A Special Diamond: Diamond Tiara's Past and Future

Chapters

Prologue
Chapter 1: Agony
Chapter 2: Mistakenly Discovered
Chapter 3: Temporarily Alone
Chapter 4: Friendship is True Magic
Chapter 5: Together Again

Prologue

Prologue:

"Glitter Ring, honey. Where are you going this time at night?" The tan stallion named Filthy Rich called from the from door of his house. His wife, Glitter Ring, wore a dark cloak on her head with the hood on. It was dark and the winter brought a terrible thunder storm. She was already out the door and heading down the black road.

She stopped and turned around. Her curly, lavender mane hung over her face, not letting it show. Filthy hated to see his wife in such deep agony, he couldn't fully understand why she was this upset. No matter how many times she had explained the reason to him.

"Where do you think I'm heading, Filthy?" Glitter said, she flipped her mane. Her jade green eyes sparkled with tears. Filthy Rich shook his head in disbelief. How could Glitter be so foolish? She wouldn't dare to do such actions, not to her the ones she loved most.

"Wife... you cannot keep doing this." He said after a bolt of lightning roared in a distance. Glitter's dark lavender face showed sadness and even depression. This isn't her first time that she left without notifying her husband. Each time it happened, it'd be at night, and at the same time. At midnight.

"I must leave. I'm not going to stay and let myelf drown in your never ending world of spoiled and stingy mules like you!" Glitter hissed. "You never gave a flying feather about me nor your daughters. You've always had been nothing but dung! It's about time you take resposibility, Filth." Her hooves were starting to get muddy from being in the wet earth too long, she could hear it from taking several steps back. Unlike Filthy, she didn't care too much about her appearance.

She cared more about her family bond. The mare never really acted this negative. She's always been a good and reasonable pony, but her instincts tell her that Filthy and his business ways are opposite.

Filthy put a hoof out in front of him. "Glitter, dear, please... don't leave me," But Glitter shook her head. The stallion never intended to hurt his wife like this, the life of business and money ran in the family, it was truly his fault. Or that's what he thought. He could've chosen a different life style long ago, but his cutie mark stapled 'money maker' onto his personality.

"What about the kids? They can't live without you." Filthy trotted outside the warm house to the cold outside to meet his wife. She didn't run, she stayed with the same furious look on her face, still making eye contact with Filthy.

"They'll be fine without me. Just be good to them." She said in monotone.

He petted Glitter's cheek and kissed it. She didn't reply with a kiss back, but only trotting away from him, and her family. She was leaving them. Her kids. They had two kids, the older one Shimmer Shine and the baby, Diamond Tiara.

"Glitter Ring, please! Don't leave me here alone... PLEASE!" Filthy cried, tears running down his face. He sat down and could only stare at his wife's departure, and sob. "Please... Glitter, I need you." He whispered.

Glitter stopped at fifty feet away as if she heard him. She faced Filthy for about eleven seconds, and went off again. The male pony continued staring in the distance, in the direction his wife disappeared. When he realised she was never coming back ever again, he stood back up and went back into the house.

To his misfortune, little Shimmer Shine was waiting for him at the front door. Her icy blue eyes sparkled with innocent confusion and sadness. Her lavender coat seemed to be more dull and gray than usual. Her father hated to see her this way. It was maybe worse than Glitter running away. Filthy wanted to burst out in tears at the sight. He felt like every single thing in the world was all his fault, and that little Shimmer was disappointed in him. More than disappointed, more than angry, but furious and unforgiving.

"W-Why did Mommy run away? Is she ever coming back, Daddy?" The filly asked. Filthy sadly smiled and stroked her silky pink mane, he pecked a kiss on the young one's forehead.

"I..." Filthy couldn't explain well of what just happened. Shimmer would never understand, or at least accept it well. But she must have heard what was said out there. There might have not have been any need for explanation. "Maybe." That was all he could say. The filly smiled with hope.

But Shimmer remembered being kissed by her mother before she dashed out the door, Shimmer heard her parents fighting. Right before an average filly's nightmare came true. The filly never wanted it to happen, but it did anyway.

"I'm gone! And for real this time!" Glitter screeched after getting her cloak on. Diamond Tiara started crying in the other room when her mother screamed even though the child wouldn't understand what anypony said.

"Go back to bed, Shimmer Shine. I'll see you in the morning." Filthy Rich sobbed. She did as she was told, but when she crawled into bed, she couldn't even sleep. But Diamond's crying stopped after a while, possibly Filthy went in and rocked her back to sleep. Shimmer's mind had a never ending

'Mama's gone...' Shimmer thought to herself. 'Forever.... And it's all Daddy's fault' She felt waterfalls of tears stream down her face before closing her eyes to try to sleep. Unfortunately, she might have to force herself to learn to live without a mother, even though her mother was one of the most important figures in her lifetime. She wanted to run outside and try to find her, so she can canter at her side forever. Her mother would never be alone, and would always be happy. Whatever her dad did, it must have been bad. Bad enough to drive her mother out, out of the house and out of her life.

