Beautiful Things

"Tiara?"

Diamond Tiara looked up at the yellow earth pony with a pink mane that almost looked red, a pink bow that was just a shade lighter than her hair, and a light pink scarf around her neck that clasped in the front. Diamond Tiara always hated that scarf and tried to talk Apple Bloom out of it when she started wearing the damn thing, but alas, that mare was going to be unfashionable her whole life. You can't force somepony to have good taste in clothes. Though, she's surprised that the scarf hasn't been burned yet considering who her best friend's sister is.

Apple Bloom rolled her eyes. "Tiara, were ya even listenin' ta me?" Diamond was about to open her mouth to answer, but before she could say anything Apple Bloom interrupted. "Don't even try lyin'. I may not have my sister's affinity fer honesty, but I do have an uncanny way of hearin' a lie from the truth."

Diamond Tiara sighed in defeat, knowing her friend was right. "Sorry, Bloom. I guess I just zoned out."

"You doin' alright, Tiara? You look mighty tired."

Diamond let out a small groan and dropped her head on the table, startling Apple Bloom.

"That bad?"

"It's the company. It's kicking my flank. I don't know how in the hay my father did it. My parents were jerks, but at least they knew how to run a multi-million company."

"Maybe the two ain't unrelated," Apple Bloom muttered, a touch of bitterness in her voice.

"It wouldn't even be so bad if everypony there weren't being a bunch of dicks." Or if it weren't for the nightmares. Diamond shook her head, casting the thoughts away. She wouldn't think about those or her parents. Especially her mother. After realizing what she had just said and to who, she quickly gave a mumbled "sorry."

"Don't be. It was always Sweetie Belle who was uncomfortable with the cursing. Scoots and I never minded it."

Diamond only sighed heavily, closing her eyes. She was sleeping every night, granted not too much these days; probably about three or four hours, but the sleep she did get wasn't very restful. She'd often wake up in a cold sweat, tears streaming down her face, her whole body shaking. She had nightmares of her mother.

Her mother was never...physically abusive to her, nor did that abuse cut deep verbally or emotionally, but it was still there. Still, there was enough to mold Diamond's behavior to whoever her mother wanted Diamond to be, despite whether or not her daughter was happy. That is until the Crusaders showed her a new way. A better way. Before, she believed she could either have her mother's love or nopony's love. But the CMCs showed Diamond Tiara that the path was much different, a path carved by her mother. Her mother can either love her for her or not. Either way, if she were herself, ponies would love her. She'd have friends. Whether or not her mother loved her was her mother's choice. There was nothing Diamond could do that would change that. Love, real love, is unconditional. It isn't something you have to earn. It's something that is given in hopes of having it returned. That's all Diamond could do. Give her mother her love and hope her mother returns it.

But even with both the Crusaders and, her best friend, Silverspoon telling her this on a multitude of occasions, Diamond couldn't help but think that maybe there was something more she could do. That there was some way she could have earned it somehow. She'd often think about what would've happened had she not chosen the Crusaders that day instead of her mother. Would she still have Silverspoon as her friend? Or would their fight be the end of it? Silverspoon always understood her more than anypony else. While her parents were more kind and loving than hers were, she still grew up in a similar lifestyle, with similar principles. That the entire world, the entire upper class, is watching you, and every move you make, every breath you take can make or break your family's social standing. However, the difference between their families was that Silverspoon never had to prove herself. She was their daughter, through thick and thin. She'd have their love no matter what she did. Diamond did not. Sure, Silverspoon and her had known each other since before they went to school, and Silvy's parents loved her nearly as much as they loved Silverspoon, but it would've been nice if her mother loved her too. And her father...he just went along with whatever she wanted.

Though, it's true that when she stood up to her mother, her father and her grew closer. It was as though her mother was like a barrier between them, and each time Diamond stood up to her mother, it was like chipping away at the barrier, one chip at a time.

