A Mother's 'Love'

by deadpansnarker

Part 1: A Late Night Argument

"... It was disgraceful behaviour!! How dare she speak to me like that in front of everypony!! This is what happens when we allow her free reign to associate with worthless blank-flanks, it poisons her mind and makes her forget her place!!" Sufficed to say, Spoiled Rich was not a happy pony.

Listening to her from the top of the stairs, Diamond Tiara's ears flattened. It had been a great moment of exhilaration when she'd called her mother out for her rudeness and bad foal-rearing prowess in front of the entire class, but now she was paying the penalty. The filly may have gained countless new friends as a result of her change of heart, and even helped her long term rivals the Cutie Mark Crusaders receive their long awaited symbols of destiny, but life at home remained pretty much the same...

As in, Spoiled Rich berating her at every opportunity for any perceived 'lowering of standards', and Filthy Rich just sitting down impassively in his comfortable chair reading the paper, while her mother ranted and raved.

And now, having already received an earful from the mare as soon as she'd arrived back from her new friends's cute-ceañera, she'd been banished to her room for the rest of the month. The punishments didn't end there, either. There would be no more trips to Manehattan EVER. No spa treatments. Fancy dresses. Expensive chocolates. Her precious tiara was confiscated and locked away (She felt naked without it...Maybe because, she was).

Worse of all, if she was ever caught talking to any of those 'insignificant low-lives' ever again, then her punishment would be doubly serious. As in: being packed off to an 'exclusive' boarding school, where they would teach her how to be a proper lady. Shame about the lack of personal freedoms and militarised education program, though...

And now. here she was, eavesdropping on a very private, one-sided conversation between her tyrannical mother and easy-going father when she should be pondering 'what she'd done' while grounded on her four-poster bed. For the second time that day, her so-called failings were laid bare by her control-freak mother.

On the plus side, Filthy Rich was barely acknowledging his wife. The stallion was quite used to Spoiled's little tantrums by now. As usual, it was best to wait until she ran out of steam, while nodding every few minutes to convey the illusion he was actually paying attention. Worked every time...

What he wouldn't give for a quiet life, though. He worked his tail off every day at Barnyard Bargains. The least he believed he deserved was a bit of peace and quiet when he returned to his mansion, to make himself an oat cocktail while he perused the sport section. No chance of that with the old nag he'd found himself lumbered with.

Why did he agree to marry her again? He really didn't know. He never was as good at picking the ladies as he was at business. An Achille's hoof that had paid a hefty contribution towards his current stressful situation.

"... High horse, am I? Well, considering the state of the populance of this backwater province, I think I'm perfectly entitled to feel that way. Honestly, if there wasn't a princess living here now, I highly doubt anypony would have even heard of 'Ponyville'. Also, why did you agree to fund that playground for those ungrateful brats at the school?! Does that mean I won't be able to buy a new outfit for the party Prince Blueblood is hosting next week? Well? dear? Are you even listening to me?!" Spoiled continued her tirade.

"Hmm?" Filthy Rich's eyes were momentarily diverted from the headlines "Oh, yes darling. Whatever you say, darling. You know best, after all." There it was. His generic, stock response. One which he'd honed over the years, and words which seemed to get him out of any argument with his 'beloved', without actually having to concentrate on her ramblings.

This however, was the first occasion his tactics had failed him "I knew it!!" Spoiled put her hoof to her head, and took on the airs and graces of a tragic heroine."You don't care our only daughter is being lead astray by the riff-raff, and that I'm here looking after her every day when you're away on business. I'm doing my best to make her a presentable member of society, and you're more concerned with who won the recent Wonderbolts derby!! Honestly, I don't know how I cope sometimes. Why are you so selfish?!"

Filthy Rich was about to point out the irony behind that statement, but decided wisely against it... He didn't want another all-night moanathan, like that time Diamond had lost the job of flag-carrier at the Equestria Games to that 'flightless chicken' and her two friends. Spoiled had been absolutely incandescent at that decision, and had even tried to use her clout as head of the school board to declare the result as a fix. Mrs Harshwhinney and Cheerilee had soon shot down that attempt, though.

Needless to say, Filthy really got both barrels that night. He was found slumped on his office desk the next day, with bags under his eyes the size of saucers. I wonder why...?

