Today is a regular day on the Apple Farm, the same old work as ever. Today, a texas yellow mare has been tasked with filling barrels with the apples collected for the day. Dozens of crates line the walls of the barn, filled to the brim with apples. For a change, she is thankful she doesn't have to buck apples as well as organize these barrels.

Applebloom lets out a sigh before she grabs her note cards and begins walking down the lines of crates. She places a note card on each of them, marking them with a number in the order she wants to organize them. The most important thing to her ordering is that she judges it based on the sheen the apples in the crate carry. The ones that shine the least will be taken care of first, and the best is saved for last.

With the large size of the barn, it takes her some time before she reaches the ends of the lines and places the last of the cards. When her hooves are empty, she knows she can begin work. She trots off out of the barn to a cart filled with empty barrels. Attaching it firmly to her back, she pushes forth and digs her hooves into the dirt to drag the cart inside the barn. She approaches the first crate and detaches the cart from her back.

She takes the card from the crate, and attaches it to the first barrel she rolls down onto the ground. Sitting it back up and removing the barrel's top, she lifts up the crate and begins to dump apples into it. Some of the apples fall from the crate onto the ground, and others barely teeter off the edge before falling into the barrel. She knew to expect this, and still she doesn't do anything to prevent it.

With a sigh, she grabs the apples from the ground and wipes them off on the pink shawl wrapped around her shoulders. She knows she's going to have to wash the shawl later, and makes a note to do so when she leaves the house. She shakes her head and focuses back on her work, polishing the fallen apples and depositing them in the barrel. When the barrel is full, she places the top and leaps on top of it. With a few firm stomps of her hooves, the top is sealed back in place, and the barrel is rolled to the side to be picked up later.

Barrel after barrel, the process repeats. She lifts a crate and dumps apples, polishes the ones that fall, puts in the fallen apples, shuts the top, and rolls the barrel away. Hours are spent taking care of the apples. Even though the cool breeze outside is blowing through the barn, she's still sweating and feels like she's on fire. When she reaches her final barrel, the sun is setting on Sweet Apple Acres, and the orchard is casting shadows on the road to PonyVille.

She is dragging her hooves as she approaches the final crate, and takes the top off the last barrel. Again, she dumps the apples into the barrel, and picks up the ones that fall. As she throws in the last of the apples, a brilliant gamboge mare enters the barn from the side opposite her. She barely notices the mare is there until the hoofsteps draw in closer and she speaks.

"Workin hard, sugar cube?" the mare says, startling Applebloom and making her drop the apple she was holding.

"Celestia, AJ, ya scared me," Applebloom laughs as she lifts up the apple and polishes it again.

"Suppose you were awful focused, hm?" Applejack laughs alongside her younger sister. "Can't say I blame ya. You've been in here all day, haven't ya?"

"Of course!" Applebloom exclaims with a nod. "Ya know me, I love gettin' busy. Ain't no stoppin' me once I get started."

"Ah'll have to get Big Mac in here to pick up all them barrels," Applejack said, pointing her head to the collection of barrels.

As Applebloom had went down the line, the barrels she filled were placed in front of the crates she'd emptied into them. Some barrels were filled with one crate, and others were just able to fit two. Barrels were placed in front of empty crates and sometimes between two to showcase that. An uneven line of them covered the crates against the walls. Applebloom blinked in surprise at how much work she'd done, and it was then that she realized just how late it was.

"Ah... didn't even realize just how late it is..." Applebloom mumbled as she cast her gaze outside.

The once blue sky was fading into reds and yellows as the sun descended. Twilight was already lowering it, and Applebloom had been completely oblivious. She had a habit of doing that; she often got so fixated on her work that she forgot to eat. And judging by the way her stomach growled just then, she had missed her dinner. Applejack could tell.

"It's time you take a break, sugar cube," Applejack said as she faced her sister. "You go on and relax now, and I'll get yer brother so we can take care of the rest of this work."

"You sure you'll be fine without me?" Applebloom asked hesitantly. "I can assure ya that I'm much stronger than I used to be. I could help ya carry the barrels."

"You've earned your rest, Applebloom, don't you be talkin' about workin' now," Applejack said firmly with a nod. "Why don't ya get your bits pouch and head into town and enjoy yourself? Get some dinner, buy somethin' you've been wantin', hang out with your filly friends. You just be back before the moon rises, ya hear?"

"Yes ma'am!" Applebloom laughed and nodded repeatedly.

Applejack had successfully convinced her, and Applebloom was thankful she did. As she trotted back outside to head in the house and get to her room, she became aware of just how badly her hooves were aching. She still felt as though she were carrying a dozen barrels thousands of miles. She winced as she ran up the stairs to her room, and pushed open the door. Her room was the same as ever, though she had significantly less plushies than she did as a filly.

That made things easy for her as she walked to her side table and pulled open the drawers. She could never find her bits pouch, because she never seemed to put it back in the same place she grabbed it from. Thankfully, she did do that this time, and her bits pouch was in the top drawer. She grabbed it from the drawer, and untied the thread sealing it shut. She wrapped the thread around her shawl and attached the pouch to it.

After making sure it was secure and wouldn't fall off, Applebloom trotted out of her room. All she wanted to do was get dinner, so she didn't think about getting her saddle bags. She descended the staircase and walked back to the barn. Big Mac and Applejack were already together, clearly in a serious conversation about something. As always, Big Mac had little to say as he did his work and Applejack talked his ear off.

Applebloom didn't know what they were talking about, but she wasn't particularly concerned with it. She trotted around the barn and headed for the farm entrance. As she walked below the arch and followed the path leading to PonyVille, the only thing that filled her mind was what things she could get for dinner. She didn't even know what she felt like eating. Would it be worth it to continue thinking about it right now?

Well, maybe she should consider where she wants to eat first... A lot of cafes and shops had opened up in PonyVille over the last few years, ever since Twilight became the ruler of Equestria. A lot of things in general had changed, and she still wasn't the most used to them. Her thoughts began to drift as she thought about it, and her pace slowed to a walk as she entered the streets of PonyVille. Her eyes met the ground, and her expression must've showed that she was deep in thought.

Where to eat was one thing, where to go was another. She didn't know if she'd have time to go anywhere else or do anything else after dinner. She almost wondered if she would've had a better chance just making her own food back home. But, she was out on the streets now, so it was too late for her to consider going back. She felt her stomach growl again, and it forced her back into reality. Had she not eaten anything today?