"Diamond?" A high-pitched, nearly squeaky voice asked.

Diamond ignored the voice, keeping her head on the table.

"Sweet Celestia, what happened to you, Di?" A voice asked. Diamond could hear the smirk in it. "You look like a carriage ran you over."

Diamond looked up in time to see a white unicorn with a pink and purple mane and green eyes smack an orange pegasus with stunted wings on the back of her head, both her and Apple Bloom glaring at her.

Diamond gave the stunted pegasus an annoyed look. "Good to see you too, Scoots." It impressed Diamond how much Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash were alike when they weren't even related.

Scootaloo gave an apologetic smile, rubbing the back of her neck. "Sorry."

Applebloom, who had stood up to hug her friends, sat down next to Diamond Tiara instead of her original seat, and Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo took the booth in front of them. Diamond Tiara didn't know why, but she always felt closer to Applebloom than she did to the other Crusaders. Sweetie Belle seemed to still be a little cautious of her, like she was still scared of her after all these years and Scootaloo seemed to be just waiting for her to slip up, to make the wrong decision, to throw in her face the "I told you so" she has been waiting so long to give. But Apple Bloom? Diamond Tiara felt as though Apple Bloom was truly her friend, through thick and thin. Like she was in for the long haul. And over the ten years they've been friends, it was to Apple Bloom Diamond Tiara had been more open with. More vulnerable to. Besides Silverspoon, who was like a sister to her, Apple Bloom was Diamond's best friend.

"So..." Diamond trailed off when three pairs of eyes looked at her. Diamond didn't mind the attention on her. In some cases she loved it. But it always made her nervous when she was trying to start small talk with one of her past classmates. Like every conversation they had was a test, and if she didn't score 100%, she failed. Especially when it came to Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle.

Suddenly, Diamond Tiara felt something on her hoof. She looked down at it and saw a yellow-coated hoof softly resting on hers. She glanced up at Apple Bloom, and saw her watching her like Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, waiting for her to continue. But there was a small encouraging glint in Apple Bloom's eye and a soft smile on her lips. Suddenly, Diamond Tiara felt better going forward and felt more confident instead of being eaten alive by nerves.

"Umm, so...how have things been at the Friendship School?" She finally asked, a tremor in her voice, so slight she doubted any of them could hear hear it.

Scootaloo groaned. "Exhausting."

"Things have been a bit...tense lately." Sweetie Belle filled in when it was clear Scootaloo wasn't going to continue.

"Tense ain't even half of it." Apple Bloom countered. "With Scootaloo's and Sweetie Belle's time split between teachin' and crusadin', not ta mention pickin' up some of my shifts, those two are wound tighter than a clock."

"Why are they picking up your shifts?" Diamond asked. In the whole time Diamond knew her, she'd never known Apple Bloom to be a slacker.

"My time's been split between teachin', crusadin', and the farm. Since Granny died, things haven't been quite the same. With AJ's responsibilities on the Council of Friendship and Mac needin' to take care of Big Sugar since Sugar Belle's now on bed rest—"

"Bed rest?" Diamond asked, genuine fear filling her voice. "Is Sugar Belle okay?"

The Apples had always been so kind to her. On nights when her parents' fighting was bad, that's where she'd often go to get some sleep and peace, just to get away from all that. Applejack and Granny Smith would always take her in for the night, after, of course, her reformation when she and Apple Bloom were friends. They always treated her as part of the family. She was just as grief-stricken about Granny Smith's passing as Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were. Hell, the whole town was, but the Apples, the Crusaders, Princess Twilight, and her friends—specifically Pinkie Pie—and herself were the most affected.

She was there right along with Apple Bloom and the other Crusaders when they celebrated Big Sugar being born and had even funded his cute-ceañera. Only the best of the best for her second best friend's family. She knew Sugar Belle and Big Macintosh were expecting their second, but she didn't realize Sugar Belle had been on bed rest. With Big Sugar, she was going until the day she went into labor.

