//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 // Story: Recovery from the Nightmare // by JusSonic //------------------------------// Recovery from the Nightmare "WAAAAAAUUGH!" Diamond Tiara screeched out in panic and jumped suddenly and grab the pole as something to hang on for dear life? "WHAT AM I DOING UP HERE?" The filly cried out in crying concerns of her safety in this predicament. "What's wrong? Don't like hanging out?" Lorcan spoke his voice and then the filly on the pole saw the cloak Dragon teen walking on air before her. "Hanging out? I'M DANGLING OFF OVER A ROOF WHILE HOLDING ON A POLE!" Diamond Tiara remarked off and then yelled out her lungs in what was happening to her was no joke. "Hugh, and some Pegasus and Unicorns like using wings and magic to have conversations up on high places. Speaking of which…let's talk." Lorcan rubbed his chin in pondering confused about such a matter of chatting with those that 'hang out' with the other. "Where are the CMC, you know something and you're not telling." The teen Dragon looked down at the filly holding the pole and eyes shut, the guy wants answers to his questions. "I told you, how should I know! I don't know anything of where or what they are doing!" Diamond Tiara snapped off annoyed that this Dragon teen villain for being former, doesn't get that she's saying she hasn't a clue. "Creakvhmm…gruvhmm…" But then suddenly, the pole that was sticking out creaked, and began to bench a bit down, much to the filly who saw this and held tighter. "Hmmm, maybe your father's workers failed to see how strong that pole really is." Lorcan spoke from amazingly was hovering in the air upside-down when inspecting the pole. "It must be getting heavy to support…liars." The cloaked teen Dragon remarked off to say, the pole can't handle the weight that increases from a liar. "What! I'm not lying!" Diamond Tiara responded off in feeling insulted by the rude Dragon. "Grvuhmm-Vrrusvhmm…." But once again, the pole was cracking and benching a bit more downwards. "AAAUGH!" Diamond Tiara even made another cry yelp from feeling herself almost slip that time. "Apparently, you are." Lorcan dryly stated to point out the obvious thing to see, the filly was lying. "So, why not tell me the truth and you'll go free?" He shrug out his arms to say that by telling the truth, Diamond Tiara can get out of this mess. "And I'm supposed to trust someone like you!" Diamond Tiara snapped off with a rude tone in not actually buying that she has to trust someone like Lorcan. "Well the way I see it, you don't have much a choice." Lorcan held his chin to point down in saying the spoiled filly really doesn't wanna argue about the situation. "Just tell me where the fillies are and admit you’re wrong." Lorcan stated out as he wants this spoiled filly of a rich pony to tell him where the CMC are. "Forget it! I don't even like those Blank-Flank Group or that Nightmare Moon filly one bit!" Diamond Tiara snapped off towards the dragon in the hooded cloak in what she feels. "As far as I'm concern, they can just be lost and just be food for Timberwolves!" That ended up being a big shocker to believe that a filly would actually want those she hated for such a feat to happen to them. "Gruvfruvhmm…Gruvhmm…" Which in response to this, the pole was breaking further down, much to even the one holding on for dear life all the more. "WAAUGH…WHAT'S GOING ON?" Diamond Tiara yelped out alarm in what's happening to her, she didn't lie that time, so why did the pole break a bit more? "So, the truth comes out." Lorcan spoke with a serious motive on his face in hearing what this filly truly feels for toss gone missing. "Therein lies a bit of darkness in you, I can see it. The same thing that turned and created Boris the Red Devil." The Dragon teen pointed in stating how this very 'dark' personality help shape one of Equestria's fearsome foes. "What are you yapping about?" Diamond Tiara snapped off in hearing Lorcan say such jibber-jabber talk. "I'm not that Pony Devil!" The filly snapped in protest of someone like her can be like the Red Devil pony like Boris is. "Oh, but you have the makings of one." Lorcan toyed in poking the filly's noise in bringing up the next mentioned stuff. "I remember it like yesterday. Boris was a grown, handsome, and popular stallion within the crowds of many adoring fans." This guy rubbed his chin in remembering over the old days, when Boris was once a known Hero of Canterlot before…the changing tide. "Sounds almost like what you have." The former villain made a joking comment in seeing how much this filly is doing things almost like what Boris did from being a