She was pulled out of her hungry thoughts when a voice called to her. It was a voice she hadn't heard in a few years.

"Applebloom?"

Applebloom lifted her head and looked to where the voice called from. A few hoofsteps behind her was a perfume pink mare, whose white and wisteria mane flowed in gentle waves around her shoulders and wrapped around her body. Her steel blue eyes locked with Applebloom's roman red eyes, and they stared at eachother purely in surprise. The perfume pink mare turned to fully face Applebloom. The silver tiara on her head glistened, as did the diamond encrusted trio of collar, choker, and matinee necklaces one would think only a bride could wear.

"...Diamond Tiara," Applebloom said, just barely loud enough for the other mare to hear.

Diamond Tiara blinked. As if she were nervous, she glanced from her left to her right before she approached Applebloom. Only out of kindness did Applebloom face her, rather than turning and walking away.

"I haven't seen you in years," Diamond Tiara said with a nervous laugh, brushing her wavy mane out of her face.

"I didn't think you still lived in PonyVille," Applebloom hummed. "Would've figured you'd be livin' in Canterlot by now or somethin'."

"Oh, no, never," Diamond Tiara chuckled lowly, her ears drooping. "PonyVille is my home... As much as my mom wanted me to, I don't think I could leave this place."

"I get it," Applebloom said with a sigh. "I could never leave Sweet Apple Acres. Applejack told me a story about how she once thought she wasn't supposed to be there as a filly, so she moved to this big city, but... somethin' brought her back here, and she's stayed ever since."

"I guess she just missed home," Diamond Tiara mused as she met Applebloom's gaze again. "I would probably have a similar story if I ever left."

Applebloom knew the full story, but she didn't feel like saying it. At least, not to her. She really was genuinely surprised that Diamond Tiara still lived in PonyVille... and she didn't like it very much. Seeing her now only made all her thoughts of their childhood together flow back into her mind. It felt suffocating, and it put a heavy weight on her heart that she hated more than anything. The awkward silence they had placed themselves in didn't help matters either.

Neither did the growl in her stomach. Diamond Tiara blinked in shock hearing the sound, and blush exploded on Applebloom's face. Her reddened face nearly blended into her mane, making her features almost disappear.

"Haha- wow, would you look at the t-time!" Applebloom laughed, looking at a fake watch on her hoof. "I should really be gettin' back to Sweet Apple Acres before Applejack gets to worryin' about me... I-it was nice talkin' to ya DT, but-"

Applebloom moved to skirt around the mare to walk the way she had come from... but Diamond Tiara stood in front of her again to stop her.

"W-wait, Applebloom, don't leave yet!" Diamond Tiara said, a look of guilt and fear crossing her features.

Applebloom paused, blinking down at the perfume pink mare. She had rarely seen Diamond Tiara react to a situation like this. Very few times did it come up when they were fillies. Applebloom chose to avoid Diamond Tiara even then, mainly for her own protection. Diamond Tiara understood then; Applebloom was sure she understood now.

"I... I'm actually glad I ran into you," Diamond Tiara said when she had taken a breath to calm herself and stand up straight. "I wanted to talk to you. I-it's nothing too serious I just... well, judging by your stomach growling you seem hungry so... maybe you could join me at a cafe or something?"

Applebloom was shocked even with that. She tilted her head to the side with a raised brow and a perked ear.

"You're... serious?" Applebloom asked hesitantly.

"One-hundred percent." Diamond Tiara nodded.

Applebloom considered it. With the way Diamond Tiara was acting, it didn't seem like this was some sort of drawn-out scheme of hers. Silver Spoon was completely absent, and Applebloom herself was alone. No Scootaloo, no Sweetie Belle, no Babs... it was just them. Applebloom couldn't imagine Diamond Tiara had much reason to continue tormenting her right now anyways. They were adult mares; that sort of harrassment could get the guards called.

But she still wasn't sure if she felt the most comfortable being alone with her, even if it was just a sort of 'friendly' dinner date. The look on Diamond Tiara's face told Applebloom that she could read into her thoughts. She could feel the distrust and the discomfort, and maybe she was regretting even asking. However, Applebloom was sure she gave off a similar energy.

...She decided to humor the mare, and spoke after a small sigh.

"Just this once," Applebloom said. "I need to be back before the moon rises. Applejack told me that."

"I can respect that," Diamond Tiara said with a smile. "It'll be quick, I promise"

"You're not um..." Applebloom cleared her throat. "You ain't gonna bring me to one of them fancy restaurants are you?"

"W-What?" Diamond Tiara asked with a stutter.

Applebloom raised a brow. Clearly, she had been considering it. Though Diamond Tiara tried her best to change, she was still a rich pony at heart. Diamond Tiara shook her head and quickly deflected with a wave of her hoof.

"Oh no no, y-you don't seem like the kind of pony who would like those fancy fru-fru restaurants anyways," Diamond Tiara laughed, refusing to meet Applebloom's gaze. "Uh... h-how about you pick where we go?"

Applebloom rolled her eyes. This mare had barely changed. The only thing that was really different was her lack of insulting and name calling.

"Well, that's what I was strugglin' with before I ran into ya..." Applebloom mumbled as she turned and cast her gaze at the surrounding homes and buildings. "Lots of places have opened up since Princess Twilight became ruler of Equestria."

"You've noticed that too, hm..." Diamond Tiara mused as she ran a hoof through her mane. "It doesn't make things much easier, that's for sure. How about we walk around for a little until we find somewhere interesting?"

"Fine by me," Applebloom said curtly.

Diamond Tiara swallowed hard as she walked to stand at Applebloom's side. The two offered eachother a silent nod before they began walking down the road. They passed by shops selling authentic artifacts, ancient relics, breads and pies... they even walked straight past Sugar Cube Corner. Applebloom considered walking inside, but with what seemed to be the sounds of a hyperactive foal, she'd rather not... Besides, she needed actual food and not desserts.

She glanced at Diamond Tiara, who refused to look back at her. Her eyes were scattered at her surroundings, and it was hard to tell what she was thinking. Obviously she was trying to find a restaurant or something they could eat and chat in, but perhaps she was too caught up in picking a restaurant that wasn't horribly fancy to make a decision. She did say Applebloom could pick after all... maybe that was a good thing for both of them.

