With the rise of the sun Diamond Tiara woke up to her mother’s eyes, staring lovingly at her. “Good morning, sweetheart! I didn’t want to wake you. It’s been so long since you actually came to me to ask for something personal like this. I enjoyed having you with me.”

She felt conflicting emotions: The desire to stay in her mother’s embrace; The desire to push her away and make an excuse for why she asked to stay in her mom’s bed the night before. In the end her mother made the choice for her. She gave her daughter a pat on the head, telling her she had to go make some breakfast before she left the room.

Diamond Tiara felt like she had worms crawling through her stomach. She felt so nervous. She had to see Apple Bloom again. There was no way to get around it, and she still didn’t know how much her feelings had changed toward her classmate.

When her mom called her to come eat, in order to get her mind off her dilemma, she asked her mom, “How did you and Dad meet?”

A mild look of surprise crossed her mother’s face. “Why the sudden interest?”

“I don’t know. Just curious, I guess. You and Dad seem like very different ponies.”

“Well, if I had to give the simplest answer, it’s because he didn’t forget his roots.”

“HUH?” she asked, now fully focused on her mom.

“It’s an expression, dear. It means you shouldn’t forget where you came from.” She saw her daughter still didn’t get it. “Well, let me start from the beginning. Your father was already a wealthy stallion from inheriting his grandfather’s business, but he told me that was the expression his grandfather most tried to impress on him.

“I first met him when he got into an accident. I knew who he was, of course, but I didn’t really know anything about him. Of course, as a nurse, I treated him to the best of my ability, but as just a pony I had the completely wrong impression of him. I thought his money made him arrogant and greedy, and that he looked down on the poorer people.

"We got into a discussion where I told him I was a nurse, not for the good money, but because I simply wanted to help people. When he started flirting with me I snubbed his advances. It wasn’t until a month or two after he left that I realized how wrong I was. Because of an accident a portion of the hospital was destroyed. A lot of ponies were hurt, and we just didn’t have the room for all of them.

“During that time your father organized a huge charity auction, using his popularity in the public eye to encourage people to donate, promising to match everyone’s donations bit for bit. He opened his mansion to those we couldn’t fit in the hospital. The next time I actually saw him he was dumping rags in water buckets and placing them over pony’s heads to keep them cool. He was panting and sweaty from working so hard, and all told he gave about a quarter of his fortune to get everything back up and running, with plenty left for anything unforeseen.

“I was, frankly, overwhelmed. I really felt ashamed of myself for judging him simply because he had money. I apologized profusely for being so petty. He told me he bore no grudges.”

“Dad never told me about all that,” Diamond Tiara said, sounding awed.

“Well, he doesn’t like to brag.”

“But why did he do all that?”

“I’m getting to that.” She let out a little laugh, seeing her daughter’s rapt attention. “I asked him the same thing. A part of me couldn’t help but wonder if he had done it simply to get my attention. He told me it was the same reason that he had grown an attachment to me. Back in his grandfather’s time things were really difficult. I don’t know if he’s told you about this, but his grandfather was one of the original founders of Ponyville.”

A sudden recognition crossed her features. “Apple Bloom’s grandma told us the story for Family Appreciation Day… though I didn’t really want to listen.”

“Well, those days were really difficult. They were basically nomads, on the brink of exhaustion and starvation. It was Princess Celestia who gave them this land to settle down in.

“The whole point is, before all this, his grandfather had nothing; nothing but his other travel mates. He knew what it meant to be poor, to suffer, to have nothing, and having to be reliant on a generous soul to help you out.

“Your father couldn’t stand to see other ponies going through the same thing. I just happened to catch his attention because I embodied those features he most looked for in a mare. It’s the same reason he couldn’t just stand by and do nothing when people less fortunate were in danger. It’s one of his most endearing qualities, and it’s why I fell in love with him.

“So, getting back to your original question, to not forget your roots and not forget where you came from means to always remember that, no matter how far you come, you didn’t get there alone. A flower doesn’t bloom by itself. It gets its gifts from the sun, the ponies that water it, and the earth which fertilizes it. If you abandon those who helped you get where you are you’ll be insulting them to the highest degree.”

Diamond Tiara considered what she had learned on the way to school. Given what she had seen of her dad it was hard for her to picture him opening his estate to a bunch of random ponies, and taking care of all of them to boot. Hadn’t he always stressed to her the importance of being strong? Had she misunderstood his lessons?

