//------------------------------// // Problems of our own. // Story: Polishing a diamond // by RoyalUnicornJohn1994 //------------------------------// Diamond was a total disaster. All those minutes in the morning getting her mane done, her face and her mane, she even had a hooficure! But at the moment she saw herself on the mirror, she got terrified at the visage: Her eyes were red, clear signal that she had been crying for a while now, her mane was a disaster, from when she had just barged into her room and buried her head on the pillow as she cried, and not only her eyes seemed terrible, but also her face! It had streaks of tears running down it, and it made her look terrible! This wasn't her! She was better than this! She was Diamond Tiara, the one who bullied everypony and got away with it, causing the whole town to respect her and bow to her will (except those damned crusaders)! By Celestia, she was the daughter of the richest pony in the town, maybe even a huge part of Equestria (except for Canterlot, maybe). And yet... she felt... alone, as the thing outside had said... Stupid Silver's parents! Why did they had to have a family trip right at that moment, when she could use Silver's support!? And stupid Silver, why couldn't she say something!? Also, stupid of HER parents! Why couldn't they be with her!? She needed somepony right now! Somepony to get that thing away! That thing made her cry! It needed to go, and at that very moment! Filthy Rich was having a relatively successful day at that moment. There was a delegate from an important industry back in Canterlot, and if he played his cards well, then maybe he could do a contract worth thousands, even millions of bits! Oh, the things he could do with all that money! "So, Mr. Rich, that would be all from my part." The pony in front of him declared, looking at him with an interested, yet polite look. "Anything to say?" "It would seem everything is in order, Gentlepony. Although... there is something else I want to discuss with you, if you don't mind." That seemed to catch the pony's attention, whose ears perked up and his eyes widened slightly. "Oh? And what would that be, Mr. Rich?" "I'd like to make you an offer you won't be able to refuse." Filthy said with a somewhat evil smirk, sliding the piece of paper towards the pony. That was it. It only needed to be signed, and hello millions of bits! Oh, more money to make even more money! He would be millionaire soon, maybe even richer than Celestia herself! If only... Suddenly, the door swung open loudly, startling the couple of ponies. "DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Both ponies covered their ears, Diamond's shout strong enough to even make the glass shackle under its might. Once the shout finished, both ponies slowly uncovered their ears, still with a slight ringing to them. "Mr Rich, what is this!?" The businesspony shouted in rage. After all, there is nothing else more annoying than loud noises. "Oh, that is just my daughter, who isn't supposed to be here." Filthy said, straining with the last words, and giving a potent glare towards Diamond. "But, Dad! There is a monster outside-" "Diamond, that's enough." "- and he made me cry, and-" "I said enough, DIamond..." "- and you need to get rid of it, and-" "ENOUGH!!" Filthy's voice boomed in the place, finally making Diamond stop. "Diamond Tiara, that is enough! I'm settling off a very important deal here, and I don't have time for any of your games right now!" "But, dad, this isn't a game, there's really a mons-" "I said enough!!" Filthy said with a hard stomp on the ground. Even when age weighed down on him, the stomp carried enough strength to leave a dent on the ground. "I mean it, Diamond. Either you leave right now, or you get grounded." "But dad-" "No buts. Leave now, I have a very important business here." "But-" "I said. No. Buts." Filthy said in a strained voice. Diamond had only seen the look he was giving her only once before, and it meant trouble. Yet, as scared as she was, anger seemed to peak over her. "It's always the same with you, dad!" Diamond said with a glare of her own. "It's always the same! You have time for nothing else but business! It's always business with you! Always business! What about ME!? Don't you care about me!?" "Diamond-" "Don't you!?" The silence filling the room was beyond uncomfortable. It almost felt as if the oxygen of the room had vanished, and the temperature had dropped suddenly. It was suddenly stopped with a throat clearing. Turning around, Filthy noticed the business pony staring at him with an amused expression. "I think my time here is done, Mr Rich. I thank you for your time." The pony said, picking up some paper sheets off of the floor. At that phrase, Flithy's rage seemed to subside some. "What? So soon? But, good pony, we haven't done the arrangement we were planning!" "There is no need to, Mr Rich. You see, the way a business pony manages its industry is demonstrated in his home. If that's how you deal with your family, then I'm not sure it's a good idea to make business on the foreseeable future." Filthy could only watch in slight horror as his greatest business opportunity started to leave the room. Yet, he knew better than to simply beg. It was far below anypony his class. The only thing he could do was just accept his defeat. "Good evening, Mr Rich." The pony said before shutting the door behind him, leaving father and daughter inside the room. Diamond didn't really understand what had happened. But she didn't need to. All she needed to know was that her father, despite not seeing him, was burning once again with rage. But this time, he didn't have to hide it. "Diamond... Tiara..." At the mention of her name, Diamond's ears dropped. There had been only one time her father had said her name on that way, and it was one time she'd rather forget. Yet, the memories of the punishment started to surface once more, causing the slowly growing fear on her heart to explode outwards. Her whole body started to shiver, her forehead started to get damp with cold sweat, and she could easily listen to her heartbeats on her own ears. Time seemed to freeze as she finally turned around. On the outside, Filthy seemed to be as calm as ever. But after living with him for a couple of years, Diamond knew better. He was livid. "Do you know just how much money that deal could have meant?" Filthy asked in an extremely strained tone. "It could have been a good start..." His voice sounded curiously sad, but it returned with a burning anger. "... And you just go and ruin it!" "But Dad-" "Not another word from you, Diamond Tiara. Go to your room, and think about what you have done!" "But-" "And you're grounded for a week! No dinner for you!" That was the last straw. He didn't listen to her, he didn't pay attention to