So, unable to think of a suitable response without poking the timberwolf cage with a stick, he again took refuge behind his printed material, while Spoiled launched a fresh assault on his ears. "Corrupt her, would they...Friendship doesn't pay the bills. Doesn't keep you pretty. I know what's best for her... How dare anypony tell me different. Just you wait until tomorrow... I'll have a few things to say to those hooligans and their families... Let them know their place. If they try to interfere with my project again..." *KNOCK KNOCK*

Suddenly, the mare's heedless ire was cut abruptly short by a loud tapping on the front door, and both she and a listening Diamond Tiara, secretly present at the top of the steps, flinched in surprise, while Filthy raised an eyebrow in his usual understated way. (Not just at the unexpected interruption... Did his wife just call their daughter... A project?!). It was late evening, who on Equestria could be paying them a social call at THIS hour?

All three waited for the familiar trot, and wheezing gasp of their veteran butler Randolph as he strolled over to answer the call. Spoiled had wanted to replace the old stallion for a while, complaining that he took forever to bring her a fruit smoothie as she reclined by the pool, and that she'd started to notice a few specks on the staircase he judiciously wiped every day.

Filthy was more sentimentally inclined to keep him on. The ancient retainer had been with the Rich lineage for generations, and until there was a dramatic deterioration in his standard of work, he was happy for the loyal servant to retire at his leisure.

Diamond had possessed the casting vote in the end, and, while the senility of Randolph annoyed her, not to mention the musky aroma of old pony... She did find his acrobatics skills a useful tool to show off in the playground, so she agreed with her father in the end.

The old butler was as surprised as anyone though, when the pink filly had approached him that day soon after her return home, apologized profusely for treating him like an object, asked if he was okay after being crushed by a statue of her likeness earlier on, and had even helped him prepare dinner. "Maybe..." Randolph had mused "I should hand in my resignation after all. I'm clearly going mad."

Regardless, the three occupants of the most prestigious address in town (apart from a certain castle, of course) waited nervously to see what was so important that their guest(s) couldn't wait until daylight hours. Filthy, by instinct, was reaching for a poker. He had a family and fortune to protect, after all.

They all heard an audible gasp of surprise from their loyal butler, before the sound of the front door creaked as it flew wide open. A few mixed voices could be heard from Diamond's vantage point, and she craned her neck to see who it could be. No, surely not...

Filthy was prepared. He had his improvised weapon in hand, and was ready to defend his nearest and dearest with his life.

Spoiled was caught in a dilemma. Should she shield behind her resolute husband, or make a gallop for it? If her partner was overcome, She'd be next in the firing line, after all...

As it turned out, neither option was necessary. Randolph staggered in on tottering hooves, his bottom jaw a-quiver. "P-p-p-p-presenting..." He stammered, his visage a picture of shock.

He never got time to finish, though. It was pointless introducing the arrivals, anyway. Their faces were so familiar even the Cake twins would have recognised them on sight.

Filthy Rich dropped his poker. Spoiled Rich spilt her cup of imported honeysuckle tea. They stared pop-eyed at the unexpected visitors, before glancing at each other, and back to those who had gathered in the room.

Things had certainly taken on an interesting turn that night.

Author's Note:

And apols if you're reading, Filthy Rich. I don't mean to insult you by calling you by the first part of your name...

I'm just lazy, that's all.

Comments

[Rhanoa]

(She felt naked without it... Maybe because, she was).

Come to think of it, all member of the Rich family wear something. That's rich ponies for you.

Spoiled had wanted to replace the old stallion for a while.

Agreed, the old stallion should retired. I wonder what make him this loyal to this family.

Their faces were so familiar even the Cake twins would have recognised them on sight.

The unexpected visitors a really Mr and Mrs Cake.

[Fluttercheer]

Hmm, Spoiled Rich is a bit more tame in this fanfiction. Here she's nothing against what I read about her in the other fics.

Interesting idea, although a bit too idealistic to be realistic, if it goes in the direction I think it will go.

(She felt naked without it... Maybe because, she was).

This joke here ruins the actual quite somber nature of the paragraph it's in. It would be best to remove it.

And you make a too heavy use of brackets at some points. You should reduce their number, brackets can be distracting.
Also, it's "Miss Harshwinny", not "Mrs Mawhinney".

[deadpansnarker]

1. I tried to make DT's punishment more in line with the show... So none of this alcoholism or beatings, thanx.
2. Being an idealist AND realist, ANYTHING is possible. You'll just have to wait'n'see.
3. I like to mix my tragedy with a bit of humour. So, no.
4. What exactly have you go against brackets?! They need love too, ya know. You should try it sometime.
5. I'll get right on that.

