Shine Bright Like A Diamond

We see Diamond Tiara, who’s no older than four, entering the Ponyville Preschool.

Today, I’ll make a new friend, thought Diamond. As she looked around, she saw many colts and fillies her age, most of whom her playing together.

Except one, who was an Earth Pony with a silvery gray coat, a silvery gray mane and tail, and wore blue-rimmed glasses and a matching necklace.

Ah-ha! That’s the perfect pony to start up a friendship with, thought Diamond, who approached the filly. “Hi,” she said.

“Move along, I’ve no time to talk or play or do anything with lesser ponies who can’t even rub two bits together,” sneered the filly.

Diamond’s jaw dropped. Me? Poor? Hardly! she thought. “Newsflash: I’m far from poor! In fact, ‘Rich’ is my last name!” said Diamond.

The filly suddenly seemed much more interested now. “Rich? As in, Filthy Rich? The wealthy shop owner?” she asked.

“Yeah, so?” said Diamond.

The filly squealed. “Finally! Another heiress! My name’s Silver Spoon, daughter of the world-famous billionaire restaurateur Silver Platter,” said Silver Spoon.

“Diamond Tiara, pleased to meet another… um, what’s an heiress?” asked Diamond.

Silver chuckled. “It means that when our parents take a one-way trip to Elysium, we’ll be rich,” she explained.

“Oh. Well, then, pleasure to meet another heiress,” said Diamond, shaking hooves with Silver.

Just then, a ball, thrown by a colt,  hit Silver Spoon in the head.

“Ow! Watch where you’re throwing!” said Silver.

“Sorry. Um, can I have my ball back, please?” asked the colt.

Silver Spoon sneered. “I don’t think so. Finders keepers!” she said.

The colt’s eyes started to tear up. “You’re so mean!” he said, stomping his hoof.

Diamond Tiara, despite maybe wanting to comfort the colt just a smidge, didn’t want to lose her budding friendship, so she leered and said, “We’re rich, we can afford to be mean.”

The colt then started to openly cry as he ran off. Silver Spoon smiled smugly as he did.

“Ugh, I just can’t stand some of these lesser ponies sometimes. They try to act all nice and friendly, but then they’ll be snarling after your money like a pack of hungry timber wolves,” said Silver.

Diamond Tiara looked thoughtful for a moment, before she muttered, “You’re right.”

“Huh?” said Silver.

“You’re right. Why, I can’t remember a day when we haven’t had to set the dogs on somepony who was looking for money for some stupid ‘Feed-the-starving-zebras-in-Zebafrica’ charity. I mean, can’t they just get a job and give the money to the charity themselves? That, and you know a lot of big words,” said Diamond.

“Agreed… and thanks,” said Silver.

~

“Diamond, sweetie, could you come here?” called Rich.

Diamond came downstairs. “Yes, Daddy?” she asked.

“We’re having a dinner party tonight with a wealthy restaurateur by the name of Silver Platter and some other important ponies. I believe you know Silver Platter’s daughter, Silver Spoon? She goes to the same preschool as you… although, all little fillies and colts go to the same preschool as you,” said Rich.

“Know her? She’s my best friend! This is gonna be awesome!” said Diamond Tiara.

~

Later that evening, Diamond Tiara mingled with several very important and wealthy ponies, such as the rising pop sensation Sapphire Shores, the up-and-coming photographer Photo Finish, and the fashion master Hoity Toity. Finally, she saw Silver Spoon.

“Hey, DT… some party, huh?” said Silver.

“Yeah, some party,” said Diamond.

“Say, you wanna go hang out in the garden? We can talk more there,” said Silver.

~

As the two friends sat out in the garden, they talked about their families. Silver’s mom owned several of the finest restaurants and diners in Equestria. As for her dad, he’d left before Silver was born.

As the two fillies laughed and played, Diamond Tiara had an idea. “Say, why don’t we come up with our own best friends hoofshake?” she said.

“What?” asked Silver.

“Yeah, it’ll be fun, and it’ll let those lesser ponies that we’re the best of friends, and that  friends with power and benefits outshine pen pals and any other pals,” said Diamond.

Silver smiled. “I’m game if you are,” she said.

After a few failed attempts, Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara came up with their best friends hoofshake. First, they knocked their front hooves together twice, then they knocked their back legs together, followed by their hindquarters. They even had a chant:

“Bump! Bump! Sugar Lump! Rump!”

Yeah, so I had made a truly great friend. And that friendship would help me become one of the most popular ponies in school during my coming-of-age.

Even when I met… THEM...