Chapters A Diamond Doesn't Always Shine
As Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo trotted out of the schoolhouse, Diamond Tiara shot a quick look at their flanks. Still no cutie marks. Diamond Tiara should've felt triumph, that they were still just ordinary fillies with no special talent. Instead, the sight of their flanks crushed her inside. She wanted to scream and ask them why, why couldn't they just get their cutie marks? But deep down, she knew the answer. Ponies were always saying, every day, that a cutie mark could only be earned when it was time. But why couldn't that time be now ?
Diamond Tiara ran out of the schoolhouse without closing her schoolbag, papers flying behind her. Her mind was racing without any recollection of what the fillies learned that day in class as she struggled to remember. But then her memory flashed a picture of numerous cutie marks on Miss Cheerliee's board. They had learned about cutie marks and what they meant to a pony. Apple Bloom had been intensely taking notes, as though her life depended on it. Of course it did, she and her little group had been trying to earn their own cutie marks for a long time.
"Diamond Tiara! You left your homework-" Miss Cheerilee yelled out behind her, but what did homework matter to her? Homework couldn't fix the hole in her heart, the anguish that was welling up inside her. She ran, ran, ran all the way to her home, not stopping to take a breath. She knew she would regret the decision to run all the way, but she didn't want to linger around anypony. Diamond Tiara just wanted to be left alone.
"Diamond Tiara, are you going to-"
When she finally arrived at home, Diamond Tiara burst through the doors and let her schoolbag fall off her back. She panted heavily, pain stinging her sides. It was growing, ripping away at her. But it wasn't nearly powerful enough to mask the sadness and anger that were boiling and mixing together in her heart. Diamond Tiara had refused to discuss anything about her life with others most of the time, keeping it bottled inside. That probably wasn't helping.
"Are you alright, Diamond Tiara? You look terrible." Filthy Rich came up to her, moving her bag away.
Diamond Tiara desperately wanted to lie and say she was fine, that it had just been a long day. But how could she say such a thing when it was so very clear that things were certainly NOT fine?
Almost as soon as she looked out the window, her frustration returned. She saw the trio going down the street with Scootaloo's scooter, covered in dust. They were all laughing and trying to shake off the substance. Diamond Tiara grit her teeth and closed the curtains over the window in one swift, heavy movement. In that moment, she lost all control of her feelings. The sight of them being so happy and carefree broke her inside.
"It's not fair! It's not fair!" She screamed, kicking her bed. Diamond Tiara sprinted to her dresser, pulling drawers out and scattering them everywhere. "It's not fair!" Then she looked in her mirror, and raised her hoof. She drove it right through the glass, leaving a loud shattering sound. Her hoof was cut up a little, but what did she care? She could fix it! But she couldn't fix her problem!
"Diamond Tiara! Calm yourself!" Filthy Rich burst into her room, looking very concerned. "W-what are you doing? Why are you destroying your room?! What isn't fair?!"
Filthy Rich looked confused and sat down in her doorway. Diamond Tiara was breathing heavily, eyes flashing.
"No! Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo don't have their cutie marks yet!" She yelled angrily, tears streaming down her face. They were hot and made her face red, but nothing mattered now. Diamond Tiara could look like a hobo for all she cared. The tiara in her mane seemed to be cutting into her head, showing her thoughts for all to see.
".. Why does that matter? Their problems shouldn't be-"
"Look, Diamond Tiara. Just because you have a diamond tiara for your cutie mark doesn't mean you have to be the way you are." Filthy Rich replied calmly while Diamond Tiara was trying to control her rage.
He sighed, and put his hoof on Diamond Tiara's shoulder. "Look, sweetie. A cutie mark can be interpreted in several different ways. Your cutie mark could be about you being powerful, or wealthy, or a good jewelry maker. It is seen the way you decide to see it. You see your cutie mark the way you decide to see it, and somepony else might think it means something completely different. Just think about that for a little while." With that, Filthy Rich stood up and walked out of Diamond Tiara's room, closing the door behind him.
"But.." Diamond Tiara stood up and glanced at her cutie mark. It was the same as it always was, a tiara. She always thought it meant for her to be mean, to be like a snobby princess. She didn't want that. She kept staring, as though some new thing would come to light.
"I don't have to act the way I do." Suddenly, it all came crashing down on her. Her cutie mark couldn't control who she was. It was up to her to find her destiny, not the mark. Diamond Tiara wiped the tears off her face, stood up and walked out of her room with her head held high. The Cutie Mark Crusaders.. they weren't the only ones looking for who they were. Now she was too.
It's Time to Move Onwards
Diamond Tiara sighed as she glanced in the distance at the Cutie Mark Crusaders. They appeared to be throwing something around - a bee nest? That's a bad idea - as carefree as ever. Still no cutie mark on any of them. She shook her head in annoyance at what they were doing, because throwing a nest around wouldn't earn a cutie mark unless they were trying to get attacked. Were they trying to get the honey out of it? Nevertheless, they dropped the nest and trotted in Diamond Tiara's direction. Just casually say hi and walk away..
"Diamond Tiara? What're you doin' here?" Apple Bloom asked curiously, stopping in front of the lavender Earth pony. "I figgered you'd be at home, since that's where you usually go after school." She gave a tiny smile, as though she was walking on thin ice by even making any kind of face. Does she find me intimidating? I hope not.
