Diamond's Bloomby -Arcana-ChaptersDiamond's AdmissionDiamond's ReflectionScootaloo's RebukeDiamond's AdmissionDiamond Tiara sat at the very edge of the lake, watching the water dejectedly. Her fur was still stained with mud in places. Further in was Silver Spoon, working hard on a particularly stubborn stain on her foreleg. "I just can't get this mud out," Silver grumbled. "This is all that Babs' fault! How could she go and do that to us? She went back to those blank flanks and left us in the mud, literally! The next time we see them we should show them who's boss, now that that brute is back in Manehattan." Silver waited for the usual response. The cry for action, the beginnings of a plan of vengeance, but she heard none. Turning towards her friend, Silver saw Diamond staring down at her own reflection. "Diamond, are you ok?" Diamond looked up, startled, as if suddenly aware of the world around her. "Oh, y-yeah Silver. I'm just... Not feeling well. Probably because of all that dirt." Silver looked at her a little incredulously, but she decided not to push it. "Oh ok. Hey, let's go home Di. We can get the rest of this mud off properly in our baths." Diamond nodded, feigning a smile. Standing up, she and Silver waded out of the water and headed back into town. As the two walked, Diamond's mind quickly turned away from her surroundings, and back towards the day's earlier events. That filly looked so scary. When she lunged forward, it reminded Diamond so much of... She told Silver that it was the mud that caused her to get so teary. She didn't want to think about it anymore. She had worked so hard to leave those memories behind her when she left Canterlot; she wasn't gonna let this one experience bring them all back. They reached the rich district of Ponyville, and said their goodbyes to each other before heading towards their separate homes. Opening the door, Diamond said a silent prayer that she would be able to get through the house to the bathroom without being- "Diamond Tiara, please come here!" Great. "Coming Daddy!" Diamond shouted down the hall. She didn't have to guess what this was about. That blank flank or her older sister went and told her dad that she had made them cry or something. Of course they probably left out the part about causing her and Silver to fall in the mud. Oh well, it was nothing she hadn't talked her way out of before. At best she'll probably be able to get away from this with only a few days grounded in her room, full of magazines and toys... She'll manage. Taking a deep breath, Diamond tried to school her features into something resembling innocence, then made her way into her fathers office. Her facade fell away however at the sight of Apple bloom of all ponies, sitting by her fathers desk, looking anything but angry or spiteful. In fact, the blank flank's expression could honestly be described as guilt, much to Diamond's confusion. "Hello Princess, I'm sure you know Apple Bloom. She's come here because she has something she wants to tell you." Diamond's father said, then turned to Apple Bloom and gave her an encouraging nod. Apple Bloom rubbed her foreleg as she began, "Hey Diamond Tiara. Ah just wanted to stop by an' apologize for Babs accidentally knockin' ya and Silver Spoon into the mud. She didn't mean for that to happen, and Ah'm sure she would be apologizing here instead of me if she weren't already in Manehattan by now." Diamond Tiara didn't believe it. She couldn't believe it. Of all the ponies in Ponyville, she was probably Apple Bloom's least favorite. She should be out gloating with her friends about their supposed victory, and yet here she was apologizing for it? She must've been sent here by her older sister. That was the only logical reason Diamond could see for what was happening now. "Uh, Diamond?" Apple Bloom said after Diamond remained silent for too long. Re-schooling her feature Diamond replied, "Yes, well... Apology accepted?" Diamond's father nodded, satisfied that things have been settled between Apple Bloom and his Daughter. "Well girls, now that you've buried the hatchet, I've got some business I need to get to. Princess could you show your friend out?" "Sure Daddy." Diamond walked to the door, and opened it for Apple Bloom who was walking behind her. As soon as the door closed behind them, Diamond's expression instantly shifted to one of aggression. "Alright blank flank," Diamond said, "your sister put you up to this didn't she?" Apple Bloom tried to smile, "No, Ah just thought it was the right thing to do. Look, Ah know we don't get along, but Ah didn't want you or Silver to get hurt... Ok Ah might've wanted it a little, but that still don't make it right." "Well, why are you apologizing now then? If you're so worried about the right thing, then what about all those other times you caused trouble for us?" Apple Bloom looked down embarrassed, and began rubbing her foreleg like before. Diamond smiled smugly believing she had caught the blank flank's lie. "Well," Apple Bloom began, "before Babs left, she told us about how the reason she joined up with you two to be mean to us was 'cause she got bullied back home. An' that got me thinkin' that maybe there was a reason like that for you an' Silver always bein' mean to us..." "The reason I'm mean..." Diamond said. Was there really a reason for her behavior? Diamond wasn't dumb; she knew she wasn't the nicest ponies in the world, but she had never really put much thought into why. It was just who she was. Who she had to be after... NO! She had already had to steer herself away from that train of thought before. She wasn't gonna deal with that again. Not because of some blank flank who felt sorry for her. "Wh-whatever, maybe I'm mean to you because you're so annoying." Diamond said, trying to save face. "Well now that you got your apology out of the way, I'm sure you'll be on your way." Apple Bloom perked up at this, "Actually I need to go apologize to Silver Spoon now anyway. Well, if I don't see you till the end of break, see you at school Diamond Tiara." She smiled at Diamond Tiara, then turned and walked to the front door. As she opened the door, Diamond finally spoke up in reply. "Yeah, see you Apple Bloom." Alone at last, Diamond turned and made her way to her personal bathroom. Once inside, her mind practically went on auto pilot, starting the water, filling the bath with fine oils and perfumes. Once the bath water was heated and prepared to the proper quality, Diamond lowered herself into the basin and out of the harsh reality of the day. -- That night Diamond had a dream she was back in Canterlot. Back in Canterlot Elementary, sitting alone at her desk. It was lunch time, and all the other fillies and colts were sitting together, and talking with each other. No one talked to her. It was like this everyday. She spent her lunches alone, without friends, and if she was lucky it would stay that way. If she was lucky she wouldn't have to deal with- "Hey blank flank!" ...Diamond awoke with a start. -- A yawn exploded through Diamond's system, as she trudged her way to Silver Spoon's house. After last night's dream Diamond had been unable to get any sleep. The rich district of Ponyville was much smaller than in other cities, so thankfully Diamond didn't have to walk far. Reaching Silver's house, Diamond knocked on the door while trying to suppress another yawn. The door opened revealing Silver Spoon, who instantly gained a concerned look. "Hey Diamond," She said, "You don't look so good." "...Just had some trouble sleeping last night," Diamond mumbled. Silver looked like she wanted to press the issue, but decided against it. Instead she stood aside, allowing Diamond to enter. Within the Silver estate, Diamond passed through halls gilded in fine metal, following close behind Silver Spoon. Silver was born into a long line of