Business as usual
Chapter 2
Business as usual
The celebration the night before had left a bad taste in Diamond’s mouth. The appearance of the old rivals, and the unexpected reaction to Sweetie Belle’s appearance, was a very shacking experience. She was glad to be back home, though she didn’t arrive to the manor till late that night. Though she was dragging her feet and feeling heavy bags under her eyes, Diamond Tiara went straight to her office on the second floor. Her single night off had left a stack of papers six inches thick on her in-box.
She sighed. “That’s what I get for taking a personal day in peak season.”
She grumbled, pulling a chair up and sitting down to work. She picked up the first page on the top of the stack, read it over, and signed her name at the bottom. And then she did the same for the next page. And she did the same for the next, and the next, and the next. Hours ticked by as she sat in her desk, scrawling names by lamp light. The only sound was the ticking of the grandfather clock in the corner and the scratching of her pen.
The smoldering summer heat and steady tick, tick, tick, of the clock behind her drifted Diamond Tiara into a warm state of rest. She found it harder and harder to keep her eyes on the papers she was supposed to be signing. Her thoughts became steadily foggier, dreamlike, till they made no sense at all. Bits and pieces around her desk began to look like diamonds. She tried to reach out to them, but her hands wouldn’t move. She had work to do, the treasures needed to be counted. That was her job, counting treasure. She looked around the desk again, but the diamonds were swirling in and out of focus. She concentrated on one, and found that they weren’t just diamonds. They were bells, each of them sparkling in the pale light of her office, twinkling on the desk in front of her like captured stars.
The door at her office swung slowly open, letting in a gust of wind that rang through the diamond bells. Their sound was beautiful, the most beautiful thing she had ever heard. A figure walked in through her doorway, a short but curvy unicorn. She was shrouded by a blinding light that came from nowhere and everywhere at once. Diamond Tiara raised an arm to shield her eyes, before she remembered that she couldn’t move them. They had somehow tied themselves to her chair. She should have been more concerned, but somehow, she couldn’t bring herself to think of anything more than the beautiful sound of the bells around her.
The figure walked right through Diamond Tiara’s desk, staring down at her. It wasn’t much of a change, even sitting down Diamond Tiara only come down to the angel’s neck line. The pony, her hair moving in the same unfelt wind that ran through her diamond bells, leaned closer to Diamond Tiara. Her lips were closing in on the sweet girls, reaching out with soft arms.
Diamond Tiara suddenly sat bolt upright, an ink smudge on her cheek and one of her documents stuck to her face, damped by drool. She had passed out in the middle of her work. Wiping her mouth on her sleeve, she turned to check the time. Ten past two in the morning, no wonder she was so tired.
She groaned, pressing her palms over her eyes and trying to flesh out the dream she had been having. It had been a strange one, something about a blinding light and bells made from crystal. There had been an angel in it to. Wait, not an angel, a unicorn. She had been so bright though, and her giggle had been as sweet as the bells. Maybe that’s where she got her name.
Diamond gave a sharp intake of breath at the realization of exactly WHO had been invading her dream. She was clearly too tired to think straight, it was time for bed, the rest of her paperwork would have to wait till morning.
Giving a yawn, Diamond turned off her light and headed for bed. The hallway between her office and her bedroom was decorated with family portraits and framed magazine covers, showing her beautiful face. In one she was shaking hands with the mayor of Ponyville, standing in front of a construction site with a hard hat over her styled hair. It had been the day they broke ground on her new bank. Another showed her stand, arms crossed, in front of a large tower in Manehattan: her ‘hostile takeover’ over of Silver Shinning exports.
An old oil painting showed her grandfather, Stinking Rich, back when he was just a few years older than she was now. He was giving an award winning smile and standing in front of a mounted deer head, leaning on a golf club like a cane. He had passed a year before she graduated. The next was a painting of her father, Filthy Rich, with a jar of zap apple jam in both hands and a toothy grin. His eyes, even in the painting, looked shrewd and watchful. Diamond frowned darkly at the painting, trying to avoid her dead father’s eyes. The last painting was covered, and Diamond strode past it in a hurry, refusing to think about the dead women’s smile and beautiful hair.
