A Diamond in the Rough

by DarkShockBro

Shriveled

A Diamond in the Rough: Chapter 8

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(Back to Diamond Tiara's "present day" room, Journalist's POV)

Ninety minutes. She talked for ninety straight minutes, and managed to get through some of the more heart-wrenching events without shedding tears, yet I did hear her sniffle a few times. Also, she had currently gotten through two diaries, and was at the beginning of the third.

Even with that, she seemed to be very content being able to let all of these events go from her mouth and onto the big screen. When I made my offer, I've seen other ponies that have just shut their doors in my face, but Mrs. Tiara simply exploded with joy, and told me her past in absurd detail. She still had just made it past fourth grade in her tale and yet I was already completely sympathetic for her. I greatly admired her courage for going through this.

After those ninety minutes, I heard a fairly loud throaty cough coming from her, so I said, "Mrs. Tiara? Would you like to take a break?"

She coughed again. "Guess so. I'm famished anyway. I'll go ask the butlers to make me some breakfast, and I'll heat up some chamomile tea."

"The tea sounds wonderful. May I please have some, Mrs. Tiara?"

"Eh, why not." and with that she left.

Seconds later, I heard her yell, "White Handkerchief! Could you tell the butlers to get me some scrambled eggs, pronto?"

"Sure thing, malady."

And with that, she went to make the tea, and got back right before she got her food from White Handkerchief.

"Here are you are, malady." he said as he handed Diamond the perfectly cooked eggs.

If you ask me, he's actually relatively content for having such a crappy job, but I've never been a butler myself.

"Awesome. Got a fork?"

"Yes. Here you are."

"Cool."

And with that, White Handkerchief, matching Mrs. Tiara's description of him to a T, left her office.

She then placed the coasters, then the rather large pink teacups on top of them, before pouring herself some tea. Then, she set the pitcher down. I then filled my cup with some tea, and placed the warm liquid to my lips.

I said, "This tea is very good. The flavor is very full."

"Cool. I found a great recipe for it, so it's nice other people enjoy it."

"Have I introduced myself yet?"

After taking a substantial sip, she said, "No."

"Well, my name is Photo Frame. I've been a journalist for about ten years."

After a brief yawn, she said, "That's nice. So, when exactly are you going to put this on air?"

"If you can finish your tale today, we should be able to televise it three days from now. Also, could you please sing the song you sang in the talent show? It gives the viewers a chance to hear your talents, as this will be broadcast in places besides Ponyville."

"How could I argue with that logic?" she said, clearing her throat before singing.

She had a lovely, powerful singing voice, and with the notes she reached, I could only assume she was a soprano. A good one, at that.

"Your voice is very nice. I'm sure the viewers will love your songs. Could you please sing any other songs that you remember when you get to them?"

"Absolutely." she said, and after slipping those magic gloves on her hooves, she was able to grab her fork and eat her now relatively lukewarm breakfast.

She ate very calmly and gracefully. Even watching her eat had a reverberating reflection of her eloquence and lady like presence. I really did enjoy talking with her, but I also made sure I did not come off as flirting, because I assumed she already had a lover, being the beautiful mare she was.

After about a half an hour, she opened the diary, and gave me the green light to start recording.
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(16 years ago: Diamond Tiara's 4th grade summer)

Walking home, I could feel how much my self-confidence rose during 4th grade. Again, my dad wasn't there when I returned, because he said that he had to take about a week off due to a huge business 'convention' as he put it, so I hadn't been able to tell him about my awesome leadership skills.

I didn't mind, though, because I knew he would be back tomorrow, so I decided to practice my voice. Using some of the feedback I received from Miss Rhythm, I noticed my voice became less 'forced' as she called it and the reverberations were clear as diamonds, unmitigated even. After being relatively pleased with the results of my voice, I simply practiced my saxophone before eating dinner and going to sleep.

When my dad got back the next morning, I told him about my endeavors as a leader, and he said he was proud of me. I felt loved by at least one of my parents, and it felt great.
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But…as usual…my mom wasn't impressed. I could tell it wasn't my leadership that worried her, but the fact that I worked with Apple Bloom, led to one of the worst arguments I had ever heard between my parents. Yes, I eavesdropped on them. I had quite a bit of curiosity back then.

Mom started this argument by yelling to dad, "You royal pain in the flank! You raised a traitor!"

"What? Why do you always think our daughter is trying to harm you?"

"Don't you dare give me that! She made friends with our enemy and you can't tell me otherwise!"