Apple Bloom waved a dismissive hoof. "She'll be fine. The doctor says it's just a precaution. This pregnancy is a bit tougher than her first, but doc says that's normal. Should be fine goin' inta labor."

"Right. Well, that's good, I guess."

"Yeah, well, things at the School of Friendship haven't been. Things have been incredibly tense since Starlight took over as headmare. Some creatures have even pulled their kids out of school. Says they only trust the Princess of Friendship to run the Friendship School." Scootaloo informed with a scrunched-up look on her face.

"Not to mention, somecreature has been spreading nasty rumors around Ponyville for the past couple of months! Fights have been breaking out all over town, especially at the school!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed. Upon closer inspection, Diamond was surprised to see bags under Sweetie Belle's and Scootaloo's eyes. That bad? Yeesh.

"Yeah. One of them even ended with Apple Bloom being thrown out an open window!" Scootaloo added, pointing a hoof at Apple Bloom, as though accusingly, as though it was her fault she was thrown out the window.

Diamond rounded on Apple Bloom, but she just dismissed it with a wave of the hoof. "Just a fight between a changelin' and a yak, and it was a complete accident. No big deal. Yaks are incredibly strong and changelings can turn into any creature in Equestria. It was bound to happen at some point. Shoulda knew better than to jump in the middle like that."

"After that, Starlight told everycreature that if any students are caught fighting again, they'll be suspended." Sweetie Belle explained.

"But that's easier said than done when even the teachers are starting to fight with each other too. In front of the students nonetheless." Scootaloo added.

"So, to say the least, Starlight's strung out. That mare can barely walk straight." Apple Bloom continued.

"Yeah. Her, Sunburst, Trixie, and the three of us have even been pulling night shifts since there have been...incidences of pranking and fighting at night when there are no teachers around to catch them. So, yeah...it's been exhausting," Scootaloo concluded.

This was all very shocking. When Diamond left Ponyville to stay with Silverspoon for two months in Canterlot, everything was fine at the School of Friendship. Alright, maybe things were a bit tense, but nothing too serious. Have things really de-escalated so quickly?

Now that she thought about it, the unicorns in Canterlot were a bit more snobbish than usual. When she was little, she remembered accompanying her father on business trips. Sometimes her mother would come too, but most of the time, it would just be her and her father. The unicorns then reminded her a little of her mother, but now, they seemed to be just as snobby as her.

"So, how's Silver?" Sweetie Belle asked, her face quickly morphing into sympathy and grief.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders may not have known Silverspoon's parents very well, but they would often come over to Silverspoon's house to do homework and her parents were always kind to them, just like they were to Diamond. They may not have been as welcoming and warm as the Apples, but any friend of Silvy's was like a distant family member to them. Except for Diamond. Silverspoon's parents treated her and Silvey like sisters. When the Crusaders heard about their death, they wanted to come with Diamond to Cannterlot, but Starlight desperately needed them at the School of Friendship. Especially since Luster Dawn joined, Starlight didn't want to look incapable in front of Twilight's top pupil, according to the Crusaders.

"Silvey's doing...as fine as you'd expect. She just has to take care of a few things and then she's moving back here to Ponyville."

"Doesn't she have to stay there and run her parents' company or whatever?" Scootaloo asked. Diamond always thought Scootaloo always liked Silverspoon more than her. Not that Diamond blamed her.

"Yeah. Turns out she has like...this distant cousin from Manehatten that's her dad's brother's nephew or something. Whatever. Anyway, turns out, he can be the physical figurehead of the company in her stead and she can pull all the strings from here."

Scootaloo scoffed. "So she's the puppetmaster this time," Scootaloo mumbled under her breath, earning glares from Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle.

