Bah-Humbug, Spoiled Rich!
Hearth's Warming, two simple words that for most ponies were associated with warmth, kindness, and happy feelings all around. A holiday for all to gather together, eat, drink, and be merry. And for the young ones, it meant fun activities in the snow, opening presents beneath a tree, and sipping hot coca by the fire.
But there was one pony in all of Ponyville, neigh all of Equestria, who despised Hearth's Warming with all her heart (the entire Hearth's Warming holiday to be precise), and no one knew the reason why or cared enough to ask about said reason.
Spoiled didn't particularly care though, the holiday had never done her a lick of good as far as she was concerned, so why should she "pretend" to be happy for a day or two? Given the choice, she'd rather just sleep through the entire wretched occasion (and indeed she'd tried, but on many occasions she'd been awoken early by her daughter, who always got excited around Hearth's Warming).
And so it was that Spoiled found herself facing down the umpteenth Hearth's Warming in her lifetime, once again wishing that the darn holiday would just end already. "It's silly, wasting an entire two days just for the sake of celebrating. But everypony says I'm just a grump," She thought to herself, while sitting alone in the spacious living room of the Rich family mansion, attempting to distract herself by reading some books. "They say I'm just like that Snowfall Frost pony from that one story. But unlike her, I'm not so easily swayed by fictional 'spirits'."
Alas, just as Spoiled found herself getting comfortable, the peace and tranquility of the mansion was shattered as the front door swung open. As a cold rush of air blew in, Spoiled looked up from her book and quickly found herself staring face to face at her daughter, Diamond Tiara.
The filly was all dressed up for the snowy conditions outside, even wearing a set of snow white earmuffs and matching boots. She took said earmuffs off, and tried to maintain something of a neutral expression as she said to her own mother. "Hey, Mother. Don't worry, I'll be out of your mane soon enough, I'm just stopping by to let you know not to worry about me for the next few hours," She spoke in a tone of voice that was trying (and failing) not to sound overly enthusiastic. "You'll be happy to know, I've been invited to hang out all day long with my new friends. We're gonna have snowball fights, go sledding, and even build a snowpony. Sweetie Belle says she knows a magic spell that can bring it to life. I can't wait!"
Spoiled barely acknowledged her daughter's comments. She just shrugged her shoulders and replied in a flat tone. "Fine, whatever, you didn't even need to come back and disturb the only time of day I have to myself. Just be sure to brush off all the snow before you come back inside tonight. I'm getting sick of having to always get the butlers and maids to clean up after you, though I admit bossing them around is quite nice."
Diamond pretended she hadn't heard the last part. "Right..." She then turned around and trotted back towards the front door, though not before shouting. "Oh, and if you see Randolph, tell him I wish him a Happy Hearth's Warming!"
"She's gotten too attached to that old butler, she treats him as if he were family," Spoiled mentally grumbled. "Then again, ever since those 'Cutie Mark Crusaders' got into her head, she's been sickeningly sweet to all the hired help. And I thought it was bad enough when she started cleaning her own dishes after meals and her piano keys got out of tune." She dwelled on these feelings for so long, that she almost didn't notice when her daughter departed and another gust of cold air swept through the mansion.
Spoiled groaned, pulling the wolly blanket up closer to her shivering body. Why did the mansion have to be so drafty at this time of year? "How many times do I have to tell my no good husband to hire somepony to fix the furnace?" She complained, as she set her book down and reluctantly got up from her comfy chair, making her way upstairs to the master bedroom. It was too bad she didn't have her husband's warm body to snuggle against, for it was now that the snobbish rich mare recalled an earlier conversation she'd had with her husband earlier that morning.
The entire Rich family was seated at the dining room table, enjoying hot oatmeal courtesy of the new maid known as Spotless Polish. Diamond Tiara was eagerly scarfing down the hot meal as if there was no tomorrow (and displaying a startling lack of regard for table manners in the process), while Spoiled was trying her best to put on the usual "grin and bear it" routine that she had adopted long ago for the accursed holidays. It was a routine she credited with keeping her from suffering many a painful headaches.
Filthy Rich sat in his usual chair, at the head of the table, and on most mornings he could be seen reading the Ponyville Express, while a butler or maid filled his coffee mug. Sometimes he'd read a funny comic aloud to the entire family, and other times he'd just chime in with his own thoughts on whatever the day's headlining story was. But this morning, the finely dressed stallion wasn't reading the paper. Looking across to his wife, and his daughter, he said to them. "I'll be at Barnyard Bargains again today. You know there are desperate ponies who always wait until the last minute to get their holiday shoppin' done."
"Aw, but Dad, hardly anypony else works on Hearth's Warming Eve!" Diamond complained, looking up from her oatmeal. In her best pleading tone of voice, complete with puppy dog eyes, the pink coated filly then added. "Can't you take today off and spend it with me? I wanted to make snow angels and build snow forts with you, like we used to do when I was younger."
Filthy did his best to ignore his daughter's adorable face, she'd used that trick too many times for her own good and by now he was used to it. "I'm sorry, my little Diamond, but business is business. If I didn't keep the store open for potential customers, we'd lose money. Holidays like this are when Barnyard Bargains makes the most profit, and the more money I make, the more local charities get a generous Hearth's Warmin' bonus courtesy of my business," However, putting a thoughtful hoof to his chin, the stallion suggested. "But, I might just see about closin' up shop early again. And then we've got all of tomorrow to spend together. Maybe I'll even take ya up to see your grandpappy, and you can go sleddin' at your favorite spot. How's that sound?"
The eager shout of joy that echoed down the halls of the Rich family mansion not even five seconds later, was said to be so powerful that it could've shattered glass windows for miles around. "Oh thank you, Father, that'll be perfect! You're the best Dad in all of Equestria!" Tiara happily exclaimed, getting up out of her chair and giving her dad a great big hug.
Spoiled only frowned. "Dear, why must you cave in so easily?" She complained to her husband as she rolled her eyes with a sigh. "Our daughter is spoiled enough as it is, especially when she wakes us up early every Hearth's Warming Day to open presents. To say nothing of the financial implications of closing the store for so long and turning away potential customers, and throwing your money away on those undeserving charities. Don't they make enough money as it is? Couldn't the bits you spend there be used on more important things?"
