//------------------------------// // Chapter Four - Sweet Reunions and Sad Signs // Story: Scars of the Quill // by EchoWing //------------------------------// Spoiled Rich sat at the edge of her pool, content to enjoy a few moments of peace as her servants refilled her glass of iced tea. The day had been pleasant thus far, for the most part, as the household staff had diligently kept to its duties and followed standing orders. It always helped her mood when her inferiors knew to keep to their place. One thing about all of this, however, seemed off. “Randolph?” “Excuse me, ma’am…” A disgusted snort escaped her nostrils. “Rosemary, did I ask for you by name?” “No ma’am, but…” “If I was addressing you, I would have given your name, not that of Randolph.” She sat up and turned to the youngish maid, who looked as though she dearly wanted to be somewhere else at the moment. “Now I can think of only two reasons that you might be responding to the name of the head of household. The first is that you have gone deaf, which appears unlikely as you can clearly hear me speaking.” “Yes ma’am.” “Which leaves the second possibility, incompetence. And this family cannot afford to have incompetent employees in our housestaff, so unless you can adequately explain yourself to me, you will find yourself needing to work somewhere else in very short order.” A timid nod answered her, and Spoiled continued, “Now then, what in creation possessed you to answer me when I clearly requested Randolph?” The maid gathered herself and answered, “Because Randolph isn’t present at the moment, ma’am. He was summoned away…” “Summoned?!” Spoiled sat up. “By whom?! When?! I gave no leave for him to go anywhere off the grounds! Have you any idea where…?!” She paused in her demands as she caught sight of the wayward butler approaching the house, with her daughter following close behind. “Randolph! Come here at once and explain yourself!” She rose from her deck chair and met them at the gates, her gaze fixed upon the old stallion. “Well?” “My apologies ma’am, but the young miss had need of my services, and…” “And I was not informed of this?” She then turned her attention to her daughter. “Diamond Dazzle Tiara! Stop that cowering at once, and explain what you’re doing home this early!” The filly swiftly pulled a note from her panniers, which her mother quickly examined. “Suspension?” “Yes ma’am, the young miss…” “I can read the note perfectly well, Randolph!” With a huff, she looked to her daughter and ordered, “Go to your room, and stay there until called for.” She then turned and made her way back into her home. “I’ll see about this ‘suspension’. And those responsible will regret having caused it.” - “…Anyway, when I heard that there were jobs open at the Amazing facility here in Ponyville, I transferred out and moved in.” Quiver smiled and admitted, “I’ve had a few problems here and there since, but I can’t say that I regret it.” Sour smiled and nudged her cousin in the side. “Well good for you, getting out on your own. You needed it.” She turned to the princess with some gratitude. “And thank you for looking out for him, ma’am.” Twilight smiled back and answered, “Quiver’s my friend, Sour. How could I not look out for him?” Pinkie had since returned to Sugar Cube Corner, leaving the two cousins to accompany Twilight on her errand. The alicorn didn’t mind, of course, and had mostly kept silent as they made their way through Ponyville to the train station, and allowed them the chance to catch up. “Anyway, I’m glad that you have someone here in town that you know already. It’ll help you to settle in, especially considering how close the two of you sound.” “Well, don’t let that deceive you. Sour and I only really see one another on special occasions. Holidays and big family dos and the like.” A slight frown crossed Quiver’s face as he explained, “In fact, the last time she and I saw one another before today was our grandfather’s funeral. Not a good day for any of us.” Twilight turned to the cousins with sympathy. “Oh, I’m sorry. Were either of you close to him?” Sour made a ‘so-so’ motion with one hoof. “Don’t get us wrong, but our grandpa was something of an acquired taste. He loved us, but he had a habit of cracking a few mean jokes here and there.” “And being a bit of a nag. And worse, he and Grandmare tended to be a double-act in that department.” The stallion shook his head and remarked, “Anyway, now we can have some peace and quiet together, at least until we start driving each other nuts.” “Hey, I’ve got plenty of ways to cool off