Diamond Tiara could not believe how far she’d come.
Well actually, despite the impressive size of our mansion, trotting from my bedroom to the kitchen and back to get a little midnight snack isn’t that long(!). Diamond giggled slightly at her little joke there, before getting serious again.
In a mere forty-eight hours, she’d gone from being the most feared bully in town to a selfless and kind filly willing to pay for a whole new bunch of playground equipment out of her own pocket money.
Not quite as impressive as a new statue of her would’ve been, but sometimes you had to go with the majority vote. It was called ‘growing up’, and only now was she beginning that process.
It was just a week’s worth of bits, but I guess I can wait another seven days for that new Sapphire Shores dress I ordered. Hope Rarity keeps it in stock for me. Diamond paused to insert a roughly-cut slice of daisy sandwich into her mouth. Fetching food for myself is fun! Randolph deserves to rest: stallions his age shouldn’t be getting up at the dead of night to rummage around in the bread bin and the fridge for ingredients…
This way of thinking was something new and unique to the jeweled headgear-clad (yes, she even wore it in bed) youngster: before the previous days revelation, she thought of her veteran butler as nought but a hapless stooge who’d obey her every command and perform acrobatics on cue for her sadistic amusement.
Now, pondering on everything Randolph did for her without a single word of complaint and the way he silently held her hoof while Daddy was away, it was like he was a cherished member of the family.
If he wasn’t there to comfort me after Mother’s countless deranged rants, I-I don’t know what I’d… Diamond swallowed her hunk of food guiltily. I have to make it up to him. As this poorly-constructed sandwich would attest, I’m somewhat lacking in the food preparation department. But maybe with Silver Spoon’s help, I can make him a nice meal to show how much I really care…
Ah, Silver Spoon. You’d think her cutie mark indicated that she dealt in metalwork or cutlery, but you’d be completely wrong. What it showed was she was extremely proficient at cookery, with fine soups being her raison d’etre. But she quickly discovered that her culinary talents could be extended to other elegant dishes, a fact Diamond planned to take advantage of.
No, not ‘take advantage of' Silly, that was the old you. The new, improved you will ask nicely and help out in any way you can. Even the washing-up afterwards, as much as it wrinkles your hooves. Diamond reasoned that if she could build a passable fence with her bestie in the schoolyard, a sumptuous feast shouldn’t be too difficult. I can’t believe I only found out about her special skill recently. It’s like I never even asked her before what she was good at… oops.
Diamond realised with a sinking feeling (or maybe it was the mass-produced chocolate pudding going down the wrong way) she’dnever even enquired about any aspect of Silver Spoon’s life, let alone what the greyish filly’s cutie mark represented. Too busy ordering her about and insulting her to her face I suppose. Looks like somepony else I have to make amends with. Perhaps she’d like my old tiara, the one I grew out of when I started kindergarten? She can hang it round her neck maybe, as a keepsake…
Diamond’s thoughts then turned to the precious male parent who gave her the valuable crown in the first place, her beloved father Filthy Rich.
Oh, Daddy. How I’ve shown you up over the years by acting like such a conceited snob. I’ll never forgive myself for how I acted in front of some of your best customers, especially dear old Granny Smith. I didn’t tell you this before, but I actually enjoyed hopping around in that cute bunny suit, and the look of pride you gave me as I participated in the Zap Apple harvest. Well, no more putting up this fake ‘tough’ demeanour. Your loving daughter has returned for good, and from now on the real me will shine like the Diamond in my name. Thank you for tolerating my arrogance for so long, and I hope the long talk we had yesterday will help you stand up to Mother better in the future.
A slight shiver ran down Diamond’s spine at the mere thought of the tyrannical Spoiled Rich. If she wasn’t shouting at her daughter in public or throwing abuse at the pink filly's friends, she was cleaning Father out of every spare bit in his wallet.
It’s not like Spoiled didn’t make a decent enough income: you weren’t exactly on peanuts as head of the school board. But as all her money went on expensive spa treatments guaranteed to tackle the effects and root causes of aging yeah, right she had to constantly ‘borrow’ large amounts of cash from Filthy Rich for other life essentials.
Like ivory backscratchers and inflatable dartboards, for example. Filthy having Equestria’s largest collection of I.O.U’s wasn’t much consolation, either.
Hopefully, now I’ve informed Daddy about everything that goes on in his absence, he’ll spend less time away on business trips and more at home to stop Mother trying to make me her future protege. Diamond took a long, stiff quaff of her hot cocoa to steady herself after imagining that terrible destiny. Also, change the lock on his safe. I don’t know what he meant by ‘going to see a custody lawyer’ though. Was he joking? Because his expression didn’t look like he was. Oh well…
Deciding it was time to focus on a lighter subject, Diamond began thinking about her newest buddies and possible saviours, the Cutie Mark Crusaders (freshly adorned with joint cutie marks of their own, of course).
How much do I owe them? Probably more than all the toys in this room. And believe me, that’s a lot of quality merchandise. From Apple Bloom, who always speaks her mind. To Sweetie Belle, who’ll never give up on you. Even bad-tempered Scootaloo, after I cruelly mocked her inability to fly. They went to support me even after I galloped away in anger after my humiliating election defeat, when they’d have every reason to rub it in by laughing in my face. Blank Flanks indeed. What did I ever do to deserve such loyal, steadfast…
Deciding on a whim to do something nice for them too, Diamond put down her food tray and rummaged around her many possessions for something nice to give each as a huge ‘Thank You’ gift. Look! A hind-leg expander for Apple Bloom! Perfect for bucking those tough fruit trees. And there’s a mini piano, still mint in the box for Sweetie Belle! She can practice her singing scales on this. Now, that only leaves Scootaloo. Hmm…
Deciding that there wasn’t really anything pegasus-relevant in her huge heap of stuff, Diamond reasoned that maybe her new friend would enjoy a day with her idols the Wonderbolts in lieu of anything material-based. The problem is, to hire the entire troupe would cost me another week’s pocket money, so bang goes that new dress. Never mind, it’ll be worth it to see the ginormous grin on her face when I tell her about it tomorrow. Who’d have ever thought ‘it’s better to give than receive?’ Looks like all that friendship stuff you taught at school isn’t a sappy dappy load of nonsense after all, Miss Cheerilee. Speaking of which...
Diamond had already decided how to apologise to her long-suffering teacher for giving her such a hard time for so long, and that was to become a perfect student who’d serve as an ideal role model to show that anypony could change their ways.
She’d further this positive outlook by helping the deserved new class president Pipsqueak in any way she could, with her long experience in the position providing an ideal aide to the still wet-behind-the-ears elected official.
But what did he mean after our first meeting, when he said I looked ‘sort of cute when I got mad’? It must be some kind of weird Trottingham humour I don’t get. Never mind, I’ve finished with my late snack. Now, it’s off to bed… with an early and fresh start in the morning.
Shrugging off any potential romantic liaisons with former rivals, Diamond blew out her bedside candle and donned her patented silken sleeping mask over her eyes before slowly sinking into a deep repose…
...But not before making sure she looked good in her hoof-mirror, in case the Sandpony should pay her an unscheduled visit before dawn.
What can you say? Some old habits die hard.
Author's Note
Ah, it feels good writing Diamond Tiara again. Basically, I had to do something to commemorate the fifth anniversary of Best Episode, or I wouldn’t forgive myself. 
Hope you enjoyed reading, Now to play us out: the best song from said episode. I won't hear any arguments please.... 
