"Maybe try getting a job?" Silver Spoon asked.
"Tried that, but nopony is willing to let me start at the top," Diamond Tiara replied. "The whole only for a couple of days thing didn't seem to appeal to them, either."
"Just wish your parents hadn't talked to my parents and had them tell me no loaning or gifting any bits." Silver Spoon shook her head. "Or leaving bits in your coin bag. Or accidentally drop any bits. Or—"
"Yeah, they totally covered all the bases this time."
"I know, right? Like, when did they get so smart?" Silver Spoon stopped to point out a couch in the Couch and Quill's window display. "Eew! So garish!" Her body shuddered at the horror of it. "And with the big concert coming up and all. How could your parents, like, do that to you?"
"Well, I did sort of yell at my mom," Diamond Tiara said. "And even if she had deserved it, well, she's been feeling down since… So yeah, that's why my dad got upset."
Silver Spoon nodded, then leaned in close. "You know, my parents completely forgot to say that I couldn't buy you a ticket, and then accidentally drop that ticket into your coin bag."
Diamond Tiara pondered the offer, but shook her head. "Thanks for the offer, Sil, but I don't want you to get into trouble, not for this. I'll just, like, catch her the next time she performs in Canterlot."
"Well, okay, but if you change your mind, let me know." Her ears perked up at a bell chimed in the distance. "We'd better get a move on. Else we'll miss the duck feeding. Come on!"
The two fillies raced toward the park at what they would have said was a dignified canter. The ponies they passed would have disagreed, though. Their thoughts went more toward things like "a bat out of Tartarus", "a two-pony stampede", and "must get those two to power my Mark IX." The "dignified canter" did the job, however, and the two fillies made it to the park in record time. Screeching to a halt, they started scanning the park.
"Woot, it hasn't started yet," Silver Spoon said, between gasping for breath.
Diamond Tiara, also panting heavily, pointed toward three of the fillies. "Look. The crusaders are here."
"Ergh. Them again?" Silver Spoon rolled her eyes. "I mean, I know they're your friends and all, and they aren't as lame as we first thought, but I was kind of hoping today would be just us, you know? Especially since you won't be able to go to the concert and all."
"Of course it's just us, Sil. I came here to watch the ducks with you, not them. But as long as we're here, it doesn't mean we can't provide some commentary on whatever silly things they do." Diamond Tiara nudged Silver Spoon with her hoof. "What? Just because they're my friends now, that doesn't mean I can't find their antics amusing. It just means I'll laugh with them, rather than at them."
"Well… Okay. Ooh!" Silver Spoon bounced up and down excitedly. "Look, there she is! And she's brought the ducklings! They're so cute!"
The ducklings marched in order behind the pale-yellow-coated pegasus, while mother duck patrolled the sides. From time to time, the lead duckling would snap at her soft pink tail, only to have mother duck quack at him until he dropped it. A white bunny brought up the rear. Occasionally, the mother duck would hiss at him due to brisk manner with which he motivated any stragglers. It had no impact on his methods, though.
"So cute!" Silver Spoon squealed again, even louder this time.
Diamond Tiara rested her hoof upon her friend's shoulder, calming her down. "Shhh… not so loud or else you'll spook Fluttershy again."
Silver Spoon's face flushed with embarrassment. "Um, yeah. We totally wouldn't want that."
"I know, right?" Diamond Tiara giggled. "It, like, took half-an-hour last time to get her to come down from that tree."
"And the whole time her pet bunny was just stomping his foot and scolding her with those cute little bunny sounds." It was Silver Spoon's turn to giggle, and she did. "I don't know if that helped or hindered."
"Cute bunny, though. Maybe I should get one like that. I bet they're really easy to care for. Not demanding at all and super snuggleable." Diamond Tiara was silent for a couple of seconds, then shrugged her shoulders. "Not that it matters, because…"
"Grounded!" the two fillies said in unison.
The two fillies settled down to watch as the feeding began. Ducks swarmed up from the pond, and mother duck had her wings full making sure at least some of the food went to her ducklings. The chaos ended with a firm scolding from Fluttershy, after which all the ducks formed a nice line and waited their turn. Well, except for the ducklings, who still squabbled over their portion.