steam, don’t worry.” A rueful smile crossed her face as Sour admitted, “Say what you like about the Royal Guard, we’ve got some good psych programs.” Her expression brightened as she added, “Speaking of, I think I might have you to thank for all this?” “You mean you being here and serving as Twilight’s bodyguard?” At Twilight’s surprised expression, Quiver remarked, “Hey, I can read between the lines. After everything that went down in Maretonia, I’d have been surprised if you didn’t get a little extra security.” He gave Sour a proud smile. “And you couldn’t ask for better.” They finally arrived at the train station as he remarked, “So, whom do we have the honor of welcoming to Ponyville today? Somepony nice, I hope?” “Well, you got on okay with him the last time he was in town.” Twilight looked down the tracks and smiled as a train arrived at the platform. “And thankfully, it looks like we’ve timed things just right.” The train slowed to a halt, and ponies onboard emptied onto the platform, a few greeting those who had been there awaiting their arrival. As the crowd thinned, a familiar orange pegasus with a blue mane stepped into view, and beamed happily as he caught sight of his marefriend. “Twilight!” “Flash!” The alicorn gleefully took the stallion into a warm embrace. “It’s great to see you!” She stepped back and asked, “How was the trip? No problems on the way?” Flash Sentry smiled, clearly at ease with the sight of his marefriend. “No more than normal, thankfully.” “Aside from you preening yourself like a peacock on the way over.” Flash’s attention turned to Sour Sweet as she smirked. “Hopper.” “Two-Face.” He gave her a critical look and asked, “Here on assignment?” “Helping your marefriend to keep her plot out of the fire.” Flash smirked back. “In other words, doing jack.” He turned his attention to the stallion and offered a hoof. “Nice to see you again, Quiver. Now please tell me you and Sour aren’t dating.” “Yeah, no, that’d be gross.” Quiver shared a quick hoof-bump with the stallion and explained, “Sour and I happen to be cousins. I guess the two of you went to the Academy together?” “Yeah, but your cousin here stayed on a little longer than I did because of extra specialization courses.” He smirked and teased, “Teacher’s pet.” “Hey, you weren’t complaining about those courses back when the changelings attacked. And you won’t be complaining the next time Princess Twilight goes off on an adventure and needs a little extra help.” “No, I won’t.” He turned to Twilight and explained, “Seriously though, Sour’s good at what she does. There’s fewer ponies you’d want at your side in a tight fix.” “Well, I just wish there were a few more of her for each of my friends.” As she led them off the platform and back into town, she asked, “So, ‘Two-Face’? How’d you get that nickname?” Sour rolled her eyes. “On occasion, I’ve shown some trouble with anger management.” Her voice dropped to a low grumble as she groused, “Enough that the other foals thought I was crazy when I was younger, the little…” She shook her head and continued in a more relaxed tone, “Anyway, part of the reason I joined the military was to get a little discipline into my life. Worked out pretty well, but sometimes I still go off.” She frowned as she admitted, “Pinkie Pie learned that the hard way.” Quiver gave his cousin a reassuring pat. “Pinkie means well, Sour. Sometimes, though, she gets a little ahead of herself, but she’s usually pretty good at figuring things like that out.” He then grinned and admitted, “And if she ever gets really out of hand, just do what I do and bop her on the nose with a newspaper.” At Sour’s surprised expression, he admitted, “I’m not kidding! A couple weeks back, she went a little loopier than normal, and Rarity and I had to step in.” Twilight rolled her eyes. “Fluttershy’s stage fright and Pinkie beating Big Mac in that turkey call competition. Now there’s a tale to tell.” She looked to Flash and explained, “Anyway, you’re just here for the weekend?” “That’s all the leave I was cleared for. Something tells me Princess Cadance would’ve been happy for me to be here longer, but…” “But the Crystal Guard’s stretched thin, especially with the preparations for the Equestria Games.” Twilight smiled reassuringly and said, “Well, we’ll enjoy what time we have. If nothing else, you’ll have a little time to spend with me and your family, at least before things get really exciting.” Flash chuckled. “Then I’d better get moving and get to my parents’ place. The way things are in Ponyville, it won’t be too long before