Are Often The Most Unexpected
Filthy Rich reached out a hoof to retrieve the ornament on his daughter's head. "Diamond, sweetie, please. You have to return the tiara to Mr. Sterling. You can have anything else in the sto—" The stallion quickly retracted his hoof, barely avoiding his daughter's teeth by a hair's breadth.
"You promised I could have anything!"
"Diamond, I sai—" Filthy spoke, attempting to make another pass for the tiara, only to quickly abandon the idea upon his daughter's glare and bared teeth. She growled like a mad timberwolf protecting its cub. At this, Filthy Rich resigned with a sigh, his head held down in defeat. Turning to the shop owner, barely meeting his gaze, he cleared his throat.
"So, I don't suppose you'd cut me a deal? I'd be willing to throw in a fine 10% discount on all products at Barnyard Bargains, what'cha say?"
The store owner Mr. Sterling's expression was one of bemusement. It was clear to Filthy Rich this stallion would not be swayed by his suave business tactics. Especially if his words of it being the grey filly's first creation he deemed fit to showcase in his shop were true. The same young filly that was staring back at his daughter, no doubt scared silly or thinking his Diamond was crazy given the show she's been putting on for these ponies. The filly continued looking through the counter’s display glass, never once budging from her father's side behind the counter. Celestia knew what that filly must think of his little Diamond, much less what the stallion before him must think of Filthy himself.
S-She must really like it. Does she really like it that much? But daddy has, like, so many much better tiaras out front! Yet, she goes and chooses the one tiara I went and made? It's so bland! the grey filly thought to herself, still eyeing the pony across the display counter. A smile etching its way across the filly despite herself, the gears in her brain kicking into gear to best turn the situation to her favor.
"I apologize, Sir. As I've said, that tiara is simply just—" Mister Sterling was stopped in his talks by a gentle tug on his fetlock, his daughter tugging more insistently as he stared down at her, gesturing she'd like to whisper a message to him. The stallion excused himself to Mr. Rich to see to his daughter.
After a short, whispered exchange between the father and daughter, the stallion stood back up to address Filthy Rich. "It would seem the tiara is not as off-limits as I had wished it to be. But it is her creation, I suppose."
Filthy Rich raised a brow. He noticed Mr. Sterling's daughter out the corner of his eye as she made her way around the counter. Filthy gave an inquisitive glance toward the filly, noting she was making a beeline towards his little Diamond Tiara.
The grey filly stopped before the the defensive, snarling, pink filly, curiosity adorning her features as she perhaps pondered what she was up to. I got one chance at this, better make it count! Don't let her smell your fear, she thought. With renewed purpose, the grey filly set her plan into motion.
"Hi there! My name's Silver Spoon. What's yours?" Silver asked. The pink filly seeming to calm down, yet still kept her defensive posture as if anticipating some pony would snatch away her pretty tiara at any moment.
"Name's Diamond Tiara. Dad promised I could have anything for my birthday today. So, I wanted this tiara. It's really pretty, like me, you know?" Diamond said, the grey filly nodding in agreement. "It matches my name, too, of course. Isn't it funny? I think so. Me, Diamond Tiara, like totally trotting around town with a real diamond tiara on my head? Daddy always said I was his little princess. May as well look the part. So this"—Diamond pointed at the tiara adorning her mane—"It's perfect!"
Silver Spoon couldn't help but giggle at the silliness. Seems this filly really would be worth trying to bargain with. She had to admit, she could really see Diamond Tiara worthy of her first piece her daddy saw fit to flaunt around the store's main exhibit. Diamond's energy was pretty infectious. The more Diamond gushed and fought over the tiara, the more pride in having made the tiara Silver felt.
"But then he said I had to put it back. I'm not giving it back, you hear? So don't even ask!" Diamond said, putting a hoof over her head to protect the tiara and once again resuming her defensive posture.
"Well, why would I? It was meant to be, like, worn. Am I right? So, how about a trade then?" Silver Spoon said, her plan in full swing. She'd set the bait; there was no way the filly wouldn't bite.
Diamond Tiara looked at the silly looking filly with the giant nerdy glasses, it wasn't like Diamond had much worth trading, especially for a pretty and expensive-looking trinket. That's what her daddy's bits were for, after all. She may as well play along for now, but oh Celestia, those giant, round white glasses were really silly looking on Silver Spoon.