Filthy just chuckled lightly, he was used to this sort of petulant behavior from his wife. "Now, Spoiled, darlin', there's no need to dampen the holiday spirit. Our little Diamond is still young yet, let her enjoy the holiday."
"As opposed to what?!" Spoiled retorted with a snort. "Teaching her about important grown-up stuff she'll need to learn? Like say, balancing a checkbook, or storing money in an actual bank? Or maybe even getting a job instead of begging for an allowance every week? When I was growing up, there was no such thing as allowances, we had to work for all the things we wanted. On my parents' dairy farm, I learned how to have fun while I worked, and so did everypony I knew. Far as I'm concerned, today's generation of kids are spoiled rotten, they've no idea what it's like to earn things on their own. And the longer you keep letting our little Diamond live in her fantasy world of make-believe, the harder it's going to be for her when she inevitably grows up."
"Wow, Mother, I never knew you could be sour," Tiara remarked. "Come on, it's Hearth's Warming. Can't you at least 'pretend' to be nice for a day or two? It's not like it'll kill you."
But Spoiled replied quite firmly. "Bah-Humbug! Hearth's Warming is a foolish and pointless holiday as far as I'm concerned! Just a holiday for ponies to waste their hard earned bits on trivial gifts, and sleep off eggnog and cider induced headaches! If you two want to waste your precious time celebrating such pointless nonsense, that's fine by me, but I'll be no part of it! I'll be making the most of my time alone, enjoying the holiday the way it should be, with well blessed peace and quiet." And she then left the dining room without saying another word. Heck, she didn't even finish her soggy oatmeal.
And so it was that Spoiled now found herself sitting alone on the princess sized bed built for two, in the master bedroom. Not exactly the idea she'd had in mind for "peace and quiet", but it would have to do.
All of a sudden, as Spoiled happened to glance into the bedroom mirror, she swore she saw something other than her reflection staring back at her! But that couldn't be, surely it had to just be a trick of the light, right?
Against her better judgement, Spoiled got up from the bed and walked over to the mirror, all the while blinking and rubbing her eyes. But when she'd done all that and looked into the glass again, the same disturbing sight still greeted her. Instead of just her reflection, Spoiled saw the image of a bulky earth pony mare she hadn't seen in years, no decades.
Said mare had a coat of dark green, and a mane and tail styled just like that one stallion that was always chatting with Filthy Rich (Spoiled never bothered to keep track of their names) which were both a brilliant white in color, just like the snow. Her eyes were a dark purple in color, and her cutie mark depicted two milk bottles in the shape of a v. It was Spoiled's mother, Sour Milk.
"Mother?!" Spoiled exclaimed and jumped back a bit in surprise! "How and what are you doing here?! I haven't seen you since the day I married Filthy Rich and became a part of his family. Far as I'm concerned, you stopped being a part of my life from that day onwards and I thought you'd up and disappeared."
Sour Milk frowned, and scolded in that grouchy tone of voice Spoiled had always dreaded hearing. "I can assure you, I'm still very much alive and kicking, even though you've pretended I don't exist anymore. As for how I'm here now, well let's just say a certain trio of special individuals payed me a visit and offered me a chance to see my own daughter again. I have to say, I had no idea you'd already given birth to and raised a child."
"Have you come to lecture me again, like you always did?" Spoiled retorted to the elderly mare. "You were a harsh mother, though I'm not ashamed to admit your lessons kept me on the straight and narrow. It's just too bad they failed to work for my daughter, who has sullied my teachings and spent all her time hanging around those shady Cutie Mark Losers or whatever they call themselves now."
Sour Milk shook her head. "I didn't come to lecture you, Spoiled. You're not a little filly anymore, you don't need your mother telling you when you've done wrong," Seeing her daughter begin to turn away from the mirror, she loudly commanded! "Spoiled Rotten Milk, don't you dare turn your back on me when I'm not done talking to you! I came here tonight, to offer you a warning."
"A warning? About what? Are there some diary products in my fridge that need to be thrown out?" Spoiled asked in a half mocking tone.
"Your thoughts and actions are leading you down a dark and lonely path, my dear," Sour explained in an ominous tone of voice. "One that soon, you will never be able to drift from. But fate is on your side, my daughter. For tonight, I tell you, you shall be visited by three very special guests. The same ones responsible for allowing me to talk to you here and now like this."
"Great, unwanted company. How nice," Spoiled sarcastically remarked as she rolled her eyes with annoyance. "Why on tonight of all nights? Is this supposed to be for some cheesy play? Did my little Diamond put you up to this?"
But Sour Milk just frowned and snorted. "You're in worse shape than I thought, Spoiled. These guests will most certainly have their work cut out for them this evening. But without their help, you can't hope to change your fate and turn your life around for the better. Heed my words, even if you care little for the holiday of Hearth's Warming, I'd advise you to hear what these guests will have to say. They'll each arrive separately, one at a time. And you can expect to meet the first one very soon, within the hour even."
"Can't I just meet them all at once and get this over with?" Spoiled complained, looking at the clock.
"Sorry, that's not how it works," Sour replied in an ominous tone, before she began to fade away with a faint wave. "I'm not kidding. These guests won't take 'no' for an answer, Spoiled. They're coming, whether you like it or not." Then, as mysteriously as she'd appeared, Sour Milk slowly vanished from the mirror, as if she'd never even existed to begin with.
A part of Spoiled wanted to believe more than anything that what she'd just seen was real, but that part of her mind quickly took a backseat to the others parts, which told her that she'd had one too many bottles of cider. "This isn't like 'A Hearth's Warming Tail', I am NOT Snowfall Frost!" She thought with relief to herself, as she went back to reading while curled up to her head in the covers.
But just minutes after Spoiled had returned to reading, the clock struck the hour. And when the eighth and final chime rang out, there came a steadily growing noise. All of a sudden, there was a great big flash, and a tremendous boom shook the entirety of the bedroom! When the flashed faded but a moment later, there stood a creature of mismatched things, including a goat paw, a deer antler, and bat and dragon wings. "Woo! Now that's how you make an entrance!" The creature proudly proclaimed, shaking off the dust and soot. "A bit hot on the landing though, gonna have to work on that for next time."
