It had been a difficult week in the Rich household. Spoiled Rich could not remember a time when she had felt so unsure of herself. Her little Diamond Tiara had talked back to her and disrespected her wishes. All to help those three fillies, the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Three fillies of no heritage or class, at least none more so than that which was afforded to them by virtue of their relationship with the Elements of Harmony.
Spoiled had thought that she was molding Diamond Tiara for her purpose. To continue on the Rich legacy that Filthy and his forefathers had crafted over generations. And that might all still happen. But her daughter was no longer the same filly. When before, she had almost exclusively sought the company of Silver Spoon, now she regularly cavorted with all of her classmates. And she spent almost no time at home. Even over the past week, she had spent no less than five nights at Silver's home. Spoiled did not mind this, as the Silver family was always kind to her daughter, but she had never felt so distant. It was like Diamond lived in a different city.
As she flipped through a family photo album, Spoiled wondered where she had gone wrong. She had always been stern with Diamond, that was true enough. But what was the harm in that? It was no different than how her mother had raised her. Right on cue, as she thought of her mother, the page turned to their last photo together. Grandmother, mother, and daughter, three generations. Sweet Cream, Spoiled Rich, and Diamond Tiara.
Or perhaps using her maiden name was more appropriate. Spoiled Milk. The mare turned the name over in her head, and then over her tongue. It had been many years since she had been referred to by her birth name, even longer than she had said it herself. Why was that?
Easily answered, Spoiled thought with a single, nasally snort of mirth, Spoiled Rich sounds much better than Spoiled Milk. Nobody likes spoiled milk. It was useless, not even good to make baked goods or cheese. Useless. Spoiled hated that word. Nothing and nopony was truly useless. They just had to figure out where they belonged. That was why earning your cutie mark was so important. It might be vague, or confusing, but it would always lead you down the right path.
Spoiled looked down at her own mark, a sparkling diamond ring. She had always wondered why it was a horn ring, when she was an Earth pony. But it was certainly a cleaner, more recognizable design than anything else she could imagine. She had earned it at a young age, when she noticed that her mother had been conned and bought fake diamond earrings. She always did have an eye for jewelry manufacture and design. Perhaps in an different universe, she could have gotten into the fashion industry herself.
But her thoughts returned to Spoiled Milk. What was it about that name now that made her so uneasy?
"Um, mom?" Spoiled's head shot up to see Diamond standing in the doorway of the dining room.
"Diamond," the mother replied, "I did not expect you back so soon."
"Well, Silver went to visit her uncle in Baltimare. And I couldn't find anything else to do, so I decided to come home. What are you doing?" The filly walked over and hopped into a seat beside Spoiled.
"Just looking at some old photos," she said as she flipped to the next page, "For some reason, I felt like looking back."
There was silence for a time. Diamond glanced between the album and her mother's face. She tried to see something, any type of clue as to what was on her mother's mind. But she initially drew blanks.
"I'm sorry, mom."
"What," Spoiled asked softly.
"I'm sorry about what happened at school the other day," Diamond explained, "I said some things that I probably should have taken more time to think about. All I wanted was to do good for once, to not be a bully, to not be feared. I just wanted real friends." The filly's eyes welled up just a little bit. As did Spoiled's.
"I'm sorry, too. I have not been a very good mother to you. Your father has always been better at understanding you than I have. I'm beginning to think that I have treated you too much like your grandmother treated me."
"Grandma Milk would yell at you?"
That blunt assessment of her parenting hurt, but Spoiled took the hit. She deserved it, just a little. "Your grandmother always expected great things from me. But she expected me to have the same goals as she did. Your uncle was going to take over the dairy business. I was supposed to find a good stallion at or above my station and marry him. Don't get me wrong, I love your father very much. And he loves me more than I can even describe. But I always felt pigeon-holed, put in a box. That I was not my own pony, but somepony else's project." Parallel tears stained each side of Spoiled's face.
"Now that I think about it with a clear head," she continued, "I love everything about what I am now. As Spoiled Rich, I have a loving husband, and a beautiful daughter. But, truth be told, I hated my life as Spoiled Milk."
Another deafening silence filled the room. Spoiled tried hard to put on a brave face through the tears. Diamond did not know what to say, and simply sat there, in awe of how open her mother was being with her for the first time.
"Why did grandma name you Spoiled Milk," Diamond finally said, the hesitation in her voice evident that she knew this was delicate territory.
"I don't know. I never thought about it too hard when I was a child. But the more I think about it, the less sense it makes."
"Do-Do you think it was part of the naming dream?"
"Where did you hear about that?"
"You told me, when I was even younger, that Princess Celestia appeared to you in a dream and told you to name me Diamond Tiara. Were you making that up?"
"No, no, that really happened. It is so vivid that I can remember ever single detail. The princess treated me with such kindness, told me how happy she was to be expecting another little pony under her Sun. Asked if there was anything I would need in preparation for your arrival. And suggested that I name you Diamond Tiara, because you would be the jewel on top of the family crown."
"Would grandma have had a similar dream?"
"From what I've heard in my circle, every expectant mother has a dream like that. Before Princess Luna returned, it was always Celestia who appeared. Now, it is sometimes Luna, sometimes Celestia. But always the same thing, and they always suggest a name."
"I find it hard to believe that Princess Celestia would suggest that you be named Spoiled Milk," Diamond reasoned, "It's kind of an odd name, isn't it? No offense."
