Silver Marriage

by cdcdrr

Banking Crash

Banking Crash

It was a new day, but Diamond Tiara didn't feel like getting up. One of the bright sides of unemployment was that you didn't have a schedule to keep or clock to wake you. And if there was one thing she normally enjoyed doing on the weekends, it was staying in bed with Silver and cuddle up. Her scent, the touch of her fur, her soft breaths all seemed so much nicer in the morning before Diamond opened her eyes. Despite having the word 'Spoon' in her name, it was Diamond who liked to embrace her grey mare protectively.

The sound of shattering glass and crashing rudely interrupted this morning bliss, startling Diamond. In a moment, she could feel Silver's hooves prodding her chest urgently. "Tiara, wake up! Someone's in the house, it's a burglar!"

Wrestling with the blankets and struggling to get her sleep mask off her eyes, Diamond stumbled out of bed as Silver searched for her glasses by hoof. The pair slowly moved into the living room, hearts pounding.

"Is somepony in here?" Diamond called out as she surveyed the room.

No pony to be seen, but one of the windows had been shattered. A vase had falled to the ground and broken as well, and the end table it had stood on overturned. There was an ugly dent in the wall and on the floor lay a stone that had been wrapped in paper. Somepony had sent a message.

Diamond Tiara unwrapped the paper from the rock and saw it was the front page of the Ponyville Express. Wondering how this was tied to somepony throwing in her windows, she studied the headlines. The most notable was "Drunk Mare Arrested Trespassing On Mayor's Terrain" and below was a picture of two guards escorting the arrestee to their station. The face of the mare was obscured by the two stallions, but her cutie mark unmistakably identified her.

"Berry Pinch." Grumbled Diamond Tiara as she looked out the window for said pony, but she saw nothing.

"I-is she the one who broke in?" Asked Silver Spoon as she drew closer, having stayed behind Diamond.

"More like broke our window." Diamond Tiara turned the newspaper over to Silver Spoon. "She must blame me for the Ponyville Express running an embarrassing article about her mother. Somepony must have failed to inform her that I don't work at the newspaper anymore. Is it my fault there has been a slow newsday and her mother is constantly breaking the peace?"

"The tresspasser was discovered de-" Silver Spoon cut herself off from reading aloud more of the article at what seemed to be too much information at this time of the day. "I suppose the mayor's flowerbed is now ruined. Oh my, this is pretty embarrassing for a daughter to read. She defenestrated Mrs. Mare and caused minor injury. As she was being escorted off the grounds, she blubbered ineligibly about 'the mayor has ruined me'. What do you suppose that was about?" She asked her wife.

"Possibly her shop getting closed for defaulting on loans?" Diamond Tiara guessed. "Berry Punch inherited the place from her folks. The town is putting it and her stock up for sale. She must believe Mayor Mare is doing it out of spite, which honestly isn't hard to believe. The way Berry Punch disturbs the peace in town has been a thorn in her side."

"I don't see why Berry Pinch should take that out on us. Her mom is like such a fool, not like we can change that."

"This isn't how I wanted to start my day." Diamond Tiara dropped the page and looked at the mess. "Just... just make some breakfast and clean this up while I'm gone. I guess I'll go see the glassworker."

* * *

Breakfast had passed tensely. Silver had been uncomfortable, and Diamond wasn't the supportive wife she had to be for her. Today was an important day if she wanted to get their family back on track, and she couldn't let Berry Pinch distract her. She had focused herself on her research before her important meeting, and now was the hour of judgement as Diamond Tiara sat in an office opposite a pegasus clerk.

"Mrs. Tiara, the amount you are asking gives me quite a shock." The light yellow and purple maned clerk admitted.

"Alula - may I still call you that? I have done the necessary research and I have no doubt the market here in Ponyville is parched. Karat's shop was highly profitable, but his retirement has forced Ponyvilleans to travel to Canterlot for their jewellery." Diamond explained.

"It's not that, Mrs. And no, you can't call me that. We're a savings and loans company. We deal in mortgages and customer loans. Only 20% of our loans can be of a commercial nature. The loan you ask for is of such proportions, we will almost hit that limit. Further, as a borrower you would have an unprecedented vote. Your venture might become successful, but we could still come into trouble with the national bank." Alula explained.

"I see. This is the only bank in Ponyville. If you won't loan me my starting capital, I will have to travel to Canterlot for investment." Diamond seemed resigned, but was surprised when Alula placed a hoof on hers.