"Alright, so like, what would you like? My dad has lots of bits, so don't hold back! Just go ahead; name your price!" Filthy Rich was visibly sweating at the bold words coming from his daughter. Mr. Sterling merely flashed Filthy Rich with a knowing grin.
"Hmm, tempting. But nope. I don't want bits." An audible sigh of relief was heard upon the utterance of those last words leaving Silver Spoon's lips, much to the annoyance of Diamond Tiara.
Diamond’s face scrunched up and puffed her cheeks out and directed her utmost displeasure toward her father.
Clearing her throat and regaining Diamond's attention, Silver Spoon continued. "I'll trade you that tiara, if you promise to be my friend. For as long as you wear that tiara, you have to promise you'll be my friend!"
And with that, Silver Spoon's trap had sprung. There was no way that such a filly could resist such an offer. Her smarts had finally scored her a promising friend this day. Silver Spoon managed to catch a glimpse of her reflection off one of the display glass beside the wall, revealing a rather creepy smirk on her face. Acting swiftly, she quickly curved her lips into what she assumed was a proper, less creepy, lady-like smile before immediately refocusing her attention back on Diamond Tiara.
Hopefully Diamond Tiara didn't notice; creepy is not something I had planned in my list of Do's for First Impressions! Silver Spoon thought, the long, unanticipated silence causing her smile to become a bit crooked as the unease began to set in. What is going on? Is she seriously thinking it over? She must think I'm totally creepy! Wait, who even TRADES jewelry for FRIENDSHIPS!? What was I even thinking! Gosh, that really DOES sound stupid!
Diamond didn't respond. She merely took off the tiara and stared at the grey filly. I really am pathetic. Of course she'd give up the tiara if it meant she'd have to be friends with a four-eyes like me...
Without a word, Diamond Tiara placed the tiara upon Silver's head. She looked at Silver Spoon with the tiara, confusing the filly to no end. I-Is she saying "I don't need your dumb tiara."? I totally messed this up. No pony wants to be friends with a goofy looking pony like me. I should just—Wait, why did everything go so blurry?! Silver Spoon was squinting back in confusion.
Having removed Silver's glasses, and inspecting her glasses closer in her hooves, Diamond Tiara began placing the large, bulbous-looking, white glasses onto her own face. Peering through them revealed a world of giant blobs, reminding her of the funny mirrors found at a Fun House like the one they had at the Filly and Foal Fair. She looked around, stared at her father— what she assumed might be her father at least —and toward one of the full body mirrors on the wall. In the mirror Diamond Tiara could only see giants. She turned back in the direction of Silver Spoon, a now-giant, silvery blob for a filly as far as Diamond could make out.
Silver Spoon merely squinted back at Diamond Tiara. Only realizing now the pink filly was wearing her glasses. She could make out Diamond Tiara's face. To the best Silver could make out, Diamond’s eyes swirled about, crossed to the bridge of her snout.
Diamond Tiara tried to to refocus her vision. Silver Spoon let out a rather unlady-like snort as Diamond's eyes began to drift to the sides of her head. Diamond immediately removed the glasses and rubbed her eyes, attempting to rid herself of the discomfort.
"Whoa, I feel sick. How do you live with these things?" Diamond Tiara said, staring at the filly before her, adorned with the tiara she wanted so much. She placed the glasses back on Silver Spoon, who only continued giggling at what she could only assume was at her expense. The tiara really did look nice on Silver Spoon; the grey filly was pretty after all, just like herself, she thought.
"Well, it beats squinting all day," Silver Spoon said. Diamond Tiara approached Silver Spoon, leaning in and taking care not to displace a hair out of Silver Spoon's well-styled mane as she set the glasses proper upon their owner's face.
"You know, those glasses would look so much cuter in blue." Diamond Tiara, said. She continued to stare at Silver Spoon before having her attention pulled elsewhere in the store.
Silver Spoon was stumped. Tilting her head as she thought over how best to respond, she felt something shifting about on her head. Silver then notice she was still wearing the tiara her would-be friend had been so possessive over not mere moments ago. Wait, she never even answered my question! Silver thought, refocusing on the task at hoof.