"Apple Bloom, are you coming? What's taking so lo- oh." Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle trotted up next to Apple Bloom. "Why are you talking to Diamond Tiara?" Apple Bloom made a face, and Scootaloo instantly snapped her concentration back to Diamond Tiara. Apple Bloom was definitely the leader. Keep it casual, Diamond Tiara.
"O-oh, I was just going for a s-stroll, Apple Bloom. Nice to see you all." Diamond Tiara stammered, quickly trotting past her and down the street. Real smooth, you imbecile. She could feel the trio's stares on her, as though they were pushing her along the street. Her embarrassment, although it was hidden inside, was picking away at Diamond Tiara as she kept walking. She kept her gaze ahead of her, to the streetlight. Diamond Tiara heard them turn and walk away, whispering solemnly. No doubt they would be talking about her odd behavior. She hadn't spit venom at them like she usually did, and that was different to them. It was new.
Diamond Tiara breathed out a long sigh, glad the moment had passed. It was weird to not look at them with resentment for who they were, because she could be anyone she wanted. Admittedly, she had expected something to stop her from saying kind words, something from her cutie mark. Diamond Tiara didn't know what to expect, maybe a flash or glow? But she said those words as easily as any other words she had ever spoken. Kind of a weird thing to her, but it was further proof of her father's words.
She continued to stand in the spot she had stopped in, taking in the sight. How funny that now she felt free from the burden she never actually carried, Diamond Tiara could appreciate all the things in Ponyville she had never stopped to notice. The small, tight community was better than anything in Manehattan could provide. The nature just complemented the close bond Ponyville shared with everypony. Except for me. I was never close to Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle or Scootaloo. I treated them like trash. A memory popped into Diamond Tiara's head of a party she held several months ago - her cute-ceañera. Apple Bloom clearly didn't want to be there, the way she turned the table spread into a makeshift dress to cover her flank. She had been mortified when she tripped and the "dress" was ripped off her body. But Diamond Tiara hadn't cared. It just showed that she was not special and craved attention... right?
Suddenly, all her thoughts went blank and Diamond Tiara fell down. Her head was hit with such a force that she was sure somepony had knocked her down, but no one was around. Just her. "W-who's there?! Show yourself!" She called out, trying to sound angry. But inside, the earth pony was scared. Why had she suddenly fallen? Why did her thoughts disappear? Did she just lose her balance? No, no. The force that she took to her head was too much to just be falling. Something had to have done it. Suddenly, a simple train of thought took over.
Your cutie mark means you're constantly thinking about unattainable goals. You want to feel important, like a princess.
You make the lives of the Cutie Mark Crusaders horrible because you want to force their cutie marks to come faster, thinking the bullying will make them work harder.
But it doesn't work like that. Cutie marks take their time. Truly, you aren't as important as you think you are.
"W-what?!" The words just popped into her head and disappeared in an instant. Diamond Tiara's cutie mark meant she was thinking of things that can't happen, that she wants to feel important. Was that true? It felt like Diamond Tiara was watching herself in third pony view, watching the thoughts and memories as they scrolled through her thoughts. The first time they encountered Apple Bloom, the way they got her in trouble during class.. it felt so strange now. The trio felt distant, as though she had parted from them long ago. But did she ever truly meet them? How could they part if Diamond Tiara never tried to even talk to them, to get to know them? A flash of defiance coursed through her.
Strongly, Diamond Tiara called out, "But I don't. I don't want to feel important, that's not what I want to do. Is it? Am I trying to feel important? I should be important, I'm the daughter of the richest pony in town. But does that mean anything to Ponyville? Does it mean something to Silver Spoon or Apple Bloom? I make her life miserable to speed up her cutie mark process, but that hasn't worked.. so why am I still trying? Am I just acting like a broken record? Do I even want them to get their cutie marks?"
Diamond Tiara moaned and covered her eyes with her hooves, trying to make her headache go away. It was so confusing, it made no sense. Why did their lives matter so much to her? Why did she feel like it was her job to help them, even if it was in a terrible way? The questions piled up in a heap and she couldn't answer any of them. Was it true she wanted to help them? Did she just not like them for some other reason? In a fit of anger and confusion, she tore the tiara off her head and held it in her hoof. This tiara represented her authority, her desire to have control.
She threw it to the ground and ran off in the direction of the Everfree Forest. If there's answers anywhere, it'll be there. But isn't it dangerous there? Without taking any more time to question her plans, Diamond Tiara sprinted even faster. The doubt made her stronger, as though it would protect her from any harm in the forest. She felt bare on the outside, because she wore the secret of secretly envying the Cutie Mark Crusaders as armor to shield her from her peers. But that armor had been broken, and Diamond Tiara was determined to find some way to answer her problems without questioning what was the right course of action first.
That worried her.
The green of the Everfree Forest passed by in a flash as the young filly went sprinting through the darkness. She knew it was dangerous - especially since she was young and alone. But could Diamond Tiara live with her guilt and the conflicting sides within herself? No, she could not. There was only one pony who could help her, and it wasn't a pony. Surely Zecora would have some kind of helpful potion to cure her problems, to make them vanish. Apple Bloom once had her chipped tooth healed by a potion, there must be some kind of a remedy to help Diamond Tiara. Then again, Apple Bloom also got the Cutie Pox through taking what wasn't hers. She sucked in a deep breath and continued her sprint, nearly tripping over a branch in the path.