Thankfully, Applebloom finally found a restaurant that she had never been to. She looked up at the overhead sign, which was rectangular with the emblem of a martini cup with two baguettes crossed in an X behind it. Was it a bar?

"...Hey Diamond Tiara, have you ever been to a bar?" Applebloom asked offhandedly.

"No..." Diamond Tiara replied hesitantly. "I've never been to one, but they never seem like the kind of place I'd like to go."

"Well, maybe you should get outta yer comfort zone," Applebloom teased lightly. "What if we try this one? I've never been here myself, but I've been to a few bars in the past."

"That sounds like an interesting story," Diamond Tiara hummed. "Alright... since you insist, I suppose I'll give it a shot. I'll save my rating for the end of our adventure."

"Don't worry about it, we'll just go sit at a booth," Applebloom reassured the mare.

The two pushed through the painted black door and entered the dimly building. It was a small place, and the building was brand new, but it had a historic feeling to it. The walls were plastered with black and white photographs, which seemed to be taken during the early eras of the camera. The wallpaper stapled into the walls was black with golden cracks that resembled marble, and black sconces befitting of the Canterlot Castle were spaced evenly along the walls. The floor was covered in white tiles, occasionally spotted with silver and gray.

As Applebloom had promised, she lead Diamond Tiara to a booth that was further away from some of the other patrons. Settled by a window with white decals of various cocktails, the booth featured a dark wooden table and red velvet banquette seats.

"Well, it's certainly comfortable," Diamond Tiara hummed as she settled down in the seat in front of Applebloom. "It doesn't seem like the most popular place though..."

"Probably 'cause it's new," Applebloom mumbled as she rested her hooves on the table. "Not many ponies are talkin' about it I guess."

"Depending on my experience, perhaps I could boost its popularity a little..." Diamond Tiara mused.

Applebloom bit her tongue before she could respond to Diamond Tiara's musings. It seemed like the mare still had a tightly-knitted ego cloaking her completely. She didn't want to start anything, however, so she didn't say it out loud. Instead, she choose to deflect the conversation.

"At least we're comfortable so far," Applebloom said to continue the topic elsewhere. "I've been to places worse than this, though most of em' aren't really set in PonyVille."

"So you've been to bars outside of PonyVille..." Diamond Tiara said as she cast her gaze on Applebloom.

"Only some," Applebloom laughed nervously. "They aren't really my sorta place either, but I like branchin' out every so often. It's nice to get outta yer comfort zone. Helps ya learn more about yerself."

"I see..." Diamond Tiara nodded slowly. "I suppose that's something that I could pick up on myself. I've never been... one to go outside of the things my mother and father would tell me. I guess I never assumed that they could be wrong about how I could develop."

"Explains why your mom was so shocked when ya helped with the playground," Applebloom chuckled.

"Well, mom was always like that," Diamond Tiara sighed, crossing her hooves on the table and resting her head on them as she looked out the window. "She didn't like the idea that I would pick something outside of her 'area of expertise'. It was always be rich or be poor, and the line was very harshly drawn. If I dared to deviate, she'd make me pay for it."

"You had a rough life at home I'd imagine," Applebloom mumbled.

"Oh very much so." Diamond Tiara lifted her head and rested her hooves on the seat again as she nodded. "I suppose that's part of the reason that I picked on you so much..."

Applebloom flinched, pressing her hooves into the table. She pursed her lips and stared down at her hooves before a question crossed her mind. She took a deep breath and looked up at Diamond Tiara with a stern expression.

"That's somethin' I've wanted to ask ya for a long time, DT," Applebloom said. "Why were you so obsessed with bullyin' me n' Scoots n' Sweetie Belle?"

Before Diamond Tiara could answer, a pony approached them. In silence, they used their purple unicorn magic to lower a menu before each of them. They dipped their head and walked off, giving the two the time they would need to order what they wanted. Diamond Tiara sighed as she rested her hoof on the menu, and lifted the other so she could pick it up.

"It's... a long story."

Diamond Tiara insisted that they go over the long story while they ate. So, they sat in silence as they looked over the foot long menu they were given. Drinks were listed at the bottom, with food filling the rest of the space. Various wines and special cocktails filled the back of the menu. Applebloom had never been known to drink, so she rarely knew what any of the ingredients were. It was just her luck that the menu specified; it was a little small for her to read though.

Eventually, a light cerulean unicorn mare approached their table. From the blue saddle strapped to her back, she grabbed a notepad in her purple magic as she talked.

"Hi there, my name is Mint Jewelup, you can call me Mint," she said as she fashioned her saddle down, and brushed her heliotrope and lavender mane out of her face. "I'll be your waitress for this evening. Are you two ready to order?"

"I am," Diamond Tiara said with a smile.

She gave Applebloom a soft look, though it was brief. She must've known that she hadn't decided yet. As embarrassed as she felt, Applebloom nodded to Diamond Tiara as a silent show of thanks. She continued looking over the menu while Diamond Tiara put in her order.

"I'll start with a Purple Rain for a drink," The perfume pink mare hummed.

"Do you want sugar around the rim?" The waitress asked as she wrote on her notepad.

"Hm… I'll try it." Diamond Tiara nodded. "I think I'm ready to order food as well, so I'll have…"

Diamond Tiara took a second look at the menu, running her hoof over the available options. She mumbled to herself and shook her head before she lifted her head to face the waitress again.

"A carrot and raisin salad," the mare said as she set her menu down on the table. "Oh, and a side of sautéed cucumbers."

"Do you want sliced pineapples with your salad?" Mint asked.

"You can add pineapples to this?" Diamond Tiara blinked in surprise before she took a few seconds to consider. "Well, I do like pineapples… Sure, I wouldn't mind."

The more they talked about food, the hungrier Applebloom got. She had definitely not had anything to eat today, and she was paying for it. Her stomach was practically trying to digest itself as they spoke. Applebloom hid her face behind her menu until the waitress had finished writing down Diamond Tiara's order, taken her menu in her magic, and turned to face Applebloom.

"How about you, hun?" Mint asked, bringing the texas yellow mare out of her thoughts and back into the real world once more.

Quickly, Applebloom sat up and skimmed through the menu again. She still wasn't sure what she wanted; her indecision was her worst enemy. She took a deep breath, and decided to wing it, and pick whatever looked the best, or ask for some help. As such, she flipped over her menu to the back, and peered at the wines and cocktails that covered the page.

