//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: Rest, Relaxation, and Rumination // Story: A New Perspective // by Shadowmane PX-41 //------------------------------// Diamond Tiara stayed mostly quiet as she walked the long path leading up to her family’s mansion. Normally, she would take in every single step of every single day, feeling more and more like a total princess the closer she got to the front doors. But today, after hearing that she had to have some glasses or contacts, she didn’t feel like the royalty she made herself out to be. Not even the majestic opening of the blue double doors with a golden frame could make her feel happy. The foyer of Diamond Tiara’s house was just as nice inside as it was outside. A long red carpet was rolled from the stairs that rolled out both to the left and right-hand staircases. There were pillars at each corner of the room and the ceiling stood high above the three Riches. The tiles surrounding the velvet carpet were gray and shone brightly in the light of the radiant chandeliers above. “Diamond, me and your father are going to inquire about your new contact lenses.” Spoiled Rich patted her gently on the shoulder. “For now, you should probably head back up to your room and rest. I’ll inform the butlers and have them tend to your needs.” “Okay, mom.” Diamond took a brief look up at Spoiled before starting the long trek up the foyer and landing stairs towards her bedroom. “If I need anything, I’ll be sure to let one of them know.” “Good.” Spoiled watched as Diamond headed off. As her daughter made it to the stairs, she watched her take full advantage of the large marble banisters around them. “Myself and your father will be coming up to check on you once we sort out the details. For now, you just need to rest.” “Try not to stay close to the window or TV, darling,” Filthy called up to her as she made it to the top. “Those things’ll play havoc with your eyes. Trust me, I know.” Diamond trudged through the corridor atop the stairs, following the red carpet straight to the end. She came to a fork at the end of it and turned to the left; where her bedroom laid. She hated every waking second of this. She didn’t want to be in this position, but those were the cards she was dealt, so she had to live with it. On her way to the bedroom, Diamond saw a bunch of butlers ahead. Some stood stationary in the hallway while others were entering and exiting rooms, most likely doing all the cleaning up. They were all smartly dressed in black and white tuxedos and dresses, and each one was as devoted to their work as the next. Finally, Diamond Tiara reached her bedroom. She could tell it was hers because of how the door was painted pink, with a tiara emblazoned on each of the two doors. The golden handles by her door were so inviting to her; especially after hearing the bombshell of how she could potentially go blind earlier that day. She laid both of her bright pink hands on the doors and pulled them wide open. Diamond Tiara’s room was the epimety of a princess’s room. Straight in front of her was a four-poster bed with finely-carved wooden beams supporting it. There was a small translucent curtain concealing the covers and pillows, which was slightly open because she had forgotten to close it. She could also make out a tiny shadow within the bed, right on the pillows themselves, making out the shadow of her teddy bear. She never showed it off much. It was her stuff and she didn’t like people using it without her approval. The rest of the room had so many luxuries that it might as well have been an all-purpose room. There was a sequined couch in front of the bed with a large TV hanging from the walls, a small table by the wall where Diamond could have her food served, and a large walk-in closet by the TV that always seemed much bigger to her. There was also a large chest on the other side of the bed, but she didn’t really use that much. “At least this place looks the same.” Diamond Tiara walked up to the bed, pulled the curtains back, slipped her shoes off, then clambered into the bed. “Or used to look pretty soon.” She drew the curtains forward and slithered softly into the soothing satin spread, immediately feeling like she was in a safe place where no-one could touch her. She tilted her head towards the small teddy bear and pulled it towards her, giving it a hug. “Oh, Mr. Moneybags, no matter what happens to me, you’re still gonna be my favourite thing to cuddle with...” Diamond, despite being in Canterlot High, still loved having a teddy bear as her bedside companion. In a world where only the rich people are your friends, it’s always nice to have something all to yourself with no-one judging you for it. For Diamond, this teddy bear filled a massive hole in her heart and was always by her side whenever she went to her bed for rest or sleep. Sure, if anyone saw her with it, it would be