Dinner at the Hay Burger was a marvelous affair for all involved, Scootaloo especially. But even Diamond Tiara, who was not used to eating out at common eateries (the most common for her was Sugarcube Corner and even then her ex-mother had thrown a fit at the idea of having to host a cute-ceañera there rather than at home), rather enjoyed herself. In fact, she enjoyed herself so much that she sort of forgot her table manners, though she felt better for knowing that her sister (it still felt weird to consider Scootaloo that at the moment. Perhaps in time that would change) was just as messy an eater.
When dinner was over, Dizzy Twister brought both her daughters home. She was just about to put them to bed, when the front door rang. "That must be Quick," Dizzy thought out loud, and went to open the door. But when she did so, she was surprised to find herself snout to snout with Spoiled Rich. Dizzy's cheerful mood quickly faded, replaced by a noticeable frown. "Well, well, well. If it isn't Diamond's ex-mother."
"Please, just Mrs. Rich will do, thank you," Spoiled insisted in a tone of voice that seemed void of her usual assertiveness. "Is Diamond home by any chance? I was... hoping we could have a talk."
"I'm right here, ex-mother," Tiara snorted, as she came trotting up. "What do you want from me? In case you haven't noticed, I have a new family now, a much better one at that."
Spoiled gulped, trying to maintain her composure. "That's what I wanted to discuss with you, Diamond Tiara," Bowing her head, the snobbish mare all but pleaded. "Please come back home with me, give me another chance. A chance to be a better mother."
"After you went and dumped me at the orphanage like common trash? I don't think so!" Tiara remarked, eyes narrowed in anger. "Give me one good reason I should even consider taking you up on your offer, and it better be a really good one."
"Curses! Why must she be so stubborn?!" Spoiled thought to herself, but out loud she simply explained. "I realize now, that I shouldn't have just discarded you so quickly after your father died. You needed time to grieve, and I needed time to ask you what you wanted. I thought I was doing you a favor, but I wasn't actually thinking about what was in your best interests."
"Oh, so now you care?" Diamond rolled her eyes. "Because you sure as hay didn't care at any point prior to now. I'll bet you still expect me to come crawling back to you so you can rub it in my face about how right you are. Well that's not gonna happen!"
"Diamond, wait!" Spoiled desperately pleaded, dropping down to her knees! She hated doing so, especially in such a fine dress. But the dirt could always be washed out later, that's what the hired help were for after all. What mattered most was that she act quickly to reserve the situation! The time had come for her to play her trump card. "Please, come back! If you do, I'll let you have your own staff to boss around, like you used to do with Randolph. You'll have an entire arsenal of hired hooves to obey your every command, you won't ever have to make your bed, or wash your sheets, or do any of the chores that common ponies do. You'll have all the privileges associated with being a rich pony. But above all else, you MUST come back, because you're nothing with me!"
Dizzy and Spoiled both gasped in shock! Spoiled quickly retracted. "W..wait, that came out wrong! I meant I'm nothing without you!" She tried to correct!
But Tiara had heard enough. Her cornflower blue eyes narrowing, she looked into Spoiled's opal colored eyes and said loud and clear. "You still don't get it, do you? You seem to view me just as a tool to further your own social standing, as if somehow marrying into wealth and having butlers and maids waiting on you hoof and foot wasn't enough. When the Cutie Mark Crusaders first gave me the courage to stand up to you and tell you off, I had hoped it would shock you like their compassion shocked me. But no, you refused to listen, you just went straight back to being the nasty mare you are now. And considering how you treated me when my birth father died, I know now that you will never change no matter what."
"T...that's not true!" Spoiled stubbornly protested. "Enough of this nonsense, Diamond Tiara! We can do this the easy way, or the hard way! It's your choice!"
"Sorry, ex-mother, but you're not the boss of me anymore," Diamond retorted. "You ceased to be part of my life when you decided to just toss me into the orphanage and forget about me. If you'd really cared, you would've never done that, or any of the countless other terrible things you've done to me. Don't you get it? I have a new family now!" Pointing a hoof to Dizzy, she added. "Mrs. Twister here took me into her house out of the kindness of her own heart, even though she hadn't planned on adopting. And not only has she offered me comfort, compassion, and love, but she's also made an effort to show those same virtues to her daughter."
