Transparent Living

by PinoyPony

Chapter 4: Stand Your Ground

Diamond sorted through the mess, preparing the mattress make-shift from the fabric around. She laid down a variety of sheets and unfinished dresses on the bare white canvas, calling her multicolored den good enough.

She oddly liked the mismatched style. It gave a little contrast to regal and classy pale colors she knew from home. It looked like Pinkie Pie smashed a rainbow-filling birthday cake on the mattress and allowed the cake twins to make a mural of it.

Coco popped her head through the door “Ready to go Dazzle?”

Diamond gazed up from the multi-color mattress, her eyes catching on a nicely dressed mare. Coco shifted side to side, adjusting her collar and velvet scarf. She bounded toward the mare, playing a little game of hopscotch to dodge the clutter that engulfed the entire floor. “Sure am!”

Coco snapped the collar snug “Alright, let’s get going.”

Diamond stopped bouncing and followed Coco out the door, whilst the mare snagged a purple hat off a rack. They entered the hallway, finding a couple construction stallions tinkering with the elevator doors. One of them bowed, taking off his hard hat “Evening Mrs. Pommel, how’s your playwright going?”

“Good, just a little writer’s block-” Coco curtsied toward the stallion before descending the stairs “-but otherwise… I’m doing alright.”

“Glad to hear, you take it easy, Coco!” He called down the stairs in a moderate tone.

“I will!” She steadied her step as she almost fell down the second flight.

“What was that all about?” Diamond gently asked, following the hoofsteps of Coco down the stairs.

“Oh, Rock Hammer?” Coco watched her step as she descended. “He’s an old friend that I grew up with- awfully good at building things.”

“Huh.” Diamond shrugged, skipping the last few steps on the way down.

Coco waved to the secretary “See ya later, Entry.”

The secretary waved back, busy with her muzzle stuck in some paperwork “Have a good evening, Coco.”

Bursting through the front doors, Diamond felt the cold night air in contrast to the warm hotel air. It was refreshing to know that she didn’t have to spend the night in this weather.

She noticed Coco veering off to the side, staying far away from the busy streets. Endless amounts of taxis and personal carts rushed past. Similarly, the pedestrians trotted quickly across the sidewalks. However, she found something a bit off… she was wondering why the others tended to hug the side of the buildings.

“Look out!” Coco yanked Diamond to the side. Diamond caught a glimpse of a taxi rolling overboard onto the sides of the sidewalk. Coco explained in a serious, yet kind tone “You need to be a little more careful, Dazzle…”

“Well, you should mind-” Diamond bit her tongue. She mentally slapped herself, reminding herself that Coco wouldn’t take kindly to mean and snooty fillies. Diamond apologized “I-I’m sorry I- I didn’t know…”

“Sorry, my bad also,” Coco ruffled Diamond’s mane apologetically. “I forgot you came all the way from Ponyville.”

Coco carefully stepped towards the edge of the street “In Mane-hattan, if you can point a hoof outward into the street that means you are too close…” Coco stuck a hoof out into the street. She backed away until her extended hoof met the sidewalk’s edge. “This is the closest you can get.” Coco backed away until her coat met the building’s edge. “But I wouldn’t recommend testing fate, I prefer to stay safe.”

Coco trotted a little ways more, until they got into a line waiting for a taxi. Diamond, in her curiosity asked “Is there more that I should know about Mane-hattan?”

“Well, typically, stay away from dark alleyways, don’t stick your head outside the taxi, obey all regulations- which include strict rules o-” Coco paused “Wait, if you are going to stay with me, then I’ll have to register you to my apartment.”

“Any other rules?” Diamond wondered, anxiously watching as they moved further up in the line “What are the rules of your apartment?” She added for good measure.

“Well, nothing comes to mind.” Coco trotted up in the line “Let’s just follow the rules of showing respect to one another. We can make more concise rules as time goes on.”