Chapter 1: Agony

Diamond Tiara and her best friend, Silver Spoon, were watching other fillies having a good time from the stair case. They've had just been told off by Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo about being proud blank flanks.

Diamond had already gotten her cutie mark, a fancy tiara. While Silver had gotten a fancy spoon. Nopony understood how humilated and how mad she was. It was her Cute-ceañera, her time to shine, her time to be known. But instead, the three blanks had to take it over. She had to admit it, she was pretty rude to them.

"I don't know," Diamond confessed. "I don't know why."

"Huh?" Silver Spoon asked, taking her sudden attention to her friend.

"Those blank flanks! I don't know why I invited them. All they did is ruin it for me. They ruined my special day!" Diamond buried her face into her hooves. She ducked behind the wall between them and the rest of the guests and sobbed. Silver Spoon patted her friend's back.

"It's okay, Diamond Tiara." Silver Spoon said. "It'll be alright." No matter how hard she tried to comfort her friend, she failed.

"Uh, NO!" Diamond whipped her head back up and faced Silver Spoon. "It WON'T be alright. I don't know how this day could get ANY worse!" She stopped 'Like my sister not being here for example'. Shimmer Shine... she never showed up to the Cute-ceañera.

"I'm sorry Diamond, I wish I could do something to help..." Silver Spoon sighed. Diamond just kept on crying, but she tried not to be loud or attention grabbing. There was no way she could afford to be seen like this.

"Only if my mother were here..." Diamond said, choking on her tears. She was told that her mother died of a strange disease when she was young. Shimmer nor Filthy Rich didn't bring up Glitter Ring often. Instead of them, it was Diamond who'd bring up the subject. She'd ask how Glitter was like, how she acted, if she was pretty and most importantly, what happened before she died... or disappeared.

"I wish we could tell you sweetie," Filthy would say each time. "But it'd make you sad." Of course, no answers is what made the pink filly sad. The pony would search through the attic when her family wouldn't pay attention and would look through boxes.

She'd find photo albums that would show pictures of her mother. She was a beautiful purple pony with a curly lighter purple mane with white streaks. She was an earth pony, too. Her cutie mark was two trios of colorful sparkles.

In each picture, her green eyes would be sparkling and full of cheer. That is, until Diamond Tiara would reach the section when she finally married Filthy Rich. Her smiles faded to frowns and she looked depressed in each picture. Even in the pictures with baby Diamond and filly Shimmer.

Deep into her memories, Diamond would try to remember as much as she could about her mother. But she couldn't. She wished that she could've remembered Glitter's voice, she wished she could've actually meet her now. Even though she's dead, Diamond had sometimes requested her father to take her to where Glitter was buried. Her father would decline.

However, Diamond has recently started to get the idea that Glitter didn't die. If her mother did die, her father would've gave her straight answers. Maybe even a trip to her grave for mourning. Instead, her father was acting as if she was never there at all. As if her mother never existed. Even though all she looked at was the pictures, her mother seemed to be a very nice mare. Her eyes would be so full of happiness and compassion. But Diamond was different, she was the school bully.

"Why do I do this to myself?" Diamond said softly. But Silver Spoon was able to hear, Diamond didn't care. Just as long as nopony else saw them, as much as her reputation was ruined already. It getting worse would be the last thing she wanted. "Why do I let myself become a mess?" She whispered.

'Diamond Tiara... it's okay. Just be you.' Her imaginary mom voice whispered to the filly. Diamond would fantasize of meeting Glitter Ring again, and possibly might be taken by her. Away from Filthy Rich. Away from that piece of dung of a pony.

"My dad didn't even bother to show up!" Diamond Tiara sniffed. Although she didn't care too much, she wasn't too suprised. Filthy always pushed his time for his business or his money. Silver took her friend into a hug. She new of what happened, that's because Diamond explained everything to her. That's why she was her best friend, Silver Spoon understood Diamond Tiara more than anypony.

"Let's go home." Silver Spoon slapped a sympathetic smile onto her face. Diamond Tiara nodded stood up. She walked down the stairs with her friend out the door. Since everypony was having a good time they weren't noticed. Nopony even said goodbye.

"Thank you kindly, little ponies. Now let's settle down." Granny Smith said to the class. The applause that was directed to her died down. She'd just finished the story of how she used Zap Apples to create Ponyville. And how Stinking Rich used the jam to helo build it.