Cheers, guv'nor.

[knightcommander]

It's the Princesses, I'm calling it right now.

[Enduring Man-Child]

I must admit that I found the portrayal of Spoiled Rich in this episode quite disturbing. Yes, it's a children's show and caricatures will always be very simple (good or bad with no gray area), and they had to show whence came Diamond Tierra's rotten attitude and character traits. Still, even within this context an adult pony acting like Spoiled Rich did is really a bit much. Tribal or class prejudices would be easy to understand, but whence this withering prejudice (in an adult and a parent) against "blank flanks?" Being a blank flank is universal in the show's ponydom and would not seem to be the object of ridicule except among immature little snots who had just gotten their own cutie marks. SR's aversion to "blank flanks" is just...out there.

Also, while of course canon Spoiled Rich is not going to be physically abusive to her daughter, in Real Life such a personality absolutely would be, especially after being publicly called out like that. Brony writers naturally have picked up on this and made her this way in their stories.

This does not mean it was a bad episode. It just means that the portrayal of this one particular character was, to me at least, deeply disturbing.

Of course, I've only read this opening chapter, so I have no way of knowing this, BUT-- if the author has found a way to fill out SR's personality without making her a child-battering ghoul, then kudos (though emotional abuse is even worse).

[Dustchu]

Mmmm, that episode threw me for a loop, and the songs... whew, those were good...

I approve of this!
I shall read on.

[Seirs]

On the plus side, Filthy Rich was barely acknowledging his wife. The stallion was quite used to Spoiled's little tantrums by now.

This brings up some old memories... Mortifying ones at the time but hilarious now with a generous buffer of years. I still have memories of a step-grandmother going off on tantrums that would put many 3 years olds to shame. In response my grandfather could usually be seen suruptitiously reaching up to turn the volume on his hearing aids all the way down...

[Seirs]

6730842 oh good lord you even have the "oh yes Darling". I think I left an palm imprint on my forehead there.

[Deleted-account]

The "spoke" in the first paragraph should be "speak". Unless I'm missing something. It's late.

[arancaytar]

Must be Luna and Tia.

[Josh Crapo]

"'Friendship doesn't pay the bills.'"

I smell Turnabout Storm.

[ASGeek2012]

I'll have a few things to say to those hooligans and their families

Lady, I would freaking PAY MONEY to see you try to have it out with the Apple family ...

I've been seeing this story pop up occasionally on the featured box and decided to give it a go. Good opener. I agree with the author's comments about keeping the punishments more in line with the show. Spoiled Rich already made my jaw drop when I first saw her in the show. She really doesn't need anything to artificially enhance her meanness.

[mcfallen]

6845032 All 37 known members. (possibly more)

[Truffles]

I've been dying to read this story for many months now, but I purposely avoided it to prevent your versions of the characters color my own perceptions of them since I'm using them as well. Now that I have their personalities firmly established in my own mind, I'm ready to begin looking at other portrayals of them.

As it turns out, from just the first chapter it seems like we're on the same page, so I probably didn't need to wait so long! Even Randolph's staying on as butler is in sync with my own thoughts, which I suppose is because it only makes sense it would be his ties to Mr Rich that keeps him there.

This is going to be a really fun!

[deadpansnarker]

7026117 I always welcome new readers, as long as they browse quietly and don't eat up all the dip. Hope it lives up to your initial expectations...

[Gizmo Gear]

I really hate that b**** spoiled!! She should rot in a hole!! I really hate people that are like that!!! Anyway, you have caught my attention sir/madam! (I honestly wanna see what happens to spoiled(life in the dungeons perhaps?(i'm so evil sometimes)))

[New Spark]

The whole time I was screaming at FR to divorce (or at least stand up to) her.

[Jonny Bench]

The proper way to ask to enter a home. Knock once, wait. Knock twice, wait. Knock three times wait. If the door doesn't open on the 3rd knock, use the c4 you conveniently have in your back pocket to blow the door up.then you offer to buy the person a new door.

[Legioner8]

derpicdn.net/img/2012/7/24/55109/large.jpg

[Dragon of Shadows]

If they try to interfere with my project again..."

ouch being referred to as an object ouch

[Fistfire]

Interesting start.