"I'ma get out of my comfort zone a little," Applebloom laughed lightly. "Think I'll try one of the wines… Can ya recommend somethin' to me?"

"Let me think," Mint hummed, tapping her pencil to her chin and peering over at the menu herself. "Well, if you want my personal favourites? I'm a dark red wine kind of pony, so any of those would be my recommendation."

As Mint spoke, she used her pencil to make a circle in the air around some of the wines, specifically the ones lower on the list. Applebloom was given the idea that the lower on the list they were, the darker the wine.

From Mencía to Syrah, she had a few different decisions, but not many specifications as far as their taste. Applebloom chose put her apple cider knowledge to the test, as she believed that the two processes weren't so different from each other.

She knew deep down she was a pony that liked aged cider, which changed in colour based on how long it had been aged for. She assumed something similar happened to the wines. But, she definitely wasn't an expert; she couldn't fully trust her knowledge. Still, she prayed silently that she wouldn't have to pick a different drink and embarrass herself.

"I'll try the darkest wine ya got," Applebloom chuckled as she pointed on the menu to the syrah wine.

"You won't regret it," Mint hummed in a sing-song fashion as she scribbled on her notepad. "Are you ready to order food too?"

"You probably want one of the apple based foods," Diamond Tiara lightly teased Applebloom.

Applebloom knew she was at least joking this time. This form of teasing was different from the blatantly bullying she was accustomed too. Still though, it made her coat crawl. She wasn't ready to hear this kind of teasing from Diamond Tiara yet, not when they weren't even friends.

"Out of spite, I'll pick somethin' different," Applebloom teased back, hoping that her tone didn't make it horribly obvious how uncomfortable she was.

Diamond Tiara rolled her eyes, but she had a smile on her face that at least proved she wasn't upset. Applebloom could breathe easy knowing she didn't come off as rude. Though, if Diamond Tiara could hear her thoughts…

Applebloom shook her head. She didn't have time to be thinking about that. She could think about things when she was by herself. She turned back to Mint to finish her order.

"I'll have a grilled lettuce sandwich," she said finally. "And I'll take DT's idea of havin' sautéed cucumbers to go with."

"Alright, thank you guys!" Mint hummed happily as she finished writing the order and took Applebloom's menu. "I'll be back with your drinks, and the food will be a bit."

The mares nodded as the waitress walked off, and silence filled the room again. Diamond Tiara's comfortable and smiley facade broke down the second they were alone again. Applebloom didn't have to open her mouth for Diamond Tiara to know what she wanted to say.

"It's not something that's easy for me to talk about, Applebloom," the rich mare began. "I'm sure you remember back then… you know, during the election. You three saw how my mom treated me, and even now I'm still surprised that you put up with me and wanted to help me."

Applebloom did remember it. It was so long ago, but it still stuck in her head. She had completely flipped her tiara upside down that day. Standing up to her mother, doing something productive for their school, supporting her class… Applebloom couldn't believe it then. It still seemed like a drawn-out fairy tale even now. But Diamond Tiara sat before her, completely changed.

"But after that day, we stopped talking," the perfume pink mare continued with drooping ears.

"Well, you know why that is Diamond Tiara…" Applebloom mumbled. "We were young and we were over-reactive, but… you hurt me the worst. I couldn't consider ya a friend just because you called me one. You did a lotta damage, girl. You can't fix that in one day."

"...I know." Diamond Tiara stared at the empty space on the table. "That's why I was so happy that I ran into you. I wanted to be able to apologize for everything that I'd done, and make up for it."

"An apology ain't gonna cut it, DT," Applebloom sighed.

"It didn't know that then, I know that now," Diamond Tiara said with a hiss in her voice, before she swallowed her feelings and spoke lowly. "But it's been sixteen years, Applebloom. We were twelve. In a small town like this, with us both still living here, it's impossible for us to avoid each other and try to hold onto our grudges and bad memories. They're like chains; some day, we'll want to break them."

Diamond Tiara was right. Applebloom had barely even considered how long it had been since all this started. Since the day Diamond Tiara got her cutie mark, to the day Applebloom got hers… And they really couldn't avoid each other, not in this town. Neither of them wanted to leave their homes. Applebloom would take over Sweet Apple Acres fully some day, and Diamond Tiara still loved PonyVille. Moving to Canterlot would've been… her mom's choice, not hers.

"I want to be able to prove to you that I've changed," Diamond Tiara said, her eyes glossy with tears and her voice cracking. "I can't take back all that wasted time that I robbed from you. Back when I was a stuck up bitch who was in over her head, and lacked the strength to make her own decisions… I wasn't as strong as a diamond, because I was too scared of getting hurt to step out of line. And to be honest… I was jealous of you."

As Diamond Tiara spoke, tears began to roll down her face. She didn't even seem to realize they were there. She kept talking, but she made no effort to scrub the tears from her face. She only shut her eyes and took a deep breath so she could compose herself, and keep her voice from breaking. Applebloom could only stare at her in shock after the last sentence she uttered.

"You were… jealous?" Applebloom said. "But why would you be jealous of me when you had everythin' any pony could ever want? Not to mention the money to get it…"

"You can't buy friends," Diamond Tiara chuckled brokenly. "Silver Spoon only hung out with me because I was rich, but I'm not sure if she's ever liked me for who I am as a pony. Or, well, who I used to be… But you had friends. You could pick and choose your talent, and you had friends that were doing what you wanted because they wanted to do it too. They weren't doing it because you told them to or they felt like they had to… I never had that luxury."

As they talked, the waitress returned with their drinks. Before Diamond Tiara, a collins glass filled with a purple cocktail was settled. Around the rim, purple sugar glistened in the faint light from the window and the sconces lit up the white of the ice. The shine of the ice cubes was especially prominent near the top of the glass, separating the grenadine that floated through the deep violet like real purple rain. The lime wheel stuck firmly to the side seemed out of place amongst the beautiful shades of purple.

In front of Applebloom, a wine glass was settled. Within the glass was a deep dark red wine that almost filled the entire glass, leaving an inch from the very top. Applebloom could hardly believe that this was the darkest shade of wine that they had. It was a gorgeous colour, really. After settling down both of the glasses, the waitress left them alone again.

