Chapter 5
Filthy Rich sigh contently as he took a sip of his warm tea. It wasn’t often that he was able to enjoy a day off from managing his huge, international business, with branches spread to every corner of Equestria. But when he did get a day off, he made sure to savour every last, peaceful second.
“About three hours before Diamond Tiara will be coming home… I think I’ll go and take a nice, relaxing bath, and then-” The stallion’s planning was interrupted by a knock at the door. “Oh, guess I’ll answer that, first.”
Placing his tea down, and rising to his hooves, Filthy Rich made his way to the front door, picking up the pace whenever the knocking began to grow more rapid. “Hold your horses! I’m coming, already!” Once he reached the door, he opened it up, only to be greeted by his worst nightmare. His biggest enemy. The face of pure evil. The kind of pony that had always managed to turn his best of days into the most stressful of days, and that made him feel sick just from looking at them.
“Good afternoon, Mr. Rich,” the suit-wearing stallion on the other side of the door said. “Please forgive my sudden intrusion, but there is a rather serious matter that I must speak to you about. May I please come in?”
‘Great,’ Filthy Rich thought to himself. ‘The only thing I hate more than lawyers, are lawyers that have ‘serious matters’ to discuss with me.’ Filthy Rich stepped aside, and put on his best poker face as he addressed the pony standing outside. “Of course. I just hope this isn’t about the graffiti problem at our company’s Manehatten branch, because I’m getting tired of these constant-”
“No, this is something much worse,” the pony said, bringing a frown to Filthy Rich’s face.
“Well, why don’t you just take a seat in the living room, and I’ll go prepare you some tea. Or perhaps you’d prefer coffee?”
“Just water will be fine.” The stallion sat himself down in the living room, whilst his host wandered off to the kitchen to fetch his drink. Upon his return, the lawyer decided to cut any small talk, and just get down to business. “First of all, I should probably introduce myself. Gennaro, from the Manehatten Prosecution Office.”
“And I guess you already know my name, but formalities and all. I’m Filthy Rich, head of-”
“Listen, I’m on a tight schedule, so let me be brief,” Gennaro interrupted. Whilst this annoyed Filthy Rich, he was thankful that this would at least speed up the conversation. “At about 21:25 yesterday, it was discovered that somepony in your company, a ‘Mrs. Plus Profit’, was involved in an embezzlement scheme within your company.”
Filthy Rich almost bolted out of his seat. “Not Plus! Surely not! She has been one of my most trusted employees for over ten years!”
Gennaro motioned with his hooves for the stallion to calm down. “Well, the evidence against her is pretty hard, but she hasn’t been found guilty yet. Her trial will be in three months, however, your concern is more immediate. Currently, you’re presented with one of two options: shutting down the entire Manehatten branch-”
“Do you realise how many ponies would lose their jobs if I did that?! Or how much that would affect the company as a whole?!”
“-Or, there is an emergency meeting being held in Manehatten tomorrow morning. If possible, your presence is requested there, but failure to attend will result in the shutting down of the Manehatten branch.” Filthy Rich sat back into his chair, and pressed a hoof to his forehead. “I realise that this must be quite a bomb I dropping on you, but rest assured that things are looking quite well for you.”
Filthy Rich shot the lawyer a confused look. “How so?”
Gennaro leaned closer, so that he could whisper to the other stallion. “Well, I’m not supposed to know this myself, but sources have told me that the MPD are hot on the trail of the perpetrator behind this scheme. And so far, it seems as though the money could easily be returned to all the victims, if they are caught. If that happens, then this whole situation should be a synch to resolve. At least, for somepony of your calibre.”
Filthy Rich took a moment to consider that, and then sat up straight in his chair with a confident grin on his face. “Yes, well, if the worst comes to worst… I’ll definitely see my business through this, no matter what! It’ll take more than one little bump in the road to destroy all that I’ve worked so hard to create!”
Gennaro nodded. “Well then, it’s been a pleasure speaking to you, Mr. Rich. I assume you’ll be there at the meeting tomorrow?”
“Of course I will,” Filthy Rich said, standing up to show his guest out. “I’ll need to find a foal sitter for Diamond…” he mumbled to himself, before making his way out of the living room, his guest following him. “Thank you for bringing this matter to my attention.”
As soon as Gennaro was out of the mansion, Filthy Rich closed the door and let out a huge sigh. “‘Somepony of my calibre’, huh? Maybe when I was back in my prime, but now-a-days, my mind is just too focused on my little girl to be the corporate hotshot I was back then. Speaking of which, I’d better see if Miss Rarity is available for foalsitting today.”
“What?! You want me to foalsit, when I have a rush order of fifty dresses to be done for Fancypants and Fleur de Lis’ anniversary this weekend?!” Rarity used her magic to carry over a sheet of fabric that her pet Opalescence was using as a makeshift bed towards a nearby sewing machine. “I’m sorry, but you’ll have to find somepony else.”
Filthy Rich sighed, and decided to leave the frantic dressmaker to her work. If he hadn’t had his own problems to worry about, he would have been more concerned for her mental health, and would have also offered a helping hoof. Unfortunately, he had to hurry up, and find a foalsitter before Diamond Tiara came home from school.
“Guess I’ll try Miss Cloudchaser next…”
Seven foalsitters. Seven different mares, all of which had nothing to do with each other, and all seven had been unavailable on such short notice. Filthy Rich had only one foalsitter left to turn to, and unfortunately, it was the one he was trying to avoid: Fluttershy.
It’s not that he had a problem with the mare. In fact, he found her to be charming, and pleasant dinner conversation… when she actually spoke. However, he felt that Fluttershy allowed his daughter too much leniency whenever she foalsat her, and that it was having a negative impact on Diamond Tiara’s attitude.