She was always confused as to why Zecora would want to live out in one of the most dangerous places in Equestria. For Celestia's sake, there were monsters looming everywhere! But Diamond Tiara saw all the rare and exotic plants and figured they'd probably be important to all of the zebra's plans. No other place had so much diversity, and Zecora was the only one to snap up the opportunity. It was kind of ironic how all of Ponyville feared her when she first arrived, thinking she was a witch. It didn't make sense, considering witchcraft was Pinkie Pie's thing.
Finally, Diamond Tiara saw the hut that housed the mysterious zebra. A small smile broke through, knowing her problems could soon be over. But that smile was replaced with a broken expression as her own thoughts caught up with her.
There's no point in visiting Zecora. Your problems cannot be cured through a potion, they are your burden and yours alone.
You think you have an issue that can be solved through another pony's help, but it can only be solved by yourself.
The problem is all in your head. It's playing you for a fool.
She screamed and fell on all fours. There had to be somepony, somepony who knew what was going on. She wasn't willing herself to think those atrocious thoughts. Diamond Tiara wanted the ground to swallow her up and take her problems away, because she felt like a lost filly on their first day of school. Confused, angered and upset all in one, harsh emotion. Was the problem really all in her head? Diamond Tiara wanted to get a chainsaw and destroy the forest, her inner emotions were so conflicted. But who was she fighting? Was it the Cutie Mark Crusaders? Dad? Miss Cheerilee? "I don't know, I don't know! C'mon, think. There has to be a reason. Think!" She told herself angrily, trying to find the reason. But all she found was herself staring blank into the darkness, as though expecting something to thrust at her from it. But then the truth hit her, and- no no no. There was someone.
"WHY?!" Diamond Tiara's voice tore itself from her throat in a scream unlike anything anypony had ever uttered.
"Young filly, why are you here? There is nothing to be found in these woods but gloom and fear. Do you seek help for your trouble? Then come with me, for you shall rise from the rubble." A gentle, unique voice floated over to Diamond Tiara from the distance. She looked up and saw Zecora standing a short distance away, her mane swaying in the breeze.
"Z-Zecora, I need a remedy for something. And it's not just a little thing, it's a big problem! Can you help?" She asked, picking herself up and walking to the zebra.
"You ask me if I can help? Perhaps a certain something can provide: boiling water with the best kelp." Zecora smiled at the depressed pony, as though she was blocking herself from the sad aura radiating from Diamond Tiara. "How does kelp help me at all?" The zebra did not reply, just kept smiling. She turned and walked towards her hut, as though beckoning Diamond Tiara to follow. She knew she didn't have a choice - the earth pony trotted after Zecora, in hopes that she would have a cure.
"Young filly, tell me of your struggle. Perhaps I can help you balance the things that you juggle." Diamond Tiara liked how Zecora always talked in rhyme. It made her sound relaxed and still tense, carefree yet serious. It was an interesting comparison, as though Zecora was simply black and white in an eternal struggle for power. But since neither can live without the other, she was always so mysterious.
"I.. I have these voices talking in my head trying to tell me all my problems are just an illusion in my mind, but I know they aren't! They're real! They have to be!" Diamond Tiara blurted out, needing to get it off her chest. "Dad told me I had freedom to be who I want to be. But when I try to be a different pony, somepony who isn't snobby and rude... it's like my inner self doesn't want change." She surprised herself at the words that came tumbling out. But if she said them, they had to be true. After Diamond Tiara refused to be her old self, her attempt at change just completely turned herself against whatever was doing this. "Also, please don't talk in rhyme. My head hurts."
"That's an odd request from someone such as you. But if it's what you desire, then I shall not." Zecora stated simply, ushering Diamond Tiara into the hut. It was warm and welcoming, with all of the zebra's remedies and ingredients on shelves, tables and the floor. "Now, from what you are stating.. it sounds like you are in a battle against yourself. Such as the tale of Yin and Yang, your two sides are conflicting and battling. One side had been locked away, but now that it is free once more.. the battle has begun again. Neither can truly win." She walked to her cauldron, stirring the contents within.
"Do you have a potion that can help? That can get rid of the other pony?" Diamond Tiara beamed, knowing Zecora would never let her down. She had cures for all kinds of things, surely there was one that would work on eliminating a part of a pony's personality. But the frown and look of slight annoyance from Zecora made her lose hope quite quickly. She had not heard the part of Zecora's speech when she mentioned the battle, only the Yin and Yang. Even if she had listened, Diamond Tiara would've dismissed it. There was no way she was battling herself - that didn't even make sense.
"You don't quite understand. There is no other pony here. It is only you. Your two personalities are conflicting, creating a struggle to be powerful. You need to become one or the other, and stop questioning what you did in the past. Princess Luna and Princess Celestia live in harmony, even though they are different. They understand each other. You need to try and be the same. Come to a resolution with yourself. Only then can you solve your problem."
Diamond Tiara's anger flared when she was denied by Zecora. This wasn't just her problem! It was someone else's too, and now it was Zecora's! "No! This isn't just my problem now, it's yours too! You have to help! You can't deny me!" She yelled, stomping her hoof into the ground and whipping her tail back and forth.
"There is nothing I can do to help." At the sound of those words, Diamond Tiara flew into a fit of rage. She launched herself at Zecora, trying to knock her down. But the older, wiser zebra easily deflected the filly. "You must-"
"SHUT UP! You don't know me!" She knocked over the closest case, trying to shatter anything inside it. How dare this mutt deny such a pony as her, she was important and deserved all the respect- oh. Instantly, Diamond Tiara stopped and fell. It was true. She thought she was entitled, important. She wanted Zecora's help because she thought she could not be denied. Diamond Tiara could have laughed at her foolishness, but instead began to sob uncontrollably. Her mane was being stroked by Zecora, who was trying to comfort her.
