• Published 10th May 2016
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My Little Pony: Sora's Misadventures in Equestria - Codex92



After failing his mark of mastery exam to be a Keyblade Master, Sora must continue his training on his own. Unfortunately, he crashes into the world of Equestria, and his friends don't know he's stranded in this far off world.

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Crusaders of the Lost Mark

Early the next morning, Sora woke up as dawn approached, his inner clock ringing in his head thanks to working with the Apples since arriving in Equestria. He tried to get up, only to realize Kairi had slept with him last night, curled up and snuggling against him with her head resting on his chest. The moment he moved, she wrapped her forehooves around his waist, trying to keep her living body pillow from leaving her.

"No," she mumbled. "Stay..."

"Kairi, I've got chores to do at the orchard," Sora said with a chuckle, gently prying her hooves off him.

The unicorn whined, clinging onto sleep while her weak grip tried to continue clinging onto the pegasus. She eventually lost and pouted in her sleep, quickly changing to a content smile when she felt Sora's lips press against hers in a soft kiss. Once she was deep asleep, he crept around his room to find his clothes, dressing himself up and quietly leaving the room. He made his way to Sweet Apple Acres, knowing Applejack was back after bumping into Aqua and Terra last night, the mare getting a heads-up on what happened at the Social, but Apple Bloom and Big Mac thankfully left out what happened to Sora during the sisterly event.

After breakfast was eaten, Sora, Applejack, and Big Mac went outside to begin their chores while Apple Bloom headed for the Crusaders Clubhouse to prepare for an important meeting with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. Sora wondered when exactly those three fillies will finally realize the talents they're good at and get a cutie mark in it, but some put of him felt like they'll get them soon. Seeing as he was around the treehouse while in the middle of placing the several buckets under the trees, he decided to take a little break and check up on them.

Sora poked his head in the window, watching the trio of fillies as they began their meeting, Apple Bloom looking more enthusiastic than her friends. "Ok, Crusaders! Back to the business of earnin' our cutie marks! Any suggestions?"

"No," Scootaloo said. "We tried everything."

"We're running out of ideas," Sweetie Belle added.

"Really? Out of ideas for cutie marks?" Sora asked, surprising the fillies as they turned to look at him. "I assume those ideas are dangerous-free, right?"

"Yes, nothing dangerous," Scootaloo said, grumbling under her breath as all her ideas are moot with him around.

"It doesn't seem like there's anything else we can try," Sweetie Belle said.

"Are ya kiddin' me, Crusaders?" Apple Bloom asked. "We can do better than that!"

Sora's ears perked up as he heard music, feeling a song coming on as the upbeat, hopeful tune rang around them.

[Apple Bloom]
We've been searchin' for our cutie marks
For a while now
Tryin' to find out how we fit in

The filly grabbed an large blank sheet of paper with the Crusaders logo at the top, placing it on the wall beside another that was filled with several crossed off activities the trio have tried in the past.

So many ways we've tried before
But we keep on tryin' more

[Cutie Mark Crusaders]
'Cause the Cutie Mark Crusaders don't give in

We'll make our mark
One way or another
We'll make our mark
On the day that we discover
The ultimate reward of our cutie marks!

"Now that's more like it!" Apple Bloom said.

Sora shook his head, unable to believe these three fillies were going to search for more random ideas that deviate from the talents they're best at. "Good luck, girls."

"Cutie Mark Crusaders!" The door to the clubhouse slammed open, Pipsqueak barging inside in a panic. "Help!"

"What's wrong, Pipsqueak?" Apple Bloom asked.

"I'm running for student pony president," the tiny colt said. "I was hoping you three could be my campaign managers!"

"We never tried gettin' our cutie marks in campaign managin'!" the earth pony filly said excitedly. "What do ya say, Crusaders?"

The three fillies cheered and hoofbumped, Sweetie Belle helping levitate Pipsqueak up as he joined in, his smaller form too short to even reach their hooves. The four ponies soon ran out of the clubhouse and to the schoolhouse, Sora following after them as he grew curious over who the colt would be running against. Once at the school, they could see their classmates outside, the stallion having no clue if there was any class for them today, all of them seeming to be talking about who their student president will be.

He watched from the other side of the fence as the Crusaders walked alongside Pipsqueak, already planning out how to manage the colt's campaign as the place the colt on a crate for their peers to see him. "So, Pip, how would you help the school if you were elected student pony president?"

"Well, our playground equipment took quite a beating during Tirek's attack!" Sora looked over at the playground, he was surprised he didn't realize just how badly damaged the equipment was. Not one part was even remotely safe for any of them, many already broken while some were ready to collapse just from a small amount of weight. Whatever stray spells or large bits of debris from the battle against the centaur must have reached out to Ponyville, maybe even chunks of the Golden Oak Library were the cause after he blew it up. "If I'm voted as student pony president, I'll go to the school board and right this wrong!"

All the foals cheered at the idea, wanting their fun during recess back with new equipment to play on. Even Sora thought it was a good idea, but his smile turned upside down as he saw Diamond Tiara pushing her way through the crowd, Silver Spoon hot on her tail.

"Oh, please don't tell me he's running against her," the pegasus grumbled under his breath, hoping to whatever being was watching them that he was wrong.

"Well, I think that's a ridiculous idea!" Diamond refuted, Sora facehooving as he should have kept his mouth shut. "It's just like when Twist proposed to repair the window that Discord destroyed! She just wanted to repair it like a plain old schoolhouse window. But you all knew voting for me was the best choice because I convinced the school board to give that window 'visual appeal'!"

The spoiled filly pointed at one of the windows, Sora gawking in shock and utter disdain at what he saw. Instead of a normal window, he saw a stained glass mural of Diamond Tiara standing on a hill with the sun shining in the background behind her.

"You have got to be kidding me!" he exclaimed, getting the foals' attention as he hovered over the fence and approached the window. "The school board agreed to this!? Let me guess: you used your dad's money to get them to make this happen? How does that even help the school!?"

Diamond Tiara growled in annoyance. "Why do you always have to be around!? You're not even supposed to be in the schoolyard!"

"Well, I'd rather not see you become class president and do something stupid to garner more attention to your bratty self," the stallion countered, only making the pink earth pony filly angrier. "I know Cheerilee wouldn't want this! Who's in charge of the school board to make such a stupid decision like this allowed in a children's school!?"

"Diamond Tiara's mother, that's who," Apple Bloom said.

Sora balked and stared at Apple Bloom, then at Diamond Tiara. "...Wait, what?"

"Her ma, Spoiled Rich, is president of the school board," Apple Bloom explained.

The stallion's jaw dropped, spotting the bully smirking at his dumbfounded shock, but the discovery only made him more irate. "...Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh...Ohhh ho ho ho no...Diamond thinks she can do anything she wants because mommy's the head of the board, eh?" He marched over to the Crusaders and Pipsqueak, deciding to help the colt win as student pony president against Diamond Tiara. "Well, let's see if mommy dearest can do anything when her daughter loses the election."

"Ha! As if!" Diamond Tiara retorted. "Everypony's going to be in for a big surprise as soon as I win this year."

"You're going to have a statue of you built in the center of the schoolyard," Silver Spoon said aloud, the surprise already ruined as everyone gasped in shock.

"Silver Spoon!" the bully scolded, leering angrily at her friend. "I was going to announce that when I actually won!"

"I'm only trying to help," Silver said, though as she said that, she looked over at Sora, the pegasus getting the hint over who she was actually helping.

"I don't need that kind of help!" Diamond growled through her teeth.

Sora shook his head in pity for Silver Spoon, amazed by how she can deal with a friend like that. "Haven't we all had enough of Diamond Tiara?" Apple Bloom asked her classmates, everyone voicing their agreements, all of them sick of being bossed around by the rich filly as well.

"Do we really need a big statue of her?" Scootaloo asked.

"Especially where our playground equipment should be?" Sweetie Belle added.

Diamond leered in annoyance as everyone was agreeing with the three blank flanks, muttering something about her and wanting their playground back. Sora helped Pipsqueak up onto a large horseshoe arch that was on the playground, having no idea what this was meant for at a schoolyard playground, but he was going to help the colt win against Diamond Tiara as everyone looked up at the small colt.

"A vote for Pip is a vote for the playground!" Pipsqueak announced.

"A vote for Diamond Tiara is a vote for MORE Diamond Tiara!" the filly exclaimed under the arch, her reasoning clearly not winning her over with her peers.

"In other words, wanting more attention that you don't need," Sora paraphrased for the filly, making her growl in irritation.

[Cutie Mark Crusaders]
It's time to make a change
This is our chance

The Crusaders began to sing as they climbed up on the arch with Pipsqueak, surprising Sora as they broke into another musical number with the upbeat, marching tune playing in the air.

Don't be afraid to do what's right
He's it! Vote for Pip!

We got an opportunity
To have fun again
A vote for Pip, and you can join the fight

Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Pipsqueak leapt down from the horseshoe arch, caught by Sora as they marched around the schoolyard, the colt leading the way with confidence in each step while his campaign managers followed.

