Learning the Error of Ones Ways

Learning the error of ones ways

Everypony thinks I have the easy life. Sure I can get anything I ask for, anything from so extra bits to spend to the latest fashions thanks to my dad being rich.

I have a very good friend too… well I did until she and her family moved to Manehattan because of her dad’s new job.

Since she moved I have been all alone, you see I don’t have many friends, or none for that matter. None of the fillies and colts from school like me very much, I don’t know why I mean sure I tease them a bit but it’s all in good fun so they shouldn’t get as upset with me as they do.

I still have my dad to talk to, though he is always in business meetings with “important ponies” about the family store franchise so he isn’t around that much. Sure he is there on my birthday or other holidays or on family appreciation day at school, but I just wish he was around more when I need him.

My name is Diamond Tiara and while my life is easy, it’s very lonely.

“Miss Tiara, it is time to get up for school. Breakfast will be ready shortly, so please hurry.” The butler called from the door.

Sigh. I guess I might as well get up, not like he will let me stay in bed all day. “Alright, alright, I’ll be right there. Now go so I can get ready.” I answered back to him, showing that I was annoyed with him waking me very clear.

“Very well miss.” The butler bowed upon hearing me and turned to leave my room closing the door behind him.

“Wait” I called out to him before he closed the door.  “will my dad be joining us today?”

“No, I’m afraid he has already left for the day and won’t be home until late tonight.” The butler answered. “Do you require anything else?”

“No that will be all.”

“Very well.” The butler said as he closed the door.

Sigh of course dad wouldn’t be there for breakfast, he never is unless it is my birthday or something. Why do I ask everyday if he will be there when I know the answer? Anyway I better get ready for school I guess.

Moving the blanket off and getting out of bed I did my daily routine for the day, and then went done for breakfast. It was a meal of toast with some zap apple jam, milk and a carrot muffin. I ate my meal in silence, after finishing I grabbed my saddlebags and headed out to school.

“Walking to school again? I have the carriage ready if you want it to take you there.” The butler called out as I headed for the door.

I shook my head “Not today, I feel like walking.” I replied as I continued to leave.

“Very well have a safe trip miss.” He bowed before returning to his duties in the house.

I have grown fonder of walking lately. Riding the carriage hasn’t been the same since Silver Spoon move to Manehatten. I miss her, she was my only friend, and we used to ride to school every morning talking about what the latest fashion was or what we were going to do after school among other things. But it doesn’t feel the same, not without her here so I began to walk to school instead.

I arrived at the school after some time seeing my other classmate getting there as well. They were all together with their friends talking about who knows what. Not that I cared, just a bunch of babies that can’t take a joke or two.

I can’t believe go to school with these ponies, I sometimes wish I lived somewhere else so I wouldn’t have to see them. I thought to myself as went passed them and into the school.

As the day went on I tried to listen to Miss Cheerilee go on about something but my thoughts were elsewhere.

Why can’t the day be over so I can go home?

Why so you can be alone there instead of here?

Well at least I wouldn’t have to be here with these ponies.

But is that so bad? At least hear you can talk to somepony who isn’t the butler for a change.

I guess, but no of them like me, all I do is say a few jokes about them and they hate me for some reason. All of them are just a bunch of babies.

Well maybe if you see why they didn’t like your jokes then maybe you could fix that.

Fix it? But I didn’t do anything there the ones wh-

“Diamond Tiara, would you care to answer the question?” Miss Cheerilee spoke.

“Huh?” I responded breaking out of my train of thought “Ummm 42?”

The class busted out laughing when I answered, blushing I lowered myself in my seat.

“No Diamond Tiara, I asked you what the capital of Equestria is.” Miss Cheerilee said disappointingly, “Please and try and pay attention.”

The rest of the day went uneventful after that, my conversation with myself forgotten. After school I grabbed my saddlebags and made to leave when a voice call out to me.

“Hey! Wait up!” The voice called out in a familiar country accent.

I turned my head to see who call out to me and saw Apple Bloom was heading toward me, followed by Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle both of the latter didn’t look too happy.

Great just what I need right now, the cuties mark crusaders.

As they approached, my thoughts from earlier surfaced.

Maybe it is what you need right now? You could use someone to talk too. They could tell about your jokes and why no pony likes them.

Maybe but does it have to be them? They are just so annoying.

Are they, or are you just jealous of them?

Me? Jealous of them? Why would I be jealous of them? What do they have that I don’t?

They have Friends.

I tried to think of a counter argument for that thought but couldn’t think of anything. As I was thinking when they caught up to me.

“Hi Diamond Tiara.” Apple Bloom spoke first.