"Please, just be calm. This is not your fault. There is something, there has to be..." But Diamond Tiara couldn't hear her. The fact that the truth was finally shoved into her face stung, but there was no denying it. There was no other pony, no other bearer of this conflict. The moment she changed meant the moment that the battle had begun. Diamond Tiara had finally accepted it, with the truth staring her right in the face.
She was truly at war with no one but herself.
Author's Note
If you made it this far, pat yourself on the back. Also, kudos to you if you found the Friendship is Witchcraft and Markiplier references.
The Princess of the Night
After finally leaving Zecora's hut and making her way out of the Everfree Forest, Diamond Tiara kept her mind dark. If she didn't think about her problems, then her sides wouldn't conflict and cause her to stress out so much to the point of destruction. That was something she had easily learned from her own actions. What had been going through her mind when she started destroying Zecora's belongings? Reasons of why she was doing it, regret of her actions? I don't know, I don't know. No, keep your mind dark, Diamond Tiara. It was so difficult to push away all her thoughts and lock them up until she could release them. But now she knew she couldn't face the problem, her own personality, alone. She needed a pony with insight into her own thoughts and heart, to find a way to solve the problem. But what pony could do such a thing? Things like that didn't happen.. or did they? It dawned upon her that a normal pony may not be able to solve her problems, but a certain pony would be able to.
But there was no way a filly would be able to gain access to Canterlot Castle to see Princess Luna. Twilight Sparkle did when she was a filly, probably, but she was Celestia's student. She had special privileges that could not be matched by other ponies. Diamond Tiara kept her mind solely on Princess Luna and how to see her, barricading her worries. How did Princess Luna see other ponies if they could not get into the castle? Any kind of royal event where she would be was still a while away, and Diamond Tiara could've fallen into a pit of darkness by then. The princess of the night.. helping ponies through their fear.. that was it. It had to be. Princess Luna got to ponies and spoke with them through dreams, probably nightmares. So if she was able to summon Princess Luna, then maybe she could help! Yes! Diamond Tiara burst through the exit of the forest, being blinded by the light that could not touch the floor of the forest. Honestly, maybe glasses would be in order after these events because her vision was blurry and screwed up.
It wasn't early, though. The sun was setting, and it seemed much brighter since she had been in darkness for so long. Diamond Tiara trotted through winding paths to find her home, where she could finally get the answer to her problem. It was only a slim chance that Luna would visit her, but surely she could sense the great urgency Diamond Tiara was feeling.
"Diamond Tiara, where have you been-" Filthy Rich began to say. From the look on his face, he was about to give a lecture about curfew and staying safe.
"Not now, Dad!" Diamond Tiara retorted at her father, instantly running up to her room. Darkness had fallen over Ponyville and the rest of Equestria, the town quiet and peaceful. It was funny how scary the darkness seemed when it really was not all that bad. Ponies didn't like it because you couldn't see anything, therefore having less power over the surroundings and being less aware. But with Luna commanding over the darkness, it all seemed less scary. Someone was watching over them, making sure they were safe. Celestia ruled the day, but the night was Luna's home. The stars in her flowing mane truly reflected it.
Diamond Tiara had a nice, warm shower and made her mane frizz out and dry. It felt good to get the dirt off her hooves and let the grime flow down the drain. She wished her problems could do the same thing. After taking care of all her pre-sleep to-do's, she could finally clock out for the night. Laying down on her bed made her realize just how much she ached. Running through Everfree Forest had been quite the workout. As soon as her head it the pillow, her entire body relaxed and she gave off a little smile. Yes, the comfort of her bed felt so good. She had insomnia and usually couldn't sleep for a few hours, but tonight it was bliss. She relished the feeling.
You are not worthy of your name, Diamond Tiara.
"W-what?! Come out!" Diamond Tiara yelled out, backing up into a wall. The figure did show themselves, but it was the pony she had last expected. Princess Luna was there, but she wasn't in her normal blue color. Everything, including her irises, were the darkest black imaginable. It was almost as if the night itself had molded with Luna and become the shadow of night.
You have disgraced your family with your ways. You are nothing more than a shell of a worthless pony who can't decide if she wants to be powerful.
You must take what's yours, or I will take you away. I will force you to become what you don't want, and there will be nothing you can do.
"H-how dare you! I thought you were supposed to help ponies, not rip them to shreds! How could you say such things to me?!" Diamond Tiara yelled, leaning against the wall. Luna was not speaking, and yet her mouth was moving. It was almost as if her ears had stopped working and the words were directly sent to her mind. The scariest thing, however, was not that Princess Luna was not herself. It was not that she had nowhere to run. The more frightening thing Diamond Tiara discovered was that Luna's voice was the exact voice she had heard the day before in her mind. Was Princess Luna, the princess of the night, driving her insane? Was she tormenting her?
"It is not I who is bothering you, Diamond Tiara. Far from it. It's just an illusion. A clever trick of the eye, if you will."
Diamond Tiara looked at "Luna" and saw a figure stepping out of her body, as though Nightmare Moon herself was becoming a separate being. But the figure that formed was not Nightmare Moon - it was Luna, the normal Luna. The Dark Luna faded away, becoming nothing more than a memory. "P-Princess Luna, I need your help. I-I've been disturbed by these voices in my head, they're not going away.."
