Avatar: Legend of Diamond Tiara. Book 1: Harmony

by Jeweled Pen

Chapter 13: Semi-finals

Diamond took a slow, deep breath as she rocked back and forth in her chair, her eyes never leaving her locker. It hadn't been trashed this time, fortunately. It had been almost a week since her fight with Meadowbrook, if it could even be called that, and things hadn't changed much. She'd been practicing with Button and Prism plenty, but she hadn't even seen Acrylic since last week. If it wasn't for Button and Silver swearing he'd visited them a few times, she'd have thought he skipped town.

Sunburst had been disappointed that she would no longer be helping with Meadowbrook, but agreed to accept her decision. Officially, though, she was still offering aid. That way ponies wouldn't worry that she had abandoned them. But the thought of facing Meadowbrook filled her with chills and on more than a few occasions she'd been woken up by nightmares. She imagined the mare, leading an army against their little island. Taking it apart. Stealing her cutie mark and the marks of all her friends. The city burning in fire, destroyed under that maniac's hoof.

Her training hadn't been very successful, either. She had the movements down, but she just couldn't air bend. Something was holding her back, she just didn't know what it was. Even more frustrating was the fact that Button was getting better and better. He'd managed to ring her out a few times, even.

Silver was wearing a new suit now, as well. Long, golden wings and horn, with attached hoof pieces. It also hid her blank flank, which was probably for the best. For the blank flanks, things had been getting worse and worse. There had been at least a dozen attacks on them since, and a few had launched attacks of their own. Families were being torn apart, the unmarked versus the marked. More Shadowbolts and metal benders had faced these attacks and had their marks removed as well. Diamond didn't fully understand all the politics but even she could see that all it would take was one little spark and everything would go up in flames.

The only good sign was that the unmarked seemed, for the most part, slower. Dumber, too. Everything about them seemed to be held back. Diamond couldn't imagine how Meadowbrook was able to move like the first time they'd met if she was like that. Then again, the staff had done most of the fighting.

Everything came together to make the last week a miserable one for Diamond. She could barely sleep, wasn't hungry and her training was just an exercise in frustration. She could feel the cities eyes on her whenever she went anywhere, ponies staring, wanting to know what she'd do. But what could she do? She didn't even know who Meadowbrook was. She could be any of the unmarked.

Well, any of those not currently being detained or monitored. She rested her head on her hooves. “Guhhhhhhhh.”

“Everything okay?” Button asked as he trotted in.

“I hate everything,” she grumbled. “Well, not you or Silver. But like... most things.”

He nodded and walked over, sitting by her. “Soooo... wanna talk about it?”

“Not really. I want you to get dressed and get ready. Where's Acrylic?”

“He should be here soon. I know he wouldn't miss this.” There was just a hint of doubt in his voice.

“Is he upset his mom left?”

“Kinda... but I don't think that's it.”

“Well, what is it?” She looked up to him and he quickly looked away.

“Wow, will you look at the time you know should probably keep getting ready yup huh, gonna change now!” he said before jumping to his hooves. She watched him with a cocked eye.

“You're... hiding something. Aren't you?”

“No no not at all why would you think that, nope!” he said, shaking his head and suddenly finding his locker to be the most interesting thing in the world.

“Hey. Come on, tell me,” she said. He completely ignored her. “Come ooooon. Please? We're friends. You have to tell me.”

“Not a chance! I'll carry Acrylic's crush with me to the grave,” Button said with a nod.

“Wait, he has a crush? On who?” she asked, her eyes widening.

“What? No! He doesn't, who told you?”

“...” The unicorn eyed him for a moment. “He... did.”

Button paused and looked over. “Wait, really? But he made me promise never to tell anypony.”

“Well, yeah, but we're teammates. It's different for us.” She gave what she hoped was an innocent, trusting smile.

The stallion nodded. “Well... I guess. If he's okay with you knowing. But I'm sure you can imagine why he's so upset, then.”

“Oh, yeah, totally. Since his crush... errr...” She watched him, willing him to spill the beans.

“Yeah. I mean, wouldn't you be upset?”

“Yes. Of course. After the... thing happened.”

“I mean, once she--”

The door to the locker room slammed open and she jumped. She looked back to see Acrylic, stomping through and not looking at either of them.

“Heyyyy,” Diamond said. He gave her a look that could have peeled paint off the walls. “Errr... something wrong?”

“Nothing,” he said coldly, before moving to his locker and yanking it open, pulling his uniform on. “Let's get out there and win this thing.”

“Okay,” the unicorn said softly. Well, something definitely put a bee in his bonnet, she couldn't help but wonder what. She hoped it wouldn't interfere with his game tonight. She really hoped he hadn't heard what she and Button had been talking about.

