> Hearth's Chilling Eve
>  by WritingPony
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> A Kingdom in Peril
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Almost.... almost...!"

She had done this for as long as she could remember, and yet Princess Celestia had still never quite mastered the art of placing the star atop a Hearth’s Warming tree. It was always either lopsided, unstable, or would just somehow look odd.

."..almost.... yes!" she exclaimed, trotting her hoof against the floor as an unspoken hoof-bump to luck... before watching in horror as the hoof-bump caused the star to fall, landing with a clink on the tiled floor of the Throne Room. The star stared back at her, silently mocking her lack of grace. She motioned her magic to pick up the star from the floor, to re-attempt what she was almost convinced was a fluke of luck, when the door at the front of the room opened abruptly. Her eyes immediately caught her somewhat-panicked sister running straight for her. With mere feet to spare, Princess Luna came to a well-controlled stop before her big sister. "Sister! I must speak with you at once!"

"Calm down, my dear Luna. Tell me what it is that has you so flustered."

The slightly-smaller of the two sisters looked away briefly, taking the time to carefully compose her answer, and take in a large breath of air, before turning her gaze direct at her co-ruler, "I had a... a vision. It was... disturbing. Sister, I saw our kingdom fall!"

Her words fell on what can only be described as disbelief, mixed with unassailable confidence that Equestria would endure. "Sister, it was just a dream. I have... had dreams like that sometimes. I know it must have been troubling for you to see, but have faith. Twilight and her friends have done much to protect Equestria, and I am confident that they can meet any challenge the world throws at them."

Princess Luna looked down at the floor, pawing at the shiny, well-polished surface with a hoof, her eyes now avoiding her sister’s gaze, "That was just it, sister... in my vision, her friends were not beside her. I saw her... give her life for us, sister." Her train of thought had been interrupted; she did not want to imagine a world without Twilight Sparkle, and the thought of that alone weighed heavily on her flank, as her eyes once again affixed themselves to her sister’s. “I know this vision will eventually come to pass." Princess Celestia could not help but notice the tears in her sister’s eyes. She approached her darker-skinned sister, and with her neck down, held her in a tight embrace.

It was several minutes before anypony had the constitution to break the reassuring sisterly intimacy, with Princess Celestia making the first move, .".. how do you know these events will play out as you saw."

The words, while entirely expected, still caused Princess Luna to have to think how she’d have to break the news to her. She pulled back from the cuddle, and looked away again, "I, um... I paid a visit to the Undergallery. I was looking forward to seeing my favourite painting, to spend a while basking in it’s magnificence and majesty. On the way out, one of my hoof-shoes dislodged itself, and I was caught off-balance. I... accidentally fell into the stone pedestal."

Her sister sharply recoiled from her, and suddenly looked quite distressed, her left eye visibly twitching as her brain struggled to catch up with the panic further down in her consciousness. “You.. you didn’t..."

"It’s not like I had a choice, sister! I banged my head on the floor in the chaos. When I came to, it was right next to me. I have no idea how that thing is even capable of moving."

"Sister, you do know what that stone is, right? What it does?"

Princess Luna looked away momentarily, and reflexively swallowed, "Yes, I do. It’s the Stone of Insight; Starswirl the Bearded’s last great work."

Princess Celestia walked carefully towards one of the windows, the vista below offering a splendid view of their kingdom. "We know what the stone is capable of, but I don’t think I ever told you how I came to be in possession of it."

Princess Luna tentatively sat next to her, her eyes looking up pensively at her older sibling, "You’ve... always avoided talking about him."

Princess Celestia nodded in agreement, "It was... painful to watch. When he first showed me the stone, he showed me the next wheat crop failing in Ponyville. I immediately instigated a programme of agricultural maintenance and investment. When we next consulted the stone, it showed a bumper crop harvest. We thought we had something special, something wondrous..."

.".. and yet, all was not as it seemed. Am I correct, sister?"

"Indeed you are. As he continued to use the stone, he grew agitated and paranoid. He barely ate, his alchemical concoctions became more and more unstable, and his magical control became more erratic with each passing week. I remember one particular argument in the throne room where he revealed another troubling secret. He accused me of colluding with the Gryphons in establishing a new world order. What he’d done was use another of the stone’s powers, to look into the past. He’d seen shadows, and outlines of past events, and constructed a fiction to justify what he’d seen. Had he not been so exhausted, he would have been able to see the images with far more clarity."

Princess Celestia shifted her body, getting slightly more comfortable, "After I calmed him down, he agreed to return home for the night. It was then that I ordered the Stone of Insight to be seized, and sealed off in the Undergallery below the castle, forbidden for anypony to access."

The elder princess got up, and slowly trotted in the direction of the throne. Finding a nearby step, she sat down, and looked back at Princess Luna, "The ability to see into the future is a power not meant for anypony, for it is something that, while it may be beneficial in the short term, is very capable of causing pain and suffering in the long-term. I worry for you, Luna. You’ve looked into the stone, you have seen what you should not have seen... and as we both know, Starswirl the Bearded was never the same after his involvement with the stone."

"And like I said, I had no choice in the matter, sister! The stone seems to now be able to move. It sat there, hovering just above the ground, squatting in front of me with impunity, as I was powerless to move or struggle against its magical forces. It... tunnelled into my head, Celestia! It showed me my greatest fears, and showed me that they are destined to occur! But, it also revealed something I don’t think it intended to. I-"

"My dearest Luna... it is a stone. You are talking like it is alive..."

"Oh, my dear sister... I think that it is. However, in showing me events yet to come to pass, I think the stone unwittingly showed me what I need to do to prevent this from happening."

"But what of the stone itself? If what you say is true, it could be capable of far greater damage than it proved for Starswirl the Bearded."

"Do not worry, sister, for I have encased the stone in an anti-magic shield; nothing can get in, and nothing can get out... for now, at least. I pray that it will be enough. I swear, ‘Tia, I will do whatever it takes to save Equestria, and... to save Twilight Sparkle."

Princess Celestia trotted toward to her younger sibling and softly asked, “I trust that your intentions are pure, and that your judgement remains clear. With that in mind, I must ask you: what do you plan to do?”

“I will explain. Walk with me, sister. I require your aid, and the aid of another. Equestria and Twilight Sparkle will endure!”
> A Past Unravelled
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The tree was immaculate, one of the finer specimens from the Canterlot Gardens this time of year. Decorated with spectacular baubles from Saddle Arabia, the finest tinsel from Las Pegasus, and under the tree, the most expensive gifts that bits could buy, ‘donated’ by nobility from across the Canterlot social and political spectrum.

The house was warm and inviting. A log fire burned at one end of the living room, carrying aromas from a covered table of food to the nose of the only pony in the room. The filly caught herself getting lost in her plan for tomorrow, triggered by the scent of the apple fritters on the table – delivered direct from Sweet Apple Acres, no less. First, she would shower, and then do her hair – after all, a lady has to look her best. She would then descend the stairs, and her daddy would be waiting for her. She would open the presents under the tree – they were all addressed to her, after all – and then, she would have first pick at the dinner table!

Diamond Tiara caught herself drooling at the prospects, and had to silently remind herself that it was only Hearth’s Warming Eve. She couldn’t wait to see Silver Spoon again in the morning; the two of them would have such fun playing in the snow tomorrow!

She glanced at the grandfather clock in the hallway. A quarter to ten. It would be time for bed soon, although Diamond Tiara was not sure that she could fall asleep, such was her excitement for the day ahead.

Her eyes kept making contact with the stairs leading up, knowing that bedtime was looming sooner or later for her. She begrudgingly accepted that the night was creeping further towards her, and rationalised that, if she could get some sleep, tomorrow would come faster!

She slowly made her way up the stairs, and made a right turn, entering the door at the far end of the corridor. This was Her room; her sanctum, her one place of absolute privacy. Not even daddy dared to intrude on her private time. She’d even convinced daddy to fire more than one housekeeper for daring to make her bed in the morning.

Diamond Tiara eagerly crawled into bed, and found her sleep-guards on her bedside table waiting for her. The blanket glided easily over her silky-smooth fur, and she brought her head to rest on one of the luxurious embroidered pillows at the head of the bed. Knowing that excitement would make any effort to sleep futile, she stilled her thoughts, and cast aside her expectations for the next day; her mind became a place of tranquillity, serenity and peace.

From reality’s perspective, it didn’t take long for her to drift off to sleep, but Diamond Tiara was unaware of such trivialities. She had no idea when it happened, but she was now in what appeared to be a backstage area, sporting a stunning dress and headgear ensemble. It immediately reminded her of the many beauty pageants she had been enrolled in over the years; pageants she had always won. It was nothing personal; after all, she was beautiful, and she knew it. It was her calling in life to be the best-looking pony in the room, and she was prepared to do whatever it took to ensure that situation was forever the status quo.