Diamond Tiara did not see how the duckling hunger games turned out, for her attention was drawn toward the crusaders. She noted the way they huddled together, the heads held close in a way that just screamed "conspiratorial whispers". They were up to something, and whatever it was, it promised to be more amusing than the duck feeding, if her previous observations of the three were any indication.
She nudged Silver Spoon, drawing her attention to the three fillies. "Something's up. Something big."
Silver Spoon squinted, her head moving forwards as she attempted to see the distant ponies more clearly. "They're doing the whispering, head pop-up, and more whispering thing. This is going to be good."
"I just hope they don't hurt themselves."
Silver Spoon laughed. "Those three? Never. They've got Celestia's own luck."
"Look, there goes Apple Bloom."
Diamond Tiara was correct. The huddle and whispering had ended, and Apple Bloom had set out on her own. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle raced off to a nearby bush, ducking behind it. Slowly, their hides popped back into view, and they started their own observation of Apple Bloom.
"I wonder what's she's up to. They don't have any crazy contraptions with them."
"Well, they've got their cutie marks now…" Diamond Tiara watched as Apple Bloom continued on. "Is she? She is. She's going to talk to Rumble and Button Mash."
Silver Spoon titled her head slightly. "I wonder what about." Her body started to quiver, building up pressure, and she erupted into several quick bounces. "I bet she's going to ask one of them out! I bet it's Rumble. She's been making doe eyes at him all the time in class."
Diamond Tiara's jaw dropped. "That can't be it, can it? Doesn't she know?"
"That he's totally not into fillies? That he's fruiter than the entire Apple orchard?" Silver Spoon settled onto her haunches, her stomach rumbling slightly at the mention of scrumptious fruit. "Can't believe how long it took them to finally get together. Especially since Button Mash and him are totally such an adorable couple. Almost makes me jealous."
"I know, right? They'd totally win prom prince and princess if it weren't a given that one or both of us will." Diamond Tiara sat down beside her friend. "You really don't think she knows?"
The two watched as Apple Bloom froze, then rushed forward toward the two foals and tapped Rumble on the shoulder. The earth pony filly blushed, looking down to the ground to the right of Rumble. Please don't let Silver Spoon be right, Diamond Tiara thought, but in her heart, she knew her friend was. She had a knack for that sort of thing. The only one she hadn't seen coming that Diamond Tiara could recall was between Miss Cheerilee and Big McIntosh. And that one hadn't even lasted a day before it was over, burning out as fast as it had appeared.
"Don't do it, Apple Bloom," she begged. "Don't do it."
But alas, Diamond Tiara's pleading had no effect, and Apple Bloom went and did it. The shy embarrassment of whatever she had said disappeared, replaced by genuine embarrassment as she staggered backward. The two colts looked at her sympathetically, but it didn't last, as their attention returned to each other, lost instantly in the still new perfection of it all. They didn't notice as Apple Bloom turned, and rather than giddily rushing forward, trudged away.
"Yup, she did it," Silver Spoon said, turning her attention to Diamond Tiara. "Want to go see the ducklings up close? Maybe we can hold one." When Diamond Tiara didn't answer, Silver Spoon followed her friend's gaze back to Apple Bloom.
She had made it halfway to the bush where her fellow crusaders had been hiding before her friends had abandoned their post and rushed to their friend's side. What started as a group hug ended with Apple Bloom shoving both of the fillies away, before racing off.
"Or we could go see if Apple Bloom's alright," Silver Spoon suggested. "Because we care and all that."
Diamond Tiara raised an eyebrow at her.
"What? I'm being totally serious. We do care, and as caring ponies, we should go make sure she's alright, because that's what caring ponies do." Silver Spoon frowned, nibbling her lip. "Though, given how she treated her best friends, I"m not sure what we'll be able to do."
"Only one way to find out, I guess," Diamond Tiara said, and set off toward the crusaders, Silver Spoon at her side.
Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo sat staring in the direction Apple Bloom had gone, their jaws still hanging open. No doubt unsure how their latest plan had gone off the rails, despite having a ton of experience with plans doing that just that. In more than one case, literally.
"It's because he's gay," Diamond Tiara said, startling the two fillies.
"Huh?" the two asked.
"Your plan..." Diamond Tiara said.
"Doomed before it even started," Silver Spoon said.
"Because Rumble's gay," Diamond Tiara said. "Haven't you noticed all the note passing between Rumble and Button Mash? And that the notes have cute little pictures drawn on them."
"What's that got to do with it?" Scootaloo asked.
"Yeah! We pass notes all the time, too, and mine almost always have little drawings," Sweetie Belle said. "And you and Sil pass notes too, and you're not dating." Her eyes shifted briefly as a thought occurred to her. "You aren't, are you?"
Diamond Tiara giggled. "No more than you and Scoots. But we're fillies. We pass notes like colts slug each other's shoulders."
"And haven't you noticed the notes contained poetry?" Silver Spoon asked. "The flowery stuff, not the usual 'Charge of the Pegasi Brigade' thing colts normally go for."
"Hey, 'Charge' is awesome!" Scootaloo said.
"Didn't say it wasn't," Silver Spoon replied. "Nor that there's anything wrong with you liking it or with a colt liking the good stuff. Just that, if a colt is writing that sort of thing, it's a pretty likely sign he more than just likes somepony."
"So if you have two colts writing such things to each other…" Sweetie Belle's eyes widened, and she turned her head toward the retreating Apple Bloom. "She never had a chance. And we never saw it."
Silver Spoon wrapped a foreleg around Sweetie Belle's shoulder. "Now you're getting it."
Scootaloo kicked at a patch of grass that had the misfortune of being a bit taller than the rest. "And after we pooled our bits for an extra ticket an' everything."
Diamond Tiara's ears perked up, even as she stared in the direction Apple Bloom had gone She could just make her out in the distance. The distraught filly had made it as far as the stone bridge, and was now huddled underneath it, in the damp darkness. "Well, I guess I'd better go talk to her."
"I, uh, don't think she wants to talk to anypony," Scootaloo said.
"Yeah, she told us to get lost." Sweetie Belle frowned. "She never does that. Well, except that one time after bowling, but then she was feeling really down."
"And almost diseased the entire town," Silver Spoon said.
"And that's why I've got to talk to her, before she totally blooms things up." At the glares from the two crusaders, Diamond Tiara's cheeks reddened. "Sorry, old habit."
"What makes you think she'll talk to you?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"Well, I am her friend."
Scootaloo looked skeptical. "We're her best best friends."
"And she didn't want to talk to us," Sweetie Belle said.
"True," Diamond Tiara said, turning to face the white unicorn, "but your coat is white, almost the same color as Princess Celestia's." At the perplexed look of the fillies, Diamond Tiara explained. "Color theory. It's in the latest issue of Mare-opolitan. A coat color that is near white, like the Princess, means you're like a ray of sunshine, spreading light all around. But this is about love, and for that, you need a specialist. A pink pony." Diamond Tiara ran her hoof down her chest. "Like Princess Cadance or me. And since Princess Cadance isn't here..."
"Hey, what's my color mean?" Scootaloo asked.
"Oh, earth tones mean you're close to the earth, like, stoic," Silver Spoon said.
Scootaloo reared up, reading her forehooves. "You making fun of my wings again?"
Silver Spoon took a step back, and then a second. "No! Not that. I mean that you stay grounded. Ack, wrong words!" She backpedaled as Scootaloo hopped forward toward her, wings buzzing furiously. "Little help here, Di!"
Diamond Tiara stepped between the two and raised her head high, going into lecture mode. "What she means, Scootaloo, is that you don't make rash decisions. That you think things through and act rationally."
"Oh, that makes sense." Scootaloo settled back down. "I do do that, don't I?"
Sweetie Belle drew in a breath through clenched teeth. "Well…"
"Hey, what's your coat color say about you, Silver Spoon?" Scootaloo asked.
"That she always knows exactly the right thing to say," Diamond Tiara said. She looked over toward the bridge. "I think we can all agree that I'm the pony to talk to Apple Bloom about this. Besides, I owe her."
