//------------------------------// // Chapter Two part 2: A Dramatic Meeting // Story: Twilight's Diamond Daughter // by deadpansnarker //------------------------------// “Princess Twilight Sparkle? Wants to see both of us? Inside her old castle? Right now?!” “Why are you repeating what I just told you, Filthy? Do you honestly think I would’ve interrupted my busy schedule to come here if it wasn’t something of the utmost importance? Yes, she said that to me from her own lips!” “...What have I told you before about calling me ‘Filthy’, Spoiled? And you? Busy?! That’ll be the day you learn about a little something called empathy! Whatever could've happened for the Princess to arrange this? I suppose you had something to do with it…” “Hmph! I’ll have you know, Filthy, I’ve spent all morning putting the incompetent idiots who work for me in line. Then, just as I’m starting to relax, up pops Her Majesty without so much as a ‘Hi, can I come in’ and tells me she needs to see us immediately! I’ve said it once, I’ve said it twice but I’ll say it again: those royals think they can get away with everything!” “Spoiled. I know Twilight quite well through Applejack, and I don’t think she’d organise anything like this without a special reason. You haven’t been helping our daughter cheat on her exams again, have you?! She’s smart enough to pass herself! She doesn’t need her mother ‘cooking the books’ for her…” “T-That was only the one time, Filthy! She was going to finish behind that pegasus with a death wish, who’s always being picked up by her two weird aunties. How do you think that would’ve gone down at the next Grand Galloping Gala? Prince Blueblood would’ve laughed his crown off! Our ‘Shining Diamond’ finishing second place to a… a…” “...Stop that kind of talk right now.” Filthy suspended his headlong trot towards the Castle Of Friendship to glower unimpressed at his wife. “The last time you used that sort of discriminatory language, Diamond picked up on it and got in a lot of trouble. Do not judge others by their ‘disabilities’, but by the content of their character. How would you like it if our precious filly was born with three legs instead of four? Would you love her any less?” “N-No. No of course, I wouldn’t.” For the first time in an epoch Spoiled looked somewhat ashamed of herself, and her husband relished his temporary moral victory. “...But that aside, Scooter-something comes from a completely different class! It just isn’t the ‘done’ thing, a pony of Diamond Tiara’s breeding and class failing to best a commoner! Anyway, it doesn’t matter. I’ve mostly given up on trying to nurture our daughter in my image, since her disgraceful rant to me outside the schoolyard.” “...And for that, I think we can all be grateful.” Filthy seemed content to wander on ahead, as he continued conversing with his chastened wife. “So you’re telling me, you have absolutely no idea what this meeting is about, in regards to Diamond? Actually, why am I asking you this? Even if you told me ‘no’, I still wouldn’t believe you.” “Oh, hark Mr Goodie-Four-Shoes Rich! For all we know, maybe it’s your constant absences from home which are making Diamond act out! Not to mention, getting rid of all our servants at the drop of a hat! It can’t be good for her, not having dear old Randolph around to tend to her needs. She’s known him all her life…” Spoiled felt that Filthy had too much to say for himself, and was determined to redress the balance. “Ha! You have some nerve, Spoiled! Is this the same ‘dear old Randolph’ you were determined to put out to pasture until recently? And don’t worry about him: he and the rest of the staff are on full pay until their return. If you want them back, all you have to do is apologise, and promise not to be such a demanding nag from now on. Not too difficult, I’d say. Though, maybe for you…” “Apologise for what, Filthy? I haven’t done anything wrong! You’re the pony running around the mansion, picking up our most priceless artefacts and then smashing against the wall like a crazy pony!” “Don’t pretend you don’t give as good as you get, Spoiled! Besides, I never wanted any of that junk in the first place. I only bought it to shut you up and get a bit of peace in return. Why do you think I was away at work so often? Not just to get a break from you, but to earn more money to pay for it all!” “Why, you… I never asked you to do any of that!” “What? How were you planning to pay for that stuff? Ask your folks in the Old Country working on the dairy for a loan? A likely story!” “Ooh… you just had to bring them up again, didn’t you? I swear, Filthy you make me so mad sometimes!” “Spoiled, you make me mad all the time. Do I win the jackpot?”  “A-hem. Sorry to butt in on your ‘friendly’ discussion, but Twilight Sparkle will see you now.” Unbeknownst to the warring duo, they’d already walked the moderate distance to the castle in the midst of their bickering, and a clearly unamused Spike hovered in the air waiting to usher them through the front door. The drake’s sudden appearance in front of a startled Spoiled and Filthy succeeded in unnerving the former so much she instinctively dived for cover behind her husband, thinking it was some kind of vicious beastie who’d taken a liking to her flesh. Filthy rolled his eyes at the sight of Spoiled’s penchant for overdramatisation. “Thank you, Spike. And do get up, Spoiled. This is the Princess’s new Chief Advisor. If you want to social climb like you always say, then you’ll treat him with respect.”  “I-I see.” Spoiled gulped with embarrassment, realising she’d messed up again. “Sorry, I’m a bit out-of-sorts today, Dragon. I have so much on my mind right now, it’s hard just thinking straight. Can you tell us what this is all about, please?” “Twilight will explain everything to you once you’re inside. Just follow the main corridor down to the Map Room at the end. Please don’t go upstairs, because Starlight’s having a nap. And if you de-alphabetise my comic collection or go through my gems… I will find out. So be warned.”  “Erm... okay?” Spoiled and Filthy had a rare ‘moment’ together where they gazed at each other in utter bewilderment, but they didn’t have too long to dwell on it as Spike allowed them to pass. It wasn’t too hard to find what they were looking for. The biggest room in the castle by far, with a big magical table in the middle complete with seven chairs. Sitting at the head of it in her own personally engraved seat was the alicorn herself, Twilight Sparkle. Being an unpretentious leader unused to the trappings of fame, she didn’t insist on her guests bowing or curtsying as they entered hesitantly, already feeling slightly starstruck. Instead, she motioned for them to be seated anywhere they wanted (for what it was worth, Spoiled took Rainbow Dash’s throne and Filthy had Fluttershy’s) before getting right to the point. “Hello there, Mr and Mrs Rich. Sorry to call you both away from what I’m sure were both very important jobs, but this is a matter of some urgency that simply can’t be put off. I am of course referring to your daughter Diamond Tiara, and the very difficult living situation she’s in at the moment…” “Wait a minute.” Spoiled scowled,  some of her initial nervousness beginning to ebb away from pure petulance. “How did you come to be involved in our personal business? And is this really part of your job description, to be a Marriage Counselor? If we felt we had problems, we could just go and hire a professional. We do have a lot of money...” “It is my ‘business’ when a filly is suffering malnourishment symptoms and sleep deprivation because of her parents' constant fighting!” Twilight fired back firmly before Spoiled could boast some more. “Whatever you and Filthy Rich are going through in your relationship should be private, that’s true. But it becomes a whole different matter when it affects the life of somepony as young as Diamond Tiara. That’s when I, as a duty of care, have to step in to find out what’s going on.” “W-Wait. Why did she never tell us any of this herself? I-If she’d only said something, I-I could’ve…” Filthy suddenly felt like his entire world had come to a screeching halt. “If only I’d known. I-I..” “From what I understand, she’s been trying to talk to you both about it for weeks, but instead of listening you both shut yourselves away or shouted over her voice. You know, a piece from one of those pots you threw during your last argument smashed and grazed her forehead while she was in the room. If the fragment had hit a few inches lower, she could’ve had a serious eye injury.” “N-No…” Filthy gasped with horror at what he’d just heard, and even Spoiled put her hoof to her mouth at the thought of almost blinding her daughter.  “It’s completely true, I’m afraid. But don’t worry: she put some healing ointment on it herself and she’s right as rain now. That’s a very intelligent filly you have there, and you both should be very proud of her. But nopony that young should be expected to take care of herself alone, no matter how independent she thinks she is. Which is why I was even more saddened when I saw just how skinny and tired she was. When was the last time she had a proper meal? Or even, a good night’s rest?” “Well, I don’t know about you, but I blame my husband completely. If he hadn’t sent away our chefs, then maybe our darling daughter wouldn’t be starving to death.” Spoiled smugly said in response, as though this debate was some kind of point-scoring exercise. “Plus, you should hear his voice bellow once he gets going. It’s so much louder than mine! Honestly dear, there are days when I wish I was a free and single mare like you. You don’t realise how lucky you are…!” “I see.” Twilight scowled at a smirking Spoiled Rich’s pitiful attempts to curry favour with her. “I agree that getting rid of all your staff over a minor dispute seems a bit silly, but you seem to be doing okay in terms of your weight, Mrs Rich. Let me ask: how have you been managing for food lately? Have you been preparing it yourself? And if so, why didn’t you make any for your ‘darling daughter’?” “I-I’ve u-um…” Spoiled’s confident demeanour lasted all of thirty seconds, as she seemed to alternate between telling the truth or a lie which Twilight would surely call her out on later. “...Been dining out at one of the best restaurants in town. There, happy?” “Oh, is that so? I don’t suppose you thought of taking Diamond some food back with you? Or even inviting her along?” Twilight’s questions to Spoiled weren’t going anywhere fast, particularly as Mrs Rich started hyperventilating and turning a nice shade of scarlet into the bargain. So instead, the alicorn turned back to Filthy. “As for you Mr Rich, I get that things are tough at home. But surely nothing means more to you than the safety and well-being of your daughter? How could you let the situation get this bad? Wasn’t there a moment where you thought ‘whatever disagreements I might be having with my wife, Diamond Tiara’s