What was it? What was it? What was this thing that was floating around everyone else that she just didn’t get? She felt anxious, her thoughts on Apple Bloom and her parents. All of them seemed to have something inside of them that she couldn’t comprehend. Why did all of them go out of their way to help others? Of course she knew what her mom had said, but she wondered how important it really was. Did it actually feel that good to do something nice for others?

As she walked into the school her heart started racing as she saw Apple Bloom was already there, chatting and laughing with Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. As she went to her seat Apple Bloom turned to her, and their eyes met for a moment. She pulled away from those anxious feelings inside of her by returning to her usual self, snubbing her classmate by turning her head with a huff as she sat down. She was feeling a lot of things she didn’t usually feel, and she didn’t think she liked it. She had always known what was right. Now she wasn’t so sure.

Apple Bloom just stared after her for a moment before her attention was pulled back to their conversation of what new thing to try to get a cutie mark for. However, she couldn’t get out of her head the expression on her classmate’s face as they had made eye contact. There was something in Diamond Tiara’s eyes that she hadn’t seen before. She didn’t know exactly what it was, but she didn’t think it was a bad change.

Class seemed to pass by agonizingly slowly. Every so often, out of the corner of her eye, Diamond Tiara would look at Apple Bloom. One of those times she began thinking, ‘I wonder if she liked my card.’ She immediately shook her head after that. ‘What’s wrong with me? Who cares if she liked it? It was a dumb thing to do, anyway.’ However, she didn’t really believe that. Part of her, though she firmly denied it to herself, actually felt a little scared Apple Bloom hadn’t liked her gift.

After class, when everyone was getting ready to leave, Diamond Tiara couldn’t take it anymore. She’d had these uncomfortable feelings all through class, and she had to get them out or it was going to drive her crazy.

Before she could do that, though, Apple Bloom came to her first. “Hey, Diamond Tiara!”

“Yes. What is it?” she responded.

Their eyes met again. Once more Apple Bloom saw the change in her eyes. With a smile Apple Bloom said, “Thank you so much for my birthday card. It really meant a lot to me, and it was the best end to the greatest birthday of my life. I was so glad that I couldn’t sleep for a while last night.”

A rush of intense emotions ran through Diamond Tiara at that statement, little tremors running through her body. She felt a little short of breath. ‘What… what is this?’ she wondered. ‘What is this feeling?’ Apple Bloom had appreciated it. It had brought her joy.

Her mother’s words came back to her. “When you help someone else, or give up what you want to do for someone else’s sake, you feel something special inside of you; And when that pony comes to you, grateful and thankful, you feel the reward of your good deed coming full circle back to you. Helping others is the same as helping yourself. ”

‘Is that it? That feeling? The one she was talking about?’ The feelings bubbling up inside of her felt so strange, so foreign, so… right. ‘I… like it.’

Again her mother’s words came to her. “When you feel the sense of accomplishment that comes from helping others, you’ll want to have that feeling all the time.”

“You’re welcome,” she said, surprised at the quiver in her voice, the genuineness of her reply. She had learned from her father to always be strong, as showing weakness was what allowed others to take advantage of you. She guessed that it meant a lot more to her than she expected. She was still uncertain about these new feelings going through her, but she wanted to have this rush again… at least one more time. And so…

“Look, I know what I said yesterday, but I changed my mind…” She hesitated, but those feelings inside her were already fading. She did want more, and for that she had to do what her heart was saying. She had grown tired of putting up her invincible façade. “Okay, I’ll do it. I’ll… I’ll take your offer and become a Cutie Mark Crusader.”

“What?” said Scootaloo flatly.

“What!” said Sweetie Belle in shock.

Diamond Tiara’s eyes widened. She had completely forgotten Apple Bloom’s friends were listening. Apple Bloom didn’t look bothered. Quite the opposite. And she wondered if Apple Bloom was now feeling those same feelings she had just experienced. Had she helped Apple Bloom feel a sense of joy too?

“Sounds good to me!” Apple Bloom said with a smile. “The more the merrier.”

The duo of Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo felt like they were missing something. Sweetie Belle whispered, “Are you sure about this, Apple Bloom?”

Apple Bloom thought of the pictures Diamond Tiara had given her, as well as the different way she was carrying herself that morning. Something had changed in her, and Apple Bloom thought it was in a good way. “Yes. Definitely.”