“Got it.” Diamond noted.

“Which reminds me… I need to stop and pick up some fabric. I still owe the seamstress some bits” Coco rummaged through her bag and nodded affirmatively “Yep, got enough.”

Diamond spotted a stallion hauling a taxi pull up next to Coco. He leaned out of his harness and interjected “Good on ya, Coco. Honest like Jackleapp.”

Coco rolled her eyes playfully “Actually, Axle, it’s honest as an Applejack.”

The Stallion dug his hooves across the pavement, kicking up dust “Whatever… you want a ride or not?”

Coco smiled “It would be a pleasure.”

Coco hopped into the taxi and offered a hoof to help Diamond up. The mare, with a surprising amount of strength, hoisted the filly in to the cart.

The stallion sped off as soon as they were secure. Not a few seconds later, the cart came to a screeching halt. He cursed at the other drivers in front of him, shaking his hoof in anger. He turned his head back, addressing Coco “Darn Traffic Jam” A toothy grin occupied his face “So, where we headed Miss Pommel?”

“Café eighties.” Coco chuckled softly.

“Mmm, nothing like a good piece of hot apple pie!” The stallion licked his lips. He glanced backward, checking on both passengers. “So, who’s your friend?”

“This is Dazzle, she’ll be staying with me for a time,” Coco answered.

“Glad to hear you finally got that roommate!” Axle chuckled; an undertone grumble in his tone while tailgating another cart.

“Glad too, Axle,” Coco replied. Not a word more escaped the Stallion’s mouth, since Axle appeared preoccupied by the traffic before him.

The cart came to a stop at the corner of a street. Coco stepped off, lowering Diamond down with her. “Thanks a bunch, Axle, tell your wife that I said ‘hi’.”

“Will do, Miss Coco.” He took off again in a hurry, leaving a trail of dust behind him. Diamond coughed.

“Not used to the polluted Mane-hattan air… are ya?” Coco patted her on the back.

Diamond caught a couple rude stares as she retched out a clump of dust. She would’ve snapped at them to mind their own business, but her throat burned. Even breathing felt like swallowing shards of glass.

Yet, unfazed by the confused glances and stares, Coco retained her grace “Don’t mind Axle, he can be uncouth and impulsive, but he always speaks his mind.”

Diamond’s cough halted, Coco smiled kindly “There ya go, all better now?”

“Yeah,” Diamond’s throat hurt, but no longer burned. Coco rushed to hold the door open, guiding her into a café. From the Outside, the silhouettes of ponies were peering through the blinds, a small din of chatter escaping through the doors

Upon entry, the noise grew to louder. The café was chock-full of clamoring ponies. Diamond assumed this was probably due to the dinner rush.

Coco scanned around, searching for something. Suddenly, a mare waved her hooves, catching their attention. That mare in hushed shout, greeted them “Hey, Coco! Over here!”

Coco’s attention diverted to the group sitting in a booth next to a window. Light on her hooves against the tile, Coco trotted to the group of ponies awaiting them. Coco claimed her seat, inviting Diamond to take the one next to her.

“So, Coco, how have things been going with ‘An Equestrian Tale’?” A stallion across a table asked. He had a slick silver mane with a gray coat, the contents of it shining to the perfection that Dazzle turned away from it. She feared she should see the filly staring back at her. Luckily though, the Stallion was dressed nicely in a black suit and tie, hiding most of the shiny coat.

“Fine, I’m just having problems finding the right color of the colonial skirt…” Coco sighed, bowing her head in disappointment.

“Try rooting through your ‘Over a Barrel’ collection I’m sure that the cowpony style can suffice.” A mare next to the stallion suggested. She had a white coat with a red amber mane. Luckily, her shiny white coat was covered in a silk red dress, complete with a gold chain necklace with a purple star as the pendant.

Coco continued, “I tried that, but I can’t find the right shade of brown… it’s either too Ivory or too Beige.”