Spoiled blinked once again, and her whole body started to shake with fright. She'd heard rumors about this supposed "creature", rumors that were not very pleasant. "Are you who I think you are?!" She exclaimed rather nervously, her lips trembling a bit.
The creature turned to Spoiled, and flashed her a toothy smile. "Oh yes, you bet your booties I am! Name's Discord, the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony, reformed spirit I might add. Well, mostly."
"So the rumors are true!" Spoiled gasped! "You do exist, and now you're here to plunge Equestria into eternal chaos and floods of chocolate rain once again!"
Upon hearing this, Discord only threw back his head and laughed. "Were you not listening earlier? I mean, I wouldn't blame you if you weren't, I'm a lot to take in all at once. The key word is reformed spirit," He snapped his paws, and produced a small business card. "Even says so right here: Discord, Officially Reformed Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony (honest)."
"B-But, if you're not here to cause chaos, why are you bothering me?!" Spoiled snapped, as her mood began to change from one of shock to one of anger. "Can't you see I'm busy enjoying the holiday in my own special way?!"
"Oh, wow, they weren't kidding when they called you a... well, I guess 'witch' will have to do," Discord playfully remarked, briefly putting a black witch's hat on Spoiled's head. "Look, I'm not doing this for charity. I'm a very busy draconequus. I've got places to go, chaos to create, and friends to make. So the sooner I do what I've been assigned to do, the sooner I can get back to doing what I like to do. After all, I've got guests coming over to my dimension later, and I want the place to be as chaotic and unpredictable as I am."
"What are you even on about right now?! You're making no sense!" Spoiled grumbled, turning away from the draconequus.
Discord just laughed again, as he produced some kind of strange vial from seemingly nowhere. "As an agent of chaos, I never find there to be much fun in making sense, Spoiled Rich," He spoke, as he offered the vial to the pony in front of him. "Here, drink up, and be quick about it! Don't worry, it won't harm you. I just 'borrowed' this from Zecora for the sake of my task tonight, I'm sure she won't miss it. She has tons of these things, after all."
Against her better judgement, and thinking she was just dreaming anyway, Spoiled drank up the white colored liquid contained in the vial. For a brief moment, nothing happened. But then her eyes started to glow, and everything became a blinding white!
When the blinding light faded, Spoiled at first found herself at a loss as to where she was. She was definitely no longer in the nice, warm comforts of the master bedroom. In fact, she no longer seemed to be at Rich Mansion at all. All around her, Spoiled could see only mounds of snow and what looked like the faint traces of an old barn.
All of a sudden, a filly similar to Spoiled in every way rushed past! The filly even had Spoiled's coat color of pale grayish-pink, strong opal eyes, and a mane and tail two shades of magenta and a darker purplish-pink in color. But three noticeable features (or lack thereof) stood out the most to Spoiled. The first was that the filly's snout was not turned up, it was the same as everypony else's. The second was that said filly's mane was not styled into curls, and instead was tied into a neat ponytail. And the third and most important (at least to Spoiled) the filly lacked a cutie mark.
"What is the meaning of this sorcery?!" Spoiled bellowed aloud, not caring who overheard. "How can that filly look like me when I was that age?! There can't possibly be two of me! I've never been anywhere near the mirror pool!"
"Slow on the uptake tonight, are we? Well, fine, I'll humor you for a little bit," The familiar witty (and mischievous) voice of Discord spoke up, moments before the draconequus appeared before Spoiled again in all his hybrid glory. "We've taken a little trip back into time, to your past, Spoiled Rich. To see just where it is that you went so sour, and turned your back on the holiday of Hearth's Warming. Or at least, that's what they told me I'm to do. All I can say is, they're paying me good money to take you on this little trip, Spoiled, so you'd better pay attention. You notice anything different about yourself? I mean, besides the obvious differences?"
Spoiled watched as her filly self passed right through her like some kind of ghost, as if she never existed at all. The filly Spoiled was dressed appropriately for the cold weather, wearing a light pink scarf, white boots that looked quite worn, and a dark red puff ball hat with matching colored earmuffs. The filly appeared to be humming a merry little ditty to herself, as she carried a huge bucket up to the barn.
"Well, if you're not gonna say anything, I sure as hay will!" Discord rudely interrupted the silence. "It's funny, I thought you hated Hearth's Warming from the moment you were born. Yet here you are, as a little filly, enjoying the holiday in all its wintery glory. Seems like you were quite the different pony back then, you sure weren't as 'Spoiled' as you are. Who'd have thought it?!"
Just then, Discord and the present Spoiled watched, as a gust of wind suddenly blew Spoiled's scarf right off her neck! The filly Spoiled dashed off the scarf (after setting the bucket down), shouting at the top of her lungs! "Come back! You're the only new scarf I have! It cost my mommy and daddy a fortune to buy you! Without you, I'm stuck with the hoof me down scarves they wore at my age! And they’ve got more holes in than a cheese grater!"
Young Spoiled Milk was so focused on retrieving her scarf that was being blown around by the wind, that she didn't watch where she was going. Just as the filly lept up and snatched the scarf in mid-air, she collided with an earth pony colt that seemed to be about her age, perhaps a bit younger. He had a light brown coat, sweet blue eyes, and a black colored mane and tail that were styled into the perfect set of streaks. He was wearing a blue puff ball hat, earmuffs, and scarf, as well as a worn pair of black boots.
"Oh, I'm so terribly sorry! I didn't see you there, I swear! I was just trying to get my scarf back, it's the only nice one my parents can afford!" Spoiled Milk apologized profusely to the colt, gazing into his deep, mesmerizing blue eyes. Was it her imagination, or were her cheeks suddenly growing warmer?
The colt just laughed, brushing the snow off his coat (his collision with Spoiled had knocked him into a snowbank). "It's quite alright, I should've been watchin' where I was goin'," He politely apologized. "Say, I know who you are!"
