The Rough Of The Diamond

Diamond slowly trudged home in the rainstorm that had been pouring all day – she was a smart filly so knew that the rain was required for the food to grow and the earth would soon turn to dust without it. And the pegasi, especially in Ponyville, were actually good at their job and when they forecast rain or sun, it was always rainy or sunny as intended.

However, as an earth filly who didn’t farm it just made for a depressing walk home. Her expensive coat and boots kept her warm but she looked on as some of the poorer students who were playing around in the mud without any coverings. They looked messy and a little cold, but looked like they were having fun Have I ever had as much fun as they are having now? Diamond pondered to herself.

She then started to think about the conversation with Ms Cheerilee and about all the other Cutie Marks that she knew of. The stories she knew the best were of course that of her parents. Her father’s cutie mark was a pretty straight forwards story really – he landed his first business deal as a young colt for a new supplier for the family store, and bam, the three bags of money appeared on his flank. It was a classic example of somepony finding their special talent whilst enjoying it. She skipped over her mothers tale knowing it not to be of any worthiness.

She then started to think about the six bearers of the elements, all of which had more interesting tales that befit national heroes. Since Princess Twilights Coronation, the bearers had become even more of celebrities than they were before. The six stories of how their cutie marks were intertwined had become a famous story and turned into a book…a foals book really but one of those things meant for foals that everypony enjoyed and soon knew like the back of their hooves.

Princess Sparkle’s mark was a little cryptic –stars didn’t really signify a direct link to magic, but given her recent elevation to a Princess it was clearly her special talent, and what she loved doing. It was surprising she didn't have a more obvious magic cutie mark like that Trixie filly, but then that represented showpony style magic, not the truly peerless magic of the alicorns Twilight seemed to show since foalhood.

She then thought about Sweetie Belles sisters Cutie Mark – clearly her special talent was finding gems, but she preferred to make dresses and being fashionable then spend time digging up jewels. Of course, the fact she found her mark after designing the costumes, rather than finding the gems, did help to indicate that the mark represented what she enjoyed doing more than the magic spell she used.

This gave the filly a little hope – both of the unicorns had marks not literally related to the thing they enjoyed doing, or what they ended up doing in life. If she wanted to know more about that, she thought she might need to speak to the pair. Twilight was of course a Princess, but was always willing to help teach and explain things, often in too much detail. Rarity may be a bit more of an issue given Diamonds relationship, or lack thereof, with her sister but perhaps given she was the Element of Generosity should would share her story in more depth.

Passing through the near abandoned town centre, with most ponies sheltering inside from the rain, the filly then thought about the pegasi pair. Rainbow Dash was obviously the linchpin of the whole story, and found her cutie mark when doing something she both liked doing, and doing something nopony else could do. However, without knowing what caused the cutie mark, the lightning bolt and cloud could in fact relate to weather related duties that Rainbow still did alongside most pegasi. So, Rainbow’s cutie mark didn’t directly relate to her most speical skills or likes, much like Rarity’s

Fluttershy also found her cutie mark when doing something she loved, and in a skill only she had. And unlike her blue friend, her cutie mark was a little more related to the skills and likes. Afterall, what other meanings could three butterfly’s mean? I suppose it could relate to how delicate she is. Apparently that is what attracted Photo Finish to use her as a model.

Passing the bakery, she took a few minutes shelter under one of its very decorative canopies, sighing as she looked around the town. When it rained like this and everypony stayed home, it just seemed wrong and unnatural – the town looked best when busy with ponies. Her spirits were somewhat lifted by the delicious smells coming from within the bakery, which made her think about the two owners. Their names were Carrot and Cup Cake and their marks simply matched the type of cake they were named after. Now, of course coming from baker families, both enjoying and being good at baking that wasn't a surprise. So perhaps their marks were affected by their names? Perhaps the cutie mark was going to be a cake, and somehow their names impacted on how it looked…that’s an interesting thought.

That led onto thoughts about the cutie marks of the whole apple family, except the youngest blank-flank and her annoying out of town cousin of course. All of them, throughout the land, had various apple or fruit cutie marks which seemed to match their names. But for Applejack it wasn’t just about farming, her story indicated her mark came when she realised she loved her family Surely a farming cutie mark would not be that specific, unless the name does play a part? Does Applejacks apple mark signify the Apple family, rather than the fruit?