On the way to their clubhouse Scootaloo, still suspicious, asked, “So why do you want to join the Cutie Mark Crusaders? What’s your motive here? To try and ruin things for us like you always do?”

“It’s okay, Scootaloo!” Apple Bloom said strongly. “I mean it.”

Stopping entirely Scootaloo said, “Well, I don’t think it’s okay! All she ever did was make fun of us for everything. Have you forgotten how she got you so mad and upset on mother’s day that you got into a hoof fight and had to leave and go to your sister to calm down? Or how she mocked me for not being able to fly and nearly ruined our chances of being a part of the Equestria Games? And she said that YOU invited HER to join? I want to know why, and I want to know NOW!” Scootaloo stomped her hoof at the last word.

Sweetie looked around uneasily, then said awkwardly, “This really should be a group decision. You just decided this on your own without asking or telling us anything.”

All of them stopped now. Apple Bloom glanced at Diamond Tiara, who had a decidedly uncomfortable look on her face. Apple Bloom whispered to the two, “Try ta imagine Babs fer a moment, and then look at Diamond Tiara.”

Scootaloo remembered the week that Babs had come to visit, bullying them out of fear. Fear of being bullied again right away after leaving her town to get away from it all. She actually hadn’t wanted to do it. She had just thought it was the only way, even if it meant betraying her cousin.

As she thought about that she glanced at Diamond Tiara again, and it was like a flash of recognition. The look on her face seemed so similar.

Apple Bloom continued, “Anyway, I can’t tell ya why. She asked me not ta tell and, as Pinkie Pie likes ta say, losing a friend’s trust is the fastest way ta risk a friendship.”

Diamond Tiara sighed. She should have known it wouldn’t go so easy. “It’s okay. This isn’t going to go anywhere unless we clear things up now.”

“Well, okay then, but it would be a lot easier ta just show them instead of telling them.”

“…Right.”

That being settled, they headed for the house instead of the clubhouse. As they went to the kitchen they saw Applejack. “Hey, Applejack. Can ya make snacks fer four ta take ta the clubhouse?”

“Sure,” Applejack responded as the group passed by. As she started heating up some apple fritters she suddenly paused. “Four?” She wondered aloud, a questioning look on her face.

When the group reached Apple Bloom’s room she went into her dresser drawer, pulling out the envelope Diamond Tiara had given her the day before. “Are ya sure it’s okay, Diamond Tiara?” she asked.

Diamond Tiara nodded, a self-conscious look on her face.

With that last confirmation Apple Bloom turned to Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. “When we had that fight on mother’s day Diamond Tiara told me that she was jealous of me because I had something that money wouldn’t buy her.”

“We remember. I was there.” said Scootaloo in a bit of a sarcastic tone, her hooves crossed.

“And I told you guys that after I talked with Applejack that I apologized and talked with her about talking ta her parents about spending more time with her. The next day, and the whole week leading up ta my birthday, she acted like I was invisible. Up until yesterday I thought that she had done that and it didn’t work, which is why she didn’t want anything ta do with me. I had gotten her hopes up, and it had hit her hard.

“But that’s not the way it happened at all. After talking with her parents they DID grant her wish.” She pulled the card out of its envelope, carefully unfolding it to show the pictures of Diamond Tiara at the amusement park. As Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo looked over the pictures Apple Bloom continued, “The real reason she was ignoring me was because she was having trouble with the thought of being nice ta me and telling me thank you.

“I understand why yer upset, Scootaloo, but I don’t have a choice in the matter. If Diamond Tiara is offering ta try ta be friends then I’m not gonna turn her away. We Apples don’t do that. Family and friends are everything ta us, and I’d rather have her as a friend than as an enemy. And…”A small tear came down her eye. “…and just like Applejack, I want ta be able ta tell my mom and dad things that will make them proud of me.”

Scootaloo felt most of her misgivings fade away. “I understand, Apple Bloom.” Not believing that she would ever be saying those words genuinely, she turned and said, “Sorry, Diamond Tiara. I guess I’m willing to give you another chance.”

“It’s okay,” she responded.

“Apple Bloom!” called out Applejack. “Yer snacks are ready.”

“Oh, goodie,” Apple Bloom responded. “Let’s go get them and then go to the clubhouse fer yer initiation!”

With a rush she grabbed the bag of apple fritters, the other three not far behind.