colt. "So…?" Diamond Tiara remotely asked off in what the point of this question was even about. "So….what happened that he lost it all? I'll tell you." Lorcan shrug off his shoulders to state out a conclusive evidence in how Boris lost it all. "It's causes he still had such deep, wicked, and darkly evil intentions…against Earth Ponies and a rivalry with Ben Mare!" The dragon teen flicked Diamond Tiara's mane in stating all the problems Boris had trouble getting over, but there was more. "Almost like you…despising blank-flanks, making them miserable and being the popularity queen. I say your more like a mini-Boris the Red Devil figure." The former villain concluded a theory from all the acts Diamond Tiara was showing, it all seem to point towards her becoming what Boris is today. "I AM NOT!" Diamond Tiara shouted out loud in objecting such a suggestion. "This is some trick, isn't it?" The filly snapped off to say in believing Lorcan was just trying to get to her with this. "Creakvhmm-Gruvhmmm…." But of course, the pole that held the filly broke more further then Diamond Tiara even knew. "Haaugh…." Diamond Tiara yelped and grip herself on the pole that dangled her, it must have reacted when she protest against the truth. "Looks like you're on a last thread. Pity…" Lorcan spoke out in noticing that the pole is just a little away before it breaks and the filly may drop. "There might not be a go back for you." Lorcan waved off his right claw in saying that at this moment, this filly may not be able to go back now. "What do you mean?" Diamond Tiara asked from not liking the sound of what was just heard now. "Look below." Lorcan pointed for the filly to look down to see something in what he's stating. The filly looked down and soon saw a strange ceremonial spell circle of unknown origin. And the spell itself was glowing with a pulsating beat like a heart. The pressure feeling it released felt somewhat odd and strange, even Mr. Filthy Rich who was near step back in finding it…abnormal. "Hugh….what's this?" Diamond Tiara asked off a bit puzzled as the ground looked almost glowy. "Why…it's your coronation, Miss Tiara." Lorcan spoke from spinning himself up straight, and made a sit on an invisible chair position in letting off with a sly face…an answer to the question. "The next filly to change into a new Devil-Pony by the dark summonings." The Dragon mentioned this off with a scary tone, stating that this was meant for Diamond Tiara to become...the next Devil-Pony. "Prussfruvhmmm…." Suddenly, flames erupted from the strange spell decoration, and the skies looked a bit gloomy. Once more, it looked too much like it was a setting sunset to really see, a strange spell was at work here. But what was even scarier was that the bottom out the center was opening up like a portal, awaiting….a sacrifice of a victim. "HAAAAAAAUGH……" Daimond Tiara screamed out in horror, what was this, what was this former villain trying to do? "Well, can't say that I tried to help, you caused this." Lorcan shrug off his arms in saying that this was not his own fault in anyway, but Diamond Tiara. "A spell was made that if a pony should deny the holy light and haven't admit their sins, they'll be changed into devils." The hooded teen Dragon exclaimed off that for every pony, being honest & truthful is a sign of goodness. But in a case where they truly are developing wicked and evilness, it'll grow into darkness, and change their outer forms to fit what they truly are on the inside. "WHAAAAAAT!" Diamond Tiara screeched out in shock, has this former villain lost his mind, how's doing this even 'good' in the first place? "Sorry kiddo, you forsaken yourself to this, you don't have many friends to come save you." Lorcan shrug off in letting Diamond Tiara know, that she caused her own downfall to go with this path. "And sorry, but Silver Spoon even sees that this act is going overboard, so she's spared, but she'll feel sorry for you." The dragon teen pointed out with a claw to say that even the filly's own closest friend, saw a line that shouldn't be cross, but not poor Diamond it seems. "As far as Maxin Talos goes...well...he's only hired help, right?" "Creakfruvhmm…." The pole was breaking, and the filly tried to hold on, but felt her grip slipping, and looked down to see…how close she may get into the horrid spell. "Haugh-haugh…DADDY!" Diamond Tiara screamed out for her father to help her and tried to keep struggling useless to go up the pole without much hopeful chance. "Daddy can't help, he's given you the judgment to clear your sins, but apparently…it's his lost to lose a…bad egg, we shall say." Lorcan shrug off his shoulders to