"But they're just common ponies! They can hardly afford the luxuries that I can!" Spoiled remarked, as if that would somehow boost her argument. It didn't.
Diamond only shook her head. "It's over, we're through! You are not my mother anymore, and you never will be! Perhaps if my birth father were still alive and kicking, I might have been tempted by your offers. But now you've got nothing on me! There is nothing you can say or do to change that! You're hardly even worth acknowledging anymore, and someday when I have foals of my own, I'm going to make sure they NEVER grow up to be like you! So you can kindly go to Tartarus and rot with Tirek for all eternity for all I care!" Then, as she turned and trotted back inside she briefly added. "Goodbye, ex-mother, and good riddance!"
Scootaloo came rushing downstairs when she heard the door slam loudly. "What was that all about?" She asked with concern.
Dizzy sighed, putting a hoof to her forehead. "That was Mrs. Rich, and by Celestia does she ever live up to her name of Spoiled."
"Is Diamond moving back in with her?" Scootaloo asked, dreading what that would mean for Diamond Tiara.
"No, I told her to go jump in a lake," Tiara remarked quite boldly. "And boy did it feel good to tell off my ex-mother for all the stuff she put me through. Far as I'm concerned, she's all but dead to me now, and I'll be glad if I go the rest of my life without EVER having to see her again!"
But the pink coated filly's statement turned out to be premature. The next afternoon, Dizzy called Scootaloo and Diamond home from school and brought them into the living room. She had important news to share with them. "It seems Spoiled Rich has gotten around to making funeral arrangements for Filthy Rich," She told her fillies. "The funeral will be this Saturday, at 11:30 A.M."
"Do I have to go?" Tiara sighed. "No doubt my ex-mother will be there, and I'd rather not have to see her again if I can help it."
Scootaloo put a hoof around Diamond's neck in encouragement. "I'll go with you. After all, we're family now. And Spoiled would have to be crazy to make a fool of herself at the funeral. Besides, it's probably the only chance you'll get to say goodbye to your dad, before he's laid to rest."
Diamond hugged Scootaloo tightly, a few tears slipping out. "Thank you, Scootaloo. You have no idea how much better that makes me feel," Then she giggled a bit, as she added. "But I hope you realize, we'll have to dress up nice for the funeral."
"Yeah, that's kind of to be expected. I mean, I know what a funeral is... even if I've never been to one before." Scootaloo acknowledged, massaging the back of her neck with a hoof.
"That is not the only reason I called you both home today, my little ponies," Dizzy announced, clearing her throat. "According to the notice I received, there will also be a reading of Filthy's will the night before. Diamond Tiara at least is required to be there, as is Spoiled Rich. But we are all going. And yes, that includes you too, Scootaloo."
Scootaloo frowned a little. "Ah, that means I have to dress up two days a row, and listen to a bunch of boring grown-up talk. That's gonna stink."
"Well, if it makes you feel any better, Scootaloo, you would be staying up past your normal bedtime for the weekend." Dizzy commented, hoping to sweeten the pot for her biological daughter.
Scootaloo reluctantly let out a sigh. "Guess I have no choice. Is Dad gonna be there too?"
Dizzy nodded quite firmly. "The entire Twister family's going to be present. So you both make sure you get your homework done by Friday night, and are ready to go by the time Quick comes home," She instructed. "And regardless of how we may feel about Spoiled as a pony, at the least we have to pretend to tolerate her presence. Understand?"
Diamond and Scootaloo both nodded and said in unison. "Yes."
The rest of the week flew by pretty quickly for both fillies, now that they had the will reading and the funeral to more or less "look forward to". Not surprisingly, a lot of their classmates and even Cheerilee herself confirmed that they'd be present for the funeral. And many of them continued to offer their condolences to Diamond for her loss. Scootaloo still felt the occasional pang of jealousy as a result, but she was able to keep them from occupying her mind.