Spoiled Milk seemed to be startled by this statement, for she jumped back in surprise. "Y-you do?" She stuttered, trying (and utterly failing) to maintain her composure.
The colt nodded. "You're that filly who milks the cows on this here farm. It's okay, my grandpappy's good friends with some local farmers. You know, the ones who live on Sweet Apple Acres?" Then the colt laughed. "Oh, silly me, don't where my mind goes sometimes. Here I am, ramblin' on, and I even forgot to ask your name."
Spoiled Milk cleared her throat, and reluctantly told the colt in the most stern tone of voice she could muster up. "Well, not that it's any of your concern, but my name is Spoiled Milk. And who might you happen to be?"
"Filthy Rich," Filthy replied with a long bow. "Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Spoiled Milk, or should I just call ya 'Spoiled'?"
"Just 'Spoiled' will do, thank you very much." Spoiled replied, as she reluctantly shook Filthy's hoof. For whatever reason, she found herself unable to keep her eyes off him. Something about that colt drew her to him, almost if he'd placed some kind of bewitching spell on her.
"Well, 'Spoiled', I'm glad we finally got to meet face to face," Filthy smiled broadly. "But I've noticed you around the farm, and at school. I've been meanin' to talk to ya for a while, just couldn't think of how best to start the conversation is all. I figured that with today bein' Hearth's Warmin' and all, you might be free, but it looks like you've still got chores to do."
Spoiled would've spoken in reply to Filthy's comments. But at that very moment, a strict female voice cried out from afar. "Spoiled Rotten Milk, what's the meaning with you slacking off?! Those cows aren't gonna milk themselves you know, and we need their milk to survive!"
"Coming, Mother!" Spoiled called, as she hastily trotted over to the bucket she'd left behind in the snow. She then turned and trotted back up the path towards her family's farm, though not before sneaking a quick peek back at Filthy.
"Aw, young love is so sweet, and mushy!" Discord conjured up a sick bag, and pretended to use it. "Who would've guessed that a pony like you could start out with such humble origins? And all this time, ponies thought you were born into wealth. I could've made a fortune betting off those claims. Las Pegasus wouldn’t have known what hit it!"
The present Spoiled just frowned. "As 'fascinating' as this is, I don't see how this is supposed to enlighten me or change my mind about Hearth's Warming. So I was once a relatively sweet and innocent little filly, so what? There's this little thing, it's called 'growing up'," She remarked. "Just take me back to the present already, there's nothing more to discuss."
But Discord only laughed and retorted. "Sorry, Spoiled, but we're far from done with this trip down memory lane. We've still got a few memories to revisit. After all, that's how this potion works. Buckle up, it’s time for the next destination."
There came another brilliant flash of light, and when this one faded, Spoiled discovered that the scene had changed. But she wasn't back in Rich Mansion, where she knew she belonged. No, now she was standing outside on the streets of Ponyville, looking at an impressive two story building of red bricks, that she hadn't seen in several years.
"Recognize this place? Because I sure as Celestia don't." Discord not so subtly commented, as Spoiled examined the brick structure quite thoroughly.
"I... I don't believe it!" Spoiled Rich exclaimed, her mouth agape! "This was where I got my first job: Fine Wine's Jewelry Emporium! He hired me to be his apprentice as soon as I finished school. And I didn't leave him until I married Filthy, his wealth alone provided enough for the both of us. Because after what I had to endure here, I never again wanted to strain my precious hooves performing manual labor best left to the common folk."
"Ah, so that's why we've been brought here!" Discord realized. "Well then, we might as well take a look inside. Ooh, and look, it's Hearth's Warming Eve again! I'm starting to sense a pattern here."
It was indeed Hearth's Warming Eve, dusk was falling on the town of Ponyville and lamplighters were hard at work illuminating the streets as they often did at this time of year (the extra light helped to lure in those forgetful last minute shoppers). Meanwhile, inside of the emporium, the past Spoiled (Spoiled Milk) was hard at work. The now young mare with a beautiful diamond ring for a cutie mark, was doing what she'd been doing for what seemed like the umpteenth time since getting her cutie mark. Who would've guessed that jewelry making was so hard?
Spoiled Milk breathed a small sigh of relief, as she watched the hot iron she'd molded into shape with a mallet, cooled into the shape of a ring. And in the center of the ring, rested a beautiful little diamond that sparkled in the dim light. The young mare turned her head out towards the nearby window for a moment, gazing at the snow covered world that lay beyond it. Despite her current situation, the mare couldn't help but feel a faint sense of longing. A desire to be out there, enjoying the holiday with everypony else.
Spoiled Milk was snapped out of her desires, by the slamming of a heavy door! That could only mean one thing, Fine Wine himself had come to check up on his apprentice. And Spoiled knew from experience that if her master caught her slacking off at all, she wouldn't hear the end of it. She quickly turned back to her still cooling diamond ring, trying her best to look like she was working on it.
Sparkling Wine was a rather tall unicorn stallion, with a sparkling red coat. His mane and tail (which were styled short) were a powder white in color, and he had the most commanding pair of green eyes. Not surprisingly, his cutie mark depicted a wine glass. But he'd made his calling in jewelry, not wine making (just as Spoiled was hoping to make her calling in something besides dairy farming). "Ah, there you are, Spoiled. Still working hard, I see." Sparkling Wine spoke approvingly in that deep, booming voice of his.
"Y-yes s-sir," Spoiled replied in a vain attempt to hide her anxiety. "I was... j-just putting the finishing touches on this here ring. It's coming along quite nicely, actually."
But to Spoiled's surprise, Sparkling Wine brushed her hoof away from the ring and told her. "You've been working hard all day, Spoiled. Just like you always do. Tonight is Hearth's Warming Eve, you deserve to take the holiday off. Enjoy yourself a little, maybe even go out on the town with that Filthy Rich fellow. Don't think I haven't noticed you making goo goo eyes at him whenever he comes into the shop, and you just so happen to be working the counter."
Spoiled Milk was, needless to say, surprised at such a suggestion. "A-Are you sure that's a good idea, master? I can come back in to work first thing tomorrow, it's no trouble, really. You always taught me never to put off till tomorrow what can be done today, and that the best way to get ahead is to work hard from dawn til dusk and then some."