Still, this was his last resort. He had to clear up this problem, but his wife wouldn’t be home until later that night, so he had to find somepony to watch his little girl. And it was only for half-a-day.
Taking a breath to ready himself, Filthy Rich raised a hoof, and knocked on the door. Almost immediately, her heard yelping inside, followed by crashing, and then voices. One of which belonged to Fluttershy, and the other seemed to belong to some other mare, but he didn’t recognise it. So she had company… Already things weren’t looking well.
The door slowly creaked open, only slightly, and a blue eye peeked through to greet him. “Oh, Mr. Rich… What brings you by here?” Her voice carried its usual grace and gentleness, but it also contained a hint of urgency.
“I’m sorry if I’m interrupting anything,” he said.
“Oh, you’re not interrupting anything,” Fluttershy responded, before looking behind her for a second… and then turning back to her guest. “Uh, I mean, yes. You are interrupting.” He heard a groan from inside, and a hushed voice scolding the timid mare.
Filthy Rich already had an idea of what he was interrupting, and his face turned red from the images forming in his mind. “Uh, I take it you aren’t available to foalsit, then?”
“Today?” Fluttershy asked, receiving a nod. “I’m sorry, but I’m…” Once again, she looked behind her. “… Lifting weights?”
…
“Oh! I mean, uh… feeding my animals.”
Filthy Rich nodded, and decided that he had intruded on Fluttershy and… whoever was in there with her, enough. “I see. That’s alright, I’m sure I can find somepony else.”
“I’m really sorry…”
Filthy Rich waved his hoof dismissively. “It’s fine, it’s fine. I know it’s rather short notice, and I wouldn’t want to keep your… animals… waiting any longer.” With that, the brown stallion turned around and began to walk away. ‘Well, that was awkward… And even worse, now I have no foalsitter for Diamond Tiara! Unless… No, I couldn’t. But, then, I really am out of options here…’
“Ugh! About time!” Rainbow Dash groaned as Fluttershy closed the door to her cottage. “What the hay was that all about?”
“It was Mr. Rich. He wanted to ask if I could foalsit his daughter for him.”
“His daughter? Y’mean that rich snob who’s always giving Scoots and the others a hard time?”
Fluttershy nodded slowly. “She’s not so bad. I actually think she’s the same as you.”
“As me?”
“… Remember how you used to pull pranks on me all the time, when we were fillies?”
Rainbow Dash scoffed and waved a hoof. “That was just harmless practical jokes between pals!”
“… I didn’t think they were all that harmless,” Fluttershy said, walking over to her friend. “In fact, some of the stuff you did made me cry…”
“… I-It did?” Fluttershy nodded. “Yikes… I-I didn’t know that. I-”
Fluttershy cut her off by raising her hoof. “It’s okay. I know, Dashie. You were ‘too cool’ to approach me by regular means, and that was your way of ‘hanging with me’.” Fluttershy giggled as she saw the stunned look on Rainbow Dash’s face. “I read in one of Twilight’s books that children tend to be mean to those they like, when they’re too afraid to properly approach them. ‘Better to be a negative part of their life, than to be no part at all’, is what the book said.”
Rainbow Dash was speechless. And here she thought that Fluttershy was just a timid little scaredy-pony who knew just as much about approaching other ponies as… well, as she did.
“Um,” Fluttershy said, breaking the silence between the two, “Should I continue?”
Rainbow Dash’s face turned red, and she slowly nodded. Fluttershy also blushed, and lowered her head to pick something up with her teeth. Slowly, she brought the item closer and closer to her friend… and began to run the file against the blue Pegasus’ hind hooves.
“See?” Fluttershy asked, her voice muffled by the file in her mouth. “A hooficure isn’t so bad, is it?”
Rainbow Dash looked up at the ceiling, refusing to show anypony, even her best friend, that she was actually enjoying this. “Remember, tell no one. Alright?”
Diamond Tiara couldn’t believe it. Of all of the places that her father had left her at… Of all of the ponies that could be sitting for her in his absence… Why did it have to be here, at Sweet Apple Acres?
“Thank you for doing this on such short notice, Big Macintosh,” Filthy Rich said, handing the red stallion a bag of bits. “Here’s your payment in advance.”
Big Macintosh shook his head, and pushed the bag back to its owner. “There’s no need for that. Ah’m always happy ta help a friend in need.”
“Oh, but I insist.”
“And ah insist that yah don’t have to.”
“But-”
“Aren’t ya gonna miss yer train, Mr. Rich?” Big Macintosh asked, seeking to end this little back-and-forth before it dragged on for too long.
Filthy Rich looked at the town in the distance behind him, and then turned back to the stallion. “Alright,” he said with a grin, “You win this round, but I insist on paying you upon my return!”
Big Macintosh nodded. “Jus’ bring back some o’ them fritters they sell down in Manehatten. Y’know the ones… Applejack and Apple Bloom love ‘em. That’ll be payment enough.”
Filthy Rich nodded, and turned his attention down at his daughter… who was sitting on her haunches, forelegs crossed, and pouting. He expected this, but it didn’t exactly mean he was prepared for it. “Diamond sweetie, I have to go now. Can I trust you to be on your best behaviour for Big Macintosh and his family?”
“… I guess,” Diamond Tiara mumbled, turning her head away from her father.
“That’s my girl. Now, can daddy get a kiss goodbye?” Filthy Rich offered his cheek, but Diamond Tiara didn’t respond. After a few seconds of silence, he gave up, and turned around to leave the farm. “Right, then I’d better get going. I gave you all of her medical information, right?”
“Eeyup,” Big Macintosh said, producing a sheet of paper given to him earlier by Filthy Rich. The sheet basically contained a list of her allergies, and the name of her foaliatrician.