metal workers, so her house was covered in the art of their trade. Jewelry, sabers, armor, some wrought by ancestor's as far back as Silver's great great great great grandfather. Diamond passed by all this with little thought, so use as she was to the interior of the Silver estate. When they finally reached Silver's room, Diamond made a quick beeline to the queen sized bed and flopped on top. Silver joined her on the bed, before speaking. "So? Are you gonna tell me what's bothering you?" They were always like this. Diamond the one with the problem, and Silver the one ready to help. Diamond supposed if there was anyone she could trust her story to, it would be her. "Well... I had this dream. But it was actually a memory." Diamond finally said. "Oh, a memory of what?" Silver asked. "My time in Canterlot. Back when I lived with my mom." "So? What was so bad about that time? I thought you were the queen of the school there just like you are here." Diamond cringed at the mention of that false truth. "Yeah, see when I said that. It was kinda... A lie." If Silver were hurt by the knowledge that her best friend had lied to her, she didn't show it. Diamond continued, "The truth is that the other students... They would bully me." "For what?" Silver asked. "Anything," Diamond replied, "The fact that I was an Earth Pony, or that my family didn't own any titles, or that I was a... A blank flank." A glint of understanding crossed Silver's features, as her friends behavior became that much clearer to her. Wrapping a hoof around her friend, Silver pulled her into a hug. Diamond reciprocated, taking comfort from the friendly embrace. "Are you mad at me for lying?" Diamond asked. "No. I understand why you did it, plus you told me the truth now so that kinda makes up for it." Diamond smiled before responding, "Silver Spoon, why are you the best friend ever?" "Because you deserve the best, Di," Silver replied, before turning her nose up in feigned haughtiness, "Just be glad that I also look good doing it!" The two friends shared in laughter, rolling about on Silver's bed. In her blind joy, Silver managed to roll herself right off the bed. Poking her head back over the edge, her skewed glasses and dazed look sent Diamond into an even longer fit of giggles. After everything had calmed down, the two fillies shared a calm moment together, Silver stilled sprawled on the floor while Diamond hanged halfway off the bed. "Diamond?" Silver asked, breaking the silence. Diamond turned herself, looking at Silver. "Hmm?" "What made you start thinking about your past all of a sudden?" Silver asked. Diamond Tiara's demeanor tensed a bit, as she was reminded of Apple Bloom's visit. "Well... Yesterday that Apple Family blank flank came by, and apologized for what her cousin did." Silver nodded, "Yeah? She came by my house too and did the same thing." "Mm," Diamond acknowledged, "She also said that the reason Babs had been mean was because she had been bullied back in Manehattan or something. She said that was why Babs acted like... us. And that maybe we had a similar reason for acting that way too." Silver was quiet for a while. Diamond waited for her response, expecting some kind of dismissal of such an idea. But when Silver finally spoke... "Do you feel bad about it?" "About what?" Diamond asked, puzzled. "The way we act." Diamond opened her mouth to reply, but closed it in thought. She had never really thought about it before. How did she feel about the way she acts. It was just something she felt she had to do. When she came to Ponyville, she had decided that she wouldn't be bullied again. But was becoming a bully herself the only way to ensure that? Did she really wanna be just like all those ponies that made her miserable back in Canterlot. "I guess so," Diamond finally answered, "What about you?" "Weeeelllll, to be honest, I only acted like that because you did." "Really?" Diamond asked, guilt apparent in her voice at the thought of her friend only doing what Diamond wanted out of obligation, or even fear. "I don't mean it like that, Diamond. It's not like I didn't want to do it. It's more like I don't care either way how we act, as long as we're friends. But you know, it might be good to try being nice for a change." Silver explained. Diamond took a moment to process this. Silver was probably right, but after all she had done it might not be so easy for her to turn her whole reputation around. Still, with Silver's help it might still be possible. "Alright, we can try it." Diamond said, holding out her hoof. Silver returned the hoof bump, and the two smiled, comforted in their shared determination to change. The two had been best friends since they were little fillies, like sisters. As long as they worked together they were sure they could accomplish anything. Diamond's ReflectionDiamond Tiara stepped out into the midday sun. After their morning spent in introspection, she and Silver were forced to say goodbye, due to the grey filly having a dentist appointment scheduled for today. Diamond wished good luck to her friend, as she knew firsthand how annoying a visit to Miss Colgate can be. Not wanting to return home just yet, Diamond decided to spend the rest of the day in town. As she made her way there, her thoughts returned to the conversation she had this morning. She had never told anyone about how she had been bullied in Canterlot; not even Daddy after she had come live with him. She'd be lying if she said it hadn't been a huge weight off her shoulders to tell Silver the truth about her past. But at the same time, she couldn't help but feel a bit troubled by the light it shed on her behavior. She thought back to when her bullying behavior had begun. Reaching up to her tiara, she felt the all too familiar chip in the left most pommel... -- The pink filly shuffled through the school playground, peering around at the other foals, and readjusting her new tiara nervously. Five minutes ago she had said goodbye to her father at the school gate, and he had surprised her with the ornate piece of jewelry to celebrate her first school year hear in Ponyville. She was so ecstatic to receive the gift, and happily put it on the moment she unwrapped it. Even now it still provided her some small comfort. It had been something of a blessing and a curse; her new life in Ponyville. On one hand she would be able to spend more time with a father she had barely known, but on the other it was due to her mother's negligence that she had to come here. On one hand she would get away from all the bullies in Canterlot, but on the other, there was no reason to think the students here would be any better. A strange mix of hope and fear clashed in her chest, causing her breath to quicken. "Are you ok?" The filly started at the sound of a voice so close. Looking to her left, she noticed another filly with a light grey coat and a lighter grey mane. Her eyes, though visibly worried, were hidden behind a pair of turquoise spectacles. At the pink fillies continued silence, the grey one tilted her head and waved a hoof in front of the pink filly's eyes. The motion jolted the entranced filly from her thoughts. "W-w-wuh?" The pink filly stuttered. The silver one smiled, "I asked if you were ok. You looked pretty tense." "Oh uh, yeah I'm fine. I'm just new here is all." "Yeah? Where are you from?" "...Canterlot" "Wow really? My name's Silver Spoon." "Diamond Tiara." "Nice name. So what was it like in Canterlot?" Diamond hesitated. If she told Silver Spoon how they treated her in Canterlot, how would she react? She would probably not want to be friends with her. She might even bully Diamond herself. What if everyone else in school found out? It would be just like it was for her. "C-Canterlot was alright. The ponies there were... They were always trying to be my friend all the time." "Really? You must have been pretty popular." "Of course, what would you expect from the heiress to the Rich estate?" "Wait a minute, you're Filthy Rich's daughter? That means we're neighbors! My dad, Silver Smith, does a lot of business with your dad. It's like we're destined to be friends!" "Friends?" Diamond asked, and Silver nodded. Diamond Tiara was the happiest kid on the playground that day. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined that she could have gained a friend this easily. When the teacher called them in for the lesson, the two fillies walked in tandem and talked together about shared interests and favorites. By the time they were dismissed for recess, they were already talking about planning hang outs and even sleep overs. If this was a dream Diamond never wanted to wake from it, or from her new (and indeed first) friend. As the two walked around the playground, absorbed in their conversation, they failed to notice the colt standing right in front of them. Diamond collided head first with the colt's own cranium, causing them both to fall back dazed. Silver rushed forward to help Diamond up, checking her for any sort of injury. Diamond didn't feel as though there was anything wrong, besides her now splitting head ache. Rubbing the side of her head with her hoof, Diamond paused noticing something missing. Looking down she saw her precious tiara laying in the dirt, a visible chunk missing from one of the spires. "Ow! Watch where you're walking dumb filly!" The colt shouted. Diamond tore her eyes away from the cracked coronet, and looked up at the angry colt. In that moment she felt such fear. How many times had it started with a situation like this. With words just like those. It would be just like those times before, back in Canterlot. But she had a friend now. If she let herself be bullied again, then Silver probably won't want to be her friend anymore. Who wants to be friends with a loser? She couldn't lose her new friend so soon. Diamond new she had to do something; she had to fight back. "WHY DON'T YOU WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING!" Diamond's voice erupted, louder than it had ever been. The colt stepped back in surprise. Diamond seized the moment to press her advantage, stalking right up to her opponents face. Not breaking gaze with him, Diamond reached down and picked up her fallen tiara before thrusting it between them. "Look what you did to my tiara. My daddy paid a lot of money for this, you better hope we don't make you pay for it." Diamond said, trying to sound as threatening as possible. Judging from the colt's face, she was doing a good job. "Well? Do you have anything to say to me?" "S-s-sorry." The colt stammered before running off. "Wow," Silver said once the colt was gone,"you really tore into him." Diamond Tiara placed her crown atop her head before replying. "Yea well, that's how you deal with ponies back in Canterlot..." -- The memory played again and again in Diamond's mind. Was she right to act the way she did? Did she go too far? He was the one who pushed her after all. Maybe she could have been nicer, but he did need to apologize. Regardless of how she handled that moment, the fact remained that since then she only got worse and worse. At first it was just to defend herself, but soon she began chewing people out just for being in her way. And soon after that, for no reason at all. In her fear of becoming a victim of bullying, she became a bully herself.That was why it was so important for her to change. She didn't want to be a bully forever, and now that she knew Silver would still stick with her she felt better about trying. Diamond made her way towards the town park, enjoying the cool breeze that blew off the lake at the center. Looking around, she saw that a lot of her classmates were out in the park today. No doubt trying to get in as much fun as they could, before the end of summer and the return of the academic doldrums. Diamond bought herself a cup of lemonade from a street vender(on her fathers tab, of course)and went to look for a place to rest. Settling on a patch of grass under a nice shady tree, Diamond sat and continued to contemplate ways to turn her reputation around. Lost in thought as she was, Diamond had no time to react to the ball sailing directly towards her until it was too late. Her drink was launched from her hoof by the ball's impact, spraying liquid across her face. Luckily she had managed to close her eyes before they could be assaulted by the stinging citrus. Reopening them, she took in the wide eyed filly standing before her, looking for all intents and purposes like she was about to flee any second. Diamond recognized her as Tootsie Flute, a filly from her class as well as a usual victim of her biting remarks. "D-Diamond Tiara, I am sooo sorry," Tootsie finally said. Diamond's first instinct was to yell, to make the filly really sorry for ruining her day; however, something caused her to hesitate. Perhaps it was because she had been thinking so much about it, but when she looked at Tootsie Flute's face... Was this the first time she had looked someone she bullied in the face? She had such fearful eyes, and the pony reflected in them looked so angry. She looked almost like... Primrose Star It was the first time she had thought of that name in years. That name had caused her so much grief back in Canterlot. That's who she was now, to Tootsie Flute. Returning to the moment at hand, Diamond finally responded to the timid filly. "It's ok Tootsie, I know it was an accident. Here's your ball back." Diamond rolled the ball towards the thunderstruck filly. "and Tootsie? ...I just wanted to say, y'know, I'm sorry. For everything I've done." Like two waves crashing into each other, the second shock to Tootsie's system seemed to cancel out the first, and suddenly she was aware of her surroundings again. Grabbing her ball, Tootsie uttered a quick thanks before making to leave, still looking a little perplexed by what happened. Diamond had hoped for a better reaction than that, but she supposed it was to be expected. It was only her first step after all, and it would take time for ponies to change the way they saw her. At the very least, she knew Silver Spoon would be happy to hear how well it went. Diamond got up and went to the nearest drinking fountain to wash as much of the lemonade off her as she could. "Hey Diamond Tiara." Diamond turned towards the voice, already recognizing it as that of Apple Bloom. Twice now the filly had surprised her with her sudden appearance. "Ah just want to say Ah saw what happened with you an' Tootsie. It was really good how ya handled that." Diamond swallowed a lump she hadn't realized was in her throat. "Yeah, thanks I guess. I'm kinda trying to turn over a new leaf, or whatever." There was a pregnant pause as Apple Bloom seemed to be considering the validity of that statement. Diamond wondered if perhaps she thought this was some kind of trick. Looking back on her track record, Diamond decided she wouldn't fault Apple Bloom if she were to think that. "Well," Apple Bloom finally spoke, "Ah think that's a great idea. Ah hope it works out for ya." And once again, Apple Bloom left Diamond speachless through sheer optimism. "Uh, thanks I guess." "By the way, where's Silver Spoon? Ya'll are usually attached at the hips." Diamond couldn't help but giggle. "Oh she's at the dentist, so I'm on my own today." "Well, how'd ya like to come hang out with me and my friends at Sugarcube Corner?" "Oh ummm, I guess? But I should probably go home and get the rest of this lemonade out." "Oh yeah sure, we'll be there for a while; so ya should be able to have a bath an' still get there in time to meet us." "Alright I'll see you there then." Diamond waved goodbye to Apple Bloom, and began trotting in the direction of her house. A