“And now, Diamond Tiara!”

That voice! Feminine in nature, it felt familiar to her, and yet one she could have sworn she hadn’t heard in quite some time. She tentatively trotted toward the opening in the curtains, a series of bright lights dazzling her vision. It took what felt like minutes for her vision to adjust to the light. In truth, it was the lights dimming, their beams moving down to the floor and away from her gaze.

It was then she noticed; there wasn’t a single soul in the audience! The dinner tables were vacant, the sound system unused, and the dance floor empty of patrons. A flash of panic made its way through Diamond Tiara. Here she was, toffed up to the nines, and there wasn’t a single pony to admire her or compliment her in what was arguably her finest hour. For a split second, her existence felt empty and meaningless, like a cello player being forced to do vocals or use mixing equipment.

Her eyes relentlessly scanned the room, looking for any signs of life. It wasn’t long before she noticed a silhouette at the far corner of the room; a shadow cast on the wall seemingly without a counterpart. Without warning, the shadow moved toward her with a mix of grace and efficiency, dissolving as a liquid would and began reforming itself in front of the catwalk.

Diamond Tiara was frozen, gripped by a combination of intrigue and sheer terror at what was happening. The fear began to subside when the form became clearer; it was a pony, taller than most, with pink fur, tinted wings and... what looked like royal regalia! Before the transformation finished, she finally recognised that which had been stalking her.

The pony opened her eyes, and gave a soft smile in the direction of the filly on stage. “Hello, there! Diamond Tiara, I presume? Apologies for invading your dream in this way, but we have some urgent business to take care of together. No time like the present, right?”

Diamond Tiara’s jaw dropped; any lower and it would have gone subterranean. “You... you’re..."

“Yes, I am Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, but you can call me Princess Cadence; the Princess of Love, and relationship guru extraordinaire!” The pink-furred princess punctuated the last point with a wink, as she trotted over to the stage, “We have a task that we must complete. This evening, I am the Princess of Hearth’s Warming Past, and it is your past that I’m very interested in seeing. I’ve heard very... troubling things about you, and part of me is curious to see what your life has been like."

The implied threat that Diamond Tiara was less-than-perfect snapped her attention firmly back to sea level, “Who told you that, some loser blank-flanks?”

With a dash of magic, Princess Cadence levitated Diamond Tiara down from the stage and dissolved the dress and headgear plot devices, depositing her on the carpeted floor with an audible grunt at having been deprived of perfectly-good evening-wear. “Well, that little outburst certainly cements the pique of my curiosity." The princess turned to face away from the stage, as her horn started to illuminate. As she moved forward, the walls started to dissolve away, the grand, stately room giving way to an outdoor location.

Diamond Tiara immediately recognised the urban vista in front of them. Canterlot! They were in Equestria’s capital city, at what looked to be the height of the Hearth’s Warming holiday season.

On autopilot, Diamond Tiara attempted to flag the attention of a street vendor, and was becoming increasingly frustrated, “Ugh, are they, like, ignoring me or something?”

The princess moved beside her, and waved one of her wings in front of the merchant, “Nope! They can’t ignore what they can’t see."

“Stop speaking in riddles!”

“If you insist. This is a recreation of Canterlot... partially from your memories, and partially thanks to an artifact we have at the Castle. These are events that have already come to pass. We are just observers here, and we can neither interact with nor change the world here."

“You wanted to peep on me? Ew." Diamond Tiara felt a slight pang of disgust, and rolled her eyes with no degree of subtlety in front of the princess.

“Nothing quite like that, my dear. I’ve seen your memories, and I know exactly what I want you to see. This journey of ours is for you to see as much as it is for me to guide you." With a confident hoof-stamp on the ground, the world accelerated in front of them; cobblestone, buildings and ponies passed by in a blur, until they came to a sudden halt in front of a large, majestic building.


Penny Pincher’s Prep School for the Privileged


The sight of the ominous stone construction was one that Diamond Tiara had hoped to never see again. Nothing I did was ever good enough here. Every answer I gave was wrong.... and every friend I made turned against me. Her muzzle was now pointing down at the ground, her eyes shutting at the unpleasant memories of the time spent here, as one memory after another washed over her. Princess Cadence wasn’t blind to this reaction; one of her wings instinctively reached out, and gave Diamond Tiara a reassuring cuddle, “This... wasn’t enjoyable for you, I’m guessing."

Her mind dissuaded itself from thinking about it, “Ugh. If you’re going to do something, do it! The less time I spend here, the better.” Diamond Tiara walked off slowly, and Princess Cadence approached the window as she folded her wing back to her side. A window was ajar, open enough to clearly hear what was happening inside.

It was a classroom, filled with the chatter and laughter of fillies. At the front of the room, there was a pony writing on a blackboard, levitating the chalk with a magical aura from her horn. It wasn’t long before the chalk was deposited, as the pony turned around to face the class. She cleared her throat, and cast her gaze squarely at the now-silent fillies in the room, “Class, it seems that somepony had a little... accident in the main corridor yesterday. Would anypony like to own up?”

Much as she didn’t want to, Diamond Tiara could hear everything. She had replayed this scene in her mind hundreds of times. Every time her insecurities wanted to come out to play, this is the card they dealt to make it happen. Even now, with her eyes closed, she could see it happen as clear as day.

“Miss Pinch!” smirked one filly at the back of the room.“It was Diamond Tiara, miss!.” Another filly next to her spoke up, “Miss, she like, told us in the dorms last night. She’s so trusting." Every eye silently made it’s way to the desk in the far-right middle of the room. The pink-furred filly was now getting noticeably upset, as the teacher addressed the two little ponies at the back of the room, “You two! See me in my office after class!”

It did not take long for their snickering to subside, as the teacher’s gaze refocused on the shivering, nervous wreck of Diamond Tiara, “... well, my little pony? What do you have to say for yourself?”

It eventually became too much; the filly bolted from her seat, and sped out of the classroom, the cackling and jeering of her peers ringing in her ears, the sounds reverberating down the hall. The laughter only increased when the class noticed a large puddle on the carpet, right under where Diamond Tiara has been sitting.

Princess Cadence turned around, and saw Diamond Tiara looking decidedly depressed, as once-forgotten memories from the school swam to the surface of her mind. Diamond Tiara looked up at the alicorn; she found it hard to believe that Princess Cadence had never had treatment like this during her schooling... but then again, it would probably be a very foolish a pony who would bully a filly when her aunt was the nation’s ruler.

Diamond Tiara could tell that Cadence was looking at her, the silence becoming increasingly uncomfortable, “Those two at the back... they were real nice the first few weeks I was here. Then... it got bad. Real bad. They kept getting called behind after class, but it only got worse." Diamond Tiara illustrated her pent-up frustration by stamping a hoof on the ground.

“Maybe I can shed some light on that..." said the princess, as her horn started to illuminate. Suddenly, Diamond Tiara found herself in the teacher’s office. Her heartbeat increased noticeably, her mind recalling the many times she’d found herself in here. It was the most intimidating room she’d ever been in, and that was still the case years later. Only now, she was at the back of the room, the two fillies from earlier now front and centre. The teacher was in her swivel chair, writing in what looked like a journal. Without warning, she snapped her head up, and addressed her eyes at the two now-sweating ponies in front of her.

“You two know why I called you in here."

“Um, yeah, about that... I just wanted to say that I’m so sorr-”

The teacher held up a hoof, indicating that she did not want to listen to the stream of empty platitudes about to unfold, “That’s not what I wanted to talk to you about. I just wanted to say... good job."

The two fillies’ jaws dropped, as did hers. In Diamond Tiara’s mind, a mental puzzle was beginning to solve itself, and this conversation was contributing many pieces to that. It was several crucial seconds before the two fillies could process what was happening, “Wait, Miss... you’re... thanking us? I don’t understand..."

The teacher got out of her chair, and walked slowly toward them, “This school doesn’t pay for itself, you know. Filthy Rich is paying us top bit to turn his daughter into the ideal successor to take over his company. Our goal is to make her one of the most ruthless, selfish, and manipulative ponies that Equestria has ever seen. A mare perfectly suited to inherit her father’s legacy, and crush anyone that gets in her way."

Princess Cadence looked over at the filly to her left, the eyes of Diamond Tiara almost glazing over while the clockwork gears of her brain struggled to take in everything she’d just heard. The Princess of Love was actually beginning to sympathise with Diamond Tiara; her father had sought to emotionally damage his daughter, just so that he would have a successor ruthless enough to keep his business together while still capable of fending off the piranhas inherently attracted to successful businessponies.