Applebloom was only broken out of her thoughts when Diamond Tiara gripped her cocktail glass in both of her hooves, lifting it up to her snout and sipping her drink. She set down the cup before it could slip out of her hands, and her eyes flickered from the taste of the drink. It was something Applebloom had recognized from their cider tasters; sourness and bitterness were an underlying flavour.

"Even with all of that in mind," the rich mare cleared her throat as she continued speaking. "I still want to show you that I'm not the same pony. I don't want to be a diamond because I outshine other ponies. I want to be a diamond because I want to be tougher than I am at the core. I'm an adult. I should be able to make my own decisions and be the pony I want to be."

Diamond Tiara's voice was just barely audible over the hum of the lights in the bar, but Applebloom latched onto and took in every word. Diamond Tiara had sang about that before; being the pony she wanted to be. She wanted to be a strong, unbreakable pony so that being called 'Diamond' meant something. But she never knew what she needed to do to be a good pony like she wanted to be, because her mom never gave her the opportunity to try something.

Applebloom thought she knew the whole story, but clearly she didn't. She had barely scratched the surface.

Diamond Tiara finally acknowledged the tears on her face, and grabbed a napkin from the holder on their table. She wiped her face until she couldn't fold up the napkin and collect anymore tears. Even though more tears rolled down her face the moment they were wiped away, she set down her napkin and didn't pick it up again.

"I'm not asking for forgiveness, Applebloom," Diamond Tiara continued. "I just don't want you to see me as the same old filly anymore."

Applebloom was silent. She wasn't sure what she could do or say right now. This was a side of Diamond Tiara that she hadn't seen before. Even after she and the others had seen how Spoiled Rich treated her, it wasn't nearly as bad as this. Applebloom's heart felt heavy, and it was for a different reason this time. It threatened to make tears perk in her own eyes

Diamond Tiara stared blankly at the table separating them. Applebloom shuffled her hooves on the seat, trying to figure out something she could say. She couldn't just leave Diamond Tiara in this silence. Despite everything that had happened, Applebloom always wanted to at least try to be kind to every pony. Even when she tried to let Diamond Tiara down, she did it gently.

Applebloom wrapped one hoof around the stem of her wine glass, swirling the liquid and coating an extra few millimeters of the glass in the red liquid. She lifted the glass to her lips, sipping the wine slowly. She barely gave herself enough time to enjoy the sweetness of the aged and darkened wine before she set it back on the table, cupped her hooves together, and opened her mouth to speak.

"I can tell that you've changed, it don't take a scientist to see that," Applebloom said somewhat hesitantly. "You've grown a lot, DT, but I'm…"

…not sure if I'm ready for that, is what she wanted to say. But she bit her tongue, and couldn't bring herself to be open about those sorts of thoughts. Not yet, at any rate. She didn't want to spoil her appetite, nor did she want to make Diamond Tiara cry. Seeing her cry without her influence already hurt her to the core, and she didn't know why.

Maybe she was being ridiculous about how hard she held onto this grudge, or maybe she was trying to convince herself that things weren't as bad as she thought they were. She fought between both sides of the coin, in a constant state of flipping heads or tails. But, she could never pick a side. It felt like every time she flipped the coin, it stood on its side when it landed.

She took a deep breath and sighed. At the very least, she wanted to see where this could go. She wanted to have complete faith in Diamond Tiara, to believe that she really was different. She knew she was a different mare now. But, she couldn't accept that in one day, no matter how many years had passed. The wounds this mare had left in her soul still hadn't healed, and seeing her again had only reopened them.

Either way, Applebloom did want things to be better. She couldn't continue to live in the past and force herself not to strive for a future where things are better. She didn't want to be chained in the past.

"I'll… give it a shot," Applebloom said finally. "Tryin' to reconcile with ya, I mean. I know it'll still take time… but I'm willin' to try. Maybe this is somethin' I need if I'm gonna really recover, I dunno. There's only one way to find out I guess…"

"You don't have to force it, Applebloom," Diamond Tiara said as she wiped the last of her tears away. "It's obvious that you aren't very excited about it. I don't blame you; I wouldn't be either."

"I'm not gonna force it," Applebloom reassured the mare as she rested her hooves on the table. "I'll take it slow. At the very least… if it sounds alright to ya, we can try to hang out n' joke around a little from time to time?"

"I'd like that," Diamond Tiara answered with a smile. "It can be as limited or as frequent as you want, I'm not going to hound you. I don't want to seem… clingy. Or desperate."

"You aren't desperate for attention anymore?" Applebloom joked.

"Why- you!" Diamond Tiara scoffed, but from the way she bit her lips, it seemed like she was trying not to laugh. "How dare you!"

Applebloom couldn't keep herself from breaking out in laughter, even if it was light. At the very least, she was trying not to disturb the other patrons in the bar. Even as Diamond Tiara pouted and glared out the window so as to not meet Applebloom's gaze, the corners of her lips threatened to turn upwards in a smile. It was obvious she was even trying to hold her breath to keep herself from laughing out loud.

But, her ears suddenly perked, and she fully relaxed as she let her eyes wander through the bar with a raised brow.

"Mm… actually, speaking of slowness," Diamond Tiara glanced around the room with twitching ears. "Shouldn't we have gotten our food by now? We've been waiting for some time, after all."

"Ah, I'd completely forgotten about that," Applebloom said after catching her breath. She shook her head and face-hoofed herself. "You're right though, it's definitely been a minute. Guess we spent too much time cryin' to pay attention to the clock."

"Knock it off," Diamond Tiara snickered. "I was the one crying, you didn't even shed a tear."

"This don't look like tears to you?" Applebloom said as she wiped an eye, and extended her foreleg so that Diamond Tiara could see the sheen a single tear left on the tip of her hoof.

"Oh alright, point taken," Diamond Tiara laughed as she rolled her eyes. "I suppose this is how you act around those crusaders of your, eh? Miss Tease?"

"You're half right," Applebloom snorted. She wiped her hoof off on her shawl before resting her hooves on the table. "Scootaloo does more of the teasin' than me and Sweetie Belle. We like to pass around playful insults and jabs at each other, but Scootaloo does it more than either of us."

"I'm not surprised with that information," Diamond Tiara hummed in amusement. "She always seemed like that kind of pony."

"It's 'they' now," Applebloom corrected with a tap of her hoof.

