I am blown away by Diamond Tiara's home! She has by far the wealthiest home in our company.

Of course, I expected this, but reason and logic still did not prepare me for the actual experience.

The closest thing I have encountered in recent past that comes close to this (and well surpasses it, even) is Princess Twilight Sparkle's royal castle in Canterlot. Of course, that's an almost unfair standard. Princess Twilight is a royal monarch, and the Rich family . . .

Well, the name says it all.

Is it the name? Is that all it takes? If so, I wish my mother was named Twilight Sparkling Wealth, or something to that effect. Some people just seem born lucky. It pisses me off just as much as it amazes me!

Diamond Fucking Tiara is greeted at the door by a small army of servants at the mansion. The arrogant bitch just brushes them off and walks past them as if barely acknowledging their existence. Meanwhile my eyes linger on them as we pass them. While they remain in view, their faces stay stoic, much like the royal Canterlot guards in Horse-Land.

And to think . . . this is the kind of setting Diamond returns to every day from school.

Why isn't this bitch in some elite prep school? Canterlot High seems like a massive step down for someone this wealthy.

The only reason I can think of to explain this is that the unusual amount of magic activity put our school on the map, and Diamond's mother is President of the School Board. Since she has some pull in Canterlot High (among other schools), it makes some sense why Spoiled Rich would send her daughter to a school where she has greater influence.

As Diamond Tiara leads Sweetie Belle and me through one of the many hallways of the mansion, I slow down as my attention lingers on the many fancy paintings hung up in the hallways. Most of them depict what I assume to be some family member of Tiara's.

Eventually my slower pace wins the attention of the girl who is leading us.

“What are you looking at?” Diamond asks me irritably but also curiously.

I stare at a painting of an elegant lady in a large, Victorian-style dress. She is wearing a large hat on her head. The slight grin on her face reminds me of the Mona Lisa.

I shake my head.

“I just don't get you,” I confess. “Why would you want to kill yourself when you're surrounded by all these fabulous riches?”

Sweetie Belle gasps a bit as she looks around, worried that what I said might be overheard. It seems we're clear on that for the moment unless the multitude of cameras posted on most of the corners of the mansion also have a microphone.

Diamond does not look worried. Instead, she joins me to my side and looks up at the painting.

As I regard her, I notice a painful expression on her face. Since she said that she's willing to take steps to harm herself, that alone does not surprise me, but I can't put my finger on why this is so. All logic in front of me suggests she should be feeling the opposite way.

Eventually she says, “When you have a lot, it costs a lot.”

I squint at her in confusion, then ask, “What do you mean? You were born into this wealth!” I gesture all around us. “You didn't have to work a day in your life to inherit all this wonderful stuff, so what is your deal?”

Diamond looks down in depression as she says, “That's not all I inherited.”

I continue to stare at her, waiting for an explanation.

She looks at me off to her right side. She opens her mouth as if to say something but pauses there. She looks at me with an expression filled with painful hope as if concerned that I might not understand what she is about to say, but she wants me to understand. She wants to be understood and validated so she won't feel so alone.

But, before she says a word, she closes her eyes and winces tightly as if privately berating herself, most likely to punish herself for revealing a brief moment of vulnerability.

When she opens her eyes again, I can tell that she shut back down. There is a cold look to her eyes which I can tell is just a mask to hide her pain.

“Whatever. You wouldn't understand,” Diamond says to me dismissively as she turns to leave.

“Try me,” I dare her, now speaking to her back.

“Come on! Let's just go,” Diamond says tightly as she walks away.

Until we all hear someone call her in the intercoms spread throughout the mansion.

“Miss Tiara, some guests, who are at the front gate, claim to have come to see you,” spoke an elderly gentleman on the intercoms. “Should I let them through?”

Diamond looks about for a moment then spots what she's after. She approaches a black intercom device mounted on the wall and presses it.

“Who is it?” Diamond asks while holding a button on the intercom.

“Miss Silver Spoon and someone calling herself Scootaloo is here to see you,” the elderly man on the speaker answers.

Diamond lets go of the button on the intercom as she says with surprise under her breath, “Silver Spoon?”

“Actually, I'm surprised that Scootaloo is here as well,” Sweetie adds behind and to the left of Diamond. When Sweetie speaks, Diamond turns her head only halfway to look back at Sweetie out of the corner of Diamond's left eye.

Noticing that she has Diamond's attention, Sweetie Belle shrugs. “This may be unexpected, but we should find out why they have come at the very least. What if it's urgent?