At last, it was Friday night. Both fillies had completed their homework, eaten dinner, and washed and dressed up. Tiara had managed to hold onto the dress she'd worn for her cute-ceañera just a few years ago (oh how long ago such happy memories seemed to the filly), while Scootaloo had decided on the same dress she'd worn to the Grand Galloping the same year she'd gotten her cutie mark.
"We'll stop by Carousel Boutique tomorrow morning to pick up your funeral dresses," Dizzy told the fillies, as she helped to brush their manes and tails so that they were neatly styled. Dizzy herself was wearing a lovely white gown with blue trim on the sleeves, and sported three buttons. She'd managed to comb her mane and tail so that they were perfectly straight, instead of in their usual curly style. "Okay, we're all set. Now we just need to wait for your father."
As if on cue, the door knob turned and into the room trotted Quick Shot. "My, how nice you all look," He commented, barely resisting the urge to nuzzle the manes of his fillies with a hoof. Looking at his wife he added. "You especially, Dizzy my dear. I don't think I've seen you look this nice since our wedding." He gave his wife a quick peck on the cheek, which made her blush ever so faintly.
"Well, Quick Shot, dear, we're just waiting on you." Dizzy replied in her sweet tone of voice.
"I shan't be long." Quick called, as he quickly darted up the stairs. And he kept his word, for he came back downstairs just over a minute later dressed in a fine dark blue tuxedo jacket and black bow tie. His mane and tail were styled to perfection.
Dizzy smiled, and after taking one quick look at her husband she clapped her hooves and announced. "Okay, we're all set. Let's get going, we don't want to be late for the reading now do we?"
It felt so surreal for Diamond to be back at Rich mansion again, and so soon after her birth father had died. It was hard to believe it had already almost been a week since that tragic day, the memories of that anything but joyful morning still lingered at the forefront of the filly's mind.
When the Twister family arrived, they were escorted up to the private study that Filthy Rich had frequently occupied during the course of his life. Not surprisingly, Spoiled Rich was already there, dressed from head to hooves in black mourning attire. And it seemed like her mascara was running as a result of heavy crying (how sincere, it was hard to tell). In addition, Mayor Mare and Twilight were also present.
"Filthy Rich appointed us as witnesses when he made out his will," Mayor Mare explained to the fillies, dressed in a formal brown button suit with a white collar. "In fact, he specifically told us that if we were still around after his passing, he wanted us here to make sure his wishes were carried out accordingly."
Twilight was wearing the same outfit she'd worn for her coronation in Canterlot, and had styled her mane and tail in a fashion similar to that day (all that was missing the crown). "I had hoped this day would never come, at least not while you fillies were still so young," She commented rather sorrowfully. "If only he'd thought to go to a doctor sooner, perhaps that cerebral hemorrhage could've been detected before it was too late."
"But wait," Tiara commented in confusion, looking at the two ponies designated as witnesses. "If you two are just my birth father's witnesses, who's reading the will?"
Diamond needn't have wondered though, for at that very moment the study door swung wide open and into the room trotted a pony with whom Tiara was very familiar with. A light grayish-purple earth pony stallion with a curly greenish grey mane and tail, light cobalt blue eyes, and a cutie mark depicting a feather duster. "Greetings to you all." The elderly stallion greeted, having changed out of his usual butler attire for a formal black suit and tie.
"Randolph?!" Tiara exclaimed, eyes all aglow! "What are you doing here?!"
Randolph looked like he wanted to smile, but he maintained a neutral expression as he simply trotted into the room and explained. "Why it's simple, Mistress Diamond. I hope you're okay with me calling you that, even though you are no longer technically part of this household, and thus no longer my responsibility. To me, you'll always be Mistress Diamond," After allowing the pink coated filly he'd helped to raise to hug him, the stallion then added. "And to answer your question, it's quite simple. Master Filthy appointed me to be the executor of his estate were he to die, therefore I have been granted the power to read his last will and testament. So, if everypony will gladly take their seats, I shall proceed with the reading. I take it there are no objections?"
"How can you be an executor? Don't you have to be a lawyer or something to get that title?" Scootaloo asked Randolph, as the old stallion trotted to the simple wooden desk that had been set up for him.