Princess Luna smiled. "Diamond Tiara, what you are talking about is exactly what Zecora described. You are at war with yourself because ever since you received your cutie mark, you believed you had to be mean and try to have authority over others. But now you want to be someone different. What you need to do is let all the anger and sadness you've built up go. Nothing's blocking you from becoming somepony new except your own emotions." She finished simply. Diamond Tiara knew Luna would be blunt, but not this blunt. She was always the problem.. go figure.
"So.. how do I get rid of the emotions? How do I let them go?" Diamond Tiara asked. She knew it was a silly question, but because she hadn't done it and nopony would know how... she had to ask before Luna left. "Do I just ignore them?"
"No. Ignoring them will only bottle them up until they cannot be held any longer. What you need to do, Diamond Tiara, is look back through your memories of all the instances you showed who you did not want to be. For example, the first time you made fun of Apple Bloom for not having a cutie mark. These kinds of memories are somewhat haunting you." Luna explained, sitting down. The scenery was changing - it was the memory of the first time she had seen Apple Bloom's blank flank. The Diamond Tiara in this memory was snobby, mocking Apple Bloom with Silver Spoon by her side.
"How could I have done such a thing..? Why did I think that would work?" Diamond Tiara buried her face in her hooves. She had been such a fool, more than anypony knew. It was so terrible to think that only now she could come to her senses.
"You see, Diamond Tiara, you are being haunted by these old feelings and memories. You need to do what your past self could not do - come to your senses and make things right with those you have wronged. Only then can you let go of all your bottled up emotions, knowing that they have been discarded and do not matter."
"But I've tried! That's how this all started!"
"You need to truly mean it. You have a much bigger purpose now, because your cutie mark is not as important as you think it is. You're very much alike to Apple Bloom and her friends, thinking it means so much more than it really does. It will not be easy to make amends, but you have to try." As Luna spoke the last words, the scenery began to blur and fade away. Diamond Tiara fell, fell, fell through darkness until the sun made her crawl under her covers.
Her cutie mark was not as important as she thought she was.. that was so similar to what the voice said, except it mentioned her and not her cutie mark. Was her cutie mark creating these thoughts? Was the "princess" side of Diamond Tiara always thinking those kinds of things? She shivered, not wanting to think about such things. She needed to make amends and let go of her anger...
Diamond Tiara anticipated it going horribly wrong.
Author's Note
I'm planning on one or two more chapters before I finish off this story. It is my first fanfic, so it's not perfect. Criticism and suggestions are welcome, just make sure you're actually helping me and not hating. Thank you for all your positive feedback. <3
Oh, and kelp is cool. No, I did not want to write couplets for all of Zecora's lines in the last chapter. Yes, I intentionally made the line about kelp because I'm dumb like that.
"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.
I Have the Police on Speed Dial (Scootaloo)
A bright orange pegasus came in, being pushed along by Sweetie Belle. It was made quite clear from Scootaloo's face that she did not want to talk to Diamond Tiara. Fair enough, Diamond Tiara didn't really want to talk to her either. It would be a bloodbath either way, since Scootaloo always heavily opposed Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara. Frankly, she couldn't find anything wrong with that. There wasn't exactly anything to like , after all.
"I told you, I don't want to talk to her!" Scootaloo growled at Sweetie Belle, finally getting on all four hooves. "She isn't worth my time and she wasn't worth yours! I bet she brainwashed you, huh? Made you like her? I would expect nothing less from a witch like Diamond Tiara-"
"Enough! " Apple Bloom stormed in and marched right up to Scootaloo. "If y'all even dare to hurt Diamond Tiara, then you can be sure that you ain't a friend of ours!" Scootaloo whimpered right where she stood, ears drooping. Apple Bloom's tone held such authority that Diamond Tiara couldn't help but be shocked at her maturity. Apple Bloom turned around and walked out, head held high. Sweetie Belle followed, casting a glance at Scootaloo. She was still in a whimpering pose, but the color had returned to her face. The door shut behind Sweetie Belle, and it was just the two of them. Scootaloo pulled herself up and looked Diamond Tiara in the eye, expression never wavering.
"Look. I don't care if you say that you've changed or whatever. I'll still never forgive you or forget what you've done to us. You've hurt us more than you know." Scootaloo stated with a hard face. Her expression was stone cold and Diamond Tiara knew it would never change. Scootaloo's attitude wouldn't change.
Inside the mind of the scooter driving pegasus, thoughts were going a thousand miles an hour and yet, she didn't care. This evil pony had tormented Scootaloo and her friends. She would never change, ever. There was nothing inside her. Nothing. She was probably figuring out the best way to pin Scootaloo down and brainwash her into some kind of worship of her family. Scootaloo thought she was crazy.
Yet, Diamond Tiara was thinking the same thing. She thought Scootaloo was a crazy and rebellious spirit who would never accept for her mistakes. Unfortunately, she didn't forgive and forget. No, Scootaloo's first impression of a pony is the one that stays and never changes, even when the pony does a complete 180 and changes. Diamond Tiara hadn't even realized her own mistakes until recently, but Scootaloo would take those mistakes and shove them down her throat forever.
"Celestia sang a lullaby to Luna when she was on the moon." Diamond Tiara said blankly. She didn't know why - the words just appeared out of nowhere. Scootaloo looked at her with blank shock. What did that have to do with anything? Diamond Tiara didn't know why, but she knew it was important. She didn't know how she knew that Celestia sang to Luna, but.. it was knowledge that crept out from the deepest parts of Diamond Tiara's heart. "One of the things she sang was that Luna was loved so much more than she knew, and that her rage blinded her from seeing it. Celestia herself had been blind to the fact that she was so caught up with the limelight and her kingdom that she didn't love Luna as much as she deserved."
