Silver Marriage

by cdcdrr

Fabricated Stories

Chapter 16: Fabricated Stories

Diamond Tiara returned home sullenly, and found Silver Spoon at the dinner table, head held in her hooves. She looked as though she had been worrying since she left.

"I'm home, Silver." She announced, causing her wife to look up from the table.

"Please tell me you have some good news." She begged, making Diamond grimace in regret.

"Have you spent the whole time pondering about how things could have gone wrong? Anyway, no, I have no good news. Berry Punch shattered under the strain of her squabble with the mayor and confessed to all the damage that has been done to our house. But she's just desperate to placate Mayor Mare and not in her right mind. Berry Pinch bailed her out as I was there. And she was peeved." Diamond explained, causing Silver Spoon's head to droop again.

Wanting to reassure wife, Diamond moved over to Silver and put her leg around her head, pulling her into a hug.

"Come on, sweetheart. It's not so bad. I can't help it that the authorities hold grudges I'm no part of. I feel bad for Berry Punch, but other than my concern for her daughter's reactions, this doesn't concern us." She held Silver for a moment before she disengaged, a more determined look on her face.

"I forgot, we have mail from Babs Seed." She informed Diamond, and stood up to retrieve a letter from an end table which she showed to Diamond Tiara.

The letter told her Babs had returned to Manehatten by now, and she hadn't forgotten to look up the address of Diamond Tiara's mother. It was actually her work address, but it was the most direct lead publicly available. Further telling the two of them she hoped they could spend more time together in Manehatten again when the two of them came to visit Diamond's mom. Diamond Tiara smiled faintly, for the first time in weeks she felt happy for herself, and not just that she was doing her duty as a wife and breadwinner. This was something for herself.

"Silver, how would you feel if we took a sudden weekend vacation to Manehattan?" She smiled as she folded the letter.

"You mean to see your mother?" Silver guessed. "Make no mistake, I'm glad for you, but how sudden is sudden?"

"I mean right now. We pack up and take the next train to Manehattan."

"Isn't that abrupt? What about money? Can we afford that? What about the house? We can't just leave it unguarded so soon after Berry Pinch's mother was framed." Silver objected, but Diamond lay her hooves on her shoulders to reassure her.

"Berry Pinch isn't going to do squat if she doesn't want to draw more attention to herself after her mother was freed on bail. And I still have enough money from the loan I took to last us long enough even through a weekend hotel stay in the city. I need this Silver. It's been so long since I've seen my mom, I can barely remember anything about her. This is my chance to rediscover my family, and I want you there with me."

Silver wilted under Diamond's pleas. "Oh sugar lump, you know I'd always stand by you. Of course I'll go. To be honest, I want to put this mess here in Ponyville out of my mind and forget about it, if only for one weekend."

* * *

After packing for the weekend and catching the evening train to Manehattan, the duo arrived the same night. Booking a hotel in midtown was easy as well, as the upscale locations were rarely book full. Indulging in the luxury of their accommodation and getting a night's rest unlike what they'd gotten at home the last weeks, the two of them set out for the address in the Garment District of the city, the designing studio where Diamond's mother worked.

"You made the sleeves too long. When I said I wanted them less poofy I didn't mean lengthen them. I don't even know what I pay you for." A pink earth pony with mare than a passing resemblance to Diamond Tiara admonished an assistant mare.

"Ahum, pardon us." Diamond called out, making the mare turn around to face them, and Diamond's mouth fell open at the recognition of her mother. It had been many years ago, but she remembered. Her mother had barely changed at all.

"Yes? Do I know you? I don't believe I had an appointment for Saturday." The mare replied irritably.

"Don't you recognise me? I'm your daughter, Diamond Tiara. I came here from Ponyville because a friend told me you work here now." She pleaded, hoping for a spark of recognition.

And the mare did, and her expression immediately changed from sour to sweet.

"Di! Is it really you? I can't believe after all these years you've finally come." The boss mare ran up and put a hoof around Diamond, embracing her for a good long while. "Who's your friend?" She asked as she let go and noticed Silver Spoon.

"Mom, this is my wife, Silver Spoon." Diamond pointed at her, before pointing her other at her mother. "Silver, this is my mother. Suri Polomare."

"How are you?" Silver asked as she shook Suri's hoof.

"Peachy, child. So nice to see my daughter got hitched to such a well groomed mare. I remember the Silvers, I'm surprised you two hit it off so well. I couldn't really see eye to eye with them. Oh, but where are my manners." Suri turned her head to her beleaguered assistant. "Coco, is that coffee done yet? I told you to make some fifteen minutes ago."

"Yes, Suri. I'll go get it." The cream furred mare ducked her head and slinked off.

"She needs a stern hoof or that mare would never get anything right. If I wasn't so generous to keep her around, Coco would be lost." Suri explained as she began to lead the two mares out of the studio room and into the adjacent break room next to the kitchen where Coco was fidgeting with the cups.

"I get you, finding good help is so hard." Diamond agreed. "That's why I'm glad I quit working at the Ponyville Express to open up my own jewellery store with Silver just a short while ago." She boasted, hoping to impress her mother.

"Congratulations! Wow, I'm not at all amazed a filly who is my offspring would succeed in the world of high fashion. You have to send me samples." Suri praised as the three of them sat down to talk.

"I already gave one to my benefactor Rarity, without whom I wouldn't have had the inspiration. You remember Rarity from Ponyville, right mother?" Diamond inquired. Being fellow townsponies it was no surprise the two fashionistas had known each other since Diamond Tiara was a filly.

"Oh, I remember Rarity." Suri's tone dropped some of it joviality. "Last time we met, she had changed. For the worst I'd say."