"So if it weren't for you and the Zap Apples, Ponyville wouldn't even exist?" Scootaloo blurted from the front of the class room.

"Darn tootin' little filly!" Granny Smith exclaimed with a stomp of her front hoof.

"If it weren't for my Granny Smith, your daddy wouldn't have Barnyard Bargains." Apple Bloom said to Diamond Tiara. The other students murmured agreements in Apple's defense.

"B-But..." Diamond thought fast. She remembered the party. Ever since her Cute-ceañera, her reputation and dignity started to roll downhill. All she did to deal with it was poke fun of other school ponies. The filly never intended this to happen, she already had to live in a living nightmare with her father. He was always pushing her around and ignoring her. Diamond had to come home to do all the chores and some days never get a break until dinner.

Granny Smith licked the chalk mark that said '4' off the board and smiled at the class.

"She's just a kooky old lady!" Diamond's anger got a hold of her as the insult bursted out of her system. Filthy Rich would talk that away around others, and unfortunately, it must've started to rub off on her. Everypony gasped at the rude remark and Apple Bloom dashed to Granny's side.

"She's NOT a kooky old lady!" She barked in defense. "She's the most amazing pony in all of Ponyville." The yellow filly hugged Granny Smith.

'Only if my family would act that way...' Diamond Tiara thought to herself. At the end of class, she collected her things and went off. The day had been so hard that she'd forgotten about Silver Spoon.

Actually, the week had been terrible. She had been trying to ruin it all for Apple Bloom, she worried the country pony about Granny Smith's presentation that day. She wanted to make her think that the old pony was going to do nothing but humiliate the yellow filly. Just like how Diamond Tiara felt humiliated at the Cute-ceañera. But Diamond underestimated Granny Smith. They both did. The two didn't know the story until she told it that school day. Her father came in that Friday, but his presentation wasn't as interesting as Granny Smith's. Yet Diamond pretended it was. While she had fun with picking on Apple Bloom, she also regretted it. She wished she could apologize and just stop, but she couldn't. Diamond Tiara couldn't just apologize and everything would be better. It would have to take time. She had to stop soon.

When she reached her house, Diamond hurried to her room, zipping past Filthy Rich without him noticing her. She reached her hoof under her bed and pulled out the album. Going through all of the missed memories of Glitter Ring. The memories she couldn't see due to her not being born yet. No matter how hard she wished her mother would be back, she knew that in her mind that she may never see her.

Diamond Tiara felt hot tears run down her cheek, several splashed onto the pictures. Only if her father would tell the truth. There was a knock on Diamond's door. Filthy must have known that she went to her room. Even though she might be in trouble for not doing her chores, he pink pony quickly slid the album back under the bed and wiped off her tears. She stood in the middle of the room with a big smile on her face and said "Come in". Filthy Rich entered the room.

"Diamond Tiara," He began. "I'm going to be gone for the whole night. Business calls. Plus, you can have the night off. Just be good and don't break anything." As soon as he finished, he left the room. After waiting a minute, Diamond Tiara dashed to the front room and peeked out the window. Filthy got into the carriage and rode off. Diamond knew what she was going to do next. She was going back into the attic to search for more stuff.

Unlike other fillies, Diamond Tiara wasn't afraid of the attic. She's been up there several times and got more used to it each time. Turning the light on, the filly began her search. But she advised herself to not look where she found the album, but look deeper into the attic. That is because Filthy Rich might be hiding something big. Nopony was going to stop Diamond Tiara from finding it.

Chapter 2: Mistakenly Discovered

Diamond Tiara searched most of the attic and hadn't found too much. Though she managed to find some old bins of clothing, that seem to have been worn by Glitter Ring. Fancy dresses and shoes. They were all fancy and expensive. Too big to fit Diamond though.

She found a large envelope. The letters written on it spelled 'From: Glitter, to: Filthy'. It wasn't sealed, so it had been opened. The filly tore the papers out of it. She held the papers in her hooves and gasped at what she was reading.

'Filthy, I made the mistake of marrying you. This major money making happened AFTER we wed. Then the problem exploded when Shimmer Shine was born, it got more horrible each day. Even though I made the wrong decision marrying you, I will never regret having Shimmer. I'm now pregnant with our second child, I just got back from the hospital saying it's going to be a girl. I want to name her Diamond Tiara, after my favorite childhood storybook princess. I want our next child to have positive pride in herself, I want her to make us proud. Most importantly, I want her to be herself. We don't need another money maker in the family. I'm proud of Shimmer and her new cutie mark. She's a talented hair dresser. She's made me proud. I'll never forgive you for trying to force her to go down the same path you did. Young Shimmer said herself that she's not cut out to be a money maker, yet you try to smother her into it anyway. Don't lie to me and say that you didn't, Shimmer's an honest pony and she came to me for help. Not only help, but support and love. While you plan on using her for your Barnyard Bargains dung. You must change or something bad will happen. I'm warning you. -Glitter Ring.'