few minutes later, reality finally set in. She had just agreed to spend time with the ponies who, just yesterday, she had considered her sworn enemies. And a part of her was actually excited about it. The thought cased Diamond to stop in her tracks. "What the hay just happened!?" Scootaloo's Rebuke"You invited who!?" "I told ya three times now," Apple Bloom groaned, "Ah invited Diamond Tiara to come hang out with us." "And you're sure you don't have brain damage?" Apple Bloom began rubbing her temples. Scootaloo had been like this the whole time, even after she had explained Diamond's turn of face. She didn't blame her. After all, she'd probably be skeptical too if someone told her they saw Diamond Tiara being nice. "Look Scootaloo, Ah get what you're sayin', but she said she was trying to change her ways. An' you didn't see her and Tootsie Flute today." "Yeah, and you don't know if the whole thing is just a trick. She probably just wants us to think she's good so she can pull something on us!" "What do you think Sweetie Belle?" Both fillies turned to regard the young unicorn in question. She had remained quiet during the entire argument. In fact she had been uncharacteristically quiet and contemplative since Apple Bloom had told them about Diamond Tiara. "...I don't know Apple Bloom. I mean what if Scoots is right? It does kinda seem like something Diamond would do." Apple Bloom didn't want to admit that they might be right. The Diamond she talked to just an hour ago had been so different from the one that had tormented her for years. She wanted to be optimistic about this. She wanted it to be easy to forgive her, like it had been with Babs. "Look girls, can't you jus' trust me on this. If she turns out to be faking then we'll deal with it, but if she isn't then... Ah just wanna see." Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle shared a look. "Alright AB," Scootaloo said, "I'll hear her out, but don't expect us to become friends or anything." "Yeah, I'll give her a chance," Sweetie chimed in. "Thanks girls. Ah knew I could count on you." -- Diamond had been standing outside Sugarcube Corner for about ten minutes now, trying to decide wether or not to go in. In fact, the entire time since she had been invited, she had been in a state of constant questioning as to wether or not this was a good idea. How was she supposed to hang out with these three after everything that had been happened between them? Could they even see her as a friend after everything she had done? Wait, "friend"? She didn't want them as her friends, did she? She just wanted to stop being a bully. It wasn't about making new friends. It was about feeling better about herself. She didn't need new friends; not as long as she had Silver Spoon. But if she did get new friends, would that be a bad thing? Diamond banished the thought with a shake of her head. One step at a time, after all. For now she inhaled deeply, and finally entered the confectionery. She tried not to appear nervous as she approached the booth where the Cutiemark Crusaders sat. They were already watching her approach, each with a different expression on their face. Scootaloo showed clear displeasure at Diamond's presence. Sweetie Belle didn't look angry, but she didn't look exactly happy to see Diamond either. Apple Bloom was the only one who looked welcoming. Diamond fidgeted, unsure of how to greet the three. Apprehensively, she held up her hoof and gave an experimental wave. Apple Bloom giggled and waved back, beckoning her into the booth. "Howdy Diamond. Why don'cha have a seat here." Diamond acquiesced, sliding in next to Apple Bloom. "Hello, um, thank you for letting me hang out with you, I guess." Sweetie Belle smiled, "It's fine Diamond, to be honest we were a little surprised when Applebloom said you were coming." Scootaloo scoffed, but was paid little attention. "Yeah, I know. It feels weird to me too. I just thought it would be a good idea to come, as a, y'know, a peace sign." Diamond replied. The assistant baker, Pinkie Pie, soon came by to take everyone's order. Diamond offered to have the whole bill placed on her father's tab, but Apple Bloom declined the offer, stating practiced lines of Apple Family tradition. As they snacked, the Crusaders struck up random dialogues, mostly about crusade plans or their chore of cleaning up the crashed harvest float. Diamond sat by politely, as she had little to add to such topics, save for a muttered statement of compliment on the float's design. Apple Bloom would occasionally try to pull her into conversations, however whenever she did, Scootaloo would quickly become quiet and disinterested. Diamond felt horribly out of place, and began to desire an escape. Deciding it would be best to simply say her apology then excuse herself, Diamond waited for the Crusader's current topic to finish before speaking up, earning their attention. "Look, I just want to say, for what it's worth, that I'm sorry for everything I've done. I kinda had a realization about my behavior last night. Then, Silver and I talked about it; and we, well mostly I, started to understand the reason behind how we acted. Then we decided that maybe we should try... Being nice, I guess." There was a pregnant silence among the four fillies. Diamond thought she had stated her piece well enough. She could do nothing more than wait for their response. "That's it?" It was Scootaloo who spoke, surprising everyone. "It's that simple then? You just decide to be nice from now on, and we're s'posed to what? Forgive you?" "Scoots..." Sweetie tried to dissuade her friend. "Tell us why then. What's your excuse for tormenting us for years?" "I... I..." Diamond fumbled in the face of Scootaloo's indignation. Diamond was unsure of how to respond. Of how much she wanted to reveal. The wound was still fresh, and these faces still felt unfriendly. She was able to tell Silver, of course, but Silver was like a sister. She could be trusted with anything. But could they be trusted with her past, when she had hardly trusted herself with it till now? She didn't have the nerve to find out. "I-I don't want to talk about it," Diamond finally said. "Yeah? well then I don't wanna listen to it." And with that Scootaloo stormed off. Sweetie Belle followed after Scootaloo, leaving Diamond alone with Apple Bloom alone together. To say that Diamond felt awkward was an understatement. She instantly felt this whole thing had been a bad idea. She wasn't ready to face them, and doing so now had done nothing but caused more trouble. She didn't want to be here anymore. She tried to get out of the booth, but a yellow hoof stopped her. "Don' worry 'bout Scoots, Sweetie'll talk to her. Scoots just needs some time." "She's right though..." "Huh?" "I should go. Sorry I caused trouble for you and your friends." Diamond got out of the booth, only for Apple Bloom to follow behind. "Diamond look. Ah get that there may be things ya ain't ready to talk about yet. An Scoots does have a point. There's a lot to forgive. But if ya'll are serious, then I'm willing to give ya a chance." "...Thanks, Apple Bloom... I'm gonna go now." "Alright. Talk to ya later?" "... Sure." Diamond left Sugarcube Corner unsure of how successful her visit had been. Apple Bloom's words had been encouraging, though her kindness still proved confusing to her former enemy. On the other hand, Scootaloo had made it clear that it would not be simple to convince everyone. Even Sweetie Belles disposition, though not harsh, showed apprehension in the presence of the purple filly. Understandable, but still discouraging. Diamond decided that if she was going to get everyone to forgive her, she would have to do something big. Free of the anxiety of the previous half hour, her mind returned to it's comfort zone of plans and ideas. So often a zone of malicious scheming, now devoted to devising her redemption.