Try as she did, Diamond Tiara could not stop her emotions from overwhelming her. The tears started flowing like the river running through Ponyville, her forelimbs failing her as she crumpled to the floor in a broken mess. Her mental barriers had been broken, and Princess Cadence knew that it it was now up to her friends to rebuild them.

Without warning, the large clock in the room started chiming, echoing the time back in reality. Midnight. Princess Cadence got down on all four hooves, and looked Diamond Tiara in the eye, “I must take my leave of you now. My magic... grows weaker. I cannot maintain my presence here any longer." Diamond Tiara saw through tear-stained eyes that the princess was now translucent, her physical presence disappearing before her, “No! Don’t leave me! You can’t! It’s not fair!” she stormed, stomping a hoof on the ground.

Princess Cadence pushed a hoof to the filly’s mouth, “Hush now, my little pony, there will be another of us along shortly. We still have much to show you when the clock strikes One. Farewell, Diamond Tiara.”, she uttered, as her body completely faded from view.
> Truths and Lies
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Diamond Tiara gasped for air, and bucked upright in her bed, her mane looking decidedly dishevelled as beads of sweat dripped down her head. That... that wasn’t.... that couldn’t be...

Taking advantage of the adrenaline, she jumped off her bed and practically raced to the en suite bathroom. She turned the cold water on with a hoof, and splashed it generously on her face. Her eyes caught her reflection in the mirror, flashbacks of the dream now coming vividly to the surface of her consciousness. No... my father... could he... really have done this to me?

She looked at herself calmly, and let a sly smile creep across her lips. Her father would not be home until the morning, and she had to know. She ran to her door and opened it slightly, spying her target from across the hallway; her father’s study room. It was a sacred place, a place where he felt he could safely keep his business documents away from prying eyes. Any evidence had to be in there. She’d seen him keep copies of his correspondence, and she prayed that it was no different this time.

Before her common sense got the better of her, she darted across to the study, and clumsily fumbled the door handle. The handle suddenly gave way, causing the door to swing open unexpectedly; the filly lost her balance, ending up in a crumpled heap on the immaculately-carpeted floor. She took a few moments to regain her composure and balance, before eyeing up her prize; the large mahogany table in the dead-centre of the room, flanked on all sides by an assorted array of bookshelves and award trophies in glass cabinets.

Diamond Tiara made her way to the set of drawers at the rear of the desk. There was a large black folder that she’d seen him put tuition bills in previously; if her father was as fastidious with paperwork as she’d seen previously, it would be surely be in that desk.

Twenty minutes of carefully-attempted plundering later, and there was still no sign of that accursed folder. She parked her flank on the floor, silently cursing her father for being smarter than she was. She looked up at the large bay window, catching a glimpse of the moon against the backdrop of a light blizzard. It was then that the little filly did something that she’d never done before.

She wished. She didn’t know who or what she wishing to, exactly, but she was asking whatever forces out there that could hear her for a way out of her conundrum. After a few minutes looking up, she sighed, and looked down at the floor again, feeling silly for doing something as lame as wishing for something.

She raised herself to her hooves, as was about to begin walking toward the door, when her peripheral vision caught something. She froze in place, her eyes attempting to trace what she saw. It took a few moments, but her brain finally registered a glint on the ground, presumably caused by the moonlight from the window.

She approached the small glimmer of light cautiously. On closer inspection, it looked like a small, golden square protruding from the floor, positioned out of the way near the corner of the room. Tiredness and frustration briefly gained control of the filly, and she smashed the button with a hoof. A square hole in the floor opened up directly next to the button, causing Diamond Tiara to jump in mild surprise. Her curiosity getting the better of her, she peered into the hole.

She found only a small hoof-written note with a series of numbers written on it.


14 55 22 24


She loudly growled in frustration, and turned around in sheer annoyance at her current situation. It was then she saw it; a large impressive-looking metal container. It was square, and had a dial and a handle on the front. Her curiosity spiking, she approached it, and took a good look at the metal dial. It has numbers on it!

She went back to look at the paper, and committed the numbers to memory. She’d operated safe locks before at that wretched school, as her locker had one. After a few clinks of the locking mechanism recognising her input, she turned the handle. In half-surprise, the door swung open with a satisfying whine of the hinges. There, at the bottom of the safe was a large, black binder. I found it!

She took the folder out, and placed it slowly on the floor. She started reading the papers from right-to-left, noticing the most recent newsletters. In a small fit of irritation, she skipped to the first entry. Inside, she found a letter, addressed from Filthy Rich to Penny Pincher. The letter was written in cursive, and served to reiterate Filthy Rich’s educational credentials.

Dear Penny Pincher

I enjoyed our conversation at the Canterlot Manehattia Café. I expressed interest in privately schooling my daughter, and you offered to reserve a place for her for the start of the next term.

I am writing to you to take you up on that offer. My best days in business are behind me, and I need a successor to take over from me so that I can enjoy my hard-earned retirement.

My daughter is to be my successor. She is naïve, trusting and sympathetic to others. I cannot afford my successor to have such qualities. As you well know, the world of business is harsh and unforgiving, and should my daughter grow up with these traits, it would leave her seriously lacking in ability to take over from me.

In her schooling, you are to eradicate these traits from her, in addition to seeing to her scholastic needs. I want her to be mistrustful and suspicious of those around her, I want her sympathy for others turned into disdain, and I want her to think of herself so highly, that she looks down on others without even a second thought.

As I have said before, money is no object. To protect my legacy and my company’s future, there is no price I would not pay to ensure the prosperity of both.

Yours sincerely,

Filthy Rich

P.S. Our weekly squash game is still on for next Tuesday.

The filly was in a state of shock. She had pleaded internally that it was just a dream, that it wasn’t true... but the letter put to rest any idea of that being the case. Her father had so... brazenly set out to assassinate her personality, from a very early age.

“Who am I?” she thought to herself. “Am I... not supposed to be like this? Am I... broken?” Her musings were interrupted by an incredibly bright light coming from the door. Slightly spooked, she put the binder back together, put it back in the safe, locked it, and then pushed the golden button again to hide the hole in the floor. Looking around her, she made her way out of the study, shut the door behind her, and then trotted tentatively to her bedroom.

She arrived in time for her clock to announce that the top of the hour was here. One o’clock. In the centre of the room there was a large sphere of light. Before her eyes, that sphere began to take form. Wings took form, and clearly defined hooves and legs became visible, as did a horn, and the contours of her flank.

With a final, powerful blast of light, a pony stood before Diamond Tiara. Her body was a shimmering white, and her multi-hued mane a beautiful sight to behold.

“Ah, you must be Diamond Tiara! You may want to get your coat, we’re going on an adventure!” said Princess Celestia.
> A Celestial Adventure
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Diamond Tiara darted into her closet, and picked out a duffle coat. But, this was no ordinary duffle coat; it was diamond-studded, and came with gloves for the fore-hooves as standard. Even in winter, she still wanted to look her best.

She trotted back out, and pensively approached Princess Celestia. “I, um.... hope this is OK. Where are we going, anyway?”

The shimmering-white alicorn illuminated her horn, and the room began to dissolve slowly around them, “We’re going to jump ahead into the future a little bit. For this evening, I’m the Pony of Hearth’s Warming Present, and I want you to see how other ponies celebrate Hearth’s Warming. ”

It wasn’t long before the room was entirely gone; an endless void of white now surrounded both ponies, nothingness stretching into the distance as far as the eye could see. “Why not, like, use a dream for this? Any why was Princess Cadence in my dream? We were taught in school that it’s Princess Luna who enters the dreams of ponies."

Princess Celestia walked over to the filly, and brought one of her wings over her. “Luna is at Canterlot Castle. Luna and I wanted the help of my niece in this matter, and Princess Luna was able to channel her abilities to Princess Cadence. My sister now requires rest after such exertion, so I will be taking over for now."

“So... where are we?”

“This is a special magical dimension. It is a realm of pure energy, and it can show us anything that we need it to. Ordinarily, I would not have the power to venture here, but I have enlisted the help of a special item.” Diamond Tiara saw a glint catch her eye... and saw something that she did not notice before. Princess Celestia was wearing a gold band across her neck. Set in this band was a gem of some kind... it was green, and glowing faintly. The artifact that Princess Cadence mentioned... could that be it?

Princess Celestia unfurled her wing, and using her magic to full effect, she enveloped the two of them in a magical aura. Closing her eyes in concentration, she channelled more of her magic into the surrounding aura. With a blinding flash and a cry of anguish, the world around them was transformed; the sterile white landscape was gone, replaced with a Ponyville in the throes of a winter mid-day, the sun providing little warmth against the backdrop of a fresh snowfall. Many ponies were out in force enjoying the snow, young and adult alike.

