"Apologize. You have to apologize and get it over with. Bury your other side." Diamond Tiara muttered to herself through gritted teeth as she sat awake in her bed. The dream with Luna had only just ended, but it was not yet day. The night was still prevailing over the sun. With a groan, she looked at her clock. It was only 3 AM. "Just great, now you're going to be dead tired tomorrow." Somehow, she couldn't grasp the concept of apologizing to the three fillies she had mistreated for so long. What if they thought she was joking, and humiliated her? What about Silver Spoon? What would she do? Nopony said it would be easy, Luna said herself that it would not be a cakewalk served upon a silver spoon. Silver Spoon.. The gray filly had followed Diamond Tiara around like she was a cult leader, following in her footsteps. Would she do the same when Diamond Tiara apologized?

She doubted it. Silver Spoon was a fully functioning pony, and could think for herself for once. Silver Spoon really was no different from Diamond Tiara - her cutie mark made no sense either. It just matched her name. What could a spoon mean? Diamond Tiara shook her head. That wasn't a problem she had to deal with. She had her own destiny to decide and battle with. She closed her eyes and tried to fall asleep again. But as she lay there, her mind raced. It refused to stop, scenarios running through her mind at the speed of light. Different words to say, apologies to give, faces to make.. in her mind, it was all calculated. Diamond Tiara realized how much of a robot she'd been over time. Planning her actions, expressions, words, making sure every last detail was perfect. That wasn't the way life was meant to be lived.

She didn't notice it, but Diamond Tiara finally fell asleep and was awoken by the rising sun. She felt groggy and irritated, just as anypony who hadn't gotten a good sleep would. But school would be starting soon and that was her chance to make it all up. But she didn't want to apologize to all three of them at once. No, that wouldn't be personal. Seeing them would just force her into a state of mind similar to her old one. It had to be one by one, somewhere they couldn't be disturbed. They did go to their treehouse after school, maybe she could get them alone there. They would have to understand.

It was odd that she was putting so much effort into correcting what she had done wrong. Diamond Tiara had always been a monster without realizing it, torturing them. She was never helping them get their cutie marks. They hated her, and she knew it. It was just like in a storybook she read about the four nations and the Avatar. The Fire Nation convinced their fillies that they were showing their glory to the other nations, but the other nations all hated them and they deserved it. Do I deserve the hate? .... Yes. I do. It was a cold hard fact, but it was true. The way she treated them couldn't be forgiven in a snap. It had to be personal.

"Time for school, Diamond Tiara." Filthy Rich opened the door to get Diamond Tiara up and running for the school day.

She sat up and got out of bed, heading downstairs for breakfast. Today, she would be able to change. She needed to change. Would it be easy? No. But could she be forgiven, to right her wrongs? Well, that wasn't for her to decide. Only time would tell, and the sun rose steadily to assure Diamond Tiara that time would give her an answer when it was ready.

The filly trotted out into the street and down the road, her schoolbag going up and down as she continued forward. The sun shone brightly, it was a gorgeous morning. The birds chirped as Diamond Tiara smiled. She had never felt so happy to be alive, to be who she was. She the smile was quickly replaced with a frown as all her problems came forefront again. It was so annoying how they plagued her, almost. They just wouldn't leave. Arriving at the schoolhouse, she looked out for Apple Bloom. No sign of her yet. With a pang of worry, Diamond Tiara wondered if she would be absent. You can just try again tomorrow if she is. Calm down. With a sigh, she walked into the schoolhouse as the bell rang. Silver Spoon ran up and was talking to her about something, but she seemed like she was far away. Diamond Tiara was effectively blocking her out, because she didn't matter.

The school day passed in a flash, really. Diamond Tiara, for the first time, focused on the work and completely forgot about her problems as she wrote down notes. She didn't care that Silver Spoon was trying to talk to her or get Apple Bloom in trouble. She needed to be alone. Finally, the bell rang and the fillies ran of the out of the schoolhouse. It seemed like just a moment ago Diamond Tiara had looked at Apple Bloom with resentment and hate. But that was the past, and the past is not today. Her eyes followed Apple Bloom as she ran off, and began to run after her.

Nopony noticed, not even Apple Bloom, that Diamond Tiara was following. She was trying to be as quiet as possible, because she didn't want to be seen and questioned before she climbed into the treehouse. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Apple Bloom skidded to a stop at a treehouse. It looked freshly painted with new boards and nails, probably fixed up by the Apple family. Diamond Tiara hid behind a tree and peeked out as Apple Bloom climbed up into the treehouse and disappeared. After making sure nopony was looking, Diamond Tiara slunk out from behind the tree and trotted quietly to the walkway. Taking a deep breath, she began to climb.

"Or we could try bucking trees, maybe we have Applejack's talent for it! Or would that be too lame?" A bright voice burst out happily, followed by 3 different giggles. "Maybe we can-" The voice was cut off as Diamond Tiara got to the top and entered the treehouse.

"Diamond Tiara? What are you doing here?"

"I.. I came to apologize and make myself better again!" Diamond Tiara blurted out, quickly covering her mouth with her hoof.

"What?!" The three of them said together in unison. "Apologize? Please, you're just trying to trick us. It's obvious. Why don't you go hang out with Silver Spoon and leave us alone for once?" Scootaloo said defiantly, breaking away from the group.

"No.. I'm serious. I'm changing. I tormented you because I thought you'd get your cutie marks faster with motivation.. but I didn't motivate you. I tortured you and I thought I was helping you. I was horrible." Diamond Tiara forced herself to say every word, it was just so difficult to apologize. She was convinced the voices would return.. but they didn't. Maybe they'd finally leave her alone to her own thoughts.

"I think she's telling the truth, guys. There's no way she'd come without Silver Spoon if she was tricking us." Sweetie Belle pointed out. She had always been the most optimistic, lighthearted of the group. No doubt she would come to Diamond Tiara's aid.

"That's exactly what she would do, Sweetie Belle! You're too trusting." Scootaloo scolded her. She turned to Diamond Tiara, teeth gritted. "I'd tear you apart on the spot to leave my friends and I alone! But I want Apple Bloom's say on this." The orange pegasus turned to her leader and best friend.

Apple Bloom looked at Diamond Tiara with eyes she couldn't read. "I always thought you bothered us because of not having cutie marks. But now, you say that you were trying to help us. But I just don't know if I can believe that. But.. I look in your eyes and I don't see the glint. I don't see the fire." Did her eyes really give that away? Did they have a glint that showed her feelings, her motivation? Maybe she let more show than she thought.

"I believe you." Scootaloo's face turned red. This was clearly not the answer she was expecting.

"But I want to talk to each of you, personally. If I say everything to all three of you, it just won't feel.. right. I need to talk to you all personally, and apologize in the way that only you will understand." Diamond Tiara sighed and lowered her head in relief. They believed her. Well, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle did anyways. Scootaloo still looked angry and surprised.

"Sweetie Belle, you first. Then Scootaloo, then Apple Bloom. Then I'll finally feel like I'm not an ignorant bully and began to shape myself again."

Apple Bloom walked out, dragging Scootaloo with her. There were no words exchanged, their looks could tell all. Sweetie Belle didn't look like she knew what to expect. Diamond Tiara didn't know what to expect either, but it was finally time. Finally.

Author's Note

I just realized that this chapter is longer than all the other ones except Princess of the Night (barely) which is exactly the opposite of what I intended. Oh well. XD

Each of the CMC will get their own chapter so it won't feel so rushed in one chapter.