It's time for a new leader
It's time to make a change
We're here to fight for what we believe
(Vote for Pip!)
It's finally time we beat her
And play a better game
'Cause when we vote together
There's nothing that we can't achieve

Their song easily caught their peers' attention along with Pipsqueak's campaign to be elected. The playground needed to be renovated, and they wanted it redone soon so they can go back to having fun before school starts, during recess, and maybe after school. The colt bucked a tetherball near the end of the Crusaders' chorus, but the worn ball connected to the pole by a wire was caught by an irate Diamond Tiara, the tone in the song shifting to a low, almost menacing melody as she threw the ball away from her.

[Diamond Tiara]
I don't believe what I am hearing
I'm the only one who should be cheering
Pipsqueak? Try "Pip's weak!" Don't you think?

Diamond approached her peers as she sang, leering at them before walking up to Pipsqueak and smacking him in the back of the head. Sora groaned and leered at the filly, shaking his head at her if she believes she could win by appealing to her classmates by her "promises" while being the school bully.

But a diamond is perfection
It's natural selection
So your vote better be for me, not the weakest link

"The votes will decide who will win," Sora reminded the filly.

Diamond Tiara ignored him as she continued singing, smirking at her classmates as she walked by them.

Everypony has their little secrets

"I know you do," she said to a colt, who looked really nervous.

A vote for me will help you keep them safe

"Like your creepy super strength!" Diamond Tiara said to a filly who, surprisingly, was able to lift up a shed with just one hoof as she tried to get a ball that had rolled underneath it earlier.

She dropped the shed, looking upset that her strength that could easily rival Big Mac's, Terra's, or even Sora's was disturbing or creepy. Sora's jaw hung in shock as Diamond Tiara was resorting to blackmail to win her votes, though if she was singing about them out loud, then it's not considered blackmail and more heartless bullying.

Or your mane extension
A little thing I won't mention
Or those freakish large teeth in your face!

She passed by another filly with really long hair, then up to a colt with a really big set of teeth for his age, humiliating them by telling them their secrets. Diamond wasn't going to win everyone's vote at this rate, especially the ponies she just made fun of.

"Come on, ponies!" Apple Bloom said, the music shifting back to the upbeat tune earlier. "Don't listen to her!"

[Cutie Mark Crusaders]
You gotta vote for change
It's time for a new leader
End all the tyranny
Vote now and we can beat her

It's now another day
And we believe in what's right

[Foals]
Vote for Pip! Vote for Pip!

[Cutie Mark Crusaders]
Our victory is in sight

Already, the voting was underway as the private booth Cheerilee set up was officially open. The foals began walking in, placing their votes in the box inside one at a time. Diamond Tiara didn't have much time left to try to get everyone's vote, already frustrated by the fact that the other ponies were favoring Pipsqueak over her, and she doesn't realize she's hurting her own chances of winning.

"Stop!" the filly said, the music shifting again to the lower tone from when she sang. "Everypony who hasn't voted, listen up!"

[Diamond Tiara]
Pip makes promises he can't keep
But I can do more

Diamond Tiara walked over to an earth pony filly trying to carry several books in her hooves and mouth, unfortunate to not have brought a backpack or something to carry them all in. "You could really use a new bookbag," Diamond said as she held out a new pair of saddlebags, but not giving it to her as she walked past her.

'Cause I'll make things happen
That none of you here can afford

"To do, like, ever!" she added, flaunting how rich she was over the other foals, which only lowered her chances to be student pony president further as she began bribing the students who didn't vote yet with candy or other things.

Wouldn't you like a little something sweet?
Here's a parasol to hide you from the heat
Who says that I can't be nice?

"Being nice doesn't mean giving away gifts to win anyone over," Sora muttered to himself as he watched Diamond Tiara giving away stuff.

But first there's one thing
An itsy-bitsy little string
And voting for me is the price!

Silver Spoon approached her friend, hoping to offer her a little advice as the music's tone was lighter, even a little hopeful.

[Silver Spoon]
I've a tiny suggestion
That you should be aware
You could probably win this election
If you show them all you real-

"I don't recall asking you to speak!" Diamond Tiara interrupted harshly.

The whole school gasped in shock at what she said to her best friend, even the music went silent. Silver Spoon thought her friend would listen to her for once, but that didn't seem to be the case as that statement alone told her just much much of a "friend" she was to her. That was the last straw for Diamond Tiara: for gaining any hope of getting more than one vote in the election, for Sora who shook his head in disgust at how she treated her best friend, and for Silver Spoon as their friendship was officially over after dealing with talking down those who aren't in the same social class as her.

"Well, if that's how you treat your best friend, then I choose Pipsqueak!" Sweetie Belle said, the song picking back up as the foals made their decision on who to vote for.

[Foals]
Vote!

[Cutie Mark Crusaders]
Stand strong and don't be afraid, ponies (For Pip!)
Let's free ourselves from the past (Vote!)

[Foals]
He's it! Vote for Pip! Vote!

[Cutie Mark Crusaders[
We'll let honor win out against the tyranny (For Pip!)
And make a change that will last (Vote!)

[Foals]
Vote for Pip!

[Cutie Mark Crusaders]
It's time for a new leader
It's time to make a change
We're here to fight for what we believe

[Foals]
Vote for Pip!

[Cutie Mark Crusaders]
It's finally time we beat her
And play a better game
'Cause when we vote together
There's nothing that we can't achieve

[Foals]
Vote for Pip!

The school ponies cheered for their future class president as he stood on one end of a seesaw, risen up by one of his fellow classmates. Once the musical number for the campaign ended, the rest of the ponies who didn't vote yet made their decision as they placed their slips into the box in the booth. Once every foal voted, Cheerliee came out to grab the ballet box and tally them up inside the school, coming back out a moment later to announce the winner.

"Ok, everypony! The votes have been counted!" the schoolteacher said. Pipsqueak looked incredibly nervous, though Diamond Tiara wore a smug grin as she prepared to gloat once Cheerliee announced the winner. "The student pony president is...Pipsqueak!"

Diamond Tiara balked in confusion, the foals all cheering for Pipsqueak as the new student pony president approached the Crusaders. "I couldn't have won without the hard work of my campaign managers, the Cutie Mark Crusaders!"

"Campaign manager cutie marks!" Sweetie Belle said excitedly.

The trio of fillies looked down at their flanks, but there was no cutie mark. Sora chuckled and shook his head at their enthusiasm, a good effort to help Pipsqueak, but if only they could see what their true talents really were.

"Guess you're not as good as you thought, blank flanks!" Diamond Tiara said, picking the on fillies yet again by their markless behinds.

"Can you think of a better insult?" Sora asked aloud.

"Shut up!" she exclaimed, turning to face her teacher while the stallion stuck his tongue out at her. "I demand a recount!"

"Trust me, Diamond Tiara. Pip won," Cheerilee explained, clearly getting tired of the earth pony filly's whining.

"I'll be the judge of that, Miss Cheerilee!" Diamond Tiara walked into the schoolhouse, deciding to count the votes herself.

Sora approached the annoyed schoolteacher, having a gut feeling Diamond wasn't going to like the results. "She lost by a landslide, didn't she?"

"Yup. And thankfully, no more useless additions to the school," Cheerliee said. "With Spoiled Rich as the president of the school board, she actually agreed to that pointless stain glass window to replace the one destroyed when Discord ran wild. It serves as a distraction more than anything, and I'm kind of glad we won't see what else will show up as the school's budget would be wasted on more decor this school doesn't need."

"So, no one can override Diamond's mom's vote on what to do with the money?" Sora asked. "She just does whatever she wants for her daughter? No wonder he name's Spoiled Rich."

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!?" Diamond Tiara screamed, nearly deafening everyone around the area of the school as she barged out of the building, angry and utterly confused. "One vote!? I only got one vote!?" Feeling betrayed, she looked at Silver Spoon, appalled by the fact her friend voted for Pipsqueak and not her. She approached her friend, who didn't even look her in the eye. "Silver Spoon! You didn't vote for me!?"

"No," Silver Spoon said. "I didn't."

"But you're my best friend!" Diamond said.

"...Am I? Am I really your 'best friend'?" Silver Spoon asked. "I'm starting to wonder if we really are friends anymore."

"Of course we are! And best friends are supposed to stick together!" the bully reasoned.

"...Seriously?" Silver questioned, leering at her "friend" at her statement, her eyes welling with tears. "Maybe you forgot what you told me when I was trying to give you some advice earlier! If you'd listen to me, then maybe you could have won, but I guess I'm just as worthless as everypony else when I'm not even allowed to talk to you!" Diamond's jaw dropped, shocked at being talked down to by her friend and speechless. "You want to know how you could have won now? Oh. Sorry. I'm not allowed to speak." Silver closed Diamond's mouth, then turned away from her. "I'm done being friends with you. I'm sick and tired of being seen as a bully with you, too."

The whole school was shocked as Silver Spoon dumped Diamond Tiara as her best friend, even Sora. He saw how much she changed from her reluctance to pick on others, but he was amazed it took her this long to finally speak up and tell her friend off. Diamond was at a loss for words, only growling in rage and screaming at the top of her lungs in frustration before running off. As satisfying as it was to see the filly finally get her comeuppance from her constant bullying, it didn't feel right for Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, or Sora.

"...Well...that was...not good," Sora said.