Ponyville was chaotic with the sounds of laughter and play, but Diamond Tiara and Princess Celestia didn’t seem to be noticed by anyone around them. “Um, Princess... are they ignoring us?”

“No. The power of the stone only allows us to watch. We cannot interfere. However, I think I know the perfect first stop for us.” The ground disappeared from view beneath them, and a new vista surrounded them. As the Diamond Tiara immediately recognised it. “Ugh. Sweet Apple Acres? I came here once on a field trip, and all I remember was that it was boring. Why are we here on some dusty old farm!?” Diamond Tiara’s patience was beginning is grow thin with this endeavour. She’d already had enough to deal with this evening, and she could do without additional emotional baggage.

Princess Celestia shot Diamond Tiara a glance. Though it was silent, Diamond Tiara could feel a mental set of daggers aimed squarely at her. “We are here, because I think you should see how one of your less-wealthy friends celebrates Hearth’s Warming.”

“Can I get one thing clear? If you’re talking about Apple Bloom, we are not friends. She’s an annoying, clumsy blank-flank. If you think for one second-”

Princess Celestia had had enough of the softly-softly approach. With a show of magic, she levitated Diamond Tiara off the ground, and threw her squarely at the front door of the Apple family residence. Diamond Tiara’s fall wasn’t stopped by the door, and she landed in a crumpled heap on the floor. Princess Celestia soon followed, calmly making her way through the door. Diamond Tiara stood up to protest, but the princess raised a hoof, and gestured it across her muzzle, signifying that she was not interested in what Diamond Tiara had to say. “You are trying my patience little filly. Though it may not seem like it, this is being done for your own good. Now, let us see what the Apple family is up to this day."

The alicorn entered what could be loosely termed a dining room, although it was closer to a workshop re-purposed as a dining room. Diamond Tiara followed closely behind her, and took note of the furnishings. The table in the centre of the room was gnarled, covered with a stained tablecloth full of holes and frayed edges. The food simple, yet nutritious; creamed spinach, mashed squash with steamed potatoes, and bread-and-butter pudding. The filly spied a glass of apple juice for Apple Bloom, and half-full glasses for the adults of what she assumed was wine from the very dusty wine bottle sitting in the middle of the table.

Applejack was busy serving up food to Granny Smith, as Big Macintosh served up the food from the piles that Applejack wasn’t serving from to Apple Bloom. After making sure both mares had enough food, the two adults divided up the rest amongst them. There may have been four of them at the table, but the food was barely describable as a meal for three. Between Big Macintosh and Applejack, their helpings could barely be described as a meal for one.

“Big sis... ya can have some of my food if ya want. I dun want you to go hungry 'cuz o’ me..."

Applejack looked at her sister with a mix of pride and despair, “Now don’t you worry lil’ sis... me an’ Big Mac will be fine with what we have. The important thing is for you to be taken care of... I promised Ma and Pa that, and I’m keepin’ my word. Eat up now, and we can go play in the snow later on."

The scene unfolding was alien to Diamond Tiara. Someone not having enough food to comfortably live on was... wrong. She wouldn’t accept it happening to her, and yet it was happening all around her. “Princess... why is this happening?” Diamond Tiara enquired.

“The world can be a cruel and harsh place, my little pony. It was a poor harvest this year, and their rent was increased last month. Applejack is doing what she knows is best, and making sure that the young and the infirm are provided for, even if it is at her expense."

“But then... why don’t you step in and help? If you’re seeing this... this injustice, why don’t you get off your flank and help?”

Princess Celestia shot her a cold glaze, but the truth of the filly’s words were not lost on her, “Diamond Tiara, I am the ruler of this land. As much as it pains me, it’s not practical for me to help. If I were to alleviate their poverty, I would receive calls to do the same from all over Equestria; before long, the coffers of Canterlot would be bankrupt.” The princess closed her eyes, and looked wearily at Applejack, “I know that, deep down, Applejack knows that with Princess Twilight’s connection to me, she could very easily ask for help. She also knows that would be setting a bad example for Apple Bloom; Applejack views reliance on one’s family in a time of need as an important aspect of character, even if that same view inconveniences her when applied.”

“I... I think I understand, princess.” After watching the scene earlier unfold, she found it hard to see Apple Bloom in the same light as before; that clumsy filly might not even have a cutie mark, but she couldn’t fault her for wanting to put her sister first. She made a mental note that, when this is all over, to invite her over so she could enjoy some real food for a change.

Princess Celestia nudged Diamond Tiara with a hoof, “Our time here draws to a close. Are you ready to move on?”

Diamond Tiara nodded, and Celestia closed her eyes in concentration. The now-familiar feeling of magic enveloped them, and suddenly shunted them to a new location. Princess Celestia, her magical experience showing, remained stationary. Diamond Tiara was caught off-balance by the change of scenery, and fell head-over-hoof into the snow. The princess chuckled, taking more delight than was royally appropriate in the inadvertent acrobatics. “My apologies, I forget that most non-Unicorns are not used to teleportation spells; I’ll try to keep the inertia under control next time.”

Diamond Tiara shook off the snow and loose leaves, “So, where are we? I don’t recognise this part of town.”

The Princess of the Sun extended a wing, and pointed to a row of houses. “Our next destination lies down here. Follow me.”

Diamond Tiara did as she was told, trotting past the dilapidated row of houses in tow with Princess Celestia. These were on the outskirts of the town, and home to some of the less-wealthy ponies in town. Before long, they came to a house with a broken window, and an overflowing trash can in the front yard.

Out of the blue, an orange-furred pony bolted from the door, and fled down the path at a speed that would have caused the Wonderbolts to take notice. It happened so fast, Diamond Tiara wasn’t able to recognise the pony running away. Instead, she was left with the sight of another pony at the door, seemingly intoxicated, “An’ don’t come back, y’hear!?”

Princess Celestia and Diamond Tiara swapped glances, and they took off in a flash, giving chase to the pony that bolted from the house as they followed the freshly-made hoof-prints in the snow.

It was several minutes before their search came to an end, the footsteps eventually deviating from the main path. Diamond Tiara poked her head around the corner, and found it to be a dead end, with wooden fencing on all sides. To the right was a cardboard box, looking decidedly damp as the snow began to melt in what passed for heat in the mid-day sun.

The princess extended a wing, and pointed to the box. “This is for you to see, my little pony.”

Diamond Tiara approached the rotting box, and heard sounds of what she could have sworn were from someone she knew. They were not happy sounds, that much she could be sure of. She spotted an opening, and bent down low to look up into the box. It was dark, but faint glimmers of sunlight reflected off the snow, and revealed enough of the pony’s features for Diamond Tiara to be be sure of who resided within.

It was Scootaloo, her back turned to the opening. Diamond Tiara might not have been able to see her face, but the sobs of anguish coming from the box told a story that words would have difficulty telling in its place. Like nearly every pony in the village, she’d heard rumours and snippets about Scootaloo’s home life, but it was never a subject her... friends brought up in earshot.

Princess Celestia walked up to Diamond Tiara, and extended a wing around her. The filly reflexively tried to reach out to Scootaloo, but her hoof passed through her as if she were air. She looked up at the alicorn, “Wh-.. why is she crying, Princess?”

It wasn’t an easy question to answer, despite Princess Celestia’s centuries of experience. “Remember that well-stocked table, and the presents under the tree back at home? Well... imagine not having that. The one thing I wanted to show you more than anything else this evening was how incredibly lucky you are to have what you have. There are some ponies for whom life hasn’t been as kind."

“B-but... my f-father..." she stammered “... I found out this evening that he wanted me to be the meanest pony possible."

“Your father, in his own way, still cares for you, enough at least to want you to inherit his fortune. Instead of eagerly awaiting your father’s return every evening, imagine for a moment what it must be like to fear that moment. Not a simple ‘I’m not looking forward to this evening’, but a ‘What will he do to me this evening?’."

“Y-you, you mean... “

Celestia nodded her head in grim acknowledgement, “For all your father’s faults, he sees you as his daughter first, and reciprocates the trust you place in him. Not necessarily your trust that he won’t tell other ponies your secrets, but your trust that he will protect you from the outside world, and that he... won’t take advantage of your trust."

Diamond Tiara was aghast, and carelessly stumbled backward in a state of mild shock. Eventually, she lost her balance, and her flank landed squarely in a patch of snow. Something came floating to the surface of her mind; it felt like a memory. Or was it a dream?

