And For You, Only You, I Would Give Anything
The school’s bell rang announcing the end of school for that day. Foals happily ran from the school building to the freedom that the rest of the day had for them.
One of those foals was Diamond Tiara who walked alongside her coltfriend Snails, a big smile on her face as she listened to one of his jokes.
“What's the friendliest school? Hi school!”
“Hahahaha, that’s terrible.”
“I know! That’s why it’s so great!”
“So, what do you want to do today? Hang around on Sugarcube Corner? Watch a movie? Play around in our special place?”
“Sorry, Dia, but I can’t. I have… relatives at my house, and I haven’t see them in a long time so I can’t be with you today. Sorry.”
“Relatives? That’s cool, I can go and meet them. I haven’t meet anyone from your family outside of your mom and dad.”
“Hum… sorry, but… this is going to be like… a personal family reunion. So you can’t go.”
“Oh… okay,” Diamond Tiara said, crestfallen.
“What’s wrong Diamond Tiara? Not even your coltfriend wants to spend time with you?”
Diamond Tiara turned around to see the Apple Bloom giving her a defiant smile while Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo laughed at her side.
She glared at the three for a moment and then opened her mouth, ready to send a powerful retort to them. But before she could do so, she remembered who was standing behind her and immediately closed her mouth.
“Fine,” Diamond Tiara said letting out a deep sigh. “See you tomorrow then?” she asked, turning to Snails.
“Yes! Tomorrow!” Snails said with a big smile before giving a peck on Diamond’s cheek and trotting away.
That simple gesture caused a small smile to from Diamond Tiara’s face and a faint blush to color her cheeks. She closed her eyes to appreciate the moment a bit longer, to better feel the warm that filled her heart and soul.
The moment was cut short however when once again Apple Bloom tried to irritate her.
“What’s wrong Diamond Tiara? Cat got your tongue? Or should I say… ‘Snail?'” Apple Bloom looked at her friends to see their reactions. But instead of snickers or laughter she got a nod of shame from Sweetie Belle and a ‘eh’ from Scootaloo.
Meanwhile, Diamond Tiara glared at the trio with the intensity of a thousand, white suns, she clenched her teeth in an attempt to hold back the comments she wanted to unleash upon them. But instead she let out a deep sigh. No.
Turning away from the trio, Diamond Tiara walked down the dusty road to her home with only her thoughts to make her company.
Stupid Apple Bloom. Who she thinks she is making fun of me like that? Oh how I wish I could say one thing or two to her!
But Snails wouldn’t like that, would he?
Speaking of that, what’s up with Snails these days? He never has time for me anymore always busy with ‘something’ else, and every time I ask to help he says he doesn't need me… Almost as if he was hiding something.
Nah, that’s impossible! As if he could do something like that. Right?
Diamond Tiara turned around and stared down at the path to Ponyville. After what felt like an eternity to her, she made her decision and walked to the town.
Her first stop was Snails’ home, using the building and alleys she secretly moved through town on the way there, all to keep herself from accidently bumping into Snails.
When she arrived at Snails’ house, she carefully moved around it, looking through the windows of the house in search of Snails or any sort of pony that isn’t his mom and dad. First, she looked at the living room which had no one in it, then she moved to the dining room where she found Snails’ dad and mom enjoying lunch, but still no sign of Snails or any relatives, not even in the kitchen that could be seen behind the dining room. She even looked inside the bathroom and Snails’ parent’s room but they were also empty. Finally she reached Snails’ bedroom, and looking inside she didn’t find a single soul.
He’s nowhere in here. Not in the living room, the dining room, kitchen, not even in his bedroom! And there are no relatives, too. Did… did he really lie to me?
With a shake of her head, Diamond Tiara put those doubtful thoughts away and returned to the mission at hand.
This is not over. I’m going to find him and get to the bottom of this!
Swiftly she moved through the town, using the shadows of the buildings to keep herself hidden. Her eyes scanned every passing pony, every building, in search of Snails.
Now, where could he be?
But it didn’t matter how long and through she searched, there was no sign of Snails.
Come on! He has to be here somewhere!
Then at that moment she finally found him. Snails was leaving the Castle of Harmony, he was carrying something with him but because of the distance Diamond Tiara could not see what exactly that was.
There he is, Diamond thought, a devious smile spreading on her face. Now let’s see where he’s going…
And so Diamond Tiara stalked Snails through the town, keeping herself in shadows and far away from his view. After a few minutes, Snails arrived at his destination: his own home.
What. Why is he back home? And what exactly is he carrying?
Once again she sneaked around the house, keeping herself low as to not be seen by anyone that would look outside of the windows. In no time she made her way to the window outside of Snails’ room.
Carefully, she looked inside the room and she saw Snails constantly walking in circles only stopping momentarily here and there to look at the clock that hung on his wall.
What’s he doing? Is he waiting for someone or something?
At that moment Diamond Tiara got her answer, even if it was one she didn’t want, for Sweetie Belle entered Snails’ bedroom, her arrival putting a big smile on his face, a smile he only had when he was besides Diamond Tiara, and making him dart on Sweetie’s direction like a puppy that missed his owner.
Diamond Tiara stared speechless at the scene, her eyes widen in terror, her ears dropped beside her head, and she slowly backed off from the window, shaking her head in denial as everything became clear.