Diamond's AdmissionDiamond Tiara sat at the very edge of the lake, watching the water dejectedly. Her fur was still stained with mud in places. Further in was Silver Spoon, working hard on a particularly stubborn stain on her foreleg. "I just can't get this mud out," Silver grumbled. "This is all that Babs' fault! How could she go and do that to us? She went back to those blank flanks and left us in the mud, literally! The next time we see them we should show them who's boss, now that that brute is back in Manehattan." Silver waited for the usual response. The cry for action, the beginnings of a plan of vengeance, but she heard none. Turning towards her friend, Silver saw Diamond staring down at her own reflection. "Diamond, are you ok?" Diamond looked up, startled, as if suddenly aware of the world around her. "Oh, y-yeah Silver. I'm just... Not feeling well. Probably because of all that dirt." Silver looked at her a little incredulously, but she decided not to push it. "Oh ok. Hey, let's go home Di. We can get the rest of this mud off properly in our baths." Diamond nodded, feigning a smile. Standing up, she and Silver waded out of the water and headed back into town. As the two walked, Diamond's mind quickly turned away from her surroundings, and back towards the day's earlier events. That filly looked so scary. When she lunged forward, it reminded Diamond so much of... She told Silver that it was the mud that caused her to get so teary. She didn't want to think about it anymore. She had worked so hard to leave those memories behind her when she left Canterlot; she wasn't gonna let this one experience bring them all back. They reached the rich district of Ponyville, and said their goodbyes to each other before heading towards their separate homes. Opening the door, Diamond said a silent prayer that she would be able to get through the house to the bathroom without being- "Diamond Tiara, please come here!" Great. "Coming Daddy!" Diamond shouted down the hall. She didn't have to guess what this was about. That blank flank or her older sister went and told her dad that she had made them cry or something. Of course they probably left out the part about causing her and Silver to fall in the mud. Oh well, it was nothing she hadn't talked her way out of before. At best she'll probably be able to get away from this with only a few days grounded in her room, full of magazines and toys... She'll manage. Taking a deep breath, Diamond tried to school her features into something resembling innocence, then made her way into her fathers office. Her facade fell away however at the sight of Apple bloom of all ponies, sitting by her fathers desk, looking anything but angry or spiteful. In fact, the blank flank's expression could honestly be described as guilt, much to Diamond's confusion. "Hello Princess, I'm sure you know Apple Bloom. She's come here because she has something she wants to tell you." Diamond's father said, then turned to Apple Bloom and gave her an encouraging nod. Apple Bloom rubbed her foreleg as she began, "Hey Diamond Tiara. Ah just wanted to stop by an' apologize for Babs accidentally knockin' ya and Silver Spoon into the mud. She didn't mean for that to happen, and Ah'm sure she would be apologizing here instead of me if she weren't already in Manehattan by now." Diamond Tiara didn't believe it. She couldn't believe it. Of all the ponies in Ponyville, she was probably Apple Bloom's least favorite. She should be out gloating with her friends about their supposed victory, and yet here she was apologizing for it? She must've been sent here by her older sister. That was the only logical reason Diamond could see for what was happening now. "Uh, Diamond?" Apple Bloom said after Diamond remained silent for too long. Re-schooling her feature Diamond replied, "Yes, well... Apology accepted?" Diamond's father nodded, satisfied that things have been settled between Apple Bloom and his Daughter. "Well girls, now that you've buried the hatchet, I've got some business I need to get to. Princess could you show your friend out?" "Sure Daddy." Diamond walked to the door, and opened it for Apple Bloom who was walking behind her. As soon as the door closed behind them, Diamond's expression instantly shifted to one of aggression. "Alright blank flank," Diamond said, "your sister put you up to this didn't she?" Apple Bloom tried to smile, "No, Ah just thought it was the right thing to do. Look, Ah know we don't get along, but Ah didn't want you or Silver to get hurt... Ok Ah might've wanted it a little, but that still don't make it right." "Well, why are you apologizing now then? If you're so worried about the right thing, then what about all those other times you caused trouble for us?" Apple Bloom looked down embarrassed, and began rubbing her foreleg like before. Diamond smiled smugly believing she had caught the blank flank's lie. "Well," Apple Bloom began, "before Babs left, she told us about how the reason she joined up with you two to be mean to us was 'cause she got bullied back home. An' that got me thinkin' that maybe there was a reason like that for you an' Silver always bein' mean to us..." "The reason I'm mean..." Diamond said. Was there really a reason for her behavior? Diamond wasn't dumb; she knew she wasn't the nicest ponies in the world, but she had never really put much thought into why. It was just who she was. Who she had to be after... NO! She had already had to steer herself away from that train of thought before. She wasn't gonna deal with that again. Not because of some blank flank who felt sorry for her. "Wh-whatever, maybe I'm mean to you because you're so annoying." Diamond said, trying to save face. "Well now that you got your apology out of the way, I'm sure you'll be on your way." Apple Bloom perked up at this, "Actually I need to go apologize to Silver Spoon now anyway. Well, if I don't see you till the end of break, see you at school Diamond Tiara." She smiled at Diamond Tiara, then turned and walked to the front door. As she opened the door, Diamond finally spoke up in reply. "Yeah, see you Apple Bloom." Alone at last, Diamond turned and made her way to her personal bathroom. Once inside, her mind practically went on auto pilot, starting the water, filling the bath with fine oils and perfumes. Once the bath water was heated and prepared to the proper quality, Diamond lowered herself into the basin and out of the harsh reality of the day. -- That night Diamond had a dream she was back in Canterlot. Back in Canterlot Elementary, sitting alone at her desk. It was lunch time, and all the other fillies and colts were sitting together, and talking with each other. No one talked to her. It was like this everyday. She spent her lunches alone, without friends, and if she was lucky it would stay that way. If she was lucky she wouldn't have to deal with- "Hey blank flank!" ...Diamond awoke with a start. -- A yawn exploded through Diamond's system, as she trudged her way to Silver Spoon's house. After last night's dream Diamond had been unable to get any sleep. The rich district of Ponyville was much smaller than in other cities, so thankfully Diamond didn't have to walk far. Reaching Silver's house, Diamond knocked on the door while trying to suppress another yawn. The door opened revealing Silver Spoon, who instantly gained a concerned look. "Hey Diamond," She said, "You don't look so good." "...Just had some trouble sleeping last night," Diamond mumbled. Silver looked like she wanted to press the issue, but decided against it. Instead she stood aside, allowing Diamond to enter. Within the Silver estate, Diamond passed through halls gilded in fine metal, following close behind Silver Spoon. Silver was born into a long line of metal workers, so her house was covered in the