the absolute death of her, but she was in total privacy, and she took that to the utmost advantage. She gave the bear a squeeze as she hugged it, burrowing it deep into her cheeks. “Mr. Moneybags? I’m afraid I’ve got some bad news for you...” Diamond felt like she was breaking the news to a kid who had misbehaved and lost out on a treat. “I went to the eye doctor’s office earlier today, and... unless I start wearing glasses or contacts, I’m gonna go completely blind...” The bear just sat there, unblinking and completely still. “I know you want me to be strong, Mr. Moneybags, but I’m worried sick about this whole thing.” She stared deep into the round black balls for eyes on her bear’s face. “I don’t wanna go blind. Mom, dad, Silver, they’d all be crying me a river. I don’t wanna disappoint any of them like this...” She knew the bear wasn’t gonna talk, but she couldn’t get mad at it either. “You know, you’ve been my oldest and bestest friend, Mr. Moneybags. Ever since I was a baby, I’ve always been right by your side. And sure, you can’t talk like some of those bears from those fairytales they used to read me in kindergarten, but I still love you all the same.” Diamond smiled and hugged him again, lightly tapping his nose. “I hope you never change. Unlike me.” All of a sudden, Diamond Tiara heard a knock on the door. She scrambled to stuff Mr. Moneybags underneath the pillows, then sat upright in the bed. “Come in.” She pulled the curtains back open. The doors opened up, revealing a group of butlers standing on the other side. Some male, some female, but all dressed the same. Right in the middle of the group was the head butler—and Diamond’s personal favourite—Randolph, who had a pocket watch tucked away in his outfit, with a golden chain leaking out of it. “Miss Tiara. Your mother and father gave us the command to look after you while you recover.” A female butler walked in first. “We all want to make sure that you’re safe and sound.” “We’re sorry you had to go through with this, Diamond.” A second female butler came up to the bed and sat beside her. “Whatever you wish of us, we’ll grant it.” “Thanks, everyone.” Diamond Tiara saw each of the butlers gathering around her like a troupe of soldiers. “I’m totally fine. Don’t worry about me. Just gotta have some contacts or glasses for a while.” “On the contrary, miss Tiara. Worrying about you and your parents’ needs is our job.” Randolph stepped forward. “And if we didn’t do our jobs, then where would we be in the world?” “Just be sure to take it easy today. We already called CHS in advance to let them know you wouldn’t be in today.” A male butler with light-blue hair handed her some papers. “Your teachers were very generous to send you the homework as well. Feel free to take it at your own pace.” “Thanks, Sparkle Eye.” Diamond took the papers and promptly put them on the nightstand on the other side of the bed, pushing through the curtains to place them. “But, while you’re all here, can I ask you all a question?” “Of course. Anything, miss Tiara.” They all bowed together. Diamond knew that this question would be a difficult one for her servants to grasp, especially after her mother sad she was going to get contact lenses. But even with all that, and with how much she could tell they would be a pain in the butt to use, a second opinion was what she wanted right now. “Are contact lenses really the best thing for me? Or should I give glasses a shot instead?” She tipped a hand before them all. “Well, I personally think that contacts are a nice thing to have, provided you know how to use them.” One of the two female butlers; the one with bright pink hair with purple accents said. “Sure, the application and the case can be a bit of trouble sometimes, but once you get past that, it’s a nice luxury to have when you’re dealing with poor eyesight.” “But when you have to go to bed, do you have to take them off, then put ‘em on again when you wake up?” Diamond tilted her head. “Because if that’s the case, my mom might as well set me up with glasses instead. There’d be no way I could do that every day.” “That’s why I always put them right next to me, so that they’re easily accessible when I wake up.” She clasped her hands together. “I’m sure you would do the same, miss Tiara.” “I myself think that glasses are more the way to go, my lady.” Sparkle Eye raised a finger. “Despite how flimsy they are, glasses are a quick and easy solution for whatever kind of visual problems you might be suffering. Plus, the right frames and colours can make you look like a completely different person. For better or for worse is all down to you.” “Well... I suppose you’re right there.” Diamond was starting to see both sides of the story come out clearer now. “So, contacts aren’t all they’re cracked up to be?” “Nonsense, miss Tiara. Contacts are just as viable in any sort of situation.” The second lady