"She never said that! She just happened to be in Diamond's group, and Diamond couldn't switch groups! Why do you have to hurt our daughter?"

"She's your little abomination! Not ours! So take your flank and get the hoof out of my life! Keep that parasprite away from me!"

The first thing I did was instantly assume that I was hallucinating, and went to sleep instantly, even though it was an hour before my bedtime.

But…it didn't go away.
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The next thing I know, I had a nightmare. Take a wild guess what it was about. If you guessed my parents hating me for the fact that I 'made friends' with Apple Bloom, then good job! You aren't helping!

It was very traumatic, and I can describe it in great detail. I was trapped in a sphere composed entirely of nightmare matter. the magic Nightmare Moon used, and about five seconds later, two gigantic heads, one being mom, the other being dad, came up to me on either side, and began chanting.

Their chant was, "Diamond…we hate you…why do you exist…you should be sent to the moon…you suck…yes…"

"Leave me alone! I'll make it up! I'll be as ruthless as you want! Please! I'm not a failure! I'm not a failure! I'm not a flanking failure!"

"Yes you are! Go away! In fact, we will destroy you now!"

The next thing I know, my parents turned into Nightmare matter, and began to choke me. Even though it was a dream, I do remember crying, and feeling so much pain, I wanted to just die! Fortunately, after only ten seconds of being tortured, I woke up. I didn't want to get back to sleep, so I went into my dad's office to listen to the recording of the conversation my parents had.

Sure enough, my mom said the exact things I had heard, and I knew from then on I wasn't dreaming. My parents hated me…just for cooperating with a group project and showing my leadership. We got a perfect, for Celestia's sake! I even called Apple Bloom a blank flank afterwards! Was that really not enough? That appeared to be the only reasonable conclusion. I thought day and night during the entire summer about how to get my parents to at least think I shouldn't have been aborted, and that thought soon turned into a parasprite that devoured my soul, and almost destroyed my entire heart.

Before I turned into a rabid sociopath, I discovered that I hadn't teased enough fillies. My superiority complex was too low. My efforts to get everypony to notice me were not enough. And, most importantly, I hadn't treated Apple Bloom, my enemy as simply a stain on my hoof. Well, during 5th grade, I was going to make sure I accomplished all of those objectives.

About a week before school, I looked in the mirror and said, "I will make them fear me! They'll see that I'm by far the best around! I'll make every blank flank realize that I'm the one who is the queen filly in this school. And, most importantly, I'll make my parents proud! They'll see how special I truly am, just like everypony else! Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"
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With the feeling of vengeance consuming my soul, I walked all the way to school with the evilest smile I could muster. When I saw Silver Spoon she did seem to be concerned about me.

She said, "Diamond, are you alright?"

"Ah ha ha! I've never been better! Let's go and show which fillies are the bosses around here!"

"Alright, if you say so."

Our teacher, who I would have for sixth grade, was named Miss Cheerilee. She was the same pony who was at the previous Talent Show. Anyway, when we first walked in the room, Cheerilee had a seating chart up on the chalk board, marked permanent.

Looking closer at it, I was sitting right next to Apple Bloom!

"Yes!" I screamed, and took my seat.

About two minutes later, when Apple Bloom arrived, I shouted in a loud taunting voice, "Hey, Blank Flank! Guess who you are sitting next to this year!"

"Wh…oh mah gosh! Celestia must really hate me!"

"That's right! You are, like, totally dead this year! I'll make sure of it! Ah ha ha ha!"

"Oh no! Why? Why?" she screamed before taking her seat and performing a nice head desk. Oh…I could not wait for this year to begin!

Of course, like any good victim, she tried to say, "Miss Cheerilee! Ah can't work with Diamond Tiara! Please, for the love of Celestia, move me!"

"No need to worry, Miss Cheerilee, Apple Bloom is just nervous about her first day of fifth grade! She's always like this!" I said, performing my patented Diamond Eyes, just without the pout this time. As planned, Cheerilee ignored Apple Bloom's plea, and class began.

I almost never bother ponies during class, because I actually do try my best to pay attention to any new material. But, just to make a statement that I meant business this year, after all of the classes ended, I tripped Apple Bloom.

Once she fell, I yelled, "Wow, you're clumsy, Blank Flank! Pressure of school too much for your stupid little brain? Later!" I said, laughing all the way out the door.
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I didn't do any major pranks to Apple Bloom until about 10 days later, where Miss Cheerilee conducted a speech. About cutie marks. Dear Celestia, I've heard this already!