------

Diamond quickly went on alert as the bell went off. Her horn flared to life and she focused on the fire bender across from her. Another fire, water and earth team. This was going to be--

Suddenly a flurry of stone disks started to rain on their opponents. She looked over to the right and gaped at Button. He was practically dancing across the stage, sending stone after stone at the group. He didn't try to stop, he just kept moving, powering through from one strike to the next.

“I can't believe it! I don't think any of us have ever seen Button, no, any earth bender fight like that! Stone after stone after stone! It is all the Turtles can do just to fend them off! I don't know what he's been doing this past week, but I'd try to find out, ladies and gentlecolts. This could be the making of a whole new style!”

Diamond shook her head and sent a flurry of fire out. She'd practically forgotten she had to help too. She let out a startled shriek as a burst of cold water struck her shoulder from behind. “Acrylic!”

“Sorry,” he muttered gruffly. Their opponents finally managed to break through and start launching their own attacks, their earth bender struggling to keep Button's strike down.

A burst of fire shot at her and she stepped back, slamming into Acrylic. “Watch it!”

“How about you watch where you're going?” he snapped back, moving away from her. He twisted his horn and she barely ducked in time to avoid a smack of the water as it whipped by.

“Are you trying to hit me too?” she snapped, glaring.

“Just stay out of my way,” he yelled at her, before sending a burst of water. She sent another fire burst out, spinning a few times before peppering them with a few rapid fire shots. Then suddenly Acrylic's hoof was right in front of her. She narrowly moved back, barely avoiding a shot to the face.

“Watch it!” she yelled again. 'What the buck is his problem?'

He didn't respond, sending out a few more bursts. She stepped back and frowned. His strikes were far more erratic than she remembered. Button was doing great, now, but Acrylic was all over the place. She stayed out of his way and let out a yelp as a burst of fire hit him in the hoof, making him step back. A second later a earth disk hit him in the chest, followed by a water blast, sending him toppling over and off the edge. She could barely believe it. When did he get so bad? She let out a yelp and ducked under the next blast, sending a few out. She quickly went on the defensive, sending her own bursts of flames out to cover Button as he launched flurry after flurry of disks their way.

Before long, the buzzer went off, their first round a loss. She quickly moved back towards the entrance to help Acrylic out, but he had already climbed out of the drink. “What's wrong? What are you doing out there?” she asked.

“Nothing! I'm fine!” he snapped.

“The buck you are. You almost clobbered me like five times. You just got your flank handed to you. Something is up, what is it?”

“Nothing! Just shut up!” he yelled at her.

“Ohhhh, looks like the Notes are having a bit of a team squabble! Here's hoping they get it out of the way before the next round!” the announcer called.

Diamond blushed and looked up. She then turned and walked towards the exit, grabbing Acrylic's tail in her mouth and dragging him behind her.

“Let me go!”

She didn't answer until they were back in their room and then turned on him. “What is wrong? You've been avoiding me all week and now you're all over the place. If you're still mad about what I said to Button, just let it go. Seriously. He's over it, why aren't you?”

“It has nothing to do with Button,” he said harshly. “Listen, you're such a great bender, why are you having any problems? Just bend around me.”

“The problem is you keep running into me, shoving me and just being a flank face! Seriously, what is wrong with you?”

“Nothing is wrong with me!” he yelled back.

Button stepped in after them. “Hey, guys, next round is about to--”

“It's because of your little crush, isn't it? So she doesn't like you any more and you're blaming me?”

Acrylic's eyes widened and his cheeks flared red. “W-what? I-I don't know what you're talking about.”

“Um, guys, the match--”

“Button told me all about her,” Diamond snapped. “I tricked him,” she added quickly. “You need to calm down. So what? I'm sure she'll get over it. She--”

“She shouldn't have been there! You shouldn't have brought her with you!” Acrylic yelled back, moving forward and glaring into her eyes. “Silver shouldn't have been within a mile of that psycho, but once again you didn't care about anypony but yourself and just dragged her along. Of course she got hurt! She's not a bender, she's not even a fighter!”

Diamond stared, her mouth falling open. “Your crush is Silver? That's why you're so upset? I didn't want her to be there! She came on her own!”

“I should have been there! I could have kept her safe!”

“Oh, the buck you could have,” the unicorn said with a roll of her eyes. “I couldn't keep her safe. You would have just been dead weight and caused more trouble if you were th--” She didn't finish the words as the stallion lunged forward and took a swing at her. She was so shocked she didn't even think to dodge, taking the blow to the face and stumbling back. “Y-you hit me!”