"Ah know she's been awful, but maybe we should check if Diamond Tiara's ok," Apple Bloom suggested.

As much as the idea was a horrible one, they reluctantly agreed with Apple Bloom. Sora sighed, hating how much of a nice guy he can be with someone awful, and it didn't help that Diamond Tiara was a little pony, something considered cute to a human.


Out in the town, the four ponies finally caught up to Diamond Tiara as the filly slumped away in defeat. While they snuck around as they followed her, it was odd to see her actually look miserable. Before they could catch up to her, a mare with a slightly darker shade of pink as Diamond's with a dark purple mane and tail approached her as she exited a shop, wearing a really expensive looking blue blouse and a gold necklace, her cutie mark a diamond ring with sparkles around the diamond.

"Diamond Tiara!" she called out in a snobbish tone, the filly freezing in place as she winced. Judging from the nervous expressions on her face, Sora figured this mare must have been Spoiled Rich, Diamond Tiara's mother, and her voice practically screamed "arrogant snob" along with her jewelry and clothes. "Why are you making that face? That is NOT the face of a winner."

"...Because...I didn't win," Diamond Tiara reluctantly said, drooping her head in shame.

"What!? You mean I hefted all these party supplies for nothing!?" Spoiled Rich pointed her hoof at the shop she just exited, their servants carrying balloons and bags filled with party supplies.

One of them, an older stallion, carried a heavy statue of Diamond Tiara on his back, which was probably the "surprise" for when the filly's inauguration as student pony president. His legs wobbled as he couldn't keep it held any longer, getting crushed under the stone statue. Sora flew in to help lift the heavy object off the old butler before it ended up squishing him to death.

"Thanks, sonny," he said.

"No problem," Sora said, placing the statue down far enough away from the butler. He landed beside Diamond Tiara, giving Spoiled Rich an odd look with her random agreement to allow a statue of her daughter on Ponyville's school grounds. "You must be Diamond Tiara's mother, who also happens to be the president of the school board."

"Oh...You must be the ruffian who talks to my husband about my daughter's behavior," the mare said, leering at him with disgust.

"Says the pony who allowed putting a statue of their kid in a schoolyard over a new playground," Sora countered. "Too bad that's not going to happen since your daughter's not the class president."

"So I've heard," Spoiled Rich grumbled, looking down at Diamond Tiara, who quickly looked down at the ground. "Bad enough for you to lose to that transplant from Trottingham, but imagine if you lost to those blank flanks."

Sora's ears twitched as he couldn't believe what he just heard. Not only did Spoiled Rich just insult Pipsqueak and where he was originally from, but he just called Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo the same hurtful word her own daughter's been spouting ever since he first met the filly. Now he felt bad for what he did to Diamond Tiara while he was defending the Crusaders from her bullying; she got her attitude and learned those harmful words from the mare who gave birth to her.

"...What?" Sora uttered, Spoiled Rich ignoring the shocked expression on the stallion's face as she continued berating her daughter in front of him.

"As a Rich pony, you must always think of your social standing," Spoiled Rich said, spotting a noble couple Sora recognized from Canterlot a while back, Fancy Pants and Fleur Dis Lee. Before he wondered why they were here in Ponyville, he was distracted by Diamond's mother continuing her "lecture" to her daughter. "That starts here in Ponyville and reaches all over Equestria. Don't ever forget that, Diamond Tiara. Ever!" After scolding the filly, she walked up to Sora and leered at him. "And you stay away from my daughter. Fancy's been giving me enough stress with Diamond Tiara's behavior, and you're the cause behind her whining and tantrums when your name is brought up."

"...I'm sorry, but WHAT!?" Sora exclaimed. "As if you're even teaching her right from wrong! Now I see where she gets her attitude from: the spoiled rich mother!"

"You watch your mouth, you immature vigilante!" Spoiled warned, poking her hoof harshly against Sora's muzzle, the stallion barely flinching as he glared at her. "I can have you arrested for a lot of reasons, and nothing you say will matter in your defense."

"I'm friends with the princesses, so you don't have a right arresting someone who saves you and your family from the threat of darkness and evil," Sora growled. "Or do you not recall being around Ponyville during Nightmare Night last year when the whole town was attacked by Heartless?"

Spoiled Rich snorted, still thinking she was better than the spiky-haired pegasus because of how rich she was. "Continue making up your stories, but they won't save you from a life behind bars."

The mare left in a huff, her nose held high like the snob she was as she made her way home. Sora shook his head, wishing he could give her a piece of his mind after now realizing the real reason why Diamond Tiara acted out against her classmates, especially the Cutie Mark Crusaders. He turned to talk to the filly, but she was already walking away, noticing the shocked looks on the trio of little pseudo-sisters when they discovered the truth as well. Another song played out in the air, this one sad and depressing, taking a guess that Diamond Tiara was going to be the one who's going to sing as he and the three fillies tailed her.

[Diamond Tiara]
If I'm a diamond
Then why do I feel so rough?
I'm as strong as a stone
Even that's not enough

There's something jagged in me
And I've made such mistakes
I thought that diamonds were hard
Though I feel I could break

Would you believe
That I've always wished I could be somepony else?
Yet I can't see
What I need to do to be the pony I want to be

Sora groaned to himself, unable to help but feel sorry for Diamond Tiara. He regrets what he said to her while defending the Crusaders from her constant teasing. He had tried to show her she could be a different pony, but he did it in a way that brought her down, though not ass badly as her own mother had. He needed to find a way to make it up to her, get to know the real Diamond Tiara, not the bully she became from the stress Spoiled Rich kept giving her that also gave her father some grief with her behavior.

I've been told my whole life
What to do, what to say
Nopony showed me that
There might be some better way

And now I feel like I'm lost
I don't know what to do
The ground is sinking away
I'm about to fall through

Would you believe
That I've always wished I could be somepony else?
Yet I can't see
What I need to do to be the pony I want to be

To be the pony I want to be

Diamond Tiara continued sadly walking through town, truly feeling all alone with her troubles and confused as to what she should do now. Sora's ears drooped, feeling pity for her, and though he had done the same for some of his enemies with what good there was in them, it was still a little weird to try to help someone who had caused so much trouble in the hopes of changing them for the better. Granted, not all of them deserved the same treatment, those being Xehanort, Tirek, and even Starlight Glimmer, who was still out somewhere in Equestria plotting another cutie mark stealing scandal.

"Is it weird that I feel bad for her?" Sweetie Belle asked, the trio of fillies feeling conflicted as their bully was miserable and alone now.

"If it is, then...I guess I feel weird, too," Scootaloo said. "Sora, do you feel weird about Diamond Tiara?"

"...Yeah...but now we know why she acted like such a bully, and where she got the insulting name 'blank flank' from." Sora watched Diamond walk further down the road, going nowhere in particular while avoiding going back home to her mother. He needed to talk to her and make amends, maybe even earn another little sister if she wants him to be an older brother figure for her. "I'm going to talk to her. She's had a pretty bad day already and might need a little pick-me-up."

"Should we help?" Apple Bloom asked.

"How about tomorrow, you invite her to the clubhouse?" Sora suggested. "I'll try to convince her to tag along with you three after school, and I'll meet up with you girls when I'm done with my chores." Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo nodded their heads, not wanting to get Diamond Tiara even more upset by trying to talk to her after helping Pipsqueak win the election. The CMC made their way back to Sweet Apple Acres while Sora hurried after Diamond Tiara. It didn't take long for him to find the depressed filly, sitting alone on a bench in the park staring at her hooves. "Diamond Tiara?"

She looked up at him, her gaze turning from sad to angry. "What do you want? Here to gloat for those three blank flanks for helping Pipsqueak win!?"

"No. I just want to talk," Sora said. "And you know exactly what it is I want to talk with you about." Diamond's glare softened as she looked down again, feeling ashamed that Sora had seen her get scolded by her mother. He sat down beside her, but she scooched herself away from him, not wanting any of his pity. "Your mom is not exactly the nicest parent I've ever met. I can see why you acted like such a bully to everyone. Especially that 'blank flank' comment."

"...Why are you talking to me?" Diamond Tiara asked, keeping her eyes diverted away from him.

"Because you're having a bad day and need someone to talk to," Sora responded, gently placing his hoof on the filly's shoulder. She flinched at the contact, but she didn't pull away from him. "Look, I know we've had a few moments where I got you in trouble because of your behavior, but I was looking out for Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and every foal you picked on. Before I knew where your attitude came from, I was protecting the ones who needed help, and those three 'blank flanks' are like little sisters to me.

"And I didn't appreciate what you did to them in the past: calling them mean and hurtful names, making Apple Bloom think Granny Smith would constantly embarrass her because she's old, Scootaloo for not being able to fly for you and Silver Spoon to be the flag carriers for Ponyville at the Equestria Games." As Sora listed the different, painful things she had done, Diamond Tiara's ears drooped more and more until they were pressed down the sides of her head. "And back at the school today, you tried blackmailing your classmates with secrets you knew they had, although that's not blackmail and outright picking on them for what they have, bribing them with sweets and random toys or gifts, and you even said to your best friend to basically shut up and don't speak to me again. I'm actually surprised you didn't even realize how distant Silver was toward you when you kept being the school bully until it was too late."