"I didn't say to do it everyday, now did I?" Sparkling winked, all but shoving Spoiled out the front door of his shop. "Go ahead, go make the most of the holiday. And that's an order. Don't worry about my emporium, it always closes early for Hearth's Warming anyway."
Before Spoiled Milk could utter a syllable of protest, she found herself outside in the cold with just her well traveled pink scarf, and a rather torn dark pink hat and matching boots. Sighing, she thought to herself. "Well, I guess I'll go see what Filthy Rich is up to. I haven't see him for weeks now, but he said he'd had have something important to say to me when we next met."
"Well, well, well," Discord commented, as he observed the past Spoiled disappear into the blinding snow. "Seems like even once you got your cutie mark, Hearth's Warming still held a place in your heart. I guess we'll have to go a little bit closer to the present to see when that all changed." And just after he spoke that, another blinding flash appeared.
The scene now changed, and Spoiled saw a past version of herself that was almost exactly the same as she now was, maybe just a few years younger. Everything else about the mare was the same though, including the blueish-green dress with a golden hem around her body, the golden necklace, and the upturned snout. Spoiled recognized this scene in a heartbeat. "This was just after I got that nose job! Diamond was barely a year old at the time." She realized.
"And let's see what your husband thought of your little 'change'. Ah, here he comes now." Discord commented, as a slightly younger of Filthy Rich greeted his wife as she stepped into the warmth and comfort of the mansion, compared to the bitter cold outside.
Filthy took one look at the now upturned snout of his wife, and immediately an unhappy sigh escaped his lips. "Spoiled, I thought I said I didn't want you gettin' that nose job. Didn't I tell ya that you were beautiful as it was?"
"Nonsense, Filthy, my dear," Spoiled coldly retorted. "Upturned snouts are all the rage these days with the upper crusts. I'm merely following the trends. After all, if we want to expand Barnyard Bargains into the greatest business empire of all time, and secure the best future possible for our little Diamond, we'll need backers. Backers that I have to court, and they'll judge every little detail about me quite harshly. If I'm even the slightest bit out of touch, they could very easily turn me down, as I've come to learn the hard way."
"And whoever says I want Barnyard Bargains to expand like that? My grandpappy founded the store on a series of principles that have stayed in the Rich family for generations," Filthy frowned. "And kissin' up to those Canterlot and Manehattan upper crusts certainly ain't one of those principles! I thought that you of all ponies would understand, seein' as you grew up on a farm."
"And I hated every minute of it!" Spoiled snapped. "Especially on Hearth's Warming! It just meant I had no time to play, no time to make friends! It was always chores, chores, chores, and more chores, from sun up to sun down! But now I've finally gotten a taste of the life of luxury, a life I don't intend to give up! I'll do whatever I must to maintain it, Filthy, and I thought for sure you'd want the same. Think about all the great things we always talked about doing, all the wondrous things we always wanted but could never afford."
Filthy only shook his head. "You're missin' the whole point, Spoiled. My mother, Faust bless her, was always fond of sayin' that money can't buy happiness. Material things alone won't make you truly happy. Love, family and good health are..."
"Shows what she knows. Your whole family always gave away money to the poor, or donated to charities," Spoiled snorted with disgust. "Had they put their money into more sensible investments, Barnyard Bargains wouldn't be confined to just Ponyville by now."
"And yet because they were so generous, we had customers comin' back to us year after year!" Filthy angrily replied to Spoiled. "Heck, had it not been for the fact that they were so generous, I'd have never met you! I'd have probably married some super model or somethin'! Were it not for the fact that I know you'd take everythin' you could get your hooves on, I'd divorce you here and now!" And with that, the stallion turned and trotted away without another word, leaving Spoiled to feel as if she'd been thrown back out into the cold without a bit to her name.
Present Spoiled turned to Discord with daggers flashing in her eyes. "Is this how you get your kicks?!" She growled. "By reopening old wounds that I've long buried?!"
"You know as well as I do that these are your own thoughts and actions, Spoiled," Discord retorted unsympathetically with a wag of one of his fingers. "It's hardly my fault if the last memory of your past involves your husband yelling at you. I'm not here to play marriage counselor or family therapist."
"Just leave my sight at once, and never show your grotesque face in my presence again! You hear me?!" Spoiled snapped at Discord. "I don't want to see anymore of any of this rubbish!"
Discord shrugged his shoulders. "Fine, have it your way, Spoiled. But don't think you're out of the woods just yet, you've still got two very important guests that you've yet to meet. And I suggest you at least 'try' to listen to them. After all, this sort of intervention hardly happens because we love to mess with you. Although, I must say, it has been a little fun. Farewell for now." With a snap of his talons, Discord then transported himself and Spoiled back to the present, and then the witty chaos maker disappeared as mysteriously as he had arrived.
Any hopes that Spoiled might have had about dreaming the whole experience were quickly dashed, when just minutes after Discord had departed, Princess Luna appeared in all her majestic glory. Compared to the elder alicorn sister, Spoiled had seen only glimpses of the Princess of the Night, yet she knew enough to know that Luna had long since stopped being "Nightmare Moon" (whatever the heck Nightmare Moon was, besides an old mare's tail).
"Mrs. Rich, or do you prefer Spoiled?" Princess Luna spoke up.
"P-Please, Spoiled will do just fine, thank you." Spoiled replied, bowing to the princess in deference.
Luna just raised a hoof and told Spoiled. "There's no need for such salutes, I'm not really here on official princess business, unlike when I've had to intervene in your daughters dreams. I have to admit, you certainly have a lasting influence on her nightmares."
"Not enough to scare her straight it would seem." Spoiled muttered under her breath.
Luna paid no attention to Spoiled's comment, for she merely replied. "Discord already delved into your past, I understand, and my sister shall be here a little later to explore what the future holds for you. Since they already got their parts, I have been left with the unenviable task of showing you the present."
