Diamond Tiara of The Royal Guard

Diamond Tiara's head struck the desk with an audible thump. The feeling caused her to jerk back up, shaking herself. She looked up at the clock. Just a few more minutes.

She tried to listen to the teacher, really she did. It was just that between not getting any sleep last night, and the teacher's droning on about a subject she honestly did not care about, Diamond Tiara found it difficult to stay awake. Why was she even taking this stupid class?

Then she remembered: her dad had strongly encouraged her to take certain classes that would help her learn some of the basics she would need to work at -- and eventually inherit -- Rich Industries. It was not her choice that had led her here, it was her dad's.

The sound of the school bell signaling lunch sent a thrill of energy through Diamond Tiara, and a surge of dread. Grabbing her stuff, she made her way out of the room and down the halls as quickly as she could without getting in trouble. Her eyes scanned the ponies around her, looking for a specific one.

That was when she saw her...and froze.

What she had in mind -- what she was planning to do -- was not something Diamond Tiara was used to. Now that she thought about it, had she ever done it before? If so, it was something she had forgotten about.

Stifling a yawn, she gathered up her courage and moved forward. As she went, she adjusted her path, making sure that she was seen.

It was almost a relief when Silver Spoon looked up and saw her. Almost. Diamond Tiara gave a slight smile and waved a hoof. She watched as Silver Spoon moved away from Pipsqueak and started to approach her.

Now, Diamond Tiara just needed to figure out how to do something she had never sincerely done before: apologize.

"Hey," Diamond Tiara said.

"Hey," Silver Spoon replied.

"Uhm..." Tiara shifted. "About..."

"I know." Silver Spoon smiled.

Diamond Tiara smiled back and held out her hoof. Spoon reached out with her own to tap it.

"Bump!" the pair said together. While the pair may had left most of their signature hoofshake behind as they grew older, the two friends could not abandon it completely.

Diamond Tiara's grin was interrupted by another yawn. The two started walking toward the cafeteria again, getting in line for food.

"So," Silver Spoon asked slowly, "did Apple Bloom really..."

"Came right to my house," Diamond Tiara answered, "came in my room, and refused to leave until I talked to her."

This got a grin and chuckle from Silver Spoon. Diamond Tiara smiled back, but nowhere near as happily.

"I'm going to miss you," she blurted out. "You've been my best friend for years and stayed with me through some... incredibly stupid and immature things." She let out a sigh. "I guess I just always thought you would be there."

"I'm still your friend," Silver Spoon responded, "and I always will be. We're going our separate ways to follow our dreams, but we'll always be close. Visiting, and letters, and such."

"Yeah," Diamond Tiara conceded. "Except only one of us will be following our dream."

The statement made Silver Spoon freeze, turning to look at Diamond Tiara curiously.

"What do you mean?"

"After Apple Bloom left," Tiara explained, "I ended up lying awake all night thinking."

What would you like to do instead?

...I don't know...

"And I realized something."

"What was it?" Silver Spoon asked.

Diamond Tiara looked around the cafeteria, watching all the others. There was so much excitement. So much joy. And why not? It was the last week of school after all. So many of the ponies around them would be going off into the world, making new lives as fully grown mares and stallions.

"I don't want Barnyard Bargains," Diamond Tiara finally replied. "I don't think I ever did."

"You don't?" Silver Spoon stopped and looked directly at Diamond Tiara. "But... but you used to talk about how you were going to inherit all that money. How you were going to run Barnyard Bargains-"

"To become the richest and most powerful pony in Ponyville," Diamond Tiara finished. "I remember. I also planned on showing Apple Bloom and her friends who was the boss once and for all."

She stomped her hoof and ground into against the wood of the floor.

"That never happened though. As for the rest..." she looked around again. "We have a team of living legends that started in this very town, and our own princess. A princess, Spoon."

She sighed rubbing at her head.

"Besides, if I did take over and manage to make it bigger and more powerful, what would I do with it?"

"You never cared about that before," Silver Spoon said.

"I know," Diamond Tiara responded.

Silver Spoon looked at her friend, waiting and listening. Several seconds passed without Diamond Tiara saying anything.

"What do you want then?" Silver Spoon finally asked.

"I'm not entirely sure," Diamond Tiara admitted. "I... I want to leave a mark on Equestria. I want to do something that will have ponies talking about me for years. I want to..."

Her ears perked up and she grinned.

"I want to be a hero," she announced.

"...a...hero...?" Silver Spoon said, staring over the top of her glasses at her friend. "How are you going to do that?"

"You don't think I could?"

Silver Spoon rubbed her chin, thinking about it.

"Well..." she said as she considered the question. "You have always been good at finding a ponies weakness and how to use it to your advantage. Plus you definitely know how to tell others what to do."

Diamond Tiara could not help but grin. Silver Spoon had always been capable of diplomacy. That was the nicest way anypony could possibly describe her bullying and being bossy.

"But you've never actually been in a fight," Silver Spoon continued, "and I'm pretty sure you have no training in it."

That was a valid point. She had been taught a lot of things, but fighting was not one of them. Although there had been a few close -- very close -- calls, Diamond Tiara had never actually been in a fight (even if only because somepony else was there to stop another from attacking her). She was going to have to learn how to fight. Even better if she could somehow get paid for it.

"The Royal Guard," she suddenly stated.

"What about them?"

"I'm going to join them," Diamond Tiara announced.

"What?!"

"It's perfect." She turned to Silver Spoon, grinning. "I can join Princess Twilight's royal guard, letting me train while staying here in Ponyville. They'll teach me how to fight, and even pay me while they do it. Then after I finish the minimum term of service, I could do whatever I want."

Her gaze shifted as she imagined it all.

"I could work for nobles as a bodyguard or part of a security team. I could become a traveling adventurer like Daring Do, a bounty hunter, or some sort of mercenary. I could even stay in the guard, or transfer to Canterlot or The Crystal Empire. The opportunities are limitless."

"I don't think I would go that far," Silver Spoon responded. "Besides, I don't think it's going to be that easy. Pipsqueak has been training to join The Royal Guard for years."

Diamond Tiara let out a snort.

"That's for Princess Luna's guards in Canterlot. It's probably easier to join here since there are fewer volunteers. Plus, I doubt everypony that wants to join the guard trains for years beforehoof. If they did, the guard wouldn't need to train them once they joined."

Silver Spoon rolled her eyes and shook her head, but said nothing.

"It's decided, then," Diamond Tiara proclaimed as she grabbed her lunch. "Today after school, I will sign up to join The Royal Guard for Princess Twilight, and begin training as soon as I graduate."

She grinned as she trotted through the cafeteria, looking for a place to sit.

"I wonder how high I'll get promoted when they see how great I am."