He looked just as shocked as her, regret flashing across his face. “I... I didn't... I meant... GAHHH!” he yelled before running out of the room, shoving past Button. “Let's just get this stupid tournament over so I never have to see you again!”

Diamond rubbed her eye, shaking her head. It would probably cause a small bruise, but he was still a unicorn. They were rarely any good at throwing real punches. She couldn't help being shocked none the less. She looked to Button. “You... saw that, right? He just took a swing at me and everything! What's wrong with him?”

“Well... that was a pretty harsh thing to say,” the stallion said awkwardly. “We're all friends, right? Just... errr... maybe... give some time for both of you to calm down after this?” he asked with a nervous smile.

“You're taking HIS side?”

“I-I'm not taking anypony's side!” Button said quickly, shaking his head. “I just think... well... he's upset right now and you have a way of... poking at wounds and--”

Diamond growled. “Come on, let's just get this stupid bucking match over with so I don't have to deal with EITHER of you!” She stormed past, shoving Button aside.

The earth pony watched them both, his ears going flat on his skull. “Why can't we all just get along?” he mumbled before trotting after them.

------

“I don't know what happened between matches, but the Notes are all over the place this round!” the announcer yelled as the match went on.

Diamond tried to ignore the announcer, but she couldn't tone him out well enough. She was finding it almost impossible to focus. She was missing dodges and blocks that a foal could have seen and it was all she could do to hold on. Acrylic wasn't fairing much better. He'd moved to the right side, with Button between them, but it wasn't helping. He couldn't hit the broad side of a barn with strikes like that and he'd been driven down to his knees a few times already. Button was winding down, too. His attacks losing some of their strength.

Diamond let out a low shriek as a burst of flame knocked her back hooves out. She stumbled back, before three earth disks hit her in the chest, sending her toppling over board. She fell through the air, landing in the water with a loud splash. “Buck it!” she shrieked in fury. They were failing and it was all his fault. Did he think she was happy about what happened to Silver? That she wanted her friend to lose her cutie mark? The unicorn felt miserable enough about it without him dumping this grief on her.

She couldn't help but smirk slightly when she saw the stallion stumble back and fly over the edge, only to feel a bit of worry. The only one left was Button. If he lost, they all lost. She ignored Acrylic as he moved to the edge and shot her another glare.

After what felt like an eternity the final bell went off. They'd lost another round. Two out of three. She climbed out of the water and made her way to the waiting area, shoving the water off herself.

“Come on, guys. We're all friends, remember?” Button asked, grinning to them.

“I'm not friends with her!” Acrylic snapped.

“Well, I don't want to be friends with you anyway!” Diamond shot back and the two glared at each other, fire practically forming between their eyes.

Button quickly moved between them. “Easy guys, easy. Remember what we are! We're a team. We work together. We win together, lose together. We can still do this. I know you two are amazing benders. Can't you just let this go?”

“NO!” the two yelled in unison, before glaring at each other. The earth pony sighed and shook his head, trotting over to the seats and sitting down.

“I hate you,” Acrylic mumbled.

“I hate you more,” Diamond snapped back.

Button face hoofed.

After a few minutes of rest, the buzzer went off one final time, signaling the match to begin. The three trotted up to the stage, Acrylic and Diamond glowering at each other and trying to make sure they were the first one up, shoving and pushing each other as they went.

“I don't know what's gotten into the Notes, but they'd better sort it out fast if they want any chance of making it to the finals!” the announcer called. “Final round, all the Turtles need to do is keep themselves from being knocked out, and their into the finals! I hope your ready, ladies and gentlecolts, the final round begins now!”

The bell went off and Diamond stepped forward, sending out a burst of fire. Acrylic sent his own water burst at the same time, the two attacks striking into each other and sending steam into the air. “HEY!” she yelled. “Watch where you're launching that stuff!” She jumped to the side, narrowly avoiding a burst of fire from the enemy team.

“How about you watch where you're attacking?” he asked, before sending out another burst of water.

“Guys, come on!” Button yelled, sending out a few disks. He let out a yelp as fire and water started raining down on him. He brought up his hooves to block himself, but was knocked into the side ropes, pushed back against them. Diamond and Acrylic were forced onto the defensive as the water bender struck at her and the earth bender attacked him. Blow after blow hit the two and they were sent toppling back. She landed on her back and barely rolled aside in time to avoid another strike.

“I'm sorry, okay?” Diamond yelled. “I know I should have been able to protect her, but I couldn't. I didn't ask her to be there, but I should have sent her away. It's my fault, okay?” she finally yelled, ducking under a burst of water.