her, he didn't care for her! "I hate you..." If her father had listened to her or not, she didn't care. She wanted to be nowhere around him at that moment. Unconsciously, she ran to her room. For the rest of the morning, all that could be heard from inside Diamond's room was her crying. Once again, the sun was setting, and the hues of orange, red, pink and even purple started to decorate the whole sky. Trees started to take orange and golden tonalities, giving them a beautiful sight only a true artist could replicate on a canvas. Yet, for a filly, it was just the end of a very long and tiring day. It was enough having that thing out in the garden, doing Celestia knows what exactly, but now, her father seemed to be quite angry with her. Stupid adults... Her father already had more money than... well... than anything, and if she could still live in that house, then everything was fine, right? Instead, her father seemed to want more money, for whatever stupid reason he wanted to. She didn't care, and she would never. Why did he want all that money? Suddenly, her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of chatter, not from her house, but from the garden. Leaning over the window, she finally saw why. "Are you sure they're around here?" The thing was once again out, being followed by a small group of squirrels, one of which seemed to be pointing towards somewhere on the ground. "Alright, let me see." The thing said before peeking out from the small forest. Moments later, it finally walked outside, seemingly searching for something. "Yes! If he finally comes out, then somepony else can see him!" Diamond thought, cheerful at the prospect of having the thing gone from her house. Without a moment to lose, she dashed out of her room, ready to finally tell on the creature outside. Almost instantly, she saw a maid with a duster on her mouth. "You there!" The maid was startled by the shout, turning around quickly to see the maid. "I want you to see outside!" The maid looked at her curiously before putting the duster on the floor. "I'm sorry, mistress, but I have work that needs to be done. If there is a problem with the garden, your father has a gardener." She said simply before returning to her work. However, Diamond would have nothing of that. "No! You have to see now!" The maid grunted in annoyance as she moved towards a vase with a clear sheet of dust on it. "I really have to get to work, Miss Diamond, please-" Whatever she was going to say was interrupted by Diamond grabbing one of her legs, pulling on it. "You have to see there-" "- Wait, miss Dia-" "- Come on!" "- Miss Dia- !!!" Both female ponies stared in shock as the maid tripped, tipping the column where the vase sat. Almost as if the world slowed down, the vase slipped from the top of it, becoming just another victim of gravity. In matter of mere moments, the vase found its destiny on the ground, where it shattered with a loud crashing sound. Almost as if Discord wanted to, Diamond's father was just passing around, just in time to see his daughter lounging at the maid, causing a very expensive vase to be broken. And there he was thinking maybe Diamond would finally have learned her lesson... Both ponies stared in chock at what once had been a beautiful vase. However, the maid was the one whose shock was more noticeable. "Oh no." Diamond got up from the floor, instantly noticing the look of sheer panic from the maid. "Oh no... oh, Celestia, please, NO!" Diamond watched curiously as the maid got up, instantly going towards the remnants of the vase, all the while saying the same thing. "What is the problem?" Diamond asked, actually curious and somewhat concerned. "It was just a vase." "Not any kind of vase, my daughter." Both ponies froze at the third voice, instantly looking at the owner of the house. While Diamond knew she was again in troubles, the maid almost instantly ran towards her boss. "I'M SORRY!!! I'M SORRY!!! PLEASE, DON'T FIRE ME! I NEED THIS JOB FOR MY LITTLE FILLY AND-" The maid froze when her boss simply put a hoof in front of her. "There is no need to apologize, I saw everything. And while I will have to replace that, I'd appreciate it if you don't go around there breaking anything else." The maid sighed in relief before turning around, noticing that the remnants of the vase were still on the floor. With an apologetic smile, the maid rushed away to find something to clear it. Yet, as she passed by Diamond, she couldn't help but glare at the filly. Diamond merely rolled her eyes. It wasn't her fault that the vase had broken. She was just trying to- "Dad! It's just good you're here! I was just trying to-" "Stop Diamond, just... stop." Filthy interrupted his daughter, earning a groan from her. "But, Dad! There is a monster on-" "Diamond! Just... Enough." Filthy said, sighing in annoyance. "And here I was thinking you learned your lesson." He said before turning around. Diamond didn't knew what to do! She had to do something to make her dad turn around. It was then when she remembered the squirrels on the garden. "Uhh... I don't think that's how things are asked, you know?" The thing said, gaining Diamond's attention. "Hey, I told them to come here! I asked them!" "No, you yelled at them. It's different." That wasn't something she had to do! She never asked for anything! ... "Please?" Filthy's ears twitched as he turned around, looking at his daughter carefully. "What did you say?" "Please. Dad, I swear, there is something out there! It's scary! Please?" Filthy couldn't actually believe what he was hearing. His daughter was saying please! She would never say it unless... Diamond couldn't believe it! She said it! And her father had almost instantly ran towards the window! Yes! She would actually get that creature back for everything it had done to- "What's supposed to be outside, Diamond?" Diamond's victory smirk was replaced with a look of horror as she turned around as fast as she could, fearing the worst. Her fears were confirmed as she confirmed what her father was seeing: nothing. The creature was gone! And her father hadn't seen it! "What kind of monster am I supposed to be seeing?" Filthy asked with curiosity, turning his sight everywhere, trying to see something. After a few moments, his landed on something. "Is this your monster, Diamond?" He said, pointing to a black spider on the lower part of the window. Seeing as Diamond didn't give him an answer, he smirked at his daughter's innocence. "Aw, don't worry dear. I'll make somepony remove it in no time." With a small laugh, he turned around and left, thinking all that ruckus was caused by a spider he knew wasn't dangerous. At least, Diamond had said please. Still with her face on the window, Diamond groaned loudly as her father left. Somehow, it seemed as if the whole world was against her.