“Good. Her mother should come by to pick her up at around nine-thirty.” He gave one last look at his daughter, who was still stubbornly refusing to face him. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Diamond.”
“… See ya,” she said as quietly as possible, though still making it so that she could be heard. As the filly heard her father’s hoofsteps moving away, and then eventually disappearing off into the distance, she turned her attention to the red stallion next to her. He was simply staring down at her. “… What?”
“Well, ah was jus’ wonderin’ if you were gonna be sittin’ there mopin’ all day, or if you’d rather come inside, before it starts ta rain.”
Diamond Tiara gave the stallion a curious look. “It’s not scheduled to rain today.”
Big Macintosh whistled. “So you read the weather reports, huh? Guess ah can’t fool you, then. Still, wouldn’t ya rather sit inside on a nice, clean carpet, than out here on the dusty ground?”
Diamond Tiara’s eyes widened, and she quickly bolted to her hooves, and looked over her shoulders at her flanks. She cringed when she saw them covered in dust, and quickly moved to wipe it all away with her hooves, coughing as she did so.
“Well, I guess you do make a good point…” Diamond Tiara began to walk inside, but stopped when she noticed Big Macintosh walking the other way. “Where are you going? Aren’t you supposed to be, you know, looking after me?”
“There’s already a grownup in there,” Big Macintosh answered. “Somepony far more reliable than me. An’ besides, ah’ve gotta help mah sister with all these apples.”
Diamond Tiara wondered who the stallion as referring to. Another grownup? More reliable than him? But, the only other grownup who lived at the farm was… “You’ve got to be kidding me…”
Whilst Applejack and Big Macintosh were out in the sea of apple trees outside, bucking trees in the hot sun, Granny Smith snoozed the day away inside the farmhouse, sitting comfortably in her rocking chair and dreaming about her youth. From the giggling that escaped from her mouth every now and then, Apple Bloom figured it must have been a good dream.
Diamond Tiara, on the other hoof, was more focused on the clock hanging above the fireplace in the Apple family’s living room. She realised after about a minute of watching the clock that it was broken. After all, no clocks move that slowly. Except maybe for the one in Cheerilee’s classroom.
‘This is so annoying. Why did daddy leave me here? Why couldn’t he just pay Fluttershy more to sit for me? Or Cloudchaser? Hay, even that Pegasus with the funny eyes would have been better than this.’ A familiar tingling ran through the filly’s body, and her frown deepened. ‘Great. Just great. Now I need to use the bathroom, which means I’ve got to ask Apple Bloom where it is.’
Apple Bloom looked up from the floor that she had spent the past five minutes staring at to glance over at Diamond Tiara. ‘Dang it, stop being so quiet! Ah can’t stand this! Jus’… say somethin’! Even if it’s calling me a blank-flank, at least it’d be better than this!’
Diamond Tiara looked back up at the clock. ‘Ugh! I won’t be able to hold it until mum comes and picks me up!’ She turned her attention to the yellow filly sitting beside her, who quickly lowered her head to avoid eye contact. ‘Why doesn’t she just go outside with her friends? Then I can wake up Granny Smith and ask her where their bathroom is!’
Apple Bloom grit her teeth together. ‘That’s it! Ah can’t take this anymore! I’ve gotta break this silence, before it kills me!’
“Hey-” both fillies said simultaneously, each one turning to look away from each other.
“W-What?” Apple Bloom asked, thankful that the other filly was finally saying something, but a little annoyed that she was interrupted when she had finally worked up the courage to speak herself.
“Where’s your bathroom?” Diamond Tiara asked, her face turning red. She didn’t understand why, but for some reason, she felt embarrassed asking such a question. Was it because of her newly-discovered feelings for the filly she was asking?
“Oh, it’s up the stairs, then the first door to your left.”
Diamond Tiara nodded, and then got up. She was all too eager to get out of there, and have a chance to think in peace about how she was going to make this stay more bearable. As she climbed the stairs, she heard the front door to the house open, and somepony walking inside.
‘Stupid Apple Bloom. I’ve already decided to give that featherbrained friend of yours a chance, stop trying to mess things up! Just… go ‘crusading’ those friends of your until my mum comes home. Or put on a movie or something so that we’re not just sitting in silence! Or maybe go to your room and do something away from me!’ As Diamond Tiara entered the bathroom, she wondered to herself why she was unable to do anything if Apple Bloom was with her. ‘I should have paid more attention when Cheerilee was talking how our bodies change…’
Downstairs, Apple Bloom was fidgeting on the spot as she stared impatiently at the stairs. She didn’t realise that her brother had entered the room until he spoke up.
“Where’s Diamond Tiara?” he asked, startling his sister. “You two aren’t fightin’, are ya?”
“N-No,” Apple Bloom said. It was true, but it felt weird saying it when it wasn’t a lie. “She’s in the bathroom right now, that’s all.”
Big Macintosh noticed the nervous tone in her voice. “What’s wrong?”
“… Why does she have ta stay here?” Apple Bloom asked. “Ah can’t stand it! It’s so awkward when it’s just the two of us, an’ I can’t say or do anything!”
“Why?” Apple Bloom looked at him confusedly. “Why is it so awkward between the two of you?”
“Because!” was all that Apple Bloom said in response. ‘Because ah have these stupid feelings towards her, that’s why! Not like ah can say that, though…’
Big Macintosh tilted his head, waiting for her to elaborate some more. When it seemed that she wasn’t going to continue, he sighed, and looked around the room. “… How ‘bout you get on with yer homework? If ya’ve got nothin’ better ta do, ya might as well get yer schoolwork out of the way.”
Apple Bloom cringed at the idea, but she had to admit that he had a point… Actually, that might not have been such a bad idea! ‘Yeah! It’ll be somethin’ ta get mah mind off of things, an’ it’d be a good excuse ta talk to her!’
