//------------------------------// // VII: Handle With Care // Story: I Should Have Never Bought That Pony // by Final Draft //------------------------------// *BZZZZ* *BZZZZ* Kristin’s cell phone vibrated loudly on the wood table, and David glanced over as she picked it up. She read the text and a small smile spread across her lips. “The Fays have a kennel we can borrow,” she said, standing up. “I’m going to go meet Diana at storage, okay?” “If you say so, honey,” David said, returning his attention to his ipad. He hadn’t liked the idea of a kennel, but his other option was to stay up all night and keep an eye on the pony. With his vacation over and work the next morning, he decided the first option was much easier. As Kristin stood up, Diamond Tiara turned a small amount of her attention away from the TV. Tiffany was holding a commanding lead over the pony, so the game was of little concern to her. She watched from the corner of her eyes as Kristin put on a light jacket and got ready to open the apartment door. The second the lock clicked, Diamond Tiara dropped her controller and ran for it. “Diamond Tiara! Where are you going? It’s your turn!” Tiffany yelled as the pony galloped across the living room. Then she noticed exactly where her pony was running, and she tried to run after her. “Mommy!” she shouted when she realized she wouldn’t catch up. Diamond Tiara managed to slip past Kristin’s legs and into the hallway. Kristin dove and only managed to get a few pink and white hairs from the pony’s tail. Before either she or Tiffany could shout for David, he was already running. At least I have clothes on this time, he thought to himself as he sprinted after the pink blur. Even with shoes on, he had a hard time catching up to the escaped pony. She stayed just out of his grasp until they came to the stairwell. He knew she wouldn’t be able to open the door and get through it before he caught up, so he eased up his pace slightly. With all the worst timing in the world, Diana Fay happened to be coming out of the stairwell as Diamond Tiara approached it. The confused woman could only stare as David chased the colorful pony toward her. “Shut the door!” David tried to shout, but it was too late. Diamond Tiara slipped though, nearly sending Diana tumbling backwards down the stairs. David had no time to explain or socialize, and continued pursuing the pony. The stairwell’s first floor door slammed shut after Diamond Tiara pushed through it, and David shoved it open again. The pony looked back at him as she galloped toward the large glass doors that separated the lobby from the street. Just as she turned back around, she was mere inches from one of the doors. She went full speed through the glass, sending thousands of shards raining down on top of her. It wasn’t enough to stop her, though, as she continued out into the New York streets. David continued running through the lobby, pulling at his hair as he looked at the damage. He tried not to think about the cost of repairs as he opened the intact door. A glistening trail of blood led away from the broken glass, and David followed it up the sidewalk. He pushed through the throngs of drunks that were wandering the streets until he finally came to an intersection. The crosswalk light was blinking and he sprinted across with no time to spare. He could see Diamond Tiara occasionally, weaving between the legs of pedestrians as she navigated just ahead of him. They approached another intersection, and David got held up by the dozens of people waiting at the crosswalk. Unfortunately, that didn’t stop Diamond Tiara. She pushed through the crowd of stationary humans with ease until she reached the crosswalk. There was the blaring of a horn, the squealing of brakes locking up...And a thud. After those noises, it was like all of New York had fallen silent. David pushed through the curious onlookers until he was in the middle of the intersection. The cars had gridlocked, and their doors were opening as the drivers got out, yelling at each other. In the center of it all was a small pink pony, no bigger than a stuffed animal. David knelt down and picked up the limp body of his daughter’s pony, cradling it in his arms. Her bruised little body was still warm, but he knew she was gone. He’d lost pets before in similar accidents, but this felt much worse. “Stand up, Davey Boy.” The head of a cane rested against David’s shoulder and he saw its jeweled eyes glaring at him. Discord stood behind him with a somber look upon his face. David obeyed and found himself in complete darkness. The cars, the people, and the buildings were all gone. It was now just him and Discord in a void of nothingness. “I-I’m sorry,” David whimpered, holding the lifeless Diamond Tiara closer. “I should have never bought—” “There’s no room for excuses now,” Discord interrupted. He snapped his fingers and David’s contract appeared before him. They both looked