"Then you might as well go," Spoiled snorted and began to turn away. "There's nothing you can show me that I don't already know. My daughter's currently out there with those 'friends' of hers, squandering the time she could be spending doing more productive things, like helping raise our family’s status in society instead of ruining it. And my husband is once again working at the store, planning to donate to worthless charities and possibly close up early. Which leaves me stuck in this vast estate with little to do to pass the time, and I was just about to get back to the only source of comfort I have left. So if you don't mind, I would much like to resume my reading and not be bothered by anymore of whatever crazy scheme you, Discord, and Princess Celestia have cooked up."
Luna smirked, and lit up her horn, enveloping Spoiled in her soft blue magical aura. "Sorry, but I didn't come all this way on tonight of all nights, just to be told no. Besides, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at what you see tonight."
Spoiled struggled as hard as she could, kicking and flailing her legs about, but to no avail! She was soon pulled through the bedroom window, and when she dared to look down she saw that she was being suspended in mid air. Whatever kind of spell Luna had cast on her, it was enough to keep Spoiled airborne.
Luna and Spoiled hadn't been traveling for long, when they touched down in a small field not far from the clubhouse the Cutie Mark Crusaders occupied (which now doubled as the headquarters of their business, courtesy of a clever suggestion from Diamond Tiara). The field was divided on both sides by huge snow banks. On the left hoofed side, stood the founding members of the rag tag group: Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo. And on the right hoofed side, stood Diamond Tiara, alongside Silver Spoon and (to Spoiled's surprise) Pipsqueak.
Spoiled rushed straight towards Diamond Tiara's side of the field, hoping to grab her daughter and drag her back home for daring to associate with cutie markless ponies like Pipsqueak, especially ones of such lower class. But she passed straight through her daughter, as though she never existed at all. Spoiled spun around and noticed Princess Luna suppressing (or rather trying to suppress) giggles. Marching right up to the night princess with steam billowing out of her nostrils, the rich mare demanded! "What did you do to me?! You turned me into some kind of ghost!"
"Just for a little while, Spoiled," Luna lightly snickered. "After all, if you were allowed to interact with anypony here, you'd ruin your daughter's fun."
No sooner had Luna spoken those words, when Diamond Tiara chucked a big snowball towards Apple Bloom, who dodged it. Apple Bloom responded in kind, by tossing a snowball towards Pipsqueak. Pipsqueak dodged it, and in the span of seconds a chain reaction was started, the end result of which saw snowballs flying back and forth between the two banks at lightning speed! But not a single snowball hit its target, each would either fall short or its intended target would move out of the way before they could be struck. Not that it mattered to any of the participants of this snowball fight, they were laughing, giggling, and shouting, having the time of their lives!
During a brief lull in the fighting, as the two sides restocked their snowball supply, Apple Bloom spoke up. "I gotta say, Diamond Tiara, for a pony whose parents never really play in the snow, you sure can throw a snowball."
"Yeah! Your aim's just about perfect! Are you absolutely sure you've never been in a major snowball fight before?" Scootaloo chimed in.
"Well, maybe I did sometimes have one or two snowball fights with Silver Spoon. But she always went easy on me," Diamond confessed. "This is the first time I've had a real challenge, and been vastly outnumbered."
"Sure beats whatever holiday activities your mother has planned, right?" Sweetie Belle innocently questioned.
Tiara happily nodded. "I can't remember the last time I saw Mother build a snowpony, or throw a snowball, or even dress up for playtime in the snow. Heck, there are days where she never sets a hoof outside the mansion. She just stays inside, curled up by the fireplace, and sipping hot chocolate while she reads a book." She admitted.
"Wow! What a boring way to spend the holiday!" Pipsqueak remarked. "This is the best time of year to be out and about if you ask me! I'd say anypony who doesn't take even a little time to some winter activities around Hearth's Warming, is as cold as that Professor Flintheart character from that one story my mum reads to me every Hearth's Warming." Everyone got a good laugh out of that.
"Less talking, more packing!" Silver Spoon shouted back, drawing attention to the fact that she and Pipsqueak were working to make more snowballs for their group, but Diamond Tiara wasn't.
The snowball fight resumed but a minute later, but Spoiled barely paid any attention to the flying projectiles, she was too busy focusing on what Pipsqueak had said. "Is that really what he thinks of me? I honestly thought he would've learned not to think so lowly of me, especially after that expensive playground equipment he got for the school that I had to pay for!" She thought to herself. "And since when did others think so lowly of me? So I'm not much of a winter pony, so what? It's not that I don't believe in Hearth's Warming, I just don't particularly care for it. And I know many ponies who have neither the time or the desire to celebrate it, but you never hear anypony talk about them. So, why does it bother me so much? It shouldn't!"
"Surprised at what others think of you behind your back?" Luna commented, snapping Spoiled out of her mental contemplations for the time being. "Because your daughter and her friends are hardly the only ones who have things to say about you. There's somepony else who has certain thoughts about you that he doesn't usually share."
In the blink of an eye, Spoiled found herself halfway across town, looking at the inside of Barnyard Bargains. And sure enough, there was Filthy Rich, hard at work behind the cash register, as various ponies were finishing up their last minute Hearth's Warming shopping.
Spoiled was especially surprised when she saw her husband laughing and chatting it up with none other than Cheerilee, the very pony Spoiled blamed the most for failing to prevent her daughter's change of heart.
"I must say, Fil... er Mr. Rich," Cheerilee hastily corrected, wiping a lone tear from her right eye. "You have quite the sense of humor, and your daughter does too. I can't tell you how much of a joy she's been in class ever since turning over that new leaf. Now she actually enjoys learning."
"I'm just glad she's takin' her education seriously, it's a terrible thing to waste," Filthy replied with a nod. "I honestly think she's destined for great things in life, even if they go beyond continuin' the Rich family legacy of Barnyard Bargains. But that's okay, what I want the most is for my little Diamond to lead the life she enjoys without feelin' pressured to have to be somethin', if she'd rather be another thing entirely."
"I didn't want to say anything, but I hope you don't intend to have your wife take over the store at all," Cheerilee remarked, as her mood suddenly changed from happy to a bit disgruntled. "I can't tell you how hard it is to 'pretend' to tolerate even half the stuff she spouts off at the school board meetings, now that she's found a way to get back into them and be a member again. You say she wasn't always this way, but I'm honestly having a hard time seeing how she could've ever not been so mean and nasty."