Finally, she reached her bedroom. In her youth, this had been her father’s bedroom, now it was hers: The rich manor master bedroom overlooked the courtyard, blocked now by silky white curtains. Expensive white furniture and a four poster bed lined the rooms. Everything was clean and neat, scrubbed to perfection by her maid. Diamond sighed, taking her tiara off from her neat bun and placing it on the dressed next to the bed. She still wore the tiny crown, even today. Some days it felt like a badge of honor, a symbol of her conquest and success. Other’s it just felt heavy…
She changed silently into her night gown, tied her hair into curls, and finally curled up into her silken sheets. The strange thing was that she was no longer tired. Physically she was exhausted, but despite having slipped into dream not twenty minutes ago, she could no longer find herself drifting into sleep. She tossed and turned, rolling over in her sheets. It was nearly three in the morning before she finally fell back asleep.
* * *
Seven AM rolled around much too soon for Diamond Tiara, and she was abruptly pulled from her dreams by a blaring alarm. She groaned, and then reached out to slam it off. She sat up, and after a moment of wrestling with the idea of being conscious, started to get dressed. After she had managed to squeeze herself into a pair of pants and a vest, she grabbed her papers and headed downstairs to fix herself some breakfast. Her family used to have a cook, but Diamond had not liked the idea of so many people coming into her home. She preferred to do things herself now. She set a plate of sausage and eggs down at the coffee table by her kitchen window. She didn’t like to eat in the grand dining room unless she was making an impression; too many empty seats.
Diamond started at her eggs while she finished off the last of her paperwork from the night before. Only a few to finish now and she would have time to go into town before her next business call. There was a little sweet shop she used to frequent in her school days, and for some reason, she was craving a low-carb chocolate milkshake. She scrawled the last paper with a flourish on her signature, and gave a smile of triumph. Done, the last one. She packed up the papers into her leather purse, and left for town.
Ponyville square had grown more than anyone had anticipated; perhaps it had been the combined efforts of business women like Diamond Tiara and Rarity, or the former residence of a royal princess. Whatever the reason, wealth and success had flown into the tiny town like a blessing, increasing popularity and production until the town barely resembled it’s old self. Town square used to be a cramped little circle around town hall, with dirt roads and a bridge to the local boutique. Now, the square was as bustling as a city block, centered around a large stone fountain, depicting a unicorn, a Pegasus, and an earth pony all sprouting water from their mouths into the basin bellow. The largest building rested across from the fountain, was a bank with large marble pillars, and the familiar symbol of a diamond engraved above its doors. Ponies were pouring in and out of it like ants, and Diamond couldn’t help but smirk.
Other buildings included the town hall, which remained unchanged except for marble pillars in place of wooden beams, a familiar coffee shop with a few homes build above it, and the second branch of Carousel Boutique, with madam Rarity’s latest collection displayed in its glass windows. Finally, tucked in the alley of two larger buildings, was sugar cube corner. It remained just the same as it always had, like a time capsule of Diamond Tiara’s childhood, just as small and colorful as it had always been. She hadn’t visited it in years, but she knew that the owners made enough to get by, if just barely. Something like guilt tugged at Diamond’s heartstrings, but she couldn’t rationalize anyway she was responsible, so she ignored it.
The bell above the door ringed as Diamond entered, and the few patrons inside turned their heads to look at her. The usual reactions swept over the ponies, each in turn. There was the single long stare, followed by the sudden eye bulge of recognition. Then they would turn to the nearest pony by their side and start to whisper excitedly. Tiara ignored this and made her way to the counter. A portly mare with a blue coat and sherbet pink hair smiled at her from the counter.
“Miss Tiara! I heard you were back in town, did you enjoy the reunion last night?”
“I’d like a low-carb chocolate milkshake please.” Diamond said flatly. She was not keen on discussing last night.
Misses’ Cake looked rather taken aback at the response, but nodded. “Right away.” She said, then turned back to start preparing her order.
Diamond took an empty table near the back of the shop, in hopes of curving people’s temptation to come and talk to her. She didn’t socialize well unless on business, at the moment she was just quenching a craving. Her phone began to buzz on her belt and she sighed, taking it from her clip and reading over the message on it.