at it as it unraveled, but Discord’s eyes broke away to look into David’s. “Don’t worry, I promise it won’t hurt.” David looked from Discord and then to his contract. His signature at the bottom was glowing red, and the text above seemed to be on fire. Discord’s cane tapped against the last section, drawing David’s attention. “If this contract is broken, you forfeit ownership of your pony and are susceptible to penalties of both monetary and physical proportions. IE: Fines, fees, flogging, and…” Discord grinned as David reached the last part of his contract. “Go on, read it for me,” he coaxed. “And being turned into a pony,” David finished. No sooner had he spoken the phrase, his body went rigid and he felt himself being lifted into the air. Pain coursed through his body as his physiology began changing. His hands turned to hooves, his face elongated, and he felt his whole skeletal structure shifting inside of him. The whole while, Discord laughed and laughed as he pointed his cane at David, controlling the whole process. When it was over, David was nothing more than a small, brown pony. He wriggled out of the clothes he once wore and looked at his hooves. Before he could even try to stand, Discord hoisted him up by the scruff of his neck. “You should always read the fine print,” Discord said, tossing David unceremoniously into a metal cage. “Please! It wasn’t my fault!” David pleaded, banging his hooves against the bars. “It wasn’t my fault! It wasn’t my fault!” “David, wake up.” David’s eyes flew open and he saw nothing but darkness. Slowly, his vision adjusted to the darkness and he could make out the light fixture that hung above his bed. His heart was pounding in his chest and he brought his hands to his face. As he stared at them, moving every individual finger, another hand reached for his own. Kristin wrapped her hand around his and he looked over. “Were you having a bad dream?” she asked softly. She stared at him through the darkness, giving a reassuring squeeze on his hand. “Yeah, but it was just a dream,” David replied slowly. He glanced over at the alarm clock and cringed. There were only four more hours until his alarm would be going off, and he wasn’t sure he could even sleep after the dream he’d had. Kristin’s hand slid out of his as he rolled out of bed. He sat on the edge of the mattress for a moment before eventually going into the living room. The apartment was dark and quiet; the Christmas tree was off, as were the video games. Tiffany was asleep in her room, a smile still on her face from the best Christmas she’d had. Her newest best friend, however, was still awake, and there was no smile on her face. As David made his way to the kitchen, he heard an angry snort come from next to the couch. He stopped inches from the small, red kennel the Fay’s had lent them, and bent down to look inside. Glaring out of the darkness were two large, blue eyes. “I hate you,” Diamond Tiara growled, keeping her eyes fixed on David’s. Getting her in the kennel had been like trying to put a square peg in a round hole. Also, the peg had an attitude problem and liked to kick and bite. “I’m sorry, look; can you just try to cooperate a little?” David asked quietly. “This is temporary, I promise.” “Let me out,” Diamond Tiara replied angrily. “I have to use the bathroom.” “That’s what the newspaper is for,” David replied, standing up. “You aren’t serious, are you?!” David cringed as the pony shrieked and the kennel shook. “Quiet down,” David shushed. “I’ll do no such thing! You let me out right now or I’ll start screaming!” Diamond Tiara threatened. She took in a deep breath and got ready to release it in a blood curdling scream, but the sudden appearance of David’s face made her hold. “Please, just stop,” David pleaded. The pony’s cheeks remained puffed out as she held her breath like it was a loaded weapon. “If I let you out, will you go back inside the kennel after?” She shook her head left and right and continued to hold her breath. The pressure in her bladder was becoming unbearable and tears started forming in the corners of her eyes. Holding her breath only made things more uncomfortable and she was finally forced to exhale. David watched as the little pony panted for air and fidgeted. “I’m only going to let you out if you can promise me you’ll go back in,” David said firmly. “It’s just for tonight.” “Fine, I promise, just let me out,” Diamond Tiara said, now squirming with discomfort. David squinted at her, not even remotely convinced she’d obey him. She stared at him and then to the padlock on the kennel door. “Well, go on,” she said anxiously. “I don’t trust you,” he said bluntly. “Oh, come on! I promise! Just let me pee!” she shouted, shaking the kennel once more. She bit her lower lip and crossed all four of her legs. David stared for an additional moment or two before undoing the padlock to the kennel. The metal door swung open and Diamond