"Oh- apologies," Diamond Tiara chuckled nervously. "I-I didn't realize that they were…"

"We ain't seen you in years, DT," Applebloom said. "Ain't no surprise you didn't know. I'm just tellin' ya gently so you can remember it next time you see em'."

"I'll try my best to remember," Diamond Tiara said with a nod. "I don't know any ponies like that, so it may take me some time to adjust… I do hope you'll be patient with me."

"When I come across them, I'll let em' know," Applebloom reassured her. "But in the mean time…"

As Applebloom said that, the waitress returned with their food. In front of Diamond Tiara, Diamond Mint set down a bowl with sliced and diced carrots, raisins, and pineapple slices. In front of Applebloom, the waitress set down a plate with a grilled lettuce sandwich on rye bread, split in half. Between the two plates, in the center of the table, a double portion of sautéed cucumbers was settled.

Two roll ups were placed beside their bowl and plate on the right side. A napkin tightly held together a knife and fork for each of them. Applebloom couldn't imagine why they gave her a roll up since she ordered a sandwich. She considered the possibility that she may order something else as an explanation, and chose not to question it further.

"If you two need anything else, just let me know!" Diamond Mint sang out happily as she skipped off to allow the two enough space to enjoy their meal.

"Let's stray from the depressin' topics for now, eh?" Applebloom laughed. "We've finally got our food, so let's dig in!"

"Agreed," Diamond Tiara hummed as she unrolled her roll up. "I've barely had the chance to enjoy my drink because we've been talking… I do hope the melting ice didn't water it down. Perhaps I should've requested it without ice?"

"Think of it like this, DT," Applebloom hummed. "The more watered down yer drink is, the more ya can drink."

"Hah!" Diamond Tiara scoffed with a smirk. "You say that as if I plan to get drunk any time soon."

"It'd be funny to see you drunk," Applebloom teased and stuck her tongue out.

"You scoundrel," Diamond Tiara snorted. "Shut up and eat your sandwich!"

Applebloom gave herself the freedom to laugh out loud before she chose to listen to Diamond Tiara's words and pick up her sandwich in her hooves. Though they had gotten off to a rocky start, Applebloom had found herself enjoying this little outing. Plus, the food was good, and she was sure she'd make a mess of herself in due time.

At the dinner table, their biggest differences came out; Diamond Tiara had a light meal that she ate slowly, and Applebloom had a heavy meal that she ate… quickly.

Making room for her wine was an afterthought at the moment.

The two mares had talked a lot throughout their dinner. For the most part, it was good memories. Light teasings from their days at the PonyVille schoolhouse, the better times they spent together where Diamond Tiara didn't have her head held higher than her tiara… It was good to remember how things used to be, even if they could only share a few good moments together.

But most of their conversations stretched out into the darker territory. In between bites, Applebloom had questions, and Diamond Tiara was often hesitant to answer.

"I still don't understand how you'd ever be jealous of me," Applebloom hummed as she sipped her wine.

"It does sound weird when it's said out loud," Diamond Tiara said with a sigh. "It's like you said; I have everything I want and the money to buy it all… but you don't have the wealth of my family, so why would I be jealous?"

Diamond Tiara lifted her glass and took another sip from it, giving herself a moment to suck off some of the sugar on the rim in the process. She set the glass back on the table and stared at her reflection in silence before she met Applebloom's eyes and continued speaking.

"Well, it's like I said." The rich mare rolled her shoulders. "You've… naturally made friends. You don't have to pay them to be around you or flaunt your status. My mom always told me that social status meant everything, even on the playground."

"That's stupid," Applebloom snorted. "It's no wonder yer ego was so over-inflated…"

"I was a filly, after all," Diamond Tiara said with a forced laugh. "You don't really have much of a say in your life at that age, and you tend to be all-over the the idea of being praised. You do whatever you can for it."

"I had a similar experience quite a few times," Applebloom said. She took another bite of her sandwich and swallowed it down before she kept speaking. "Applejack never let me make my own decisions when I was younger. She was always too overprotective of me, and it was… well, she was a lil' much."

"Well, that's different," Diamond Tiara said with a twitch of an ear. "She cares about you a lot, it only makes sense that she would want to do everything she could to protect you."

"She didn't have to go about it like that," Applebloom laughed. "Here, let me tell ya the whole story, start to finish…"

And so, Applebloom went on a dramatic storytelling spree that her family was often known for. The only difference was, unlike the rest of her family, she stuck to the main topic. Diamond Tiara listened intently, sipping her Purple Rain, as Applebloom recalled the story of the first time she was left at home by herself. She explained, in minimal detail, the chores that she had to do, and the hours she spent doing them. She was ready to relax and do whatever other schemes she had planned for the day…

…Only to be interrupted by an overprotective elder sister who insisted she needed to be looked after.

Hours of space-invading 'safety measures' later, Applebloom had gotten with Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle to help her convince Applejack that she was sleeping while she went out on a dangerous pie-delivering mission. Although she overdramatized her encounter with the chimera in the swamp, the fear was still very real. She had never been more thankful for the moment her big sister showed up to save the day. And, they even got the pies delivered in the end.

"That's… quite the tale," Diamond Tiara said after a moment of stunned silence.

"It's exhaustin' to tell and exhaustin' to remember," Applebloom sighed, taking a breather to sip some of her wine. "But, I gotta be thankful AJ was there to help me, or I woulda been chimera food. It was the only thing that day that got me to be thankful I had her at all, and that was a lesson I learned a lot."

"You're lucky to have a sister like that," Diamond Tiara mumbled as she swirled her drink in her glass and took another long sip.

"Ya know, I've never asked but…" Applebloom began hesitantly. "Do you have any siblings? I've never heard you mention em' if ya do."

"Me? Oh, no, I don't," Diamond Tiara laughed lightly. "I'm an only child. I guess they didn't feel like having any more after me…"

"...Ya don't seem very happy about it," Applebloom said.

She was only telling the truth. Diamond Tiara seemed to enjoy Applebloom's story about Applejack's overprotectiveness, but a sort of yearning still filled her pupils. The way she spoke just a moment ago hinted that, perhaps, Applebloom's large family was something Diamond Tiara was jealous of as well.

