//------------------------------//
// Chapter One 
// Story: Former Enemies, New Friends 
// by GameQubb 
//------------------------------//

Yesterday truly was the best day of their young lives by far. Not only had they helped a friend in need but they also discovered their cutie marks. But that doesn't mean that they have to disband the Crusaders, in fact thanks to this they have a new mission. Help other ponies with their special talents.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders are still going strong.

Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle all have the same shield as their cutie mark but with different symbols on each one. Apple Bloom, the leader of the group, had an apple symbol on her red, pink, and purple shield. Scootaloo, another member of the group, had a wing on her same colored shield. Sweetie Belle, the last present member of the group, had a star and a musical note on her same colored shield. The only other member of the Crusaders that wasn't with them was Apple Bloom's cousin, Babs Seed, who already has her cutie mark but is different from the others for she has a pair of scissors for her mark.

The three Crusaders were busy at the moment in their clubhouse thinking of ways they could help other ponies with their special talents. Though it shouldn't be too hard for them since the adults all pretty much have their special talents figured out so all that was left was the fillies and colts in their school. Pretty soon they will might just help their new Student Pony President, Pipsqueak, discover his special talent and sometime in the future they could even help the Cake Twins.

Until then there are a lot of ponies with their cutie marks they could help out the same way they helped out their new friend Diamond Tiara. Just the thought of all that has happened is still surprising to them. After all this time Diamond Tiara wasn't really the monster that they thought she was but was just trying to keep the respect from her pathetic excuse to a mother and quite the same to her father. All those times of her calling them 'blank flanks', insulting them and their family, all of that was nothing but her lying to herself. Turns out she wasn't a link in her horrible family after all.

As these thoughts entered their the three of them heard a knocking on their clubhouse door. They all turned around and saw their former enemy right through the door. Diamond Tiara surly looked like she could take on the entire world that is her family and with her cutie mark, a tiara which strangely is the same as the one on her head, as proof of her not being like them. Diamond Tiara walked up to them and asked, "Am I interrupting anything?"

Apple Bloom looked and Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle and looked back at Diamond Tiara and said, "Not at the moment, no. But what are you doing here?"

Diamond Tiara slowly rubbed her left front leg with her right hoof as she looked down. "Well I never really got the chance to thank you three for yesterday," Diamond Tiara said. She looked back up at them. "Thanks!"

They all smiled nervously and Apple Bloom said, "It was nothing. Just because we don't normally see eye to eye didn't mean we shouldn't care at all."

Diamond Tiara slowly smiled at what Apple Bloom had said but quickly dropped the smile as she remembered another thing that she wanted to do. "I also came here to say that I'm sorry," She said looking down again.

Sweetie Belle looked confused a bit and asked, "Sorry? For what?"

Diamond Tiara was a little dumbfounded by what Sweetie Belle had asked. She looked up and saw that both Apple Bloom and Scootaloo also had the same confused look as Sweetie Belle. She looked back and forth and all of them with wide mumbling to herself until she stood her ground and shouted, "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!" That shout made the Cutie Mark Crusaders back up in surprise. Quickly realizing what she just did she bit her right and hoof for moment and said, "I mean...I wanted to say sorry about everything I ever said to the three of you. Calling you blank flanks, insulting you and your families, everything."

"You don't have to do that," Apple Bloom said.

"Yeah we forgive you," Scootaloo said making Diamond Tiara stare at them with wide eyes again. "Look we know what you were going through. Believe me every pony would do anything to try and impress some pony. If any pony should be apologizing to any pony it should be your mother apologizing to you."

"Yeah," Sweetie Belle said after Scootaloo. "Making their own daughter do something they don't want to do all for the sake of reputation isn't something that a mother should do."

Diamond Tiara developed a few tears that didn't fall down just yet but were close to. Not only did these three fillies care about her enough to help her become a better pony but they also have no hard feelings about the things that she did to them all this time. Apple Bloom went up to her and said, "So everything that you did, it's all water under the bridge." Hearing that made Diamond Tiara smile. "After all we know that you wouldn't scream at your friend for no good reason."