The final pony, a mare proceeded to speak. “I’m sure you’ll find it soon, Coco.” Her tone of voice was strangely an oxymoron of her style. She had a regal, gaudy and gimcrack style of a bright yellow mane and magenta purple coat. Diamond thought she’d seen it all when Rarity went overboard to impress Trenderhoof, but this mare left that egregious season in the dust. She looked like Jacob Mare-ley from ‘A Hearth’s Warming Carol’.

Her sunglasses and the overly applied blush obscured her expression. Diamond had a hard time telling if the mare was smiling or frowning.

The mare pointed across the table, hundreds of bracelets lining her hoof that you could barely see the coat underneath. Again, in a strange sympathetic and gentle tone, she asked “Who’s the little one?”

“Oh, sorry everypony,” Coco gestured to Diamond. “This is Dazzle. She’s going to stay with me for a while.” Coco introduced the others, pointing a hoof to each “Dazzle, this is Florin Buttercup, Montresor Python, and Marigold.”

“Florin, Montresor, and Marigold,” Diamond repeated. She found it easy to assign a name to a face, since each name fit so nicely. Florin was dressed as beautiful as a Buttercup. Montresor, sat up, poised like a Python. Lastly, Diamond figured the triple-decked mare had something to do with precious metals, like ‘Merry Gold’.

“-Wow! So Coco Pommel has finally found a roommate!” Montresor interjected “A filly, no less?-”

Coco explained, “The funny thing is, Randolph sent her.”

“Randolph?” Marigold huffed “Is this his granddaughter?”

“No, Randolph’s my butler,” Diamond clarified, raising an eyebrow toward Marigold. She didn’t notice a bit of snootiness snuck into her speech until Coco nudged her.

Coco fiddled with her hat. Diamond found it a bit odd, since Coco’s hat looked finely placed. Coco let go, blowing a strand of hair out of her face “So, Goldie, how’s Bling-Bling been doing?”

“Awful. He got into trouble hanging out with his pesky friends again…” Goldie rubbed her temple. “If only somepony could tame that wild colt…”

“You’re talkin’!” Florin interrupted. “Monty and I are having trouble getting Napoleon out of the house!”

“Don’t worry, once Napoleon gets his chance to step out, he’ll be the Twilight Sparkle of Mane-hattan Elementary!” Montresor assured “Napoleon is a good colt to say the least, he just needs to stop reading those dusty old books.”

“Be thankful!” Marigold’s eyes flared “I’d rather have a bookworm foal than one that goes around mugging ponies!”

Florin retorted “Be thankful! I’d rather have a troublemaker foal!”

“Say that again about my Bling-Bling…” Marigold grit her teeth “I will slap you so hard, you’re grandfillies will feel it!”

Diamond noticed Coco was slipping under the table like a filly when mother and father were fighting. Wanting nothing more than the arguing to stop, Diamond shouted “Everypony stop!”

The bickering came to stop and everything became quiet. Too quiet.

Oh no… not this again. Diamond turned around in her seat, noting the blank stares she gathered. Having a strange sense of dae ja vu, she bit her tongue, and decided to approach it differently “Sorry everypony, pardon my shout.”

The rest of the café kept staring at her, so she decided that they needed to know the full truth “Mrs. Pommel here doesn’t like it when ponies shout at each other, we’d appreciate it if you kept it down”

Suddenly, a stallion, sitting on a stool raised a cup of apple cider and raved “You heard her! This little filly has guts! Keep it down for Mrs. Pommel!”

Other than a couple glares, the café took to their own business, the chatter was reduced to a soft hum.

“My apologies Coco, I just get fired up over this type of stuff.” Marigold coaxed Coco to get back into her seat.

Coco slowly rose and bid a ‘thank you’ to Diamond and Marigold. “So, besides ‘An Equestrian Tale, what other plays do you want me to plan?”