Filthy tried to laugh, but it was obvious that his laughter came from nervousness instead of joyfulness. "Well, a small part of her's still good, it's just really hard to see over all the nastier parts of her," He told Cheerilee, and the expression on his face seemed to be sincere. But he still let out a long, sorrowful sigh, before he added. "But I'm startin' to wonder if maybe I should just cut my losses. I go out of my way to be nice to her and try to teach her to be the same, but it seems like all it does is cause me pain. I even bought her flowers for Mares Day, 'cause I wanted to surprise her, and she threw them back in my face 'cause they weren't the color she wanted. But how was I supposed to know? Last time I asked her what she wanted, she yelled at me for not knowin' her well enough to already know the answer for myself."
"Well all I can say is, if you are planning to do what I think you're going to do, I wish you the best of luck," Cheerilee advised, as her purchase was rung up on the cash register and she hoofed over the necessary bits to pay for it. "Thanks again for the Hearth's Warming bonus you gave me, it'll really go a long way towards buying new textbooks and chalk for the classroom. We’re so short supplied these days, you know." And she departed the store a moment later.
Spoiled watched as she saw her husband, now alone in the empty aisles of Barnyard Bargains, sighed once again. "I really don't want it to have to come down to divorce, Spoiled. But I'm startin' to run out of hope that you could ever be nice again." He murmured to himself, before he began the process of closing up shop for the holiday.
Turning back to Luna, Spoiled found herself experiencing an emotion she'd seldom dealt with before, regret. "Okay, princess, I've seen more than enough! I think I get the message, I need to be nice or soon I won't have anypony left who will want to be around me! Or indeed, a single bit to my name!" She all but pleaded. "Now tell me, what do I have to do to change all of this?! I mean, I can change it, right?"
Luna only replied vaguely. "That's not my place to say, unlike my sister I cannot see the future. But I do know this. If things remain as they are now, I sense that within a year there will only be an empty chair at Rich Mansion where you once sat." And then, lighting up her horn, Luna teleported herself and Spoiled back to the master bedroom at Rich Mansion. Before the night princesses departed in a strong gust of cold wind that made Spoiled shiver.
Spoiled Rich was alone for but a moment, before she found herself face to face with none other than Princess Celestia. She quickly deduced what was going on and what was about to happen. "You've come to show me what future awaits me if I continue down my current path, aren't you?" She assumed.
"Oh, did Luna tell you? I was hoping it would be a surprise," Celestia teased briefly, before she returned to her usual somber composure. "But yes, that's exactly what I'm going to do. Usually, I'm the one who gets visions of the future, so you should consider yourself quite lucky, Mrs. Rich. Now hang on tight, you and I are gonna travel quite fast together!"
It was indeed a very bumpy ride, one that Spoiled hoped would never be repeated. But in the span of a few minutes, it was already over. But she took one look around, and the mare with the turned up snout instantly realized something! "We're not in Ponyville anymore! These paved streets, and finely colored buildings! Is it..." She began.
Celestia nodded. "We are indeed in Canterlot, Spoiled Rich, a decade down the road from now. But not for the reasons you might think or hope for."
Spoiled found herself unable to keep from gulping. "W-why? Whatever do you mean? I'm not dead, am I?"
"What?! Oh no, no, no, of course not!" Celestia replied with a shake of her head. "You're still very much alive and kicking. But, well... you'll see soon enough. Follow me."
Celestia led Spoiled down the winding roads of Canterlot, far away from the palace and even the center of the city. She didn't stop, until she came upon a lonely, single story brick building at the outskirts of the city. There was a sign that read: Spoiled Milk's Gift Buying Paradise, but the letters were worn and the red paint faded. A stark contrast to the cheerfulness displayed by the rest of town on Hearth's Warming Eve.
A now older Spoiled (with faint traces of gray showing in her mane and tail) was sighing to herself, as she turned off the lights and closed the door. She hated having to close up early on Hearth's Warming Eve, that meant fewer customers to talk with, and fewer profits overall, when she was already just getting by as it was. Sure, she wasn't poor by any means, and she could still afford the occasional fancy dinner or play, but that meant very little when she had no one to share it with. Most ponies payed her only a glancing notice, before they went about whatever they'd been doing before noticing her.
As she trotted down the lonely streets, clad only in that torn pink scarf she'd held onto for years, and a grayish-blue coat, Spoiled's opal eyes suddenly beheld a sight she thought she'd never see again! There was her daughter (or ex-daughter as the term now applied), now a fine young mare. She was walking hoof in hoof with Pipsqueak, her special somepony, whose cutie mark of two swords in the shape of crossbones stood out even in the fading sunlight. And accompanying the young couple, was Filthy Rich, who despite looking a bit tired (and having a few noticeable gray hairs too, the years hadn't been kind to him. The divorce proceedings had taken a lot out of him) appeared to have a smile on his face.
Spoiled called out to the passing group. But if they at all heard her, they didn't bother to acknowledge the fact. They just trotted past, laughing and singing, all the while basking in the sights (and sounds) of the city of Canterlot on Hearth's Warming.
Present Spoiled Rich had seen more than enough, as she watched her future self collapse right then and there into a sea of tears. "Please, Princess, I've seen all that I need to see! I get it now, I need to change who I am, or I'm going to be left all alone and with little but the clothes on my back! As nice as they are, I know that’s no longer enough!" She pleaded, desperately grabbing at the sun princesses' hooves. "Come on, you've gotta take me back, back to the present! Give me a chance to make things right! Please, that's all I ask of you!" Then she too collapsed!
Spoiled Rich wasn't quite sure how or why it had happened, but all of a sudden she found herself on the floor of the master bedroom at Rich Mansion, as though she'd had a bad dream and fallen out of bed in shock.
Just as Spoiled stood up and got her bearings, there came a knock on the bedroom door. "Mistress Spoiled, is everything alright?" Randolph called from the other side. "You've been noticeably silent since retiring up to here not even an hour ago, not even a request for food and drink, or an adjustment of the temperature. It doesn’t seem like you at all."