She closed her eyes as she grabbed the intruding thought. She was in her dorm room back at boarding school, in her bunk. Looking around, she remembered that it was night-time. She heard the reception door open downstairs, and curiously made her way to the door; visitors at this hour were unusual at best. She put her ear to the gap in the door, and heard a conversation in the hallway downstairs. She couldn’t recall the words, but she remembered something... she was afraid. The pleasantries ended, and hoofsteps slowly ascended the stairs; she hurriedly made her way back to her bed, and began to feign sleep. The door’s creaking hinges protested as somepony made an unwelcome intrusion into her personal space. Peeking out from half-closed eyes, the moonlight from the window illuminated the features of a stallion standing in her doorway. Frozen in fear, she remembered closing her eyes, but still the stallion crept forward. She felt...

Diamond Tiara opened her eyes and took in a sharp breath, her heart racing. Princess Celestia approached her with a look of genuine concern, “Is something the matter, my little pony?”

She couldn’t mention it now. She had to be sure. “I’m... I’m fine. Can we go now?”

“I have one more thing to show you." said Princess Celestia. With a swift hoof smack to the ground, the landscape around them sped away, shortly to be replaced by another location. “I believe you know of this place.”

Diamond Tiara turned around, and immediately recognised the building, “It’s Carousel Boutique. I was here a month ago for work experience in dress-making. It, um... it didn’t go well. There’s something inside you want me to see, right?”

The alicorn nodded, and flexed one of wings in the direction of the door. Remembering what happened last time, Diamond Tiara approached the door voluntarily, and apprehensively made her way through it. Stepping inside into the shop, she made her way to the workroom, suddenly aware of various aromas hitting her nose. Stepping into the room, she spied a large, round table with an immaculate white tablecloth. On the table were various foodstuffs, each seemingly crafted with care and an eye for detail. Two ponies were seated, and Diamond Tiara recognised both of them.

“Sweetie Belle, you haven’t touched your cauliflower tart. I spent all morning making that.” pouted Rarity, as she tucked in to her tart, eyeing up the Pineapple Fritters in the middle of the table, meant for dessert later.

Diamond Tiara didn’t even acknowledge Rarity talking, but instead looked at Sweetie Belle. She... just stared at her food. Diamond Tiara didn’t understand. A nice house, a sister willing to cook for her, and tasty food. What was there to not be happy about?

Rarity looked back over at Sweetie Belle, putting her fork back neatly on the table with her horn. “Sweetie Belle... is something the matter, darling? You’re not normally this... morose.”

Sweetie Belle sighed, and got up from the table, “I, um... I need some time to think, Rarity. Can I go upstairs? I’m... just not hungry right now.” Rarity simply nodded, and tutted to herself about foals and hormones.

Diamond Tiara tilted her head at Princess Celestia, with a curious look, “Is... is something wrong?”

The princess looked to the stairs leading up, “Perhaps it is best that you follow her.”

Diamond Tiara wasn’t sure what she was going to find, but her stomach tied a knot in itself. The voice inside her spoke up, and told her that this was none of her concern, that what happens in Sweetie Belle’s life was unimportant.

She thought back to that letter she found in her father’s study, and remembered how violated she felt. If ponies she trusted were out to sabotage her... well, it was hard to think of enemies, real or imagined, who would act worse than that. For all the annoyance that Sweetie Belle and her friends caused around the town, she had to concede that they at least felt genuine.

She had only one real friend in town, and that was Silver Spoon. She thought back to her days playing with her, and gossiping about how lame some ponies were during recess. An idea struck her, like a lightning bolt would a tree; what if Silver Spoon was... just an echo in a cave? She agreed with everything that Diamond Tiara said, even encouraging her sometimes. What if...

No. Such a thought was unthinkable. She didn’t want to think that Silver Spoon was... in cahoots with her father. She snapped her mind back to reality, and pushed that idea away for now. Looking up the stairs, she made her way up, and saw a door close from across the hall. Taking a deep breath, she walked through the elaborate door, and found herself in a modestly-decorated room.

Sweetie Belle was on her bed looking out of the window, a forlorn look on her face. Diamond Tiara still didn’t get it. Apple Bloom was sad because her sister wasn’t eating properly, indirectly because of her. Scootaloo wasn’t happy because of her dire home life. But Sweetie Belle... by all accounts, she should be happy. Overjoyed, even. I think I’m missing something here.

Diamond Tiara approached the filly’s desk, and saw what looked like a journal. The near-perfect handwriting was a testament to her magic lessons with Princess Twilight. She felt slightly awkward reading someone’s private monologue, but she rationalised that there was no other choice. It’s not like I can ask her... and even if I could, I doubt she would tell me anything personal.

The face-up journal entry had been written the previous day, presumably left open to the air to let the ink dry properly.

Tuesday 30th

I told my school counsellor about what happened last week... and she said that I should write it in my journal. She said that it would help me...

I came out of class, and on my way to recess Diamond Tiara came up and forced me into the gap next to the classroom. She overheard my sister telling me off for ruining a dress I was helping her make. She asked me what the point of me was, that I couldn’t do anything right, and that everyone was better off without me around.

I went back to the shop after school, and tried to help Rarity with a new design she was working on. I wanted to make her happy, she’s been stressed a lot lately. I accidentally managed to mix up two thread colours, and ruined two very expensive silk dresses. When she noticed, she lost her temper at me. She said that I couldn’t even perform one simple task correctly, and that she wanted me out of her sight.

Maybe Diamond Tiara was right... would the world really be better off without me? All I seem to do is mess things up. Even my sister can see that.

Diamond Tiara heard soft hoofsteps behind her. Turning around, she saw the regal frame of Princess Celestia looking down at her, “How does it feel?”

Diamond Tiara struggled to find words, “How... how does what feel, princess?”

“How does it feel to know that you’ve caused such suffering? Are you happy that your words struck home?”

The filly took several clumsy steps back, “What! I- No! I was angry that day! I’d... failed a spelling bee in Canterlot the day before, and I... I don’t know what I was thinking, okay?!” Diamond Tiara turned to look at Sweetie Belle on the bed; her eyes were devoid of anything positive, and her tail was coiled close to her body.

The princess walked slowly to the bed, “She doesn’t crave being the best, and doesn’t feel she has to impress anypony. All she wants is acceptance, for who she is; flaws, merits and everything in-between. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo accept her without question, and in return, she shares the magic of friendship with them.”

The alicorn cast a spell, and a large black hole appeared under the now-startled filly, “It’s time now for you to return. Expect us again when the clock chimes three.” The hole spawned several leafy tendrils, and they ensnared the now-terrified foal. Her protests were muted, as they dragged her down into the abyss.
> A Past Exposed
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

After a brief period of what felt like falling through darkness, Diamond Tiara collapsed in a confused heap on her bedroom floor. Thoughts sped through her mind like professional Pegasi flyers, and she struggled to latch onto them. One thought repeatedly made its way past her, and she grabbed on to it.

It was the memory of... that night. She could see the look in that stallion’s eyes... something happened that night, and the fact that she couldn’t recall it properly deeply troubled her. Why can’t I remember!?

Coat still on, she sped down the stairs, and out the front door into the freezing snowfall of early morning. In the distance, a large looming tower gleamed in the stunning moonlight. There’s only one pony who can help me. I just hope that it’s not too late…

Diamond Tiara approached the door, and pounded on it with the sum force of her fears and frustrations collected within her this evening. It wasn’t long before the door was answered by a sleepy Twilight Sparkle. “... it’s two o’clock in the morning, my little pony. I know I said the other day that my door is always open, but... ” Diamond Tiara took that as the closest thing to an invitation to come in as she was likely to get, and clumsily skidded onto the crystal floor.
“Princess Twilight, you have to help me! I, um... I can’t remember something, and I know you’re like, the best at magic in town. I would really-”

The sleep-deprived princess glanced at the filly and squinted, before sighing, “... you’re Filthy Rich’s daughter, aren’t you? Diamond Tiara, wasn’t it?”

Though hearing her father’s name caused a pang of resentment to strike her, she still nodded to Twilight. “You’ve heard of me, then?” said Diamond Tiara, her autopilot to socially connect kicking in on cue.

“Yeah, you could say that... and by ‘heard of’, I’d say ‘heard complaints of’.”

The filly bowed her head, and idly pawed at the crystal floor with a hoof, “... yeah, I’ve been told that.”

The purple princess slowly walked over and pointed a hoof squarely at Diamond Tiara, “I have a pony everybody seemingly loves to hate waking me up to help her. Why should I help you?”

The filly sighed, and reluctantly accepted the possibility that her past was going to haunt her unless she dealt with it. She looked up at Princess Twilight, and found cold, weary eyes sizing her up. “I’ve, um… been visited by two ponies this evening. They wanted to show me my life and how other ponies live. I… stumbled on a memory, and I don’t remember much of it. I came to you for help because I figured that you’d have something magical to help me remember.”