Tiara sprinted out and toward the bathroom. David stared at the bathroom door and awaited the pink pony’s return. He turned the padlock over and over in his hand impatiently as the minutes passed. Finally, the toilet flushed and the door creaked open. Diamond Tiara walked out and slowly approached David. “Are you going to cooperate?” David asked, still spinning the padlock. Diamond Tiara looked at the kennel and then up to him. “You promise it’s only tonight?” “I’ll set you up something tomorrow,” David said. He kept eye contact with the pony until she finally sighed and trudged toward the kennel. “You better,” she said as she settled down inside. David clicked the padlock back into place and walked into the kitchen. He filled a glass from the sink and downed it before he could let any of the “city-water-taste” hit his tongue. As he walked back to his room, he gave one more look into the kennel. Diamond Tiara was curled up with her back against the metal grating. “Good night,” he whispered. The pony mumbled something in response, but it didn’t sound like anything pleasant. David shrugged it off and got back into his bed, trying not to look at the alarm clock. A twenty minute trip for a glass of water left him only three and a half hours to sleep; not nearly enough for his line of work. -- “Wake up! Wake up! Let’s play!” Tiffany shouted into the kennel. She bounced happily as her mother knelt down and undid the padlock. The gate swung open and a groggy Diamond Tiara rolled out onto the floor. She glared with bloodshot eyes at the women that had disturbed her beauty sleep. “I don’t want to play, and besides, you cheat,” Diamond Tiara said angrily. She stood up and tried to get the kinks out of her neck. “I didn’t cheat,” Tiffany replied, stomping her foot. “Then the game is broken, and I refuse to play it again.” The pony turned her nose up and trotted off to the dining room. “You, tall one, make me breakfast,” she said after scrambling onto one of the chairs. Kristin looked at the pony in disbelief. “Excuse me?” she asked, cocking an eyebrow. Diamond Tiara sat on her haunches, and only her tiara was visible over the table. “Apple pancakes, light syrup, and whole milk,” Diamond Tiara clarified. “She’s just cranky ‘cause she’s hungry,” Tiffany said, tugging on her mother’s pants leg. She looked from her daughter to the over demanding pony sitting at her dining room table. “She’ll eat what I fix her,” she said at last. Kristin walked to the cupboard and removed a cereal bowl, placing it on the counter. Next, she grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl and washed it under the sink faucet. Diamond Tiara watched and waited for Kristin to grab a frying pan or baking ingredients. The woman stood with her back turned to the pony as she carefully peeled the apple with a sharp knife. “There you are,” Kristin said, turning around. She placed the cereal bowl on the floor and smiled warmly at Diamond Tiara. “Eat up,” she said, turning back around to wash off the knife she’d peeled the apple with. Diamond Tiara remained in her seat and looked down at the bowl on the floor. The peeled apple sat perfectly in the center; a far cry from the breakfast she’d demanded. She looked up at Kristin and asked, “You’re joking, right?” Kristin turned around, the knife still in her hand. “Ponies do not eat at the table, and ponies do not treat me like a servant.” She dried the knife off with a towel as she spoke, light gleaming off of its edge. Diamond Tiara looked at Kristin with resentment, but found she couldn’t maintain eye contact with her. Tiffany sat on the floor beside the bowl and patted the floor, signaling for Diamond Tiara to do the same. The filly rolled her eyes and jumped down from her chair. As she walked toward the bowl, she looked away from the smiling girl sitting next to it. “Where’s the other one? I demand to talk to him,” Diamond Tiara said, stopping inches away from the bowl. “My daddy works today,” Tiffany replied. “Come on, eat so we can play!” she said impatiently. She wrapped her arms around the pony’s neck and forced her to sit next to her. “Don’t touch me, and I said that I don’t wanna play!” Diamond Tiara shrieked and tried to push herself away. Tiffany’s grip on her was surprisingly strong for that of a seven year old, and Diamond Tiara eventually gave up. She looked to the apple that had been prepared for her and felt her stomach growl. The apple wasn’t as bad as Diamond Tiara was expecting, but it wasn’t the breakfast she’d wanted either. Reluctantly, she ate it, and even more reluctantly, she followed Tiffany into her room. She sat on the floor of Tiffany’s room, listening to the drone of the vacuum cleaner on the other side of the door. Kristin went about cleaning the apartment while Tiffany and her pony played in the other room. Pink pony hairs covered the apartment’s carpet, and the vacuum struggled to pick them all up. The joys