Her Little Gem

"It's alright! It's alright!" Rarity soothed, gently rubbing the colt's shuddering back.

Emerald, as she presumed, only cried harder, twisting in her grasp. "No!" he shouted, pushing away from her hooves. "I'm sorry!"

Behind her, Honey hung her head. "Listen, Emerald Joy. You simply cannot do this every single time!" She scooted closer, bringing his quivering chin up to eye level. "Would you like to get a drink of water with..." she caught Rarity's troubled gaze. "With Miss Rarity here? While I go talk to those boys?"

Emerald rubbed his face roughly, glancing up shyly at Rarity, who put on her best I'm-simply-a-kind-trustworthy-mare- smile. Reluctantly, and with a sniffle, he nodded.

Honey clapped in delight. She turned to the fillies watching in curiosity. "Okay--Daisy stop eating that chair--everypony! Lunch will be served in a half hour, and until then I expect you to behave yourselves!" The foals all nodded in unison.

Beckoning, Honey stepped out the door, making a sharp turn left down the hallway.

Rarity watched, her ears flattened. She immediately perked up when she remembered Emerald.

"Alright, sweetie," she cooed, trying not to let her eyes draw to his lack of a horn. "Let's go walk, shall we?"

Emerald slowly got to his hooves, keeping his head down. " 'Kay," he mumbled. Rarity felt her chest squeeze at his forlorn expression.

She turned around once more before closing the door, stopping in confusion. Muttering under her breath, she shook her head in disbelief. Rarity, the stress of this is getting to your head. Surely, there is not a small, orange face poking from out behind another filly.  A *very familiar orange face.*

Rarity blinked, and the face was gone. She rubbed her forehead, leading the small colt down the stairs.

"So," she began, unconsciously making her voice a few octaves higher. She led the quiet Emerald down one step at a time. "What exactly was the problem, darling? Why were you sad?" She glanced down at the colt, offering a hoof.

Emerald scrunched up his tiny muzzle. "It was those colts, again, Miss Rarity. Again. They is always being mean to me, and yelling, and hurting me."

Rarity's mouth dropped open, and she stepped a bit closer to him. "Why ever would those bullies pick on such a sweet foal?" she exclaimed.

Emerald pouted. "Because I'm just a weak baby that nopony is ever gonna want, and I'm so ugly and looking weird 'cause of my head," he rambled in his childish diction. "That's why."

Rarity had grown pale as they reached the bottom of the winding staircase. Her blue eyes were wide in a feeling she couldn't quite describe. "That's just awful, Emerald!" Foals could be plain horrible. "I assure you that you are none of those things," she said kindly.

Emerald didn't respond, and simply stumbled ahead of the unicorn. "I just wanna--I need to get some water. Mother said." He skidded to a halt by a drinking fountain, gulping as much water as he could. Emerald seemed to think that it could solve everything.

When he pulled back up, his entire furry face was drenched, in which Rarity could only hope was all water. That poor dear.

"Are you good now, darling?" she asked, backing up as he collapsed on the floor in a puddle of drinking water.

"I don't know," he responded, rolling over. "Water helps."

Rarity opened her mouth, only to be interrupted by a loud groan from upstairs. She whirled around, nearly slipping.

Honey descended the stairs, her face contorted in exasperation. "I'm so sorry, Rarity. Thank you for watching Emerald," she said, catching up to her. Her glasses almost slipped off her nose.

"I swear, those colts are driving me up the wall! The things they do to.." she pointed her grey hoof at the colt wallowing in the water. "It's simply upsetting."

Rarity nodded, pressing her hooves together. "Oh, I know, Honey. The poor darling started to tell me about it! I cannot believe it!" she intoned.

Honey just shook her head. "I'm sure they do it much more often, but about once a week, Emerald will sneak into the fillys' dorm just to get away from the bullies. I am thinking about removing him all together."

Rarity furrowed her brow. "Have you ever thought about... punishing them, in a way they will remember? Perhaps skipping dinner?" she winced at her bluntness.

Honey stiffened. "I could never! As much as they deserve it, it is against my morals and the orphanage code to starve the children," she admonished.

Rarity flinched. "Wha? No, not starve! But you're absolutely correct, Honey. I--I just want to see him better," she said softly.

Honey pushed her glasses up, sighing. "I've always wished that. But fate had other plans for Emerald Joy." she paused, leaning in a bit closer. "And yet, that's not even his real name."

Rarity tilted her head, swallowing hard. "What do you mean?"

The older mare pulled back suddenly. "Sugar?" she began. "Can you please go back upstairs? The adults need to discuss something."

Emerald whimpered, wiping at his eyes, which only succeeded in getting more water in them. "But mother, they is gonna be there!" his voice broke.

Honey looked pained. "Alright. You may go to the fillies' dorm. For now. But do not cause trouble, capiche?"

Emerald nodded mutely, scrambling up and sprinting away. "Thank you, mother!" he cried out.

Honey bowed her head, pulling up a chair. She brought one for Rarity, who sat down without a sound. She cleared her throat, taking off her hat, and placed it on the floor.

"Rarity," she started. "Emerald... he has not had the best life. His parents; well, they called him many names, from what I could tell. But to Emerald, he went by It."

Rarity's eyes dilated. "It?" she breathed, placing her arms over her chest.

Honey pressed her lips together. "Rarity," she said quietly. "Would you like me to tell you a story?"