Short Shorts

by Coranth

142. Tiara

As Diamond Tiara prepared to hurl her next insult at Scootaloo, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, that was when I stepped in. Scooping Diamond up off the ground - as she struggled and writhed in my arms - I formed a cradle and started to pet the pink Earth Pony filly, ruffling her mane, gently scratching her behind the ears. She resisted of course - all ponies did at first, finding it a little weird that humans did this - but then... Diamond Tiara gradually slumped in my arms, cuddling into me, humming gently as I petted and ruffled her mane. "Mmmh..." she moaned disinterestedly, "... go away blank flanks..."

At that, I tapped her gently on the nose with a finger. "What do we say?" I prompted. Diamond Tiara growled cutely, but I amped up the petting, stroking her mane and scratching her behind the ears harder until she gasped softly and then groaned... "What do we say?" I asked again. "Suh... ss-horrry..." she slurred, practically purring in my arms. As the so-called Cutie Mark Crusaders giggled before turning to walk away, I called to them, "Hey!" When the three turned back to me, I continued, "If she gives you any trouble in the future, let me know, okay?"

They nodded and then ran off to resume their play. Once they were gone, I set a blissfully happy Diamond Tiara on the ground, and watched as she half-walked, half-stumbled off. Over the next several weeks, Diamond Tiara's bullying of the Cutie Mark Crusaders actually got worse, requiring me to calm her through petting each time to avoid an incident. Gradually, I began to cotton on to the fact that she was actually doing it deliberately so that she could experience being petted more and more... Things came to a head on one particularly warm summer night. I'd just settled down to bed with a cup of warm Milo and a favorite book when I became aware of soft hoof-knocking at my cottage door.

Living on the outskirts of Ponyville, though not as close to the Everfree as Fluttershy, I didn't get many visitors - something I preferred as I wasn't a huge fan of crowds - so the sound surprised me. Setting my drink and book down upon the nightstand beside my bed, I went to my front door and opened it carefully. No one appeared to be outside--but then, I felt the gentle tugging of a hoof upon the leg of my pajama pants. I looked down--and then I just blinked for a moment, in shock. There before me stood none other than Diamond Tiara, a slightly worn and frayed though well-cared-for blanket upon her back, and a plush of Shining Armor clutched in one of her forelegs. "Diamond?" I uttered softly. "What are you doing here, sweetie?"

She didn't answer; instead, she just looked up at me with those pony eyes... those damn adorable pony eyes I just couldn't resist. It was half-past eleven at night - far too late to get her back home now - and seeing no other option... "Oh, alright; you can stay with me tonight. I'll speak to your Dad about this in the morning, though. Come on in..." I said. Diamond Tiara didn't hesitate; with blanket on her back and plush in her hoof she smiled - genuinely smiled - up at me as she entered my house and headed for my bedroom. As she did so I made my way into the kitchen and prepared another warm Milo for her. Upon returning to my bedroom - after setting her drink down upon the nightstand next to mine, I settled back into bed and then, leaning down to where little Diamond Tiara stood, I picked her up and brought her - blanket, plush, and all - into bed with me.

As she settled down - her blanket and my duvet wrapped about and covering her - holding her plush and sipping her Milo, I soothingly stroked her mane and soft, silky coat. Soon, she finished her drink and then - after carefully setting her empty cup down on my nightstand - she just looked at me for a moment, staring through me at something, or someone far away. A moment later, however, my heart broke as her expression crumpled. "D-Dh-Daddy..." she stuttered--and then her body shook as she started to cry. These tears she shed weren't the crocodile tears she often used to get out of trouble or to elicit false sympathy; no, these were absolutely, heartrendingly genuine, her cries coming from deep within, from a foal lost and abandoned.

Drawing her into my arms, I rocked her gently and petted her, soothingly stroking her mane and coat. Rather than soothe her, however, this seemed to make her cry even harder. Diamond would cuddle normally with me for a while; then she would wedge her pink muzzle beneath my chin and wail uncontrollably for a few minutes; then, without warning, she would nuzzle me furiously; then she just resumed clinging to me, trembling as though she were dying of cold. Through her tears, words spilled from her lips, heart wrenching and uncontrollable. Oh, the things that poor foal told me...

Of a cruel Mother who desired that she climb the social ladders to become somepony she didn't ever want to be. An absentee-father, lost in work unending; anything to feed his wife's unending greed. Isolation. Loneliness, aside from an aged butler. Being ostracized for having a rich Father, by foals who thought her spoiled when... she really wasn't. Silver Spoon... who wasn't actually her friend; the silver filly hung with her merely because she thought Diamond was 'the popular one.' The fact that Diamond didn't bully the Cutie Mark Crusaders because she hated them; instead she envied them, for they all had parents and friends who loved them.. Sweetie Belle had her sister. Despite claims to the contrary, Scootaloo did indeed have parents, even if they were a bit scatterbrained and away more often than not, carefully monitoring Equestria's clime. Even Apple Bloom had once had parents. Diamond desperately wanted to befriend them, yet the part of her psyche deeply hurt from being ostracized - the part that demanded she be tough; that said she didn't need anyone - wouldn't let her find the right words to say...

Diamond did have parents... But with a Mother who cared only for climbing the social ladder, a Father who cared more for his work than his own daughter, and a family servant whom was only growing older, the poor foal might as well have had none. With the last word fading away on the wind, the poor foal was wrung out; she was done. Gently, I wiped away her tears with my fingers then tucked her into the crook of my arm. "L-Luh-Love you... Daddy..." she whispered as she settled, drifting off to sleep. I watched her for a time - my heart aching with sympathy - as she slept; the sleep of the uneasy, her body still shaking with silent sobs even though she had no more tears to cry... and then, something 'clicked' in my mind. A decision had been made. A smile on my face, I ruffled little Diamond's mane one last time as I drifted off to sleep. Tomorrow I would head to Ponyville's Crystal Castle, to see Twilight Sparkle, and have her write a royal letter to a mare about a foal...

Comments

[Oddboy]

Huh. This actually made me care about Diamond Tiara. Not bad.

[eighter]

ditto oddboy

[Blade Star]

Yes, this is what we like! Do more of this!

[BestinDworld]

who left these onions here?!