Diamond Tiara contemplated what she had just spouted. Celestia sang the lullaby that described her own struggles and Luna's.. just like Scootaloo and herself. Diamond Tiara was not noble by any means, but she was too blind with rage to see her mistakes.. like Nightmare Moon. She also got so caught up in something else that she treated everyone like trash to get to her own goals, just like how Celestia was caught up in her own image. "Oh my gosh.."
Scootaloo stepped back, clearly scared at what Diamond Tiara was going to do. "I'm just like them.. I'm too blind to see my own mistakes.. but so are you." Diamond Tiara looked at her longtime enemy, the one that she hated with all her might, and saw anger and despair forming in those eyes. "You look at me like I'm a witch, like a puppetmaster. I had intentions to do what was right but I never saw what I did as wrong. You're no better than I am. You hate me for who I was then, not who I am now."
"Well, ponies don't change like that! Oh sure, they try , but they always go back to their old ways! Always! You may be acting nice now, but within a month you'll be like you were before. I guarantee it." Scootaloo snarled angrily. She'd had experience with this so called "change" with other ponies. She trusted them, but they turned on her as soon as they could. Diamond Tiara would do the same to her, like everypony else did.
"Can you? Can you even say you've experienced-"
"YES! I have experienced your little change before!"
Diamond Tiara shook her head irritably. "That wasn't was I was going to ask. If you would let me finish, you'd know that isn't what I was going to say. I was going to ask if you've ever experienced having a mental breakdown." Scootaloo was taken aback. A mental breakdown? Things like that were rare in Equestria, Diamond Tiara was surely just pulling her leg. Putting on an ignorant face, she carefully responded, "No. I haven't. Frankly, those kinds of things don't even happen anymore."
"They do happen because it happened to me. I was confused. Angry at the world. I didn't want to see my own mistakes, so I took it out on myself. I thought there was some unknown force speaking to me, making me go crazy. But I was at war with my own past. It was all in my head. Princess Luna said the only way to solve the problem is to right my wrongs. That's what I'm doing today. Yet, you don't even believe me when I say I'm sorry. You think ponies can never change." Diamond Tiara's words slowly turned into venom with anger. Scootaloo couldn't understand her at all, because she refused to forgive. What a downfall that was. "But you're wrong. We CAN change and become better! It's ponies like you who refuse to believe that ponies can be different from who they were! The past is not today, Scootaloo! I am not who I was!" Scootaloo literally backed up into the wall in fear. This was exactly what she was afraid of.
Scootaloo, trying to regain her composure as Diamond Tiara tried to prevent herself from yelling any more, attempted to talk to her. "I-I didn't know you had a, uh, breakdown. But that doesn't excuse what you've done to us. How can I be sure you won't do what you did to us again?" The pegasus eyed Diamond Tiara, clearly trying to dissolve her feelings of anger.
"You can't be sure and neither can I. Promises are only worth their value if you can keep them. But I can try harder than I ever have. What I've felt is no excuse and I don't intend it to be an excuse. But I can help you guys by truly trying to help. No more of the torment I thought could help. I can actually try to help you guys in what you do. But only if you'll accept me for who I am now."
Scootaloo's thoughts were consisting of just a few simple words. Forget them and move on. She quickly shook her head to get rid of the thoughts and sat down for a few minutes, thinking. Diamond Tiara had expressed so much and revealed much more than Scootaloo thought she'd be capable of. But could she really help them?
"I.. I guess you can help us. I'll never truly forgive you. I mean, I could, but I hurt too much for what you've done to us. Perhaps in the future, I could forgive you. But now, it's an alliance between us." A small smile broke out on Scootaloo's face. She was making friends with the pony she despised most. It was a strange feeling. "I'll go get Apple Bloom." Scootaloo opened the door and walked out.
Two down, two to go. This would be the most challenging. Apple Bloom may not have Scootaloo's hate, but she was the primary victim of Diamond Tiara. No doubt her feelings would be mixed.
Diamond Tiara knew she could keep moving forward if all went well.
Author's Note
Ahh, references. There are several strewn in this entire story, and of course Lullaby for a Princess was an obvious one with other small ones. I hope you all have been enjoying the story so far. How I found the motivation to write pony stories and share them is something I don't understand, but I'm grateful for the responses from you guys.
There are only a few chapters left to go - Apple Bloom, Silver Spoon and possibly a closing chapter for everything.
If you have any story ideas that you're too lazy to write, feel free to share them with me. I'm always looking for inspiration! I have a few ideas but I always enjoy adding more ideas and components!
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CutieMark.EXE Has Stopped Working (Apple Bloom)
Scootaloo may have been an incredibly.. feisty pony to deal with, but who Diamond Tiara truly feared was Apple Bloom. She had been through thick and thin with Diamond Tiara's bullying; it wouldn't be easy to work things out with her. But Apple Bloom was an Apple, after all - they were some of the toughest ponies around. Diamond Tiara hoped that would be enough.
The yellow earth pony walked in and shut the door behind her in a quick motion. Apple Bloom turned around and looked Diamond Tiara in the eye. "Look, Apple Bloom, I'm-" Diamond Tiara began, but Apple Bloom cut her off. She raised a hoof for Diamond Tiara to stop, and she had a little smile.