“I don't care!” Acrylic yelled, before sending out a slice of water, cutting a disk in half before sending a small burst out.

“No, you don't, but you should. You couldn't have done anything. Not because you're weak, but because it was an ambush. We didn't know what she was capable of. I'm sorry Silver got hurt, I really am. And I want to get her cutie mark back!” Diamond sent out a small burst of flame, before dodging to the right to avoid another burst of water. “But I can't yet! I'm not strong enough! I failed Silver and I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do about it yet! So can you please just forgive me!”

Acrylic was hit in the chest as he sent out a tendril of water, knocking one of the ponies to the side. “I'm sorry I punched you!” he called out, before a tendril struck out and hit a second pony, rocking them to the side in a perfect line. “I know I couldn't have done much, but... I wanted to help! I want to help! I know it's not your fault... I just... gah!”

Diamond's eyes widened. She swung to the right, deflecting a burst of fire that was aimed at Button. “Button, be an avalanche!” she yelled.

The earth pony pushed forward, finally free from the trap. He shoved forward, moving in quick rhythm as the disks flew out in a rapid flow. It hit the pony in the front and Diamond grinned. All three were in a perfect line, thanks to Acrylic's strikes. The front pony was hit with a few and sent toppling back into the second. The blows never stopped and they were sent into the third and finally, with one last burst, Button sent the last three overboard, into the drink.

“The Notes have done it! Ring out! RING OUT!” the announcer yelled. “I can't believe it! They're going to the finals! The Notes are going to the finals!”

Diamond smiled, before slowly her eyes lowered to Acrylic. He looked to her, before looking away. “Did... you mean that?” he asked softly.

“Yes. I never wanted Silver to get hurt. I was over confident. I thought if Meadowbrook showed up, I could protect her. I wanted to protect her. But I couldn't. I did my best and... it wasn't good enough.” She took a slow, deep breath. “I'm sorry. She's my friend and I let her down. I know it doesn't really make up for it, but I am sorry. I do want to fix this, somehow. But I can't yet.”

Acrylic nodded slowly. “I... am sorry I hit you. I was just so... mad. Hearing you say that. I... I know I couldn't have done much. But... knowing that I wasn't there. Not even getting a shot to try. It just... it makes me so...”

“Can the Notes please clear the way for the next team?”

The three looked up and realized that they were standing in the middle of the arena, the crowd watching them. Their cheeks flared and they galloped away, back to the waiting room. Once there, Diamond took another deep breath.

“I'm sorry. I know you were mad and I deserved it. I probably deserve a whole lot more. What I said to Button before was wrong. Getting Silver hurt like that was wrong. I... know sometimes I say things I really shouldn't. Do things I shouldn't. It's just...” She shuffled her hooves a little. “When I got here, I thought everything was going to be so much easier. I thought everypony was going to be bowing at my hooves, praising my name. Saying how glorious and amazing I am. It hasn't been like that at all. At least, not most of the times. I know I've still got a long, long way to go and I'm trying my hardest. But I'm learning that... maybe I'm not quite as good as I thought I was. Okay?” she said softly, looking away. “I'm sorry about the things I said before. I'm sorry about how I've looked down on you. I'm really sorry about hurting you.” She paused before glancing back to him. “Is... there anything else I owe you apologies for?”

He slowly shook his head. “No. I think that about sums it up. It... means a lot to me that you're saying this. That you're accepting...” He smiled slowly. “I'm sorry I blamed you. I knew you didn't try to get Silver hurt. I just... I feel so powerless. You know?”

She nodded, before grinning. “So, does she know that you have a crush on her? Because if not, I know exactly what we'll be gossiping about next time--” And suddenly he was right in her face with an odd aura of... she could only call it murderous intent.

“I will end you,” he warned.

She gulped and gave a nod. “R-right. I won't say a word. Nope. Not a word.”

He nodded and relaxed.

“And the Rock Bunnies win!” the announcer called.

Diamond blinked and looked back towards the arena. “Wait, what?” She hadn't even noticed them go by, yet they'd already won their match? She stared in shock as the three benders came trotting down into the room.

“Well, that was easy,” Babs said with a smirk, before blowing her bangs out of her eyes and glancing to them. “Avatar! The rest of you Notes. Surprised to see you still here after that painful display.”

Diamond narrowed her eyes. “We were just about to leave. Don't worry, we'll be back next week to kick your flanks off that little platform.”

“Oh, don't make me laugh,” Limestone said with a roll of her eyes before stepping forward. “I'm going to kick your flank so hard you'll be seeing stars, Avatar. You three are pathetic, you were practically attacking each other out there.”