Twilight Sparkle put a hoof to her chin, and contemplated. “I have to be up early in the morning…  but I think I can spare some time for you. Who was it that visited you, anyway?”

“Princess Cadence and Princess Celestia.”

Twilight took a step back. Not just ponies, but princesses. If Princess Celestia was helping, then this was big. The die had been cast; Princess Twilight now felt positively compelled to help the distressed foal. Wasting no time, she scanned her impressive new bookshelves for a book she had put there the previous evening, “A-ha! Magical Memory Medicaments. I had to order another copy from Canterlot when my... previous library went up in smoke.”

The alicorn placed the book on a table, and proceeded to flick through the pages at breakneck speed. After several frantic seconds of searching, she stopped on one particular page, and mentally committed the arcane densities required to memory.

After writing some quick calculations on a piece of parchment, she approached Diamond Tiara. “I’m going to use spell number forty-five; it will help me to guide you to the memory you seek. Hold very still.” The princess lowered her head down, her horn making contact with Diamond Tiara’s head. Her horn flared with the influx of arcane energies, and both of them were enveloped with the familiar tingle of magic

Diamond Tiara had instinctively closed her eyes as she felt magical energies swirl around in her head. She opened her eyes, finding herself in another place. She looked to her side and found Princess Twilight giving a relieved sigh. “Considering I’ve never used that spell, I’m quite pleased with how that went! So, um… do you recognise where we’ve ended up?”

Diamond Tiara scanned the room, and felt a cloying blackness in her throat. She recognised the room from prep school; it was her dorm room. She turned around, and spotted herself in the bed, looking forlornly at the moon in the night sky. Faint remains of the earlier memory came bubbling to the surface, and almost on cue, she heard the reception door downstairs open. Her doppelgänger left the bed, and walked calmly to the door. Following suit, she pressed her ears to the gap in the door, the spell descrambling and reassembling the memory fragments of that day, including the conversation from down the stairs.

“... yes, she is upstairs. Remember, she is not to be injured; we don’t need the hospital digging around here.”

“It’s fine, Matron. After tonight is done, the debt I owe Penny Pincher is paid.”

“Here, use this - we just want her to mistrust people; if she remembers this, it could lead to a psychotic break. This will make her forget this after a day or two - she’ll be too scared to tell anypony before then”

Hoofsteps began to ascend the stairs, and the facsimile Diamond Tiara retreated to the bed. Retreating from the door, Diamond Tiara stood side-by-side with Twilight Sparkle as the creaking hinges announced the entrance of another pony. With the benefit of years of memories since then, and her undivided attention, she recognised the stallion in the doorway He walked into the room, and placed a saddlebag quietly on the floor.

“That’s... Match Point, the school’s PE teacher. Everyone heard rumours, I just thought… that it was little foals crushing on an older stallion. How could…”

The scene playing in front of them wasn’t yet over. The stallion moved toward the bed, and threw the covers off the startled foal. Before words of protest could make themselves known, a hoof covered the filly’s mouth, “If you make even one sound, I will snap your neck like a stick. You belong to me now; struggle, and I will make your life at this school a living hell.”

Twilight looked aghast, disturbed that something like this had taken place. Diamond Tiara was fixated on the scene unfolding before her, as the older stallion forced himself onto the quivering foal, her sobs muffled by the pillow. The purple princess curled a wing around the sniffling filly, “I… think we’ve seen all we need to.” Diamond Tiara had noticed that the saddlebag had come undone, and a small magical shard had rolled out of the open compartment. She nodded to Twilight, and hung her head low, feeling a wave of shame and embarrassment crash over her.

With three clops of her hooves, Twilight Sparkle released the magical bindings of the spell, and both Diamond Tiara and the princess found themselves back in the library. Diamond Tiara was shaking, a combination of incandescent rage and complete shock. The forcefully-repressed memories started to come back to her.

She remembered the shard touching her head, and a wave of cold flood her head, followed by Match Point threatening that, in no uncertain terms, she would meet a grisly end if she ever spoke of this. The emotional turmoil from witnessing that event proved too much for the filly, as she fell to her side on the hard marble floor. She curled up into a foetal position as tears flooded down her face, the foal’s anguished sobs filling the room. Twilight walked over, and curled up next to Diamond Tiara, slowly draping a wing over the distressed little pony.

More memories began to resurface, and they played in the filly’s mind like a roll of film. She'd entered her en suite bathroom, and turned on the water to the shower. After looking all around her dorm room to make absolutely sure she was alone, she got in, and let the cold water run through her fur. The chill of the running stream from the shower head sent sharp stabs of discomfort up her spine.

She welcomed the discomfort; the pain of the cold water took her attention away from what had just happened. Maybe… this is what I deserve. I wanted to please daddy, I wanted to make friends here… then this happens… if this is what happens when trying to make friends, I don’t want them!

She’d always had this.. feeling that everyone was out to get her, but she never knew where it came from. She just figured that it was normal. Diamond Tiara had rationalised that, because other ponies were out to get her, she had to get to them first. A pang of regret surged into her, and her mind was cast back to when Celestia led her to observe Sweetie Belle. The filly’s journal made her remember giving Sweetie Belle a dressing-down at school; when challenged, she had no real answer for Princess Celestia.

As much as it hurt to admit, she wasn’t as perfect as she thought she was. She thought that she was inherently just better than other foals her age. Have I… been wrong about them all this time?

As the minutes passed the sobs began to lessen, eventually replaced with sniffles and silent tears. Diamond Tiara looked up at the intricate clock on the wall. Quarter past two. She gave her eyes one final wipe with her hooves, and let out a long sigh into the room.

She needed some time to think. She approached the princess on the floor, and gave her a quizzical look, “Do you… do you have any hot cocoa?”
> Sorrow and Regret
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It had been some time since Princess Twilight had had guests this early in the morning. She may let Spike cater to her food and drink needs during the day, but she was certainly no slouch in the kitchen. Before too long, Princess Twilight had prepared two steaming mugs of hot cocoa, and both ponies sat at a large crystal dining table.

Twilight was fumbling around inside her own head, still unsure of what, exactly, she should say. Diamond Tiara wasn’t sure what to say either, and she let out a long sigh while staring at the beverage in front of her. While Princess Twilight was blowing on the still-hot liquid in her mug, Diamond Tiara caught sight of a crudely-drawn placard on the wall.


Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle
Happy Hearth’s Warming


It was messily signed at the bottom, but Diamond Tiara couldn’t make out the names. “Um, Princess… who was that made by?” she said, gesturing toward the crude creation.

“Oh, that? Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom made that last week for me.”

Those names again! What’s so special about them, anyway? Diamond Tiara’s brow furrowed into a frown, one that didn’t go unnoticed by the alicorn opposite her. “I… never understood why you disliked them so much. I mean, I get that they can get a little out of hand on occasion, but deep down, their hearts are in the right place.”

The filly snorted, and looked at Twilight while taking an apprehensive sip from her mug, “You know what I see when I look at them? I see betrayal. Or rather… eventual betrayal. We were taught at school that anypony who isn’t with you is against you. I know that it’s not right to think that, but… it’s hard to see differently after years of looking at others like that.”

Diamond Tiara was very much aware of how duplicitous ponies at school were. She sank back into her own thoughts, and remembered a time at prep school when she had a crush on one of the students in her class. She came clean on her feelings, wanting to spend time with somepony she felt a connection with. That student made sure to spread that juicy piece of gossip across the school, further cementing the suspicious nature beginning to take root in her personality.

She thought back to when she moved to Ponyville, and was enrolled in school. It was weeks before she opened her mouth to say more than two words to anypony. As it happened, that pony was Sweetie Belle.

For the remainder of the week, they talked, and talked and talked. Sweetie Belle was into fashion and music, and Diamond Tiara remembered how happy she was to find somepony with similar interests. At the end of the week, Sweetie Belle said that she’d enjoyed spending time with her, and wanted to hang out more after school.

What happened next she had previously dismissed as an arrow dodged, as something that needed to happen, but she was now looking at her memories with the hindsight of wisdom. She’d laughed at Sweetie Belle, belittling her for daring to think that she had the class to hang out with her, jabbing that she and her hanging out together would be over Celestia’s cold, dead flank.

Sweetie Belle was doing her best to hide it, but years spent at prep school had well-prepared Diamond Tiara to notice another pony’s anguish. Sweetie Belle was crying, but this was not the simple weeping one might exhibit after banging their shin against a table; these were the tears of a pony breaking, tears that usually flowed after having something you liked… or loved, snatched away from you.