“’A Raisin in the Sun’ by Langstallion Hooves,” Marigold Suggested.

“We did that last time!” Montresor scoffed. “How about ‘Mare-ison Bergeron’ by Cart Vonnegut?”

“Eh… I’d rather not repeat Starlight Glimmer Propaganda, honey.” Florin Buttercup stuck out her tongue in disgust “What about ‘The Cart of Amontillado’ by Edgar Allan Pony?”

Montresor nudged Florin, “I really don’t want to scare little fillies and colts, Florin. Besides, we should keep Coco’s work within PG-thirteen ratings.”

Florin’s ears drooped, “sorry, I went overboard.”

“What’ll be tonight?” a voice called.

Diamond jerked her head toward the end of the table, surprised to find a stallion. He pulled out a notepad and quill from a pocket stuffed to the brim of crumpled pages.

Awfully hesitant, Coco motioned for the others to go first with a wave of her hoof.

“We already ordered, Coco.” Montresor waved back at her.

Coco skimmed through the menu “Um, I’ll have a parfait.” She passed the menu to the stallion.

“Alright, and you?” He pointed his quill to Diamond.

Diamond’s mind went blank. But, for some reason she was craving Apple oatmeal, but she had that for breakfast. Her mind came back to the suggestion from the taxi driver a few minutes ago. “I would like a slice of hot apple pie.”

“Alright, I’ll have those orders done with the others in a few minutes.” The waiter retreated to another table.

Montresor shifted stance, re-igniting the conversation “So, where are we at?”

“A Raisin in the Sun” Marigold whispered, trying to sneak her suggestion in.

Florin, ignoring Marigold, gazed at Coco with the ‘puppy eyes’ “I guess it comes down to you Coco, which one do you think is best?”

Coco itched her neck, “Well, I don’t know… they all sound good.”

“You need to choose, honey, you can’t possibly do all three…” Marigold tapped her hoof against the tile.

Diamond Tiara noticed poor Coco sweating profusely. Based on what Diamond can derive about Coco, is that she doesn’t perform well when she is under pressure, especially when somepony shouts at her.

“It’s okay if you don’t pick ‘the Cart of Amontillado, Honey,” Florin added.

Diamond figured she should intervene once again, but she only one play came to mind. What if she made it worse? Poor Coco would die of stress! But, Diamond couldn’t let her sit there and decide. Ultimately, it was worth a shot. If it didn’t work, she could always use ‘She needs to sleep on it’ excuse.

Diamond offered “What about ‘The Duchess Approves’?”

Marigold scratched her muzzle “That actually sounds good, about ponies showing each other who they truly are regardless of family and friend influence!”

Montresor scratched the stubble on his chin, “Also has the issue of gender roles implemented here and there. Sounds like a good choice.”

“And it also has my epic battles between friends and enemies!” Florin waved her hooves, mimicking an explosion like a little filly.

Montresor teased “And you wonder why our little Napoleon has a stick of dynamite as his cutie mark?”

Florin’s muzzle grew beet-red “Hey, I didn’t mean to blow up the washing machine! How was I supposed to know that mixing bleach and ammonia causes an explosion?!”

“I still have holey socks from that day…” Montresor chuckled.

After a few square hits to his shoulder, Florin smiled bashfully while averting her gaze from the stallion next to her.

Coco held a hoof over her muzzle, giving a good-natured giggle, “So ‘The Duchess Approves’ it is?”

Marigold finally gave a grin that Diamond could recognize. “Yes, it would be marvelous.”

Montresor nodded, “aye.”

“I would love to see it.” Florin’s cheeks slowly inked back to pink.

Coco scribbled down the notes on a napkin, marking down ‘The Duchess Approves’.

The waiter came back, balancing a tray of food. He set down each meal to the respective pony. Diamond minded herself while she took a muzzle-full of her apple pie. It burnt her tongue, due to the temperature, but she didn’t mind. Nothing could keep her from enjoying apple pie.