Diamond Tiara went through the letters and each of them were similar. They were letters to her dad, telling him to change, to let the fillies be themselves. Her jaw hung when she reached the bottom one, it was the most latest out of them.

'I warned you, Filthy Rich. Diamond Tiara is now born and is beautiful, I'm sure she'll be as good as her sister. Now, Filth, I hope you listen to me. As time goes by, you spend your time now at work than anything at all. And who says being a workaholic isn't bad? Well, it is in this situation. I make myself look like a gold digger here, but I'm not. I'll leave you with the kids if that's what it takes for you to change your ways.'

She stopped, Diamond couldn't go on. It was too painful. It caused more tears went down her face. All the lies that were told to her all of these years are now broken. She knew the truth. Both Filthy Rich and Shimmer Shine lied to her. Shimmer was the best sister ever, but after she moved out several months ago, she left Diamond's life forever. They weren't in touch. Shimmer never called or wrote to her sister, only left her in the dust.

The pink filly heard herself sob. This was the reason why her mother left her. It was her father's fault. The stallion who she called 'daddy', he was the one who betrayed her. He must have brainwashed Shimmer Shine or something.

Diamond Tiara took a look down at the envelope and saw a rectangular lump in it. She shook the envelope and a tape fell out. Taking the tape and papers into her mouth, she trotted down and went to her room. She popped the tape into her VCR and waited for it to turn on. The TV buzzed to life and a clip of Glitter came to the screen. The tape showed many happy moments with her and Shimmer, but no Filthy.

Each time Glitter talked, Diamond Tiara's heart pumped. Her voice sounded almost exactly like she thought it would. It was soft and soothing, but rough when mad. The pink filly kept on crying, the loving mother she had ran away because of her father. After some montages of Shimmer Shine and Glitter Ring playing, laughing and joking around. There was a clip of when Glitter was pregnant with Diamond. Her belly was round. She was lying on the rug next to Shimmer, talking about the baby in her stomach.

"Mommy," Young Shimmer spoke. "What do you planning naming the baby?" Glitter was warmly smiling down at her filly, happy for her enthusiasm.

"Diamond Tiara is what we're going to name her, sweetie." She spoke softly. Shimmer giggled as her mother nuzzled her. Diamond Tiara's eyes flooded, she placed her hoof onto the screen as if her mother and sister could see her and pull her in with them. Away from reality and the hurt.

"Mommy..." Diamond said choking in her tears. She hung her head and cried. The pony hiccuped several times while she mourned her mom being gone.

Her door burst open unexpectedly, Filthy Rich was standing in the doorway. Diamond couldn't do anything. The album was out and wide open, the video was playing and the letters were scattered all over the floor. He didn't look too happy. She was too late. But she had to defend herself. Growling, she was ready to take on Filthy.

"Why did you lie to me, Dad?!" She yelled. "WHY!?" Pounding her hooves against his chest, she kept on yelling at him. All he did in reply was shake his head, his daughter's blows weren't affecting him at all. Only annoying him.

"Diamond Tiara, explain to me why you went into my attic and dug up my personal belongings." He scolded her. She narrowed her eyes, anger was taking control of every inch of Diamond Tiara.

"Oh! So you LIE to me and all you care about are your stupid BELONGINGS?!" She screeched. "What about ME?!" Tears streamed down her face, but her father wasn't even caring.

"Your mother was a beautiful pony and she left. That's it. I'm sorry I lied to y--." Diamond stomped her hoof to have her dad stop talking.

"NO! I'm NOT forgiving you. YOU drove my mother out of here, and maybe my sister! It's all YOUR fault, Dad! I hate you!" She trotted passed her dad and out of the house. She headed somewhere else.

When Diamond Tiara reached another house a block away, she knocked on the door. Silver Spoon answered it. She shook her head when depressed Diamond Tiara was presented to her. Silver led Diamond indoors and locked the door behind them. They sat on the couch. The pink filly spilled everything, from the lies to what just happened.

"It was TERRIBLE." Diamond buried her face into her hooves. "He didn't care about a thing. I found out the truth and all he cared about was me touching his things." Silver Spoon hugged her friend.

"Diamond Tiara... I'm so sorry," Silver replied. "I wish I can do something... but..." She stuttered.

"What Silver Spoon?" Diamond sniffed. Silver had a very sad look on her face, almost as if she were to burst out in tears.

"I'm moving to Canterlot next month." Diamond Tiara's mouth hung very low.

"NOOOOOOOO!" She screamed. "You CAN'T leave. You're my best friend, nopony else understands me like how you do." More waterfalls streamed down her eyes, drenching her face.