And she felt good. She remembered how low she felt after someone did this to her; now that she’d established a way to avoid that from happening again, she felt elated. She remembered that, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Scootaloo run over to comfort the sobbing filly. It was then that she remembered Silver Spoon walking up to her and introducing herself; Silver Spoon had mentioned that she was a relative of nobility from Canterlot, and asked Diamond Tiara if she would like to attend a fancy dinner that evening. In Diamond Tiara’s mind, it all fell into place; her social status is what should guide her friendships, not her heartstrings. After all, she deserved the best, and daddy had clearly demonstrated that the best only came to those with money; Silver Spoon fit that bill perfectly.

But now... she was filled with regret. Sweetie Belle didn’t deserve what I did, just like I didn’t deserve it at prep school. For the first time in her life, she felt the icy cold grip of guilt upon her throat, causing a slight gag that caught the attention of the pony opposite.

Twilight tilted her head at the pink filly, “Diamond Tiara… are you okay?”

She jolted to attention, her mind running through that same memory again. Did… did Sweetie Belle have a crush on me? Taking a sip of cocoa, she looked nervously at the princess, “Sorry… just trying to find some answers.”

“I may not have all the answers for you, but if you need somepony your own age to talk to about something... you could do a lot worse than those three.”

“Oh, is that so?” the filly responded sarcastically, “I've had to relive the fact that I was.... “ Diamond Tiara closed her eyes and clenched her teeth, trying to force the words to come out, “... raped. Those three couldn’t even begin to imagine how angry I am… and for that matter, you couldn’t begin to imagine that either!” she raged, striking a hoof down in the table with an audible clunk.

The purple princess looked down at the table, “... you’re right, my little pony. What happened to you was awful, something that nopony should have to experience. I’m not sure what I’d do if that happened to me. But, if something bad were to happen to me, I know that I can count on my friends to help me through it. They may not understand what I’d be going through, but they would help me through it, doing so without judgment or thinking less of me.”

Diamond Tiara’s eyes fell to the table as she took another sip of cocoa. She thought back to how she’d acted around Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom, and couldn’t help shake the feeling that, if she opened up to them, they’d throw it back in her face as payback. Especially Sweetie Belle. Even if they didn’t… they’d probably still think I was faking it. Or looking for a way to scam them.

The cloying darkness in the pit of her stomach was vying for attention, grasping at an inner despair that seemed to stir when she drew on how she’d so carelessly… and needlessly burned her bridges with her classmates. She didn’t care for the antics they got into, but she conceded that, as friends, they helped each other out with their problems. Diamond Tiara sighed, and wondered just how many problems she personally had squirrelled away.

Twilight got down from her chair, and walked around to Diamond Tiara, “I can’t change what happened, and I’m genuinely sorry that you had to experience what happened to you… but I mean it when I say that, when it comes to friendship, you’d be hard-pressed to find better friends than Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. They may not be the smartest of ponies sometimes, but they are some of the most loyal and caring I’ve ever met.”

The Princess gave the clearly tired foal a small hug, “I promise you; as the Princess of Friendship, if you require my assistance, you can count on me. ”

Diamond Tiara felt a small smile creep across her mouth; that kind of support was something she never thought she’d need, but it took a weight off her mind to know that she had a safety net in somepony. Chugging down the dregs of the now-cold beverage, her eye spied the clock on the wall. Ten to Three.

Shaking her head to clear the haze of fatigue, she got off her stool abruptly. Princess Twilight was caught slightly off-guard, “Is… there someplace you need to be?”

She slowly made her way to the front entrance, and looked back at the purple pony, “Yeah... I have an appointment with the future, and I don’t want to be late.”
> Darkness and Remorse
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Diamond Tiara ran back to her house at, frankly, ludicrous speed given the hostile weather conditions unfolding in the early morning air. As she approached her home, she caught sight of something unusual atop the tree next to the house; it was a light, almost like a firefly in brightness.

Stopping with a soft skid in the snow, she squinted at the rapidly-expanding luminance. It slowly grew in size, and before long had grown into a ball of flame, the snow on the tree rapidly melting against the temperature assault.

Diamond Tiara was transfixed in awe and wonder, momentarily forgetting the burden she carried on her flank. The ball of flame tempered, and slowly lowered itself down to the ground in front of the filly. The flames were swiftly overcome by a chilling cold; the raging inferno had become a solid spherical ice crystal. A light began to take form inside, and became steadily brighter, until the light almost blinded the filly. Suddenly, the ice shattered, sending shards of frozen water flying in all directions. Stood before Diamond Tiara was a pony, perfectly illuminated by the shining light of a beautiful full moon that shimmered against her mane and flank.

Diamond Tiara immediately recognised her; this was a pony who needed no introduction, her dark crown twinkling in the light as a stern gaze fixed itself solely on the pink pony in front of her. “Diamond Tiara. We have come for you.”

The filly took a gulp, and nodded to the alicorn in front of her. It took the sum of her courage, but she willed herself to walk forward, “I… I am ready, Princess Luna.”

The dark-furred princess levitated an amulet off of her neck, and with it still in the air, sparked the stone’s machinations with a bolt of arcane energy from her horn. The stone bathed the ponies in white strands of buzzing energy, like harmless lightning bolts. Diamond Tiara was unnerved, and the bite of the cold outside was beginning to encroach upon her flank, “Princess…. what’s happening? What is that thing?”

“This is the Stone of Insight. It was created by a powerful unicorn of ages past, and it contains an ancient and powerful magic. The stone is currently unravelling the threads of fate, and is allowing me to see the future that will play out.”

The foal was taken slightly aback by the majesty of such power. “Is…. is this why I’ve been forced to relive my past?”

“Yes. You have seen your past, and you have seen the present. Now, it is time for you to see the future that has not yet come to pass. Steady yourself, my little pony.” The amulet glowed green with the hue of a magic most mysterious, and it enveloped both ponies like a warm bubblebath.

Diamond Tiara instinctively rubbed her eyes with a hoof, and found herself having to double-check her location. Scanning the scene once more, she was forced to conclude that she was indeed outside Carousel Boutique. Princess Luna was next to her, the amulet now back around her neck, and gestured for her to step through the door. The exterior was decorated with the traditional Hearth’s Warming ornaments and wreaths, and the interior was no exception.

Stepping into the workshop, she saw Rarity working alone. The calendar on the wall identified the date as tomorrow! Rarity was working frantically at her sewing station, and momentarily looked like she had lost something. A candle lit itself in her mind, “Sweetie Belle! Could you bring me some more blue ribbons?” Rarity bellowed, hoping to catch the attention of the filly in her care.

A full minute passed, and Rarity repeated her request with an added insistence that she desperately needed those ribbons. Another minute passed, and a frustrated mare got off her stool, and made her way to the stairs. “That filly has been spending too much time with that boy, she’s probably paying too much attention to that Joy Colt, or whatever it is.” Rarity muttered to herself as she began the slow ascent up.

Diamond Tiara felt a chill run down her spine. Could something be wrong? Is this what Princess Luna wants me to see? The filly pawed at the floor with a hoof, and looked nervously at the Princess, “Um, Princess... what’s going on?”

The Princess of the Night outstretched a hoof in the direction of the stairs, “Go. Go now, and observe the consequences of when you fail to reign in your worst impulses.”

The anxiety in Diamond Tiara’s mind had been pushed aside, and now squatting in its place was a feeling of dread. She slowly walked up the stairs, eventually catching sight of the marshmallow-coloured mare in front of a closed door, “Sweetie Belle! Open this door at once!”

The words fell against the deaf ears of the elaborate wood, and Rarity was doing her best to remain calm, “Sweetie Belle, if you don’t open this door, I will force it open. I might not be the most powerful of unicorns, but I can still do some serious damage to this door!”

After a minute had passed, the slightly-anxious mare had had enough, and retreated back a few paces from the door. Marking a hoof across the carpet in instinct, she made a run for the door, and flung her entire weight against the wooden construct. The door did its best to protest, but it was no match against the sudden force propelled against it. The hinges weakly protested, and the door came crashing down onto the floor.

The room was pitch black, the light from the candle in the hallway barely penetrating the darkness. Rarity fumbled with the lamp in the room, and as soon as she turned it on, Diamond Tiara wished that she hadn’t.

The room was deathly silent, and it wasn’t until now that her ears picked up a small creaking sound, not unlike a heavy object tugging against wood. Her eyes immediately latched onto the ceiling; a length of rope was attached to a wooden beam, and her eyes followed the rope down. Her brain, one step behind, knew what was coming next, but was hoping against hope, that for once in her life, she was mistaken. Her eyes saw the unmistakable markings of a pony she knew, followed by the sound of hysterical shrieking from another.