Mayor Mare was more than happy to explain. "Oh no, an executor isn't required to have any legal experience. Yes, a lawyer is required to help you write a will and ensure it is legally binding, but you don't have to appoint said lawyer to be your executor. In fact, most ponies prefer not to do so, because lawyers can go out of business, retire, relocate, or have their license to practice law revoked. So long as the executor is capable of reading the will and is aware of what was written on it, it can be anyone the pony writing the will wishes."
"Oh." Was all Scootaloo said, and then she remained silent. There were no further objections, not even from Spoiled who everypony had expected to be the most likely to have one.
Randolph sat down at the desk, making sure everypony else was seated as well and that their attention was focused on him. He put on his black reading glasses, and made sure the fire provided plenty of light by which to read. Then, clearing his throat, the butler read aloud: "I, Filthy Super Rich, being of sound mind and body, do hereby divide up my estate and business as follows. First up is my dearly loved wife, Spoiled Milk Rich. When I am no longer around, I wish for you, honey, to take over Barnyard Bargains and keep the family business running."
"Well, it's about time!" Spoiled rudely remarked. "I begged and pleaded with him for years to let me have a go at running the store, but he always refused! I know just how to turn that humble store into a business chain that'll rival even the greatest of the Canterlot upper crusts!"
"Not so fast, Mrs. Rich," Randolph cautioned, as he resumed reading. "There are some ground rules he wanted to lay down: It is my wish that the store remain in Ponyville, as it has for generations. Unless the store should go out of business, I don't want it to be sold, or relocated anywhere else. Should my wife be unable to comply with such wishes, I shall place management of the store in the hooves of my father, Stupid Rich, who gladly passed down ownership of the company to me when my grand pappy felt I was ready. However, these conditions are only temporary, for should my precious little Diamond Tiara be of legal age at the time of my passing, I wish for her to take over the store instead. If she should decline, or (Celestia forbid) pass away before she reaches the age of eighteen, then either my wife or my father shall inherit the store accordingly. And should none of the above ponies be able to comply with my wishes. Be it because they have moved, declined, or passed away, my store shall be given to the Apple family for them to manage until a suitable successor shall be appointed."
Spoiled could hardly believe her ears! She had despised having to be tied to a humble town like Ponyville, and longed for the chance to move to Canterlot or even Manehattan! Yet now she had been stuck with a store that she couldn't sell or relocate, leaving her firmly tied down to Ponyville for what was probably the rest of her life! "This is an outrage! How could my husband do this to me?!" She complained loudly.
Randolph only shook his head. "It is as it is written, Mistress Spoiled, my sincerest apologies. But this will is legally binding as the witnesses here will attest. Now please, try to keep all future outbursts to a minimum, or else we'll be here all night," When Spoiled reluctantly clammed up, Randolph then read. "Now to my precious daughter, Diamond Dazzle Tiara. I shall leave a great inheritance of at least two hundred thousand bits, to be bequeathed unto her on her eighteenth birthday. Until then, I shall leave it in the care of my wife, who shall also receive two hundred thousand bits."
Spoiled smirked with seeming triumph. "How nice of my husband to leave such a generous amount of money for me. And with Diamond Tiara no longer part of the family, I get the entire sum all to myself. Which means I can hire the best attorney in all of Equestria to fight this will!" She thought to herself, already planning on who to hire to help with such a court case.
But Randolph hadn't finished reading yet, and what he said next shocked everypony to the core. "But if Diamond should die before then or move out, then the two hundred thousand bits that would bequeathed to her, shall instead be given to Randolph, who has served my family fatefully for many years. And if for some reason Spoiled should relinquish custody of my precious Diamond (and I pray she doesn't), then the entire lump sum of four hundred thousand bits shall go entirely to Randolph. Spoiled shall be only bequeathed the amount needed to keep Barnyard Bargains running, and she may not spend a single bit beyond that which is not part of her own income, assuming she has one independent of mine."
Spoiled's triumphant smirk faded completely, replaced by one of absolutely bewilderment! Even Diamond Tiara had to wonder if she had somehow misheard. "But... but... but, that's insane!" Spoiled bellowed loudly. "This will is a sham! I didn't sign off on it, and neither did Diamond Tiara! Therefore this will is null and void!"
