Cheerilee's lecture blurred into the background as Diamond Tiara stared into space, her mind focused elsewhere. Usually she would be passing notes with Silver Spoon, but since her friend was not here today she was grappling with her boredom. She did not even attempt to listen to what the teacher was talking about because she knew there was no going back once she was unfocused.

The session droned on, and when the bell finally rang Diamond Tiara jumped out of her seat and was the first one out the door. It was then when she noticed her stomach growling, but she ignored it as she entered the lunch line and grabbed whatever looked appetizing—cherries, soup, a small salad and a bag of chips. Just when she was about to exit into the cafeteria, someone bumped into her and sent her food hurling onto the floor.

Infuriation flared up inside of her when she saw who it was. She stared into the eyes of Apple Bloom. "Hey! Watch where you're going, blank flank!"

"Sorry," she said, blindly following her little friends. Diamond Tiara rolled her eyes and started shouting as the distance between them grew. "Aren't you going to clean up the mess you made?"

"I don't think that's the mess here," Scootaloo retorted. "Take a look at yourself!"

She thinks she's so smart. Diamond Tiara was about to scream a comeback, but then her stomach flipped and she was reminded of what was actually important. Picking up her food, she guided herself to an empty table. She was not in the mood to be burdened with tedious conversation—especially with any of the idiots at the schoolhouse. Halfway through lunch hour she was already very lonely. It had been awhile since she had experienced this feeling, and one glance at the Cutie Mark Crusaders made it even worse.

Their joyful laughter echoed throughout the cafeteria, and her head bowed. Sure, she had Silver Spoon, but contrary to popular belief she was the only friend Diamond Tiara really had. All of the other ponies were just acquaintances and pawns for her success. She had "fake" friendships, ones that she had to make to ensure that she would be the top dog of the school—but to see a true bond between these three ponies caused her to realize what she had been missing out on.

Her heart sinking, she shoved her tray away and tried not to bury her face into her hooves. Silver Spoon was not enough. She could not invest all of her time into one friend—Silver Spoon will not always have time for her, no matter what she told Diamond Tiara. Besides, she was certain Silver Spoon only liked her because she gained popularity from her, and she needed a friend that would actually like her for who she was.

Trying to mask her pain, she carried her tray over to the trash and dumped it, and proceeded to exit when she ran into the Cutie Mark Crusaders again.

"Get out of my way," she groaned, shoving Sweetie Belle to the side and heading out to recess. She breathed in the fresh air and gazed at the dreary sky, trying to ignore the protests of the annoying blank flanks behind her. Their voices were so high-pitched and irritating, however, that they were difficult to block out.

"Can you just calm down?" Apple Bloom said in her southern accent.

"Maybe if you stop showing up everywhere," Diamond Tiara snorted.

"We're in the same class, deal with it!" Shouted Scootaloo, leading the two other fillies onto the playground as she cast a warning glare over in Diamond Tiara's direction. She returned the glare, but shoved her negative thoughts to the back of her mind. I'll deal with those brats later, she decided, walking to a group of ponies gathered around the equipment. I might as well pretend I'm alright. What other ponies don't know won't hurt them.

…

"Hey Daddy, I'm home!" Diamond Tiara announced, walking into the mansion and putting down her saddlebag. Once again, the only acknowledgement was a grunt. She sighed and made her way upstairs, plopping down onto the mattress and finally allowing her tears to stream out.

She did not even eat dinner. She knew her father could hear he agonized screams from where he was at, but wait, he was too "busy" to help her. The filly lifted her face from the drenched pillow and turned to look at a picture sitting atop her dresser. The photo was of her mother, wearing the tiara that Diamond had been wearing everyday in remembrance of her. Diamond Tiara took the picture and clutched it to her chest. "I miss you, mommy," she cried, her heart feeling as if it was being torn, "I really wish you were here right now…"

Throughout the night, the ache in her heart refused to leave. She remained in her bed the whole evening, crying continuously. This is what she had been doing everyday for the past few weeks. No one knew this—not even Silver Spoon… it was not like that filly could comprehend her pain anyway. Silver Spoon had both parents and she had actual friends—she had a good life. Diamond envied her to no end.

It was at 9:00 when Diamond Tiara finally drifted to sleep.

Blackness enveloped her. Yellow eyes peeked at her above, and Diamond Tiara refused to look directly at them. She searched for somewhere else to go—somewhere to flee—but there was nowhere. This is what she dreamt every night. This is what she plagued her… those cold, calculating, mysterious amber eyes…

It was not until tonight that the identity behind those eyes began to speak to her.

"What has been troubling you lately?" a raspy voice spoke.

Diamond Tiara jumped. "I..uh.." she shook her head and attempted to hide her emotion. "What business is it of yours?"

Sadistic laughter was the response. "Oh, my dear Diamond, do not act like such a fool. I have watched you for the past month. You are one miserable filly. Oh, but of course you might not be if you gave some certain individual a chance…it's not like no one knows that you are desperately searching for help, being of elusive of every right choice, crying yourself to sleep every night…"

Tears welled up in her eyes, but she wiped them away quickly. Who was this? As she thought about it, she realized that it did not matter. This was a dream anyway.

The next thing that happened proved her logic wrong.

The darkness faded to reveal the very creature standing in front of her.

It was nothing that she had ever recognized before. The creature was merely a pony in an obscure cloak, its amber eyes still shining through the attire.

"Who…what?" She stuttered, confused.

"Come, and I will show you everything," the creature said.

Before diamond Tiara knew it, a new landscape materialized in front of her.