“Damn, another foreclosure. I need to get back to Manehattan sometime and sort this out; it’s starting to get ridiculous.” She started a reply when the bell rang again.
She glanced up from her screen casually, and then did a double take. Sweetie Belle was standing in the doorway in almost the exact same outfit from last night, the only difference was that she had lost the blue dress shirt and was sporting the simple tank-top. Misses Cake came out to the corner to greet her, smiling and waving.
“Good morning Sweetie! The usual?”
“Mhm! With extra cookie crumbles on top! And maybe a giant cookie if you have them.” She fished into her pants for her wallet, but when she peered inside of it, her face fell. “On second thought, just the milkshake today.” She muttered, sliding the bits across the counter.
Misses Cake smiled sadly at her. “That’s alright dearie, we had an over bake on cookies anyway. I’ll throw in a couple for free.”
Sweetie smiled gratefully at her, but just nodded. Diamond Tiara watched this exchange with another bang of guilt she couldn’t quite rationalize. Before she could stop herself, she spoke up. “Money troubles Sweetie?”
Sweetie Belle whirled around quickly, looking wide eyed at Diamond Tiara in the corner. Her face was shocked at first, but a split second later, it broke into the same wide grin she wore at the reunion.
“Tiara!” She cried, leaping to the seat across from her like a spring. “What are you doing here? I thought Sugar Cube Corner would be a little hum-drum for your taste.”
Diamond shuffled her feet. Truth be told, it usually was. “I just had a craving is all; I guess last night inspired some kind of nostalgia. That’s not a crime you know.”
Sweetie giggled, nodding her head in agreement. Every movement she made seemed to make her bounce. “You’re allowed! I just come by her every morning if I can afford it.”
“So I see…. What was that earlier, you looked disappointed.”
Sweetie’s face fell again, and she looked away from Diamond down at the floor. “Oh… That. Well, I’ve had some money troubles lately, that’s all. I guess there’s not a lot of work in Ponyville for an aspiring musician.”
“I’m… sorry. What about your sister, she’s been pretty successful hasn’t she? Couldn’t she help you?”
“Oh I couldn’t!” Sweetie Belle looked shocked at the very idea. “She’s done so much for me already; I couldn’t ask her for money on top of all that! I’ll get by… it’ll just take time.” She smiled at Tiara, and despite all the problems she must have been facing, Diamond couldn’t help but feel its sincerity. And she was shocked by the young mare’s growth for the second time.
“Order up!” Misses Cake called over to both of the mares from the counter, smiling as she slid two whip-cream topped glasses over the counter. “Don’t let me bother you two.” She gave a wink, and Diamond nearly snarled at her. Just what was she insinuating?
Sweetie Belle didn’t even seem to notice. She jumped from her seat and snatched up the two glasses and sprinted them back to their table that Diamond Tiara barely had time to blink.
“That was… quick.” Diamond frowned as Sweetie slid her dessert towards her.
“I’m kind of like that!” Sweetie said proudly, smiling ever wider. “So…. What were you saying?”
“Where do you work?” Diamond blurted out, raising the glass to her lips.
“There’s a local club that lets me sing on weeknights. It’s nothing like Broadway or anything, but I make decent enough money to survive.”
“A… lounge singer? That’s all?”
Sweetie Belle shrank even more, and her ears flattened against her skull. “Well you don’t have to be so blunt about it.”
“Well it’s just that, everyone else has moved on to such big things. I thought that with your talent you’d be further along.”
Sweetie Belle’s ears jumped up and she looked up at Diamond Tiara with an eager smile and a squeak in her voice. “You really think I’m talented?!”
Diamond Tiara jumped at Sweetie’s burst of energy. “Well… more talented than a local entertainment at least.”
“Well I’m just starting out is all!” Sweetie was grinning wildly again. “I’m going to get some tours later this year, I can just feel it! But Rarity had always taught me to be patient and optimistic, never give up no matter how hard it gets, and that’s exactly what I’ve been doing! It’s going to be great when I become the next Sapphire Shores! I love her, and one day I’m going to sing on stage with her, I can just FEEL it, you know?!” Sweetie’s voice had been growing gradually louder, and now half the sweet shop was turning to look at them. It was Diamond turn’s to shrink into her seat.