The sounds of hoofsteps down the stairs alerted Apple Bloom to Diamond Tiara’s return, and she turned around to see the pink filly approaching her. Meanwhile, Big Macintosh decided to leave the house and get back to his work, but not before sparing a peek around the corner to make sure that everything was okay.
“So…” Apple Bloom started, watching Diamond Tiara as she sat down far away from her, “Ah was thinkin’, we have a lot of homework ta do for school. Maybe we can do it together?”
The other filly frowned at that idea. Unbeknownst to Apple Bloom, Diamond Tiara had already planned something similar with Scootaloo. “Why?” she asked. “Wouldn’t you prefer to go hang out with your friends or something?”
“Well, Sweetie Belle said that she’s spending the day cooking one hundred meals for her parents’ anniversary, and Scootaloo’s been actin’ real weird lately. She doesn’t wanna do much today.”
Diamond Tiara rolled her eyes. “Well, there’s still better ways to spend time. Like, we could watch a movie or something?”
“On what?” Apple Bloom asked. Diamond Tiara looked around the room, and then gave Apple Bloom a wide-eyed stare. “Wynonna broke our TV set last week, an’ it’ll be a while ‘til we can get a new one.”
Diamond Tiara groaned. Two strikes… “Okay, then why don’t you go and do your homework, somewhere away from me?”
Apple Bloom shot the pink filly a glare. “An’ why should ah? It’s mah house, so ah can do mah homework wherever ah please!”
“What, you want to spend time with me?” Diamond Tiara asked sarcastically, though part of her was genuinely hoping for a ‘yes’.
‘Yes!’ Apple Bloom shouted in her head. “Ah jus’ think that if we’re gonna be spendin’ the day together, we might as well make the most of it, an’ do somethin’ productive! Ye’re good at History, right? Well, ah’m…” Apple Bloom averted her gaze in embarrassment. “Ah’m not so good at History… So ah thought, maybe y’all could help me?”
Diamond Tiara studied the filly closely with an even stare. However, inside, her mind was raging up a storm. ‘Oh, come on! You can’t do that! That’s not fair! And what is it with that stupid accent of hers? It never used to bother me, but now I can’t get it out of my head!’
“Well?” Apple Bloom asked impatiently.
Diamond Tiara gave in, and reached over to her saddlebags. “Ugh, fine! But you have to help me with the Biology questions!”
“Alright. Sounds fair.”
Apple Bloom’s plan seemed to work well for her. It wasn’t long after she had started her homework that she had completely forgot all about Diamond Tiara sitting beside her. Though, her plan had only worked half as well as she had hoped; she had thus far been unable to strike up a conversation with the other filly, or even speak to her at all.
She looked down at the final question on her Biology homework sheet. ‘Let’s see… Differences between reptiles and amphibians…’ She bit into the tip of her pencil, and took a moment to think it through. And then a moment more. And then another moment, this time a little frustrated as the answer completely escaped her.
“Amphibians live both on land and in water,” said a voice from behind her. She turned around to find Applejack smiling down at her. “Also, reptiles have scales, but amphibians don’t.”
“Oh, that’s right!” Apple Bloom said, turning back to her paper and writing down the answer. “Wow, Applejack! Ah didn’t know you were so good at Biology!”
“Ah’m not. But when ye’re friends with Twilight, ya tend ta pick up a few things. Anyway, ah thought ah’d come see how y’all are getting’ on.” She glanced nervously at Diamond Tiara, who was clearly having trouble with her homework, as she was biting down on her pencil just as much as Apple Bloom had been. “So ye’re both still alive,” she whispered, in a relieved voice.
“What’s that supposed ta mean?” Apple Bloom asked.
Applejack chuckled, and turned to leave the room. “Nothin’, jus’ a lil’ joke. Well, ah’ll be in the kitchen if’n ya need any more help.” ‘An’ Big Macintosh owes me fifty bits.’
“Okay!” Apple Bloom responded as her sister left the room. She then turned her attention to Diamond Tiara, whom she had completely forgotten about until now. ‘Oh shoot! Ah was supposed ta be helpin’ her with her homework! Ah hope she isn’t too mad.’
Diamond Tiara let out a quiet growl as she glared at the sheet in front of her. ‘What the hay is photo… whatever?!’ Her left eye twitched as she moved on to the next question. ‘Why are there so many questions about plants? They’re just green things that are used to decorate lobbies and office rooms! Stupid plants…’
Apple Bloom watched for a few second as Diamond Tiara struggled to make sense of even a single question, growling and gritting her teeth as she made her way down the sheet. She never noticed before, but when frustrated, Diamond Tiara actually looked… kind of cute. ‘Y’know, ah think ah could actually just settle for watchin’ this for a bit.’
“What are you laughing at?!” Diamond Tiara shouted, snapping Apple Bloom out of her thoughts, and confusing her for a bit. Until she realised that she had just let out a giggle against her will. “And why aren’t you helping me? I thought we had a deal!”
“N-No! Ah wasn’t laughin’, honest!”
“Liar! I heard it, loud and clear! You think you can look down on me and laugh like that, just because you know a little more about such a useless subject than me?”
‘Why not? You do it often enough.’ Apple Bloom shook her head. “It’s not like that. Ah was laughin’ at… somethin’ else.”
“Oh really?” Diamond Tiara asked disbelievingly. “Well then, what was this ‘something else’?”
“Ah… can’t say,” Apple Bloom said, turning her back to Diamond Tiara. However, as expected, the stubborn rich filly wouldn’t let it go that easily.
“Nuh-uh! You’re not getting away that easily! Answer my question, now!” Diamond Tiara grabbed Apple Bloom’s shoulders, and attempted to turn her around. The yellow filly resisted as best she could, using her superior physical strength to keep her back to Diamond Tiara. “I said… tell… me!”
