//------------------------------// // Chapter 8 Part 1: A Third Signature // Story: My Secret Daughter // by deadpansnarker //------------------------------// "Roll up, roll up, everypony. Feast your eyes on the marvellous contract we've drawn out together, which I'm sure everypony will absolutely love! Well, I say 'we've' and 'together' when in actual fact it was me who decided on most of the lion's share of the contents. You just sort of stood there in the background dribbling a bit and nodded your head lethargically while I told you what to jot down, didn't you dear? Still, I guess you performed your part admirably enough. You'd make a very nice little secretary you know, if this Barnyard Bargains thing ever falls through! Glad you finally saw things from my perspective, anyway... and all it took was the promise of having my mother come round for a visit to change your mind! Anypony would think she was some kind of ogre, but I must admit: I am somewhat of a pussycat compared to her! Regardless, as you all can clearly see, those are our dual signatures in the bottom right hoof section. Now all that remains is for My Diamond to agree to add her penmanship to the mix, Our Ladyship to declare it official and then Starlight can finally live out the fantasy game of 'happy families' she's harboured for so long! And may I say I just feel so honoured to fulfil..." "Alright Mrs Rich, I think we get the general gist of what you're saying. Hoof it over so we can analyse everything in minute detail, if you please. I'm sure you won't mind if we don't take your words at face value, because judging by your words and actions today I have to treat this new willingness to grant my student such unfettered access to her birth daughter with a healthy degree of skepticism..." "Why Princess, you've got me all wrong!! I know we might have got off on the wrong hoof at first, what with me being surprised by the sudden reemergence of Ms Glimmer after so many years of running a sordid equality cult, but now we're all together again I hope we can have a truly constructive relationship! After all, as sure as I am that my precious gem is in safe hooves with your wonderful pupil, I do expect you to keep a close eye on them both. As you've just sadly witnessed, My Diamond can be a bit of a tearaway when her mouth starts running away with itself, and concerning Starlight's less than savoury past..." "Mrs Rich. I can assure you that whatever happens next, the well-being of and accommodation for Miss Tiara will be dealt with the utmost care. And, you're forgetting that she's now at just the right age to make a lot of those kind of decisions for herself. Frankly, if I may speak off the record a little, some of the things you've said in our five hour-plus meeting have been so shocking, you're lucky that you're being included in this whole process at all. It's only because my hooves are tied by Equestrian parental law that I'm not tearing up this I'm sure highly duplicitous contract this very instant..." "Oh, my dear! You're not still hung up on that 'you can't do your job properly' comment chain from me, are you? Even though I'm extremely gratified that a royal princess takes my personal opinion so seriously, there's something else you ought to know. Those were hasty words said in the heat of the moment, and expunged from the mouth of a heartbroken mare who's very world was crashing down around her. I'm sure you can appreciate, what with the entire tragic situation regarding me, my husband and our beautiful filly that I may not have been of entirely sound mind when I recanted those spurious remarks. If you can't accept them as the facile ramblings of a devastated wife and mother, then please accept my most humble apologies for any offence caused. After all, nopony has more respect for the monarchy than I..." "To be honest Mrs Rich, criticism from you is not something I take too seriously, so no apology is needed. The ones you should be begging for forgiveness are your husband and adopted daughter... not only for today's outrage, but from what I understand is years of systematic abuse at your very hooves. So, if you actually have any sort of conscience for potential wrongdoings you may have perpetuated against others, maybe there's a good place to begin." "W-Well you and I can argue about the true validity of those claims until the mules come home Princess, but right now shall we just concentrate on the paperwork I've carefully prepared? It's all ready for your perusal, just step forward and examine it." "...Fine, Mrs Rich. I knew it was too good to be true." "What was that last part, darling?" "Nothing." After that somewhat spirited exchange of views, the only item left on the agenda was for Twilight to snatch up the contract proffered by a chillingly confident Spoiled, and study it in great detail. Standing directly behind the princess to read over her shoulder was a equally curious Starlight, leaving poor old Diamond Tiara to jump up and down like a fish on a hook just to try and make out any text at all. As for poor old Filthy Rich, to say he was currently out for the count would be a gross understatement. The barrage of shouting, caterwauling and outright threats that'd been levied at his non-stop ringing ears was severe even by his obnoxious wife's astronomically high standards, and right now all he wanted to do was collapse in the corner to rest his weary brain. So, that's exactly what he did. Peace, perfect peace. In the meantime, Twilight unexpectedly turned away from the piece of paper carefully levitated in front of her eyes shortly after receiving it, a deepish frown clearly creasing up her already line-ridden forehead (this princess lark was always going to be hard work, after all). "Mrs Rich..." she enquired politely, with one eyebrow noticeably raised far more than the other. "May I ask you a question?" "Why, surely dear!" Spoiled replied innocently, with a voice like honeyed sugar. "I'm always at your complete disposal, you know that! Whatever could the matter be?" "The 'matter', Mrs Rich..." At this juncture, the alicorn spun the contract around so the front section faced the snooty mare directly "...Is this!!" Twilight stabbed her hoof towards a third of the words at the bottom, where the writing was so minuscule as to be completely illegible. "Everything we can read on here presently has already discussed." Twilight growled in annoyance, suspecting not unreasonably another of Spoiled's patented dirty tricks. "Diamond Tiara coming to stay with me for a month. Starlight Glimmer being given complete custody of her for that extenuating period. The consequences if she lasts the course there, or returns to the mansion early. We already know most of that. But this situation is a