//------------------------------// // Chapter 7 Part 2: A Cunning Contract // Story: My Secret Daughter // by deadpansnarker //------------------------------// "... And that I'm afraid is my final offer, darlings!" Spoiled Rich glowered ominously at those ponies nearby 'lucky' enough to be in her glorious presence, her tongue darting in and like a boa constrictor, while looking as if she was ready to wrap herself around each and every one before introducing them to the art of slow digestion. Not that she'd ever do such a thing, of course... cannibalism was strictly for the lower classes. Quite unable to keep up with all the steady rate of twists and turns that'd assailed them already that hectic day, the quartet of listening equines stared at each other with slack jaws, unsure how to react to yet another big surprise. Eventually, it was Filthy Rich himself who took the initiative, his voice trembling both with the anger he quite clearly felt justified in showing at his wretched wife, and the horror of what might occur if her inevitably dodgy deal was taken up, and he lost.... "Y-You mean to tell me...." The wealthy stallion bellowed, trying to get his head around the complexities of Spoiled's proposal. "...T-That if Diamond does indeed return to the mansion after less than a month of being in Starlight Glimmer's custody, y-you expect me to stay married to you, a-and ban my daughter from ever seeing her friends again?! W-Whatever makes you think I'd agree to such a..." "Really, dear. I only told you the ins and outs of our potential arrangement a few minutes ago..." Spoiled huffed, rolling her eyes at her husband's supposed ignorance. "...So who exactly are you repeating all this to? Is your memory so bad, you have to refresh it this thoroughly and with such regularity? Its hardly surprising your board meetings seem to last an eternity, with a CEO who probably needs cue cards just to make the opening remarks! I'm starting to think when you accuse me of having bad recall, you're actually subliminally protracting your own personal problems with amnesia, sweetheart..." "You leave my Daddy alone!!" Diamond hadn't even been present for most of the heated debate regarding her welfare which'd raged in that room, and already she was sick of her father's good name being dragged through the mire. "He's done more for Ponyville than anypony else I know! And what exactly do you do while you're at work, 'mother'? Sit around your office at school all day eating soft-centred chocolates, trying to expel all the colts and fillies you don't like, which is basically anypony without a cutie mark or from a lower class background? I think we both know who puts in a lot more than they get in return, and it certainly isn't you!!" Spoiled gave her 'daughter' a withering glance, before her unwanted attention turned to Twilight. "See what I mean, Princess?" She sighed, shaking her head with exaggerated sadness. "What sheer impudence! The utter cheek of today's youth makes me want to cry into my sleep mask at night! I think it may even be giving me wrinkles! I'm not ashamed to say I live for the blessed day I can remove My Diamond from the corrosive atmosphere in public education full of irredeemable riff-raff to homeschool her myself. They'll be no more of this 'jungle gym' and 'mud pie' nonsense, just good old-fashioned discipline combined with a heathy appreciation for one's true prestigious background. Me and my daughter together, separated from the parasites that make up the majority of this backwater dump, as I teach her about the most important things in life. Such as: how to polish silverware for the many fabulous parties she'll no doubt host when she becomes a toast of society in marehood. I hear you're quite the expert cutlery-cleaner yourself, dear. When she eventually arrives at your shiny new castle, perhaps you can give her a few pointers as to proper wiping techniques..." "H-Hang on... t-that's not why I... w-what I mean to say is..." Twilight was for once caught on the hop a little, as she struggled to comprehend just how Spoiled could possibly know so much about her personal life. "C-Could we please stick to the issue at hoof please, Mrs Rich. Obfuscation may be fun for you, but this discussion is about a filly who's lived with you for the best part of ten years. Surely, even you must care in some small way about what's about to happen to her..." "Of course I do, darling..." Spoiled let out a hoarse (not horse) laugh, while dismissing the alicorn's major concerns with a waved hoof. "In fact, this whole scenario I've intricately mapped out in my head is purely for her benefit. I'd quite willingly pack up my bags and leave for Canterlot with my precious little jewel tomorrow, if it wasn't for My Diamond's essential requirement for both a mother and a father. Why you ever left that fine place Princess, to relocate to this pitiful slum in the middle of nowhere I'll never understand..." "... Mrs Rich. We've had quite enough of your opinions of everything from the amount of clouds in the sky to the length of my horn, so could you please just remain focused on Diamond. I think I speak for all of us when I say to you that we'd be very grateful if you stopped being sidetracked by irrelevances..." Even a pony who was as well-versed in keeping a civil tongue as Twilight seemed to be getting a little ticked off. If her screwed-up face wasn't enough of a clue, the grinding teeth should have been more than ample evidence as to her growing irritation. "Now now Princess, there's no need for that kind of gutter talk. I was simply making polite conversation, and attempting to find out the answer to a quandary thats been buzzing around in my head like a Parasprite for quite some time now. If the inherent narcissism associated with your new distinguished role make it impossible for you to engage a humble subject in basic chit-chat though, so be it." Spoiled stared right back at the alicorn, almost with a look of disappointment. "I was going to invite you for a cup of refreshing coffee and a nice slice of cake at one of my prestigious candlelight suppers soon, but seeing as how you hold me in such clear contempt..." "Just get on with it!!" This