Scootaloo walked up and asked, "Speaking of which how is Silver Spoon doing anyway?"

Diamond Tiara wiped her eyes for any tears that might still be in her eyes and dropped the smile for a little. "She's still a little mad about me yelling at her, but at least we're still talking to each other and she promised that we would still hang out together."

It was Sweetie Belle's turn to walk up to Diamond Tiara. "See even she forgives you for what you did," Sweetie Belle said. "Just because of one bad thing doesn't mean you'll stop being friends with her."

Diamond Tiara couldn't help but let a few tears of happiness fall down and she refused to wipe them away just yet. These three fillies really are one of kind. They truly have kind hearts toward any pony. Guess they take after their sisters, even though Rainbow Dash wasn't really Scootaloo's sister but that didn't matter. All this time she didn't know how great the Cutie Mark Crusaders truly were until now. But just that thought made her remember the last thing that she wanted to ask them.

She dropped her smile again and faced all three of them as she said, "There's just one more thing I want to ask you three and I think I already know the answer but I thought I should ask anyway." This got their attention. The three of them stared at her as she tried to work up any remaining courage she had. And just like that she asked them her question.

"Can I join the Cutie Mark Crusaders?"

Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle all stared at her with wide eyes, shock, and most importantly surprise. It was first surprising to know that Diamond Tiara wasn't that bad after all and that they finally got their cutie marks, but now their former enemy wants to join them. Before they said anything Diamond Tiara continued.

"I know about everything I said about the Cutie Mark Crusaders and I'm glad that you forgive me for it more than anything. Pipsqueak also told me that you three are now helping other ponies with their special talents and get their cutie marks too and I just wanted to be a part of that. You know as a way to help redeem myself. But if you say no then that's fine by me. I just feel like I should've at least asked."

After saying all that the three of them stepped away from her and huddled up. "So what do you girls think," asked Apple Bloom.

"I know she used to be our enemy but she's changed now," Sweetie Belle said. "I don't think it's a bad idea."

"Yeah and after all we help those who need help and she does really want to help out," Scootaloo said. "What kind of friends would we be if we didn't help her out?"

"So we all in agreement then," Apple Bloom asked the two of them and they both nodded their heads and she nodded her head along with them. They all looked back at Diamond Tiara and saw the look on her face that said she was expecting them to say no and was about to walk out in shame. She was immediately stopped when she heard Apple Bloom say, "Congratulations Diamond Tiara we agree that you will be a part of the Cutie Mark Crusaders."

Diamond Tiara turned around and was shocked to hear that. Not only did they let bygones be bygones but they also let her join. More tears of happiness came down as she asked, "You would really let me join?"

"Of course," Scootaloo said. "What kind of friends would we be if we didn't?"

"In that case let us get the introduction started," Sweetie Belle said as she grabbed the giant scroll from when they let Babs become a member but it was immediately taking away from her by Scootaloo.

"Sorry we won't be using this," Scootaloo said as she ran to the nearest window. "Why do I keep forgetting to revise this?" She threw it down to the ground. "I'll work on that later."

"I'll just say a shorter version of it," Apple Bloom said. "As your friends and fellow classmates you are hereby an official member of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Diamond Tiara!" After that the three of them got ready for their signature hoof bump. They stared at Diamond Tiara and Apple Bloom motioned for her to join in on it. She walked toward them and then they all bumped hooves together. They all cheered but stopped when Diamond Tiara was about to leave. "Where are you going?"

"Don't worry I'll be back soon," Diamond Tiara said with a cheerful smile. "I'm going to go tell Silver Spoon about this and probably convince her to join to." Hearing that made Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle smile in joy. "And by the way you girls can call be DT if you want to."

"OK then, see you soon DT," Apple Bloom said. "When you come back we'll have a cape for you."

After that the three of them watched has Diamond Tiara ran off occasionally doing a joyful skip while running. They all stared as the thoughts ran through their mind. A new friend, new cutie marks, and now a new member of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. This truly is a perfect day for the Crusaders.