"My wish was granted! It's still Hearth's Warming Eve! Which means, there's still time to change my future for the better!" Spoiled realized! Never in all her life had she felt as much joy as she now did! In fact, she was so overjoyed, that she ended up knocking over Randolph when she exited the master bedroom a minute later. Fortunately, she was quick to help the old butler to his hooves. "Terribly sorry, Randolph, but I'm in a rush! I've got places to go, and ponies to make apologies to! But here, take this! I know it's not much, but it's at least a start on the compensation you owe for all the things you've done for my family and I!" And then Spoiled darted down the stairs to grab her winter gear!
Randolph took one look at what had been deposited into his hooves, and immediately he fainted! It was a check for a pay raise, a long overdue one at that. "Dear Celestia, if I'm dreaming, please do not wake me up!" He thought to himself, just seconds before he lost consciousness out of pure shock.
Spoiled wasn't around to see Randolph's reaction to her "gift", she was already out the door, dressed in her dull gray hat and scarf, and matching pair of boots that she'd seldom had a need to wear in recent winters. She already knew what her first destination would be, Barnyard Bargains.
But Spoiled didn't even need to reach the store to accomplish her intended objective. Just as she'd reached the heart of town, as fate would have it, she ended up bumping into her husband not unlike the way she'd had when they'd first met all those years ago.
Filthy was, needless to say, quite surprised to see his wife out and about. And he was even more surprised that she seemed to be rather cheerful and upbeat. She was usually only like that whenever she had "good news" to tell him (which often meant he was about to be stuck with a huge bill). "Oh, hun, this is a surprise. Why are you here? You forget somethin' at the store?"
"Yes, this!" Spoiled happily exclaimed, and before her husband could react she pulled him in for a rather warm and passionate kiss!
When the kiss ended, Filthy was quick to blush as he asked. "Honey, not that I mind the act, but what's with this sudden open display of affection? You feelin' okay?"
"Never better, Filthy, darling!" Spoiled told him, giggling not unlike a school filly. "Let's just say, I had some special visitors talk some sense into me. And now, I finally have a better appreciation, not only for the holiday of Hearth's Warming, but also for the hard work you do keeping Barnyard Bargains running so smoothly for all these years. I'd love to stay and tell you more, really I would, but now I've got to go and try to begin making amends with our only daughter! Oh, and if it's not too late, I'd still like to get her something from the store as a Hearth's Warming present!"
Spoiled then darted off towards Sweet Apple Acres, while a bewildered Filthy was left wondering. "Did I somehow step into a parallel universe or something? Because if so, I kind of like it."
Spoiled Rich made it to the field surrounded by the two snowbanks in record time, or so she thought. She was all set up to approach her daughter, and show off her new found outlook on life, when the rich mare was unexpectedly struck from behind with a snowball. This had the unintended effect of knocking the mare into the right side snowbank, causing her to get a face full of the stuff.
"Oh my gosh! It's Spoiled Rich!" Scootaloo gasped, immediately stricken with dread since it was her snowball that had knocked Spoiled into the other bank! "Oh, I'm in so much trouble right now! If only my scooter could run properly in this weather..."
"We're all in trouble, Spoiled's sure to take it out on all of us!" Apple Bloom shivered, as she watched Spoiled slowly get up.
"Sp... I mean, M-Mrs. Rich," Sweetie Belle nervously stuttered, while trying to crouch down and avoid making eye contact. "Please don't be mad with Scootaloo. It's Hearth's Warming Eve, can't you just 'pretend' to be nice for one evening?"
"Yeah, Mother," Diamond replied with a hint of malice. "We were having so much fun until you showed up. So why can't you just wait until tomorrow to yak my ear off about whatever it is I did wrong today?"
Spoiled grinned, none of the little ponies here knew yet about her change of personality. This was gonna be hilarious. "Time to get some payback on those Crusaders, especially after that one time they stole my makeup to try and get their cutie marks in running a beauty parlor." She thought, and forced a noticeable scowl onto her face. "Oh no. I just got knocked over like a bowling pin by one of your 'friends', Diamond Tiara. And while rich ponies don't start fights, especially not snowball fights, they can mostly certainly finish them." Spoiled then quickly packed helpings of snow into a few rounds of snowballs, which she then chucked across the field at the Cutie Mark Crusaders! Her aim was flawless, and before the Crusaders could react, they were knocked down. "Ha, take THAT!" She shouted with joy, as she marched over to the bank her daughter and her teammates were occupying. "Hope you don't mind if I join, and give you all some pointers on snowball fights."
"Since when do you know how to have snowball fights?" Silver Spoon questioned, raising an eyebrow.
Spoiled laughed, relaxing her scowl. "What? Didn't my little Diamond ever tell you, yours truly grew up on a farm. I learned at an early age how to make the best snowballs, and I practiced my aim on tin cans and empty milk jugs," She explained. "And that's not the only secret I've kept hidden."
"Diamond, it's a Hearth's Warming miracle!" Pipsqueak happily exclaimed! "I think your wish came true! Your mother's finally changed!"
"It sure looks that way, Pip," Tiara commented, as she watched her mom ignore the rain of snowballs flying past overhead. "But I'll be the judge of that. I know an act when I see one."
"Still don't believe me yet, Diamond Dazzle Tiara?" Spoiled asked with a chuckle, before she offered some of her custom made snowballs to her daughter. "Well, that's okay, you'll have plenty of time to get to know the new me. Tomorrow, you're gonna get the first Hearth's Warming present from me that you've gotten in a long time, and then I'll take you for a sleigh ride again. And maybe I'll even take you up to see your Granny Sour, and you can see the lovely farm I grew up on, assuming it's still there."
"Wait?! Granny Sour?! I thought she wasn't around anymore!" Diamond exclaimed, her eyes widening to the size of dinner plates.
"She most definitely is, Diamond Tiara," Spoiled smiled back. "And I'm sure she'll be more than happy to see her headstrong granddaughter." But in the back of her mind, Spoiled was wondering. "Will I be able to convince my mother that I've changed as easily as I've convinced my husband and daughter?"