say, that the rotten and spooled filly's father can't help, and in the end, he'll just lose something that was bad from the start. Even Mr. Rich saw this, and thought with some concern that maybe the act of this tricking Diamond Tiara to tell the truth might be going a bit too far. "Wait, Lorcan! Isn't this going a bit too far?" Mr. Rich protest out over this loud display, he may have said in agreeing to teach his daughter to not lie, but this might be going overboard. "Sorry, but it ain't my fault." Lorcan shrug off his arms to look down at the stallion saying about not wanting this, but it's out of his hand. "But I'll let you see yourself…Diamond Tiara." Lorcan exclaimed out from hovering close to the scared filly, and held up his left claw opened for something to appear? "Frusvhmm…." Then without warning, emerald flames emerged from it, and then from within…was the image of Diamond Tiara, smirking with a wicked expression as the filly watched this. "This…is….your…." As Lorcan slowly spoke these very deep words, Diamond Tiara saw the image of herself in the femoral of flames shifting into something. "FUTUUUUURE!" From the loud proclamation from Lorcan in making it sound so evilly and darkly to frighten any soul, a new image within the flame was seen? It was a grown mare with luminous vivid crimson coat color, a long messy bluish gray with grayish indigo streaks, and grayish cerulean color eyes. What was more terrifying was seeing the Cutie Mark warped into a tiara crown of black and thorny spikes with blood dripping jewelry off the five edges shaped like silver sword blades, which was also the same worn on this she-devil pony. Worn on nothing but a split four piece black crimson cape that had edges at the bottom which almost looked to turn into wings, and spiky black shoes dreaded with dried blood. What was also horrifying was that a cut mark of 'X' shape was across the face over the nose and each eye was in the opposite center of the mark. This was a new being that Lorcan proclaimed would be the spoiled brat's future; Diamond 'Cruella' Tiara, the Dreaded Red Devil of the future. Now witnessing this horror even before the filly of the younger stage was enough to leave one more frighten of one's future self to turn out like that if nothing will change. "No….No-NOOOO!" Diamond Tiara spoke in horror and tried to speak against such magical evidence. "Creakvhhmmm…." The pole creaked and now dangled back and forth, with the filly that was almost about to lose grip. "HAAAHAAAUGH! OKAY-OKAY! I ADMIT!" Diamond Tiara yelped and cried out between wanting to say something. "I GOT THEM TO HEAD TO THE EVERFREE FOREST WHERE THEY'RES A TIMBERWOLF PACK TERRITORY! THEY'LL BE SURROUNDED WITH NO HOPE OF COMING BACK!" Diamond Tiara yelled out loud for both Lorcan and her father to hear the arrogantly admitted guilt she had commented. "Well now, I wonder if this means you'll change…or stay the same." Lorcan spoke in a calm manner, rubbed his chin in asking if Diamond Tiara is going to be a better pony, or…just lie and try to save herself. "I'll change myself! Really!" Diamond Tiara proclaimed out in willing to change herself for the better now. "Rivhmm-Clankvhmm…." But soon the final support structure of the pole snapped off and let the filly soon begin to descend. "I'll Change…..I'LL CHAAAAAAAANGE!" Diamond Tiara cried out, and then lastly yell this out while she was falling straight for the inferno spell that would take in the sacrifice. ------------------- Diamond Tiara screeches as she fell out of bed, getting up while sweating a bit. It's that nightmare again! The filly has been having it ever since the incident with Lorcan. "Oh, perhaps, I've gone too far that time." Diamond Tiara sobs as she stood up on the floor, looking downward. The filly has done a lot of nasty deeds, especially to the CMC and Nyx. She made front of Apple Bloom before she was a Cutie Mark Crusader, made fun of her and her Granny Smith, blackmail the CMC during the Gabby Gums incident, made fun of the flightless Scootaloo, took advantage of them and Nyx when I found Twilight is a princess, and I can't bring forth what I did that I told the butler and maid the other day before I stood up to Riff Tannen!" Diamond Tiara groans a bit as she tries to go back to bed...after all, tomorrow's another day, right? ------------- Diamond Tiara yelps as she finds herself tied up and shackled to the ground. What is this? What's going on? The mare gasps as she saw what appears to be an Adult Nyx glaring at her from the stand of a judge in a courtroom. "N-Nyx? Is that you?" Diamond Tiara gasps nervously. "W-w-what's going..." "SILENCE!" Adult Nyx booms