"Look, Diamond Tiara. I know you've just been tryin' ta make amends with all of us. While Scootaloo might be mad at ya, I'm really just.. not feelin' it. I can see it now, just lookin' at ya.. you really are sorry." Apple Bloom said gently, sitting down near her podium for Cutie Mark Crusaders meetings. This was not what Diamond Tiara was expecting at all. She was expecting some doubt, maybe a little rage..
"I'm not gonna be angry at ya for everything you did ta us. I'm not Scootaloo, I don't hold her grudges. I'll admit, I don't really understand why you had ta do all that ta us, but.. I can see where you're comin' from." Apple Bloom got up and sat closer to Diamond Tiara, who was still standing. She sat down like Apple Bloom, trying to be on eye level with her. "Granny Smith and Applejack have always told me that all ponies change at one point. Whether it be for good or bad, all ponies do change. Big Mac hasn't really told me anythin', though." Apple Bloom explained, using her hooves to prove her point. She moved them around in all kind of different movements while she talked. It was kind of entertaining.
"But when I look at you, and see your expression, I just can't help but feel like you never wanted ta do all those mean things ta us." Diamond Tiara had to wonder again if she was really that transparent. The fortress of secrets that had protected her was gone, brought down like the wall of Ba Sing Se. Now that she was actually giving away her secrets like lollipops, Diamond Tiara was no longer behind them. They were meaningless now.
"That's exactly how I feel, Apple Bloom. I always thought doing what I did was my purpose, my end goal. But I see what a fool I've been for the past months. It's almost humiliating to think of how bad I treated you, because everyone saw it." Diamond Tiara looked down at the floor. Her mind flashed back to just a few weeks ago, when she had teased them for being talentless and not special like the rest of the class. She handpicked the words she had said, because Diamond Tiara knew they would hurt the most. She had been cold, calculated and basically heartless... just like a machine. A puppet. But there was no one to blame but herself.
"I don't blame you fer what you did. You were driven by what you thought was right, Diamond Tiara. Any of us would be in your place, thinking we were helpful when we really weren't." Apple Bloom was good at playing the sympathy card, since she had a big heart. Now, Apple Bloom couldn't really imagine Diamond Tiara's situation that well since she didn't know the inside and outside of it. However, somewhere inside Apple Bloom could always see the quiver in Diamond Tiara's face even if she didn't realize it herself. "There was something beneath all that hatred, and it was always regret." Apple Bloom thought the last sentence aloud without realizing it.
"I wouldn't call it regret, Apple Bloom. I'd call it anguish. Every time I saw you or them, everything just.. hurt. You were happy, carefree. You can do whatever you want to find your special talents. But I'm just stuck with this tiara I don't even remember getting." Diamond Tiara rambled, letting out everything that had been bottled up over the past months. "It's terrible to get a cutie mark that you don't even understand."
"It's kinda funny.. me and the other Cutie Mark Crusaders were actually talkin' about that! Well, more like a cutie mark you don't LIKE, but hey, same thing." Apple Bloom recalled. "We thought it would be awful ta get a cutie mark you didn't like, because then you'll be stuck with it forever!" Diamond Tiara nodded, and looked sadly at her cutie mark.
"I just don't really understand, that's all. Why did I have to get a diamond tiara, of all things?" Diamond Tiara questioned, shaking her head irritably. "It doesn't make sense, and it doesn't show what my special talent is at all! .. If I have one, that is." The earth pony said glumly, only now realizing that she might not even have a special talent. After all, what good was harassing ponies? Answer: NOT USEFUL.
"Of course ya have a special talent, Diamond Tiara! You're kind of like us - still trying ta figure everythin' out, you see? You might have a cutie mark, but that doesn't mean the journey ends there. When you get a cutie mark like yours, you're in a situation like Twilight Sparkle. Her cutie mark is super eccentric and detailed, way more than the average one. She didn't understand hers either, but she didn't need ta. See? It doesn't really matter that much." Apple Bloom could recall the picture of Twilight's cutie mark in her mind. A big six-pointed purple star with 5 little white stars surrounding it. It referenced her and all of her friends, but she didn't know that until coming to Ponyville years later.
"Twilight discovered the meaning of her cutie mark long after she got it. There's no need ta rush, Diamond Tiara. Applejack always tells me that my cutie mark will take time to appear, and I don't wanna wait. But right now, I see that we've got plenty of time to figure things out." Diamond Tiara couldn't believe this was coming from Apple Bloom, who was constantly searching for her cutie mark. Apple Bloom couldn't believe it either. She sounded just like Twilight! She didn't know if that was good or bad.
"You don't necessarily have to understand your cutie mark. It doesn't take away your ability to become who you want, Diamond Tiara." Apple Bloom was finished, going back to the podium. Diamond Tiara was somewhat shocked that her lecture ended so abruptly, but shrugged it off.
"So.. is everything between us alright?" Diamond Tiara asked carefully.
Apple Bloom laughed. "Of course we are! I never hated ya, Diamond Tiara, and I see you somewhat differently now. A good different, I assure you." Diamond Tiara sighed with relief. However, she couldn't exactly celebrate - there was one more pony to talk to. Her best friend and now the only bully of the Crusaders - Silver Spoon. Apple Bloom and Diamond Tiara walked out of the treehouse together. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were standing by the trees, apparently deep in a conversation.