Leaving the shelter provided by Sugarcube corner, which she had gone in and bought herself a snack on her family’s credit, she thought about the bakery's other adult resident and the last of the bearers. Pinkie Pie clearly loved throwing parties, and knew how to throw really good ones which everypony that had ever been to one would agree with. Her cutie mark clearly matched what she loved doing, and whilst the balloons could have meant lots of different things, much like rainbow dash it was clear from it’s origin story what it meant.

She sighed again as she went through the rest of the towns residents. The town was mostly earth and pegasi ponies, and whilst she didn’t know all the stories, the marks were often self evident. Twist was good at sweet making, and had a candy cane cutie mark. Time Turner was an expert at clock making and care, and so had an hourglass. However, the mailmare had bubbles as her cutie mark, which didn’t seem to match anything to do with delivering*. Yet, she was one of the happiest ponies in town.

She sighed again It seems to be that the mark varies for different ponies, sometimes being literal whilst others are more obscure, And it seems that all the types of races seem to be be able to have different likes and skills from the object on their flank. So, does that mean that my mark does represents something else?

As she passed one of the towns taverns on the way home “The Moon under Water” she thought about one and then the other of the kingdoms most famous residents I wonder how the Princesses found their cutie marks – did they control the sun and moon first, or did the cutie marks lead them to that? I wonder if they ever didn’t have the marks… if they have been around for thousands of years, perhaps they were never born? But the hearth-warming stories say that they weren't always around to raise the sun, it used to be the unicorns?

She then thought about something else. Wait a moment, how do cutie marks even appear? Having the mark grow over time would make sense, much like a mane and tail, but having it suddenly appear was magic. Now, for unicorns that made sense, but how does that work for Earth and Pegasi ponies?

She added that to her mental list of things to find out, but this just made the filly's brain hurt a little more with all the questions she had. She then realised that she was only a few moments from home and she galloped the remaining distance, soon in the physical warmth of her home.

--/----/----/----/----/--

Having got home to find her father locked up in his study, and her mother in her sewing room, Diamond made her way to her bedroom. There was no homework set so that just gave the filly more time to think. Dinner was a similar affair from the previous night, both parents seeming to ignore the depressed filly although Diamond thought he saw her father looking at her out of the corner of her eye.

After dinner the filly retired to the library room, and started trying to read a novel. However, a mixture of the raging storm outside, and the storm raging in her head meant she couldn’t concentrate. Accepting that the evening was a wash out, like the weather outside, she decided just to go to bed early.

As Diamond lay in bed, she thought about the road to her cutie mark…she had thought about it often and it still didn’t make much sense...

--/----/----/----/----/--

This is the worst birthday ever! a filly was thinking to herself.

Filthy Rich had another important meeting in Canterlot, but for the first time had taken his daughter alone for the trip. She was growing up now and he knew it would be good for her to get out of Ponyville every so often. Whilst it was an excellent place for a filly to grow up in, there was more to life than one quaint little town.

The filly had no idea why she was being dragged along on this trip, but she would never complain about it to the father she idolised. But that didn't mean she had to enjoy it!

As they were walking back through town, Filthy looked over to the foal walking a little sadly next to him. His daughter had clearly been bored all day, but had not misbehaved at all, quietly sitting around reading or colouring in. She was acting very grown up today, so it was time for her grown up present he had brought her here for.

As the pair walked through the shopping district, Filthy guided Diamond into a shop. She wasn't paying much attention but heard her father say she could pick out her birthday present from the store…within reason of course. Expecting to be in a toyshop, or a tacky gift store, she sighed and slowly raised her head.

Within moments, her eyes were as big as saucers and the biggest smile ever seen to pony-kind had spread across her face. She was in a childrens jewellery store, and not a cheap store for foals - a real store with real gold and gems.

She looked over the sparkling rings, wishing she was a unicorn who could adorn her horn with a ring.

She looked over the earrings, wondering if her father would let her get her ears pierced at such a young age…she still didn’t have her cutie mark after all so she doubted it.

She looked over the bracelets, thinking how great one of them would look around her front hoof.

She looked over the necklaces, picturing her and her mother walking around with matching accessories. Yes, that was it!

