Diamond Tiara collapsed and flopped over dramatically, laying out face-down across the shiny floor. Pinkie Pie had polished it just for her, but it was all useless now. Along with her whole cute-ceanera.
“Those darn blank flanks RUINED my cute-ceanera!” She moaned, burying her face in her mane. “And now I can never show my face in public . . . or my Cutie Mark! Never, ever, ever again.” Silver Spoon just sniffed haughtily in response and marched out, pushing the stereo off its table on her way and sending Crystal and The Cuties to a screeching halt.
“I was so happy to have my mark . . . ” Tiara rolled over to stare up at the ceiling, remembering her delight at the discovery of her true talent. “Born to rule! It was so me. But then they had to stomp all over it with their dirty little hooves!”
After her cute-ceanera had gone up in flames, she and Silver Spoon had hidden by the stairs. But nothing could have protected them from the horror that was Applebloom and her “Cutie Mark Crusaders.” By the time they had left, there was nothing to do to salvage the party. Even the older fillies had left -- what help they had been. Diamond Tiara planned a huge cute-ceanera and all they got was scoldings and booted from their own party.
Diamond Tiara got back up and shook her head. “I’m going home, and going to bed.” She took a deep breath. “And I’m never getting up again.”
And so she pranced out the door, pausing one more time. “Except maybe to eat. And sometimes Silver Spoon can visit. But that’s it.”
She shook out her mane, then was off on her way once more.
***
“Tiara, wake up!”
Diamond Tiara opened one eye slowly to find Silver Spoon staring down at her, confused. She shook her head vigorously.
“No, Silver Spoon, I’m never getting up again.”
Silver Spoon’s eyes widened. “But why?”
“Because I have been humiliated and I can never show my face again!” Tiara leaped out of bed and threw on a black cloak, covering herself up entirely.
“Oh, Tiara!” Silver Spoon gasped. “You can’t go anywhere looking like that! Everypony will laugh at you!”
Diamond Tiara jumped into the wardrobe and shut the door. “Everypony is already laughing at me!” She replied, muffled. “No, no, I just can not go.”
“Please? Pretty, pretty please?” Silver wailed, fluttering her eyelashes and pouting -- unsuccessfully, as a closet door obscured Tiara’s sight. “I can’t go alone, you know!” Diamond Tiara fiddled with the lock, choosing not to answer this time. “Everypony’s laughing at me, too.” She continued angrily. “I’m just choosing to ignore them and not to be a scaredy pony. Unlike somepony I know!”
“Silver Spoon...” Diamond Tiara sighed, stopping her fiddling. Silver Spoon took that opportunity to throw open the wardrobe doors, finding her beneath a pile of capes. She looked up at Silver Spoon through a glimmering sheer fabric, blinking pleadingly. “I just can’t. We are a laughingstock in Ponyville! Shown up at my own cute-ceanera!”
Silver Spoon grabbed Tiara and pulled with all her might, crying out in fury. “There is nothing you can do, Tee! We’re going to school or I’m never speaking to you again!” Diamond Tiara looked down at her, aghast.
“And that is my final verdict!” She fell back as Tiara stood up, sighing loudly.
Tiara sighed and shook her head. “No pony in her right mind would do this.” A tear formed in Silver Spoon’s eye, she knew what came next, but Tiara cut her off before she could protest. “But . . . if that’s what’s happening, I guess I must.”
“That’s right, you scaredy filly!” Silver Spoon jumped up and pranced around the room. “Let’s go and show those blank flanks we won’t ever back down!”
Diamond Tiara followed meekly behind her as she hurried toward the school.
“Well look who it is!” Scootaloo pranced over from where she had stood chatting with Sweetie Belle and Applebloom. “The Cutie Mark Cranks!” Diamond Tiara scuffed at the ground awkwardly, leaning over so that her cloak covered her face entirely, and Silver Spoon stuck up her nose as Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo laughed.
“Cranky flanks!” Sweetie Belle guffawed, inciting a few giggles from the other fillies. Applebloom looked away. “Harebrained manes!”
The bell rang, and Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo flounced off to class, snickering.
Applebloom stayed for a few moments, opening and closing her mouth as if she couldn’t decide whether or not to speak and adjusting her bow, before trailing after them.
“I told you so!” Diamond Tiara cried as they headed into class last, dragging their hooves. “I told you, everypony hates us now.”
Silver Spoon sighed and shook her head. “That doesn’t mean we can just hide out.”
“You’re right.” Silver Spoon raised her eyebrows as Diamond Tiara spoke. “It doesn’t mean we can hide out. It means we have to!”
“Oh, Tee.” Silver Spoon sighed, exasperated. “We’re going. And that cloak...that cloak is going in the trash!”
Diamond Tiara flinched as Silver Spoon pulled off her cloak and threw it into the nearest can. “But...but...”
“No buts!” Silver Spoon screeched. “And into class we go.”
***
Diamond Tiara trudged out of the classroom last, exhausted. But, of course, Applebloom was out there waiting for her. “Fine, blank flank.” she sniffed, making sure not to let any weakness show. “What cutting witticism have you got for me now? I guess it ought to be good, since you waited so long just so you could get the last word in.”
Applebloom shook her head vigorously, but Diamond Tiara was already storming off. “Hey, wait!” She cried out after her. “I just wanted to apologise!”
Diamond Tiara turned back, stunned. “What for?” She demanded suspiciously.
“For ruining your party, of course.” Applebloom smiled. “An’ for Sweetie Belle and Scoot callin’ you such dumb names. Just cause y’all were being mean t’us don’t mean we can do the same.”
Diamond Tiara smiled back, albeit faintly.
“And gosh, just cause we ain’t got our Cutie Marks don’t mean we’re good at everything, silly.”
“Really?” Diamond Tiara’s smile grew wider.
“Sweet nibblets, of course!” Applebloom giggled, shaking out her mane. “It just means we could be good at anything, see. We’ve only got one talent still, just like y’all. You just know what yours is.”
“Really?” Diamond Tiara giggled back excitedly.
“Of course, you silly filly.” Applebloom and Diamond Tiara smiled at each other. “Friends?”
“Friends.”
The end.
Dear Princess Celestia.
Today I learned that just because somepony else is being mean to you,
being mean back won’t teach them any kind of lesson.
Instead, if you are kind to them, maybe they will learn from your example,
and will do the same!
Your faithful student,
Twilight Sparkle.