Diamond Tiara ran. She ran as fast as she could and never looked back. When she arrived at her house she quickly made her way upstairs to her room as to not get any questions from her dad or butler.
With a lifeless dump, Diamond fell to the ground, her legs giving in from all the running. She lay there panting for a moment, but then ground her teeth, her face twisting into a frown as pure, unadulterated rage filled her body whole.
“How dare he! I gave him all my love and attention, my first kiss, and he repays me by lying and getting together with Sweetie Belle of all ponies behind my back! I tolerated and even stopped insulting those dumb blank-flanks or him! Why did he do that to me? Why?”
The fires of rage inside of her burned away leaving only ashes of sadness, the frown dissolved into nothing, and from her eyes fell waterfalls of tears.
“Why…”
Slowly, Diamond Tiara opened her eyes, waking up from her sleep. She looked around and found herself tucked on her bed.
A heavy sigh left her mouth as she got up and clunky made her way downstairs to the dining room for breakfast.
As always, the food was already on the table when Diamond Tiara arrived, but instead of being breakfast it was a full meal.
“Good morning, Diamond! Or should I say good noon. You really slept a lot yesterday,” Filthy Rich exclaimed with a big smile on his face, already halfway done with his food.
“Yeah, good…” she mumbled as she sat on a chair and stared deeply into her food.
“So… care to tell me what happened yesterday? I found you sleeping on the floor, and I can tell you have been crying.”
“I don’t want to talk about it…”
“Come on, Diamond. I’m your dad; if you can’t trust me who can you trust?”
“I think Snails might be cheating on me…” Diamond Tiara mumbled under her breath.
“I’m sorry, what?”
“I think Snails might be cheating on me…” she said a little louder.
“One more time, sweetie.”
“I think Snails might be cheating on me!” Diamond Tiara finally yelled with all the strength she could.
Filthy Rich stared speechless with wide eyes for a second, his mind processing what his daughter just said, and then he burst out laughing.
“What’s so funny?!” Diamond Tiara stared intensely at him, tears slowly forming on her eyes once again, waiting for an answer.
“I’m sorry, dear. But you really believe Snails would cheat on you?”
“I saw him with Sweetie Belle yesterday!”
“Diamond, Snails is a fine and upstanding colt, I can tell just by the way he looks at you that he loves you very much, even more than a colt at his age should, and even more than some stallions and mares love their partner. You know him better than I do, so tell me: would Snails really do such a thing?”
At her father’s word, Diamond Tiara took a moment to think things through.
Dad is right; this isn’t something Snails would do.
But all the evidence points to the other way. Why would he ignore me like that. Lie to me about being busy and then spend time with Sweetie Belle. There has to be another explanation.
So why can’t I think of one.
“Whatever.” Was all that she said before walking to her room and plumping into her bed.
With her hooves Diamond Tiara grabbed a pillow and pressed against her face in an attempt to muffle her cries. Little by little her tears soaked the pillow until it was completely wet.
In the distance she heard a couple of faint sounds. The front door opening, her dad talking to someone, that someone talking back with a voice she was very familiar with, hoofsteps against the house’s floor, slowly getting closer.
When the hoofsteps arrived at her room she immediately sat on her bad, she didn’t even need to look to know that Snails was the one in her bedroom.
“What do you want?” she asked without even looking at him, poison dripping from her voice.
“Well, you didn’t come to school today so I was worried about you. Also, I have a present to give to you!” Snails slowly approached Diamond Tiara and handed her a piece of paper.
Diamond Tiara stared at the piece of paper, first in confusion, but then her confusion turned into rage as she stared at Snails who just smiled at her.
“An A+? An A+?! You ignore me, lie to me, and then calls Sweetie Belle of all ponies to your house! And all you give me is an A+!!”
“How do you know about Sweetie Belle?” Snails asked completely unfazed by Diamond Tiara’s sudden outburst.
“Because I spied on you, numbnuts! And you’re not even trying to hide that you cheated on me!”
“Cheated on you? Dia, you got all wrong!”
“Oh, yeah? Then explain yourself!”
“Well, I’m not the brightest of ponies, or the strongest, or the handsomest. Really, you could have a better coltfriend than me.
So, I decided to change my life, to become your perfect pony.
There isn't much I could do about the strength and handsome part, so I went for the bright part.”
“You going to see Princess Twilight,” she said in a low voice, the fires of rage being put out by the sudden rain of realization.
“I went there to see if she had any books that I could borrow.”
“And Sweetie Belle?”
“She was giving me some private lessons.”
“But why ignore and lie to me?”
“Because I wanted that A+ to be a surprise for you.”
Diamond Tiara looked at the paper in her hoof and then back at Snails, tears once again fell from eyes. But this time they had an entirely different meaning.
“You idiot!” Diamond Tiara cried as she launched herself at Snails, wrapping him on a tender hug. “You didn’t need to do all this! You’re already my perfect pony!”
“You mean it?” Snails asked with tears on his eyes.
Diamond Tiara stared deeply into his eyes and then gave him a wide, sincere smile. “Of course I do, silly.”
Watching everything unfold was Filthy Rich, a smug, victorious smile adorning his face. “Ha! I’m always right!”