"I had a feeling you might protest, Mistress Spoiled," Randolph explained, as he turned to Mayor Mare and Twilight. "Which is why I took the liberty of inviting both of them here for the reading tonight. Mayor Mare, I believe you have the documentation to show what Spoiled and Diamond's signatures look like, correct?"
Mayor Mare smiled, pushing her glasses into place. "Indeed I do. Thanks to our new and improved filing system, it was easy to track down the appropriate signatures. It's a good thing Mr. Rich had the foresight to pay for a copy of the will to be stored at Town Hall."
"If I could please see the two documents, I think I can determine if the signatures are valid," Twilight instructed to Randolph and Mayor Mare. Both ponies complied, and Twilight examined the documents very carefully. Everypony waited with bated breath, as the young princess checked, re-checked and re re-checked the signatures on the parchments. At last, she stood up and declared. "I've detected no traces of forgery. And when Filthy Rich made the will he made sure that Mayor Mare and I were present to ensure everypony signed off on it willingly. The will is legally binding, Mrs. Rich."
Spoiled was rendered speechless, all that came out was a series of untranslatable gibberish sounds! Her mouth hung wide open in shock, and had her eyes gotten any wider, they'd likely have popped out of their sockets!
Even in spite of this, however, most of the grown-ups remained calm and collected with neutral expressions. Randolph just sat back down at the desk and readjusted his reading glasses. "If there are no more interruptions, I shall proceed with the remainder of the will. There are still a few details that need to be cleared up," He waited until everyone was seated, including Spoiled who still hadn't recovered from the shock. Then he read. "On the subject of Randolph, it is to him I shall bequeath a sum of one hundred thousand bits, assuming that Diamond is of legal age by the time I die. If the conditions I specified above should happen, however, then he shall also receive the four hundred thousand bit sum, and whatever additional out of pocket costs he'll need to start up his own legal firm. Whatever remains of my estate after that, I leave to charity. Including a generous donation of three hundred and fifty thousand bits to the Ponyville Orphanage, run by my good friend Kind Heart."
Spoiled seemed to recover from her shocked state, as she looked at Randolph and exclaimed rudely! "A crusty old butler like you, practicing law?! Since when?! I thought my husband hired you because you had no other job you could apply for! Besides, your cutie mark is a feather duster, how the hay could you possibly assume that makes you good at anything besides being a sub-par housekeeper?!"
Randolph just replied to Spoiled in a neutral tone. "Mistress Spoiled, or perhaps I should start calling you Mrs. Rich, seeing as soon you will no longer be my employer, I expected you of all ponies to know that cutie marks are open to interpretation. Just as you've peddled the story that your mark was a result of being related to the finest jewelers of Ponyville, when in fact it was because you made your own jewelry because your dairy farmer parents couldn't afford any, I can redefine what my cutie mark means. Yes, a feather duster could easily indicate a talent for housekeeping. But at the same time I have interpreted it to helping clients clear away the dust and cobwebs, to help them better understand the law," He paused, before he added. "I have practiced law on the side a little, in no small part thanks to the books Master Filthy was kind enough to lend me, as a reward for assisting you with toilet training Diamond. The only reasons I didn't leave to make it on my own, is because of my desire to help Mistress Diamond, and because I lacked the resources to open an office. Now, with the money allocated to me through your decision to give Diamond up for custody, I'll soon be known as: Randolph, a pony at law. And since any good law firm needs plenty of staff, I'll be hiring a lot of the maids, nannies, and fellow butlers that you've bossed around to kingdom come. It's really too bad you kept docking their pay, because I know all of them will be glad to come work for me."
Dizzy then spoke up. "Normally I wouldn't say this, Spoiled, but considering how much of a jerk you are I think everypony will forgive me," She then looked at the rich mare and said simply. "You got what you deserved. Perhaps if you hadn't treated everypony around you so horribly, you wouldn't be left with so little to your name."
Spoiled said nothing, she just growled loudly and left the study, slamming the door behind her! Diamond couldn't help but think to herself. "Karma, I owe you big time!" And she continued to think that way, as she, Scootaloo, and everypony else, departed the study a moment later.