"I'm sorry, Diamond." Silver Spoon apologized. "But it's because my parents got new jobs--"

"JOBS! JOBS! JOBS!" Diamond Tiara yelled. "It has to be ALL about jobs!" She sprung off of the couch and dashed out the door.

Diamond failed to take on the Crusaders again. She was moved down from class newspaper editor to printing press. The reason why was because she forced the Crusaders to write white lies about the ponies. Just like how Filthy lied to her. Her large amount of anger made her not care about feelings, only the column.

"Today's the last day Silver Spoons going to be in Ponyville." Diamond Tiara sighed as she entered her house. She was to too sad to care what her father had to say. Before she reached the stairs she felt a pinch in the back of her leg before she passed out.

Chapter 3: Temporarily Alone

Diamond Tiara opened her eyes to the night sky overhead. Rain was being poured all over her body. She wobbled as she stood up, rubbing the top of her head, she found that her plastic tiara was gone. But she didn't care about it, Filthy Rich bought it for her. It was nothing more than a piece of plastic with false jewels.

On her hoof, there was a sticky note. The rain washed most of the words out, black blobs filled the small piece of paper. Diamond assumed it was from her father. But she didn't want to see him nor anything from him. She ripped up the stickynote with her teeth, bursting out her anger into it. That son of a motherless llama must have done this to her. He must have used a dart to knock her out so he could drive her to the middle of nowhere and drop her off. He already decieved her, but now he added it with deserting her and never returning. What a father he was.

The chilling rain water was starting to make the filly shiver. She couldn't go to Silver Spoon's house, she moved already. And Diamond Tiara never said goodbye to her friend. Her best friend, the most dearest friend she ever had in her entire lifetime.

Diamond just decided to walk to civilization, try to find some shelter. She was known as Filthy Rich's daughter, but she wasn't as welcomed as Filthy was. Thunder screamed in the sky and lightning jumped, but the tiny pony just kept walking. She didn't know where she was quite going though, she's never been here before.

She stopped when she spotted a cottage at the end of a path. The cottage was surrounded by nature. Diamond crossed a bridge and followed the path to the door. She knocked on the door and waited a minute. No answers. She knocked on the door harder, she heard a squeak.

"W-Who is it?" A high pitched voice came from the other side of the door.

"A little filly." Diamond called weakly. The door opened and a yellow mare popped her head out of the top half of the door. When she spotted Diamond, she gasped and opened the second half of the door as well and let the filly in.

"Please, come in." The yellow mare said softly. The pegasus's voice reminded Diamond of Glitter Ring's voice. Soft and soothing. But this mare's voice was just more high pitched, but it still sounded like soft wind blowing through trees. "Please tell me where you came from. Where are your parents?" The pegasus sat on the couch, Diamond did the same.

"Dead." Diamond lied. "They're dead." She couldn't tell the mare the real story. It'd be too painful, plus it would might give her a ticket to being taken to the authorities and she wanted as far from her family as possible. Even though the last thing she wanted was to lie. She was a hypocrite.

"Oh, dear! Poor baby." The mare's wings fluttered open in surprise and her pretty teal eyes snapped wide open. She flew off the couch and to the upstairs. After coming back down the stairs, she held a soft blanket in her arms. She wrapped the soft material around Diamond Tiara.

"Do you mind telling me your name?" The older pony said softly. Diamond Tiara hung her head. She knew she was going to be asked this.

"My name is Diamond Tiara." Suddenly, the yellow pony's eyes widened as if she were to recgonize her.

"Diamond Tiara? THE Diamond Tiara? The pony who bullied poor, poor Apple Bloom?" The pink filly sighed in responce, this pony must know the country pony. She must know how she was treated by Diamond.

"Yes." The regret was revealed in her voice. The confession stung her as if it was stabbing her. It was, emotionally and mentally anyway. Each of her swings of insults thrown at Apple Bloom, Diamond knew that her classmate never did anything wrong. Not to mention the apple picker didn't know anything about what was happening in her family. She didn't know about the lies and deception Diamond Tiara had to go through.

"But... what are you doing here?" The mare said. Despite her discovery, Diamond was a filly who came to her, who came to her in the rainy lonesome for refuge.

"I... I got lost." Of course, that wasn't really a lie. She was lost, and had nobody to care for her.

"I'm Fluttershy, and you're welcome to stay here with me." The pegasus smiled. The beautiful smile reminded Diamond of her mother in the video. It made her want to cry harder. Diamond hugged Fluttershy.

"Thank you..." The filly said softly. She felt like she had a mother now, or more of an older sister. It didn't matter which, she had somebody to look up to. Somebody to count on.