Diamond Tiara seemed to wilt under Scootaloo's comment. Diamond wasn't unused to being insulted. She could stand up for herself to any creature. Any creature that is, except for the Cutie Mark Crusaders. When they were still in school and she had yet to be reformed, she always picked in the Cutie Mark Crusaders far more than necessary. She knew why now. She was jealous of them. She didn't know what her cutie mark meant, despite being the first in her class to get one, yet they were still blank flanks, but they had the opportunity to find out who they were before they got their mark.

So for that, she felt like she deserved their scorn, even after all this time. She was so mean to them, even stooping so low as to make fun of Scootaloo's disabled wings. She remembered how guilty Silverspoon felt afterward, and nearly went to apologize multiple times, but Diamond always stopped her. Sure, Diamond felt guilty at the time too, but she let her jealousy dictate her actions. She was the puppetmaster of Silverspoon, who only went along with it because she knew how Diamond really felt. It was just that the Cutie Mark Crusaders were so lucky, and they didn't even realize how lucky they were. They had everything Diamond spent nights praying for for as long as she remembered. A family who would love her no matter what. The opportunity to find out who she is and what her mark means. A role model to look up to. A mother who didn't call her useless if she wasn't promoting the family name. A life where she could make mistakes and not pay for them dearly, no matter how small. And they took it all for granted.

Diamond felt her anger rise in her. They were all so lucky, and they didn't even know it. They even complained about it. How annoying Sweetie Belle's sister was. How overprotective Apple Bloom's sister was. How Scootaloo barely had any time to spend with Rainbow Dash. How they couldn't go to the Appleoosa fair by themselves because they were too young and they had nopony to take them. They didn't know that Diamond would've given anything to have their lives. Would've done anything and everything just to live a week in their horseshoes. How she wished she had parents who didn't see her as only a ticket to higher social status. They were just so ungrateful. It grated on her nerves. It—

Diamond felt a hoof brush against her own, and she realized where her thoughts were going. She took a deep breath. And this is why she allowed herself to be scorned by comments from Scootaloo. Because of thoughts like these. Because it was feelings like these that made her wonder if she ever really changed at all.

She looked up and saw Apple Bloom give her a small, encouraging smile, like she could read what was going in in Diamond's head. Diamond took another deep breath, before giving Apple Bloom a small smile of her own.

"So, why is Silver comin' back to small town Ponyville instead of stayin' in the royal city of Canterlot?"

Diamond sighed, her mouth twisting slightly. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you." She mutterd.

"Ya, well, try us," Scootaloo said, as though offering some kind of challenge.

Diamond rolled her eyes. "Fine. Whatever. She met...well, not met since he used to be our classmate."

Sweetie gave her a confused look. "Who?"

Diamond sighed, twisting her mouth a bit more. "Rumble."

Cue pin drop. That's how silent it was. Diamond swore Scootaloo's jaw dropped to the floor and that Sweetie Belle's eyes were as wide as baseballs. Apple Bloom seemed to be the only one who wasn't shocked into utter speechlessness, but she still looked pretty surprised.

"R-Rumble?" Apple Bloom asked. "As in Thunderlane's little brother? As in used to hate cutie marks Rumble?

"Yep. They've been dating for about a year now, though they've been keeping it on the down low. He's up there with her now until she's ready to come back down here with him."

There was silence for a bit before Scootaloo picked up her jaw. "Well, I guess it's about as surprising when we found out Button Mash and Sweetie Belle were dating three years ago."

"Welp, I'm gonna go get us some drinks," Apple Bloom said as she stood up. "What does ever—" She was cut off when she accidentally bumped into somepony. A unicorn Diamond realized when she saw his horn.

"Watch it!" He bit out, glaring daggers at Apple Bloom.

Apple Bloom stepped back, bumping into their table. "Sorry, sir. It was just an accident. I just wanted to get some drinks for my friends and me. I didn't mean to bump inta ya or anythin'."

The unicorn just scoffed, turning away, mumbling under his breath, "Worthless mud pony."