“Scootaloo told me she was going home, and she can't make the trip out here easily by herself. She barely has enough change for the bus.

“Come to think of it,” Sweetie looks up as she places her left pointing finger on her lips, “she doesn't need the change. She has a Student Bus Pass, but it wouldn't be good this late in the evening.”

“Then the answer is obvious,” I say. “Logic dictates that Silver Spoon is the most likely suspect for delivering Scootaloo here. As for why Silver is here, Scootaloo might have shared with her your secret,” I tell Diamond directly.

“She wouldn't!” Sweetie objects. “She swore!”

“Oh, that sounds ironclad!” I sarcastically remark to Sweetie. “I'm sure that argument will hold up in the court of law.”

Sweetie pouts at me, then her expression softens as she looks back at Diamond. “Why are we debating this? Let's just go up and check on them.”

Diamond looks back at the intercom, then resumes pressing a button on it as she speaks, “Let them in through the front gate. As for the entrance to the mansion, I'll greet them myself.”

* * *

Diamond opens up the front door to the mansion. Beyond, we do indeed see Scootaloo and Silver Spoon, which is a bit surprising since I heard they had some pretty violent spats over the last two months with each other.

Scootaloo's outfit has not changed for the most part that I notice. The only difference is the fact that her backpack looks a little more full.

As for Silver Spoon, she is wearing her traditional gray dress with white trimming. The rims of her glasses are made of actual silver, from what I can tell. Also, as usual, she has her white hair done up neatly into a single braided ponytail.

The moment Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon's eyes meet each other, everything pauses in awkward silence as they continue to stare at each other.

“Do you think she knows?” Sweetie Belle whispers to me tentatively.

Dang it, Sweets, I already told you my theory!

Everyone, except me, gets surprised and startled when Silver Spoon suddenly slaps Diamond Tiara on the right cheek with her left hand.

“Yeah,” I confirm with eyes halfway closed. “She knows.”

Diamond seems especially stunned. She blinks her otherwise very wide eyes as she lightly touches her right cheek for a moment, then asks, “Silver Spoon, you-”

Silver Spoon interrupts her by slapping Diamond's other cheek with her other hand. This one probably stung a little more considering some of the rings Silver wore on her right hand.

“Will you STOP HITTING ME?!” Diamond cries in outrage at Silver Spoon, but she's caught off guard for the third time in a row when Silver Spoon races forward and suddenly embraces Diamond in a tight hug.

Diamond appears to freeze while Silver practically kisses Diamond's right shoulder, then she quietly says to Diamond's ear, “Only if you promise to stop being stupid.”

I take a step forward in front of Diamond so I can gauge her reaction to this better. That turns out to be a good strategy because I quickly notice pain sink deep into Diamond's face and eyes. She almost looks like she's about to cry.

I blink at this as I wonder why beholding this makes me feel so empty inside.

“Silver, I-” Diamond tentatively began but was interrupted by Silver again. It's as if Silver is determined to keep her former “friend” from speaking at all.

“SHUT UP!” Silver barks harshly while still hugging Diamond. “You don't get to speak until you have something intelligent to say.”

Suddenly Silver Spoon seems to gather her composure. She steps back from the hug and straightens her dress neatly with a few tugs on it. After that, she gathers her hands in front of her and speaks to Diamond with a serious business expression.

“Now then,” Silver says in a dignified way, “you may now speak as long as the first words to come out of your mouth is, 'Please, Silver Spoon, do come into my home.'”

Diamond moves her mouth but her mind seems too numb to speak coherently. The only response from Silver Spoon is a sharp, judgmental look as she raises an eyebrow a bit at Diamond.

Diamond shakes her head as she struggles to compose herself as well. She then takes a step back, gestures into her mansion, and says, “Please, Silver Spoon, do come into my home.”

“Thank you,” Silver replies in the same dignified tone then briskly strides in while keeping her gaze fixed forward at no one.

“Scootaloo,” Sweetie began while glaring at her friend accusingly who is still standing outside.

“I know, I know!” Scootaloo says quickly as she raises her hands as if to defend herself. “I shouldn't have told her, but I just couldn't help myself.”

“I told you this in confidence! I trusted you!” Sweetie continues to accuse.

Scootaloo sighs, then says, “In my defense, I did this for you.”

“Huh?” Sweetie cocks her head at Scootaloo curiously. Her anger seems to almost instantly vanish.

If she isn't faking, I kind of admire that.

