“You want to… what?” Diamond Tiara stared intently at Twilight, as if she couldn’t quite believe her own ears.
“I said: Would you like to come and stay with me for a while? You’d have your very own room at the palace in Canterlot; it is a huge building after all. And though I might be busy sometimes with my royal duties, I’d only be just around the corner if you ever needed…”
“So it’s true. I have the chance… to live… with a real life princess.” Diamond seemed to hesitantly state that last sentence more to herself. “...I need to sit down for a second.”
“Huh? Are you okay, Diamond? Here, you can have Spike’s old chair.” Twilight stopped her description to guide the pink filly to the smallest throne. “Did I say something wrong? I just thought it wasn’t such a bad idea. I mean, I know I said that if you stayed with the Silvers’ it might be a bit of a trek for your parents, but Canterlot is much closer than Las Pegasus, and…”
“No, it’s not that. I’m just imagining what Silv would have to say about it.” Some glints of the old Diamond Tiara were starting to show in the smug half-grin that began to form. “It does sound… kind of nice. But how long for? And what am I supposed to do while I’m there? Do I get to skip school, for example?”
“Oh, don’t worry about it. Whatever schoolwork you need, I’m sure Miss Cheerilee can forward to your new temporary address.” Twilight beamed down at Diamond’s noticeably disappointed face. “Remember; it’s the summer vacation season soon, anyway. I know this by heart, because it was always my least favourite time of year. Can you imagine what it was like; months without classes… no structure to the day… having to mark my own progress, in the absence of any teachers…”
“Er, yeah. I don’t think I love going to school quite as much as you did.” Whatever enthusiasm the alicorn might’ve harboured towards her early education, it sure wasn’t contagious to an unimpressed Diamond. “Anyway, you didn’t answer my first two questions. What is there to do there? Surely more than at the Friendship Castle, no offence. And how long before I can live with Mummy and Daddy again?”
“Oh, right. Sorry, sometimes I get a bit carried away when discussing my school-life.” A somewhat flustered Twilight cleared her throat, before continuing her answer. “Well, obviously you’d be able to see all of Canterlot. It’s a pretty nice place, if you’ve never been before. I can introduce you to some of my best friends and family whilst growing-up there, and it has a world-class library! It’s just a lovely, friendly city with lots of history and a moderate climate all year round…”
“What are you, their Tourist Board or something? I just wanted to know if there was stuff for a filly my age there. By the way you just described it, probably not.” Diamond Tiara’s mother may have been chomping at the bit to witness the opulence of Canterlot, but it was plain to see the filly herself had no such ambition. “...And I’m still waiting for an answer to my other question. If I did come with you, how long would it be for?”
“E-Erm…” Twilight had intentionally skipped that particular part of the query until now. Mainly because the blunt truth might not be what the previously volatile filly wanted to hear. “The fact is, I don’t exactly know. It all depends if and when I think your parents can look after you better. In other words; not arguing all the time, ignoring your most basic needs and throwing fragile items around the mansion liable to cause you harm. I might not be an expert, but I don’t believe as things stand that’s a very safe or suitable environment to raise a child in.”
“I-I see.” A downcast Diamond took the news surprisingly well, unless her lack of visible sadness was due to her tear ducts being all cried out from earlier. “I guess, when you put it like that… I can kind of see why I had to go away for a while…”
“Hey, c’mon! Don’t be too down-in-the-dumps, or you’re going to set me off this time!” Twilight leaned over from her own throne to gently lift the pink filly’s chin upwards so their eyes met. “I won’t promise you anything, because nopony can tell the future; not even me. And contrary to some of the posters you might’ve seen illegally scattered around town, Trixie Lulamoon can’t either. But one thing I can swear is that if you come and live with me, I’ll try my very best to be the parental figure you need and deserve for the duration of your visit. You won’t want for anything, and I hope to learn a lot from you in return. Plus, I may even let you accompany me on some of my official engagements around Equestria…”
“Wait. You’re telling me… if I come to stay in Canterlot with you… I get to see the world?!” Diamond eyes nearly popped out of their sockets with excitement, as though it was this rather than Twilight’s solemn vow to be a dedicated caregiver that was the deciding factor. “It’s a deal! I-I mean, if this was a business thing… oh, who cares? You know what I meant!! Oh, I can’t wait! Silv thinks she’s so cool with her month-long stay in a four-star hotel at Las Pegasus, wait 'til she hears about my trips to Fillydelphia! Or holidays at the Crystal Empire! Maybe I’ll get her a hoof-crafted souvenir brooch from Yakyakistan, to really rub it in…”
“H-Hey, wait a minute. I only said ‘some’! A-And we might not even go to any of those places…” A somewhat ruffled Twilight attempted to calm her potential houseguest down, to no great avail.
“I’ll get packed straightaway… oh, what am I saying? My luggage is already still in it’s bags! How convenient! So, do I get my own servant? I mean, they can’t be as good as Randolph, but a butler is a butler, right? There are a few things I’m allergic to, like gluten and some detergents. I’ll make out a full list when we get there. Also, can I have a nightlight in my room, please? N-Not that I’m scared of the dark or anything, it’s just an ‘insurance policy’, as my Daddy says when he turns it on. Oh, and is it going to be overlooking the east, or the west wing…?”
On and on Diamond prattled away, her animated chatter interspersed with occasional leaps of joy and slight tugs at Twilight’s mane when the filly thought her alicorn guardian wasn’t paying her enough attention.
She’s changed her mind on the topic so quickly, I can barely keep pace with it all. Twilight internally sighed, whilst doing her best to accommodate her new charge’s many enquiries. I just hope her new life, however long it lasts, is everything she hopes it will be. Plus, I haven’t even informed Spike yet about this hastily-agreed arrangement. I wonder if I can work something into his contract about filly-sitting…