“No!”
“Yes!”
“NO!”
“Who’s up for a game of Monopony?!” Applejack shouted as she suddenly entered the room, carrying said game in her hooves, a nervous smile on her face. “Y-Y’know, since you two girls have been workin’ hard an’ all, ah figured you could use a break.”
“That sounds fun!” Apple Bloom shouted, jumping to her hooves and running over to her sister. Diamond Tiara didn’t look as enthusiastic.
“Hmph! There’ll be no challenge playing against of simpleminded, lower-class ponies like you,” she said, pointing her nose up into the air.
Applejack gave a quick look of disapproval, but didn’t say anything. Apple Bloom, on the other hoof, wasn’t going to stay quiet. “What’s the matter? Y’all afraid of losing to a bunch of ‘lower-class ponies’?”
“Me? Afraid of losing to you?!” Apple Bloom made a chicken gesture to Diamond Tiara, angering the filly even more. “Fine! You’re on!”
“Hah! Pay up, Big Macintosh!” Diamond Tiara shouted, holding out her hoof for the stallion to put money into. She had a huge grin on her face, and showed no signs of being merciful.
Big Macintosh looked down at his pitiful pile of money. A one bit note, two five bit notes, and a fifty bit note. He only had one property to mortgage, but even with all of that combined… he couldn’t afford it. Letting out a defeated sigh, Big Macintosh gave whatever he had left to Diamond Tiara, and was then declared bankrupt.
“Yes! Why couldn’t this be one of our tests at school?” Diamond Tiara asked as she placed her new property with the rest, making sure that it was with the right colours, and in the right spot. She then placed her three new notes with the rest of her money, which, compared to Apple Bloom’s, was monstrous in size.
Big Macintosh decided to go and make a start on dinner, since he was now out, leaving his two sister to avenge him.
“Well, somepony’s certainly in a better mood now,” Apple Bloom said dryly as she watched Diamond Tiara pick up the dice.
“It’s because I’m winning!” Diamond Tiara said cheerfully. “And I love to win!”
“Ah hadn’t noticed,” Applejack said sarcastically, grinning at the pink filly. “Ya know, ya kinda remind of mah friend Rainbow Dash. She don’t like losin’ either, but when she wins, she can’t stop rubbin’ it in other ponies’ faces.”
Diamond Tiara harrumphed. “Well, I’m not quite as brutish or uncouth as that motor skill-impaired pony, but thank you anyway.”
‘It wasn’t a compliment,’ Applejack though to herself, but shook away the thought as she watched the filly roll. Diamond Tiara moved her piece onto a red property. “Well ah’ll be! That’s mine!” Applejack grinned as she looked down at her property cards. “That’ll be one hundred an’ five bits there, Miss Diamond Tiara.”
Diamond Tiara giggled as she reached for her money. “Oh, that’s cute,” she said as she picked up a wad of cash. “I do hope you have change for, a fortune.” She threw a series of fifty bit notes at Applejack, who gave the filly a bemused look in return.
“Yeah, yeah. Ya don’t have ta go showin’ off like that,” she said as she returned the excess notes, and gave Diamond Tiara forty-two bits of change.
“Oh, but I do,” Diamond Tiara responded. “What’s the point of being amazing and better than everypony else if nopony appreciates you for it?”
Apple Bloom snatched the dice, and started to shake them in her hoof. “Well, we’ll see how long that lasts. Juuuuus’ keep that throne warm for me, ‘cause ah’m gonna be takin’ it!” Apple Bloom rolled the dice across the table, and both Applejack and Diamond Tiara watched as she moved her piece into the greens… into the purples… and stopped on Hayfair. Hayfair, with a hotel on it, which was owned by…
“Oh, look at that,” Diamond Tiara said in an innocent voice. “So, how much money do you have exactly?” Apple Bloom gave her a glare, before looking down at her small pile of money. Not exactly in the danger zone, but certainly not enough to pay Diamond Tiara the full amount…
“Ah guess ah’m out…”
Diamond Tiara’s smile fell. She should have been happy that she had bankrupt another pony, and was one step closer to winning. However, Apple Bloom looked so disheartened, and she didn’t like to see that. Not to mention, she wanted to keep playing a bit more… She wanted to spend more time playing with Apple Bloom. ‘Oh no… No, I’ve already chosen Scootaloo! Go away, you stupid feelings!’
Apple Bloom picked up whatever money she had, and handed it over to Diamond Tiara. “Here ya go. Guess ah was no match for ya, huh?”
Diamond Tiara stared at the money for a bit, and then at Apple Bloom’s face… which proved to be a mistake. Suddenly, she couldn’t fight it any longer. “… How about, we make a deal?”
Apple Bloom and Applejack were both caught completely off guard by this, and neither one were sure that they had heard correctly. “Beg pardon?” Apple Bloom asked.
“I’ll let you off the hook… if you form a partnership with me!” Diamond Tiara blushed as she realised what she had just said could be misconstrued. “D-Don’t misunderstand! Your sister is just a bit better than I thought, so I’m following daddy’s advice, and makings allies of weaker businesses to take down the stronger ones!”
Apple Bloom wasn’t sure what was going on, but she smiled nonetheless, and placed her money back into a pile next to her properties. “So, ah’m still in?” Diamond Tiara hesitantly nodded. “Awesome! Sorry sis, but y’all know how it is in business! Survival of the fittest!” She paused for a second, and then looked over to Diamond Tiara for confirmation. “Right?”
“Y-Yeah…”
Applejack simply looked at the two fillies with a bewildered look on her face. ‘… Did ah miss something here?’
“Finally!” Apple Bloom shouted as she plopped her head down onto her pillow. “Ah never knew remembering dates could be so hard…”
“Took you long enough,” Diamond Tiara said smugly. “I finished, like, twenty minutes ago.”