was the first occasion Twilight had been goaded into noticeably raising the volume of her voice since her entrance that day, and the others there (Spoiled excepted, of course) turned to look at her in surprise. This included Starlight, who hadn't really been listening to the last few lines of the increasingly loud exchange going on around her, as focused as she was on staring at her real daughter and just how close they could be to becoming a family once again... Spoiled meanwhile was grinning almost feverishly, as if she'd won some sort of great moral victory by getting Twilight to lose her temper a tad. "If you insist, darling. I won't even complain to Celestia about your less-than-professional conduct here today, because I can appreciate your unpreparedness for the difficult task ahead. After all, it's not every day a simple librarian living in a bug-infested tree suddenly becomes a princess in a grande palace! The culture shock must've been so intense, you must've been blown off your very hooves! One day, I hope we can be very special friends, and I can tell you all the 'dos' and 'don't' of being a valued member of the elite. Perhaps, we can start by addressing some of the less-than-ideal company you keep. Anyway..." Spoiled's gaze turned away from the now somewhat mollified Twilight to once more settle on her favourite target of all: her 'beloved' hubby. "Now, dear..." she said firmly, with a slightly disturbing gleam in her eye. "You obviously weren't listening to what I just told you. First of all, I said that I'm going through all this tiresome malarkey for the sake of our family, not to line my own pockets with it's destruction. After all, even though Diamond's got a strong, independent female presence around, what would her life be like without a reliable and worthy stallion to guide her way through the trials and tribulations of fillyhood? Of course, she doesn't have the latter at the moment, but one day I'm optimistic you'll grow into the role. Hopefully, anyway. Touch wood..." Upon saying those last two words, she quickly tapped the large mahogany table twice. Filthy continued to splutter red-faced as each callous word reached his burning ears. His wife was obviously upset by his earlier rather easy acceptance of them getting a divorce, and now she was paying him back in spades. "W-What exactly is it you're saying, Spoiled? I can't really make out your intentions through all your pathetic insults..." Frowning a bit at the unexpected and unwelcome reappearance of her husband's backbone, Spoiled nevertheless pressed on. "Anyway, the thing you seem to have missed in my detailed explanation as to how this whole set-up will pan out darling, is that I still have no objections whatsoever to the pair of us getting a permanent separation. It's just that, if Diamond does return home to the loving embrace of her one true family when the month is still not yet up, the proceeding events will be somewhat... different than me leaving for Fillydelphia alone in 'disgrace'." Pausing to savour the tension of the moment, as well as giving her newest arch-nemesis Starlight a candid smirk, Spoiled carried on describing just how the convoluted plan would work in practice. " Here's what I'm getting at: Although we'll no longer officially be a married couple, I'll still be living in the mansion with the pair of you. This'll mean I'll be able to give My Diamond all the essential life lessons she so clearly needs without galloping between two distant places everyday, and this giant mansion is so big I'll be able to potter about without you even noticing me, if that is as you wish, sweetheart. Of course, you could still change your mind anytime, I'd be more than happy for things to go back to the way they were when you regain your senses. I'll guide you wisely like I've done for so many years, not to mention keep you nice and snug and warm at night..." "Alright, that's enough of that..." Filthy quickly popped his hooves in his daughter's ears to shield her from the worst of what he suspected her shameless adopted mother might say next, while Twilight was on the verge of hoofpalming herself to oblivion and Starlight began to look around for a nearby bucket to throw up in. "I think we all get the picture without the graphic imagery. There's no need to ruin this child's delicate psyche even more than you have done already, during my many business trips away when I left her in your care... something I regret more and more with every foul word that passes your lips. And I can assure you right now that whatever happens next, I'd sooner sleep on a bed of nails outside in the middle of winter than be within a few inches of you at night, or indeed any time of the day." "V-Very w-well..." Spoiled continued to feel palpable concern at the unprecedented level of defiance her usually docile spouse was displaying, but dismissed it all as just 'showing off' in front of their guests. "If you really feel this is the point of no return, shall we get down to brass tacks? I may not be used to writing out long, drawn-out, boring contracts with the same level of proficiency as you dear, but I'm sure I could give it a go. Shall the two of us retire to your study and together we can go through all the minute details? If, miracle of miracles, we can actually reach a common understanding and My Diamond over there agrees with our mutual decision, then we'll be all set! Of course, this is something we have to do in private, so Her Majesty and Barfight Slimmer can keep our precious company while we thrash everything out. It'll be good practice for them when they're a sunny, funny family, along with that little beastie who I'm sure is setting fire to the property downstairs even as I speak. I hope he's housetrained, at least. Anyway my dear, shall we depart?" Spoiled abruptly thrust out her hoof as if expecting her husband to graciously accept it, but to the utter shock of precisely nopony in the room other than perhaps Mrs Rich herself, he swatted it away without hesitation. "I guess we won't be walking there as a couple..." Spoiled sighed, as her husband briskly strolled past her without so much as a glance back. " Oh well, I suppose it isn't