something goes crazy.” He flashed an awkward grin and said, “Not that I don’t want to spend time with you, but…” Twilight laughed. “Relax, I know what you meant.” As they followed behind, Quiver and Sour shared a grin at the sight before them, and for respective reasons, hoped that the weekend to come would be a good one. - Applejack laughed as she escorted her younger sister home. “Ain’t quite nuthin’ like headin’ home from school on a Friday afternoon, huh Apple Bloom?” She turned back to find a troubled expression on the young filly’s face. “Alright, Ah know that look. What’s wrong?” Apple Bloom looked as if she wanted to speak up, but kept mum. “It’s nuthin’.” The elder sibling gave the younger a raised eyebrow, and the latter winced. “Sorry Applejack, but…y’all remember when Babs visited?” Applejack’s face sunk. “Yeah, Ah remember.” “Well, Ah know when all that happened, ya’ll told me that Ah should’ve come to you when she started bullyin’ me and stuff, but…” The filly frowned, then quietly asked, “Would that’ve helped? Ah mean, it wasn’t just Babs givin’ me trouble. It was Diamond Tiara an’ Silver Spoon too, an’ fer longer than Babs was. Happened right in front’a you an’ lotsa other ponies, an’…” Apple Bloom was interrupted as her big sister turned and took her into a tight embrace. She squeezed back as Applejack finished her sentence for her. “An’ nopony did anythin’ about it. Ah’m sorry sugarcube. Ah still feel lousy over failin’ to notice what Babs was doin’ when she was right under mah nose.” “Then why haven’t ya done anythin’ ‘bout Diamond Tiara an’ Silver Spoon? Ah mean, they were buggin’ me and the other Crusaders plenty, before and since.” As the embrace ended, Apple Bloom bitterly noted, “An’ if it hadn’t been fer them, Babs probably wouldn’t’ve bullied us in the first place. Ah mean, we don’t depend that much on her daddy’s money to keep us outta the red, do we?” Applejack rolled her eyes and remarked, “No, darlin’. The Apple Family fortunes ain’t dependent upon just one buyer or business contract, no matter how much Ah might fuss over ‘em.” They resumed their walk home as the elder sister continued, “Truth is that Ah ain’t really sure how to deal with bullyin’. Ah didn’t have to deal with it when Ah was a youngin’, an’ neither did Big Mac. Why that’s different in your case…” The mare sighed. “Anyway, what’s brought all this on?” “Well, you remember me tellin’ you about last weekend, what happened at the library.” At her sister’s nod, Apple Bloom continued, “Well, today at school, durin’ recess, Diamond Tiara was havin’ her family butler perform fer the class, acrobatics an’ stuff.” A low whistle. “Good fer Randolph that he can still pull those stunts off, but he’s been workin’ fer the Rich family since before you an’ Diamond were in diapers. He ain’t quite Granny’s age, but he’s gettin’ there.” “Well, Diamond was soakin’ up all the attention fer what he was doin’, an’ knockin’ him round like he was a sandbag. And then Mister Quiver came along. He helped Randolph up, complemented him, acted right nice, and then when Diamond came along, well…” “Golden Oak Round Two?” A nod. “Only Quiver said some stuff an’ Diamond got mad an’ hit him an’ got punished fer it, and Ah ain’t sure how Ah feel about it. Ah mean, yeah, what Diamond did was wrong, and it felt a little good to see her get punished fer doin’ somethin’ wrong after all the trouble she’s put me through, especially considerin’ it feels like Quiver’s th’ only adult who’s stood up fer me an’ the Crusaders, but still, Ah feel a little conflicted ‘bout it. Especially takin’ what happened with Babs inta account.” “How strikin’ back against a bully makes you a bully?” Applejack shook her head again. “Dang. Mom and Dad must be lookin’ down on me with shame.” At Apple Bloom’s surprised expression, the elder sister explained, “Darlin’, were me and mah friends bein’ bullies when we went inta the Everfree to retrieve the Elements and stop Nightmare Moon? Or when we stood up to Discord an’ the changelings an’ Sombra?” “Well, no. Ah don’t think ya were.” “An’ we weren’t. We were standin’ up to protect ourselves, our home an’ our loved ones. And you ain’t a bully if’n your actin’ to protect somepony, especially if’n ya stop once the attacker’s subdued an’ gives up. Now if’n you force yerself on someone, or ya do somethin’ with the intent ta’ hurt ‘em simply because ya can, then you’re bein’ a bully, no question.” “Then why ain’t you or anypony else steppin’ in when Diamond Tiara’s pullin’ stunts like that and bein’ a bully? Ah mean, if’n she was