• Published 6th Mar 2015
  • 1,579 Views, 22 Comments

Diamond Tiara says a bad word - FurryBrony



Diamond Tiara uses a slur she learns on the streets and gets in trouble.

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Diamond Tiara's Bad Word

Diamond Tiara sighed from her room, her mouth still tasting like soap, despite it being hours since the incident. She looked out her bedroom window as she pondered, where had it all gone wrong?


The day started like any other day, with Diamond getting up and going about her morning duties. After showering, brushing her teeth, and getting breakfast, she filled her saddlebags with her books and made for school. It was uneventful, until she heard ponies in an alley, conversing in whispers. That should have tipped her off to keep walking, but she was curious, and as she approached, she heard snbippets of what they were saying. One word in particular stayed in her mind. It sounded like a funny word to her, nothing bad, so she put it out of her mind as she continued on to school.

Nothing else happened as she came to the school and resolved to ask Miss Cheerilee about the funny word, but every time she tried, she was interrupted, like the universe itself was trying to keep her from learning its meaning. As she sat next to Silver Spoon and Cheerilee took rolecall, the door opened and she came in: Zecora. The local Zebra shamaness and resident of the Everfree. Sure, she never went, but she heard of her skill in potions and magic from Apple Bloom. As Miss Cheerilee introduced the zebra, Silver Spoon leaned over.

"So, what did you want to ask Miss Cheerilee?" Silver asked in a whisper. Now, many ponies would remember how sharp equine ears are and shush Silver until after class, but Diamond really wanted to know what the funny word meant, so she spoke in similar whispers.

"Nothing much. I just wanted to know what Zigger meant." That's when it happened. All activity stopped as if a thief broke in. Diamond didn't notice until MIss Cheerilee was right next to her, but she was stern, as if Diamond had attacked Zecora with the word.

"Diamond, Can you tell me where you learned that word?"" Cheerilee asked.

Diamond looked down, tears brimming in her eyes, just picturing how angry her father would be. And this was without her using it as an attack.

"I learned it from some ponies in an alley. They were whispering, and looked like the ponies you'd find among the Canterlot Elite." Diamond explained. "I didn't mean to hurt anyone."

Zecora approached Miss Cheerilee as Diamond explained. "Allow me to teach its meaning, Miss Cheerilee, as she meant no disrespect to me." The zebra said in rhyme. That was her only rhyme, though, as she grew serious. "I suppose I can explain the meaning, though I would have preferred better timing. See, that word is a slur from times when Zebras were slaves to other races. At the time, it was used to refer to our coats, and how they'd zig-zag white and black. Now, it is considered very serious to refer to another with that word, and even using it when a Zebra isn't around carries a heavy punishment." She looked at Diamond with a faint frown.

"Despite you not meaning any harm, your father must still be told." She then looked at Cheerilee. "How do we get in contact with him?"

Cheerilee frowns. "He usually comes to pick her up. But sometimes, he'll send his butler."

"Because you didn't know the meaning, and you didn't mean harm, You'll get no punishment from me. However, because you still used the word, I will be telling your father. If you say it in class again, however, I won't be able to let it slide." Cheerilee said as Diamond looked around, noticing the surprised, and in Apple Bloom's case angry, faces.


After class, Diamond met her father at the schoolhouse door, who was speaking with Cheerilee. "I'm glad you came to pick Diamond up instead of sending another. I'm afraid there was an incident in class regarding your daughter and a certain sler.. It wasn't directed at anyone, which makes it a bit better, but she needs to learn that some things are better left learned at home. She could anger the wrong pony if she's not careful."

Mr. Rich nods. "I understand. Now, which word did she use?" He asked as Cheerilee leaned close and whispered. Nearby ponies turned in shock as Mr. Rich's eyes widened. Before facing Diamond, he addressed the other ponies. "She was answering my question. Now move along." As the ponies moved on, Rich turned to his daughter. "When we get home, you'll get your mouth washed out and you will go to your room. You'll have dinner brought to you. After dinner, you'll write Zecora an apology letter, which you will deliver to her personally to her in the morning."