"Shut up," Diamond uttered, clenching her teeth as tears welled up in her eyes, being reminded of losing her friend hurting her along with everything she's done just to get everyone's attention while showing off how more important she was than her peers, just like her mother wanted her to do.

"I know how close the two of you were, but you should have noticed a couple years back," Sora continued. "Even I saw how painful it was for her to follow you and do exactly what you did to your peers. She hated it, and you did too, but you kept doing it because of your mother, who's an even worse influence on you than you were to your best friend."

"Shut up!" Diamond shouted.

"She's making you out to be a royal snob, caring only about the ones who actually have money and are considered rich, but in the end, you'll be poor with making friends who actually care about you and be left alone, miserable and unhappy, and no amount of bits will ever buy you the happiness you want." That last statement made the filly snap as she turned around, lunged at Sora, and began smacking him in the chest with her flailing hooves.

"Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!!!!!!!!" she screamed, putting every single ounce of strength in her hooves to hurt the pegasus, but the pegasus didn't budge as he felt nothing.

Diamond grunted with each smack of her hooves, Sora letting her vent out all her frustration as he calmly waited for her to calm down. Her tears began streaming down her face as she struggled to punch him harder, wishing everything he said was nothing but lies. Soon enough, her punches began to grow weaker, trying her hardest not to break down in front of him, but failed as she began to sob. She knew he was right; everything Spoiled Rich told her how to behave around everyone who wasn't as rich as her family only leading her to not only being the worst pony in her class, but also completely friendless now that Silver Spoon no longer liked her.

She finally cracked when Silver's heartbreaking words ending their friendship echoed in her head, her hooves weakly pawing at Sora's chest while pressing her face into his jacket, her chest heaving as she sobbed harder. She was truly alone now, her best friend leaving her because of the advice given to her by her mother and the expectations of trying to follow her parents' hoofsteps being a pony of incredible wealth stressing her with anxiety if she failed them. She wanted to be a better pony, but she ruined any chance she had after picking on all her classmates, trying to be the boss of everyone while flaunting her wealth and looking down upon her peers, even those who were richer than her in other things than money.

Sora gently draped his wing behind Diamond Tiara, gently rubbing her back as she cried out every last bit of emotional stress she's kept bottled up for so long. Once she had calmed down enough, he pulled out an Elven Bandanna from his pouch and dried the filly's tears.

"Better?" he asked.

"...No," she said with a sniffle, taking the bandanna from him and blowing her nose into it. "I lost my best friend, my mom hates me because I lost the election...I don't know what to do anymore..." Diamond stared at the bandanna sadly, then looked to Sora's wing wrapped around her in a comforting hug, then to him as he looked down at her with a caring gaze. "...Why are you being nice to me? You told me I was a spoiled brat and just told me I'm going to end up miserable for the rest of my life."

"Well, you had a rough day today and you needed some way to vent everything out and a shoulder to cry on," Sora explained. "And if I had known the real Diamond Tiara instead of the bully picking on my little sisters and calling me a 'spiky-haired idiot' every other minute, I wouldn't have resorted to making fun of you just to help those who you were hurting. I'm sorry, and I hope you can forgive me and we can start over."

Diamond Tiara was completely confused. Ever since she first met him, he had done nothing but mock her and speak to her sarcastically to poke fun at her, though he did so because of her bullying the other foals around her age. Now, he was consoling her after losing the student pony president election, losing her best friend, and getting yelled at by her mother while also knowing the reason why she became the pony he knew her as. Sora was a weird stallion, but he was also a strong warrior who everyone in town liked. Thankfully, he wasn't as weird as Pinkie Pie, but he still had the same goofiness as her when he wasn't being serious like right now.

She didn't know if she would ever be forgiven by everyone else, but she was willing to forgive Sora if he was dumb enough to give somepony like her a second chance. "...I guess so...But I'm still really confused. Why are you forgiving me?"

"Not everyone just has a bad side to them," the pegasus said. "There's always a reason why someone hurts others, and most of the time, it starts at home. You picked on your classmates at school because you thought it would be a good way to let out your frustrations and stress your mom gives you every day, right?" Diamond Tiara sadly nodded, always worried about how her mother would react if she wasn't higher in the social food chain as she expected and look down on those not in the same social class as her or her family. "And you do know what you did back then was wrong, right?"

"...I do now," Diamond Tiara admitted, looking down at the ground with remorse.

"Well, better late than never, but that's a good thing." Sora gently pressed his hoof against the filly's chest, directly over her heart. "In every heart, there is light and darkness. What actions you choose decide which path your heart will take. You're being driven down the wrong path thanks to your mother and her expectations; your bullying leading you down a dark path thanks to her bad influence."

"And I'm still walking down that bad path?" she asked, staring worriedly at Sora as she dreaded she would be a bully and be as rude as her mother for the rest of her life.

"You can still take that other path," he assured. "Even if your heart is filled with darkness, there's always that small speck of light inside you that you can find. If you find it and follow it, then you can find your way back to the light. You can show everyone just how much you've changed; be the Diamond Tiara you want everyone to see, not what your mother wants you to be." He moved his hoof away, his message slowly sinking into Diamond Tiara as she pressed a hoof to her chest. "You're free to be the pony you want to be. And if your mom thinks it's wrong, don't listen to her and listen to your heart."

"...I still don't understand," she said.

"You will soon. I know it." Sora gently pat Diamond's head, the filly still confused by the kindness she was given by the pony who was so quick to forgive her after learning the truth behind her behavior. "I'll see you tomorrow after school, and maybe you'll find that light deep within your heart."

Sora got up from the bench and began making his way back to the castle. Hopefully, by tomorrow, Diamond Tiara will have a change of heart, and if she isn't convinced she can change for the better, then the Crusaders can help her out with him after school. He made his way back to the castle, seeing as all the chores back on the farm were already done, or were finished by Applejack and Big Mac with how long he had been away from Sweet Apple Acres. He might get an earful from the farm mare, but he can make up any lost work in no time tomorrow morning.

He entered the throne room, finding Aqua, Terra, Ventus, Riku, and Kairi in the room as they looked over the Galactic Map. Aqua had finished sewing Terra's torn outfit back to normal, the stitched up sections barely visible.

"Hey, Sora," Riku greeted.

"There some kind of Keyblade wielder meeting going on?" Sora asked as he hopped up into his throne.

"Just doing a bit more mapping of the worlds," Aqua answered. "Not many Heartless threats right now, but we can't just assume everything's peaceful just yet."

"So, what were you doing aside from working in the orchard?" Kairi asked. "I thought you would have been back a while ago."

"Oh, nothing. Visited the school, watched this election for student pony president and saw the winner," Sora said. "Diamond Tiara tried to run, but she lost to Pipsqueak."

"That spoiled filly I heard about?" Terra asked.

"Yup," Ventus said with a begrudged sigh. "She always picks on the Crusaders and shows off how rich she is."

"Hey, go easy on her," Sora said. "Diamond Tiara's not really all that bad."

"What!?" the younger stallion questioned. "She's a bully!"

"But there's a reason why she's been behaving like this. Her mom's a horrible influence on her, and she does everything she tells her to in order to be a respected pony in society." Sora scoffed, leaning his head against his hoof as he glared at the crystal table. "She's a great role model. Have her kid be exactly like her, and be considered the number one most disliked pony in her class. Guess where she also learned the words 'blank flank' from, too."

The others were a bit surprised. They had heard, and seen, what Diamond Tiara did to others around Ponyville, mostly toward those her age. At least there was a reason why she was acting this way, and it was bad enough that it was one of her own parents being the bad influence that could end up getting her in a lot of trouble when she gets older if her behavior continued this way.

"So, what exactly happened?" Riku asked curiously.

"I talked to her after discovering the real problem, and hopefully she'll turn herself around by tomorrow," Sora said. "She's just a little confused, and needs some friends who can help her. It was pretty harsh hearing Silver Spoon dump Diamond Tiara as her friend at school. I only hope she doesn't let Spoiled Rich control what she does for the rest of her life."

"'Spoiled Rich'? That's her mom's name?" Kairi asked, groaning in exasperation when Sora nodded. "Wow. Now it makes a lot of sense."

"At least Filthy Rich is a better parent than his wife," Sora said. "I don't think he even realizes she's the real reason why their daughter keeps getting into trouble."


Tomorrow couldn't come sooner as the rest of the day went by agonizingly slowly for Sora. There were no Heartless threats warning them on the map, though there was some good news as Rarity had finally gotten the crystals they needed that morning to make their long-distance communication devices. It would take some time for Aqua and Twilight to find the right magical frequency and the right amount to give the crystals for them to work across the universe.

Sora worked on the farm as soon as dawn approached, waiting for the Crusaders to bring Diamond Tiara to their clubhouse and help her. He quickly finished his chores and waited impatiently at the clubhouse until school for the fillies ended. They finally arrived, Diamond a little apprehensive in coming along with the trio of fillies she picked on, but at least she was here and showed she truly wanted to change.

"Hey, girls," he greeted. "How was school?"

"It was...ok. Sort of," Scootaloo said. "Mostly boring."