However, before Silver Spoon could speak, the pink filly had gotten up all and briskly made her way toward the corner of the store.
Is this how making friends normally work, ‘cause I’m so confused right now. Maybe she’s not interested in my tiara after all, Silver thought.
Diamond Tiara moved to one of the racks showcasing an assortment of casual sunglasses. Rummaging and pulling out several glasses at a time. She eventually settled on several differently-styled, blue-framed pairs moments after.. Happy with her claim, she trotted back toward Silver Spoon. The mess of the rack and sunglasses strewn about the store’s floor eliciting a pained sigh from Mr. Sterling, to which Filthy Rich only returned a sheepish smile.
"Okay, follow me!" Diamond Tiara said. Though, she gave Silver Spoon no room to speak as she locked her foreleg to Silver's and dragged the filly closer to the full-sized body mirror on the store's wall. "Here, put these on!"
The glasses Diamond had picked out were rather large, no doubt since most of them were made with grown stallions and mares in mind. Though a couple apparently being more comically so, given Diamond Tiara's barely contained chortles.
But one pair in particular had silenced the pink filly’s laughter. Silver Spoon could feel the weight of the frames on her muzzle. This thing felt even bigger than the ones she was wearing. They even jiggled to the sides when she tilted her head too far. Having to readjust the glasses lest they fall off her face. There was no way she'd be caught wearing something this...
"They're perfect!" Diamond Tiara said, interrupting Silver Spoon's train of thought. "What do you think? Pretty snazzy, huh? I told you that you'd look good in blue."
Silver Spoon squinted the best she could. The frames still felt rather large she trotted closer to the mirror. She could see herself a bit better, and the color really did seem to blend well with her grey tones. As she felt the glasses, they did feel far less rotund in comparison to her own. But it just didn't fit tight enough on the side she had to readjust her glasses every time she tilted her head too much to one side.
"You so need to get these, you look so much cuter with these."
The comment made Silver Spoon blush. Before she knew it, her head felt a bit lighter. Looking back at the mirror, she saw the tiara was no longer adorning her mane, but instead resting back on Diamond’s own.
"Just like this looks best on me." Diamond Tiara said, posing as regally as she could before the mirror.
Silver Spoon looked surprised, but smiled back. "So does this mean you'll accept my trade?"
"Sorry, no deal."
The words crashed down on Silver Spoon. Shattering her moment of happiness. Both fathers looked on, confused and more than a bit disappointed.
"B-But why?" Silver Spoon had tried her best to stay calm and composed, but all that came out was a half-whimper, half-whine. It just didn't seem fair.
"Duh, geez. Are you really that dense?" Diamond Tiara said. Silver Spoon was starting to look upset so she clarified, having assumed the answer would be obvious. "You said we can only be friends as long as I wear this tiara, right?"
Silver nodded, as did the two stallions despite themselves.
"Well, I have no interest in things I can't keep. If we can't be friends all the time, then what's the point? Are you saying you'd only be my friend when I wear the tiara? That doesn't sound like a very good friend."
"No! That's not what I meant... Of course I want to be friends! No matter what! All the time friends. So won't you accept?"
“I'll accept then, if you promise me we'll be bestest friends. You have to promise that you'll be my friend no matter what! With or without the tiara on!"
"It's a promise!" Silver Spoon said.
"Good. Then it seems we have a deal. But remember, no backsies!" Diamond Tiara said, stretching a hoof and placing it onto Silver's muzzle.
Silver’s eyes went cross as she stared at the hoof booping her muzzle. She soon returned her gaze back to meet Diamond’s with a smile. "No backsies," Silver Spoon said, returning Diamond's gesture by placing her own hoof Diamond's muzzle. "Happy birthday, Diamond Tiara."
The two fillies soon fell into a fit of the giggles, each one moving their hoof now to cover up the other’s mouth from laughing out, playfully batting off the other’s hoof only to find another find a perch on their lips or muzzle once more.
Both fathers just stood back, staring down at their daughters as the two closed a deal on a brand new friendship.
"Well," Filthy Rich said, "I think we may be seeing more of each other in the future."
Mr. Sterling nodded. "I think you may be right about that."