Apple Bloom frowned as she looked over at the pink filly, who was sitting on the floor, against the wall on the other side of the room. “Ya could’ve helped me, y’know?”
“Like you helped me with that Biology homework?” Diamond Tiara asked, a bitter tone in her voice.
“Well, yeah, but… ah thought we were partners!”
Diamond Tiara’s heart felt like it had stopped beating for an entire second, and she stared at the filly with her eyes as wide as they could possibly be. All sound around her seemed to vanish, and she suddenly found breathing to be more challenging than it was a second ago. “W-What?”
“Y’know, back when we owned Applejack at Monopony before dinner? We formed a partnership, right?”
Diamond Tiara realised that she had gravely misunderstood, and suddenly felt herself calming down. ‘So that’s what she meant…’ Clearing her throat, and taking a moment to compose herself, Diamond Tiara gave Apple Bloom an even stare. “That was then, this is now.”
Apple Bloom blew a raspberry in response, unable to think of anything clever to say. Diamond Tiara simply yawned. “… Still, y’all were pretty good at that game. Yer dad teach ya how ta play like that?”
Diamond Tiara held her hoof in the air to examine it. “Well, in a manner of speaking,” she said as she pulled out a file from her saddlebag, and began to run it against her hoof. “My daddy has taken me to see him work a lot in the past, and he’s explained to me lots of how a business is run properly, and how finances are handled.”
“Ooh, that’s right!” Apple Bloom said. “Yer dad’s like some kinda multi-billionaire tycoon, right?”
Diamond Tiara shot Apple Bloom a proud grin. “That’s right! Greatest businesspony in all of Equestria!” She didn’t bother telling Apple Bloom that they weren’t quite that rich. There was no need for her to know, really. “And I intend to follow in his hoofsteps.”
“That so?”
“That is indeed so. Do you see my wonderful Cutie Mark?” she asked as she waved her flank to Apple Bloom, who simply rolled her eyes, and turned her head to hide her blush.
“How could ah not? Ye’re always rubbing it in our faces…” Apple Bloom pictured that literal scenario for a second, and her blush intensified.
“Well,” Diamond Tiara continued, completely oblivious to how uncomfortable Apple Bloom was feeling, “It represents my ability to lead others, and run a business just as well as daddy can. And one day, I’m going to follow in his hoofsteps, and open up Equestria’s largest, and most successful jewellery business!”
Apple Bloom clapped her hooves slowly as Diamond Tiara finished her little speech. “That sounds pretty cool,” she said. “Hey, maybe y’all could partner up with Sweet Apple Acres in the future! Ah bet ah could make it every bit as big as any business you open up.”
Diamond Tiara laughed, bringing a frown to Apple Bloom’s face. “Oh, no no no no… Sweet Apple Acres is way too small, and far too out of the way, to become such a successful business throughout all of Equestria.” A thought crossed her mind, and her laughter died down a bit. “Although, if invested right, zap apples could really make this place big. Your family could become rich beyond their wildest dreams, and then… I may consider it,” she finished, doing her best to sound like she didn’t really care.
Apple Bloom liked the sound of being rich beyond her wildest dreams… but she knew that it wouldn’t happen. “We may be able ta make good money off of it, but this farm was started as a small, family business, for jus’ the ponies in Ponyville. Sure, we cater ta other towns every now an’ then, but the spirit of our farm lives here. An’ we’re quite happy jus’ the way things are.”
Diamond Tiara stopped her filing, and gave Apple Bloom a look that had suggested the farm filly had gone mad. “How could you be happy with running such a small-time business like this, with minimal profits?”
Apple Bloom shrugged. “As long as ah have mah family, what more do ah need?”
Diamond Tiara scoffed. “Family’s good, I’ll admit, but don’t you want your name to be recognised, everywhere you go? Don’t you want your face to be immortalised in every fashion magazine across Equestria? To have your name go down in the history books as somepony that future ponies will remember?”
“Maybe that’s what you want, but ah’m jus’ happy stayin’ here with mah family!” Apple Bloom gave Diamond Tiara a playful grin. “And ‘sides, how exactly are ya plannin’ to become so big anyhow, what with those awful grades of yours?”
Diamond Tiara’s frown turned into a glare. “S-Shut up, blank-flank! Grades don’t mean a thing! I’m still the smartest, prettiest, and most talented pony in all of Ponyville, and someday all of Equestria!”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah!”
“Okay, then where’s Fillydelphia?” Apple Bloom asked, resisting the urge to giggle as Diamond Tiara wracked her brain for the answer.
“Uh… Next to the ocean, duh!” she answered.
“More specific than that,” Apple Bloom said.
“What are you, a teacher now? Maybe you should find your special talent, before trying to challenge other ponies!”
“Mah talent will come when it’s ready! That’s what Applejack always says!” Apple Bloom shouted, jumping down from her bed and approaching Diamond Tiara.
“And on that day, Celestia will free Discord from his stone prison!” Diamond Tiara rebutted, also getting up and approaching the other filly.
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah!”
“Oh yeah?” Apple Bloom asked again, this time nudging Diamond Tiara’s shoulder.
“YEAH!” Diamond Tiara shouted, returning the nudge with a little more force than Apple Bloom had used.
Apple Bloom nudged Diamond Tiara again, this time a little more strongly, and then moved aside when the expected counterattack came. Diamond Tiara stumbled past Apple Bloom, and turned around to try again. However, the farm pony’s quick speed allowed her to push Diamond Tiara down onto the bed behind her, and pin her down before she could do anything.
“Oh yeah?” she asked again, this time grinning victoriously.
“Get off of me!” Diamond Tiara ordered.
“What’s that? Ah can’t hear ya. Ah guess it’s ‘cause I’m so untalented, huh?”