Diamond sighed as she flopped back onto her bed as there was a knock on her door. "Come in!" She called, anticipating the food. Well, she supposed, it could be worse. She could be forced to help Zecora out with her potions.

The next day, Diamond made her way to the Everfree with Apple Bloom as her guide her saddlebags on her back. "Ya need to be careful as ya walk, so ya don't step in any Poison Joke flowers. While they won't actually hurt ya if ya don't have an allergy, they will play a prank on ya. It can be anything from bein' shrunk to havin' your voice made masculine." Bloom explained as they walked.

Diamond sighed. "Listen, I'm sorry about using.. that word. I honestly had no idea what it meant, and if I went back home to look it up, I'd have been late for school. I tried asking Miss Cheerilee, but every time I tried she just told me to wait until after class, no matter how much I tried." She looked at Apple Bloom. "At least Zecora was understanding."

Apple Bloom nods. "Ah forgive ya, if only because ya didn't use the word to attack 'er. But if ya ever do, Ah'll beat ya into the ground so hard, yer grandbabies will feel it."

Diamond shivered. "If I ever use a racial slur to attack another, I'll seek you out just for that. I'd have to be pretty crazy, after all."

It was soon after that they arrived. Diamond looked at Bloom. "Don't go thinking we're friends, though. I have an image to repair." With that, she knocked on the door to Zecora's hut, which opened to reveal the Zebra.

"Ah, Diamond Tiara and Apple Bloom, please do come into the living room." She stood aside to let them in.

Diamond frowned. "As much as I'd like to stay, I only came to deliver my letter of apology." She opened her bag and pulled out her letter giving it to the Zebra.

"Very well. I do hope you'll visit another time, but I understand some are put off by my rhyme." the Zebra said, nodding. "Give your father my regards."

Diamond nods and turns to head home, making sure to avoid the poison joke. Yeah, she supposed, better than helping with potions. She was sure she'd screw that up, somehow.

Author's Note:

I know it's been a while since I wrote anything, but here. I tried to deliver the slur in as much of an inoffensive way as possible, as well as giving a plausible reason for the word. Rated T for the slur, and alternate universe to account for Zecora's lack of rhyming.

Edit: fixed some wording and POV errors.

Comments ( 22 )

she used a word with no idea what it meant, that doesn't merit punishment

I should add, it's not really a badly written story, I just disagree with the premise

Comment posted by FurryBrony deleted Mar 6th, 2015

5702449 Filthy Rich knows that Zecora is a friend of the Apple Family, and that Apple Bloom is the younger granddaughter of Granny Smith. He overreacted, afraid that Bloom would tell Granny, and their image, as well as his business, would be damaged.

5702486

Cheerilee still suggested a punishment though. Teachers shouldn't suggest punishment for things done in ignorance. How would anyone ever learn?

5702500 I edited it so that she retracts the punishment on those grounds. Mr. Rich's overreaction stays.

the synopsis brings back memories honey <3

((aparently the story was edited while i wrote my review so some of this may not apply)):facehoof:
well apart from some errors in perspective this was well written though I think Diamond was treated unfairly. She was plenty remorseful and humiliated just by Ms Cheerilee's scolding and the scorn of her classmates.:unsuresweetie:

Ms Cheerilee should have gotten Rich involved LONG AGO about the bullying, not for this. It's like "A Christams Story" when Ralph drops an F-Bomb but in that case he knew it was swear word. He was right to be punished.

Diamond was only curious and meant no harm but in a sheltered community like Ponyville I can imagine the ponies overreacting to anything with so negative a connotation. :twilightsheepish:

In today's society it would have likely ended with the verbal reprimand (if the teacher gave a F---)

However I REALLY LOVED Zecora's explanation of where the term come from and not because it is similar and the brony equivalent to the N-word. No she had a VERY specific reason whu ponies of the past would come up with the word to slander her kind.

if you ask me, Earth Ponies had it similarly hard in the times of the 3 tribes.:applecry: Likely Zebra were not considered fully equine because they didn't have cutiemarks like the ponies had. So when Earth Ponies stopped being serfs and slaves themselves the races started importing livestock from Zebrafrica or Rome as it is described in Fallout Equestria.:twistnerd:

5702486 Thats a good point. Filthy would overreact but not if Cheerilee kept it in class.:unsuresweetie:

5702548 i agree with this. :twilightsmile:

5702806 Cheerilee felt that Mr. Rich should know. Granted, Zecora was kind enough to explain its origin, but if you were a teacher, and someone used a racial slur, whether they meant harm or not, wouldn't you at least try to notify the parents, in the hopes they'd take steps to prevent a repeat?