art of their trade. Jewelry, sabers, armor, some wrought by ancestor's as far back as Silver's great great great great grandfather. Diamond passed by all this with little thought, so use as she was to the interior of the Silver estate. When they finally reached Silver's room, Diamond made a quick beeline to the queen sized bed and flopped on top. Silver joined her on the bed, before speaking. "So? Are you gonna tell me what's bothering you?" They were always like this. Diamond the one with the problem, and Silver the one ready to help. Diamond supposed if there was anyone she could trust her story to, it would be her. "Well... I had this dream. But it was actually a memory." Diamond finally said. "Oh, a memory of what?" Silver asked. "My time in Canterlot. Back when I lived with my mom." "So? What was so bad about that time? I thought you were the queen of the school there just like you are here." Diamond cringed at the mention of that false truth. "Yeah, see when I said that. It was kinda... A lie." If Silver were hurt by the knowledge that her best friend had lied to her, she didn't show it. Diamond continued, "The truth is that the other students... They would bully me." "For what?" Silver asked. "Anything," Diamond replied, "The fact that I was an Earth Pony, or that my family didn't own any titles, or that I was a... A blank flank." A glint of understanding crossed Silver's features, as her friends behavior became that much clearer to her. Wrapping a hoof around her friend, Silver pulled her into a hug. Diamond reciprocated, taking comfort from the friendly embrace. "Are you mad at me for lying?" Diamond asked. "No. I understand why you did it, plus you told me the truth now so that kinda makes up for it." Diamond smiled before responding, "Silver Spoon, why are you the best friend ever?" "Because you deserve the best, Di," Silver replied, before turning her nose up in feigned haughtiness, "Just be glad that I also look good doing it!" The two friends shared in laughter, rolling about on Silver's bed. In her blind joy, Silver managed to roll herself right off the bed. Poking her head back over the edge, her skewed glasses and dazed look sent Diamond into an even longer fit of giggles. After everything had calmed down, the two fillies shared a calm moment together, Silver stilled sprawled on the floor while Diamond hanged halfway off the bed. "Diamond?" Silver asked, breaking the silence. Diamond turned herself, looking at Silver. "Hmm?" "What made you start thinking about your past all of a sudden?" Silver asked. Diamond Tiara's demeanor tensed a bit, as she was reminded of Apple Bloom's visit. "Well... Yesterday that Apple Family blank flank came by, and apologized for what her cousin did." Silver nodded, "Yeah? She came by my house too and did the same thing." "Mm," Diamond acknowledged, "She also said that the reason Babs had been mean was because she had been bullied back in Manehattan or something. She said that was why Babs acted like... us. And that maybe we had a similar reason for acting that way too." Silver was quiet for a while. Diamond waited for her response, expecting some kind of dismissal of such an idea. But when Silver finally spoke... "Do you feel bad about it?" "About what?" Diamond asked, puzzled. "The way we act." Diamond opened her mouth to reply, but closed it in thought. She had never really thought about it before. How did she feel about the way she acts. It was just something she felt she had to do. When she came to Ponyville, she had decided that she wouldn't be bullied again. But was becoming a bully herself the only way to ensure that? Did she really wanna be just like all those ponies that made her miserable back in Canterlot. "I guess so," Diamond finally answered, "What about you?" "Weeeelllll, to be honest, I only acted like that because you did." "Really?" Diamond asked, guilt apparent in her voice at the thought of her friend only doing what Diamond wanted out of obligation, or even fear. "I don't mean it like that, Diamond. It's not like I didn't want to do it. It's more like I don't care either way how we act, as long as we're friends. But you know, it might be good to try being nice for a change." Silver explained. Diamond took a moment to process this. Silver was probably right, but after all she had done it might not be so easy for her to turn her whole reputation around. Still, with Silver's help it might still be possible. "Alright, we can try it." Diamond said, holding out her hoof. Silver returned the hoof bump, and the two smiled, comforted in their shared determination to change. The two had been best friends since they were little fillies, like sisters. As long as they worked together they were sure they could accomplish anything.
Diamond's ReflectionDiamond Tiara stepped out into the midday sun. After their morning spent in introspection, she and Silver were forced to say goodbye, due to the grey filly having a dentist appointment scheduled for today. Diamond wished good luck to her friend, as she knew firsthand how annoying a visit to Miss Colgate can be. Not wanting to return home just yet, Diamond decided to spend the rest of the day in town. As she made her way there, her thoughts returned to the conversation she had this morning. She had never told anyone about how she had been bullied in Canterlot; not even Daddy after she had come live with him. She'd be lying if she said it hadn't been a huge weight off her shoulders to tell Silver the truth about her past. But at the same time, she couldn't help but feel a bit troubled by the light it shed on her behavior. She thought back to when her bullying behavior had begun. Reaching up to her tiara, she felt the all too familiar chip in the left most pommel... -- The pink filly shuffled through the school playground, peering around at the other foals, and readjusting her new tiara nervously. Five minutes ago she had said goodbye to her father at the school gate, and he had surprised her with the ornate piece of jewelry to celebrate her first school year hear in Ponyville. She was so ecstatic to receive the gift, and happily put it on the moment she unwrapped it. Even now it still provided her some small comfort. It had been something of a blessing and a curse; her new life in Ponyville. On one hand she would be able to spend more time with a father she had barely known, but on the other it was due to her mother's negligence that she had to come here. On one hand she would get away from all the bullies in Canterlot, but on the other, there was no reason to think the students here would be any better. A strange mix of hope and fear clashed in her chest, causing her breath to quicken. "Are you ok?" The filly started at the sound of a voice so close. Looking to her left, she noticed another filly with a light grey coat and a lighter grey mane. Her eyes, though visibly worried, were hidden behind a pair of turquoise spectacles. At the pink fillies continued silence, the grey one tilted her head and waved a hoof in front of the pink filly's eyes. The motion jolted the entranced filly from her thoughts. "W-w-wuh?" The pink filly stuttered. The silver one smiled, "I asked if you were ok. You looked pretty tense." "Oh uh, yeah I'm fine. I'm just new here is all." "Yeah? Where are you from?" "...Canterlot" "Wow really? My name's Silver Spoon." "Diamond Tiara." "Nice name. So what was it like in Canterlot?" Diamond hesitated. If she told Silver Spoon how they treated her in Canterlot, how would she react? She would probably not want to be friends with her. She might even bully Diamond herself. What if everyone else in school found out? It would be just like it was for her. "C-Canterlot was alright. The ponies there were... They were always trying to be my friend all the time." "Really? You must have been pretty popular." "Of course, what would you expect from the heiress to the Rich estate?" "Wait a minute, you're Filthy Rich's daughter? That means we're neighbors! My dad, Silver Smith, does a lot of business with your dad. It's like we're destined to be friends!" "Friends?" Diamond asked, and Silver nodded. Diamond Tiara was the happiest kid on the playground that day. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined that she could have gained a friend this easily. When the teacher called them in for the lesson, the two fillies walked in tandem and talked together about shared interests and favorites. By the time they were dismissed for recess, they were already talking about planning hang outs and even sleep overs. If this was a dream Diamond never wanted to wake from it, or from her new (and indeed first) friend. As the two walked around the playground, absorbed in their conversation, they failed to notice the colt standing right in front of them. Diamond collided head first with the colt's own cranium, causing them both to fall back dazed. Silver rushed forward to help Diamond up, checking her for any sort of injury. Diamond didn't feel as though there was anything wrong, besides her now splitting head ache. Rubbing the side of her head with her hoof, Diamond paused noticing something missing. Looking down she saw her precious tiara laying in the dirt, a visible chunk missing from one of the spires. "Ow! Watch where you're walking dumb filly!" The colt shouted. Diamond tore her eyes away from the cracked coronet, and looked up at the angry colt. In that moment she felt such fear. How many times had it started with a situation like this. With words just like those. It would be just like those times before, back in Canterlot. But she had a friend now. If she let herself be bullied again, then Silver probably won't want to be her friend anymore. Who wants to be friends with a loser? She couldn't lose her new friend so soon. Diamond new she had to do something; she had to fight back. "WHY DON'T YOU WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING!" Diamond's voice erupted, louder than it had ever been. The colt stepped back in surprise. Diamond seized the moment to press her advantage, stalking right up to her opponents face. Not breaking gaze with him, Diamond reached down and picked up her fallen tiara before thrusting it between them. "Look what you did to my tiara. My daddy paid a lot of money for this, you better hope we don't make you pay for it." Diamond said, trying to sound as threatening as possible. Judging from the colt's face, she was doing a good job. "Well? Do you have anything to say to me?" "S-s-sorry." The colt stammered before running off. "Wow," Silver said once the colt was gone,"you really tore into him." Diamond Tiara placed her crown atop her head before replying. "Yea well, that's how you deal with ponies back in Canterlot..." -- The memory played again and again in Diamond's mind. Was she right to act the way she did? Did she go too far? He was the one who pushed her after all. Maybe she could have been nicer, but he did need to apologize. Regardless of how she handled that moment, the fact remained that since then she only got worse and worse. At first it was just to defend herself, but soon she began chewing people out just for being in her way. And soon after that, for no reason at all. In her fear of becoming a victim of bullying, she became a bully herself.That was why it was so important for her to change. She didn't want to be a bully forever, and now that she knew Silver would still stick with her she felt better about trying. Diamond made her way towards the town park, enjoying the cool breeze that blew off the lake at the center. Looking around, she saw that a lot of her classmates were out in the park today. No doubt trying to get in as much fun as they could, before the end of summer and the return of the academic doldrums. Diamond bought herself a cup of lemonade from a street vender(on her fathers tab, of course)and went to look for a place to rest. Settling on a patch of grass under a nice shady tree, Diamond sat and continued to contemplate ways to turn her reputation around. Lost in thought as she was, Diamond had no time to react to the ball sailing directly towards her until it was too late. Her drink was launched from her hoof by the ball's impact, spraying liquid across her face. Luckily she had managed to close her eyes before they could be assaulted by the stinging citrus. Reopening them, she took in the wide eyed filly standing before her, looking for all intents and purposes like she was about to flee any second. Diamond recognized her as Tootsie Flute, a filly from her class as well as a usual victim of her biting remarks. "D-Diamond Tiara, I am sooo sorry," Tootsie finally said. Diamond's first instinct was to yell, to make the filly really sorry for ruining her day; however, something caused her to hesitate. Perhaps it was because she had been thinking so much about it, but when she looked at Tootsie Flute's face... Was this the first time she had looked someone she bullied in the face? She had such fearful eyes, and the pony reflected in them looked so angry. She looked almost like... Primrose Star It was the first time she had thought of that name in years. That name had caused her so much grief back in Canterlot. That's who she was now, to Tootsie Flute. Returning to the moment at hand, Diamond finally responded to the timid filly. "It's ok Tootsie, I know it was an accident. Here's your ball back." Diamond rolled the ball towards the thunderstruck filly. "and Tootsie? ...I just wanted to say, y'know, I'm sorry. For everything I've done." Like two waves crashing into each other, the second shock to Tootsie's system seemed to cancel out the first, and suddenly she was aware of her surroundings again. Grabbing her ball, Tootsie uttered a quick thanks before making to leave, still looking a little perplexed by what happened. Diamond had hoped for a better reaction than that, but she supposed it was to be expected. It was only her first step after all, and it would take time for ponies to change the way they saw her. At the very least, she knew Silver Spoon would be happy to hear how well it went. Diamond got up and went to the nearest drinking fountain to wash as much of the lemonade off her as she could. "Hey Diamond Tiara." Diamond turned towards the voice, already recognizing it as that of Apple Bloom. Twice now the filly had surprised her with her sudden appearance. "Ah just want to say Ah saw what happened with you an' Tootsie. It was really good how ya handled that." Diamond swallowed a lump she hadn't realized was in her throat. "Yeah, thanks I guess. I'm kinda trying to turn over a new leaf, or whatever." There was a pregnant pause as Apple Bloom seemed to be considering the validity of that statement. Diamond wondered if perhaps she thought this was some kind of trick. Looking back on her track record, Diamond decided she wouldn't fault Apple Bloom if she were to think that. "Well," Apple Bloom finally spoke, "Ah think that's a great idea. Ah hope it works out for ya." And once again, Apple Bloom left Diamond speachless through sheer optimism. "Uh, thanks I guess." "By the way, where's Silver Spoon? Ya'll are usually attached at the hips." Diamond couldn't help but giggle. "Oh she's at the dentist, so I'm on my own today." "Well, how'd ya like to come hang out with me and my friends at Sugarcube Corner?" "Oh ummm, I guess? But I should probably go home and get the rest of this lemonade out." "Oh yeah sure, we'll be there for a while; so ya should be able to have a bath an' still get there in time to meet us." "Alright I'll see you there then." Diamond waved goodbye to Apple Bloom, and began trotting in the direction of her house. A few minutes later, reality finally set in. She had just agreed to spend time with the ponies who, just yesterday, she had considered her sworn enemies. And a part of her was actually excited about it. The thought cased Diamond to stop in her tracks. "What the hay just happened!?"