Spoiled chuckled, "None taken. You're right, it is a terrible name. I would have changed my whole name when I married your father, but Spoiled Rich works so well that I kept the first half."
"Do you think the princess would remember what she said to grandma?"
"I don't know. It seems a silly thing to ask her to remember. It has been decades, and there are hundreds of ponies born each year. I doubt even she remembers all of them," Spoiled's expression changed from one of weary sadness to one of determination, and her tone of voice regained its usual commanding timbre, "Diamond, put on something suitable and meet me at the front door in thirty minutes. We are taking the train to Canterlot."
*-*-*-*-*
Diamond had never been inside Canterlot Castle. Her mother had decided that she was not yet old enough to attend any of the high society functions hosted by the nobles of the city. And it had been quite some time since she had seen Princess Celestia in person. But now that they stood in the throne room, with Celestia sat regally in her place, the filly was glad that they were her on her mom's business, and not her own.
"Thank you for seeing us, your highness," Spoiled said as both mother and daughter bowed.
"Of course," Celestia replied, "That is why I have open court, after all. Now tell me what is troubling you."
Spoiled shifted on her hooves, unsure for a moment exactly how to breech the subject. "Did you know my mother?"
Celestia thought for a moment, gilded hoof to her chin, "I believe I did. Sweet Cream, correct. Your father was Whole Milk. And your older brother is Pasteurized Milk. I hope that there is nothing the matter with any of them."
"No, no, my brother is fine. My parents did pass away a number of years ago, but that is not why I am here."
"Go on, then."
Spoiled gulped, "Did you visit my mother in her dream when she was expecting me?"
"Of course I did," Celestia answered immediately, "I take time to visit all expectant mothers in Equestria. It is easier to do so through the dream realm, where time is of no consequence. My sister takes on most of that responsibility nowadays. But since you were born before Luna returned, then yes, I would have seen your mother."
"Did you suggest what my name should be?"
"Yes. It is something I always do. I find that many ponies fret and worry about what to name their foals. And when you consider my varied ability to know a pony's destiny, it makes for a convenient way to undercut that anxiety. I'm sure you remember your naming dream with little Diamond Tiara. By the way, Diamond, I heard from Twilight how you were instrumental in the Cutie Mark Crusaders finally earning their marks. I knew that their's would take much longer than the norm, and I am glad to hear that they were not only able to discover their destiny, but help you see the true meaning of friendship in the process."
Diamond blushed as the princess spoke directly to her for the first time in her life, "Thank you, princess," the filly said with another bow, "Really, they should take all the credit. I would not have understood the meaning of my cutie mark without them."
"What was my name supposed to be," Spoiled blurted out in an almost unladylike fashion, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt you. But that is what I came here to learn. Surely you did not suggest that my mother name me Spoiled Milk!"
Celestia took a moment to think, which, in turn, gave Spoiled a moment to collect herself. She was very nearly on the verge of tears again. And that wouldn't do with the eyeliner she had applied for the occasion.
"No, no I did not," came the reply, "I am not one to judge my ponies on their naming practices. My suggestions are only that. Suggestions. Many ponies have ignored or altered my suggestions for one reason or another. And I cannot say with certainty the reason that your mother chose that name. Since she has passed on, I fear that you will never know the true answer to that question."
"Do you remember what you suggested?"
"Of course I do," Celestia smiled and, to the surprise of mother and daughter, got up from her seat and walked down the stairs to their level. She only stopped when she sat down on her haunches right in front of them. She put her foreleg under Spoiled's muzzle so that the mare would look up at her, "I said that you should be named Diamond Sparkle. My intuition told me that you would be a buyer and seller of jewelry and gemstones."
"Diamond Sparkle," Spoiled repeated in awe, "that is a beautiful name."
"I certainly thought so," Celestia replied, placing a wing over each pony before her, "I suppose your mother wanted to keep the naming theme, with each of her children bearing the family name. But I fear that she set you on a path most unlike what I had envisioned."
Spoiled could not hold it any longer. She sunk her chin into her chest and cried, more than she had ever cried in her life. More than she had cried when her parents died. More than she had cried at her own wedding.
"There, there, my little pony," Celestia soothed as Diamond shuffled over to give her mother a hug, "It is not your fault. I hope that this information is not too much of a burden."
"My whole life is a lie," Spoiled sobbed, "I was groomed to be some stallion's wife, when I could have had a career, and a business, and..."
"Ssshhh," Celestia cooed, "It is alright. You must not think about things that could have been. You will drive yourself insane. Think of all the good things you do have and move forward in your life from this moment. Ponies are always finding new ways to use their talents. Perhaps it is not too late for you to start using yours."
"I'm going to name my daughter Diamond Sparkle," Diamond said into her mother's fur, "Would that be OK?"
"You can name your daughter anything you wish, Diamond," Celestia said, "Though, if and when the time comes, I will make sure to visit you personally. And not just in a dream."
Diamond smiled and cried a little herself as her mother struggled to regain any semblance of composure. Eventually, the mare looked back up at Celestia with a sniffle, her eye make-up completely ruined. "Thank you, Princess Celestia. You have no idea how much this means to me."
"You are very welcome. Feel free to take all the time you need." Spoiled nodded with a quivering lip before the dam burst again and she fell back into tears. Tears of relief.