butler folded her arms as she glared down Sparkle Eye. “If you wear glasses, some of the peasants outside could steal them, bully you, or mess with you in general for wearing them.” “Yeah, but that’s just some people, Quick Rule.” Diamond glanced up at her, mildly breaking her own stare. “I mean, Silver Spoon wears glasses and she’s just fine. No-one’s been making fun of her as far as I know, and I doubt anyone will with me as her bestie.” “Indeed. Glasses are a fine choice, miss Tiara.” The other male butler nodded and adjusted his own. “And there are a variey of them to suit many of your needs. Reading glasses especially help me most of the time whenever I have to memorize one of Master Rich’s business portfolios after a long day at work.” “Alright. Alright. I think I can see what’s going on here.” Diamond pushed her hands out to the side. Her butlers were great people, but not even they could help her decide. Most of their opinions were mixed, so she couldn’t tell what was best for her. She’d just have to wing it based on the last one. “Randolph? Do you think you can break this tie? I’ve got two butlers telling me to wear contacts, and two to wear glasses. What side are you on?” “Quick Rule, Sparkle Eye, Spring Drink, Keen Eye, you’re all dismissed.” Randolph stepped forward and stood over Diamond Tiara. “I wish to speak to the mistress alone.” “Yes, sir.” The other four butlers bowed again and exited the room, closing the door behind them. “Diamond Tiara.” Randolph watched Dianond slip her head back onto the pillows of the bed. He helped to tuck her in gently and looked her in the eyes. “I might be old, and my eyesight might be beginning to wither a little, but I do know that you shouldn’t let your butlers decide these matters for you.” “But, Randolph, I’m beginning to have doubts about this whole thing...” As much as Diamond hated to admit it, this had to have been the first time she had ever disagreed with her mother’s wishes. “Contact lenses really don’t seem appealing. But at the same time, glasses are sort of a stab in the dark. If I go with mom’s choice, I’m gonna end up struggling to adapt, and that could embarrass me in front of the whole family someday.” “Well, miss Tiara. You should know that your mother and father can be a bit overly decisive at times. But no matter what, they do still love you, and always will for years to come.” Randolph slid further towards Diamond and gave her a gentle pst on the forehead. “Whatever you do choose to get in the end will all be down to you. And if you want to wear glasses instead, then that’s totally fine. None of us are forcing you to make this choice.” “I know that, but still...” Diamond just knew deep down inside her that she’d be making a mistake no matter what she chose. “I wish I didn’t have this problem.” “Oh, Diamond. It’s not your fault. This is just a little accident.” Randolph chuckled and pushed his glasses closer to his face. “And remember; this is only a temporary issue. Once your eyesight begins to recover, you can choose to get rid of the sight aids as soon as possible.” He leaned in close to her and whispered, “And, between you and me, I think you would look adorable in a pair of glasses.” “Aw, really?” Diamond began to blush on both cheeks. Randolph to her had always been the equivalent of the grandfather she never had. Whenever he cheered her up, he always did it with pride, determination, and honour to the family. “Of course. But don’t tell Master or Mistress Rich that I said that, alright?” He put on a cocky and immature grin. “Just our little secret, okay?” Diamond chuckled gently. “Okay, Randolph.” She leaned forward and winked at him. “Good. Now, feel free to wash yourself up and take it easy.” Randolph climbed back off the bed and started to leave the room. “The chefs are preparing lunch for you and your parents as we speak. Once it’s all ready, we’ll notify you immediately.” “No crust on the bread, finely sliced fruits, and the hot food cooked finely?” Diamond tugged on the edge of the sheets. “Just the way you like them, my lady.” He smiled as he gripped the handles of the door. “Thanks, Randolph. You’re the best head butler on the planet.” Diamond waved him off as he finally left her to her own devices. “And you are the best lady that I’ve ever had the honour of serving, miss Tiara.” He waved back as he slid out of her bedroom and closed the door behind him. Once Diamond was all alone again, she closed the curtains again and laid back in her bed, looking up blankly at the ceiling. Now, even more thoughts were beginning to rush into her head about this whole glasses versus contact lenses thing. After hearing what her butlers had to say on the issue, Diamond no longer had a solid choice to make. And her mother had already laid her cards on the table and was gonna get her the lenses anyway. If she thought anymore about this issue, she might have