“It means a lot to me to have people believe in me though. Scootaloo and Applebloom have a lot of faith in me, I know it, but they’ve been so distant with their own destinies lately. And I don’t blame them, of course they are!”
Diamond Tiara frowned. She didn’t have the strongest grip of ‘social interaction’, but she had always thought that those three annoying fillies would be together forever. It was strange to hear that they were growing further apart, like some unwritten rule was being broken.
“That doesn’t sound like your friends.” She muttered.
“Well, they both discovered their cutie marks a lot quicker than I did. I was the blank flank out of the group for the longest time.” She giggled at the old nickname.
Diamond Tiara felt another pang of guilt. This one she did recognize though; Blank Flank had been the old nickname she had used to torment the three fillies. How could Sweetie Belle use it so casually?
“So, I guess I’ve got a bit of catching up to do, but I’ll do it! Then we’ll all be friends again.” Sweetie’s smile faltered, becoming just a little bit sad, and she bowed her head slightly. “Yeah…. That’s what’s gonna happen.”
Something cold and knotted at formed in Diamond’s stomach. She swallowed as she tried to work it out, but she couldn’t break her gaze from Sweetie Belle.
“When’s your next show?” she asked.
“Tonight, I’m doing a song I’ve wanted to do sense high school.”
“I understand if you refuse.” Diamond said, her usual business manor creeping into her voice. “But I would like to attend.” It was the only thing she could think to do.
Sweetie Belle nearly exploded. Her mouth stretched into such a wide grin that Diamond was sure it would hurt. “You mean it?!” She shouted so loud everyone turned to look at her. “You want to see my show?! Oh that would be GREAT! You can come tonight, here, let me just right down the address for you!”
She snatched a napkin from the table and scribbled the address and club name down. She leaned over the table and pressed it so forcefully into Diamond’s chest that she felt some of the air leave her lungs.
“Wear whatever you want! I can’t wait for you to see it; it’s going to be so much fun!” Sweetie Belle checked her watched and gasped. “Oh my gosh, I’ve got to go, my shift starts in ten minutes.” She grabbed her milk shake and downed it three gulps. She screamed something about ‘Brain Freeze!’ and then ran for the door. She stopped for only a moment to wave eagerly back at Diamond, and then she was gone.
“You know, I’ve only seen one other pony with that kind of energy. You should take care of her Miss Tiara.” Misses Cake winked again from the counter.
“I’ll be taking my leave now Misses Cake.” Diamond Tiara left with her milkshake untouched.
* * *
Three business calls, a video conference, and another stack of paperwork later, Diamond Tiara was finished with her business for the evening. It was nearly sundown, and she was getting ready to make good on her promise to see Sweetie Belle’s show, it was only a matter of what to wear. This was proving to be quite a challenge, she was more eager than ever to see this done. Somewhere in the course of arguing with crusty older colts across the globe, a plan had formed in the back of her Tiara’s mind. A plan that might ease Sweetie Belle’s financial struggle. She could hire her as an assistant, someone to help her with her business arrangements, maybe keep her place tidy. It wouldn’t exactly be her field of choice, but she could afford to pay her properly, and she’d still be free to explore her passions.
Still, as she modeled a couple of her flashier dresses, Diamond Tiara dressed a small prickling thought that had been eating her all day: The other former crusaders didn’t need nor want her help, but why did she feel so obligated to help Sweetie Belle? She wasn’t related to her by any sort of blood or marriage, and she couldn’t quite call the two of them ‘friends’. She hadn’t seen her in years, and the last time they had been together, she had been the terrible bully that everyone remembered. So why, after only two days, was she dressing up to see her show? And taking time out of her busy day to form a plan to help her? It seemed absurd. Could this be her attempt to try and erase some of the horrible things she did in school? Yes, that seemed correct, but somehow, some deep part of her told her there was more to it than that. Still, whatever it was, it could wait. Diamond Tiara finally picked a sleek red sleeveless dress, decorated with her trademark diamond on the side. Modest, but beautiful; to be expected from a Rarity Original.