"Why, what happened?" Silver wanted to know. Rarity was always known for her generous spirit around Ponyville. She couldn't imagine her having a rivalry with somepony.

"It was quite awful actually. I had worked for months if not years on a new fabric. So light, so shimmering, it was going to make me the victor of the Manehattan fashion week competition for sure." Suri accepted a mug of coffee from Coco, who seemed to cringe for some reason.

"But then shortly before the competition, that impostor, that... Rarity stole the pattern! I had worked so long on it, and I didn't think to keep any of my notes I made during the creation process. The secret towards creating my new special fabric and a whole bolt of cloth were just stolen from my designing workshop. Coco Pommel here had betrayed me and helped Rarity get her hooves on it so she could win the competition, and in exchange for getting Rarity's job making the costumes for a Bridleway musical."

Coco Pommel hung her head, putting down Diamond and Silver's coffee while averting her eyes from Suri.

"I wasn't able to make new fabric for my dresses, and Rarity patented it soon after to make Equestria think it was her invention." Suri explained, clearly hurt at this injustice.

"That does not sound like Rarity at all. The Rarity I know wouldn't steal or claim credit for somepony else's work." Diamond Tiara responded, incredulous. She just couldn't see the resident embodiment of selflessness stoop so low.

"Deary, if there is one thing you should learn about Manehattan, it is that it's everypony for herself out here. The fashion industry can be a ruthless business. I'm sure that in Ponyville, Rarity can afford to be all smiles and trustworthy, with discounts for friends and regulars. But she's come further than your little village and she wouldn't have if she played nice and naive out here, beyond Ponyville." Suri reasoned and took a sip of her coffee. "What are you sitting in here for? Can't you see this is a family reunion? You have dress sleeves to restore." Suri snarled at Coco Pommel, sitting at the table with her hooves in her lap.

"..Sorry Suri." Coco whispered as she slowly got up and trotted out the door to take the rack of designer clothes back into the work atelier.

"You'll have to excuse me, Di. It's just that it's been years and everytime I'm reminded of how Coco cheated me with that little strumpet, I can't help get upset, even though I don't try to make a big deal out of it." Suri apologized.

"No, I can understand." Diamond looked deep into her mug.

She had always looked up to Rarity, and now that pedestal she'd placed her on was broken. But her mother wouldn't have lied, would she? Diamond knew there was truth to her words, she knew all about the ruthless business life, and it was tiring sometimes. It was honestly not a surprise that even Rarity could remain unsoiled by such cynical practices.

"Why would you allow Coco to work for you even after ruining your work?" Silver asked, clearly finding that hard to believe.

"Oh, I guess I just am too good for her. She was so eager to work as my apprentice and make her way up the career ladder. Even though she clearly doesn't have the talent I have. I was pretty upset that she stole from me, just to get her short sighted job for the Hinney of the Hills musical show. Of course, after she completed all those new outfits, they just paid her, gave her some thanks, and sent her on her way. With nowhere to go. She had no contacts, no prospects, no reputation, is it any wonder Rarity get her a dead end stint doing the dirty work for a job she promised in exchange for some tickets? Tssk, someponies saddle up poor ponies like Coco with work they should be doing themselves." Suri shook her head in disbelief. "So she came back, tail tucked between her legs to ask if she could have her old job back. And being the gracious fool that I am, I agreed. Sure, I'm hard on the girl sometimes. But in the end, where would she be without me? Even if she didn't quite deserve a second chance."

"That's really kind. I don't know if I could forgive a pony who broke my trust." Silver Spoon said.

Diamond stared into her mug again, before taking a drink.

"It's so nice of you to say that. Will you and Di be in Manehattan for long?" Suri asked.

"Just this weekend, but I hope that from now on, we can get to spend more time visiting, right 'Di'?" Silver inquired, nudging her wife.

"Oh, sure. It's great to finally have a parent we can actually talk to. Mother, can we see some of your designs?" Diamond Tiara asked as she got to her feet.

"I probably shouldn't be unveiling my newest creations, but I have some other line I can show you. You would love to strut them around Ponyville, I'm sure of it." Suri gleamed as she began to lead the two mares into the studio area.

Author's Note:

So, yeah. See if you can see the discrepencies is Suri's account of how fashion week went. While I would like to think after the episode, Coco Pommel was able to find her feet and do well for herself, I can just see her being so meek as to have doubts about doing the right thing after her job for Hinney of the Hills ended and she didn't succeed in making a name for herself, and come crawling back to Suri. And being the bossy little pony she is, Suri wouldn't have had any luck finding another pony who'd take all her abuse, and be forced to accept her back. These two are like an unhappy marriage.

If you liked this chapter despite the slowness of updating, please let me know what you think. Thanks for reading, and I'll try my hardest not to fall any more behind in my schedule. No promises.

Comments

[Telaros]

Is this still continuing? Just curious how you're holding up. I kinda miss reading this story's Silver and Diamond drama with the ponies in town. Was hoping we'd eventually see what's up with Apple Bloom and others.

[cdcdrr]

6035170
I have simply had a few months where work has been draining and writing has ground to a halt, but I do hope to finish the story. There are a fair amount of ideas I hope to put to paper in due time, and that would require continuing Silver and Diamond's story. Knowing someone is still interested should incentivize me to do so sooner rather than later.

[Telaros]

6036892 Ugh, yes. summer brings with it more demand and strain on workers. Glad to hear there's still interests in continuing this wonderful story.

Wish you the best!

[ServingSpoon]

"Mom, this is my wife, Silver Spoon." Diamond pointed at her, before pointing her other at her mother. "Silver, this is my mother. Suri Polomare."

called it

[ServingSpoon]

well she hasn't improved with age that's for sure.

Not at all happy to see poor Coco back under her hoof, M'kay.