"You going with her, Silver Spoon?" Scootaloo asked. "Knowing just what to say sounds really useful right about now."
"Oh, no. I already have a— I mean, Di's totally got this."
"Yup, just sit back and watch me handle it. It'll be no problem. Pink coat, remember?" Diamond Tiara gave the fillies a confident grin before taking several halting steps forward. "You can do this, Diamond," she said under her breath. "You're good enough, you're smart enough, and dog-gone it, ponies like you." Sufficiently self-affirmed, she set off.
"Good luck!" the three fillies behind her called out.
Diamond Tiara did not respond, her full attention focused on the task ahead. Her mind raced through the various romance novels she had read, but she couldn't recall anything from them that would help. Sure, if Apple Bloom had been a strong willed pony who initially disliked the other pony, but then did like that pony and they got together… and then they had a fight and she got her heart broken, well, that the stories covered. But not this straight up rejection. She was going to have to make like a pegasus and wing it.
She stopped near the head of the bridge. Her ears picked up the soft sobbing. It was worse than she had thought, but she'd committed herself. Steeling herself, she poked her head around the side.
"Hey," she said.
"Go away," Apple Bloom said between sobs. "I want to be alone."
Diamond Tiara ignored her request. "Figured you'd be here. I always used to go here when I wanted to be alone as well."
Apple Bloom looked up. "Really?"
Diamond Tiara shrugged. "Well, actually, no. I actually did most of my crying in my garden." That elicited a slight laugh. Not enough to lift Apple Bloom's spirits, but enough to put an end to Apple Bloom's scowl. Diamond Tiara took that as an invitation to join Apple Bloom under the bridge. Settling next to the farm filly, she put her foreleg around Apple Bloom and held her close.
It was a move that had always worked on her, when she'd accidentally broken a toy. Her mother would hold her just like that while Randolf or one of the maids ran out to get a new one. Truth be told, sometimes the toy breakage hadn't been quite so accidental, the poor toy making the ultimate sacrifice for her mother's love.
"Just let it out," she whispered just like her mother used to, before she began insisting Diamond Tiara was too old to cry. "Let it all out."
Apple Bloom shifted, snuggling closer, gently sobbing. Diamond Tiara lightly stroked her back, cooing "There, there. It'll be alright." Apple Bloom's sobbing slowed, and finally stopped. Still, Diamond Tiara held her until, at last, Apple Bloom gently pushed her away.
"Feeling better?" Diamond Tiara asked.
"Yes. Well, not really, but maybe?" Apple Bloom asked.
"My mother always gave me a toy," Diamond Tiara said, giving the surrounding ground a rapid glance. "I don't have one with me though…"
"Somehow, Ah don't think a toy fixes this." Apple Bloom laughed, a full laugh this time, though one that quickly lapsed back into the gloom. "It hurts, you know? My heart was… is… aflame for him. Ah wanted this so much. Ah thought it'd be perfect, and..."
"And instead you got burned by the fire," Diamond Tiara finished. "I guess that's the downside of love. You want something so much you practically burn with desire. But where there's a fire, there's always the chance of getting burned. Especially if it burns so brightly."
The two fillies sat in silence, leaning against each other, watching the water pass under the bridge.
"Why couldn't it be more like water than fire?"
Diamond Tiara shrugged. "I'd imagine if it were, we'd, like, compare love to rapids and waterfalls, not water softly rustling as it passes under a bridge. Or maybe both, but first rapids and waterfalls, and then later..." She laughed. "Pesky strong emotions."
"Ah just thought this would make me happy," Apple Bloom said. "Ah don't want to hurt."
Diamond Tiara nodded. "Yeah, hurting sucks. So much…" Her eyes glazed over as she started to drift into the past, but she pulled herself out of the uncomfortable memories. "I guess this is where I say it'll get better in time? That's what adults always say, anyway. 'I know it feels like it now, but it doesn't mean you're going to die. You just got to get up and try again.' Stuff like that. 'Find somepony better, a nice colt who isn't gay.'"