“Yes, what do you want?” I replied coldly.

“Well I just wanted to ask you if you’re okay. I mean me and the girls have notice that you seem down in the dumps ever since Silver Spoon moved and wondered how you were holding up is all?” Apple Bloom explained.

“Well I can tell that I’m fine”. I just lost my only friend is all. “and I don’t need some pony like you asking me if I’m okay.” I snapped back at her

“Hey, don’t talk like that to her; she was only trying to help!” Scootaloo spoke up.

“Well I didn’t ask for your help now did I? If you excuse me I have to get going.” I said. I turned away from them with my head held high as I walked away.

Well that went over well.

I didn’t ask for their help. I walk slowly towards home after talking to the Cutie Mark Crusaders back in the school yard while I continued to argue with my inner thoughts.

Well even so maybe you should have heard them out at least before snapping at them. They didn’t do anything wrong to you.

Well they…. I mean… yeah I guess I could have listened to them instead of acting like that. I sighed aloud as a turned the corner, my home in sight. Maybe I can talk to them next time I see them or maybe – Before I could finish my thought I ran into something.

“Ahh!” I yelled bounced off whatever it was and landed onto the ground.

“Oh I so sorry I didn’t see you there” a mares voice called out, “are you all right?”

“I would be if you watched where you wer-“ I started to yell at who I had run into until I saw who it was.

Before me knelling down in front of me as lavender mare with a concerned look on her face.  She wore a tiara on her head that rested behind her horn. She extended one her wings to help me up off the ground.

“Oh Princess Twilight Sparkle” I said as a reached for her wing to help pull me up “I mean I sorry I ran into you, I was thinking about something when I should have been paying attention to where I was going.” I apologised as a stood up.

“It’s alright, I wasn’t paying attention either so I was my fault too” Princess Twilight said tucking her wing back to her side, “I sorry if I hurt you at all.”

“No I’m fine. But don’t worry about me Princess, are you okay?” I asked.

“I fine and please just call me Twilight” She said, “I maybe an Alicorn now but I still want to be treated the same as you or any other pony would be.”

I was surprised that she had said that.

I thought royalty always wanted to be called by their titles when addressed, but here is Twilight Sparkle the Princess of the Magic of Friendship telling-. My train of thought stopped when I realised who Twilight was.

“Is everything okay?” Twilight asked looking worried.

“Oh, I’m fine. But I was wonder if I could talk to you about something?” I asked “If you not busy that is.” I quickly added.

“Sure I don’t have anything pressing at the moment to attend to. So what did you want to talk about?”  Twilight said.

“Uhmm…” I hesitated before continuing my head hung low, “You see, my friend Silver Spoon moved to Manehatten a little while ago and I miss having her round to play with and talk too.” I said my eyes starting water remembering some of the times me and Silver shared.

“As you know my dad runs Barn Yard Bargains and so he is always busy with business meeting. He isn’t around much; it has been that way for a long I can remember. So when I meet Silver Spoon for the first time in school I felt so happy, she was somepony I could talk to, play with. Sompony that would be there for me when I needed them, somepony to keep me from being alone.

“But since she moved I haven’t anypony to talk to or play with anymore. None of the fillies and colts at school don’t want to be around me, I think they don’t like me jokes but I don’t know why. I mean Silver Spoon always liked them, but for some reason the others don’t like them very much.” I explained to Twilight.

Twilight looked on, listening to me as I want on. I could feel my eyes tear up as I continued but I held them back. “Silver Spoon was my only friend; I don’t want to be alone again. I want to make friends but I don’t know what I’m doing wrong,” I looked up to Twilight, tears felling down my face. “please Twilight. Please show me what I’m doing wrong and help me make friends.”

Twilight stood still, not saying anything for a few moments, while I cried like a foal in front of her. Great she probably thinks I’m being a baby and won’t help me. But I don’t want to be alone, I just don’t. I want somepony to-.

It was then I felt something soft but strong wrap around me, snapping me out of my thoughts. I looked to see what it was and saw Twilight had wrapped her wings around me into a hug. It felt nice, it was warm and soft. It made me feel for a moment that I wasn’t alone that somepony was there for me.

“It’s going to be okay,” she said as she held the hug “I will help you. I will show you how to make friends.”

When I heard her say that I felt joy spread through my body at those words. I started to cry again as I returned the hug.  “Thank you!” I cried out, “Thank you so much, this means so much to me.”

“It’s okay; I’m always there to help those who are in need of help.” Twilight said as she held the hug.

After a few minutes I stopped crying and released Twilight from my hug, as she did as well. I walked ahead head of her a little bit before turning around to face her again. “So what’s first?” I asked, “What do I need to do to make my classmates like me?”

