//------------------------------// // The Plan... // Story: Diamond In The Rough // by RayDawn //------------------------------// Four sets of hooves galloping in the rain was the only indication Cheerilee received of the return of the four fillies she had sent to check on Diamond Tiara. She opened the door for the fillies and asked. "What did you fillies find out about what Diamond Tiara has been going through?" She looked at at Silver Spoon, but the pause and look that Silver Spoon gave told Cheerilee that she probably didn't want to know, but she needed to. Finally, after a half minute of an awkward situation, Silver Spoon decided to talk. She told Cheerilee of all that the group had seen trying not to leave out a single detail. Cheerilee's face switched emotions from sad to angry to furious as the story progressed. Cheerilee had never shown such a face of anger before the fillies, but nopony, and she meant nopony, would ever hurt one of her students-not even said student's parents. She would get this corrected, but not by violence. Cheerilee didn't believe in violence unless it was against a monster who tried to destroy Equestria. Cheerilee would go for the lawful, and correct, way of solving problems...and three key witnesses were in front of her. With the addition of Diamond Tiara, that made five-if she wanted to speak about the matter, which would be crucial to the case-that is. Cheerilee decided to inhale and exhale a couple of times to calm down before speaking to the fillies. "I am beginning to make a plan to help Diamond Tiara, but I will need your help." Cheerilee said. "I'll do anything for my friends!" Silver Spoon said while turning to her friends. "You in?" "Well, ah course we'll help!" Apple Bloom answered. "Why would we not?" Scootaloo said. "Yeah, me too!" Sweetie Belle answered. With that, the fillies and Cheerilee decided to help their friend from the clutches of her mother. ... Cheerilee and the fillies waited for Diamond Tiara at the front of the school. They waited and waited in silence until said filly trotted to them. "Hey there." Diamond Tiara spoke in a cheery way, as if the events of the day before never happened. This facade angered Scootaloo, but she kept it under wraps. "Hey." Scootaloo said as she held herself from bursting out. Sweetie Belle noticed this and decided to speak up. "Diamond Tiara, we need to talk... all of us." Sweetie Belle said. "About what?" Diamond Tiara faked. "Ya can drop thah act. We know." Apple Bloom said. Diamond Tiara started sweating. (Don't even ask me how that's possible with fur) Her friends knew, but she continued faking. "You know what, exactly?" Scootaloo wasn't pleased with Diamond Tiara's performance. "You can stop lying to us!" Scootaloo got in Diamond Tiara's face, but immediately backed away again. "Sorry." Cheerilee then stepped up and looked into Diamond Tiara's eyes. "We know about how your mother has been hitting you." Cheerilee whispered. "What?! What could possibly possess you to believe that?" Diamond Tiara sounded angry, but the look on her face betrayed her words. "We've noticed many things. Your limp, the bruises from yesterday, and..." Cheerilee paused. "Silver Spoon, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle witnessed one of these beatings take place." Just like that, the floodgates opened and Diamond Tiara was bawling her eyes out. Cheerilee comforted the filly and said "Don't worry. I have a plan that can stop this from happening. If you help that is." Diamond Tiara tried to talk, but a sob came out instead, so she simply nodded. Diamond Tiara would get away from her mother's clutches, no matter what... ... The courtroom was in silence. Time had stopped. The case against Spoiled Rich had gone on without a hitch. All evidence was presented and it seemed as if Spoiled Rich was going to jail for her actions. Then the judge, Mayor Mare, spoke. "Is the jury teady to give a verdict?" Only a few seconds had gone by before the reply came. All the while Spoiled Rich had a smirk on her face. Then one of the jury ponies stood up. "Yes, your honor." She paused. "We of the jury find the defendant..." This is it. The moment of truth. Diamond Tiara thought. The seconds felt like hours because of her anxiety. Finally she would be freed. "Not guilty."