punished for it, maybe she’d stop. Discord got turned to stone twice, and now he’s nicer.” “Well, to you an’ Fluttershy, maybe.” Applejack grimaced as she remembered the last time Discord had visited Ponyville, and how she and Rarity had been left blue and sneezing for hours, not to mention the trouble Twilight had to endure. “Still, there’s some cases where the lesson don’t stick, and cases where there’s more factors than just one. Filthy Rich has never been anythin’ but civil with us Apples, and it’s clear he was the one punishin’ Diamond Tiara after she badmouthed Granny Smith, but…” At her sister’s curious expression, she shook her head. “Sorry Apple Bloom. Ah don’t like makin’ accusations about folks, nor sayin’ ill of ‘em without all the facts. Mom and Dad taught me better’n that. An’ even if they hadn’t, like Ah said, Filthy Rich’s been nuthin’ but civil towards us, even when he had reason to be otherwise. Ah can’t say the same about others, though, an’ Ah wish that Ah could.” She smiled and gently rubbed the top of her sibling’s head. “Still, you feelin’ uneasy about this, you feelin’ sorry for Diamond Tiara, that ain’t a bad thing. It means you got a good heart. And that ain’t nuthin’ to be ashamed of.” That prompted a smile from Apple Bloom. “Thanks.” The two sisters continued on, and Apple Bloom admitted, “An’ Mom an’ Dad wouldn’t be ashamed a’ you, Applejack. They’d be proud, same as me.” An uneasy smile crossed the elder Apple’s face. “Ah know, but there’s times where it feels like Ah could do better. Then again, nopony’s perfect.” “You an’ Big Mac get pretty close.” The siblings shared a warm smile as Apple Bloom continued, “Sounds like you’ve been thinkin’ bout that fer a while though.” “Kinda. You go through certain things, meet certain folks, you get to reconsiderin’ things. Often fer the better.” The younger sibling grinned. “These certain folks don’t happen ta’ include a certain student a’ Twilight’s, would they?” Applejack chuckled. “They might. And that just shows why you’re doin’ the right thing showin’ Diamond some basic decency. Someday, if’n she’s lucky, that gal will regret all the bad she’s caused. And she’ll need someone to help her find her way.” Apple Bloom sighed. “Be nice if that day came sooner instead’a later.” The elder sister bowed her head slightly. “Amen to that.” - In another corner of Ponyville, Silver Spoon quietly made her way down the short and familiar route that led between her home and that of her best friend. Her parents, busy as always, were out of town on business, and arrangements had already been made for her to stay with Diamond Tiara’s family over the weekend. How good or bad that was really depended upon your perspective, and Silver herself really didn’t know if it was one or the other. Her friendship with Diamond had begun at right about the time the two started attending school. Her parents had met Filthy and Spoiled Rich when the latter two came into their antique store, and had made a good enough impression that Filthy Rich had suggested a playdate between the two. Things had progressed well from there, and between being the wealthiest foals in town and some similar circumstances, she and Diamond had become inseparable. They’d been there to witness one another earn their cutie marks, among other big events, and were practically sisters. And it was thanks to that close relationship that Silver could see Diamond at her lowest. Silver Spoon wasn’t a psychologist. Her talents lay more towards appreciating the finer things in life, like good food and well-crafted furniture and goods, than they did figuring out the inner workings of a pony’s mind. But the way Spoiled Rich treated her daughter didn’t require much to figure things out. The trouble was that she didn’t really know what to do about the situation, and standing up to Spoiled Rich was a daunting prospect, especially for a filly that had been taught to obey her elders. All Silver could do was cover for her friend where possible and try her best to be supportive. She finally reached the front entrance to the Rich mansion and rang the bell, then stepped back so as to not crowd whomever answered. The door swung open, and Randolph greeted her with a polite smile. “Good afternoon, Miss Silver. Miss Diamond is upstairs in her room at the moment. Do you require any assistance with your things?” “No Randolph, thank you.” Silver stepped inside, then paused as she passed the threshold. “I’m sorry, by the way. If you were hurt earlier.” The elderly stallion gently smiled. “You needn’t apologize, Miss