Scootaloo's Rebuke"You invited who!?" "I told ya three times now," Apple Bloom groaned, "Ah invited Diamond Tiara to come hang out with us." "And you're sure you don't have brain damage?" Apple Bloom began rubbing her temples. Scootaloo had been like this the whole time, even after she had explained Diamond's turn of face. She didn't blame her. After all, she'd probably be skeptical too if someone told her they saw Diamond Tiara being nice. "Look Scootaloo, Ah get what you're sayin', but she said she was trying to change her ways. An' you didn't see her and Tootsie Flute today." "Yeah, and you don't know if the whole thing is just a trick. She probably just wants us to think she's good so she can pull something on us!" "What do you think Sweetie Belle?" Both fillies turned to regard the young unicorn in question. She had remained quiet during the entire argument. In fact she had been uncharacteristically quiet and contemplative since Apple Bloom had told them about Diamond Tiara. "...I don't know Apple Bloom. I mean what if Scoots is right? It does kinda seem like something Diamond would do." Apple Bloom didn't want to admit that they might be right. The Diamond she talked to just an hour ago had been so different from the one that had tormented her for years. She wanted to be optimistic about this. She wanted it to be easy to forgive her, like it had been with Babs. "Look girls, can't you jus' trust me on this. If she turns out to be faking then we'll deal with it, but if she isn't then... Ah just wanna see." Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle shared a look. "Alright AB," Scootaloo said, "I'll hear her out, but don't expect us to become friends or anything." "Yeah, I'll give her a chance," Sweetie chimed in. "Thanks girls. Ah knew I could count on you." -- Diamond had been standing outside Sugarcube Corner for about ten minutes now, trying to decide wether or not to go in. In fact, the entire time since she had been invited, she had been in a state of constant questioning as to wether or not this was a good idea. How was she supposed to hang out with these three after everything that had been happened between them? Could they even see her as a friend after everything she had done? Wait, "friend"? She didn't want them as her friends, did she? She just wanted to stop being a bully. It wasn't about making new friends. It was about feeling better about herself. She didn't need new friends; not as long as she had Silver Spoon. But if she did get new friends, would that be a bad thing? Diamond banished the thought with a shake of her head. One step at a time, after all. For now she inhaled deeply, and finally entered the confectionery. She tried not to appear nervous as she approached the booth where the Cutiemark Crusaders sat. They were already watching her approach, each with a different expression on their face. Scootaloo showed clear displeasure at Diamond's presence. Sweetie Belle didn't look angry, but she didn't look exactly happy to see Diamond either. Apple Bloom was the only one who looked welcoming. Diamond fidgeted, unsure of how to greet the three. Apprehensively, she held up her hoof and gave an experimental wave. Apple Bloom giggled and waved back, beckoning her into the booth. "Howdy Diamond. Why don'cha have a seat here." Diamond acquiesced, sliding in next to Apple Bloom. "Hello, um, thank you for letting me hang out with you, I guess." Sweetie Belle smiled, "It's fine Diamond, to be honest we were a little surprised when Applebloom said you were coming." Scootaloo scoffed, but was paid little attention. "Yeah, I know. It feels weird to me too. I just thought it would be a good idea to come, as a, y'know, a peace sign." Diamond replied. The assistant baker, Pinkie Pie, soon came by to take everyone's order. Diamond offered to have the whole bill placed on her father's tab, but Apple Bloom declined the offer, stating practiced lines of Apple Family tradition. As they snacked, the Crusaders struck up random dialogues, mostly about crusade plans or their chore of cleaning up the crashed harvest float. Diamond sat by politely, as she had little to add to such topics, save for a muttered statement of compliment on the float's design. Apple Bloom would occasionally try to pull her into conversations, however whenever she did, Scootaloo would quickly become quiet and disinterested. Diamond felt horribly out of place, and began to desire an escape. Deciding it would be best to simply say her apology then excuse herself, Diamond waited for the Crusader's current topic to finish before speaking up, earning their attention. "Look, I just want to say, for what it's worth, that I'm sorry for everything I've done. I kinda had a realization about my behavior last night. Then, Silver and I talked about it; and we, well mostly I, started to understand the reason behind how we acted. Then we decided that maybe we should try... Being nice, I guess." There was a pregnant silence among the four fillies. Diamond thought she had stated her piece well enough. She could do nothing more than wait for their response. "That's it?" It was Scootaloo who spoke, surprising everyone. "It's that simple then? You just decide to be nice from now on, and we're s'posed to what? Forgive you?" "Scoots..." Sweetie tried to dissuade her friend. "Tell us why then. What's your excuse for tormenting us for years?" "I... I..." Diamond fumbled in the face of Scootaloo's indignation. Diamond was unsure of how to respond. Of how much she wanted to reveal. The wound was still fresh, and these faces still felt unfriendly. She was able to tell Silver, of course, but Silver was like a sister. She could be trusted with anything. But could they be trusted with her past, when she had hardly trusted herself with it till now? She didn't have the nerve to find out. "I-I don't want to talk about it," Diamond finally said. "Yeah? well then I don't wanna listen to it." And with that Scootaloo stormed off. Sweetie Belle followed after Scootaloo, leaving Diamond alone with Apple Bloom alone together. To say that Diamond felt awkward was an understatement. She instantly felt this whole thing had been a bad idea. She wasn't ready to face them, and doing so now had done nothing but caused more trouble. She didn't want to be here anymore. She tried to get out of the booth, but a yellow hoof stopped her. "Don' worry 'bout Scoots, Sweetie'll talk to her. Scoots just needs some time." "She's right though..." "Huh?" "I should go. Sorry I caused trouble for you and your friends." Diamond got out of the booth, only for Apple Bloom to follow behind. "Diamond look. Ah get that there may be things ya ain't ready to talk about yet. An Scoots does have a point. There's a lot to forgive. But if ya'll are serious, then I'm willing to give ya a chance." "...Thanks, Apple Bloom... I'm gonna go now." "Alright. Talk to ya later?" "... Sure." Diamond left Sugarcube Corner unsure of how successful her visit had been. Apple Bloom's words had been encouraging, though her kindness still proved confusing to her former enemy. On the other hand, Scootaloo had made it clear that it would not be simple to convince everyone. Even Sweetie Belles disposition, though not harsh, showed apprehension in the presence of the purple filly. Understandable, but still discouraging. Diamond decided that if she was going to get everyone to forgive her, she would have to do something big. Free of the anxiety of the previous half hour, her mind returned to it's comfort zone of plans and ideas. So often a zone of malicious scheming, now devoted to devising her redemption.