Diamond stood up. Like hell, she'd let some creature talk to her friend that way and just sit by passively. She owned a multi-bit company for crying out loud. She may feel guilty for bullying them, but she could at least stop others from doing so. "What did you just call my friend?"

The unicorn rolled his eyes, turning around, another insult on his tongue, but when his eyes locked on hers, his face paled. Every creature in Ponyviple knew who she was, either from the CMCs or from taking over her father's store. Her father owned a lot of property. A lot of property that was rented out to a lot of creatures in Ponyville. Since she took over a year ago, she's been pretty lenient with rent and jobs. Not nearly as strict as her father. But no creature would want to get on her bad side because she had her mother's temper., and that was something to be trifled with. Especially as tired as she was then.

"N-nothing, Miss Tiara." The unicorn stallion stuttered.

"That's what I thought, Snipps. I own the building of your merchandise store. I've been pretty lenient with your rent, but insult my friend again and we'll see how lenient I've really been. Got it?"

The blue unicorn nodded quickly before turning away and making straight for the exit. Diamond turned to Apple Bloom, only to see her staring at Diamond with wide eyes. She turned to the other CMCs to see them with a similar expression as well.

"What?" Diamond asked, trying to put a little annoyance into her voice, even though her heart raced with nerves. Did they...did they hate now because of this? Sure, she's had to show her bad side a bit in front of them since they became friends, but nothing this bad. She basically threatened to put her childhood classmate's store out of business.

"Nothing," Scootaloo said dismissively, turning away from Diamond to stare ahead of her, her elbow on the table, and her face leaning into her hoof like she just wasn't staring at Diamond open-mouthed.

"It's just...we forgot how scary you can be sometimes." Apple Bloom explained, resting a hoof on Diamond's shoulder.

"And how much like her mother she can be sometimes," Scootaloo muttered, clearly not intending for Diamond to hear that. But she did and Diamond froze under Apple Bloom's hoof.

"Scootaloo! Keep yer thoughts to yerself! If ya ain't got nothin' nice ta say, don't say anythin' at all!" Apple Bloom scolded, her southern accent flaring up like it did when she got upset. She was daggers at Scootaloo along with Sweetie Belle.

"Oh," Scootaloo froze, eyes wide. "You heard that?"

"Hell ya, she heard it! I heard it! Stop being so damn rude! Yer makin' her feel like shit!"

"Apple Bloom! Language!" Sweetie Belle admonished, a disapproving look on her face.

Diamond Tiara felt guilt well up in her. She hated being the reason why they were fighting, but even worse, she noticed that none of them rebuked the claim itself. She really did look like her mother.

"Oh, Sweetie Belle. Stop being so damn sensitive." Scootaloo grumbled with a roll of her eyes.

"She's not. That's just how she was raised. What in the hay is with ya, Scoots? You've been grumpy all damn day!"

"Nothing. I'm just telling it like it is."

"No, you've been bein' mean. There's a difference." Apple Bloom countered.

Diamond took a deep breath. "Look, guys. It's no big deal. So what I looked a little like my mother. I am her daughter biologically, no matter how much I don't want to be. I should be going anyway. The company can't seem to function without me for long."

Before anypony else could say anything, Diamond walked away, trotting outside. On her way home, however, she saw the most peculiar butterfly. It was coral pink, with deep blue and magenta pink wings. Diamond smiled as it flew away, a warm feeling growing in her heart. For a reason she couldn't name, the butterfly seemed to give her hope. Hope that even with everything going on, things would turn out okay.

"Diamond Tiara!" A voice yelled into the darkness, a voice that caused Diamond's entire body to tense.

For what felt like the last ten minutes, Diamond Tiara was wandering in darkness. She knew she was sleeping, but it felt odd like falling asleep was a distant memory. She was starting to get hopeful. Sure, wandering aimlessly in the dark was horrible, but it was better than spending all night hearing her mother say she wished she wasn't born.