exploded or ended up with a big migraine. I just don’t get it... Diamond shuffled around under the covers, her legs slowly curling as she tried to get comfortable again. Why’s my mom doing this for me when I can’t even decide that they’re good or not? Is she trying to tell me something? Are glasses really that bad? She began to shake those thoughts away. No. No, I’m sure they’re fine. Silver Spoon wears them all the time and mom doesn’t get mad at her whenever she comes around. And even Randolph seems to think that they’re good. Just as she got rid of those thoughts, more just seemed to pop into her head. But what about dad? Does he think the same way as me and Randolph do? Or is he siding with mom now? All of a sudden, her mobile phone began to ring. Her ringtone was a very tinny and electronic variation of a classical song she always used to know and love. Diamond sat up and took the phone out, answered the call, then slipped it to her ears. “Hello?” “Hey, Di!” Silver Spoon’s voice came through the speakers loud and clear. “How’s it going?” “Hey, Silvs.” Diamond laid her back against the wall and grinned weakly. “You still worried about my eyes?” “No. I just wanted to give you a call to say that there’s something pretty great going on at CHS,” Silver said. “There was this massive fight, and now Snips and Snails have totally broken up with each other.l “Those losers? They’re just morons.” Diamond twirled some hair around her finger. “Just you wait. After a day or two, they’ll totally be coming back into each other’s arms, crying like little babies.” “If you say so,” Silver said, sounding like she couldn’t have cared less. That quickly went away with her next line, though. “Oh, and I found this great little magazine in the mail today with some big scandal on the cover about Sapphire Shores. Turns out, she had an affair with—“ “Silver, the less I know, the better, alright?” Diamond pushed her free hand away from the phone. “Did you tell any of the students about my eye problem?” “Yeah. They’re all really sad about it. The Canterlot Movie Club especially.” Silver’s tone turned melancholy very quickly. “Which is weird. Usually, those dorks don’t even give us the time of day, yet they feel genuinely sorry for you.” “Really?” Diamond’s eyebrows were raised. The CMCs weren’t her biggest fans nor her closest friends, but to know that they were supporting her case as well sent a lot of signals through her brain. “You sure it wasn’t just out of sympathy or something?” “No! They were really sad about it. They said ‘it wouldn’t be fair if Diamond was blind. Having to read all those dots and dashes or have someone describe everything to her would really kill the fun for her’,” said Silver Spoon. “Should I give them something as thanks?” “Well... maybe some other day.” Diamond took a deep breath and geared up to ask the million dollar question. Her parents, her butlers, and now her best friend. This would make or break everything for her. “Silver... Do you think I should get glasses?” “Glasses? Why would you want those?” Silver was quick to react. “I dunno. My mom seems to be making these decisions on a whim, and I don’t really know if contact lenses are the best thing for me right now...” Diamond came out of the bed and started to pace back and forth in front of it. “I’ve had a lot of people say their takes on the stuff, but I’m not really sold on either one just yet. Even Randolph, for as great a guy as he is, is making me doubt my own mother; THE Spoiled Rich of the Rich family...” “Well...” Silver Spoon took a few moments to think about it, but she inevitably broke the silence. “I don’t mind whatever you choose, Diamond. But with me helping you out, we’d find you some glasses that would make you totes adorbs.” “Really?” Diamond’s eyes widened. “You think I’d... look good in glasses?” “Yeah. Totally!” Silver pepped up again. “The right frame, the right colours, some accessories, you’d be the cutest girl in CHS. Boys’d be falling head over heels for you with the right glasses. And if you do wanna start wearing ‘em, I promise I’d make you look good in ‘em.” “Silver Spoon...” Diamond’s smile grew ever wider. “Thank you, girl. You’re a great friend.” “You too, Di. Glad I could help,” she said. “So... see ya later?” “Yeah. See ya.” Diamond nodded and pulled the phone away. “I think it’s almost lunch time anyway.” “Okay. I hope you enjoy it. I know I would,” Silver seemed happy. “I always do.” Diamond finally hung up and put the phone back in her pocket. The second she came back to reality, everything seemed to come down on her mind like a house of bricks. Her confidence shattered like glass as she clutched onto the back of the couch. Now what do I do? Even Silver Spoon agrees with the others! But mom’s already getting me contacts! Her eyes began to twitch as she felt the pressure mount inside of her. Which side do you want me to take?!