The club was not hard to find, but it was a fair distance from Diamond’s home. The entertainment mile of Ponyville was located a distance behind the famous boutique, and was a long stretch of some moderate clubs, a few very upscale theaters, a grand art studio, and a single seedy casino. Sweetie’s club was a black building down the road a bit called ‘The Oasis’. There was a bouncer in a black shirt and shade at the doors, and a line behind a velvet robe.
This was her club? It didn’t seem that bad in person. The bouncer didn’t even ask to see her ID, the moment he recognized her and opened the door for her (Much to the outrage of those ahead of her in line). The interior was so lavish that Diamond was actually taken aback. She had expected some seedy watering hole, on the same financial standard as Sugar Cube Corner. But with the velvet seating’s, dark interior lit by the single chandelier and individual candles at each table, and the staff dressed in black collar uniforms, The Oasis was building up to be the kind of club that Diamond Tiara would visit on a regular basis.
A handsome blue stallion standing a podium smiled at her. “Diamond Tiara! Sweetie Belle told us you might be coming, we have a private table set up for you up by the stage. I’m afraid our kitchen is a little understaffed at the moment, but we have a full drink menu if you’re interested.”
“White Russian with a Cherry Noir. Have it brought to my table.” She slid a bill into the colts hand. “Make it quick.”
“Yes Ma’am!” The colt said excitedly. He waved at the bartender and then turned back to her “If you’ll kindly fallow me to your seat.”
Diamond’s private table wasn’t just by the stage; it was darn near pushed up next to it. The stage itself was lit brighter than the rest of the club, and made it stand out in the large dark room.
Her pink white drink was brought to her within minutes, and Diamond Tiara happily nursed it, feeling more nervous by the second. What was she doing her? She should be back home, working.
She didn’t have long to wait though, ten minutes later the lights of the club began to dim and a spotlight hit center stage. Diamond Tiara clutched her glass tightly, drawing her eyes to the beam of light. The same blue colt from earlier walked to center stage, clearing his throat before approaching a microphone set up in front of him. He tapped it twice, and content with how the acoustic sounded, began to address the crowd.
“Good evening ladies and gentlemen, and Welcome to The Oasis, the premium little watering hole in the ever expanding Ponyville. Tonight we have a very special guest with us, and we would like to welcome her to our establishment. Miss Diamond Tiara, the local business shark, has decided to grace us with her esteemed presence.” The colt made a gesture to Diamond in the front row. She frowned at him. Something about the word 'Shark' was oddly flattering to her, but she didn't think he meant it that way. “With that in mind, we have a special show planned tonight. Many of our regulars will be familiar with our secret treasure, for those of you who are not; I would like to invite you to enjoy the audible wonder, and visual delight, of our very own Sweetie Belle.”
He bowed off stage to a louder applause then Diamond had received, and as the crowd began to die down, the curtain began to pull back, and the spotlight increased to a sight that nearly made Diamond spit out her drink. The spotlight had highlighted a grand black piano, with a pale colt in a tuxedo playing the small cords, draped on top of it, in a red sequence dress, was Sweetie Belle.
Sweetie Belle had broader hips then Diamond had realized, and the slit down the side of the dress highlighted them perfectly, all the way up to her cutie mark on the side of her flank. Her hair had been stylized to a standard that was nothing short of stunning, red lips and red heels, made her look… well, there was no other word for it, Sweetie Belle looked beautiful.
The crowd all around Diamond began to cheer, some whistled, some clapped, and other cat called. Sweetie gave a smile, but kept her bouncing giggle to a minimal. The colt at the piano began to play, and the crowd slowly quieted down. The music he played was slow at first, but it was intense, and in a strange way, beautiful. It was also instantly recognizable.
Sweetie Belle slid herself off from the piano; she walked slowly up to the microphone from the stand, and began to sing so sweetly into it.
“Just a Small town girl…. Livin’ in a lonely world.
She took the midnight train going anywhere goin’ anywhere.”