The two earth ponies trotted down the ladder and went up to the two Crusaders. "Hi guys! Is everything all good?" Sweetie Belle inquired, looking at them eagerly. Apple Bloom smiled in triumph. "Yep. Diamond Tiara and I are all good now. We've settled things once and fer all." She nodded at Sweetie Belle, her smile becoming bigger.
"What are you doing next, Diamond Tiara?" Scootaloo asked warily, eyeing Diamond Tiara. Clearly, she was still a bit iffy about Diamond Tiara being a friend of the Crusaders. She looked at Scootaloo with a determined expression.
"I have to pay a visit to a certain silver pony. I can't allow her to keep bothering you, and I'm sure it's not going to be easy in making her stop." Sweetie Belle looked a bit concerned. "Do you want us to go with you and help?" Diamond Tiara shook her head violently.
"No. That'll make it worse. It'll probably encourage Silver Spoon to keep bullying you, and she'll start doing it to me too. She may have only been just a sidekick to me, but I'm sure she can do some terrible things on her own." Diamond Tiara said solemnly. She looked down the road that she had trailed them on. "I'll have to do it alone, and I may not make it out alive." She joked, a small yet grim smile breaking on her face.
"Good luck, Diamond Tiara."
At Least You Don't Hate Me (Sweetie Belle)
Apple Bloom dragged Scootaloo out of the treehouse, who looked like she was going to explode. Her normally orange face was the same shade as Apple Bloom's mane, which could've been hilarious had the situation not been serious. Unfortunately, Diamond Tiara didn't have such luck.
"So Diamond Tiara, what are you going to talk about? Why are you apologizing at all?" Sweetie Belle began to fire off a barrage of questions, but Diamond Tiara stopped her before that could happen. She didn't want her ear to be talked off, it had already been a very long day.
"I was thinking so much a few days ago, about you and your cutie marks. I know it's always seemed like I've been torturing you for not having your cutie marks, but you really make me jealous. I have a diamond tiara for my cutie mark, but I never understood what it meant. I still don't, really, it's quite vague. But I was so unhappy that you, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom were are free to experiment and become anypony you want. You can still have the excitement of discovering who you are. I don't, and my cutie mark is just.. it's not what anypony would want. I thought it meant I had to be mean to you, since I got it the first time I teased Apple Bloom. That's what I thought made me different."
Diamond Tiara paused for a moment, and continued. It was taking a lot out of her to say so much, but she couldn't stop. It all had to come out. "But really, I think my cutie mark means I have an unattainable dream. I wanted you three to get your cutie marks so you could finally be good at one thing and stop trying others through my bullying, but that would never happen. You're always told to wait to get your cutie marks and even when you don't want to, that's the way it really has to be." She finally finished, breathing in. She really let out a lot in those sentences, more than she would've liked to admit. But frankly, she would be saying similar things to the other two. It didn't matter anymore.
"Diamond Tiara, you were so cruel to us. I know I'm always told to be the most trusting and in a bad way, but I can't help but think you were always letting something show. It was cruel, it was terrible, but your heart just wasn't in it." Sweetie Belle sat down, looking at the earth pony with soft eyes.
My heart wasn't in it? Well, I guess it wasn't.. but did it really show that much?
"I think I'm the only one who ever saw it, though. I've always had a bit of a flair for things like that, maybe I can be a psychologist when I'm older." Sweetie Belle shrugged, as though it was nothing. It was more than nothing. Sweetie Belle, the least critical of the group, saw through Diamond Tiara? She was more interesting than Diamond Tiara thought.
"But does that mean you're gonna stop bothering us? I mean, not completely stop talking to us or anything like that, but it doesn't make sense for you to bully if you don't want to." Sweetie Belle asked. Some ponies would've thought it to be a stupid question, but it did hold a lot of importance. "I wouldn't want you to totally cut off contact with us.."
"No, I'll still talk to you. But after I talk to you three, I'm going to go to Silver Spoon. I'll make sure she doesn't bother you, because frankly, she has no right to."
Sweetie Belle nodded, accepting the answer. It was the best Diamond Tiara could give, and it was good enough for her. ".. Okay. Can you get Scootaloo in here somehow? It's obvious she doesn't want to be in here at all or talk to me, but I need to. I really do." Diamond Tiara's eyes pleaded with Sweetie Belle, who nodded and trotted out of the treehouse. Diamond Tiara heard a scuffle outside the door.
This should be bundles of fun. In her mind, Diamond Tiara began to list out what would go in her will because Scootaloo would probably try to kill her with a pencil or something.
Author's Note
So here's one of the final chapters. After I finish up this story, I'll probably move into funny, one-chapter stories because I really like those.
Also, do you know why I continued this? I don't know how to mark it completed, I kid you not. So if you could tell me how to do that, it would be nice.
I Predicted the Future, Guys!
So I haven't posted a chapter in a while, and I saw the newest MLP episode on Sunday. Boy oh boy, was I excited and furious by the end of it. So if you haven't seen the episode and don't want spoilers, you probably don't want to read the rest of this. If you don't care or have already seen it, go on ahead.
Anyways, I'm going to have to rethink my life now. Diamond Tiara is now officially good and the CMC got their cutie marks, but Diamond Tiara literally stated that she kind of envied the CMC. I literally got up and yelled, "THAT'S MY FIC!"
So in a nutshell, this fic will be on hiatus for a bit while I figure out what direction to take it in. I mean, I know you guys don't care, but I don't wanna leave this sitting around without finishing it up eventually.