Diamond studied all the necklaces carefully, and was just about to point out to her father which she wanted when something caught her attention out of the corner of her eye...something sparkly. She slowly trotted over to another case, seemingly drawn to the contents within. She imagined how great one of these would be, and how she would stand out from everypony else in town.

Before she could ask her father, he had already got the salespony's attention and she nervously pointed to the style she liked. The salespony used his magic to levitate the gift and within moment Diamond had a tiara on her head for the first time. The filly looked in the mirror Does this suit me or what!

Whilst the filly was distracted by her own imagine, Filthy was discussing the price with the salespony

“150 bits seems a little cheap for such an item?”

“Sir, They are five diamonds, but of low quality than others, whilst the silver is pure. Whilst no doubt you could afford a more expensive version, in all honesty we advise buying younger fillies a cheaper gems as there is an increased risk of loss or theft.”

“Hmmm, that does sort of make sense” Filthy agreed, a bit worried about being a little cheap on the grand gift he had planned.

“Sir, it also gives you an opportunity to upgrade the gems at a later date, for example for her cute-ceañera or graduation day. The tiara itself is of good quality and any jewellers can provide five new cut gems and set them. You could even decide to change from diamonds to rubies or baby blue sapphires - having the option to upgrade allows the item to mature with the foal. Of course we hope you choose to come back here such services, sir!”

Filthy trotted over to his daughter, still looking at her reflection in the mirror “So what do you think my little gem, want it?”

“Really father? Really?”

Filthy nodded and the filly started prancing round him in joy. Leaving her to her celebration, he paid the salespony the bits, including a decent tip for providing honest advice rather than trying to sell him the most expensive item.

They had a train to catch, so eventually Filthy had to calm down his daughter and get her to focus on walking to the train station. He allowed her to keep her present on her head, as it was daytime and Canterlot was nearly as crime free as Ponyville. The filly bounced happily along the short trip to the train, practically floating whenever a pony gave a compliment – any parent passing could easily tell from the body language that the filly’s tiara was a new gift and so they all wanted to make her feel as special as possible.

As they sat down on the train, their tickets were checked by the first class attendant.“Filthy Rich, Diamond Rich, enjoy your journey” he smiled as he walked to the next table

Filthy looked over to his filly looking at herself in the reflection of the train window “Diamond Rich? Hmmm, I think we’ll need to call you Diamond Tiara from now on!” the stallion laughed as he hugged the daughter he adored.

“This is the best birthday ever” the filly squealed as the train left the station.

--/----/----/----/----/--

She had a big tear in her eye as she remembered that day. And it wasn't really the tiara itself that had the best memory for the filly, but how grown up her father made her feel. She had never had felt so close to him as then.

But that wasn't the day she got her cutie mark, it was a few months later.

--/----/----/----/----/--

The filly was preparing for bed after a hard day of walking around Ponyville with her best friend, Silver "Spoon" Birch. Of course Diamond had worn her tiara all day, and everypony always treated her extra special when she wore it. The dressmaker, whose shop they had visited, treated her like a proper grown mare as they browsed the latest fashions, and that was a pony who knew something about gems having three of them adorn her flank.

Diamond loved that little piece of jewellery on her head, the thing that made her stand out in this town despite still being 'without mark', and she lay the piece down carefully on her bedside table before gently drifting off to sleep with a smile on her face.

When she woke up the next morning, she placed the tiara on her head and got out of bed. As she trotted to the bathroom, she passed her mirrored wardrobe and suddenly stopped. For instead of just having a Tiara on her head, there was now a picture of one on her flank.

“Mummy, Daddy, I’ve got my cutie mark!” the filly shouted with glee as she raced towards her parents bedroom

--/----/----/----/----/--

Diamond sat up with a start and realised something Wait, everypony else was awake when they discovered their cutie mark, so knew what it meant. However, mine came in my sleep – does that mean that I dreamt about my special talent? The filly let out a loud moan Why can’t I remember that dream! Nothing was particularly special about that day, so what was it?

She looked down at her cutie mark, and started piecing the ideas together My name is Diamond Rich – my cutie mark therefore could just be related to my name or perhaps because I had a tiara, and therefore is why it choose that shape, like with the Cakes? Or if it is literal mark, it could be that I realised my talents and likes in my dreams and therefore can’t remember what it was

Both options need to be explored and she lay in bed making a plan to explore all possibilities...