Apple Bloom chortled. "Is that why? How could Ah have missed that?"
Diamond Tiara shrugged. "Next time, check with me first. I know you crusaders loving rushing head first into things, but when it comes to social situations, especially love, I'm the master." She proudly tapped her hoof against the hair of her foreleg.
"Ah suppose... " Apple Bloom watched as a leaf spun around in the waters passing beneath the bridge. As it passed, she turned to Diamond Tiara. "Thank you, Diamond, for making me feel better." She raised her muzzle up and laughed. "A month ago, who'd have thought such a thing would ever be possible?"
"And yet here we are," Diamond Tiara said, nudging Apple Bloom gently in the shoulder.
"I guess things can work out for the best, if you just give it some time. Which is what you're trying to tell me, isn't it?" She frowned, looking at a couple of pieces laying on the ground. "And what do I do with this stupid extra ticket? Maybe burn it?"
"I suppose… I could take it off your hooves," Diamond Tiara offered. "I'd pay you for it, of course. Just not right away." She gave a slight shrug and a grin. "I sort of got grounded for yelling at my mom."
"Gah, I hate being grounded!" Apple Bloom exclaimed.
"I know, right? It's so unfair not letting you do what you want just because you did something bad. I mean, you totally already apologized."
Apple Bloom picked up one of the tickets and offered it to Diamond Tiara. "Here, take it. No charge. Ah insist, my friend."
Diamond Tiara hesitated, then took the proffered gift. "Thanks."
Apple Bloom gestured toward a bush in the distance with her nose. "Now, you'd better go tell those nosey-bodies that Ah'm okay."
Diamond Tiara glanced over in time to see three heads disappear. "Not very subtle in their spying, are they? Even if it's none of their business. All they need to know is that you're fine now." She held Apple Bloom's head in her hooves and looked deeply into her eyes. "You are okay, for realsies, right?"
Apple Bloom pulled her head away. "Close as can be expected, Ah guess. Better, at least. Thanks to you."
"You might want to clean up a little though. Splash some water on your face…"
"Ah'll do that, and then join you guys. Ah could use some ice cream." Apple Bloom raised her hoof, cutting off Diamond Tiara before she could even start. "My treat."
Diamond Tiara pursed her lips. "Well, my parents didn't say you couldn't buy stuff for me, so I suppose that's okay. Let's do it!"
"Good, 'cause Ah wasn't going to let you refuse anyway. Now get going!" Apple Bloom gave Diamond Tiara a firm shove, sending her on her way.
"Okay, I'm going, I'm going!" Diamond Tiara said, and did just that. After she had walked a bit, she looked back to see Apple Bloom washing up. Seeing that, Diamond Tiara began whistling softly. She'd done it. She'd helped a friend, and at the same time, gotten around her unfair grounding. No way her father would object to her being given a ticket for helping somepony, especially not when that pony was an Apple. And Apple Bloom would be fine. The pain would fade, and she'd find a new colt to chase. That pony always bounced back so fast. And this time, she'd know better than just rushing in.
Yes, Diamond Tiara decided, Apple Bloom was lucky to have a good friend like her.
She waved to the fillies ahead as they tried, and failed, to nonchalantly exit their cover. She gave them a big grin, letting them know that the situation had been handled. And since it had been, she let her thoughts wander to the concert. Maybe Snails would be there and she could ask him to dance. Or maybe there'd be some cute colt from out of town, a rich noble's son from Canterlot. That would be even better.
Apple Bloom splashed her face with water, wiping away the last visible vestiges of her inner turmoil. Maybe Diamond Tiara was right, she decided. This wasn't the end. She just needed to find somepony else. Somepony even better looking than Rumble, one who was kind, who understood her, and who wasn't dating somepony else. Somepony who understood her well enough to comfort her even when she felt at her worst. Somepony she had things in common with, who liked the same music she did. She lifted her head, watching the departing Diamond Tiara. Maybe somepony pink…
Author's Note
Oh, poor Apple Bloom, fresh from one disaster and heading straight into what will likely be another. But at least she always gets up and tries, tries again.
Inspired by this P!nk song:
