Author's Note
Just for some context, this story takes place during A Shimmering Heartbreak. It's not required to read that story to enjoy this one, but I would recommend it~ Anyway, I hope everyone has a great day!
Friends
Chapter 1: Well, Dang It
“Wait, her dad is Filthy Rich?” Adagio asks me with a raised eyebrow, taking her attention off of the craft supplies I put on my bed. I don’t really know why that’s surprising. I thought everyone knew that. Especially since Diamond Tiara appeared in a lot of ads back in the day due to her daddy’s endorsement.
“Uh, yeah. What about it?” I respond, trying to put glue on the apple-shaped pieces of paper. Diamond Tiara just gets on my nerves so much at this point… I don’t know why she can’t act like a normal, decent person.
“And you say that she… can’t even lift a backpack?” Adagio asks me with a curious tone, something clearly on her mind.
“I would say she acts more like it. She’s always had her butlers carry things for her, but recently, she’s even started acting sick to avoid teach’s questions.” Looking into Adagio’s eyes, I see her face turn pale as her expression sorta drops. It kinda looks like a mix of shock and confusion. Why in the horse apples does Adagio look like that?
“Apple Bloom? I… Maybe you should take it easier on Diamond Tiara,” she tells me slowly, bringing her hand up to her eyes. After rubbin her forehead, a small sigh escapes Adagio’s lips, only makin me ask more questions in my mind. “Tiara may not be… acting…”
Not acting…? But… Diamond Tiara has always acted in any part that may benefit her. She would pretend to be sick when we were younger so that she wouldn’t be assigned with cleaning duty and then she would act like the victim whenever she bullied the girls and me. She always acts. “What in the hay are ya talking about, Adagio?” I quickly ask her, putting down the materials in my hands. “She’s always been making my life a living hell! She would absolutely act sick to make sure the teacher takes it easy on her.” Adagio raises her hand slowly, trying to make me stop talkin about what’s on my mind.
“I know, I know-”
“Adagio, she went as far as to make a giant parade on my birthday just to make sure no one would come to my party. MY party. Only Scoots and Sweetie Belle showed up, but that was after they had to get through the parade since it blocked the road here!” God dang it! Why would Adagio take her side in this matter? It’s Diamond Tiara! All she’s done is make my days torture. I don’t enjoy going to school a lot of days since she just bullies me with really horrible pranks… I tried to tell on her before, but my big sis just said I need to tough it out and she will probably get better with age. Well, turns out that was a lie…
Adagio’s hand touches my shoulder gently, making me look back at her. Tiara has really hurt me before… I’ve only been thinking about her for a few minutes and I already feel really… angry… “Apple Bloom. I need to tell you something.” A solemn expression comes over Adagio’s face. Clearly, she feels a bit conflicted with this whole situation, but she finally takes a deep breath, looking in my eyes again. “I’ve… worked with Filthy Rich before. Recently in fact. Back in January was the last time I worked with him.” Making me sit down next to her, Adagio thinks about her words again, looking towards the ceiling. “I’m… not really a good person, so it’s not that easy for me to explain things.”
“Eh? Adagio! You are-”
“But the point is that I’ve worked with Tiara’s father. He… is struggling right now. Apparently, Diamond Tiara is pretty… sick. It’s not some act. She’s missing multiple days of school because she keeps getting worse before getting a little better again.” Adagio’s eyes look towards the floor with a small sigh, trying to think of what to do. She’s not really used to explaining this in a sensitive manner, huh…? “I hate to ask this of you, but do you think you could… take it easy on her? Maybe try to be her friend? I know how much she’s made your life difficult, but… just try one more time. If that fails, then I’d understand and I won’t ask you to again.” Try to be her friend? Again…? I… If she’s really sick like Adagio says, then… Ugh. Horse apples. Why did I have to be raised to be so kind and honest with everyone? Buck…
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I’ve practically never been in this more pretty side of the city. Only in certain circumstances do I come here. I think the houses look nice and all, but the rich folks here like to look down on me. Just because I have an accent and I grew up on a farm doesn’t mean I am stupid or nothing. If anything, I’d like to think I’m smarter than the average person. Especially due to the news… Yikes. People do really weird things for attention. Meanwhile, I’m just doing my best and working hard to make my dreams come true. Well, then again, I’m not really sure what my dreams are to be honest.
Focus, Apple Bloom. You’re here for one reason. To see Diamond Tiara. I’m still not thrilled with the idea, but I gave my word I would give it one more shot. Maybe Tiara is different now. I know she still teases us at school, but there hasn’t been a mean prank or such in almost a year. Maybe… she really is sick… If she is, then it would be worth a shot to try and be her friend. From what I’ve seen, Silver Spoon hasn’t been hanging out with her as much in school, so maybe they had a falling out? I guess I’ll have to wait and see.
Looking down at the small piece of paper, I remind myself of Diamond Tiara’s address. I don’t think I’ve ever been there in person before… I’ve just seen a ton of pictures of the rooms in their home due to Tiara’s bragging… I had to write down the address after I asked my big sis where Tiara lives. I should be pretty close, it just depends on what mansion it is. No, that one is 106… I’m looking for 112, so it should be a little bit ahead, right? Unless I’m going backwards? I’ll know soon enough. 107. 108… Okay, it should only be a couple more houses away.
Running down the sidewalk, I think I understand just how big these houses are. It takes forever to actually run from one end of their lawn to the other. I guess it’s not unlike our farm in that sense, but at least we use pretty much all of our land. Most of their property is just there to look nice. This one property has a huge metal fence though… Complete with spikes on the top, automatic sprinklers watering their lawn and even fancy little lights along their driveway. Walking up to the gate, I can’t help but feel a knot form in my throat. Here it is. Tiara’s house. They’re so rich… They have an automatic gate with a speaker built in to keep unwanted visitors out. Taking a deep breath, I quickly press the button on the speaker, hoping to get an answer. The static plays for a few moments before disappearing, being replaced by the sound of someone swiftly taking a breath.
“This is the Rich residence. What is your point of interest?” a professional female voice tells me with a straightforward tone, making me feel a little nervous.
“Hello, ma’am! My name’s Apple Bloom and I’m a classmate of Diamond Tiara’s? I was wondering-”
“Do you have an appointment?” she interrupts me quickly, catching me off guard.
“Weell, no, but I-”
“Kid, you can’t see the Rich family members without an appointment. Have a good day.” With a prompt click, the speaker stops without giving me a chance to respond. That’s… possibly the most rude thing someone has ever done to me. Dang it. I came to see Diamond Tiara and that’s exactly what I will do! Clicking the speaker’s button again, static plays momentarily before the woman picks up once more. “I told you that-”
“Listen, miss. I said I’m here to see Diamond Tiara since I’m her classmate. For all ya know, I have homework to share with her. I am not leaving until I get to see her.” Right after my sentence, the speaker stops again. This woman is making me really… mad. She’ll get tired soon though! Let’s see how many times she can handle me clicking this dang button.
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Reaching above my head, I slowly push the button on the wall again, sitting on the ground with a slight yawn. “Kid, don’t make me call the police on you,” the woman says in a very tired voice, clearly annoyed by my actions. It’s been two hours already. I’ll admit. She’s a lot more persistent than I thought she would be. I thought she would give up after thirty minutes.
“I’ve said my piece at this point. Not leaving till I see Tiara,” I say in an exhausted and bored tone, playing with a strand of my hair. Technically, I’m being really stubborn right now. I have my big sis to thank for that though. Sometimes, ya gotta be stubborn in life to get what ya want. Or need… A loud buzz rings in my ears, making me jump back from the gate. Finally, the large metal gate moves back, opening the front lawn to me. Holy crap. She finally opened the gate after two hours? She should get a raise. “Thank ya kindly!” I state before running inside, hearing the gate close behind me. Okay, I admit. Maybe I can be a pain in the rear at times. Adagio has told me that before but I never agree with her, but after today? I think that maybe she’s right.
Running towards the front steps towards the house, I see the front door open, revealing a man in a dark blue suit. Filthy Rich? I didn’t really expect her father to greet me himself. Or is he here to stop me? Slowing my pace down as I reach the bottom of the steps, Rich makes his way towards me with a welcoming smile. For some reason, it feels a bit… fake. “Apple Bloom! How are you doing?” he asks with open arms, seemingly happy to see me. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you or your sister. How is the farm?”
“It’s doing alright. Still not for sale, though.” Locking my eyes with his, I see his smile fade for a moment before he straightens his tie, offering his hand to me.
“That’s quite alright. I hear you’re here to see my daughter?” Taking his hand in my own, I grip and shake his hand with a nod.
“Yep. I just wanted to see how she’s doing and all.” Rich’s eyes narrow slightly upon hearing my words, kneeling down on one knee slowly.
“Let me ask you this. Why exactly do you want to see her? I didn’t think you two were friends.” Well, he ain’t wrong… We aren’t friends. But I do kinda feel bad that I blatantly accused her of faking her illness when she’s actually sick and all. So, it’s the least I can do to extend a helping hand, right?
“Well, we aren’t, sir, but I saw she wasn’t doing so good, so I wanted to see if I could maybe help? Or cheer her up?” Looking at the front door behind him, I can’t help but feel nervous. Even if I do see her, I’m not sure what I will say. Should I even be doing this? Maybe my helping hand isn’t the one she needs.
“That’s awfully kind of you, Apple Bloom, but my Tiara isn’t exactly… ready for visitors. She’s pretty vulnerable right now.”
“Please, sir. I’ll do whatever I need to. All I want to do is just talk to her, ya know? Maybe put some things behind us and see if I can offer her a smile at least,” I tell Rich quickly after his own statement, making his eyes widen momentarily. Standing up, Rich looks me up and down with a critical eye, probably tryna protect his daughter. Taking a deep breath, Rich rubs his forehead before looking at the watch on his wrist.
“You’ll have to wear a mask and stand six feet away from her at all times. And you can only meet her for thirty minutes. Alright?” he asks me, trying to make sure I’m alright with his demands.
“I understand. I’ll do my best~”
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The dark brown door opens in front of me slowly, showing a pretty dark room with only blue light coming through the blinds. The walls look like they’re a shade of purple, but all semblance of a kid’s bedroom is gone. Everything seems super sterile and multiple medical devices are littered around the room and on the walls. A constant beep accompanies a green heart monitor. Slowly walking inside, the door closes behind me, making me aware of just how dark this room is. In the bed, a small bump is hidden inside the blanket, barely moving. I can’t help but gulp the air in my mouth, trying to calm my nerves a little.
“I was told you were here to visit,” a quiet voice speaks up from under the blanket, Tiara finally revealing her face to me. Pulling the blanket off of her top half, her messy hair makes it apparent she hasn’t been feeling well. Her pale face and dark eyes almost make it look like she has a bad case of the flu, but I know it ain’t the flu…
“Hi, Diamond,” I respond quietly, still unsure of what to say. “How are ya feeling?”
“How do you think?” Tiara says in an exhausted tone, rolling her eyes. “Why are you even here, Apple Bloom?” Her attitude instantly makes me rethink this whole idea, but I try to keep my smile on my face. Not that she can see it with this dang mask.
“Well, I thought that maybe you could use some company~ From a friend or such.” Taking an extra step closer to the bed, I try to make sure Diamond Tiara can see me in the limited light. Once again, her expression turns to annoyance, looking towards a water bottle on the nightstand for a moment.
“We’re not friends, Apple Bloom. What? Did you want us to make amends or something?” she asks me angrily, weakly hitting her bed. “Would it make your consciousness feel better? To be friends with me right before I die?”
“Tiara, no one said you are going to die,” I say quietly, trying to calm her down. “I know I ain’t the first person you would like to see, but I really did come here cause I thought that maybe you could use someone…” Within a moment, a tear slides down Tiara’s face, still refusing to look at me.
“Everyone is so damn resistant to using that word. Isn’t it obvious? I haven’t been getting any better over the last year.” Diamond Tiara reaches for her water bottle only to bring her hand back after touching the surface. “I don’t need anyone. I just want to be alone, alright? Shouldn’t you and your crusaders be ruling the school at this point?” she asks me quietly before lying down on her side, turning her back to me. A couple of coughs come from her, making me want to get closer. Even though I’m not necessarily best friends with her, my natural instinct when I see a sick person is to try and comfort them. Maybe that’s because my big sis spent every day I was sick right beside me, making sure to take care of me and make me feel like I’m important.
“Do ya have anyone who spends time with ya?” I ask her hesitantly, inching closer to her bed. “Like your dad or mom? Whenever I’m sick, I can always count on my big sis or my friends to be there. Even if it’s just a small conversation.” Tiara’s body twitches slightly, but she still refuses to look in my direction. Now that I know she’s sick, I can’t help but notice just how thin she is…
“My father has done everything he can to help me, but he acts like he’s scared to look at me. My mother… She hasn’t even done that.” Tiara takes a deep breath, almost sounding like she’s ready to cry. “Silver stopped being my friend. The only people I see day in and day out are the house aids and all I can ever seem to hear is that damn monitor,” she sighs while pointing towards the heart monitor, her other hand gripping the blanket as much as she can. “I can’t go anywhere. I’m almost always stuck here with practically nothing to do. Can’t you see it, Apple Bloom? My life is hell. All I want to do is be alone.” The former bully is nowhere to be seen right now… All I can see is a girl… Hurting from the reality she has to live with. “Just go. We both know we don’t want to see each other.”
Why does Tiara have to be given such a crappy life…? Why does she have to live with this? She’s so sick but the ones closest to her are too scared to be near her. She used to make my life a hell of my own. I should be happy to see her like this, right? No… I know it ain’t. It’s hard to see someone struggling. Especially someone who’s lost practically everything. She hasn’t said sorry, but maybe life is retribution enough. All I can do is offer her friendship. If she doesn’t take it, then that’s her fault…
Walking around to the other side of her bed, I take the ribbon out of my hair, wrapping it around Tiara’s cold water bottle. Her eyes look up at me, wide with confusion. “Why are you… standing so close?” she asks me quietly, sitting up as I hand her the bottle. Maybe my ribbon can help her drink the water without freezing her hands…
“You ain’t had someone stand this close?” I ask her with a kind tone, sitting down on the chair closest to her bed.
“No… Everyone’s been ordered to stay away from me,” Tiara tells me with a whisper, taking a sip of her water.
“Are ya contagious?” I can’t imagine that she’s contagious… If she is, then I don’t think her dad would let me visit her at all. I think all of this is just because he’s afraid of causing her condition to worsen. Like she’s a fragile doll… The downside is that he doesn’t know how that makes her feel.
“No. I’m not,” Tiara tells me quietly, only for her to look even more confused as I take my mask off. “Wait. What are you-”
“I bet ya haven’t seen a smile in a while, huh?” I give Tiara a big smile, leaning forward in my chair to make her know I’m not afraid of being close to her. Everyone deserves a little human contact, especially during times like these.
“Why are you doing this, Apple Bloom…? I bullied you for years. Why are you here?” she asks me with a raised eyebrow before coughing again, trying to keep her composure.
“Everyone deserves a friend and a little bit of kindness. If ya would let me, I would love it if we could be friends?” A conflicted expression comes over Tiara’s face, seeing my clear enthusiasm. “You don’t hafta make a decision right now. But I bet you’re lonely. If ya don’t mind, we could just talk for now?” Even if a person was previously mean, it doesn’t mean they deserve hell. They should have the chance to turn things around and have a friend. I should know that better than anyone since I befriended a previous siren. After a long time trying to decide, Tiara finally nods slowly to my question. “Great~ Do ya like Daring Do?” Hopefully, we can talk for a lot longer than thirty minutes. I think she needs it~
The End
…
For now?
Author’s notes: Hello, everyone~ Thank you for reading this extremely short story dealing with Apple Bloom and Diamond Tiara~! This story takes place during the events of A Shimmering Heartbreak and this is the third short story before we get to A Dazzling Trio~ I have a few more in mind as well~ The next story I plan on writing is a Halloween special called A Spooky Scary Siren~! Look out for that story sometime in October! As always, have a great day and stay special everyone~!