“Well first we need to pin point the reason they don’t like you. You said that they didn’t like your jokes?” Twilight said.

“Yes, I don’t know why, as I said Silver Spoon seemed to like them. Though lately I have been getting some thoughts in my head.”

“Oh, what kind of thoughts?”

“Like that I should be nicer to everypony at school and if I was I wouldn’t be alone.”

“Hmmm, it maybe your heart telling you that your jokes aren’t as harmless as you think they are.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that they are not very nice things to say to other ponies. I have heard a few of them from the Cutie Mark Crusaders and those didn’t seem to be jokes at all, rather it seemed that they were very spiteful and mean things to say.”

“Really? But I was just having fun.”

“While telling a joke is okay, telling one to making fun of somepony isn’t okay. How would you like it if somepony made fun of you if you didn’t have your cutie mark yet and then rubbed it in that they have theirs?”

I thought about what Twilight said, trying to think about if somepony did make fun of me if I didn’t have my cuties mark. Well I was worried about not have it when some of the others in class started to get theirs and that I wouldn’t get mine and that they would tease me about it, just like I-

Then I realised what I had been doing wrong. I had been doing to others what I feared that they would do to me. I felt awful, I mean how could’ve I been so blinded to what I was doing to others with my ‘jokes’. No I knew why I hadn’t seen it, I was just acting like a spoiled brat flaunting what I had in everyponys face, whether it was money, anything expensive I owned, even my cutie mark and I didn’t care. I didn’t care if anyponys feels were hurt as long as they knew what I had and they didn’t.

I lowered my head, my ears flattened against the sides of my head as I spoke. “Your right Twilight, it isn’t right to make fun of others. I never knew how I was making everypony feel when I said those things. I made fun of them for things they couldn’t help like for the Cutie Mark Crusaders not have their cutie marks and their efforts in trying to get them, when I was in their situation not too long ago.”

“I’m glad you realise that,” Twilight spoke, “Now what should you do to make things right?”

I looked up to her; I knew deep down what I had to do. “I need to apologise for what I have done. But I don’t know who I should go to-” I paused for a moment remembering my augment with Apple Bloom and the others earlier today, “I think I should go and talk to the Cutie Mark Crusaders first and apologise to them first, I kinda got into a augment with Apple Bloom after school when she and the others asked me if I was doing okay after Silver Spoon moved.”

I look up to the sky, seeing the sun starting to go down. “I think I should get going now if I want to find them before it gets dark. Thank you for helping me with my problem, I just hope they will listen to me and accept my apology.”

“You’re welcome and if I know those girls I just know they will forgive you.” Twilight said. “You’ll most likely find them at their club house over at Sweet Apple Acres; just ask Applejack or Big Mac to show where it is when you get there.”

“Okay I will and thank you again.” I ran off toward the farm only stopping to wave Twilight goodbye before continuing on.

I arrived at the farm sometime after, out of breath from running most of the way there. Some of the other ponies had gave me strange looks as I ran across town but I paid them know attention; I wanted to get to the farm before dark.

The sun was getting close to the horizon by the time I got there. As I made my way toward the farm house I heard somepony call out to me, “Diamond Tiara? What are you doing here?”

I turned toward where the voice was to find who I came to see. I just stood there, looking at the Cutie Mark Crusaders unable to speak. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Bell looked concerned while Scootaloo didn’t look very happy to see me.

The silence had last for a few moments before Apple Bloom spoke. “Anypony in there?” she wave a foreleg to get my attention, “I said what brings you around here?”

“Yeah, why are you here?” Scootaloo spoke up. “Are you here to make fun of us again, or are you going to yell at Apple Bloom some more. Cus if that’s why then you can just leave!” She yelled at me

My ears flatten against my head when she yelled at me, not that I didn’t deserve it. “No I’m not here to make fun of any of you and I’m not here to yell at Apple Bloom.”

“Then why are you here then?” Scootaloo demanded.

Well it’s now or never. I took a deep breath as I gathered up the courage to say what I came to say. “I want to say that I’m sorry. I’m sorry for making fun of you guys for not having your cutie marks and rubbing it in that I have mine. I was acting like a spoiled brat that was showing off what I had while making fun of you for what you didn’t.”

“You got to be kidding me!” Scootaloo said. “Why should we believe you or for that matter accept your apology. You always made fun of us for our ‘blank flanks’ every chance you got and now you’re saying that you’re sorry?”

“Scootaloo! Enough!” Apple Bloom yelled Scootaloo. “She came all this way to apologise to us. I don’t think she is trying to pull the wool over are eyes.

