I knock on the door and hear Twilight ask who it is.

“It’s me, I had a chat with Harmony and we’re all good now. No major disasters are going to befall your precious town.”

Twilight obviously didn’t believe me entirely as it took her a minute before I heard the deadbolt slide back and she opened the door, looking around cautiously.

Seeing nothing but me and no indication of impending disaster, she sighs. “Fine, come on in. So what happened to you?”

I pass her the book. “I made my own entry, read it yourself.”

She opens the book and reads what I’d written down, and then immediately lifts me up with her magic. “That’s not funny, now leave before something bad happens!”

“No really, I talked with Harmony. Well, I talked. It spoke by spelling out letters with rice and butterflies.”

Twilight looked at me like I just spontaneously mutated. “Did you... hit your head?”

“Actually my face, quite a few times, but that’s beside the point. I’m sure Harmony wouldn’t mind chatting with me again, but it’s busy at the moment. It can’t be all over the world at once, after all.”

“I don’t care what delusions you just had, just tell me that your presence will not endanger those around you.”

“It won’t. Seriously, Harmony is cool with me, and it got me anyway.”

“Well... alright.” She puts me back on the ground.

“By the way... the full title it gave me was Harmony-between-ponies. That’s why it’s gonna leave me alone, because I’m not a pony.”

Twilight got a thoughtful look on her face. The kind that told me she was thinking of something very interesting, but might end badly for me. “You know... we never really got to use that species swap spell right. I still need to find out what you’d be like as a pony.”

“How about no?”

“Look, I know I messed it up last time, but it was a simple accident! I’ll get it right this time!”

“I don’t care, I’m not gonna be a pony, even for a few hours.”

“Come on. Why don’t you think of it as a way to connect with us on a deeper level?” She looked at me, expecting me to relent.

“Because it doesn’t matter to me. I don’t care what supposed benefits there might be, I’m not giving these up for anything.” I say persistently, holding up my hand and wiggling my fingers.

She rolls her eyes. “Oh come on, what’s so special about hands? Sure they are convenient at times, but they aren’t that special.”

“Heh, says you. Why don’t you ask the princesses what I can do with fingers? I’m willing to bet they’d vouch for me.”

“I think the princesses would suggest you make the change so you can understand us better.” Damn, she had a point there. Still, I’m not about to be integrated.

“I am not going to be a pony, and that’s that, got it?”

Twilight sighs, exasperated. “Fine! Fine! I’ll drop it. But I still think just a few hours would make you appreciate us a bit more.”

We go our separate ways, and I figure I’d go see how the CMC are doing with their little business. I think about what Rainbow Dash said about me being adopted by them. That’s preposterous, I’m just looking out for them. Though Scootaloo really does seem to idolize me, a bit more than she says, at that.

I approach the little area where the CMC have their catapult set up and I see two others that seemed to be in the process of construction, but I also hear arguing... I hope it’s not over their new minor fortune.

As I get closer, I discover that the arguing is between the CMC and Diamond Tiara, for once not accompanied by her grayish lackey. I hear quite a few insults being thrown around, most of them rather childish, but occasionally there was a really hurtful-sounding one from either side.

I interject before any of the children do something that might be regretted later. “Hello girls. Is there a problem?”

Applebloom speaks up first. “Yeah, Diamond Tiara won’t leave us alone!”

The bully in question begins to retort but I simply cut her off. “I see.” I turn to Diamond and kneel down. “And I suppose you have a reason for this?”

She just glared at the CMC, but obviously was talking to me. “I don’t know why you care, they’re just a bunch of talentless Blank-Flanks!”

“Really now?”

“Well duh! Look, none of them have a Cutie Mark, everyone else in class has one!”

“So your Cutie Mark is a representation of your most notable skill, and therefore not having one implies you aren’t good at anything?”

Applebloom and Scootaloo are about to yell, but I hold my hand up to them, informing them that I’m still in control.

“Of course! It only shows up when you find out what you’re best at, and they have nothing! They’re just a bunch of big foals!”

“Perhaps they aren’t the best at anything-”

“Hey!” the four Crusaders respond in unison.

“But” I continue. “It’s obvious they have skills in plenty of areas. Sure none of them have a Cutie Mark for building or operating a trebuchet, but so far I don’t see any other ponies from here to Canterlot doing it... so that’s pretty special, right?”

“Yeah, but they don’t have their Marks, so obviously they aren’t that good.”

“I see. So just to clarify, a Cutie Mark is a symbol for all to see, showing what makes you a special individual and without one you are a nobody?”

“Of course! Everypony knows that, but these foals just won’t wise up and accept that they can’t do anything!”

“So I can judge any pony based on their Mark, and that defines who they are?”

“Ugh, are you going somewhere with this, or just wasting my time?”

I take a look at her Cutie Mark, obviously still the same thing, an exact image of the tiara on her head. “So from what I gather, based on your Cutie Mark...” I pause.

Diamond looks at me, irritated. “I know, I’m beautiful, that’s what it means!” She shows off her rump proudly.

I continue. “I gather that your only skill in this world and for your entire life is being just a superficial pretty face, meaning that’s all you're good for and you have no practical skills at all and will just stay a pathetic bully with her fat head stuck in her father’s wallet for the rest of her life.”