...Of course it wasn’t as good as the apple pie back home, but it was decent.

Coco nibbled on her parfait, taking her time.

Diamond Tiara finished her pie, catching the glance of the receipt. Coco set down a hefty pile of bits onto the piece of paper, then squeezed out of the booth.

Montresor waved a hoof in protest. He set down his hay-burger “No Coco, that’s way too much.”

“It’s okay, I can pay for your meal.”

Florin clicked her tongue, “No honey, you need that money to buy your fabric.” Florin used her soup spoon to push a couple bits toward Coco.

Coco nervously reached for the bits, hesitant on taking them back.

Diamond improvised “What Coco meant to say is that she’ll foot the bill since you were kind enough to help her with her plays.”

Marigold insisted “Coco is trying to be nice, Florin, it would be rude not to accept her gift…”

Everypony at the table held their peace, letting Coco and Diamond slip past them and out of the café.

“Whew!” Coco took a deep breath, seemingly glad to get out of the café “Nice one back there, Dazzle… You really saved my rump!”

Diamond felt memories flash back. Oddly, the compliment made her feel a little better. She was in a new town, with strange ponies. But, Coco seemed nice enough. As long as she was by her side, she had nothing to worry about.

“I take it that you are a ‘take-charge’ type.” She started walking toward the taxi line down the street.

Diamond replied, “Um, yes…”

“Must explain your cutie mark.” Coco pointed toward the picture on her flank. “You must be a very good leader.”

Diamond Tiara resolved with doubtful and sarcastic “You bet!”. She knew that she wasn’t a good leader. Her thoughts soured as she remembered the infamous Foal-Free Press incident. Diamond shuddered on the thought of how her Mother sprayed her off with a pressure hose to wash the ink off. All she could remember from that ordeal was how her mother kept throwing insults; Serves you right, next time, stop being such a brat…

Coco continued “I’d expect no less than a filly of one of the finest business ponies in all of Equestria.”

Both of them hopped into a taxi when it as soon as it pulled up.

Coco patted her on the back “Randolph sent you just in time,” She hugged the filly in a snug embrace “Can you teach me a thing or two about standing your ground?”

“I honestly don’t know,” Diamond Tiara shrugged. “I mean, what can a filly teach a full-grown mare?”

“You’d be surprised, Dazzle…” Coco let go of Diamond. “I guess I can pick a few tricks just by watching your example. But, for now, do your thing.” She tapped Diamond on the muzzle.

Diamond looked outside, watching as the neon lights flashed by the cart. She found most to be restaurants and stores, and a few caught her attention. One in particular was “An Apple a day…” restaurant or “Crimson Heart” charity. She wondered on how to join one of those organizations… if they would let a filly in at the very least.

The cart came to a stop. Coco hopped off, with Diamond hopping off without Coco’s aid. Awkwardly, Diamond got up after she belly flopped into the sidewalk. Coco showed a bit of concern with a helping hoof, but-

“I’m fine.” Diamond assured as she brushed the gravel bits off her coat.

Coco held the door open, motioning Dazzle to come inside “I already can tell that we are going to be good friends.”

Diamond entered the lobby, following Coco closely. The secretary greeted them “Welcome back.”

Coco approached the desk “Excuse me Entry, but I got a favor to ask.” Coco tossed a couple bits on the counter “I finally got my roommate.”

Entry smiled while scribbling down a couple notes. “Glad to hear.”

Coco trotted toward the stairwell. Entry interjected “By the way, the elevator is fixed.”

Coco called back, twirling on the railing, “I’ll take the stairs, one more time!”

Diamond challenged Coco to race “Hey, you want to race me?”

Coco snickered, “Sure!”

Diamond headed toward the elevator and impatiently clicked the button. Once the shiny metal doors swung open, Coco’s hoofsteps clattered up the stairs. The filly clicked the 7th floor button and spammed the ‘close door’ icon. The metal doors closed and the elevator sped up through the layers.