“Yeah let’s hear her out before we decide on anything.” Sweetie Belle said.

“But- She- Alright fine let’s her out.” Sitting down, Scootaloo crossed her foreleg over her chest while blowing her mane from her face with a huff.

Apple Bloom look back to me “So you came to say you’re sorry for making fun of us right? Scootaloo is right, why the sudden chance of heart?”

“Well I have been thinking about a lot lately ever since Silver Spoon moved. I was trying to figure out why no one liked me, I guessed it was my ‘jokes’ I told be didn’t know why. Then I ran into Twilight earlier today and she helped be realise that I was hurting everypony’s feelings and I should apologise to everypony.”

“I came here first because of what happened earlier when I yelled at you when you were only trying to help me and for that I’m very sorry, I was just upset then because you see I don’t have any other friends other than Silver Spoon. When I saw you coming towards me with your friends I got jealous of you because I’m alone now that Silver is gone,” I lower my head as I continued, “All I have now is my dad but he is always busy, I’m just so alone now. I just want some friends who will be there for me when no pony else can. I’m not asking any of you to be my friend, after the way I have treated you I don’t deserve your friendship.” I looked back up to them.  “All I ask is if you can forgive me for what I have done to you and whether or not you accept my apology I will never say any of those things ever again.”

Finished with what I wanted to say, I waited for it to sink in and for their responses. A few minutes passed by before Apple Bloom spoke. “Well I’m not sure about you two but I think she is telling the truth.” She walked up to me and extended a hoof to me. “I accept your apology, we all make mistakes from time to time but it takes a real pony to owe up to them. Now it will take time to get past what happened but this will help things along.”

I shook her hoof, smiling that she had accepted my apology. Then Sweetie Belle was the next to walk up.

“If Apple Bloom says things are okay, then I forgive you too. I hope we can put the past behind us and be friends.”

Friends? After what I had done too them they want to be friends with me? I thought to myself, tears welling up as I heard them acceptance.

Then after a moment, Scootaloo got up from where she was sitting and walked over to me until our foreheads were pressed together. “If you ever go back on your word and start making fun of anypony again I will buck you into next week got it?”

Feeling intimidated under her gaze I simply nodded to her. “Good now put her there!” She backed up a bit and held out her hoof which I shook quickly, glad she accepted my apology also out of slight worry of what would happen if I didn’t.

“Well I guess this means there is only one thing left to do.” Apple Bloom said.

“What would that be?” I asked.

“Group hug!” The three of them yelled. In a flash I was surrounded by a blur of yellow, white and orange trapped in a tight hug.

I didn’t say anything at first, caught off guard by the hug. After a moment I returned it. “Thank you so much, I don’t know what to say.”

“No need to worry it’s what friends do.” Apple Bloom said.

“You really mean it? You really want to be my friend even after how I treated all of you?”

“Of course we do. I mean you’re a nice pony when you’re not being mean,” Sweetie Belle said. “I think you just need somepony to show you how to be kind to others and I think we can help you with that.”

“Yeah I guess we can help you and stuff, oh darn it I’m not good with this sappy stuff. Look we are friend now so don’t worry about it okay? Scootaloo said.

We separated from our hug as a couple of voice called out.

“Apple Bloom! Time to come in for dinner.”

“Sweetie it’s time to go home.”

“Looks like it’s time go.” Apple Bloom said looking over to Applejack calling to her from the farm in front of the farm house with Rarity standing next to her.

“Yeah I better get going too. I’ll see you guys later.” Sweetie said as she and Apple Bloom made their way to the farm house leaving me with Scootaloo.

“Well I guess I better back off too. Rainbow said she was going to pick me up over by the library to take me to her place for the night.” Scootaloo said as she made her way to the farm house as well before looking back to me. “Come with me I’ll give you a ride home on my scooter before I go.”

I followed her to the farm house, she grabbed her scooter which was leaned up against it. She handed me a helmet. “Here put this on.”

“But it will ruin my mane and what about my tiara.” I cried out.

“Look if you want to ride you’re going to have to where it, no pony rides with me unless they wear one.” Scootaloo said slightly annoyed. “Besides you can fix your mane when you get home and you can put your tiara beside you in the wagon.”

“Okay fine, I’ll wear it.” I took the helmet from Scootaloo, taking my tiara off and putting it in the wagon I put the helmet on. Making sure it was on securely I got into the wagon.

“You ready back there?” Scootaloo looked back as she got on her scooter.

“Yes ready when you are and thank you again.” I answered back.

“Don’t worry about it is what friends do.” Scootaloo said

“I meant for everything today.”