The Avatar growled, stepping forward to meet the other fire bender. She dug a hoof into the ground. “We're going to kick your flanks next week. So hard you'll never want to bend again. So hard nopony will ever remember where the buck you even came from. So hard that... that ponies will think you just belong on farms or something.”

“Oh it is on!” Limestone yelled, stomping forward, barely being stopped by Marble and Babs.

“Easy, easy!” Babs said.

“W-wait until next week,” Marble said softly. “W-we'll get in trouble!”

“Just you wait, Avatar! Next week, I'm going to pound you into the ground so hard! You won't be able to stand for a week!” Limestone screamed. “You're going down! You hear me? DOWN!”

Diamond snorted. “Not even a normal farms. You'll be on rock farms. Bad ones.”

Acrylic sighed and moved over besides her. “Diamond. They WERE rock farmers before they came here.”

That gave the Avatar pause as she looked between the three. “Errr... wait, really?”

“ROCK FARMING IS AWESOME!” Limestone yelled. “I'm going to grind you into dust! You hear that, Avatar? DUST!”

Diamond turned and trotted off, though she glanced back before looking to her comrades. “Wait, so she's really a rock farmer? That's kind of...”

“What? It's a good job. Lots of ponies do it,” Button said with a shrug.

“Well, yeah. But how do you become a good bender just rock farming? How'd they even make it to the league?”

“They're good,” Acrylic muttered. “But try not to antagonize them anymore. Next week is our final match and I'd rather not have them sick their fans on us.”

“Sick their fans on us?”

He nodded. “Marble's fan base is pretty... rabid. I've heard of some of their opponents getting ambushed right before games. I don't think she supports it, but... well...”

Diamond nodded. “Don't worry. I bet I have two, or even three times the amount of fans she does.”

“I find that hard to believe. You don't exactly inspire the same... emotions that she does,” Acrylic mumbled.

“I inspire emotions!”

“Yes, but most of them are annoyance. Or anger. Or hatred.”

Diamond rolled her eyes again. “How about we go and get something to eat? Celebrate the fact we made it to the finals. That and next week we're going to be the most awesome benders in all the city.” A wide grin formed on her face.

“Yeah. That actually sounds kind of nice,” Acrylic said with a smile. “Maybe we can get Silver, too.”

The unicorn snorted. “Oh, I'm sure you want to get her.” She was rewarded with a blush from him.

Comments

[eric-emanwu]

Oooohhh, so there's that Spirit of Competition analogy.

So DT was getting her head back. Trying to remember what she was good at: bending. But even there, she was in trouble, as Glimmer was eroding her confidence, and because she is still acting with an element of self interest (or perhaps just not thinking right about the style...I forget what you had Rainbow teach Twilight), the Air would not come. On the plus side though, Button was getting good at being an earth chucker. Though Silver was now in the middle of a great political controversy. Being now a "blank flank", she was a living symbol of political strife in Harmony. Also, seems that much like the unmarked of Glimmer's place, being talentless makes them weaker as a force.

And much like Spirit of Competition, the great trouble for the team is having personal issues affect their play. DT squeezing it out of Button was just the start. A crush. Though...nonspecified.

Though in a nice touch, since they only just got into the semis, the world hadn't seen what Button could now do. Leading the team, in a playstyle that was now pure offense. Instead of protection, it's the avalanche. And it was making things good for them.

Unfortunately, the rest of his team...had other problems. And the normally good one was having problems. Also, anyone notice that he's got "korra's" natural element? He should be the fluid one, yet he's stuck right now. And it was making his work neigh impossible to be effective with all the others.

Cause he's got the inactive's guilt. The inability to be there for someone he cared about. And that's making him sloppy. So that even as Diamond speaks truth that ML would've demarked him too, he was too guilty and angry to hear. And of course, that only meant that going into another round, they were a mess. The lonely ego of their team (in the 3 part sense) couldn't get them to focus together. Funny how where Button once pulled them apart, now he's trying to draw them together. Definitely the Pinkie of the group.

This though gets at what I consider a bit of a...weakness of the quick pace of writing for this part of the series. That they had to resolve it via conversation in match rather than afterwards or the like. I don't call it bad...just a bit rushed. And not nearly as well tied in like her building a relation with Button went. Though, I did like how DT admitted that what she was going through here was...disappointing and not at all what she expected. Which is good. She's getting more honest about how this isn't what she thought the world would be like...so she can start fixing it and herself.

Oh, and THAT'S where the other family reference was coming in. Pinkie's Rock Farm sisters....and babs. Uuuhhh. Sweat drop.

Well, almost at the half way mark for Korra.