“You carried this burden by yourself for too long!” Scootaloo says passionately while her eyes become misty. “To tell you the truth, I could care less about Diamond fucking Tiara herself, but you . . . you are one of my dearest friends! I just couldn't abandon you to this fate alone.”

“Ah . . . hello.” I raise my hand by bending my elbow. I raise my right hand to the level of my shoulder. “I'm standing right here. Don't I count for something?”

Scootaloo sniffs and wipes away her tears then looks at me in confusion. “Yeah, I've been wondering about that. Why are you here anyway? Why do you care what happens to Diamond?”

I raise an eyebrow at Scootaloo, then say, “You really should think things through before you flap your mouth. Did you seriously just ask me why I would be concerned about the welfare of two of the most senior staff members of my Student Council?”

“Oh!” Scootaloo looks forward at nothing with wide eyes. “Oh yeah! That makes sense!”

“It's called critical thinking,” I scold Scootaloo as I cross my arms across my chest. “You should try it sometime.”

Damn it, Cozy! Calm down! You're supposed to be in “good cop” mode right now.

I don't know what it is, but I've been off my game lately. It's really pissing me off!

“I guess you were right about Scootaloo telling Silver Spoon,” Sweetie commends me with an empty voice. “I guess you really are a certified genius.”

Meanwhile, the three of us are still standing at the front entrance to the mansion.

“Being a genius doesn't give me omni-knowledge,” I say back to Sweetie Belle. “I wish it did, but I had to wait for evidence to confirm my theory. Same as you.”

“Is Apple Bloom coming too?” Sweetie Belle checks with Scootaloo.

“You know, I had thought about it,” Scootaloo admits as she focuses back on Sweetie. “She did give me her phone number and all and said to call her if I needed anything, but she lives out so far and . . .” Scootaloo pauses as she rubs the back of her neck with a look of embarrassment, “. . . I didn't want to tell her that we were heading out to Diamond Tiara's place, of all places, without giving her a valid excuse.

“I told Silver because I truly thought she should know. They've been best friends for years so I figured she was the best person to take over your job for ya, but Apple Bloom . . .” Scootaloo winces, “. . . it just didn't feel right to tell her everything just because I wanted her company tonight along with you.

“At the same time, I don't like keeping secrets from my dearest friends. It just doesn't feel right. You know what I’m saying?”

“Now you know how I felt these past two months!” Sweetie Belle expresses with a bit of mist in her own eyes. “But . . . I'm really glad you're here at least. Now you can join us with our slumber party!”

“That's the plan,” Scootaloo agrees. “Look, just to be clear, I'm not going to have fun. There's no way I'd feel like that while in Diamond's presence, of all people! I'm truly here for you, Sweetie Belle, because you're one of my best friends.”

Sweetie Belle rushes forward to embrace her friend in a tight hug, then gently whispers, “Thank you,” to Scootaloo's ear.

“Aw!” Scootaloo's face starts glowing red as she rubs the back of her neck again. “Stop it! You know I don't like it when you get all mushy on me.”

“Well too bad!” Sweetie Belle pulls away from Scootaloo while wearing a bright, giddy smile. “We are girls, so it's our God-given right to act as mushy as we want to.

“Now come on!” Sweetie Belle grabs Scootaloo's left arm and literally pulls Scoots inside. “You got to check out this amazing mansion! It's so awesome inside!”

“H-hey!” Scootaloo yelps as she nearly stumbles while being pulled inside.

The sight of this makes me giggle.

Short chapter, I think. More set up and build up, but I hope you're all still enjoying the ride. More of those "click-click-click" as the rollercoaster climbs to its zenith.

By the way, got some pics to post here that I had on my computer since early February. This was during a time I was looking for cover art for my story here. I found some, but much less than I expected, even in Deviant Art. I saw a bunch of thumbnails on search engines that ultimately lead to nowhere so . . . yeah. That happened.

The picture I did choose to be the cover art for this story stems from the fact that, of those I had, she appeared the oldest in this picture. I also like the subtle devious look in her eyes. It's just a hint that she's up to no good, but her crossed arms body posture communicates that, "I know a secret and I'm not going to tell you what it is." But hey! You get to find out anyway if you follow along.

For this chapter and the next several, I'll post the other pics I could have used in the author's note here. Incidentally, if any of you want to draw a picture for this story featuring any of your favorite chapters and/or characters and you let me know about it, I'll post it in the author's note of a chapter of your choice. So, just . . . putting that offer out there and see if I get a bite.

Anyway, without further ado, the first picture.