And then she heard the voice that shattered that hope. Slowly, reluctantly, she turned around and saw a pink mare with a dark purple mare and a snobby look on her face. "What are you doing? Associating yourself with mud pony farmers and a disabled pegasus?! Have you lost your mind?!"

Diamond squeezed her eyes shut, her ears flattening. "No. Don't listen. Don't listen." She mumbled to herself.

She could feel her mother getting closer. "If you aren't contributing to our social standing, there's no reason why you were born. You're completely useless, Diamond Tiara!"

She could feel her mother's face inches away from hers. Diamond squeezed her eyes tighter. "Don't listen. Don't listen."

"Do you hear me, Diamond Tiara? You have stooped so low. These friends you claim to have? They only want you for your money. They don't want to actually be friends with you. They're your friends because being your friend makes life financially easier for them. If you were to stop giving them gifts. Giving them loans. Giving them leniency, they'd want nothing to do with you. Nopony wants to be friends with you, for you."

"My name is Diamond Tiara. My best friend is Silverspoon. I'm friends with the Cutie Mark Crusaders..." Diamond Tiara began chanting quietly to herself.

"So why return the favor? If ponies are only going to use you, use them back. And you can't use dirty lowlifes. So why give so much when they give nothing in return?"

"They showed me the light of my cutie mark. They showed me there's a better way..."

"Don't make me do what I've so longed to do since you became friends with those..." Diamond's mother scrunched up her face in disgust. "Blank-flanks."

"There's so much more to learn about myself. See the light that shines in me. I can be somepony else..."

"Don't make me disown you, Diamond Tiara." Her mother hissed, leaning in closer still.

"I've had a brand new start. I've freed myself from the dark. And I've seen the light of my cutie mark..."

"Don't make me pretend you never existed. One word and all of Equestria will never remember you, especially those lowlifes. Trust me. I can do it. Your father and I have just enough social standing to do so. You'll be alone for the rest of your life. That is until you start acting like a Rich. Until you start acting like me."

"I'm not like you, Mother!" Diamond yelled, unable to hear anymore.

"Oh? If that's so, then why did that deformed, no-good pegasus say otherwise?"

"I'M NOT LIKE YOU!" Diamond yelled, trying her best to believe it as strongly as the volume and strength of her voice.

"Please! Stop! I'm so sorry, Opaline. It won't happen again. I promise!"

Diamond froze. That wasn't her mother. She never heard that voice before in her life. She sounded so scared, so frightened. She sounded...she sounded like Diamond Tiara when she begged her mother for forgiveness when she made a mistake. She needed to help that mare, whoever she was.

That gave Diamond the strength to combat her fears. To push her mother away. She stood up tall, squeezing her eyes shut, picturing all the good memories she had with her friends.

"My name is Diamond Tiara!" She repeated, louder and more confident this time. "My best friend is Silverspoon. I'm friends with the Cutie Mark Crusaders!" She declared, not letting her mother intimidate her when she came closer. Only standing taller in response. "They showed me the light of my cutie mark. They showed me there's a better way!" She could feel her mother starting to fade, but she wasn't done yet. "I've learned so much about myself. I've seen the light that shines in me. I am somepony else!" Diamond took a step forward, her mother scrambling back. "I'm not like you, despite what other creatures may say! Unlike you, I've had a brand new start. I've freed myself from the dark. And I've seen the light of my cutie mark! And will not let you control me any longer!"

Light flooded the dark space, and with a scream, her mother disintegrated, disappearing from view. She heard another scream. One that sent chills down her spine. It wasn't the mare she heard earlier, thank Celestia, but this scream sounded evil, wicked, worse than her mother.

Soon though, all of Diamond's senses were flooded. All she could see, feel, and hear was that bright, golden-white light. But, right before she woke up, she saw a glowing coral pink butterfly, with deep blue and magenta pink wings...