necessary for the job we have to do. I just thought he could be a bit more mature about it, that's all. I guess the age of the gentlecolt really is dead and gone. Anyway, follow behind us please Diamond, Princess and... companion. We'll be as quick as we can, but we can't promise anything as negotiations are sure to be fraught indeed. Especially considering the stubborn mood he's in at the moment. Find something to amuse yourselves with, if you like. But don't play with anything you can't afford to replace. See you soon, luvvies..." And with a flip of her carefully styled mane and an elevated nose in the hair, Spoiled followed her husband out through the oaken panelled door, leaving those behind nothing to do but gaze numbly at each other in her absence. "I suppose we better... tag along." Twilight quite helpfully suggested. "Yeah... I suppose we should." Starlight agreed, albeit somewhat weakly. "O-Okay..." Diamond Tiara went along with the common consensus, even though she still wasn't exactly sure what was going on and especially where all this endless upheaval to her life would eventually lead. All that she knew was she was en route to her father's private study, a secluded location which she usually wasn't allowed within a million miles of. If that wasn't odd enough, accompanying her to her left was the region's only princess, and to her right was the mare who'd given birth to her... ...That she'd only known for a few hours, tops. She might have had stranger days, but she couldn't think of many others right now. .......................................................................... Not for the first time that day, Diamond felt somewhat left in the dark regarding the litany of rapidly unfolding events that were going on all around her. Her audibly bickering fake mother and father screaming about her future behind a locked door, her only known real parent whispering quietly to Twilight right in front of her, she couldn't help but be a little disgruntled with how the situation was being handled. As much as I want to see the back of 'mother', the pink filly thought, while frustratedly planting her posterior on the plush carpet, is it really worth the ordeal of staying with a total stranger for an entire month, and one who seems like a bit of a weirdo to hoof? I'm going to demand a read-through of this so-called contract before I even consider such a thing. Surely there must be an easier way to get rid of 'mother', without all this needless hassle. I have to get Daddy alone at the earliest possible opportunity, to discuss everything... Diamond's anxious eyes found themselves wandering to the mare who was purportedly her real mother, and the curious filly began scrutinising the older pony in great detail... observing the colour of her mane, the facial features, even the way she leant against the wall, for any kind of subtle clue as to whether this sudden revelation about her real heritage held any water whatsoever. Feeling a pair of young eyes baring down on her frame like a laser, Starlight abruptly stopped her 'secret' conversation with Twilight to glance back at her long-abandoned filly with undisguised nervousness. It took a little nudge from her mentor, and a gentle nod of encouragement for the unicorn to pluck up the strength necessary to communicate her feelings in more than just incoherent grunts or gulps. "L-Listen..." Starlight stuttered, this time doing her utmost not to make any sudden moves or gestures which might stain a newfound relationship with her freshly rediscovered daughter permanently. "I-I know this must come as a massive shock to you, and I have to confess I'm feeling pretty shook up about everything that's happened as well. But I want you to understand that even though we barely know each other right now, I'll always be here for you, no matter what. If you have any questions, any questions at all, whether they be about the circumstances of your birth or regarding my less-than-perfect past, I swear to answer them truthfully to the best of my ability. I won't keep anything hidden from you, and I expect nothing else in return. B-But if you'll let me, I would love to get to know you, find out about your life, what your hopes and dreams are... and maybe, just maybe, one day we can be friends. D-Do you like the sound of that?" Diamond considered these heartfelt words carefully, scratching the bottom of her chin while doing so. Finding no trace of deceit or malice in them, it looked as though she was slowly opening her mouth to react. Starlight's heart nearly popped out of her ribcage in anticipation, thinking that this could be the beginning of something very special indeed... ...And then, the door to the study burst open, killing the moment stone dead. Cursing her luck that Filthy and Spoiled Rich would've chosen that precise second to finish off their deliberations, Starlight nevertheless went to stand alongside Diamond and Twilight as the trio waited patiently to see exactly what had been agreed upon in this supposed contract, and what exactly it would entail afterwards. The demeanour of both ponies emerging from the small room offered an interesting insight into what'd gone on behind the scenes. Filthy Rich looked as if he'd done a week-long shift without a break. So tired did he appear, with his tie dripping with sweat, it was amazing he possessed the mental fortitude to stand up straight. Spoiled Rich on the other hoof seemed as fresh as a daisy, confidently holding up a crisp white sheet of paper aloft like it was some kind of peace declaration. The victor of these prolonged talks was clear for everypony to see, and it quite rightly set off alarm bells ringing in the ears of everypony else there. Uh-oh "I think we've struck an agreement that will facilitate us all. I especially think you'll be happy with what's on offer, Miss Glimmer. Yes, I finally remembered your name... aren't I the clever one." Spoiled bought back her boa constrictor persona for an unrequested encore, sending shivers down the spine of those gathered. "Now, shall we see if we can dot the i's and cross the t's? That is, if Mr Endurance over there can keep it together long enough to help us out..." Double Uh Oh