This day is going to be perfect...
The timeless melody danced across Diamond Tiara's mind as she merrily skipped down the streets of Ponyville. Not literally skipping mind you; she did still have a reputation to maintain and it wouldn't do for a young lady of such importance as herself to be seen frolicking like a common school-filly. Still, she was nothing but a bundle of mushy giddiness on the inside because today was the day, the day she would finally bare her heart of all its secrets and make the ultimate confession to the object of her affections.
Her words had always betrayed her in the past, but this was Hearts'n'Hoovs Day, a day when all she needed was the oversized and heart-shaped basket she carried on her back, stuffed full with a wide assortment of flowers and every type of candy imaginable, most importantly a full assortment of the finest imported rainbow chocolates money could buy.
Even had she dared risk the embarrassment of shifting her gate into a joyful skip, she probably couldn't, as the basket was perhaps a touch too large and she struggled with the effort of keeping it balanced, -- It doesn't matter how heavy this load is, Diamond Tiara, -- she assured herself, -- Soon enough all this hard work, all this patience, all this yearning... this heartache. Soon enough that will all be forever in the past, and you will be able to spend the rest of your days in the never ending bliss of that sweet orange embrace.
She almost regretted not wearing the feather that had become her most treasured position, but if she was going to ever make such a publicly visually display of who her heart forever belonged to she wanted it to be with a feather her beloved gifted with full knowledge, not one that she had inadvertently stolen. It would have so much more meaning that way.
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Arriving at Ponyville elementary, Diamond Tiara immediately set herself to task, it was still early and class had yet to start, so the fillies and colts that had arrived were all busy cavorting and a few were already exchanging a token card or two, but the pink earth filly had eyes for only one pony, and there as if by fate she saw her.
Vibrant magenta mane and tale, unkempt, but all the more beautiful for their wildly untamed ruggedness. Brilliant orange coat with matching wings, stubby now at this awkward faze of childhood, but in Diamond Tiara's mind she could only imagine the majestic span that would one day carry the filly aloft through the boundless heavens, -- Oh, how I wish I could ever be able to soar alongside her, -- and though she couldn't see them from this angle, rich violet eyes, full of rebellious zeal that defied all convention.
It was perhaps those eyes above all else that had captured Diamond Tiara's heart. She was herself very much a pony of convention. Sure she had the all the wealth and power that came with being the scion of one of the founding families of Poniyville, but that came with oh so much responsibility to stand as an example to all the lesser ponies. Scootaloo, however, was free, free to live whatever life she chose, and propriety be damned, Diamond Tiara wanted so much to live it with her, -- What is wrong with you? -- she ridiculed herself, -- Stop being all thoughtful and introspective and just get it over with already!
Anyway, best of all though, the young filly was sitting all alone and isolated from all the other ponies, it was all too perfect.
Somewhere some traitorous part of her brain tried in futility to remind Diamond Tiara of how this could never work, that she and Scootaloo were just too different, that they had nothing in common and never would, but as always her heart refused to listen. Her heart knew what it wanted, and nothing, absolutely nothing, would stand in her heart's way... not today, and never ever again.
As she approached from behind, Diamond Tiara struggled to find the words she'd always longed to say, "Hey there Scootaloo... I, um... that is to say... happy Hearts'n'Hooves Day!" she finally blurted out with unchecked enthusiasm, -- Yes, I finally did it. No more mistakes, no more hesitations, just the true feelings of my heart. Never again will anything come between us.
...
...
...
"Didn't you hear me you numb skull? I said happy Hearts'n'Hooves Day!" the pink filly shouted with mounting frustration after the silent lack of response had stretched out uncomfortably long, before catching herself, -- No, no, keep it together Diamond Tiara. This is your big chance and you're about to blow it. Just play it smooth, girl.
Diamond Tiara coughed and waved her hoof in front of the orange filly's vacant gaze, "Earth to Scootaloo; you in there?" -- Right, real smooth, -- she mocked herself sarcastically.
"He said... I had sweet moves..." came the pegasus's seemingly distant reply.
"Huh...?" Diamond Tiara wasn't sure if she spoke the word or only thought it, either way Scootaloo continued.
"When I came to school today, I ramped off the seesaw, grinded across the top of the swing-set, caught the edge of the flagpole with one hoof to loop around, then pulled a 720 backflip before I landed... and then he told me I had sweet moves."
Wow, that does sound pretty amazing, wish I'd been here to see it, -- but as the violet and white maned filly furrowed her brow she instead said, "So what's the big deal? You pull lame stunts like that every day, and everypony always cheers as if it were something special," -- I hate having to share you like that.