"We brought Diamond Tiara along, though she didn't seem like she...wanted to," Apple Bloom said, looking back at the confused, disgruntled look on the pink earth pony filly's face. "But she said yes...kinda..."

"I didn't have any class president business to do, so I really don't have anything to do," Diamond grumbled, trying to act sour with her change in plans, but Sora knew she was still conflicted by being invited by the Crusaders. Taking her response as a yes regardless, they made their way inside the clubhouse, Diamond getting another look inside after her first when she, Silver Spoon, and Babs Seed took it over, another moment the filly regretted doing by making Apple Bloom's cousin turn on her. "So, do you three really just sit around here plotting different ways to get your cutie marks?"

"Actually, yeah," Apple Bloom said. "That's what we've been doin' for a long while."

"You three are..." Diamond paused, her instinct to say their cutie mark crusading was stupid, but she realized just how much better their lives were. They still had a chance to find what their talents are while she already has her cutie mark, and she didn't have a clue what it was meant to be. She even recalled what Sora said to her about her cutie mark the first day she and Silver Spoon met him; just an accessory or object that matches their name, no real talent to show as all it is to her is just a mark on her flank to show off. She looked down at the floor sadly, feeling more helpless as she was not only alone, but with no purpose in life as well. "...really lucky..."

"We are?" the Crusaders asked, surprised to hear a compliment come from Diamond Tiara.

"Yeah," Diamond said. "You get to explore all these options and learn more about who you are before you get stuck with something you don't understand..."

"But, you've already got your cutie mark," Sweetie Belle reminded her. "You know what you're supposed to do, right?"

Diamond balked, part of her not wanting to lower her guard to Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo like she had to Sora yesterday as she went back to her snarky self. "Yeah, because I have my cutie mark! And I'm not struggling at all to figure out who I'm supposed to be and what I'm supposed to be doing with this mark that's already on my flank!"

"...You sure about that?" Scootaloo asked, neither of the three fillies or Sora convinced that Diamond Tiara knew at all.

She made a weird face as she leered at them with a scoff. "That's a weird question."

"Not after what we heard and saw yesterday," Apple Bloom said.

Diamond glared at them as they had been spying on her after she ran from school yesterday. "Were you trying to get a cutie mark in spying!? Is that on your stupid chart!?"

"Diamond Tiara, they were with me when we tried to find you," Sora said. "All four of us saw what happened when your mom yelled at you after the election and losing your friendship with Silver Spoon, not just me."

The pink filly's expression quickly changed as she was reminded about what happened yesterday. She looked like she was about to cry again, holding back her emotions in front of the Crusaders, but failing miserably as her lower lip quivered.

"We know ya want to change," Apple Bloom said. "And Ah think that all of us can-"

"HEEEEEEELP!" Outside the clubhouse, they heard that all familiar cry for help from Pipsqueak yet again as the colt barged in yet again. "Cutie Mark Crusaders! I was at the school board meeting and they didn't approve my request for the new playground equipment!"

"Why not?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"There's no money in the budget!" Pipsqueak exclaimed.

"Oh, gee. I wonder where all that money was put into," Sora sarcastically stated, knowing full well who's bright idea it was to embezzle that money for a certain daughter of hers in a stone statue of her child.

I checked my Peggy bank to see if I had enough bits,-" The little colt pulled out a piggy bank and dumped its contents out, which didn't really have much money in it aside from a piece of candy and some lint and dust that got inside it. "-but my little Peggy wasn't nearly full enough."

Hearing the unfortunate news, Diamond Tiara grinned as an opportunity to be student pony president again and be forgiven by her mother came to her on a silver platter. Sora looked at the filly while the Crusaders assured Pipsqueak they'll find a way to get some more funds to use for the playground equipment before he left to tell their classmates. He did not like that grin on her face, the old Diamond Tiara coming back out as she had that glint in her eye.

"Diamond," Sora warned nervously.

"Well, this just got interesting," the filly said. "Our new student pony president is going to get kicked out of office for not fulfilling his promise. Which means I'll be reinstated."

"Diamond Tiara, don't even think about it!" It was too late as Diamond ran down the ramp and began heading out into Ponyville. Just before they could chase after her, Heartless appeared before them, barring their path as Digger Moles and Creeper Plants popped out of the ground. Sora groaned in irritation as they would appear at a worst possible time. Summoning his Keyblade, he cast Stopga on them, freezing them in time to keep the Crusaders safe. "Girls, stop her! I'll catch up after I get rid of these Heartless!"

"That's still so awesome, even after the first time I saw that!" Scootaloo said excitedly, only to be dragged by the tail by Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom.

"Come on, Scoots!" Apple Bloom reminded the pegasus filly, music building up yet again, this time suited for a frantic rush as the Crusaders ran after Diamond Tiara.

"What is it with all the songs?" Sora questioned himself. "I know this is a thing around this world, but that's the fourth one in just two days." Before he pondered what was happening, he didn't have much time to think as the powerful Stop spell was about to run out. "Urgh. Ask later, kill now!"

While they were still frozen in time, Sora quickly slashed through the Heartless before they could move again, stunning them as they finally felt the attacks connecting them, destroying the Digger Moles since they were weaker than the Creeper Plants. He could hear the Diamond Tiara sing as she ran as he easily avoided the seeds the flora Heartless kept shooting him with.

[Diamond Tiara]
Cutie Mark Crusaders, get out of my way
Those ponies need to know the truth
And they'll hear it from me

"Ok, I need to prune you giant weeds! I don't have time for this!" Sora cast Firaga, sending the flames around himself to burn nearby Creeper Plants, then shot them as fireballs to any of them further away from him. Once they were all burnt into smoke with hearts flying out of them, he hurried after the fillies after making sure no more would spring up and attack the farmhouse. "Come on, girls, catch up to her!"

[Cutie Mark Crusaders]
Stop! Diamond Tiara, this is not the way
You know you're better than this hostility

He finally caught up with them, watching as Diamond Tiara tipped over someone's cart of apples, making Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo trip over them. Sora quickly helped them up, avoiding the strange looks the other ponies were giving at them and Diamond Tiara, the Crusaders taking the low ground while he leapt onto the rooftops.

[Diamond Tiara]
You don't even know me at all
Don't understand the meaning of my fall
What my family would think if I ever
Fail at anything

I'm a diamond - that means you'll never break
No matter what be the cost of the path I take
Whatever I have to do to win in the end

Sora had no idea what was going on in this filly's head, but he wasn't going to let her go back to being the spoiled rich filly she once knew her as. She wanted to change, but her desperation to feel important was sending her back on that dark road she didn't want to go down anymore, and he wasn't going to let it happen. Jumping off the roof of a building as she ran through an alley, he landed in her path.

[Sora]
Stop! This is not the answer

Diamond ran between his legs, barely catching her as she ran down the road. Luckily, the Crusaders caught up and blocked her.

[Cutie Mark Crusaders]
Wait! And it's plainly seen

She ran around to another road to reach the school, Sora blocking the way this time while the Crusaders chased after her, managing to slip by the stallion again and make a break for it.

[Cutie Mark Crusaders and Sora]
Listen! You can redeem yourself
But by helping others, not by being mean

Sora picked up the three fillies in his forelegs, flapping his wings as he moved ahead, flying backwards as the quartet continued singing.

We know you want friends who admire you
You want to be the star with all the power too
But there's a better way, there's a better wa-a-ay

There's so much more still left to
Learn about yourself
See the light that shines in you
We know you can be somepony else

Diamond Tiara began to feel conflicted as Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Sora believed that she can change and be a different pony. She looked at her cutie mark, still running, her questions in her head over what she was meant to do still unanswered. Sora flew ahead to a branching pathway, one leading down to the school while the other lead to a gazebo, both paths metaphorically signifying the light and dark paths Diamond will decide to take.

You can stop right now
And try another start
You'll finally free yourself from the dark
And see the light
And see the light of your cutie mark

The filly looked between both paths, the school seemingly dark in her eyes while the gazebo was pleasant and bright. These four ponies trusted her to make the right decision to be better than she had been in the past, given a second chance after teasing the Crusaders and despising Sora for protecting them from her. As she got closer to the paths, she had no idea which one to choose. She could let Pipsqueak continue running and make amends with everyone she had hurt, including her best friend, but at the cost of feeling like a failure to her parents, mostly her mother. Or she could continue being the bully she was and get what she wanted, but with no friends who will support her as she is praised by her mother for being above her lower class peers.

It was an impossible choice, but she made her decision. She ran past Sora and the Cutie Mark Crusaders, heading straight to the school to their horror and disappointment. They quickly chased after her, the music coming to an end as Diamond Tiara reached the schoolyard, where Pipsqueak was talking to Cheerliee and his classmates about raising money for their new equipment.

"Everypony, I have an announcement to make!" she said, but Sora leapt in front of her, startling the filly.

"Diamond Tiara, stop!" he said, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo catching up as they ran up to her.

"Think about what you're doin'!" Apple Bloom pleaded.

"You can be a better pony!" Scootaloo added.

"Get out of my way!" Diamond Tiara demanded, trying to get past Sora again, but he wasn't going to let her another step closer to the confused colts, fillies, and their teacher.

