Johnny's POV

I was trying to read the plan Cheerilee gave me for at least the next couple weeks, when I heard hoofsteps. I looked up, and I saw Diamond Tiara wearing a sad face.

"Hey there, kiddo. You feeling alright? There's still plenty of time to play outside."

She went to the desk she sat in earlier, and she put her head down on it. It was obvious she was upset about something. I walked over to her, and I asked what was wrong.

"Nothing. It's kind of personal. I don't really like talking about it."

"But that's why I'm here. I can talk with you and help you out."

"But your cutie mark is a musical instrument."

I looked back at my flank. She may have been right, but I personally know my cutie mark really means nothing at all.

"Kid, that cutie mark doesn't describe me at all. Do you want to know why I have that cutie mark?"

She nodded her head. I decided to tell her about my life as an AlphaGuardian.

Johnny's flashback

It was my eighth birthday. We were at a concert held by a group who called themselves the Barenaked Mares, but they were really all just Caneighdian stallions. They claimed it was to attract attention.

They were about to play a song called "Pinch Him," but before they did, they announced that they needed some backup on the stage. My brothers and I ran onto the stage, despite Connotation's protests. The guys on stage looked at us with smiles on their faces.

"Would you like to help us with our song?"

We all screamed yes, while Connotation at us and said fine.

They gave me an electric guitar, Connotation an electric bass, Michelangelo their microphone, and Alexander their drum sticks. The guys started up a backtrack, and the song started. Michelangelo sang part of the lyrics, Alexander did drums when necessary, one of the guys played an acoustic guitar while the rest sang backup, and I even got a guitar solo at the end.

["Pinch Me (album version)" by Barenaked Ladies]

When the song ended, I felt a warm sensation on my leg, and when I looked at my jeans, there was a red electric guitar tattooed on them. (If you remember from Nostalgic Weirdness, we were pony-human crossbreeds)

I looked back, and the other guys were doing the same thing. We all exchanged glances, and thought the same thing.

Diamond Tiara's POV (present day)

"...and that's how I got my cutie mark."

I stared at him in disbelief. This sounded so farfetched. He had to be lying.

"If you don't believe me, Princess Twilight has a couple books about me and my brothers. Now what's bringing you down?"

I got very uncomfortable. My information was not really something I liked telling other ponies. However, Johnny seemed like a nice pony.

"The thing is, I live a troubled life."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

I hesitated. "I pick on other fillies and colts because I'm always under lots of stress."

"That, unfortunately, doesn't answer my question. Try again."

I sighed. There was no backing out of it. I decided to tell him everything.

"Every morning, when I wake up, I run towards my father, Filthy Rich, and ask for breakfast, and without speaking, he has his private chef cook an omelette with a parsley garnish. He barely says anything because he's always so busy, and with his job, he has a lot on his mind, plus, he already has a mental disorder, which prevents him from remembering certain things. My mother, Berry Punch, is always leaving early to get herself drunk in order to try to forget losing my younger sister to a chariot accident. Every time I come home, my mother beats me because she's so drunk, and my father is just so busy, he only notices when I get into trouble. Because of all that, I'm under a lot of pressure. I choose to vent it out with bullying. I pick on all kinds of fillies and colts."

He remained unfazed. "I noticed that you prefer to pick on Apple Bloom in particular."

"I'm jealous. Every time my dad takes me to Sweet Apple Acres for business things, I notice the strong bonds she has with her family. She has barely any family here, and yet she has a very strong connection with each member. I have my father, mother, butler, basically a mansion's worth of staff, and yet I can't relate to a single pony. I pick on her because she has something I haven't ever had once. A caring family. If it weren't for knowing I have a friend whose parents are also rich, I wouldn't even be here right now." I curled up, not wanting to say anymore.

He was still unfazed. He let out a huge sigh. He looked at me with a disappointed look.

"Your mother beats you?"

"Yeah, why?"

"My brother works at the local orphanage. He can get you away from those people. If course, we will need to get your father's attention somehow. That is, of course, if you want to. Do you want to?"

"Yes, of course I want to."

We put our hooves on our chins. After the bell rang, he said we would discuss it later and got right back to teaching. I was right. He was a nice pony.