of having a pet, Kristin thought to herself. Suddenly, she felt her cell phone vibrating in her pants pocket, and she looked up at the clock. It was only 10 o’clock and she knew David wouldn’t be on break for another hour. She curiously took her phone out and saw it was her sister calling her. “Hello?” Kristin asked into the phone. She shut off the vacuum and sat down on the couch. “Sis! How are you?” Jen’s voice came loudly through the phone’s speaker. “Good, I’m good, look, you aren’t upset about last night, are you?” Kristin asked, biting her lower lip. “What? No, no! Everything was wonderful, you and David did a wonderful job,” Jen laughed. She doesn’t remember anything. I bet she had a few more drinks after getting back to Zack’s, Kristin thought, knowing her sister all too well. “Good, I’m glad, and how is Becky?” “Well, that’s why I called,” Jen laughed again. “She was wondering if Tiffany and her pony would like to come over for a little play date.” Kristin didn’t believe what she’d heard. Rebecca actually wanted her cousin over? The last time the two had any one on one time, they had to be physically separated after a disagreement involving dolls. “It would be nice if you came over for a little while, too,” Jen said, pulling Kristin’s attention back to her. “I’d like to discuss the wedding details with you, it’s coming up soon, you know?” “Right, right, in May,” Kristin replied, vaguely aware of the date her sister had set. “Let me ask Tiffany real quick.” She stood up and gently pushed the door to her daughter’s room open. Both Tiffany and Diamond Tiara were sitting on the floor staring into Tiffany’s doll house. They looked up at Kristin as she walked into the room and put her hand over the phone’s speaker. “Honey, would you and your pony like to go to your aunt’s house to visit your cousin?” Kristin asked and waited for an answer. Tiffany furrowed her brow and looked to Diamond Tiara. “What do you think, Diamond, should we go see Becky?” “Is that the girl from last night?” Diamond Tiara asked, holding a doll in her hooves. Tiffany nodded and Diamond Tiara looked down at the doll carefully. “I think I’ll pass,” she said, tossing the doll over her shoulder. “Yeah, we’ll pass,” Tiffany replied, tossing her doll over her shoulder, perfectly imitating her pony. Kristin frowned and took her hand off of her phone. “Jen? Tiffany doesn’t really want to go…I can’t, David works today…I’m not going to pay a sitter…Really Jen?” After the back and forth with her sister, she looked back to her daughter. “Auntie Jen says she’ll take you and Rebecca out for ice cream.” Tiffany was clearly excited, but she still decided to consult Diamond Tiara. “Do you like ice cream, Diamond Tiara?” “I prefer frozen yogurt, and it better be good frozen yogurt if I have to put up with that little girl and Scootaloo,” Diamond Tiara stated, setting one of Tiffany’s dolls into a toy car. “I think that’s a yes!” Tiffany said, nodding her head and smiling at her mother. Kristin smiled back and said into her phone, “That did the trick. We’re on our way.” “Not until I’m ready,” Diamond Tiara said, standing up and approaching Kristin. “I will not be called dirty by that brat again.” She pushed past Kristin’s legs and trotted into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. Kristin sighed and put her phone back in her pocket. She helped her daughter get ready and they patiently waited in the living room for Diamond Tiara to get done in the bathroom. It seemed like the shower had been running for an eternity before the knobs squeaked and the water stopped. Another half hour passed, and finally, Diamond Tiara emerged from the bathroom, primped and preened. “Now, I am ready,” she announced. She looked up and saw Kristin holding something as she approached. “What’s that?” Diamond Tiara asked suspiciously. Before Diamond Tiara could move, Kristin strapped a collar around the pony’s neck and attached a leash to it. The pony squirmed as Kristin held her still, the whole while, Tiffany just smiled at her. “We’re going for a walk!” she said joyfully. “Walk? I do not walk! Especially not led on like a house pet!” Diamond Tiara shouted, tugging at the leash. Her hooves just couldn’t seem to find the latch and she eventually gave up. “You will carry me, or I’m not going. Hmph.” Tiffany gave the leash a gentle tug, but Diamond Tiara was firmly planted on the floor with her front hooves crossed. Kristin rolled her eyes and took the leash from her daughter. “Get up and be a good pony,” she said, giving a firm tug. Diamond Tiara coughed as the collar tightened around her throat and she began being pulled across the floor. “LET ME GO!” she coughed out. Kristin ignored her and continued walking toward the apartment door. “Mommy! You’re hurting her!” Tiffany cried, looking at her pony sadly. She tried to pull against her mother, causing her to stop. “I’ll carry her!” She put her arms around