Applebloom couldn't imagine a life without her siblings, just like she couldn't imagine what life would be like if she had all the money in Equestria. A lot of thoughts crossed her mind that she chose to keep there. Thoughts of how lonely Diamond Tiara must've felt as a child. Being the sole taker of every order that Spoiled Rich gave her, being the heir to the family's fortunes whether she liked it or not… it was a lot of weight to put on the shoulders of a filly.

"Being an only child…" Diamond Tiara mumbled, breaking Applebloom out of her thoughts and breaking the silence. "Mom always told me I should appreciate that I don't have any siblings."

"Ya know, you really need to stop talkin' about yer mom so much," Applebloom said curtly.

"Sorry, force of habit," Diamond Tiara chuckled as her ears drooped.

"I ain't sayin' it to be mean or anythin', I promise," Applebloom reassured her. "It's just… it's obvious ya don't like her very much. She never treated ya that well and even now it seems like she's still got some sorta control over ya."

"In a way, you aren't wrong," Diamond Tiara sighed. "We still live in the same house, after all."

"You do?" Applebloom's eyes widened. "Why don't you just move out?"

Diamond Tiara met her own gaze through the reflection of her glass again. She bit her tongue before she grabbed the glass and took another longer sip. She was down to the last inch of her drink, and it was starting to take its effects out on her. She set the glass down and pressed her hooves into the table before she mustered up the courage to speak again.

"I'm not sure if I can," the perfume pink mare said finally.

"Why?" Applebloom pressured lightly.

"I don't think I could live by myself," Diamond Tiara hissed with her ears bent back. "I've never had enough room to be an independent pony. I've been left home alone plenty of times, like you, but I never had chores or dangerous missions I could go on. I didn't even know what steps I had to take to be worthy of even being considered the heir to my daddy's business."

"He wants ya to take over his business?" Applebloom asked in surprised.

"Sort of," Diamond Tiara sighed. "I think that's another reason I haven't tried to move out yet. I feel like he still needs me, even if it means dealing with… her."

"I'm sure he would understand," Applebloom spoke gently. "You don't gotta force yourself to be around some pony you don't want to be around, DT. Doesn't matter if they're family or not; family's full of ponies who care about ya in every way."

"That's easy when it's said out loud, Applebloom," Diamond Tiara huffed. "It's not so easy when you put it into practice."

As Diamond Tiara spoke, she pushed away what little remained of her salad bowl, and finished drinking her cocktail. Very little sugar remained around the rim, most of it having been sucked off in sips from before. All that remained was the lime wheel, which she took from the glass and tore in half to eat herself. Seeing her appetite finally come to a slow reminded Applebloom of her own food, which she was nearly out of. Even the plate of cucumbers in the center was nearly empty.

She took hold of her sandwich again, and finished the last few bites herself. Of course as always, she never ate the crusts and left them on the plate. She lifted her fork to grab the last few cucumber slices and finish them off as well, though the salty flavour left her parched. She leaned back in her seat after picking up her wine glass again, and she looked at Diamond Tiara with sympathy in her eyes.

Silence had overtaken them once more, and it seemed like the conversation had finally come to a complete stop. But, she didn't want it to end on this depressing note.

She finished what remained of her wine and set the glass on the table. The last few drops carried a bitter taste that clung tightly to her tongue. Honestly, it was hard for her to distinguish whether it was the wine that carried the taste, or the aftermath of their conversation. She swallowed hard, trying to ignore the feeling, even if it meant she had to force a conversation.

"Let's change the topic," Applebloom said quickly.

"Yes, i-indeed," Diamond Tiara stuttered and cleared her throat. "But to what..?"

"Umm…"

Applebloom looked around the room for something, anything, that they could talk about. It didn't matter if the topic was mundane or something they were actually interested in. As long as they could distract themselves, anything would be worth it. Applebloom's eyes met the empty collins glass beside Diamond Tiara's salad bowl, and her ears perked.

"Well, how'd you like this bar?" Applebloom started. "Ya said it ain't really your preferred place to be either, so… I at least hope ya enjoyed what ya ordered."

"Oh, I did yes," Diamond Tiara said with a smile. "I'd never usually see myself in this sort of place, so I never expected that they'd have such classy food and drinks. I'm quite used to receiving cocktails at home now that I'm of the drinking age… but I'd never seen one so pretty."

"I guess that's one reason why ya might go to a bar," Applebloom laughed. "You'd be surprised at the sorta class these places have."

"Wine is a valuable drink too," Diamond Tiara said with a hum. "My family has dozens of bottles laying around, though they vary in quality. I'm not sure if dad sells them or if they're the wines I see them drink normally…"

"Wouldn't be surprised if it was both," Applebloom chuckled. "Anyway, I digress. You should try visitin' more bars yerself if ya wanna experience even more fancy drinks."

"I'll keep it in mind," Diamond Tiara hummed happily.

"Oh, and uh, just a word of caution…" Applebloom laughed nervously as she sat up properly. "If a stallion in a black suit walks in and starts yellin' at the owners… ya might wanna leave."

"That's… ominous," Diamond Tiara hummed with a nervous smile. "Should I ask why..?"

"Oh, if he comes in, you'll know." Applebloom scratched the back of her head with her hoof. "All ya gotta know is that means the bar is… probably not as great as ya think it is."

"I'll… remember that," Diamond Tiara said before clearing her throat. "Anyways…"

Applebloom shook her head and looked out the window of the establishment. She had all but forgotten her curfew, and the sky was already turning black. She gasped and leapt out of her seat with her ears pinned back.

"I nearly forgot; the moon's about to rise!" Applebloom whisper-yelled.

"Ah!" Diamond Tiara's eyes widened as she got out of her seat as well. "I-I forgot, Applejack said you need to be home before the moon rises, right?"

"Yeah…" Applebloom whimpered as blush bloomed on her face. "I completely forgot… I-I guess I got too caught up in our conversation."

"We should probably get going then," Diamond Tiara said as she turned for the door. "I'll tell the waitress to send the check to my father so he can pay for our meal."

"Oh no, DT, I couldn't ask ya to do that," Applebloom said. "I brought my bits pouch with me, I can pay for it."

"Please, I'm the one who asked you to hang out with me," Diamond Tiara insisted. "It should be my treat; it'd be rude to ask my guest to pay for everything."

"I'm bein' serious," Applebloom said as she stepped past the rich mare.

Diamond Tiara huffed as the two began walking to the front of the house.

