Learning to Dance in the Rain
There are some cruel, heartless ponies in this world who somehow manage to find a way to receive joy out of the suffering of other ponies. It’s sickening to think about, but sadly it’s only an example of the brutal reality we live in. Diamond Tiara is just one of those ponies; she is just one of the millions who bully others each day. Ponies do change though; ponies sometimes manage to find a way to fill the gaping black hole in their hearts. Once again, Diamond Tiara is just one of those ponies, and this is her story.
Her story starts after she asks her two year crush, Orym, to the Heart’s and Hooves Day dance. He immediately rejected her, saying he would never go to the dance with a heartless jerk like her. She was heartbroken, and her world was already beginning to slowly fall apart.
By lunch time, her depressed mood remained unchanged. She just sat at a table with her group of friends, a blank expression plastered on her face. The voices around her had begun to fade and she couldn’t focus on something for too long without feeling like she was going to pass out.
“Diamond Tiara.” Silver Spoon snapped, causing Diamond Tiara to fall out of her trance, and nearly her seat. “You haven’t said anything this entire lunch, what’s wrong?” Diamond Tiara shrugged and said she was just having a rough day.
“Listen,” Silver Spoon sighed. “On the way to school I saw a daycare for kids with disabilities. I was going to go over there and pretend to volunteer, secretly learning their weaknesses. Then as a group, we could go and think of a plan of attack. Maybe you should volunteer though; it’ll take your mind off whatever is upsetting you.”
Diamond Tiara half smiled and nodded. Maybe she just needed to go and do what she did best, making other lives miserable, not her own. Silver Spoon rolled her eyes as if mentally telling her she was lucky, and warning her that she better not screw this up.
At dinner that night, Diamond Tiara couldn’t stop thinking about her and Silver Spoon’s plan. Her stomach growled and hissed at her, demanding food. Diamond Tiara sighed, knowing that had no choice but to eat.
“Hey Dad,” she said, beginning to poke at her meal. “I was just wondering if I could volunteer at Giggles, the daycare for disabled children tonight.” Her Dad smiled, taking a bite out of her pasta.
“Sure,” he agreed. “But make sure you call first. They won’t want random ponies showing up at their doorstep.” Diamond Tiara immediately left the table forgetting about her dinner and went to the phone, dialing the number Silver Spoon had given her.
“Hi, I’m Diamond Tiara. I was just wondering if you were looking for any volunteers tonight,” she said, trying to sound confident and polite. She could just imagine Silver Spoon standing there, covering her mouth, choking back her laughter. After today, her second so-called volunteer expedition would not be as nearly as polite and innocent.
“Yes, thank you!” the mare exclaimed. “What time are you coming?” Diamond Tiara checked the clock and said she would be there by six. She then thanked the mare, and hung up the phone, trying not to smile. Silver Spoon was right; she needed to take her mind off the rejection.
Diamond Tiara took a quick shower before having her Dad drop her off at Giggles, and walked away leaving Diamond Tiara to take in the sight. Rain poured down on her hair like a waterfall as she took in the sight of the aging building. It looked as if the daycare was short on money, because the letters on the sign were fading with cracks and moss covering the walls.
She opened the door greeted by a bell, and the mare who had spoken to her on the phone rushed up to her. She held out her hoof introducing herself to be Carol and Diamond Tiara shook it, still faking her innocence. Carol started with a tour right away, telling her about every child and their disabilities. Diamond Tiara smiled, this was all too easy.
But when Carol introduced the final child, Diamond Tiara suddenly felt different. His name was Myrin and he was eight, but that’s not what intrigued her. His dad had left him before he was even born, and almost a year ago his mother had died in a tragic accident. Diamond Tiara forgot all about Silver Spoon’s instructions, and for a moment she felt sympathy for Myrin. She realized how hard it must be to have never met your own father, and then have your mother die, along with your happiness. She quickly remembered the real reason she was here, and told Carol she would play with him.
“Do you want to play cars?” she asked, faking a cheesy smile. He shook his head sadly without a trace of joy on his face.
“A car is what killed my mommy,” he whispered, staring at the ground.
“Do you want me to read you a story then?” she said, discouraged. The small pang of sympathy she felt for Myrin had returned.
“I don’t like books,” he mumbled. “Only my mommy liked books.” Diamond Tiara was dumbstruck, she felt like a deer in headlights. She was beginning to feel guilty, an emotion she had never felt before. She was starting to realize that the sadness she had experienced that day from being heartbroken, Myrin felt every single day.
“What do you want to do then?” she whispered, her voice growing softer. He pointed at a set of paper, pencils and crayons lying on the table. Diamond Tiara nodded and went to pick them up. The moment she set them down Myrin began drawing, and she decided that she should too.
She finished her sketch of a rainy street and set her pencil down beside her. She looked up and noticed that Myrin had finished his picture too. Like hers, his was colorless. He had drawn a realistic picture of a stallion, mare, and what appeared to be himself. Diamond Tiara didn’t have to ask to know that was a picture of his family, or at least what he thought it might look like.