"You don't want to do this. I know you don't want to go back to your old ways, but if you do this, you're going to regret it for the rest of your life." Sora lowered himself down on his stomach, holding his forehooves together as he was practically begging Diamond Tiara at this point. "Please, Diamond Tiara, don't ruin this chance to redeem yourself. Not just for me, for the Crusaders, or for your classmates, but for yourself, too."

"Diamond Tiara!" Stepping out from the school, Diamond winced as she looked around Sora, knowing who was calling her. Everyone else looked to see Spoiled Rich, apparently finished with an important meeting she had with the school board. She leered at her daughter, then at the stallion and cutie-markless fillies trying to stop her. "I just happened to be here for the school board meeting, and this is what I see when we adjourn? My daughter associating with confused, insignificant lowlifes and a delinquent vigilante?"

Sora stood up and turned to glare angrily at Spoiled Rich, unable to believe someone who calls the shots for the school system in Ponyville just called his three little sisters insignificant lowlifes. "What did you call them!? If you want to throw insults, lady, throw them at me! What kind of school board president are you if you talk down to kids like that!?"

"If they are still blank flanks at the age they are now, then what point is there socializing in something that has no talent to even show?" the mare questioned, making Sora's blood boil, but he stilled his hoof and Keyblade because he knows better than to hurt a woman, unless they're as cruel as Maleficent, then that's an exception. "Those of our noble stature do not associate with those lesser than us."

"By what? Money? Popularity? It sure isn't respect, and you fail to show any of it to everyone around you!" Spoiled Rich lifted her hoof up and swung it at Sora in offense, but the stallion grabbed her foreleg, keeping a firm grip while slightly twisting it, making the mare wince and nearly buckle over in pain.

"L-Let go of my hoof!" she demanded. "You are going to hear from the guards about this, you rogue!" Sora continued glaring at Spoiled Rich, not even concerned with having the guards called in to arrest him. Simply explaining what happened to Celestia would get him off the hook just like before, or even any of the guards who recognized him from the murals in the castle's stain-glass windows or knew him personally. He scoffed and swatted the mare's hoof away, making her stagger with an irritated huff. "See, Diamond Tiara? Associating with THIS kind of ruffian and those three worthless fillies won't move you up in Equestria! Come, we're going home!"

"You do realize you just insulted them again, and there is an adult witness who heard you this whole time, right, Spoiled 'Rotten'?" Sora said as the mare passed him, swatting him in the face with her tail in disdain.

"I said let's go, Diamond Tiara!" Spoiled Rich said.

Diamond Tiara was really shocked at how her mother treated the Crusaders and Sora. She finally saw the outcome of her life if she did everything her mother told her to, and she didn't want that. She stood defiantly, no longer worried about trying to earn her praise anymore if it meant turning into a heartless mare if she got older.

"No, mother!" she said, surprising Spoiled Rich as she turned to leer at her daughter.

"Excuse me!?" Spoiled Rich questioned.

"I said no!" Diamond said. "You spent your life acting like a high horse and raised me to follow in your hoofsteps! At first I thought it was fine, but I now realized I wanted something you will never have; friends!"

Spoiled Rich's jaw dropped at Diamond Tiara's defiance, surprising everyone else as they all gasped. "T-That's enough, Diamond Tiara! Step away from those-!"

"Don't call them that!" Diamond interrupted. "They're the Cutie Mark Crusaders, and they're my friends!"

"We are?" Scootaloo asked, earning a hard nudge in the side by Apple Bloom.

"You need to quit calling everyone such mean and hurtful names!" the filly continued berating her mother, who was utterly speechless in embarrassment as she was being talked down to by her own foal. "They're lucky to not have their cutie marks yet, and they've worked harder to find what their true talents are...unlike me. Whatever they'll get, it'll be far better than mine, or even yours. All of us were blank flanks once, and we don't know what our cutie marks will be, or what they truly say what our talent really is. So, whatever path you're leading me down by my hoof, I'm not following it anymore and taking my own path; a brighter path for my future as a Rich, where yours is a dreary, dark road that'll only make me miserable and alone, like you!"

All jaws dropped this time as Spoiled Rich grimaced, her face expression just how much truth her daughter's words stung. Sora, however smirked at the irony, proud of Diamond Tiara for sticking up for herself and telling her mother off. The rich mare noticed his grin, leering at him as she marched up to him.

"What nonsense did you tell her to say to me that you couldn't, you immature welp!?" she exclaimed.

"I actually helped your daughter in her time of misery," Sora answered, keeping his grin, knowing if she tried to attack him again, he would just block her. "As much as I gave her grief, I got to know the real Diamond Tiara under that bully persona you made her create. Better to be rich with friendship and love than bits and pointless possessions that mean absolutely nothing. Like a statue of your daughter for a school that really needed a new playground? Was that really Diamond's idea, or was it yours because you grew up with nothing and rode on your husband's coattails of success, making her do what you wanted to live out your wants in your childhood?" Despite Sora's guesses, he was apparently right as Spoiled Rich's glare faded into nervousness, backing away with a despondent look as she looked away from him. "No retort? At least you know when to give up."

Diamond was a little surprised with Sora's words, which seemed true by her mother's reaction, but she recovered from it as she approached the shocked mare. "Mother, will you please deliver this to father?" she asked as she pulled out a note. Spoiled Rich looked around at the several witnesses who saw the embarrassing display, only able to grin nervously and take the note, making her way back to town in defeat and humility. Diamond Tiara looked up at Sora as soon as her mother left. "I don't think my mom's going to stay as president of the school board after that, is she?"

"After all that? I doubt she'll have a job involving schools ever again," Sora said. "Maybe she'll finally shut her mouth and think twice before insulting someone 'lower than her social standing'."

Diamond Tiara nodded, hoping that was the best so she wouldn't be overly pressured again. "I have to thank you, Sora, and Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo. I know I gave you all a lot of trouble, but that's the old me. And, now I think I know what my cutie mark means."

"Oh, really? What's that?" Apple Bloom asked.

"I know it had to do with getting other ponies to do what I want." The Cruasders and Sora gave Diamond Tiara and odd look at her answer. "Not as a bully. As somepony who encourages them to do something for something to help." She looked over to her classmates, finding Silver Spoon in the group of foals. She had one more pony to apologize to, slowly walking over to her friend. "Silver Spoon, I'm sorry about yesterday..." Silver didn't say anything, keeping her eyes lowered to the ground. Diamond sighed, pawing at the ground with her hoof. "I didn't know I made you feel that way while we were...picking on everypony...I didn't mean what I said, either. I just hope you can forgive me..."

The grayish-silver filly slowly looked up at her friend, seeing the sad gaze in her eyes pleading for her forgiveness. "...At my birthday party, when we first met...Why didn't you play with my toys with the other foals who were at my home that day? Why did you talk to me?"

"Because you were alone, and I thought we could be best friends," Diamond answered with no hesitation. "Everypony else ignored you, you were upset, and no one paid attention to you. I did, so I introduced myself, and we were the only ones playing together and really celebrated who was important that day; you."

Silver Spoon's eyes welled up with tears, finding the Diamond Tiara she knew was really back. She smiled and held out her hoof.

"Bump?" she said, starting their familiar friendship hoofshake, which made Diamond's eyes watery as she bumped her hoof with her best friend's.

"Bump," Diamond said, bumping hooves again and continued their hoofshake.

"Sugar lump, rump," they both said, bumping their flanks together to end it before hugging each other, tears streaming down both their faces in joy as their friendship was amended.

It was odd for the other ponies to see Diamond Tiara so emotional, but it was a good oddness that they hoped would stay forever. Sora was glad she fixed her relationship with Silver Spoon, bringing back memories of his childhood with Riku and their friendship resolved after all the drama they were involved in. The two friends broke the hug, wiping away their tears before Diamond Tiara turned to face everyone.

"There's going to be some good news, everypony," Diamond announced. "That note I gave my mother was for my father, and I asked him if he could donate the money for the new playground equipment!" The foals were surprised at the news, which turned into excited chatter as they would all get their new playground like Pipsqueak had promised for his campaign. Diamond approached the student pony president, wincing a little on instinct as he expected her to poke fun at him, but that wasn't the case with the new Diamond Tiara, cheerful music playing in the air as it sounded like a reprised version of her depressing song from yesterday. "I knew you were worried for a second there, weren't you? Ha! Well, I think it's going to work out just fine, Mister President!"

[Diamond Tiara]
We'll build a playground
For all of us to enjoy
So full of games
There's enough for each girl and boy

I want to help and do
Everything that I can
I'm here to show you a change
Listen up, here's the plan

It didn't take long for the new playground equipment to be delivered to the school as a unicorn stallion for the delivery service levitated several large boxes and crates, Diamond Tiara guiding him over to where to place them. "Over here! That's right, keep it coming!" Once the crates were set down, he made his leave while the foals worked together to get rid of the old, ruined playground sets. Some of them had a difficult time trying to move them on their own while Sora was busy unstacking the crates, which meant finding some ponies who were perfect for getting the equipment moved out of the way. She spotted the filly with the incredible strength, who seemed a bit nervous when she looked at her. "Hey, you with the amazing strength, can you help move that merry-go-round across the yard?" The super-strong filly hesitated at first, but she went over and easily lifted the heavy, spinning disc with bars, carrying it off on her head. "Thank you so much!