"Here, how about a compromise," the perfume pink mare began. "You can pay for… half of the meal. Whatever is left, I will get my daddy to pay for."

"I'll use all that I got," Applebloom hummed. "Besides, I'll get more bits as allowance during the next harvest anyways."

"You're so insufferable…" Diamond Tiara laughed lightly. "Alright, fine, we'll do it your way."

The two ponies stuck their tongues out at each other, and allowed themselves a few seconds to laugh over the situation before they reached the front and were met with their waitress from before, Mint Jewelup. Thankfully for them, their bill wasn't horribly expensive. Still though, it took Applebloom's entire pouch of bits to pay for even half of the meal.

As Diamond Tiara had promised, the waitress was directed to send a bill for the remaining bits to her father, and he would pay for what remained. As the two exited the building and began the journey down the path to Sweet Apple Acres, Diamond Tiara passed Applebloom a smirk.

"I suppose you wouldn't have had a choice but to allow me to pay either way," Diamond Tiara said smugly.

"Shut up," Applebloom snorted, lightly punching the mare in the shoulder. "If I had known how little money I really had, I wouldn't have picked up a wine… I always forget just how expensive it is."

"If you think that's expensive, buy a bottle next time," Diamond Tiara laughed. "I think the most expensive wine my dad ever bought was worth three-hundred bits."

"You're joking!" Applebloom gasped and laughed.

"I am not!" Diamond Tiara snickered. "Next time you see him, you should ask him to tell you the whole story. I Pinkie Promise that I'm no liar."

"If you're givin' me a Pinkie Promise, I guess I gotta believe ya," Applebloom chuckled.

The two mares let their conversation die off with smiles on their faces. The evening was finally coming to a close, and it had ended on a high note. They had a lot of ups and downs. Lots of tears were shed and a lot of emotions were felt. Applebloom still wasn't sure how she felt about their hang out in general, but she was happy she didn't end up saying something she would regret. She had promised Diamond Tiara that they could hang out more, so that Diamond Tiara could prove that she was a changed pony. She hoped she wouldn't regret that decision either.

She didn't know what the future held for either of them, but she was prepared for whatever was due to come in the future.

In silence, the two walked down the path leading out of PonyVille, and leading to Sweet Apple Acres. Applebloom hadn't even questioned why Diamond Tiara walked with her. She didn't even consider asking, she was just enjoying the silence. Unlike the times before then, this silence was comfortable.

…

As they reached the gate to Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack and Big Mac stood in waiting for them. Applebloom ran ahead of Diamond Tiara to meet with her siblings, who pulled her in for a short lasting hug.

"Ya almost made me get to worryin', sugar cube," Applejack laughed.

"You worry too much," Applebloom snorted.

"Eeyup," Big Mac said with a laugh.

"Can ya really blame me?" Applejack elbowed Big Mac in the side. "You know what happened last time I left her by herself."

"Applejack, please…" Applebloom grumbled as blush bloomed on her face.

She had almost forgotten Diamond Tiara had been with her, but Diamond Tiara didn't approach. She had stopped in the spot where Applebloom had sped ahead of her. In silence, the perfume pink mare turned on her hooves and took the first step to walk down the road back to PonyVille. But, she was stopped when Applebloom called out to her.

"Diamond Tiara, are you leavin' already?" She asked, taking a few steps forward.

"U-unfortunately, I have to," Diamond Tiara laughed nervously. "My parents will get to worrying if I'm out for too long too… S-sorry Applebloom."

"Why were you walkin' with her to begin with?" Applejack questioned, walking forth to stand by her sister and rest a hoof against her back.

Applebloom's ears drooped from the way Applejack spoke. She had rarely heard that judgemental sort of tone, and it had been years since the last time she heard it for real.

"It's a long story," Diamond Tiara answered. "She'll tell you. I have to get going, I'm sorry."

"Wait, Diamond Tiara!" Applebloom called out to the mare.

Diamond Tiara didn't say another word as she began trotting down the road, ignoring Applebloom's call. It was the complete opposite of their initial meeting, where Applebloom had been stopped by Diamond Tiara. She hadn't ignored her then, but Diamond Tiara was ignoring her now instead. As much as Applebloom wanted to be hurt by it, she wasn't. It was a behaviour from Diamond Tiara that she had gotten used to.

Still though, she sighed and let her ears droop. Diamond Tiara running away so suddenly didn't help clear that scornful look on Applejack and Big Mac's faces. The air around them became tense as they each turned on their hooves and walked back to the barn. As they entered the house, they stopped.

"Why were you with her?" Applejack questioned Applebloom bluntly.

"She's the one who stopped me," Applebloom said curtly, moving to stand in front of both of her siblings. "I ran into her while I was lookin' for somewhere to stop and eat dinner, and we got to talkin'. She treated me to dinner at a bar that just opened up in town, and she even paid half the bill 'cause I didn't have enough bits on me."

Applejack and Big Mac glanced at each other as Applebloom talked. They were in just as much shock as she was initially. But even still, it seemed like they couldn't believe what Applebloom was saying. In spite of their stares, she was defiant.

"I know y'all still don't trust her for all the things she did when she was young," Applebloom began. "But I wanna give her a second chance! It seems to me like she really is tryin' her best, and I ain't gonna kick her while she's down. It's my decision to trust her, and if it goes wrong, then shame on me. But until that happens, I'm gonna give her a chance."

Applebloom didn't say anything else as she turned on her hooves and trotted up the stairs to her room. For a brief second she heard light hoofsteps behind her, a sign that Applejack intended to follow her. For whatever reason, she was either stopped or she stopped herself. Applebloom appreciated that Applejack didn't try to pursue her. She had changed a lot over the years too, and Applebloom was a grown mare now. She was allowed to make her own decisions.

She couldn't blame them for their suspicions, as she still had her own deep down. But for now, she wanted to at least attempt to put them to the side. This hang out, even if it was brief, helped Applebloom learn a lot. It helped her learn that Diamond Tiara may really be a genuine pony, she's just been pushed down the wrong path by a pony who doesn't really care.

Applebloom entered her room, and curled up in her bed. She still wasn't sure if she could consider today a good day, an okay day, or a bad day. A lot of complicated feelings blanketed her. She shut her eyes tight, intent on ignoring them. Today was… a day. That would be her final verdict for now.

She wondered if she would run into Diamond Tiara tomorrow.