//------------------------------// // The Detection // Story: Money Don't Buy Love // by Pony Professor //------------------------------//             The Rich mansion wasn’t far from Ponyville Lake, so Sweetie Belle arrived at 9:30 to pick Diamond Tiara up.  Diamond opened the front door before Sweetie could knock even once.             “I’m ready, Sweetie,” Diamond Tiara sang.             “Wow, you’re punctual,” Sweetie said.             “Are you kidding? I’m don’t want to miss a single minute of this day.  Now off we go to the market!”             “The market?” Sweetie echoed, “We have to be at the lake in a few minutes.”             Diamond scoffed, “And have me show up in last season’s swimsuit?  I don’t think so.  Come on, I know exactly what I want.  We’ll make it in time.” She began trotting off without even waiting for a reply.             “If you’re sure…” Sweetie muttered, taking a glance down the road toward the lake, the opposite direction of the market.  She followed Diamond into town.             At the swimwear store, Diamond had several swimsuits draped over her back.             “You’re getting all that?” Sweetie asked.             “Of course not, Sweetie,” Diamond almost seemed insulted, “But some of these they didn’t have the last time I was here.  I just have to try them on.”             “You said you knew exactly what you wanted!” Sweetie complained. Diamond Tiara hopped into one of the dressing room stalls and peered from behind the curtain, “I’m just revising my decision based on new information.  Doesn’t Twilight teach you about that in your private lessons?” “That’s for magic and science, Diamond Tiara.” “Well I think it applies to swim fashion just as well.  Don’t worry, we’ll still make it to the lake,” Diamond assured her girlfriend.  Fifteen minutes later, Diamond settled on two swimsuits and the fillies left the store.  Sweetie Belle looked at the sun to gauge the time. “It looks like we’ll be a bit late, but Apple Bloom and Scootaloo won’t get mad over a few minutes.” “Maybe we should get them something to apologize for being late,” Diamond Tiara suggested. “What?  No, we’re pushing it as it is.  We’ve got to get to the lake,” Sweetie insisted, stamping her hoof indignantly.  Her protest went unheeded, though, as Diamond was already headed further into town.  “Ugh, Diamond!” Sweetie called as she scampered after her. At the jewelry store, Diamond held a sapphire necklace up to Sweetie’s neck. “What do you think, babe?  Will Scootaloo totally flip over this or what?” “Hm, Scootaloo doesn’t really like jewelry.  Plus a sapphire’s more my color,” Sweetie Belle said. “If you wanted me to get this for you, you know I’d say yes,” Diamond said with a wink.  “Anything for my sweetie, Sweetie.”  Sweetie Belle blushed, even though she didn’t mean to insinuate that she wanted the trinket.  Rarity always said to never turn down a gesture of generosity, though. The pattern of Sweetie and Diamond going somewhere that was not the lake, shopping, and Sweetie Belle ending up with a gift repeated over and over.  With each stop Sweetie’s call to get back on task quieted more.  By just after noon, Sweetie had completely forgotten about their appointment with the other Crusaders, as had Diamond Tiara. Meanwhile at Ponyville Lake, Scootaloo took a quick glance at the sun’s position in the sky. “It’s past noon now.  You don’t think they got held up this long, do you?” Scootaloo asked.  Apple Bloom floated by her on an inflatable raft and swirled her hoof in the water. “Two hours is a long time to be ‘held up,’ Scoots.  I’m thinkin’ that either both of them came down with something awful at the same time, or Diamond Tiara’s up to her old tricks again, keepin’ Sweetie Belle away on purpose to drive us apart.” Scootaloo spun around lazily and sighed, “I hate to say this, but I really hope it’s the first one.” Apple Bloom dove into the lake and pulled her raft to the shore.  “C’mon, Scootaloo,” she said after pulling the stopper from the raft to let it deflate, “We gotta go see what’s up.” “Please be sick,” Scootaloo muttered to herself as she swam to shore as well. The two fillies checked Carousel Boutique and the Rich mansion, hearing from Rarity and Reginald that Sweetie Belle and Diamond Tiara had both left home before ten that morning.  That meant that they were somewhere that was obviously not with the Crusaders, as they were supposed to be. Apple Bloom huffed as she and Scootaloo headed into town to continue their search, “When I see Diamond Tiara, I’m gonna… I’m gonna… Well, I don’t know what I’ll do but you can bet your apples she’s gonna regret messing with Sweetie Belle.” “Maybe you should cool it a little, Apple Bloom.  I mean, I want to figure out what’s going on as much as you do but if we go in assuming it’s bad, we could make the entire situation worse.” Apple Bloom sighed, “Yeah, I guess you’re right, Scootaloo.” The fillies’ search took them from the swim store to the jewelry boutique to Quills & Sofas, but everywhere they were pointed they didn’t find Sweetie Belle and Diamond Tiara—that is, until they rounded a corner and spotted them sitting at a table outside a café with parfaits and several bags of shopping.  Apple Bloom and Scootaloo ducked behind a large flower pot and peered over its rim toward the café. “So, Scoots,” Apple Bloom said, “What were you planning on doing if what we saw was exactly how bad we thought it was?” “You mean Diamond using Sweetie as a pack mule to carry all her stuff while they ditch us?” “I don’t think that’s what’s going on.  Look at the way they’re oglin’ each other,” Apple Bloom pointed out.  Scootaloo looked on and pondered for a moment.  Then her eyes flew wide, “No way.” “Yup.  Diamond’s buying her and Sweetie’s too much of a sweetheart to realize it.” “Even if she did realize it, she still abandoned us when she promised she’d be at the lake.  I didn’t think anypony could sink so low,” Scootaloo shook her head. Apple Bloom frowned, “Diamond Tiara can.  And it looks like she took our friend down with her.”  The two Crusaders peeked over the flower pot again and saw their targets getting up to leave. “Are we going to talk to them now?” Scootaloo asked. “Not today.  I wanna give Sweetie Belle the rest of the day and Sunday to come by and apologize.  As angry as I am we owe her that much since we’ve been friends for so long.” “And if she doesn’t?” “Then both of them will get what’s comin’ to ‘em Monday morning.”