"I didn't say you will be turned down. I am trying to make you aware of the risk you represent to us, and to make you appreciate the work I'll have to do on your behalf."

"What exactly are you talking about." Diamond enquired, wondering where this was going.

"You already have a mortgage for your town house with us, right? Well, we can't extend you another. But your wife has no outstanding loans with us. We will put it under her name and convince the realtor the building you seek to use was rezoned. He is a member of Ponyville Savings & Loan who has the best interests of the bank at heart. That will make a significant part of the loan into a more appropriate mortgage, posing less of a risk to the bank's status." Alula explained the steps to be taken.

"Silver doesn't have a bit to her name. She can't be qualified for such a big loan!" Diamond protested.

"Trust me, Mrs. Spoon's credit rating with us is good as long as yours remains good." Alula reassured her.

"This sounds very shady." Diamond Tiara voiced her concerns. "Our assets are separate. If Silver gets in trouble for this, I will not be able to cover for her before this blows up. How will she not notice when tax services send her a blue envelop?"

Alula seemed to ignore her as she picked up the Ponyville Express on her desk with her free hoof. "You know what's funny, Diamond? I haven't seen your name as the editor-in-chief of the papers for over a week now. Must be a nasty bug going 'round town. I sure hope this won't impede your work much longer. You employment status means everything to us. It's always a terrible shame when a mortgage falls through, and ponies are evicted. The bank does not like selling real estate."

The implicit threat was not lost on Diamond Tiara. Either she risked Silver Spoon by putting her name on some underhoofed deal, or she would soon feel the crunch as her financial status became known to the bank with Alula's insight.

"Diamond," Alula placed her other hoof on hers now. "We of Ponyville Savings & Loan want to see our customers' dreams fulfilled. Whether that's the house they dreamed of, or starting up a young business. Let us help you realize those."

"That's... awfully... considerate of your Ms. Alula." Diamond Tiara replied with uncertainty.

"Please, call me Alula." Her hoof began to stroke Diamond's foreleg as she leaned forward, looking her in the eyes. "Diamond, I've always admired you from afar. The one year on Hearts and Hooves day, it was Silver who encouraged me to give you the card I had made. And yet here we are. You married Silver instead, and I am the envious bachelorette. I hope you are appreciating the work I'm putting in for you, Diamond. Would you want to treat me to coffee during my afternoon break so we can finalize our arrangement?"

The way she looked at her, Diamond believed this was about more than coffee. She wondered how Silver Spoon would feel about this.

"Alula, I really don't know about any of this. You are putting yourself forward and assuming way too much." She tried to pull her hoof free, but Alula had a deceptively strong grip.

"Diamond, you are doing this for your and Silver Spoon's future together. I cannot help you if you will not let me. You can try convincing another pony here and retell your business plan after it seemingly failed to work out with me. Or you can show your appreciation for all the obstacles I am willing to clear for you. So please, meet me at the cafe by lunchtime. Or should I insist on you calling me Ms. Alula again?"

Diamond Tiara faced a life changing dilemma she had not anticipated coming here, and had to give the right answer quickly. But which was right in this situation? What should she choose?

Author's Note:

This one's a bit more economical that emotional. I sure hope I didn't botch my interpretation of the US banking system, with the parallels drawn in Equestria for this story. But then, these are candy coloured horses. How close to reality can I actually get? In any case, I suppose people may have their own ideas about what choice Diamond Tiara should make, and you're all free to voice them. But time will tell whether Diamond makes the right one.

Comments

[Rhanoa]

Although I would like some sexy time with Alula, I think DT has to much pride to accept the deal. Be faithful to your wife pls.

[Telaros]

wow. well THAT was a route I wasn't expecting. things just got complicated.

I have no words to add to this chapter.

[ServingSpoon]

this is one of those damned if you do damned if you don't deals. And I fear Alula will want much more to keep her silence. As she said, she is the jealous bachelorette.

I'm worried what kind of trouble Silver could get into if the business fails but if she walks out now they would loose their house. I suppose the honest thing to do is walk out, hope Alula was bluffing, and prepare to move back into Filthy's mansion (that should be an option, he's hardly there himself) till they can get back on their hooves.

Silver needs to look for entry level work. being a staying at home house wife is useless if she doesn't have a house or a home.

on top of all this, I wonder if anypony besides Rairty supports them.