A Diamond in the Rough: Chapter 2
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The booting up of my camera was a little slow, but I managed to start my video recorder quickly. Then, I gave Mrs. Tiara the nod to begin. I could tell I wouldn't be going anywhere for quite some time, but I knew that the promotion would be worth it. With that, she cleared her throat and began her tale.
"Well, first off, I'll tell you about my parents. My dad, Filthy Rich, was brown and had a pitch-black mane, along with a small blue and white tuxedo and a red tie with dollar signs, and my mom, Glamour Tiara, was, like me, pink, with a diagonally striped rainbow mane and she is one of the tallest female ponies I know. Unfortunately…they hated each other."
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(24 years ago: Diamond Tiara's modern perspective of her infancy.)
I lived in a gargantuan, three story mansion even as an infant. We had about 5 footcolts, and I tried to befriend them since I could utter my first words. After all, even as an infant, my parents rarely looked after me. They seemed to only do two things: argue and run their seperate businesses. Glamour ran a very successful jewelry store, and my dad ran the best business in Ponyville, Rich's Barnyard Bargains. I couldn't understand what they were saying to each other back then, but I'd imagine their conversations sounded like this...
Glamour might yell, "I told you we should have waited until they made gender control pills, but you had to say 'It will be a male, trust me!' Now we have a useless daughter who can't take over your shitty business!"
Then dad might respond, "We can raise her and have her teach the son once those pills exist! She is not useless, and my business is not shitty!"
"Oh, sure! Let's raise the frilly pink pony until she knows everything about business! That's not going to happen! And even if it does, she'll learn from a moron who can't even get away from royalties that he has to pay to a farming family!"
"I know that I'll be able to work out some deal or find one loophole in the contract we have with the Apple Family. So please, just leave me alone!
"Fine! I hate you! Why did I even marry you?" she would conclude, and then they would leave and go to their businesses, stressed out and distraught.
Of course, it wasn't all that bad. The footcolts were very polite and attentive. Also, the butler, White Handkerchief, who had a dull white body, a gray mane, and brown eyes, was so nice, he practically treated me like I was his daughter.
He was very polite, and actually enjoyed his job, especially considering, from what I can remember, I was fairly quiet as an infant, and not as demanding as you might think.
But, the fighting continued, and when I was about four years old, they officially divorced.
I can't remember my Dad's reaction and my Mom's reaction to the divorce, but I do remember that was around the time I got 'the talk' about cursing. I still do it constantly, so it ain't like it made too much of a damn difference, but I at least attempted to control myself early on in my life.
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Anyway, Dad spent about two years recovering before he finally signed me up for school. And yes, I got my first diary between the divorce and my first day of school, and I did start writing in it almost immediately after I acquired it.
Anyway, going out of the mansion, I felt like a needle on top of a field of hay. The place I had lived in for six years now felt foreign and distant, so concern gripped me like a leech as I hesitantly trotted to school.
My kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Joy, was a green pony with golden curls of hair that had a contagious, fun-loving spirit. Of course, I was still hesitant to raise my hand when she asked questions, but after I saw no one knew the answer to 6 X 6, I felt my hoof go up, as if I was being possessed.
"Yes, Diamond Tiara?" she said, making me sweat like crazy.
"Uh…it's 36, right? I hope I'm not wrong…"
"That's correct! Great job!"
I can still remember my cheeks turning pinker than ever before after that. "Thank you, Mrs. Joy."
All of a sudden, I heard a few kids clopping, and I even got a few compliments after school. I had been complimented by my footcolts before, but those words felt a bit empty. For the first time, I felt like the world had acknowledged who I was, and it felt amazing. From that point forward, I knew my goal in life was to make everypony realize how special I was. So, I did my best to make sure I never worried about making mistakes, and to just say whatever it on my mind.
About 5 days later, a day after we had our first quiz, Mrs. Joy said, "Now, class, I will announce who got the best score on this quiz!"
I had no doubt it was me, but, surprisingly enough, a filly named Silver Spoon got 100% on it, and I only got 90%! I pondered how she was able to do so, and soon enough I found myself walking with her.
Without further ado, I said, "Hey, Silver Spoon! I'm Diamond Tiara! Nice job on that test!"
"Um…hi diamond tia…"
"Hey, are you OK? I can't hear you!"
"It's just…well, I don't talk much, so I don't really know how to talk to you without..."
"Hey, I've got a great idea! Why don't I teach you how to talk better, and you teach me how you got that grade?"
"Um... sure! C... can we start now?"
"Of course! Just don't be afraid to say anything! You know, like what I did when I answered the 6 X 6 question!"
"Wow! Is... is it really that simple?"
"Yep! It worked for me, so it'll work for you!"
"Wow, thanks, Diamond Tiara! C... can we be friends?"
"Sure! Say, would you like to see my mansion?"
"You live in a mansion? Wow, and I thought my family was rich! I mean, I live in a two story building!"
"Yeah, my last name isn't called Rich for nothing! Come on, follow me!"
"I'm right behind you, Diamond!"
And just like that, I met my first and very best friend.
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