welfare is the most important thing’?” “E-Erm, that isn’t the only reason…” If his spouse was doing a passable impression of a fish out of water, Filthy just stared at his reflection in the crystalline floor, as if hoping it would swallow him up. “T-Things are tough at work, too… a lot of pressure involved. Could lose my business, if I don’t shape up. In my position, you’d probably understand more.” Upon hearing this excuse, Twilight shook her head sadly. “No Mr Rich, I’m afraid I wouldn’t. I’ve been in plenty of tense situations all over Equestria with my friends, and I can tell you that whatever dangers we’ve faced together, their friendship and love is always at the forefront of my mind. I don’t know how that compares with your job, but as a devoted father, I would hope you would have your priorities straight.” “Hang on… you don’t even have any children. What makes you an authority on being a parent, all of a sudden?” A flushed Spoiled wasn’t really defending Filthy there, she was just desperate to claw some sense of her former dignity back.   “Well, I have a niece. And if Flurry Heart was suffering, I would drop everything I was doing to be there for her. I know actions speak louder than words, but I’m pretty confident about that. Could you say the same thing?” “I-I…” Spoiled was caught in a Catch-22 predicament. She would’ve loved to say ‘Of course I would!’ but recent history contradicted that statement. And she didn’t want to be caught out yet again. The impact it would have on her sense of self-entitlement could be fatal. So, she did the wisest thing she’d done all day.  Sat back, and kept quiet. As for Twilight, she spoke to Filthy once more. “If you’re wondering where Diamond Tiara is right now, don’t worry. She’s staying with Silver Spoon and her parents overnight, while we make arrangements about what’s going to happen next.” Arrangements? For the second time that day, Spoiled and Filthy stared at each other in silence, although their mutual expressions on this occasion were more ones of outright shock than confusion.  “If you want to know what I meant by that, it’s quite simple. Diamond Tiara cannot possibly return to your home the way things are now. With all the inattention she’s receiving to the detriment of her physical and mental health, plus the ongoing risk of serious injury, it’s not too far a stretch to call it an unsafe environment. Can you swear to me, both of you, from this day forward that whatever your personal grievances, you’ll give her a living space free from harm and insecurity?” “O-Of course I do! I’m capable of keeping Barnyard Bargains in business, and taking care of my precious Diamond at the same time! You have my word, Princess: from now on, things are going to be very different… as long as certain mares can learn to control themselves once in a while.” Feeling like this was his last chance to make a good impression, Filthy didn’t need to think hard to answer, whilst casting an accusatory side-eye in his wife’s general direction. “I don’t know what to tell you, Princess. If Filthy were as generous with his money and his time as he was when we first got together, we wouldn’t be in this mess. It was bad enough when those three rotten fillies stole my daughter away, now my own husband is trying to rebel too? If everypony just listened to me and followed my instructions, none of this would be happening. Structure and discipline, that’s what Diamond Tiara needs right now. With me as her sole guide!” Spoiled spoke from the heart, thinking that if she impressed her ideals on a fellow leader in Twilight, she might ‘get it’ and even side with her. The alicorn in question though didn’t immediately respond. She took a few careful notes, rose from her chair, stared off into the distance… ...Before finally turning and addressing the feuding pair as one. “Mr and Mrs Rich. If I may be blunt, I’m afraid your answers were… unsatisfactory. Clearly, you both have a lot of major issues to be ironed out that, contrary to your words, will affect your ability to care for Diamond Tiara in the near future. On a more individual level: Filthy, you seem distracted by some problem at work which is preventing you from being the father figure your daughter so desperately needs. As for Mrs Rich, she seems more interested in her self-image and creature comforts than her own filly, but I have a feeling that particular problem may have been present for a while. Regardless, I cannot in good conscience return Diamond to you the ways things are right now at Rich Mansion. As far as I’m concerned, she is in clear and present danger at her present address and must be removed as soon as possible, until facts bear out it is safe for her to return.” In the next few seconds after this devastating news, silence ruled as Twilight allowed both parents to digest her decision. First Filthy cried. He cried and he cried, in a most unstallion-like way. But no-one, not even his most teasing co-workers who’d often mock him for being married to such an overbearing mare, would’ve begrudged him a single tear. As for Spoiled, her face was a mosaic of emotions. Anger, outrage, frustration… and if you looked up close, real close, you might’ve seen a bit of guilt there too. “B-But w-where?” were the only words she could force out, as the vein in her head seemed ready to explode. Twilight turned to face the wall upon hearing this, her lavender hooves gently clacking the reflective surface of the floor. “That… still has to be determined.”