to sleep in all week.”
“Ah, stop worry’n about it, already.” Apple Bloom trotted over and wrapped a hoof around her rival. “This is only a onetime thing for you. After that, you’ll never have to worry ‘bout get’n yer coat dirty again.”
She chuckled lightly at that last sentence, earning a half-lidded glare from the still drowsy filly beside her, and as much as Tiara wanted to think of a comeback, she was too tired to do so.
The late-morning sun hung high in the clear sky; the Apple Family, plus Diamond Tiara, made their way across the forest floor. Diamond gazed around at the trees and little critters around her. As much as she had her doubts prior to coming out here, it was peaceful—she had to admit that much.
“Campsite should be around here somewhere,” said Applejack. “Big Mac, lemme get a look at the map.”
The red stallion dug into his saddle bag, pulling out the map with his teeth. Applejack leaned in to take a look. There was a line running across the chart, starting from the forest’s entrance and going up through the trees. “Eeyup, should be just another mile till we’re there. Let’s get a move on.”
They continued on for their destination. Apple Bloom slowed her pace, waiting until she was trotting next to Diamond Tiara. “So,” she said, “how’re ya like’n it out here, Diamond?”
“It’s not what I expected.”
Apple Bloom raised an eyebrow. “What’dya mean?”
“It’s too boring out here,” said Diamond.
“Can’t you be jus’ a little bit patient about this? We haven’t even gotten to the site yet. Trust me; you’ll like it.”
The rich filly sighed. Apple Bloom was certainly no Silver Spoon, but there was no way she could afford to be picky. With as little as she had, Diamond had to trust the farmpony beside her. After all, Apple Bloom did have more experience in this stuff than she did.
The group eventually came upon a large clearing, located just northing of where they once were—just as the map said. It was wide open, and there was a stream running nearby with the fish occasionally jumping out. It was the perfect place where they’d go to every year, ever since the very beginning of their trips. The Apple family set down there things and began to set up the campsite.
“See? What’d I tell ya?” Apple Bloom said, looking back at Diamond Tiara. “I told ya it was nice out here.”
Even though Diamond Tiara wasn’t too adept at camping, she had to admit one thing: the wilderness seemed peaceful—at least at first glance. “So what do we do out here, exactly?”
Apple Bloom looked back at her older siblings as they got everything ready. It’d be a while before they had to campsite completely set up. That’d be more than enough time for the two fillies to have some fun. “Ah guess the two of us can go sight see’n while we’re wait’n.”
Seeing as there wasn’t much for her to do out here, Diamond agreed. Perhaps there’d be something worthwhile they would find in the forest. “All right, then,” she stated, “Lead the way.”
The fillies made their way through the forest floor, the sunlight casting down through the leaves of the trees overhead. Diamond hopped over a fallen log as she continued behind Apple Bloom. They’ve been out here almost twenty minutes, yet they haven’t seen anything. “What exactly are we looking for?”
“Anyth’n interest’n,” the farm filly said. “You gotta look for it.”
Seeing as she had no experience with camping, or any similar outside activity, Tiara had no possible idea of what to look for in the forest. However, Apple Bloom knew exactly what she was doing from her numerous times coming out here—mostly with her family.
“Out of curiosity,” she stated, “what exactly do you do out here?”
Apple Bloom stopped and put a hoof to her chin as she thought. “S'mores, ghost stories, oh, and during the night, me an’ Applejack would usually go out an’ catch fireflies. They’re real plentiful this time’a year.”
Diamond could recall what fireflies were. She’d see at least one or two of them flying outside her window each night. “And where do you usually find them?”
“Back at the campsite,” Apple Bloom replied. “There’s usually a whole swarm of ‘em that appears jus’ on the other side of the stream. Ah even brought a few empty jars with me to catch ‘em in.”
Catching bugs wasn’t how Diamond Tiara planned to spend majority of her trip with the Apple Family. She’d be okay with resting at the campsite when the time came; though now, however, she could feel her legs starting to ache. She couldn’t tell how long she’d been on this stroll with Apple Bloom. All she did now was that she didn’t want to go any further.
She stopped and leaned against a tree, slightly exhausted. “How much longer are we gonna stay out here?” she asked.
Apple Bloom turned around to answer her, but stopped when she noticed something crawling on her rival’s shoulder. She didn’t want to tell her, hoping that she wouldn’t find out since Diamond seemed oblivious to it. “Uh, Diamond…?”
Tiara looked over at Apple Bloom, and it was then that she noticed a small ticklish feeling on her shoulder. She turned her gaze to see a centipede crawling down her arm. She quickly swatted it off, stepping back as it scurried into the dirt. “Ew! Okay, no more. That’s it. Take me back to the campsite.”
“I suppose we should,” said Apple Bloom. “It’s about time we head back anyway.” She started back for the campsite, followed closely by Diamond. Applejack and Big Mac should’ve gotten everything set up by the time they got back.
Nearly half an hour after starting back, however, they still didn’t find themselves at the campsite. They continued wandering aimlessly through the forest, making their way through the trees and leaves around them, not really knowing where they were headed.
“I feel like we should’ve been there already,” said Diamond. She stopped and looked around at the unfamiliar scenery “Where is it?”
“I know it’s around here somewhere,” said Apple Bloom. She stopped to think about which direction they should go.
“We’re lost, aren’t we?” asked Diamond, though the way she said it, it didn’t seem like a question.
The realization hit Apple Bloom like a ton of bricks, though she refused to believe it. Out here, without her older siblings or her friends to back her up, was something she didn’t want to face. “W-We can’t be lost.”
“We are,” Diamond snapped. “We don’t even know which direction the campsite is in.”
Apple Bloom paced around, trying to remember which way she came from. She was starting to grow a bit frantic, wanting to find her way back as soon as possible. There were no trails she could use, no hoof prints in the ground she could follow. She had to face it: she and Diamond were lost.