Diamond Tiara growled at the yellow filly above her. “That doesn’t even make any sense,” she said. “Let go already!”
“Hmmm… let’s see here…” She grinned as she watched Diamond Tiara struggling to gain the upper hoof, and thought of all the fun ways she could tease her before letting go. Finally, after all the torment that she and her friends had been through, it was time for some payback… Is what she thought, until she saw a tear falling down Diamond Tiara’s cheek. She looked up to where her forehooves were pinning the pink filly down, and gasped when she realised she may have been using too much force. “S-Sorry!” she shouted as she quickly pulled away.
Diamond Tiara quickly pushed Apple Bloom away, and rubbed the sore spots on her forelegs, looking away from the other filly as she did so.
Apple Bloom was now completely worried, for two reasons. The first, was that she was worried about Diamond Tiara being in pain, as she would have been under any other circumstances. But also, she was worried that now, Diamond Tiara had hated her even more than before. That now, there was no chance of the two reconciling their differences, becoming friends, and… possibly something more.
“A-Ah’m sorry,” Apple Bloom repeated, but the words seemed lost on Diamond Tiara. “Ah didn’t mean ta… Ah’m sorry…”
“Shut up,” Diamond Tiara said, still refusing to make eye contact with her.
Apple Bloom flinched, and lowered her head. “… Y’know, if ah was hurtin’ ya, ya should’ve said somethin’. Ah was only tryin’ ta-”
“You, hurt me?! Hah! Don’t make me laugh! I was just… getting bored of your silly little games, that’s all!”
“Diamond-”
“I said shut up!” Diamond Tiara turned her entire body, so that her back was to Apple Bloom. “Just do me a favour, and shut up until my mum arrives, okay?”
Apple Bloom considered doing just that, lest she make the situation any worse than it already was at that point. However, the more time she remained silent, the more time her mind had to form images of Diamond Tiara never forgiving her. Of the two of them being enemies forever, of the two of them always fighting, and… of Diamond Tiara being in pain, by her hooves.
“Ah… Ah can’t do that,” she said, taking a few steps towards Diamond Tiara, who responded by turning around and glaring, seemingly about to shout something again. “Ah can’t do that! If ye’re hurt, ah want ya ta tell me! Especially if it was mah fault!”
“Why do you care?!” Diamond Tiara shouted, and tried to fight back when Apple Bloom grabbed her foreleg to examine it. “What are you doing?! Let go of me, right now, you stupid little blank-flank!”
“Ah care, because ah-” The words seemed to die in Apple Bloom’s mouth, and she suddenly found her courage plummeting faster than a Rarity that had lost her wings. “… Because ah… ah kinda… care about you…” she said quietly.
Diamond Tiara stopped her flailing about, partially because it was only making the pain worse, but also because she had heard what Apple Bloom had just said. “… W-What?”
“Ah like you, okay?!” Apple Bloom shouted, startling Diamond Tiara. Before she could respond, Apple Bloom turned around and ran to the far end of the room, keeping her back to Diamond Tiara. “Ah… Ah don’t know why, or how it even started, but ah… kinda have these feelin’s for ya…”
Diamond Tiara couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Literally. She was sure that she was hearing wrong, or misunderstanding. There was no way it could be true… That the filly she had a crush on – or one of them, at least – held the very same feelings towards her.
“… A-Ah’m sorry,” Apple Bloom said, in a choked voice. It was clear, even with her back turned, that she was sobbing. “If y’all wanna go wait downstairs for yer mum ta arrive, go ahead. Ah’ll just… stay up here, outta yer way…”
Numerous thoughts ran through Diamond Tiara’s mind. Numerous ways to respond, both verbally, and through actions. She could continue her original plan, and just leave Apple Bloom’s room, ignoring the filly’s feelings, or she could rework her plan… After all, one of the fillies that she had been after was harbouring the same feelings… She had a chance to make it work. To finally discover just how real these feelings were.
However, what ultimately swayed Diamond Tiara into taking action, was the sounds of Apple Bloom’s restrained sobbing, and the sight of her tears hitting the floor beneath her. Without even a moment of hesitation, Diamond Tiara climbed up onto her hooves, and moved over to the crying filly at the other end of the room. Apple Bloom hadn’t seemed to notice the approach… until she felt a pair of forelegs wrapping around, and a slight pressure against the back of her head.
“You… stupid little blank-flank,” Diamond Tiara said, resting her head against Apple Bloom’s. “You think I’m just going to leave you here like this? You think you can say something like that, and then expect me to just forget about it?”
Apple Bloom’s head lowered again. “Ah’m sorry…”
“Stop apologising!” Diamond Tiara shouted. “Geeze, you really think it’ll matter how many times you say you’re sorry?! That won’t change what you did… If you’re really sorry… then tell me… tell me how you feel about me…”
Apple Bloom slowly turned her head, and gave Diamond Tiara a look of surprise, mixed with the tears that had recently stopped falling down her face. “W-What?”
“You said… you like me… What exactly does that mean?” Diamond Tiara’s hold tightened. “Do you mean you like me… like you like your family? Or your friends?” She closed her eyes. “Or like… something else?”
“… Ah…” Apple Bloom saw the uneasy look on Diamond Tiara’s face, and wasn’t sure what words to use to answer her question… so she used a simple action instead. Or, a not-so-simple one, considering how long it took her to complete it. From lifting her forehoof, to placing it under Diamond Tiara’s chin, to pulling the pink filly closer, and finally, connecting their lips together… It seemed to take forever to complete each step, and it seemed to take longer for the two of them to finally part after she was done.
Diamond Tiara felt tears forming in her eyes again. But this time, she wasn’t in pain. Or at least, she didn’t think she was. At the very least, she wanted to repeat the last action, so she moved in for a second kiss with Apple Bloom, which was eagerly accepted by the other filly.