In a combined fit of rage and panic, Rarity blasted a bolt of energy from her horn at the wooden beam, sending the limp pony crashing down onto the floor as debris from the crumbling ceiling fell around them.

It was Sweetie Belle. Her body was lifeless, and repeated attempts by Rarity to resuscitate her were not working. Diamond Tiara looked on, frozen by a mixture of guilt and a morbid fascination at seeing someone grieve for a loved one. She thought back to the diary entry, and it clicked into place that Sweetie Belle had taken Diamond Tiara’s words to heart, and decided that the world really would be better off without her.

The white unicorn was alternating between uncontrollable sobbing and cursing the name of every pony she knew; ponies that, in her eyes, could and should have done more to prevent this… travesty.

Diamond Tiara was startled by Princess Luna appearing behind her, her stone gaze and steely resolve adding fuel to the guilt that threatened to burn within the foal. “Looks like you got your wish after all.”

The filly was taken by surprise at the candidness of the Moon Princess. “Wha… what is that supposed to mean?” she angrily countered.

The alicorn let a wry smile crack across her muzzle, “That’s funny. I could have sworn I heard you the other day remark to Silver Spoon about how you were tired of ponies not listening to you. It seems that you got your wish after all.”

She was right. For all Diamond Tiara’s tendencies to romanticize and embellish the past in conversation, the truth struck home. Diamond Tiara was staring at the cold, lifeless body in front of her, and felt something that she had never felt before.

Remorse. She had caused this. Sweetie Belle may have been the one that tied the knot, but Diamond Tiara may as well have been the one that handed her the rope. She thought back to the day they met, how Sweetie Belle had caught her ear by humming a particular tune, one she hummed even years later... and it suddenly occurred to her that she might never hear Sweetie Belle hum that melody again.

Princess Luna placed a hoof on Diamond Tiara’s flank, “While this is indeed a tragedy, it is not the only thing I have to show you. Prepare yourself.”

The princess smacked a hoof on the ground with solid precision; the two ponies were now outside Carousel Boutique again, but in broad daylight this time. Rarity was fumbling with the lock on the front door, a mixture of exhaustion and unquenchable sadness proving less than effective at securing her shop.

Diamond Tiara heard footsteps in the distance, and spotted the familiar face of Princess Twilight running at full speed toward Rarity. The purple alicorn came to an abrupt stop in front of the unicorn, but Rarity just raised a hoof in front of her, “Twilight, my dear, I know why you’ve come, but my mind is made up… and I think you can understand why.”

“Yeah, I know, and I respect those reasons, after… what happened in there. Is there no way I can convince you to stay in Ponyville at least? I ca-”

“Twilight, I know what you’re going to say,” interrupted Rarity “but believe me, my mind is already made up. This town… reminds me of what I no longer have. Every time I walk past her door, every time I walk past the schoolhouse…. Celestia, every time I see Apple Bloom or Scootaloo I’m reminded of my sister. I… I can’t live like this. I need to get away from Ponyville… ”

Twilight approached the unicorn, and gave a hug that Rarity only weakly returned. “If you ever need my help, you know where to find me.” Rarity nodded curtly, and walked off to the train station, dragging along only a single item of luggage. Diamond Tiara could see, plain as day, that Rarity at least partially blamed Princess Twilight for what happened.

Princess Luna turned her attention to Diamond Tiara, “One life ended, another destroyed, and several friendships severed; your father should admire such efficiency.”

The foal gritted her teeth, and met the Princess’ gaze with a steeled and resolute rebuttal, “I am nothing like my father.”

“Then perhaps it is time that you stepped out of your father’s shadow. I have one final thing to show you.” The amulet around Princess Luna’s neck glowed brighter than it ever had before, and Diamond Tiara found herself grabbing onto one of Luna’s legs to hold on to. As the room stabilised, Diamond Tiara got up and took a look at her new surroundings.

It was a hospital room. The filly moved to the side of the hospital bed, and caught a glimpse of the occupant. The purple markings were unmistakable; Princess Twilight occupied the bed, a pained expression on her muzzle.

The foal didn’t understand what was happening, and wondered if Twilight was okay. “Princess… what happened to her?”

The alicorn’s expression was now markedly different; Diamond Tiara made a guess that Luna was very angry about something, and wondered if this scene was triggering that, “This…. this is your fault. Your callous and vicious nature has ultimately led to this! You will pay, Diamond Tiara!”. Princess Luna unleashed a massive wave of arcane energy from her horn, and the filly was flung against a filing cabinet. The impact didn’t hurt much, but the foal was now terrified, having never seen a princess angry, much less angry at her.

The alicorn moved slowly toward the distressed pony, a look of fear now very much obvious. “A disease took hold amongst the ponies of Equestria. My sister and I remembered a similar incident that happened shortly after the defeat of Discord. It’s a magical illness, borne of corrupted and mutated chaos. In the same way we defeated Discord with the Elements of Harmony, so did we cleanse the land of his foul taint. That taint will resurface, and left unchecked, it has the power to devastate our kingdom.”

“So… so just use… the elements again...”, protested Diamond Tiara, now very much aware that Princess Luna was beginning to encroach on her personal space.

“The elements were sealed inside the Tree of Harmony, and their power is now invested in Twilight and her friends. However, to use that power, all of them must be assembled. You saw to it that that was no longer possible.”

Diamond Tiara thought back to Rarity leaving Ponyville, “Couldn’t… they have sent for Rarity?”

“No. Overcome with grief and shame at the loss of her sister, she too took her own life. The circle had been broken. Twilight volunteered to be infected in the hope she could create a cure by studying it up close, but without the power of all of her friends beside her, this was beyond her abilities.”

It was all beginning to click into place for Diamond Tiara. She’d pushed Sweetie Belle beyond her breaking point, and this in turn led to Rarity being pushed beyond hers. As Diamond Tiara’s mind grappled with the reality of her situation, Princess Luna was at the mercy of the amulet. While a rational mind would have ended the vision there and then, Luna’s feelings of vengeance and anger were coming to the surface, the amulet illuminating Luna’s entire body in an eerie green glow.

Luna’s face was now of a pony who had come face-to-face with the one who had taken away something precious from her, and her left hoof was now beginning to slowly deprive Diamond Tiara of life, who was in no position to offer resistance.

Both of them were caught off-guard by a bright flash of light at the back of the room, and the Princess of the Night turned to investigate the unexpected occurrence. A swirling dark vortex spawned, and almost immediately, two ponies jumped through it into the room.

Diamond Tiara, still very weak from the assault earlier, was still conscious enough to be in awe; both Princesses Celestia and Cadence stood with the full regal splendor expected of them, and were quite visibly concerned with what they saw.

“I thought I would find you here.” remarked Princess Celestia “I know your ethereal hiding places too well, my dear sister… did I not warn you of the power of the stone? The stone’s magic was not meant for us to wield! Continue down this path, and I will have no choice but to put a stop to this.”

“Spare me your empty words, sister. You would have us stand by while this… despicable little creature walks free? You disappoint us!”

“Princess Luna!” Cadence interrupted, “These are not the actions of a noble and respected Princess! You are being manipulated by that amulet!”

Princess Luna momentarily struggled to maintain her gaze; whatever force the amulet was exerting, it was certainly enough to overcome a Luna with devastating effect. Princess Celestia and Princess Cadence shared a single nod, and mentally prepared themselves for Plan B.

The two alicorns joined their magic, and aimed the resulting beam squarely at the rogue princess, who had erected a magical protective shield. Princess Luna, mentally fatigued from use of the amulet, was no match for the combined might of two alicorns, and her shield crumbled relatively quickly. The beam, now free of obstructions, went straight for the Stone of Insight.

The two princesses wrenched the amulet away from Princess Luna, and it fell to the floor with an unceremonious thud. The Princess of the Night felt a surge of magical energy leave her body; unable to sustain consciousness after such a shock to her system, she collapsed to the floor in silent defeat.

Princess Cadence and Princess Celestia assaulted the amulet with their combined royal energies, and the magical artifact absorbed the arcane onslaught with impressive resistance, until it could hold no more. In the arcane equivalent of a supernova, the green gem exploded with violent and beautiful force. The illusion shaped by Princess Luna, devoid of the magical energies sustaining it, began to fall apart. The floor soon disintegrated, and all four ponies were now falling through a dark, endless void, the plunge to oblivion punctuated by screams of panic and disorientation.

Diamond Tiara wished for it to be over. She had had enough, and wanted to be back in her bed, with a warm fire raging in the fireplace. Her thoughts returned to Sweetie Belle, knowing that the image of seeing her hanging limp and lifeless would haunt her for the rest of her days.

She never wanted to see that image again.