Cheerilee started by saying, "Let's quiet down please. We have a very important lesson to get to! Thank you. Today we are going to be talking about cutie marks."

"Boring." I whispered.

"You can all see my cutie mark, can't you? Like all ponies, l wasn't born with a cutie mark. My flank was blank."

Then, a pony named Twist, with a beige body, an uncombed red mane, and glasses that were stupider than Silver Spoon's said, "Aww, Thee's tho precious!" Celestia, gag me, I think I just puked in my mouth after that!

"Then one day, when l was about your age, l woke up to find that a cutie mark had appeared!" Cheerilee said, while I had to look at one of the saddest sights I've ever seen, Cheerilee as a teenager. Dear Celestia, braces and a mane that was worse off than Twist's?

We laughed and she responded. "Yes l know, but honestly, that's how everypony was wearing their mane back then."

Suddenly, I had no desire to grow up in the 80s, even with awesome songs like Mares Just Wanna Have Fun.

"l had decided to become a teacher, and the flowers symbolized my hope that l could help my future students bloom if l nurture them with knowledge. The smiles represented the cheer l hope to bring to my little ponies while they were learning. Now, can anyone tell me when a pony gets his or her cutie mark?"

Twist, ugh, again responded. "Oh! Oh! Oh! When thee discovers that certain something that makes her spethial!" and after that, I'm surprised I didn't pass out to due to the copious amounts of puke that had accumulated in my mouth.

I had toned out at this point, and tried to get Apple Bloom to pass a note to Silver Spoon, a routine that we worked on before school, and sure enough, Cheerilee caught her right as I handed her the note.

I used my Diamond Eyes again, and as Cheerilee was wondering what was on the note, she soon discovered that it was blank. What? I wasn't heartless enough to use the old, mock the teacher/blame others for it note.

After my prank had taken effect, I sealed the deal by saying, "Remind you of anypony?" and then proceeding to laugh my flank off.
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Soon after class, Spoon and I had staged another routine.

This one started with me walking up to Apple Bloom and Twist, then saying, "I don't know why we had to sit through a lecture about getting a cutie mark. I mean, waiting for your cutie mark is so last week. You got yours, I've got mine. We all have them already. Oops, I mean, almost all of us have them already. Don't worry, you two, you're still totally invited to my cute-ceañera this weekend."

Then, Silver Spoon continued by saying, "It's going to be amazing!"

"It's a party celebrating me and my fantastic cutie mark! How could it not be! Bump, bump, sugar lump, rump!"

Apple Bloom, feeling gloomy as ever, making me feel so wonderful, said, "Gimme a break."

Then, Silver Spoon said, "See you at the party!" and finally we ended with a simultaneous quoting of my favorite sentence, "Blank Flanks!"

Finally, while laughing, we walked away.

"That was perfect, Spoon! You're getting the hang of this!"

"Thanks, Diamond. I do feel a little bad, though."

"Don't be. Apple Bloom is part of a family that is the Rich's sworn enemy."

"Why?"

"Because we have to pay royalties to them on Zap Apples. If we monopolized them, we could be the richest family in Equestria, but no! Those stupid 'rights' belong to Apple Bloom's family."

"Oh, that explains it! Alright, I won't feel sorry anymore."

"Good."
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Soon enough, I saw Apple Bloom talking to Twist, who had just gotten a cutie mark! Oh, this day just keeps getting better and better!

After Twist asked if Apple Bloom was going to come to my cute-ceañera, I responded for her. "Of course she will!"

Silver Spoon followed me up. "It's not like being the only pony there without a cutie mark, would be, like, the most embarrassing thing ever!" Then, Apple Bloom gave me one of the saddest faces I've seen from anypony. This day was going to be absolutely perfect!

As the afternoon approached, I knew the decorations had to be perfect. Fortunately, when I arrived in Sugarcube Corner, Ponyville's bakery, led by the most hyper pony in Ponyville, Pinkie Pie, to check, they most certainly were.

I picked up my gift, and met up with Silver Spoon, like I planned, and I told her about the dress that lay inside of the box.

She followed up. "Your new outfit is, like, perfect for the party!"

"I know. It totally shows off my cutie mark."

"I love being special!"

I shuttered. "Can you imagine how embarrassing it must be to be...not special?"

"I don't even want to, like, think about it."

"Yeah. My cutie mark makes up about 90% of who I am. If I lose it, oh boy."