Fortunately, or perhaps not, Scootaloo still seemed barely alert and so missed the carelessly aimed insult. "Not like this..." she continued, "he didn't just say my moves were sweet... he said that such sweet moves deserved a sweet treat and then... and then he gave me this," in Scootaloo's single upraised hoof she held a singular candy-heart with a simple engraving.
U – R – MY
SWEET ❤
Diamond Tiara baulked. -- ...but, I bought the largest Hearts'n'Hooves day basket in town and now some no pony steels away my Scootaloo with just one tiny little candy-heart? Those things aren't even that good! Just cheap garbage that might as well be flavored chalk. It just isn't fair! -- "Who was it? Who gave you... THAT!"
"Rumble..." came the pegasus filly's reply with a sigh.
With a snap Diamond Tiara's head whipped about as she stared daggers at the... BOY, at the dark-maned and pale-coated pegasus colt who dared to steal the affection of her one and only heart's desire. Just who did he think he was that made him so worthy? There was nothing special about him, he'd never done anything to be worthy of Scootaloo, or anypony else for that matter. Soon enough though there'd be one thing special about him, as he took up new residence on the sun.
With earth shaking stomps the enraged filly marched across the playground, casually shoving aside any foals foolish enough not to get out of the way of her righteous furry. "YOU!!" she bellowed in a stunning approximation of a timbre normally reserve only for an enraged alicorn, "HOW DARE YOU! SCOOTALOO IS MINE, AND NOPONY, LEAST OF ALL SOME IDIOT COLT, CAN TAKE HER AWAY FROM ME!!!"
...or rather that's what Diamond Tiara imagined herself doing, but as she still stood next to Scootaloo what she actually did was so much worse. "You're crushing... on Rumble?"
"What?" at that the pegasus filly finally seemed to stir from her stupor, "No way!"
"Yes way, don't deny it, you... you Jezebel hussy!"
"Hey, don't call me things I don't know the meaning of!"
"Well maybe if you ever did anything but try to kill yourself on that dumb scooter of yours you wouldn't be so brain damaged!"
"Just shut up! I don't have to listen to your stupid mouth, and I am not crushing on ANYPONY!"
"Are too!"
"Am not!"
"Are too!"
"Am not!"
...
Across the field a blue toned earth colt spoke to the gray toned pegasus beside him, "Hey, Rumble, what do you suppose is up with those two?"
"Who knows, Shady; girls are just weird." The young pegasus then reach into his saddlebag, "Anyway, mom says I have to give one of these to everypony in school, so um, hope you enjoy," and then passed his fellow colt a candy heart.
"Hey thanks pal. I love these things," said Shady Daze as with a quick toss, he popped the sweet into his mouth.
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Diamond Tiara sat pouting by herself, -- How could it have all gone so terribly wrong?
"Hey, Tiara!" came the greeting of a familiar voice.
"Not now, Silver Spoon," she groused.
The gray-coated and silver-maned filly frowned briefly, "Like, why so moody? Looks like you scored big time!"
That's what was supposed to happen, -- Diamond Tiara lamented inwardly as she glared outwardly at her so-called best friend, "And what is that supposed to mean?"
Silver Spoon was taken somewhat aback, but mostly just seemed puzzled at her best friend's foul mood, "Like, just look at that haul; I bet half the class must want to be you special somepony if you managed to get all of that."
Now it was the pink filly's turn to be confused. She blinked several times before tracking Silver Spoon's gaze to the basket beside her and still overflowing with flowers and candies, the basket that had been meant for Scootaloo. "Well, duh... who wouldn't want to be my special pony? Not that any of the losers at this school are good enough for me..." she laughed awkwardly as she lamented inside, -- Almost none of them that is, -- "...but I might as well let them try to buy off my favor."
"You said it girl," and with that Silver Spoon took up an all too familiar pose, shortly followed by the corresponding ritualistic chorus and motions.
"Bump! Bump! Sugar lump, rump!"
The two fillies then giggled in unison, though only Silver Spoon's was truly genuine, while Diamond Tiara gazed hesitantly sidelong across the field, -- Next time she'll be all yours, Diamond Tiara, next time.
"So how bout sharing some of that candy?" asked Silver Spoon.
Author's Note
• Special thanks to BlackBelt, who inspired me to ever even consider the concept of such a crazy ship. Fore more Scootiara madness, and with less childhood trauma, go checkout Scootalong to the Cheer.