“What did you draw?” he whispered, glancing over at her picture.
“Just a picture of how it looks outside,” she mumbled glancing out the window. The rain still refused to stop.
“It was raining the day my mommy died,” he murmured. Diamond Tiara forgot all about Silver Spoon’s mission. This kid, this kid was miserable and could only relate to the tragedies of his past. She needed to help him get over it. Diamond Tiara said goodbye to Myrin, but made a promise. She crossed her heart and swore that she would find a way to make him happier, whether it was the last thing she did.
As she returned to the brisk, gloomy streets she started wandering. She started brainstorming ideas in her head about anything that could possibly make Myrin see the better side of life. She thought back to when she was a kid, but most of her memories were fuzzy. She remembered that had been the year her parents divorced and her mom left her, leaving them with only just enough money to move along. Diamond Tiara had begged to adopt a pet to take their minds off things, but her father had said that their budget was too tight.
Just remembering it made Diamond Tiara cringe, those had been rough years of her life and she remembered feeling like it was never going to end. A simple cat would have made everything better, a simple friend that would have never lied or left her. Diamond Tiara stopped in her tracks; at that moment she knew what she would give Myrin.
It was a dull, rainy Monday, Hearts and Hooves Day to be exact. At lunch Diamond Tiara tried to convince Silver Spoon out of the plan, feeling a change of heart. She lied and said she couldn’t find out enough, and that they just come up with something else. Silver Spoon was furious, demanding that she left and that hanging out with disabled kids was making her think like them, too.
After school Diamond Tiara went straight to Giggles, ignoring Silver Spoon’s threats. “Myrin!” Diamond Tiara called, running up to him. “I got you something.” She said, still smiling. Myrin looked up, but Diamond Tiara could tell he was using all his strength to. She ignored it and from behind her back she pulled out a small crate and opened it to reveal a small Tabby cat.
It had several scars and bruises running along its fur, but it’s sparkling, curious eyes made them seem invisible. Myrin was speechless, and slowly took it into his lap. He gently stroked it, unsure of what to say.
“She was abandoned when she was young,” she whispered, trying not to scare it. “It was thrown onto the street and was abused, but the pound rescued it. I thought the kitty might like you, and you might like her since you both have so much in common.” A small, gentle smile had begun to creep up onto his face. He gently set the kitten down and hugged her.
“What is her name?” he whispered, smiling. Diamond Tiara was about to say she hadn’t chosen yet, but the door of Giggle’s flew open slamming against the door like a boulder, cutting her off.
“Diamond Tiara,” Silver Spoon hissed. “Since you are too stubborn to keep a promise, I’ll just have to do your promise myself.” Without a second’s noticed she charged straight for the wandering kitten. Diamond Tiara’s eyes widened with shock, but without thinking she stood up and dove in front of Silver Spoon, making them both collapse on the floor.
Silver Spoon flew up and grabbed Diamond Tiara by her neck. She dragged her out the door before anyone could stop her and she charged into the nearest alley. She pinned her against the wall, smiling a wicked smile, fire dancing in her eyes. She held up her hoof ready to get the finishing blow, but Diamond Tiara quickly managed to mutter out a few last words.
“Silver Spoon, you’re wrong.” She choked, as Silver Spoon grabbed her throat. “I can keep a promise, to one special child who is much, much more important than you.” The last thing she remembered seeing was Silver Spoon knocking her out and her world faded to nothing.
Diamond Tiara woke up in a strange room, which moments later she learned to be a hospital room. Thoughts instantly flooded her mind, as well as many questions. She slowly sat up, her head pounding. A doctor turned around and smiled, calling out to someone that she was awake.
Two days past and she was freed from the clutches of the hospital room. Within an hour of being released she was standing at the familiar aging building called Giggles, rain only lightly drizzling on her mane. She stepped in and was greeted with a warm hug, and she looked down to see it was Myrin. He was grinning from ear to ear, and gestured for her to come over to the cat.
They played with the cat for several minutes, and Diamond Tiara began to smile noticing how happy Myrin was. Not many words were said, but not many words were needed. The joy and good mood which echoed around the room was enough to speak for them. But finally, Myrin decided to break the silence.
“You never told me what the name of the cat was,” he said, looking up at her expectantly. “So what is it?” Diamond Tiara was about to say she hadn’t thought of anything, when she was cut off for the second time.
“Look!” a little filly screamed, pointing at the window. Many ponies had already started to gather around her, trying to get a glance at what the girl was talking about. Diamond Tiara nodded at Myrin and they both stood up, and ran to join the crowd. There, they saw it.
The dark storm clouds had blown away and the rain had ceased. For the first time in many days, the sun shone bright and clear. Pouring down from the sky in a spectrum of colors was a rainbow, highlighting the beauty of the day. Diamond Tiara glanced down at the cat then back at Myrin and smiled.
“Let’s name her Rainbow,” she said, admiring the beauty of the sky. Myrin nodded his head and beamed at Diamond Tiara.
“Rainbow,” he agreed.