It seemed that neither filly was satisfied with just the two kisses, though, and after their fifth one, Diamond Tiara was sure of her plan now. Of who it was she was going to choose… Of which filly she wanted to give her heart to…
“Apple Bloom,” she began, gazing into her eyes as she slowly worked up the courage to say what she felt needed to be said. “I… I lo-”
A knock came at the door, and both fillies practically jumped out of their skins. As the door began to open, the two fillies quickly jumped away from each other… neither one remembering that Apple Bloom was sitting next to a wall.
“Diamond Tiara, ye’re ma’s here ta…” Applejack stopped as she looked inside the room, and tried to make sense of what she was seeing… Diamond Tiara was laying flat on her stomach, seemingly fascinated by the rug that she was lying on, and Apple Bloom was stuck to the wall. “Uh… as ah was sayin’, ye’re ma’s here ta pick ya up.”
“Great!” Diamond Tiara shouted, jumping up to her hooves and quickly gathering her stuff. “Well, then, I wouldn’t want to keep her waiting! Guess I’d better be going now. Thanks a lot for letting me stay over so late, see ya, BYE!” she shouted as she bolted out of the room, rushing downstairs to where her mum was waiting for her.
Applejack turned her attention to Apple Bloom, who had managed to peel herself off of the wall. “… What in tarnation was that about?” she asked, walking over to her sister, who she now realised seemed to have been recently crying. “Apple Bloom, what’s wrong?! Did that filly-”
However, before Applejack could finish her question, Apple Bloom gives her an angry glare. “Sis, you… you NUMBSKULL!” the filly shouted, before running over to her bed and jumping onto it, burying her head into her pillow, and letting out a muffled, angry scream.
Applejack simply watched in confusion, now certain that she had missed something between the two of them… ‘What in tarnation? What is goin’ on here? These kids are actin’ crazier than Rarity during spring cleanin’.’
Apple Bloom finished screaming into her pillow, but was not done sulking by a long shot. ‘Stupid Applejack! An’ jus’ when Diamond was about ta say…’ Apple Bloom suddenly felt uneasy. ‘What was she about ta say?’ Another thought crossed her mind, and she let out a horrified gasp. ‘An’… An’ what’ll Scootaloo think if she knew ah…’
Now with seemingly all the problems in the world, Apple Bloom ordered her sister to leave the room so that she could sulk in peace. Applejack had no idea what was going on, but felt it best to give her sister some room for now, promising her that she will be ready to listen whenever she was ready.
‘… Great, so now ah kissed Diamond Tiara… she may or may not like me back… and ah’ve gotta worry ‘bout how Scootaloo will feel about all this. Oh, man! Could things possibly get any worse?’
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I could think of a couple of ways this could get worse, Applebloom.
Oh man is Scoots gonna be heart broken. Ooh I can't wait to see what happens next
!
Apple Bloom, you don't say that, you don't think that. That's exactly how the bad things happen.
NEVER taunt Fate, Apple Bloom...
Awesomely great chapter!
(I'll admit, you got me 
) and nice to see some romance in action too 
Loved the part with Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash
This fic seriously deserves thousands of upvotes!
I hope more people will discover this gem
It could get worse by Scootaloo developing super powers and using them to vaporize Apple Bloom.
2242355
Thusly Brutaloo has crossed dimensional barriers.
Oh, Apple Bloom. It can always get worse.
Hey, you're the one who asked!
Also, typo-alert: "If that happens, then this whole situation should be a synch to resolve." -- Should be "cinch"
Just caught up on this, and I require MOAR!
Me gusta. But let's see what's going to happen with Diamond and Scoots, now...
DiamondBloom...
Don't say that. i can hear Murphy's Law activating.
Wow. Seriously, just wow! I love, love, LOVE this so very much! Where do I even begin? First, I must admit that the Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy part threw me for a loop. I was so sure you were going to put some kinda kinky or romantic moment there between the two, but nice comic relief factor you threw in instead; you totally got me! Also, it's so fascinating and wonderful how you can create good background stories for everypony that honestly makes a lot of sense and helps the story move along. Most of all, though, I love how you can keep everypony in character without them being forced into a situation that wouldn't make sense. Keeping Tiara in character is probably hard, but it's so smart and I'm proud how you do it. She wouldn't just suddenly be nice or be sweet; it's just not her character. Plus, with you giving so much background on her, it allows the reader to fully understand that. But, her moment with finally kissing Apple Bloom...it was so special. So amazing! Even though this is just chapter five, it honestly doesn't feel rushed. All the feelings and curiosity being built up since the first chapter allowed it to make sense and happen so perfectly here.
This leaves a lot of fun questions that need to be answered soon. What will Diamond Tiara do with her possible feelings that still linger for Scootaloo? How will Scootaloo react to Apple Bloom when she inevitably finds out about what happened? Ooh, there's just so much! Plus, with Apple Bloom's doomed last statement, we just KNOW something bad is going to happen. I so cannot wait!
I liked this chapter as it gave me something awesome with the DiamondBloom and the things like this
Also, you got around everybody's guess about the foalsitter by using Big Mac. Very clever author. Now continue onward my good author and show how complicated this will get.
Famous last words, Applebloom. Famous. Last. Words.
Never ask the world that AB. Life just takes that as a challenge.
Monopony must be a pretty ruthless game if you play until last one standing. Average games must take three to five days.
Oh. It can ALWAYS get worse.
When they kissed I had a fan freak out lol
Now a fan of applebloom x diamond!
Oh, for crying ou- the Last Word HAD to be the One Word I HATE THE MOST!!
In all honesty, just saying "worse" should be a cliche all on its own! >:(
Oh gee thx Apple Bloom, now the world must answer your call.