Diamond Tiara’s mouth just drops. “That’s a lie!!”

“No, it’s my opinion. You said that Cutie Marks symbolize what one is best at, and looking at your Mark, that’s what I see. Sure a blank flank shows immaturity, but it also shows a blank slate, a tabula rasa on which they can write whatever future they want for themselves.”

I’m met with silence from the whole group, so I continue. “While your mark has made itself known, and if I’m only basing my impression of your character on that, all I see is a rich bully who has no skills at all and must insult others simply to make herself feel good and distract herself from her pointless, pathetic future as a flash-in-the-pan nobody.”

At this point, Diamond Tiara is lying on the ground sobbing, and is just sadly gibbering out a mantra of “It’s not true, it’s not true...”

I pick her up. “You’re right, maybe it’s not true. But so far, you have yet to prove that assumption wrong. The more importance you put on something so blatant and permanent, the more it will affect you. If you want to prove that you aren’t the real childish loser here, you need to stop being such a bit- big jerk.” Whew, close one, gotta keep it clean for the kids.

Diamond Tiara looks up at me sadly, tears still running down her face. “I- I’m n- not a l- loser...”

I begin to pet her like I do with the other kids and she tenses up at the touch, but gives up, already feeling defeated. “You don’t have to be one. All you have to do is realize that no matter what somebody’s mark says, their future is not set in stone. Don’t be so mean, be nicer. That’s all it takes.”

I set the still rather sad Diamond Tiara on the ground and stand up. “Of course, if you keep being a bully to my friends, then I’m going to do something about it, and it won’t involve telling Miss Cheerilee or your father. Understand?”

She nods quickly and runs off. Applebloom speaks, looking in the direction Diamond had left in.

“Ah... ah’ve never seen Diamond Tiara cry before... an’... an’ all that stuff ya said...”

“I just gave her a taste of her own medicine. Seriously, having a Cutie Mark does not make anyone better than another. Neither does superiority, despite what that usually entails. But I was serious, if she keeps giving you trouble and you want it dealt with, just let me know.”

I hear Sweetie audibly gulp. “Wh- what would you do?”

I just shrug. “No idea, but I’ll think of something. She won’t have any broken bones or anything though, that’s for sure.”

Scootaloo finally finds words. “Diamond Tiara has been insulting us and making our lives miserable forever... and it was that easy? You just...”

“She judged based on appearance, so I did the same. Funny how bullies can never deal with being bullied...”

Scootaloo is all poofy again and just smiles up at me. “Thanks, you... really helped us out.”

In truth it had nothing to do with the CMC themselves, or even Diamond Tiara. I just hate bullies. Unfortunately, this one is so young I can’t get away with punching her face in so I had to use verbal tactics.

“Aww, c’mere you.” I grab the four of them and we all have a celebratory group hug, Scootaloo snuggling into my chest as usual. Maybe I should talk to her about the dangers of hero-worship. I swear, the way she idolizes me and Dash... I’m not sure if it’s totally healthy. I shake the negative thoughts from my head and just enjoy the warm, fuzzy, adorable huddle-hug.

When the hugging ends, I decide to head back to the library. It was still mid-afternoon but I couldn’t really think of anything else I wanted to do other than read, so I headed back to Golden Oaks.

When I arrive I just grab a book from one of the shelves and take it upstairs with me. I know Twilight hates it when I take ‘public library property’ up to my room, but I doubt there would be any urgent need for a copy of... I read the title.

Textiles and You: The future of manufacturing from a landowner's perspective.

Eh, fine, whatever. Once I’m in bed and actually reading however, I find it super boring. Like... really boring. I go back downstairs and put it back and grab another book, this one on gemstones and their relation to magic.

After a while of reading, I learn quite a few things. Apparently since they are more attuned to magic or something like that, the more colorful a gemstone is, the more it’s worth. A complete opposite of the way it works on Earth. No wonder my diamond creations aren’t worth dirt, they’re totally clear. Guess that’s why it only really intrigued Rarity, ‘cause it was shiny and attention-grabbing, perfect for something that has to have visual appeal.

I continue to read, gleaning a bit more information, but by now it’s actually gotten rather late and I’m feeling kind of tired. The book becoming rather boring is not helping me stay awake. Not really having anything better to do for the last few minutes of what could be considered ‘day’, I just drop the book on my nightstand and drift off to sleep.

I wake up the next morning and I feel... kind of odd. Well I feel alright and yet I... I...

I look around the room and everything looks normal. My bed feels a bit more spacious though. Come to think of it, everything looks... bigger than I remember. Maybe I’m just tired.

I try to pull the covers over my head and go back to sleep, but I seem to miss grabbing the blankets. Odd. Oh well, it’s morning anyway, I suppose I should get up. I sit up on the bed and push myself onto my feet but end up face first on the floor. The heck? I reach up to rub my nose and realize there’s something stuck to my face. Shaking my head doesn’t make it go away so I try slapping it off

“Gah, that hurt!” I just hit myself! But that would mean... I realize I now have a muzzle! Pinkie seems to materialize out of nowhere and gives me a tackle hug, saying something about her being glad I’m finally awake and how neat I look. What? She’s also bigger than I remember. I go to push her off so I can escape her vice-hug and that’s when I see hooves. My hooves.

I. Have. Hooves.

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