Once the doors opened, a short of breath Coco gloated “Beat you to it…”

“You see, now you are taking charge and becoming assertive!” Diamond hopped out and bounded towards Coco.

“I-I guess so.” Coco trotted to the hardwood door and unlocked room C’s door. She flicked on the lights, illuminating her apartment. As both of them entered, Coco closed the door “So, Dazzle, I have something to ask.”

Diamond sat attentively.

“Just so you know, I always get to bed at an early time.” Coco trotted toward the hall with Diamond following after. “I know it may not make sense, but I need my beauty sleep, as a wise element of harmony once suggested.”

“Sounds reasonable.” Diamond Tiara glanced at the clock. “So, six-thirty and seven is the time we usually get to bed?”

“Take the time you need. First night can be pretty rough.” Coco motioned toward the guest room “As long as you are doing something quiet and don’t wake me too early, I can be a pretty happy pony…”

Diamond Tiara stepped down the hall, going into the bathroom. She hastily pulled out her toothbrush and squeezed a dab of toothpaste onto the brush. Coco trotted in, copying Diamond and brushing her teeth.

Coco commented, with a mouth full of foam “It’s so nice of you to come, things have gotten lonely”

“Actually, it’s all thanks to you for taking me in.” Diamond spat her toothpaste into the sink and wiped her foamy mouth on a hoof-towel.

Coco blushed, following Diamond out of the Bathroom. They parted ways as Diamond trotted toward her room.

Diamond headed straight for the desk, setting up her family picture. She opened up her journal, taking a seat on a sewing machine.

Somehow, someway, the words came to her easier as she wrote, saying, “Dear diary, today, I managed to meet a sweet and gentle mare, named Coco. She took me in, introduced me to her group of quirky and nerdy friends”

Diamond Tiara smiled towards the heavens, thinking of more she could put “Overall, I’m grateful the opportunity to start anew. I made some new friends today!”

She paused, tapping the pen to the cover of the journal “Something a little odd happened today. Instead of being the mean filly I once was, Coco was able to help me become better just by being there. She is awfully quiet and shy, and jumps at any loud sound like a scaredy-foal. I’m trying my best to be kind and speak kindly of others. Coco is teaching me. Even though I may trip at times, I promise to be true to myself and be the filly I could be. I finally see that life is what you make of it, what you choose to be. So, what happens now? Starting a new life can be a little scary…”

Diamond felt as the same feeling from when she helped Ponyville Elementary enveloped her, she wrote down more words. “I realized, that the rest of your life is for you to decide. Nopony is doomed to be the pony they were, everypony can change, regardless of the past. This may be my first entry, but this is how I feel about where I am going.”

“That’s all for now, diary, ‘til another time”.

Diamond slapped the book shut and headed to bed, snugging the plush in a hug from the desk. She carefully settled in the covers as Rarity would. A firm expression of happiness lingered on her muzzle as she closed those beautiful blue eyes, and sunk into a restful night’s sleep.

Author's Note:

I'm pretty sure I've given fair warning. But....

I am full of references and I am coming for you!

So many references in this chapter... some intentional, some unintentional. All I have to do is watch myself, and make sure none sneak past my radar. Gotta catch em' all! (Oops... here I go again).

Anyways... this concludes setting the foundation for the story. The boring part is over, and the next few chapters are coming. Sorry this one ended up to be 4000+ words. I hurried it along, trying to get to the juicy parts.

To be a little honest, chapters 2-4 were supposed to be one single chapter. But, if you are ADHD ...anything like me, then a chapter consisting of 10000+ words would take a long time to read.

As for the insanity in the next chapters, nothing will be as concentrated as this one... at least I hope.

Well, anyone who has made it past this point... Congratulations! It's about to get a whole lot better- I'm so excited! Next chapter- is a secret of Diamond Tiara!