That conclusion made me feel a little unclean. Looking back, I really think that Silver Spoon is neutral about having a cutie mark. However, since she is a good, cooperative friend, she sympathized with my concern. I was and still am very thankful for her constant friendship.
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My cute-ceañera began decently, considering that most of the school arrived to praise my awesome dress, but soon enough a small problem occurred.

Snails thought it would be a good idea to eat half of the cake that I had intended to eat first, so the first thing out of my mouth when he did so was, "Hey! It's my cute-ceañera, I'm supposed to get the first bite at cake!" and he just swallowed the whole thing. That glutton!

Soon enough, I came face to face with Apple Bloom wearing a pink tablecloth, looking as if her sister, Applejack, who I also hated, blocked her from exiting.

I started by saying, "Well, well, well, look who's here!"

Silver Spoon chimed in. "Nice outfit!"

Apple Bloom then said, "Just sum'n I pulled together last minute."

"It really shows off your cutie mark…oh right! You don't have one!" I responded.

"Um…I have a cutie-mark."

That was a total bluff, and Silver Spoon tried to call it. "Eh, what? Since when?"

"Since…um…earlier today."

What a liar. I wished her flank would catch on fire to burn that stupid tablecloth to show how blank her flank was.

This time, I called her bluff. "Oh, really? Let's see it."

"I shouldn't, I couldn't. Mah cutie mark is so unbelievably amazing, I'm afraid that if I show it off, everyone will start paying attention to me instead of you. Outshined at your own cute-ceañera, can you imagine how embarrassing that would be?"

Dang! Her wit was quicker than I anticipated. I decided I'd find another way to make fun of her, later. "Uh, forget it. I didn't really want to see it anyway."

"Alright! Imma go mingle! Enjoy your party!"

She then proceeded to trip over her own tablecloth, and landed right on the record, exposing her blank flank to everyone! Celestia was kind to me that day!

The instant Spoon and I saw it, we went over.

Silver Spoon, getting much better at insulting started by saying, "Wow! That is an amazing cutie mark!"

Then, I followed up. "Nice try!"

Finally, we delivered the knockout punch by simultaneously yelling, "Blank Flank!"
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But, just when I thought this day couldn't get any better, it took a nasty turn for the worse.

This idiotic pegasus with an orange body and a purple mane, and a white-bodied unicorn with a curly pink and purple mane stepped up in front of Apple Bloom.

The peagsus, named Scootaloo, was first to speak. "You got a problem with blank flanks?"

Before I could counter, Spoon stepped in. "The problem is, she's like, totally not special."

The unicorn, named Sweetie Belle countered Spoon's counter. "No, it means she's full of potential."

Afterwards, Scootaloo chimed in. "It means she could be great at anything. The possibilities are, like, endless!" Did I mention she imitated us when saying that last sentence?

"She could be a great scientist, or an amazing artist, or a famous writer, she could even be mayor of Ponyville someday!" Total mule crap.

"...and she's not stuck being stuck-up like you two."

Angered, I responded by saying, "Hey, this is my party, why are you two on her side?"

Oh, no reason, only because of the fact that all three of them were blank flanks! Normally, I would be thrilled at this. But…after every single pony in my party walked over to them and began praising them for not knowing what in the broken hoof they are good at, I began to get a little ticked.

I almost screamed, "Hey, what's everypony doing? This is my party, everypony is supposed to be paying attention to me!"

Silver Spoon tried to cheer me up. "Whatever. We still think you're all losers, right Diamond? Bump, bump, sugar lump, rump?" but it failed.

"Not now, Spoon. Just, not now."
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I walked out of Sugarcube Corner from the backdoor, utterly shocked and defeated. How in the unholy name of Celestia's plucked feathers did these idiotic blank flanks steal my party, by claiming some the the biggest hoofwash I've ever heard in my life?

I quickly came to the conclusion that blank flanks had abnormally huge egos, and tried to hide the fact that they were too lazy to, or just can't freaking find their cutie-mark by claiming that they could be good at everything.

Well, guess what, morons? I already had my cutie mark, I could play the saxophone, act, and sing better than most ponies in my grade, and I had leadership skills that even the most successful adult ponies envy. Not only did I hate Apple Bloom from that day, I also hated every single blank flank that plagued Equestria. I was by far the superior pony, and I was determined to make absolutely certain to prove that everypony, especially blank flanks, had nothing on me.
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Next Chapter: The Cutie Mark Crusaders sing their song and…yeah, you know where this is going. Discord might also appear, as well as Dinky and little Pipsqueak! Will Diamond ever let their horrible stage presence slide? And what will happen to Diamond's mother, Glamour Tiara? Find out, next time!