“Oh well, like we said you just need to somepony how to be nice to others so were cool. Now hang on we are going to have to go fast if we are going to make it to your place before dark.”

I smiled when she said that. I still thought I was dreaming, just earlier today I was all alone with all because I couldn’t be nice to others and now I had friend who forgave be for being mean to them.

I was pulled out of my thoughts as we took off all of a sudden. I fell back into the wagon letting out a squeak as Scootaloo sped up.

She let out a laugh when she heard me. “Told you to hold on.”

“Well I didn’t think you would go that fast!” I yelled back to her trying to sound angry but failed as I chuckled. I sat myself back up and looked around at scenery wipe past as.

After a few moments of silence a thought came into my mind. “So do you live with Rainbow or something?”

“Nah, I’m just spending a couple of months there while my mom is out of town.” Scootaloo answered back, keep her gaze on the road.

“Where did your mom go?” I asked her.

“She is put of the royal guard, she comes home for a few weeks when she is on leave but when she is away I usually stay over at Apple Bloom’s or Sweetie Belle’s but this time Rainbow said she would look after me, said she wanted to help me with my flight training.

“I didn’t know your mom was in the guard.” I said

“Yeah well it is something I only tell my friends.” She said as she took a turn sharply.

I held on as we turned. “Warn me when you do that!” I yelled to her.

“Sorry.”

“It’s fine. Anyway doesn’t get lonely when your mom is away?”

“Yeah it does sometimes but I have my friends by my side to I’m not totally alone but I do miss her when she is away.” Scootaloo said her voice solemn.

“I know that feeling I wish my dad wasn’t way so much. It’s so lonely at the house while he is gone, but now that I have friends it won’t be so bad.” I said.

“Yeah it helps but nothing can replace you parents when you need them.” Scootaloo said.

After that we had arrived at my house. Scootaloo came to a stop right in front of the main gate and looked back to me. “Last stop, everypony off.”

We both giggled when she said that as I took off my helmet and got out of the wagon.

“Don’t forget you tiara.” Scootaloo said as she grabbed it and held it to me.

“Oh thank you.” I grabbed it from her and put it on my head. “I guess with our conversation I forgot about it.”

“No problem.” Scootaloo looked out to the horizon at the setting sun. “Well I better get going before Rainbow gets worried. I’ll see you at school in the morning.” She waved to me as she hopped on her scooter.

“Okay I’ll see you later.” I waved to her as she took off down the road. I stood there until she was out of sight before turning to go inside.

As I walk out I called out to the butler “I’m home Vincent. Is dinner ready?”

“Ah miss you have returned, yes dinner is ready for you in the dining room. You seem to be in brighter spirits then this morning, did you have a good day a school?

“Well no not really but after school I was able to make some friends so I would say today was a great day, I think only one thing could make it better.”

“Would I be that one thing that would make your day better?” A voice called out from the dining room, a voice I hadn’t heard in a while.

“Dad? Is that you Dad?” I said as I ran into the dining room. Sure enough there he was standing there.

“Sure it sweetheart now come here so your old man can give you a hug.” He said.

I didn’t miss a beat I ran up to him and hugged him with all the strength I had. “Oh dad I missed to sooo much. It was so lonely here without you.

“I know sweetheart, I’m sorry I haven’t been around that much lately but I tend to make up for that for the next month it will just be you and me. No meetings for me to run off to, just us. Now let’s eat while you tell me about your new friends.”

We both sat down at the table as I told him all about Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. As I talked a thought came to mind.

“Umm dad?”

“Yes Diamond?”

“Would it be alright if I invited over my friends tomorrow? I know you said it was going to be just us but I would like to have them over too.

“But of course sweetheart they can come over and play. I can even plan something for all of us do together. But for now it’s time for bed, you got school in the morning”

“Thank you dad.” I quickly finished my dinner and went off to bed, but not before give my dad one more hug. “I love you dad. I’m so happy you’re home.”

“I love you too.” He said. “Now off to bed you with.”

“Okay, good night.” I said I made my way to the stairs.

“Good night sweetheart.”

As I made my way to my room all I could think was how this was the best day ever, I had made new friends and was going to hang out with them tomorrow and my dad was home and was going to be spending time with me.

I can’t wait until tomorrow; it is going to be so much fun. I thought to myself when I remembered something as I climbed into my bed. I guess I’m going to have to apologise to everyone else at school too. But with my friends by my side I know I can do it.

As I closed my eyes I thought about how much Twilight had helped me today, without her I wouldn’t have made friends the Cutie Mark Crusaders or even realised how much of a jerk I was being.

I’m going to have to thank her when I see her again. With that last thought I fell asleep

The End