Diamond Tiara’s torso and hoisted her up. “You can’t carry her like that all the way to Auntie Jen’s house,” Kristin sighed. “But look, she’s not that heavy, see?” Tiffany said, swinging the very-unhappy pony back and forth. “Oh, I know!” she suddenly shouted, dropping Diamond Tiara unceremoniously to the floor. The little girl ran into her room and after a few moments, ran out with her My Little Pony backpack. “I’ll carry her in this!” Diamond Tiara looked at the backpack and shuddered; both from the thought of being carried any distance in a backpack, and the soulless faces of the cartoon horses decorating it. “I’d rather walk,” she said, remaining seated on the floor. She had no say in the matter, because Tiffany once again picked her up and set her inside the backpack. “See? Perfect!” Tiffany exclaimed. Only the little pony’s head stuck out of the backpack. After Tiffany had emptied the backpack’s contents on her bedroom floor, there left more than enough room for Diamond Tiara. Kristin watched as her daughter struggled to pick up her backpack and sling it onto her back. “Honey, no, just let her out,” she said, seeing the bemused expression on the pony’s face as she swung. Tiffany finally managed to get the backpack’s straps across both shoulders and she smiled at her mom. “Are you okay, Diamond Tiara?” Tiffany asked over her shoulder. The pony shifted in the backpack, feeling like the bottom could give out at any moment. Kristin walked behind her daughter and looked at Diamond Tiara’s situation. They exchanged looks and Diamond Tiara said, “If your mother zips this up, I should be fine, oh, and she could take off the collar while she’s at it.” Kristin zipped the backpack’s zippers right up to Diamond Tiara’s neck, but left the collar on. She passed the leash’s handle to her daughter and made sure her hand was on it tightly. “Hold onto it tightly, just incase she tries to run off,” Kristin said. “I won’t run off,” Diamond Tiara growled. “Let’s just go, this is embarrassing enough.” “Good,” Kristin said, reaching into her pocket for her keys. She let her daughter out first and locked the door behind them. They made their way to the elevator and Tiffany rushed forward to push the button. “Hey! Easy!” Diamond Tiara shouted as she was shaken back and forth. “Oops, sorry, Diamond!” Tiffany apologized. Oh, if Silver Spoon could see me right now, she’d probably die laughing, Diamond Tiara thought of her only friend. Well, her only friend aside from her “best friend”, Tiffany. Oh, and that smug, little blank-flank, Scootaloo—UGH!—when I show up toted around like a foal, she’ll probably have all sorts of comments. Kristin held onto Tiffany’s free hand as they left the apartment building and stepped out onto the New York sidewalk. They quickly eased into the flow of the foot traffic and started walking. Diamond Tiara looked around at all the strange humans now surrounding her. Just like ponies, they came in all different shapes, sizes, and colors. They bumped and shoved against each other as they walked almost mindlessly through the crowded streets. Several times, Diamond Tiara was pressed against the legs of the taller ones, but her angry shouts were lost in all the noise. She wished Tiffany would walk faster, or that they’d get to their destination soon. Zack’s luxurious abode was on the western outskirts of Central Park: not terribly far from where David and Kristin lived, but far enough to justify only visiting once every so often. Jen was sitting on the stoop outside; Marlboro Menthol in one hand, and cell phone in the other. Kristin and Tiffany carefully crossed the street from Central Park and Tiffany broke from her mother’s hand. “Auntie Jen!” she shouted. Diamond Tiara bounced painfully in the backpack as the little girl ran up the steps. “Hey sweetie! One sec!” Jen said, taking one last drag on her cigarette before snubbing it out on the stone steps. “Love ya, babe, gotta go. Krissy is here,” Jen said into her phone. She smooched into the receiver and flipped the phone shut before turning her full attention to Tiffany. “Hey there, big girl! I haven’t seen you in ages!” “You saw me yesterday, remember, Auntie?” Tiffany laughed and gave her aunt a hug. Kristin walked up the steps and stood next to her daughter. Her hands were buried deep in her pockets and her teeth were clattering. “Sis, did you really walk here?” Jen asked, embracing her sister. “I would have called you a cab, silly! Come on in, you’re freezing!” Jen looked around for a moment, and asked, “Tiffany, where’s your friend?” “She’s right here!” Tiffany said, turning around so Jen could see Diamond Tiara. The pony glared up at the woman, still remembering her outburst the night before. Jen smiled brightly at Diamond Tiara despite the look she was receiving. “Oh, she’s so cute! Becky will be glad you brought her. She’s up in her room playing with her ponies right now.” Ponies? As