"It's no problem at all," Fluttershy returned the hug. "Now let's get you into bed." The two walked up into the stairs into a bedroom, Fluttershy did the motherly thing and tucked Diamond Tiara in.

"I'll sleep downstairs." Fluttershy insisted. The two said goodnight to each other and Fluttershy exited the room after blowing out the candle. Diamond Tiara couldn't quite sleep immediately even though she was tired. She couldn't thank Fluttershy enough for letting her crash. Especially with no notice and them actually first meeting after Fluttershy heard a lot about Diamond from Apple Bloom. What confused her is why did the pegasus let her stay when the wealthy filly bullied one of her friends? Why didn't she just leave Diamond Tiara out in the rain in defense? Whatever the reason, Fluttershy accepted her. And that was all that mattered.

Chapter 4: Friendship is True Magic

"GO AWAY!" Diamond Tiara yelled as she ran in the darkness. A dark figure was chasing after her and the filly was struggling to get away. No matter how fast she ran, she just couldn't get away.

"Diamond Tiara," Filthy Rich's voice echoed with each word having a pause between each word. "Come back to me, my daughter, we can live in happiness and wealth together." Diamond Tiara screamed as she felt a hoof grabbed her tail and started to drag her. Suddenly, everything faded.

"Morning sleepy head." Diamond Tiara's eyes fluttered open as she heard Fluttershy softly provoking her awake. It was now morning. The filly sat up and rubbed her eyes with her forehoof, relieved that Fluttershy disrupted the nightmare. The yellow pegasus greeting her awake had a big smile on her face.

"Good morning, Diamond Tiara." Fluttershy squeaked. "Did you sleep well?" Her smiled grew bigger when the filly nodded, she wasn't truly lying. She never woke up screaming nor did she even wake up at all, the nightmare only happened at last minute.

"What's there to be happy about?" Diamond stubbornly said. Fluttershy's smile shrunk a little, but then she chuckled.

"Oh boy, Diamond Tiara, we're going to go to my friend's place for breakfast." She giggled. Diamond Tiara sighed.

"Can't we do that tommorrow?" Diamond nestled into the bed to go back to sleep. Fluttershy giggled again and dragged the comforter off of her.

"Don't be silly, little one. You'll love my friends!" Fluttershy enthused. "Now get your little rump out of bed and let's get going." Diamond gave up and crawled out of the bed. "Cheer up, little one. I know you're still affected by your loss, but you'll feel better when you have some of my friend's DELICOUS apple pie. Her name is Applejack".

Diamond Tiara froze in her tracks, Applejack, that was the name of Apple Bloom's big sister. There was no way that she could see Apple Bloom, especially when she's still grieving due to the events the night before.

"I-I can't," Diamond urged. "I can't see Apple Bloom." The filly covered her mouth with her hooves, her thought just spilled out. Fluttershy gave her a look, like she already knows what was happening. Of course Fluttershy must know of Apple Bloom already, she mentioned that she knew about Diamond and her ways before she even met her.

"You'll be just fine," The pegasus smiled. "As long as you be kind." Fluttershy was right, Maybe this could be an opportunity to explain to Apple Bloom what was happening, and even ask for at least a small amount of forgiveness. It was possible that the real reason Fluttershy was bringing Diamond Tiara to the Apple family's residence was to make up with Apple Bloom. It'd also be a great opportunity to tell Fluttershy the truth about her parents.

But she had one thing she still had haunting her, how she lied about her parents being dead. Glitter Ring ran away and Filthy Rich abandoned Diamond Tiara in the middle of nowhere. Diamond knew that the truth was going to pass her lips sooner or later. She must figure out how to let it fall out, but not now, it was too early.

The two ponies strolled into Ponyville. Everything was cheerful but had normality poured into it at the same time. It wasn't different to Diamond Tiara. Weekends never looked different here, almost as if everything played over and over again. Along with exciting events hammered into the rewinding.

Diamond suddenly spotted something, something she never wanted to see again. She spotted Filthy Rich standing in line for a fruit stand. He had saddle bags full of groceries, but the part that stung her heart was that he didn't seem to be upset. In fact, he looked happier than ever. As if Glitter Ring were to come back, but Diamond highly doubted that. 'I hope you're happy, Filthy Ditch!' She thought bitterly.

"Diamond Tiara, are you feeling alright?" Fluttershy asked. Diamond Tiara glanced up at her with surprise, it was as if she read her thoughts. The filly blinked.

"Why do you ask?"

"You were growling." Fluttershy frowned. "Was that your stomach?" Of course, Diamond had no wish any more deception, there was too much of it already in her lifetime. Her heart and sanity couldn't afford any more. But she nodded. Everything will come out sooner or later, she always tells herself.