lot more complicated than just those simple bullet points. I don't know why, but something tells me you're hiding something very important in those tiny paragraphs towards the end..." "Nonsense, darling!" Spoiled's grinning reassurance carried with it the same level of conviction one might give an alligator asking a bird to use his teeth as a roosting spot. "That's just meaningless jargon, the same kind of small print you'd find on any legally binding document. It's only mumbo jumbo, so don't fret about it!" Needless to say, Twilight wasn't a complete idiot and so dismissed Spoiled's mightily suspicious pledge offhoof almost immediately. "Even so, before I give this to Diamond Tiara to look at and officially authenticate I'd very much like to get a closer look at these indecipherable passages, please. Perhaps you could go get me a magnifying glass from your husband's study, if you'd be so kind? I didn't bring my spectacles with me today, as I had no idea I'd be involved in such a complex statutory sequence of events. There's no need to rush... we can wait." The easy way Twilight rejected Spoiled's 'honest' guarantees made Spoiled want to explode with rage there and then, but she wasn't so foolish as to blow a fuse right in front of Ponyville's most esteemed inhabitant. Instead, she glanced over the princess's head and even past the visibly agreeing Starlight to settle her eyes on a still frantically hopping Diamond Tiara, a crafty, nasty plan entering her head. Nopony stops me getting what I want, not even royalty. "Of course... whatever you say, dear." Spoiled ostentatiously turned around to convey the illusion she was going back into Filthy's office, but doing so at a speed worthy of an inebriated snail. "I should've realised my daughter wouldn't be up to the simple task of obeying a few extra minor rules and regulations. I suppose that's how you can tell she isn't really, properly part of our illustrious family line, because she has to be babied in such a delicate manner by you. Still, at least it just goes to show who'll truly be in control during her extended stay over at Friendship Castle. Such a shame though, that a filly who professes to be a future leader should have so many choices made for her in advance. I never displayed such weakness when I was her age... whenever I faced a challenge, I grabbed it with both hooves without any hesitation and didn't give up till I'd won. Maybe I should've been the one with the tiara symbol, if she's going to grow up to be the sort of mare who buckles under the slightest pressure and leaves all of her big decisions in the hooves of others. Just like her pathetic, worthless father. So sad. So very sad..." "Give that to me! I'll show you who's 'weak'!!" All throughout Spoiled's decisive evisceration of her character and cutie mark talent, Diamond had been getting more and more angry. Her pink coat had inexplicably turned a nice palette of scarlet, while nostrils flared and her hooves began to stamp the floor in pure agitation. What really set her off though, was the cutting final remark about her cherished father. Upon hearing yet more unbelievably disrespectful jibes about her revered male parental figure, Diamond knew she had to act quickly. No way was she going to let Spoiled be proven right, that she was just some pitiful wimp who couldn't tolerate anything that her fake mother could throw at her. I'll show her! I'll show them all! So, without a further thought, the irascible pink filly leaped higher in the air then she'd ever climbed before, to snatch up both the paperwork from a surprised Twilight and a inked quill that Spoiled had 'conveniently' dropped on the ground. Completely ignoring the frenetic cries of Twilight and an anxious Filthy, who although exhausted was desperately trying to drag himself over to his 'daughter' to stop her, she had no scruples whatsoever in signing her name next to his and Spoiled's... ...Which of course, is exactly what the older mare wanted her to do. Ignoring her husband's murmured sobs in the background of "What have you done." Spoiled wasted no time at all in rushing over to her 'daughter', scooping up the now completely filled in document from her hooves while simultaneously giving her the iciest of smiles. "That's a good girl. You know it makes sense." The smug mare purred happily, before turning to a pensive Twilight in triumph. "There we go, Princess. You can keep this contract safe for us now, to demonstrate that I have absolute faith in our ruling classes. I think you'll find that it adheres to all facets of Equestrian law and order, including all the witnesses present. As you so rightfully said, My Diamond is at that precocious age when she can make these kind of decisions for herself, so her signature on this contract is just as valid as mine and my darling husband's. You also saw for yourself that she signed this paper completely of her own free will and volition. The rules and regulations set out on there can therefore not be challenged by anypony now for the next thirty days, even by you. Do you understand everything I am saying dear, or would you like me to go over it again?" "If there's anything on there that might put her physical health or mental state in danger..." Twilight seethed, clutching at straws. "...I hope you know that whatever you've scribbled down will be completely null and void." "Oh Princess, do you really think I'd try to pull anything like that?!" Spoiled laugh at the slightest implication she'd be capable of such a thing. "I have big plans for My Diamond in the future, and causing her any unnecessary suffering would hinder those intentions irreparably. Now, it just so happens I've just found another version of the official document in my back pocket that I made out for the Rich family's personal archives, where everything is the same except for the fact that it's all written in large-size font! What are the chances I'd forget about that, eh? Anyway, please congregate in a semi-circle around me, and you'll find out exactly what else lies in store..." With little option but to obey, the quartet of nervous onlookers shuffled forward to read which unrevealed clauses were being proposed in the next month, with varying degrees of enthusiasm afterwards. What was written down was of no great surprise to Filthy Rich, who's main reaction was one of disgust at himself for being brow-beaten yet again by his dreadful wife... and this time, it couldn't have come at a more crucial moment. As for the rest of the crew: Starlight Glimmer was utterly delighted! Twilight Sparkle was a little confused. And Diamond Tiara... Well, she was completely horrified. Her reckless impulsiveness had cost her dearly. And now, without further ado: Our story can start for real.