5702827 As for the bullying, she probably thought Diamond and Silver were only playing and that Bloom and the others were overreacting. Or, possibly due to her own upbringing, she thought that informing the parents would do nothing, and only resorted to it as a last resort. Plus, before Call of the Cutie, we don't know how long it went on. She might have tried, and Mr. Rich brushed it off as kids being kids.

5702827 Well like I said in a community and world like Equestria such a verbal assalt or implied hate crime is probably a thing of the past. These days she'd be lucky if the teacher didnt role her eyes and continue the lesson. THOUGH it might make a diffrence if the teacher was black or there was a guest speaker like Zecora was.

i think the removal of detention but keeping the Filthy reaction was a good call, hon.:raritywink:

5702859 Thanks, and I agree, but will extend it to include bullying, too. At least, the verbal kind.

A earned label, used as a double edged sword. Nothing good from the political arena .

Why does this not have more likes? Because this story deserves it!

Comment posted by FurryBrony deleted Mar 8th, 2015

What the everloving..?!

So let me get this straight. A student who didn't know what a particular word meant, is then punished and hated for daring to be curious enough to ask. She's punished for wanting to know something.

How the... I mean, how can anyone consider what everypony here does to Diamond anything but completely and utterly unfair? They all need to have their heads examined! All of them, from Cheerilee down to Apple Bloom! The only one remotely sane was Zecora, and even she could've stepped in to keep the rest of Ponyville from turning into... that.

Oh wait, scratch that, she also asked for punishment. Regardless of context. Which is completely insane. What, would Diamond have to be punished for quoting a text where the word is used, too?

My God, such a small-minded, ignorant bunch of... if my kid went to Ponyville's school, I'd consider pulling him or her from it. What kind of school punishes wanting to learn? Cheerilee is horrible at her job! They're all horrible people! They treat Diamond Tiara like a bad guy when she honestly didn't know the word was even hurtful! They stopped thinking about issues as they come in favour of blindly censoring thought.

Well, at least we now know that Cheerilee doesn't want her students to think. She could've encouraged Diamond Tiara's intellectual curiosity, but chose not to, because it's easier just to punish her and censor her thinking.

I hope the apology note looks something like this:
"I'm sorry for asking a word I didn't know was hurtful and had no way of knowing because my teacher never got around to explaining it. I'll never ask a question again, because knowing something may be insulting to somepony else."

5724062 I edited it so the reference to punishment was changed to asking how to get in contact with Mr. Rich. As for Mr. Rich, it was an overreaction driven from shock over what Diamond said, and fear over what tale Bloom could spin to AJ if he didn't do something.

5724123
They still all treat her like a pariah. Not one of them sees a problem with punishing a child for wanting to know something. They just all treat her like utter crap.

It's lazy how they act. Intellectually lazy. Cheerilee could've started off with asking where Diamond Tiara heard that word and whether she knew it was a racial slur. Instead she just shuts her down; what does that teach her students? "Don't ask me things because any word will potentially get you in trouble."

5724152 I admit, writing something like this was my first foray, as I've never been a teacher or parent. Feedback like this is appreciated. The only one who is angry at Diamond is Apple Bloom, but considering their history...

As for the others, they're more shocked at the meaning than that Diamond said it. I wasn't sure how to express that and keep the focus on Diamond.

Edit: Made some more edits to the story, making it more apparent that AB was the only angry one, as well as using your suggestion.

5706735 I want to like it but there are too many editing changes that need to be made. The tense switches between past and present, and the paragraphs are not indented consistently. I know how hard copying the text with the formating intact is though, so I am not judging.

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