"Okay, but don't worry, we're very close to Sweet Apple Acres." Fluttershy soothed. Diamond Tiara has already been to the farm with Filthy Rich a few weeks ago. The farm forced her to think of when she scared poor Apple Bloom about Granny Smith possibly humilating her. It made Diamond want to smack herself because of it. Deep within her heart, she knew that she didn't really mean to scare the poor filly, but her bottled emotions took over.

"Hiya, Applejack." Fluttershy called when they reached the farm. The name's owner peeked behind a large apple cart she was pulling. Applejack smiled and waved. She rushed towards Fluttershy and Diamond Tiara.

"Good morning, Fluttershy." The apple picker pony greeted. She shifted her attention down to Diamond.

"Why hello there, Diamond Tiara." Applejack's mouth still remained in a friendly grin. Diamond was confused, she bullied her sister, yet she was still welcoming her.

"I'm sorry for yer loss, sugarcube." Applejack bowed her head. Diamond's ears flatten, Fluttershy must have told Applejack what was secretly a lie. The filly acted as she was being shy and remained silent.

"Come on in, you two." Applejack turned around and started walking back into the farmyard. The two other ponies followed, AJ lead Fluttershy and Diamond Tiara to a picnic table where some more ponies sat. Some of the ponies were the Cutie Mark Crusaders, but they didn't seem nervous but happy that Diamond was there. They too must have been told the white lie that Diamond Tiara told.

"Fluttershy's here." Applejack announced. "And she brought somebody with her." The Crusaders smiled at Diamond.

"Sit here next to me, Diamond Tiara." Sweetie Belle said patting the seat next to her. Diamond accepted the request, but she felt nervous and confused. She treated the Crusaders like dirt, and they were welcoming her into where they were safe from her before.

"How did your parents die, Diamond?" Apple Bloom asked. Applejack hissed to shush her. The filly stopped, she had the biggest decision to make now. Stretch the lie and make more guilt build up inside, or open up the truth and explain everything, then apologize to everybody. It was obvious to Diamond Tiara of what she had to do. She took a deep breath.

"They didn't." She hung her head. Fluttershy gasped.

"What?!" She heard the pegasus say from across of her. "You told me they did. I'm sure I didn't hear you wrong. Do you care to explain?" It was the first time she heard Fluttershy so disappointed, it tore at Diamond's heart like sharp claws.

She looked back up and everypony had narrowed eyes and frowns. Before the pie was served too. After taking a big gulp, she explained every single thing. From her suspicions for her mother to her father abandoning her.

"I don't know what came to me when I said that they were dead, Fluttershy." She couldn't stop the barrels of tears pouring from her sparkly blue eyes. One more thing she had to do. She turned towards the Crusaders.

"I'm very sorry, you guys." She said. Nothing more was neccessary, Diamond got up from the table and prepared to walk away.

"Diamond!" Fluttershy called. "Where are you going?" The pink filly stopped and turned around.

"Far from here. I don't deserve a great mother, or sister, like you Fluttershy. I don't deserve anypony who'd be good to me. Especially after how I treated Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle."

"Dear, there's no need for you to go." The white unicorn with a curly purple mane said. "That was the past. We know the truth now"

"Rarity's right." The blue pegasus added. "It was that Filthy Rich who did this to you."

"Yeah, Rainbow Dash. That guy is BAD, not her." The pink pony with the curly mane squeaked.

"Right, Pinkie Pie." The purple unicorn agreed. "We can help out Diamond Tiara with this."

"You got that right, Twilight." Scootaloo stood up from her seat and started to walk towards Diamond. She wrapped an arm around her former enemy, now friend. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle dashed to Scoot and Diamond, they scooped the two into a group hug. For the first time, Diamond felt happy. Truly happy. Like everypony around her accepted her. Warmth took away the cold in her heart. The Crusaders released the formerly wealthy pony.

"And another thing, Diamond Tiara." The pony called Pinkie Pie stood up and bounced over to the four fillies. "I think I know somepony named Glitter Ring. She works at the hair salon as the receptionist, she's mentioned to me that her daughter named Shimmer Shine works there also as the official hair dresser."

Diamond's eyes brightened. "C-Can we go see them?" She asked the older pony. Pinkie bounced up and down with excitement.

"Why sure I can, silly!" She squealed. Diamond Tiara smiled, she was finally going to see her mother. But her stomach rumbled, interupting her excitement. Applejack chuckled and dashed into her house, coming back out with piles of pies .

"Why don't we have some of dis here pie first?" Applejack offered. Diamond joined everybody at the table with a smile on her face.

Chapter 5: Together Again

Pinkie Pie and Diamond Tiara were almost there, they were close to the hair salon in Ponyville. The two earth ponies finally reached Shimmer Shine's Hair Repair in downtown.