"And you, with the super teeth." Diamond looked over at the colt with the big set of chompers, quickly covering his mouth in embarrassment as the former bully called him. "We need you to help with that old teeter-totter." He turned to where the see-saw was, one of their classmates struggling to move the old, wobbly playground set. The colt ran up to help, grabbing the see-saw with his massive jaws and easily lifted it up, carrying it and the other foal out of the way. "You've got it! That's the spirit!" Diamond Tiara praised.

There's so much I can do
To help everypony else
I see the light that shines in me
I know I can be my better self

Once all the new equipment was taken out of the box and the old ones were thrown out, everyone worked together to build the new playground. As Diamond Tiara sang, her cutie mark began glowing a little, as if she had come to light with her true talents her mark represented, even helping her fellow classmates with some of the work as well.

I can free the past
'Cause now the future's bright for me
My cutie mark will set me free
To do what's right and be the pony I want to be

And be the pony I want to be!

After a couple hours, even getting assistance from Sora and Cheerilee to help put the pieces together, the Ponyville schoolhouse had a brand new playground for the foals to play on for recess. Diamond Tiara had been redeemed as the terrible bully she had become, now surrounded by friends as she was looked upon with the respect she wanted in the right ways, unlike her mother. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo were proud to have helped her, even if they were her main targets to pick on before her redemption. Sora was as well as he sat beside the Crusaders.

"You know, girls? It's kind of funny," he said, all three fillies looking at him curiously. "If Diamond Tiara didn't pick on you three, you wouldn't have become friends and created the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Now you helped her with her problems, and she's now a better pony."

"Huh. I guess that is pretty funny," Sweetie Belle said. "We should probably thank her."

"And ya know what? Ah've been thinkin' about somethin'," Apple Bloom said. "We spent an awful lot of time fussin' and frettin' tryin' to find our true talents. But when we take some time off from all that, we end up helpin' other ponies figure out their talents."

"You mean like what you three did for Troubleshoes during that whole fiasco with the rodeos getting cancelled because of his fumbling?" Sora asked, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo agreeing with the earth pony filly with a grin.

"Yeah, and that's more important than worrying about our cutie marks, right?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Absolutely!" Scootaloo exclaimed, fluttering her wings excitedly. "I don't care if I ever get my cutie mark as long as I get to hang out with my best friends."

As the trio hugged, Sora was quite surprised by the sudden maturity they had. Even though they had worried about what their cutie marks would be and what talents they were best at, he was glad they weren't going to have a panic attack unlike what happened when they learned Babs Seed got her cutie mark.

"Well, I think that's a pretty good idea," Sora said. "Maybe while helping someone, you can find your true talents. After how many opportunities there were that slipped right under your noses."

"What was that, Sora?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Oh, nothing," the stallion said nonchalantly, pulling the Crusaders into his forelegs and hugged them. "So, Cutie Mark Crusaders, are you three willing to focus on helping everyone else find their cutie marks, flanks bare or no?"

"Yeah!" the fillies cheered as they bumped hooves.

Suddenly, a flash of light shone around their hooves, magic slowly swirling around the Crusaders. Sora dropped them in surprise as the magical energy moved faster, glowing brighter as Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo hovered in the air.

"Whoa! What is going on!?" Sora asked, grunting and shielding his eyes as his little sisters were engulfed in a bright light. The light alerted the foals and Cheerilee, squinting their eyes while trying to look at what was happening. It finally faded away as the Crusaders slowly hovered back down to the ground, the magical light lingering on their flanks for a moment before finally dimming. Sora peeked through his hooves, thankful to see them and not a circle of scorched grass where they stood. "Girls, are you ok? What was-?"

When he got a good look at them, his jaw practically hit the floor with a big gasp. He was shocked at what he saw as the Crusaders were slightly dazed from the unexpected magical surge that affected them. Once their heads were cleared, they looked up at Sora to see if he knew what happened, but the shocked expression on his face as he stared at them worried them.

"What happened?" Apple Bloom asked, only to receive speechless silence as his eyes were glued not to their eyes, but to their flanks. "Sora, you're freakin' us out. Did ya do somethin' to us on accident?"

The stallion managed to find his voice, but it only came out in cracky squeaks, slowly lifting a shaking hoof at them. The fillies heard their classmates express their awe for Sora, quite as surprised as he was but were more vocal.

"What's going on?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"It's your cutie marks!" Diamond Tiara said, making the Crusaders' eyes widen. "They're amazing!"

Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo looked down at their flanks, all three of them gasping simultaneously. No longer blank flanks, all three of them had their cutie marks, and they were exactly the same; a red, light pink, and purple striped shield, the only difference between them was what rested in the center of that shield. Apple Bloom's had a dark purple apple with a light pink heart inside, Sweetie Belle's a purple star with a light pink music note inside, and Scootaloo's a purple wing with a light pink lightning bolt inside. They couldn't believe their eyes. They knew they weren't dreaming this time, but if they were, they never wanted to wake up, all three of them squealing excitedly as they bounced up and down.

"WE ALL GOT THE SAME CUTIE MARKS!" the Crusaders exclaimed to the world. "CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS FOREVER!!!!"

Sora smacked himself hard in the face, waking himself up from his stupor. Now that his head was cleared, he still couldn't believe his eyes, seeing the shield cutie marks they now had. He expected them to have something related to something they loved doing, and his expectations were not the results he thought they would be. It turned out crusading for cutie marks was their true calling, not just in finding their own, but also helping those who didn't know what their true talents were with the mark they have and maybe helping find theirs if they can't find a talent. Regardless, he was proud of them, ignoring another reprised song as his grin widened with tears of joy welling in his eyes.

[Cutie Mark Crusaders]
We've been searching for our cutie marks
For a while there
Trying to find out how we fit in

So many ways we've tried before
But we kept on trying more
'Cause the Cutie Mark Crusaders don't give in

"I can't believe this is happening!" Sora said excitedly. "I gotta tell the girls! Pinkie needs to throw a party! I need to tell everyone!"

He sped off to tell the whole town about the news, knowing Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash would probably faint from excitement when they hear their little sisters finally got their cutie marks. The Crusaders began making their way into Ponyville as well to show everypony, their class following after them to celebrate along with them.

[Scootaloo]
Now we know what it took all along

[Sweetie Belle]
And our journey here is never really done

[Apple Bloom]
For it is more than just a mark
It's a place for us to start

[Cutie Mark Crusaders]
An adventure that has only just begun

We'll make our mark
Show the world what we can do
We'll make our mark
Helping fillies to break through
To the ultimate reward of a cutie mark

Sora had spread the word fast, mostly screaming at the top of his lungs as he flew around trying to find his friends first to tell the good news, everyone noticing the new marks on the three fillies. Pinkie was already prepared to throw them a big cute-ceañera for them, clearly knowing something amazing was bound to happen today as she set up the party around Sugarcube Corner.

"Alright, everypony! Get ready for the biggest cute-ceañera celebration ever!" Pinkie announced, firing off her party cannon and showering everyone with a blast of confetti.

"So, this is what a cute-ceañera party is supposed to be?" Riku asked, feeling slightly annoyed when Sora rammed into him and spouted random words before flying off to find the others earlier. "Weird how they celebrate getting a permanent mark on their butts, but whatever."

"I'm so happy for them!" Sora cried, grabbing Riku and hugged him tightly as he bawled in joy.

"Sora, get off me!" Riku managed to pry himself out of his friend's grip, pushing him over to Kairi. "And crush Kairi in your crying death hugs. Quit using me as your squeeze dummy."

While the party was underway, Applejack looked at her little sister with pride with Granny Smith and Big Macintosh, all three of them with tears in their eyes. "Oh, sugarcube, if mom and dad were here, they'd be so proud of you."

"Thanks, Applejack," Apple Bloom said, wishing their parents were here to see this moment, but she knew they would have been happy for her.

"Now, go on and party with your pals," Applejack said, gently pushing her little sister forward after hugging her.

While Apple Bloom headed over to her friends to celebrate, the song kept going, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle getting praise from their own older sister/sister figure.

[Rainbow Dash]
I'm so proud of you, little buddy
You've taught me a thing or two

Rainbow ruffled Scootaloo's head and gave her a hoofbump before the pegasus filly joined Apple Bloom while Rarity held her sister's hooves while expressing how proud she was for her.

[Rarity]
You've inspired everypony around you
And you've inspired me too

[Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity]
You've made your mark
Done Equestria so proud
You've made your mark
And we're here to sing it loud
For the ultimate reward of your cutie mark

Everyone had a great time during the cute-ceañera, though it was always a blast when the party was hosted by Pinkie Pie. Tons of delicious treats were eaten as fun games were played, celebrating the Crusaders earning their cutie marks, and at the same time, too. It wasn't as grand as how Twilight, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Fluttershy got theirs on the exact same day after Rainbow's sonic rainboom, but they weren't together when they discovered theirs.

Sora approached Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo as they took a little break from celebrating, hugging all three fillies before putting them back down. "So, you finally got your cutie marks. Was it all worth the anxious waiting?"

"Yeah!" Apple Bloom cheered.