She took off from there. The song was met with barely contained applause, and Sweetie Belle smiled. The song was obviously a great passion for her, because she threw her heart behind every note of it. It was a song about maturity, about growing up, about strangers falling in love, and mostly, about the journey of life. She moved with it to. She didn’t just sang, she performed. When the song curved, her body curved with it, her hips and legs sliding from side to side. When the song swelled, she pressed herself up to the mic stand and put her whole breath into every word. She crossed the stage, reaching out just slightly to the crowd, and she moved with such a confident, smoldering step that Diamond was starting to question whether or not this was the same Sweetie Belle she had met hours ago.
Diamond watched, mystified by her performance. The song came to its bridge, building with such intensity that Sweetie was hunched over the mike, hollering with every chord for the dynamic end. The crowd exploded so completely that Diamond Tiara jumped in her seat. Shouts and cheers and roars of applause filled the club. Diamond felt a blush on her cheeks, and hastily turned back to her drink, swallowing it down quickly. Sweetie Belle giggled brightly, red as a strawberry, and began bowing to the crowd.
The blue colt came out on stage, clapping as loudly as everyone and watching sweetie with hungry pride. Diamond didn’t trust that gaze, but she said nothing. The colt gave Sweetie Belle a hug, which she accepted happily. He turned to the crowd as Sweetie headed backstage. Diamond Tiara left her table to try and meet her.
Sweetie Belle came out from backstage just in front of the bar, sweaty and out of breath like she had just ran a marathon. Diamond just couldn’t stop staring at her.
“That was sensational! You make minimal wage doing THAT?!” It sounded like an accusation, but Sweetie Belle only giggled.
“Well, sort of. I’m paid for my shifts; technically I do those shows for free. But they let me keep the dress and tips from the show because I bring in a crowd.”
Diamond Tiara winced painfully. “Don’t tell me…. You’re doing those shows for EXPOSURE?”
“But… I’m covered up.” Sweetie looked down at her dress, as if expecting to find a wardrobe malfunction.
Diamond Tiara was in shock. Sweetie Belle was such a talented artist, but she had suddenly come to realize she knew nothing of the industry itself. No wonder she hadn’t taken off yet, she had talent beyond belief, but if she didn’t know how to sell it properly it would be years before she got out of this club. She had come here with a plan to hire her as an assistant, but now she had a different idea, one that could benefit them both.
“Sweetie Belle…. How would you like to make a business deal?” Diamond Tiara smiled at her, wrapping an arm around her shoulder.
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This chapter was wonderful!
I think this is quite possibly the first genuine Diamond Belle story since The Royals' side stories. This ship is criminally under-represented. This chapter really set the bar for what we can expect to see.
Why can't more people write Diamond Belle ships? It's adorable as hell!
Best of luck with the next chapter.
P.S. #4: You couldn't have picked a better song if you tried. Rock on!
P.S.S. You need to double check your story. Some parts where you may have double spaced aren't spacing properly. Example:
If you're exporting these from a google docs, careful. Might want to run through the FimFic version to make sure you have everything showing up properly. On Chrome and Firefox and it's all just walls of text, though when you copy and paste it like I did it shows you used the spacing. So, formatting error somewhere in posting.
4970668 I'm glad to see I have a reoccurring fan for this project ^_^
I am completly and truly delighed you like my story, and so long as I have even one fan reading these things, I'll continue to crank them out.
as for Diamond Belle, the pairing had never been much to me BEFORE this idea came to be, then it was all I could think about everytime I saw Diamond on screen. I know most people think she's a bitch, and she is... there's no getting over that, but because of this idea I see so much more potential in that. I don't want to give away too much and ruin the (hopeful) surprise, but I'm going to try and dive into why she was such a horrible person. I'm not a psychiatrist though, so we'll see how that goes.
Thank you for your kind words of engouragment, you truly have no idea how much they can help. Honestly, my biggest complaint about this story so far is that it lacks focus. Hopefully I'll be able to fix that with the next chapter, and maybe flesh out the relationship between these two a little more.
I hope to see you there ^__^
Not sure where but you put "sense" instead of "since". Loving the story so far, but I'm on mobile so can't say much
I'm really liking this story. I hope there's more to come.