"How did you.. meet her?" Diamond asked before they entered the shop.

"I know everypony in Ponyville." Pinkie explained. "But since I've known both Glitter Ring and Shimmer Shine for a long time, I don't remember how we met. Hey, are you Shimmer Shine's sister!?"

"Yeah... I am. I haven't heard from her since she moved out." She didn't really feel too much upset when she said that, she gets to see Shimmer soon. Possibly get some answers too.

"Aaaaw! I'm sorry, kiddo." Pinkie Pie pushed the door open to the salon. The two entered the shop and walked towards the reception desk, nopony was there. Pinkie rang the bell and a mare came up to the desk.

"Pinkie!" She softly exclaimed. "Hello." She shifted her big green eyes down to Diamond Tiara and stopped. The mare didn't look away.

"Pinkie Pie..." Glitter Ring said with no emotion. "W-Who's this?" But Pinkie Pie only giggled. Diamond nervously smiled with her ears flattened. Perhaps Glitter Ring didn't want to see her filly, or maybe she was thinking that her own eyes were deceiving her.

"This is Diamond Tiara, silly." She squealed. "She's your filly, isn't she? You know, the one that you keep on talking about." Diamond quietly gasped, Glitter's been talking about her? Maybe... she did miss her after all.

"Diamond Tiara... is that you?" Glitter Ring asked, Diamond Tiara nodded. The purple pony hurried around the desk and stopped in front of the pink filly. She scooped Diamond up and squeezed her, tears streamed down her eyes. Diamond copied her mother, both with hugging and the tears.

Glitter rocked back and forth on her front hooves. "Shimmer! Come in here." Diamond heard running hooves coming from the other room.

"Diamond Tiara!" Shimmer's eyes glowed at the sight of her sister. She galloped to her side.

"I'm going to go now, goodbye Diamond Tiara." Pinkie Pie called, Diamond waved to her before she exited the building.

"My dear sister's here, and she's safe." She joined Diamond and Glitter into a group hug. Glitter cleared her throat when she released the other two ponies.

"Is Filthy Rich here?" Glitter asked. Diamond shook her head to say 'no'. Her mother sighed in relief. "Good, I don't trust that excuse for a stallion."

"Me neither." Diamond said. Shimmer and Glitter stared at the small pony. She explained everything. It was like before. After she ended, the other mares were shocked. Their eyes were wide and their jaws were dropped open.

"Diamond Tiara, I'm so so so sorry." Glitter hugged her daughter again. "I should've never left you with him. This is all my fault, I should've took you two with me. I made the mistake of letting him keep you two, but I promise that'll NEVER happen again." The mare fully released Diamond and Shimmer.

"And sis," Shimmer gulped. "I have a confession to make. Father never let me talk to you about mother otherwise... he'd do to me what he did to you. And I know I didn't keep in touch with you. That's because Filthy forbid me to, he had written to me that every letter I sent you had ended up in the trash. I'm sorry I didn't come to tell you myself." Diamond hugged her sister in forgiveness. Glitter gasped, the two mares glanced at their mother.

"Diamond Tiara, your cutie mark. I just noticed it, it's quite lovely. What's your special talent?" Her mother asked. But Diamond wasn't quite sure at the moment, it wasn't for wealth, she knew that. Finally, she smiled, her teeth fully showing. She bounced up and down all over the place.

"I know what it is." She said. "It means how I treasure what I have, my special talent is helping other ponies, Mother. I just now figured that out." Glitter smiled and sighed.

"Mother," Diamond asked. "Should we call the authorities on Filthy?" Glitter shook her head.

"No, only if he comes near any of us. Otherwise, we can let him drown in his own pity. I'm certain that he'll learn his lesson sooner or later." Even though Diamond wanted to call the police on Filthy Rich, she thought that was reasonable enough. She shrugged in acceptance.

That night had just gotten better for Diamond Tiara. She figured out that Shimmer lived next door to Glitter. So now, they could never be apart. It turned out that Glitter had prepared Diamond to move in, because there was a beautiful room for her. But it wasn't like her room at Filthy's, it was simple. Good enough for the used to be spoiled filly.

"What do you think, Diamond Tiara?" Glitter asked her daughter. Diamond's blue eyes sparkled at her.

"I love it." Diamond replied. Now she had new friends, new family, new house, and a brand new life. Finally, no more lies from her father. His name definately explained his personality, filthy and rich. She didn't have to deal with him anymore.

"Let's have some dinner, young one." Glitter nuzzled her daughter. Diamond giggled and skipped with her mother to the kitchen, she was finally going to have a life of a normal filly that her family would love. Not some luxurious fashion doll that her father could use for his 'Barnyard Bargains'.

The End