"I can't wait to see who we'll help next!" Sweetie Belle added.

[Cutie Mark Crusaders]
We started out just three
Crusaders driven to see
What we find in our hearts
Discover our destiny

And here we are, best friends
About to start it again
An adventure that never will end

We'll make our mark
Helping fillies most in need
We'll make our mark
So each one of them succeeds
'Cause the ultimate reward is a cutie mark!

The cute-ceañera began to wind down as the sun was about to set. Everyone else headed home, but the Crusaders, their classmates, Cheerilee, Spike, the Mane Six, and Keyblade wielders headed for the Cutie Mark Crusaders' clubhouse to take a picture to commemorate this special day. As everyone got into place, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo making sure their cutie marks were in plain view for the camera, Sora set the timer and flew in with everyone. The camera clicked and took the picture of the large group. Twilight developed the photo and made a copy, wanting to send one to Celestia and show her the most exciting moment that had happened today along with a letter of what had happened, Spike sending it through his usual dragon fire as it burned away into magical smoke and floated off to Canterlot Castle.


Celestia breathed a sigh of relief as day court had finally come to an end, lowering the sun as Luna rose the moon. She had also gotten a surprise scroll via dragon fire from Twilight, now free to read whatever she wrote as soon as she made it back to her bedroom to relax. Even though she perfected having a stoic look when addressing the issues of her subjects, it was still a struggle not to lose her cool when some of the nobles come in arguing over land they own or whining about trivial matters that weren't really problems and just a minor nuisance. It was like they were still five years old fighting with another over a toy they wanted, only a lot worse and could escalate to violence to get what they desire. At least she managed to settle them before they senselessly beat each other up.

"Another dreadful day of leading our subjects, sister?" Luna asked as Celestia turned a corner of the hall to her chambers.

"You have no idea," Celestia said with an annoyed sigh. "It's like babysitting a thousand foals, and you can't be in two places at once to keep them all satisfied."

Luna chuckled as she nodded in agreement. "Enjoy your rest, Tia. I probably won't suffer as much as you had today, but I might be a little bored."

"You probably won't be in the dream realm with Sombra, though, right?" Celestia asked with a sly grin.

Luna blushed, scrunching her muzzle in embarrassment as she glowered at her older sibling. Celestia left with a laugh while Luna made her way to the throne room. Luna had told Celestia her issues since her return after the Tantabus incident, which was what the Princess of the Sun had expected. What she didn't expect was Sombra still being alive, but as a Dream Eater Spirit, and being Luna's Dream Eater as part of his light was in his her wedding ring. She was glad to see her sister feeling better and with her fiancé again, if only in the dream world. They have a lot of catching up to do, and she knows there might be a night where Luna won't have much to do in the castle or in other ponies' dreams and she might spend the evening with Sombra.

Now in the privacy of her bedroom, Celestia took off her regalia and made her way over to the magical mirror that communicates with Yen Sid. She hadn't spoken with him in a while and wondered what was going on out in the other worlds she wished to see for herself. It was too bad her royal duties kept her here in Canterlot, or elsewhere in her kingdom if there were events scheduled for her to make an appearance. The mirror lit up as she saw the inside of the wizard's study, finding Yen Sid looking through a few of his books on the shelves. He knew she was there as he heard the mirror, looking over and grinning at the alicorn.

"Done with your subjects already?" he asked as he approached the mirror. "Didn't realize it was that late."

"Hard to tell with the twilight sky out beyond the windows of your tower," Celestia retorted. "But yes, I'm finally free. And I'm willing to see what Twilight has sent me." She finally opened the scroll, revealing the small letter from her fellow princess and a photo of the event that happened today. She smiled as the three fillies in front of everyone showed their cutie marks they earned. "Well, looks like those three have finally found their true talents after all. They caused a lot of mischief trying to find what they're good at, but like every foal, that talent's always found right under their noses."

She then flipped the photo around for Yen Sid to see. "It is quite odd to see the others as ponies. I guess if I were there for a visit, I would probably be a unicorn, seeing as Aqua and Kairi are both unicorns due to their prowess in magic." Celestia began imagining what the wizard would look like as a pony. She guessed she would probably look like Star Swirl the Bearded, only if her mentor back then had a normal gray beard and less stars and bells on his robe and hat. "Maybe I should visit one day if I don't have much to do."

"You could probably use a vacation from all the hard work you do to train future Keyblade Masters," Celestia said, levitating the picture away and saving it to look back on.

Yen Sid nodded, but there was no rest when it came to protecting the worlds from darkness. He looked down at one of the books he brought over with him, which happened to be the lore of the Keyblade War that didn't hold much detail on what happened before it started. His expression grew serious, using his magic to levitate one of the chairs over to him, sitting down while facing the mirror.

"Celestia, I need to ask you something," he said.

"What is it?" Celestia asked, curious to know what the old wizard was thinking about.

"I have told you of a few things about the Keyblade in the past, including a world called the Keyblade Graveyard and the gruesome end of the Keyblade War, correct?" The alicorn nodded her head. "...Being over a thousand years old, was there any possibility that you might have seen anyone odd back then? All I know about the war was that it started many years ago, yet the actual date of when it began eludes me and who had sparked the battle between light and darkness."

"...Sadly, I don't know," Celestia admitted, though there was something that had happened involving a Keyblade wielder and Sombra, but that wasn't known until she and Luna read of the mysterious figure in his journal. "...There was something that had happened to Sombra, a stallion who Luna loved a thousand years ago."

"I see...What happened?" Yen Sid asked.

"By some unknown cause, Sombra had turned to use a terrible dark power that nearly destroyed the Crystal Empire, and all of Equestria if Luna and I didn't stop him," the alicorn explained. "We banished him to the shadows, which was a terrible idea as he returned a thousand years later, far stronger than when we last saw him. Sora, Twilight, and the others had managed to stop him with the power of the Crystal Heart, but his heart and body faded away, his heart too corrupted by darkness to save him as the light destroyed him...It we devastating for my sister when she realized what we did to save Equestria doomed him...This may be a bit hard to believe, but he's still alive, only as a Dream Eater in the dream realm."

"Reincarnated as a Dream Eater?" Yen Sid asked curiously. "How was that possible?"

"Luna said something about a piece of his light rested inside the engagement ring he planned to give her when he was going to propose to her before his tyrannic reign." Yen Sid hummed in thought, finding the outcome possible as all hearts had a light deep down inside of them, even if they've been corrupted by darkness for all eternity. He kept silent as he let Celestia continue. "I don't really know how it's possible, but it has to be some kind of miracle...Anyway, when Sora brought back Sombra's journal, his final entry explained how he became the monster everypony feared him as. A mysterious black-cloaked figure with a key-shaped sword convinced him his powers could help him with Luna's problems she faced with being ignored by her subjects, only to be tricked and given the power of darkness that ended up turning him into the monster that controlled him."

The wizard's eyes widened, surprised to hear the outcome of Sombra's turn to the darkness. The black cloaks Organization XIII used had probably been worn many years ago by wielders who used the power of darkness, but there's not enough evidence to make that theory true. And since the wielder was veiled, there was no telling who it could be; certainly not Xehanort, even if he were able to travel back to that time to cause trouble or recruit a seed of darkness, but none of the other members chosen as those seeds were a pony anyway.

"...Was there a description of what the Keyblade looked like?" Yen Sid asked. "Or can you talk to Sombra and ask him what he saw?"

"No, all we knew was that it was somepony with a Keyblade," Celestia said. "And, I'm not exactly savvy with traveling through dreams like my sister. I'll have to ask her to ask Sombra for me if he remembers."

"And there was nothing else aside from the information you had only recently discovered a while back?" Celestia shook her head, having no other knowledge about other worlds outside her own until she first met the old wizard. Yen Sid expected as much, flipping through the pages of the Keyblade War as if hoping for more answers as to what history has left out for him. "...So many questions. What truly sparked the conflict between light and darkness? Who was truly responsible for starting the war? Why would a Keyblade wielder causing mayhem and bring darkness to a somewhat peaceful world?"

"Do you think this Keyblade wielder who harmed Sombra and brought darkness in his heart could still be alive?" Celestia asked, almost pleading that he or she was no longer around.

"Probably not. Even Xehanort will realize, one day, he will perish. No Keyblade wielder is immortal, even if they try to take control of another's with their heart sacrificed from their true bodies and merging with their host's." Yen Sid closed the book and stood up. "I will need to research this further with whatever I have in my possession, and anything that could be scattered in other worlds. For now, I think you should get some rest,
Celestia, and leave those worries about this dark Keyblade wielder out of your mind. Xehanort is our top priority right now, and rest assured, he will meet his end for us all to have a moment's peace from the threat of darkness."

"I'll try...and I hope you're right." The mirror flashed for a moment before dimming away, turning back into a normal mirror.

Celestia sighed, praying that no more darkness comes to harm her subjects or destroy their world. She believes Sora and his friends can handle what comes their way. She walked over to her bed to get some rest, knowing she had a lot to do tomorrow, reminding herself to talk to Luna about Sombra and what the mysterious figure's Keyblade was from back then. It was going to be a restless night, probably just as worse as when she lost her sister after banishing her while she was Nightmare Moon.

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