Applejack had to do a double take to be sure she was seeing what she was seeing. At the tail end of their group was Diamond Tiara. She looked warmly over at the figure of her sister. “Well, I’ll be,” she said happily as she glanced up at the ceiling. “Mom, Dad… are ya watching yer smallest Apple? She’s come so far in such a short time.” She felt so proud of Apple Bloom for trying to make amends with her biggest rival.

When they reached the clubhouse they all climbed the ramp. “So, Scootaloo?” Apple Bloom said with a laugh.

“Yeah?” she responded, laughing as well though she wasn’t sure why.

“Did ya ever revise that speech of yours? Amigas, Bosum Buddies, Gal Pals, Allies.”

Sweetie Belle started cracking up. Imitating Scootaloo’s voice she said, “Eh-hem!... Well, you wrote this…. Oh, yeah.”

“Oh, ha, ha!” Scootaloo responded. “That was so funny I forgot to laugh.” However right after that she started laughing with the rest of them, clearly finding humor in it.

Diamond Tiara wanted to ask about the joke she seemed to be missing, but she was still feeling uncomfortable. She thought she had locked away feelings like this a long time ago, but she felt left out of their private joke, and she didn’t like it. “So is this really okay?”

“Whadda ya mean?” responded Apple Bloom.

“I mean, I already have a cutie mark so can I even join?”

“That don’t mean nothin’. While getting our cutie marks is why we formed our group in the first place, we’re also friends. So we try ta have fun and work together no matter what we try ta get a cutie mark for. And since we’re gonna have a member with one already that means we’re one step closer to our own cutie marks.

“Like Applejack always says, stop sweating the small stuff.”

Scootaloo gently played the drums, keeping a tempo as Sweetie Belle stood at the podium, reading the much condensed initiation speech. When it was over Apple Bloom threw Diamond Tiara a Cutie Mark Crusader cape.

There was something of a hopeful look on Diamond Tiara’s face. The three of them had accepted her pretty easily, despite all the nasty things she had done to them. Despite the weight of the cape, she felt lighter than she had in years.

As they sat and ate their apple fritters Apple Bloom was busy adding Diamond Tiara’s face to their attendance list, fully symbolizing her inclusion into their group.

Diamond Tiara had strange feelings going through her again. She had long dismissed Apple Bloom as naïve… stupid... living in a world of sunshine and rainbows. But now she realized that her new friends were the ones who had it right. She didn’t know how long this would last, or whether their differences would be too much to overcome, but she was willing to give this a shot, and that was what really mattered.

After they were done eating Diamond Tiara adopted her snobby attitude again. “Alright, look, I have a reputation to uphold. I don’t really want to be seen with a group of blank flanks…” With a fake sigh she dropped her attitude and said, “So I guess I don’t have a choice but to help you get those marks as quickly as possible, do I?” With that she smiled like she had in the photos. It made such a striking difference in her demeanor.

“I guess so,” Apple Bloom said, laughing and smiling too. “Alright, Crusaders. Let’s go!”

“RIGHT!” cried out Scootaloo.

“YEAH!” said Sweetie Belle.

The three of them put their hooves together, and Diamond Tiara put her hoof on top, completing it before they separated.

As the four of them left the clubhouse Diamond Tiara began feeling a bit troubled by something, stopping in place.

“What’s wrong?” asked Sweetie Belle, stopping as well.

More guilt came to mind as she knew there was one last thing she needed to do to push her old self away. “Would you mind if we added just one more pony to the group?”

“Who’s that?” asked Scootaloo.

“Silver Spoon. I know I haven’t exactly treated her right, and we became friends for the wrong reasons, but she still stuck beside me throughout it all. I think she needs to start learning what I did too, and with you is the best way to do it.”

Apple Bloom smiled. “Like I said before, the more the merrier. If she’s willing to treat us more respectfully and not be a bully we’ll welcome anyone who is interested.”

Diamond Tiara let out a sigh of relief. She felt better. In fact, she felt better than she thought she ever had. As they started running again she felt her heart soaring in her chest. She had her parents back, and now she had some real friends to spend time with. Things were looking up, and she no longer had to hide behind the barriers she had put up around her heart.

‘Life is good,’ she thought as let out a giddy laugh.

Author's Notes:

Thank you for reading this to the end. I hope all of you enjoyed the saga of Diamond Tiara and hopefully can be a little more sympathetic to her when you see the show.

Comments and constructive criticism's always welcomed. =)