Friday morning, we wake up. I look into her eyes, and she looks into mine.

“I was told that the school is holding a presentation today… about diversity… Miss Cheerilee remembers you and would like you to present your story. It might help you find closure.”

“Buck it. I’ll do it.”

I arrive at the schoolhouse. Miss Cheerilee claps her hooves. She asks her students, “Can anypony tell me what diversity is?”

“Two line raps?”

All the colts laugh.

“No, Snips. Diversity is having different kinds of ponies working, playing, and living together in one community. I have a very special guest. Please give her your respect and attention. One of my former students, Shattered Heart.”

I walk in, my wings tucked in, as colts and fillies look at me. Miss Cheerilee gives me a nod, and I begin. I clear my throat and smile weakly. “Hello… my name is Shattered Heart. I see this classroom is very diverse… so many Earth ponies, unicorns, and pegasi in one room. I’m different from most pegasi… I have a condition known as Ground syndrome… my wings can fold and unfold… but I can’t fly. Ponies made fun of me. Sometimes I wonder if there are other flightless pegasi in Equestria. I also have a marefriend. See, everypony is different. Diversity is basically what makes you… you.”

Miss Cheerilee smiles as soon as she realizes I’m done. “Any questions?”

A pink filly with a white and purple mane gets out of her seat and approaches me. She sneers, “What kind of pegasus can’t even fly?! Are you a retard like that Derpy Hooves?”

I gallop out of the schoolhouse in tears. Finding a swing set, I sit down and cry softly.

Miss Cheerilee turns to the filly with anger in her eyes. “Diamond Tiara!”

“What?”

“You know exactly what! That was the most callous act I’ve seen from a foal in years! She’s opened up to you and the other students, and you think it’s acceptable to ridicule somepony because they’re different from you! Shattered Heart can’t help being born unable to fly! I don’t care who your father is; this is the final straw. Diamond Tiara, I’m going to have to expel you.”

Diamond Tiara’s smug look vanishes. She turns to a gray filly with a light gray mane and glasses. “Help me out, Silver Spoon!”

“Even I thought that was really rude of you,” Silver Spoon replies, “and honestly, you’re finally getting what you deserve.”

Scootaloo pipes up, “I can’t fly either! Does that make me a retard?!”

“Of all the bad apples, you’re the worst,” Applebloom growls.

“Why do have to be such a BITCH to everyone, you heartless excuse of a filly?!” a black unicorn colt with a white mane and gray eyes shouts.

The snobby little filly is showered in hateful comments, boos, and hisses from everypony except Miss Cheerilee, who just looks at her sternly. She closes her eyes and walks out of the schoolhouse. The students and Miss Cheerilee walk outside and approach the swing I’m sitting on.

“Are you alright, dear?”

“It happened again, Miss Cheerilee… but you finally did something.”

A pang of guilt hits the teacher like a freight train. “I’m sorry if you feel I wasn’t doing anything before. I want you to know that I really was concerned for your well-being. I just confronted them when you weren’t around.”

I wipe my muzzle on my unbandaged hoof. “S-so you didn’t take their side?”

“My goal as a teacher is to help you learn, not take sides in a dispute.”

The other foals try to cheer me up, but their efforts are in vain… until a purple unicorn filly comes up to me, sniffling. Her eyes are red and swollen, and she doesn’t look too happy.

“What’s wrong, Dinky?” Applebloom asks.

“Diamond Tiara made fun of my mommy!” Dinky blurts through her tears.

I pick her up and let her rest her head on my shoulder. Gently I push my back hooves up and begin swinging slowly. I rub her back and sing that familiar tune. “Don’t you cry, dear little filly… tomorrow will be here soon… dry your eyes, dear little filly… look at the stars and the moon… wipe your tears, dear little filly… tomorrow’s another day… I promise, dear little filly… melius cras fore.”

Dinky stops crying and hugs me. She looks at me and smiles a little. Seeing her smile… it makes me… happy.

I smile and wave goodbye before heading back to the cottage. I open the door and step inside.

“You look like you’ve been crying.”

“I have.”

“You poor mare,” Fluttershy coos, embracing me and wrapping me up in her wings.

I smile.

That night, we enjoy a romantic comedy before bed.

Author's Note

Dear Little Filly is a lullaby I wrote during a deeply depressive episode.