out. "THOU HAVE BEEN CHARGED FOR VARIOUS CRIMES THROUGHOUT EQUESTRIA!" "What, why?! I-I didn't do anything!" "Baliff!" Diamond Tiara gulps as she saw a huge Phobos reading off the charges, "From teasing, blackmailing, advantage taking, trickery, framing, etc. etc. Wow, you did a lot, kid!" "Wait, wait. Nyx, please. I changed...I only did so because of my mother." Diamond Tiara plead, shedding tears to Nyx. "I changed really." "'Dis not the matter! Thou are a monster like your mother wanted to be!" Adult Nyx exclaims, making Diamond Tiara terrified. A shine lights on Diamond's parents. Filthy Rich looks away while Spoiled Rich exclaims with a smug look, "You did mommy so proud!" Another light shines, showing Silver Spoon who yells out, "You used me in various of your schemes! I don't know how to trust you again!" "Don't say that, please!" Diamond Tiara exclaims with tears of her own. "Please, Silver..." "ENOUGH!" Adult Nyx booms out as everyone else disappears. "We decreed that you be executed for the monster thou truly are!!!" "Nyx, wait! That isn't fair!" "Well, what thou did to everyone is even unfairer! We sentence thou...TO TARTARTUS!!!" Diamond Tiara screams in terror as a hole opens underneath her. The filly falls down to the fiery pits where monsters and who knows else appears. The former bully cries out in sadness. "Maybe, they're right! Maybe I am only a bully, like my mother wanted me to be." Diamond Tiara sobs a bit. "But is that what you really wish?" A familiar voice spoke out. Diamond Tiara looks confused when everything disappears around here. The chains and ropes are removed as the former bully looks around. Soon, a flash of light appears, nearly blinding Diamond Tiara who covers her eyes with a hoof. As she looks up, Diamond Tiara saw Princess Luna landing, saying, "Do not fear, you are having a nightmare, my dear." "Princess Luna." Diamond Tiara said, trembling a bit. So she was having a nightmare. None of this is real. "You must hate me for what I did to your family...I deserve it...I am a bully and a jerk..." "That's not so. You only were because of the influence by your mother. Tell me, why do you think the CMC took pity on you? And wanted to help you?" "Well, I..." Diamond Tiara looks away, unsure what to say to this. Princess Luna turns her back and lifts her chin, saying, "Because they knew that the real you is a nice filly who only did what she did out of fear of angering her mother." "But most ponies think I've only changed because Lorcan made me do so." Diamond Tiara explains, sobbing a bit. "But that isn't really true. You had indeed changed when you did the right thing: standing up for your friends. That shows you aren't really a bully or a monster. You must be who you want to be instead of someone else. Don't be what your mother wanted you to be, you should be who you feel to be, your real self." Diamond Tiara didn't say a word as she was silent. Princess Luna...was right. She has proven that she herself was better than what her mother tried to make her to be. Diamond Tiara wants to be someone she wants to be...not what others want her to be. Diamond Tiara looks back at the memories, showing images of Spoiled Rich berating her, punishing her, forcing Diamond Tiara to be what she wanted her to be...instead of who she wanted to be. Perhaps...the dream is that Diamond Tiara was fearing that she was what her mother wanted. Perhaps...the time comes to put aside those awful memories...and make new ones. "You're right, princess...but what will I say to Lorcan when he wakes up?" Diamond Tiara ask, concerned as to what Lorcan would do once he does wake up at last. "He will wake up one day...and when he does, best to apologize...and I know he will forgive." Princess Luna said gently to the one who used to bully the CMC and her great niece Nyx. "Yeah, I will...thanks..." Princess Luna smiles as she disappears from sight, leaving Diamond Tiara in her own dream world... ----------- The next day, in reality, the CMC and Nyx was playing. Despite the fact that the three has gotten their cutie marks, they are determined to continue their activities. "Hey..." A familiar voice spoke up. The CMC looks to see Diamond Tiara nearby, giving out a meekish wave. "Uh...all right if I play with you?" The CMC looks at her for a moment, then they smiled as Apple Bloom calls out, "Sure! We could always use an extra!" "Yeah!" Sweetie Belle giggles. Nyx giggles as Diamond Tiara, smiling, came over to her. The black Alicorn filly, noticing the look, ask puzzled, "Hey, Diamond? Are you all right?" "Never better." Diamond Tiara said with a smile. Everything truly changes for her...today! The End