in, plural? Kristin thought to herself as she was led inside. The large oak door closed behind her, sealing out the cold December air. She looked around in envy at the house her sister lived in. Polished oak floors, crystal light fixtures, a full size piano in the entertainment room, an entertainment room and a living room; all the things the upper class get to enjoy while the rest barely get by. “Shoes off, please,” Jen said, kicking off her UGG boots. “We just had the floors waxed.” Kristin and Tiffany obeyed, meanwhile, Jen sauntered over to the staircase. “Becky!” she shouted up the stairs, “Tiffany is here!” She looked back down and smiled at Tiffany. “You can just go right up—and have fun!” As Tiffany climbed the stairs, Diamond Tiara rocked back and forth in the backpack. “You should let me down and take off this stupid collar first,” she said, dreading being seen in her current condition. She could already hear Scootaloo laughing at her. When Tiffany got to the top step, she gently set her backpack on the floor and removed Diamond Tiara. Tiffany seemed nervous as she fumbled with the collar’s clasp, and it took her several tries to undo it. “Come on, hurry up,” Diamond Tiara hissed. She tried to stay as still as possible while the girl worked. Finally, the collar slid off her neck and she rubbed at it where it had been. Tiffany put the collar and leash into her backpack, and just stared up the hallway. “Are we gonna go or what?” Diamond Tiara asked impatiently. “I don’t wanna play with Becky; she’s mean,” Tiffany replied, looking back to her pony. Diamond Tiara just rolled her eyes. “Then be mean back,” she scoffed. “Come on, I’ll show you how.” The door at the end of the hallway was slightly ajar and quiet conversation could be heard coming from within. Diamond Tiara trotted toward it with Tiffany right behind her. She pushed the door fully open and looked into a room that reminded her of her own back in Equestria. Everything was in pink and white, from the wallpaper, to the bedding, to the carpet. And unlike Tiffany’s room, this one was much larger, and much more organized. In the center of it all, sat Rebecca and Scootaloo. “Ah, I see our servants have arrived,” Rebecca said, looking to Diamond Tiara and Tiffany. She picked up a tea cup from her elegant little table and took a sip. “Princess, dear, shall I have them get you more tea?” Scootaloo was sitting across from her, and she looked down into her untouched tea. “Uh, mine is still full,” she answered. “Can I get some apple juice instead?” “I’ve told you, Princess, royalty only drinks tea,” Rebecca said, taking another sip from her cup. “Just add more sugar—Waitress! Two scoops for Princess!” Before Diamond Tiara could disobey the order, the closet door in the far corner of the room slowly opened. A white filly with a pink mane trudged out and approached the table. Diamond Tiara didn’t recognize the filly as being from Ponyville, but she did seem familiar. The filly kept her eyes down as she walked, an expression of agitation etched upon her face. When she got to the table, she raised her head and began looking for the sugar bowl. “Wow, you have two ponies now?” Tiffany asked, looking at the little pony. The pony paid her no mind as it scooped two large spoonfuls of sugar into Scootaloo’s tea. Once the tea was fully solidified with sugar, the filly let the spoon fall from her mouth and back into the sugar bowl. “Yes, and you only have one, so I’ll be choosing what we play today,” Rebecca replied snidely. The filly that was waitressing suddenly looked up and saw Diamond Tiara standing next to Tiffany. Their eyes met, but Diamond Tiara quickly broke eye contact, choosing to look at Rebecca instead. Tiffany looked at her cousin angrily. “You always get to pick what we play.” “That’s because everything you pick is stupid,” Rebecca shot back. “First, we’ll be playing Royal Tea Party. I’m the Queen and Princess is Princess. You and your pony are our servants.” Her attention then turned to the white filly. “Introduce yourself then show them to the servant’s quarters.” The filly sighed and turned to look at Tiffany and Diamond Tiara. “While it may not look it, I’m Princess Celestia, and if you follow me—” “That is not your name!” Rebecca interrupted. “There is only one Princess, and that’s Princess!” She pointed to Scootaloo who shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She then pointed back at the filly and demanded, “Use your real name, now.” The filly claiming to be Princess Celestia gritted her teeth and said nothing. Diamond Tiara looked at the filly skeptically, seeing no resemblance to Equestria’s noble alicorn leader. Why would an earth pony claim to be Princess Celestia? Rebecca tapped her finger impatiently against the table surface. Finally, through clenched teeth, the filly mumbled, “My name is Miss Fluffypuff…and if you follow me, I’ll show you to the servant’s quarters.”