Silver. One of the first things you learn with acrobatics is how to roll and fall safely, and I have taken quite good care of myself. Though I do appreciate your concern.” The smile grew as he added, “And that you are here for Miss Diamond. She could use a friend right now.” Silver smiled back as the door was closed behind her, and she found her way up to Diamond Tiara’s bedroom. She knocked on the door and called, “Di? May I come in?” “Sure, but close the door behind you!” The filly did as she was told, not even paying attention to her friend as she followed her instructions. “I’m sorry that you went through all that today. Mister Quiver must be crazy talking to…” She finally turned back to look at Diamond, only to boggle at her in shock. “Diamond?! What the…?!” Diamond Tiara had apparently been busy since she’d arrived at home. Two saddlebags were set out on the floor of her expansive bedroom, packed with food and what looked like camping materials, while a long coil of rope was resting near her window with one end tied securely to her bedpost. “You’re just in time, Silver. I’m almost packed.” Silver looked at the bags, and her adolescent mind immediately jumped to the obvious conclusion. “You’re running away?” “Wha-? No!” Diamond shook her head as she finished packing one set of bags. “I’m not running away!” “Then what’s with the saddlebags? And the rope?” Silver eyed the item in question and wondered, “Why do you even have rope in here anyway?” “I found it in some stuff marked with Pinkie Pie’s cutie mark on the property. Probably one of those emergency stashes of hers.” She finished the second set and then began explaining, “You heard what Mister Quiver Quill said earlier about me, right? Well, this is me proving him wrong.” She turned nervous as she admitted, “Among other things. You know that assignment, that story due Monday?” “Yeah, I handed mine in earlier this week.” “Well…I haven’t even started on mine yet.” Before Silver could process that, Diamond remarked, “Anyway, I’m going to prove to him that I can do something on my own, and get that story written in the process. But I need your help to do it.” Thus was the second pair of saddlebags explained. “So, we’re going camping somewhere? On our own? Without anypony knowing? Where?” “The Everfree Forest.” “What?!” Diamond frantically shushed her, and Silver continued in a quieter voice, “Di, it’s the Everfree Forest! That place is dangerous!” “If it’s so dangerous, then how come Apple Bloom can go in there whenever she wants to visit that weird mare Zecora? Her family’s farm and that cottage belonging to Fluttershy are right on the border of that freaky place, and they haven’t had any problems!” Diamond scowled and reasoned, “It’s like the old stories of Nightmare Moon from before Princess Luna came back, or the Windigoes from Hearth’s Warming. Just some stories the grownups tell us to scare us into staying in line.” “But what about the timberwolves from Granny Smith’s story?” “Have you ever seen a timberwolf for yourself, Silver?” “I can’t see oxygen, but I know that it exists! I’d have a hard time living without it!” Diamond looked as if she was going to counter that, but paused. “Okay, that’s a good point. But even if they are real, what are the chances that we’d run into them?” She opened her window and tossed the rope out. “Think of it like an adventure. We find a quiet spot, camp out for the night, then get up in the morning and make our way back to town.” She slipped on one set of saddlebags, then turned to her friend with a pleading expression on her face. “Please, Silver?” A part of Silver Spoon’s mind told her that this was a terrible idea, and that it would only lead to trouble. Another part of her argued that Diamond raised some good points, and she had to wonder if its reputation had truly been inflated given that at least one sapient creature inhabited it. Another said that regardless, Diamond was her friend, and she couldn’t just let her go off on her own. With some trepidation, she slipped off the saddlebags that she’d brought with her, and then slipped on the remaining set that Diamond had prepared. “Off into adventure.” Diamond smiled. “That’s the spirit, Silver. Come on.” She made her way to the window and began to climb out. “We’ll show that Quiver Quill what’s what. He won’t even see this coming.” - The front door to Quiver’s home swung open as the stallion invited his cousin inside. “I’ve got the second bedroom all ready for you. I wasn’t sure what décor choices you’d want to make, so I pretty much left it alone.” He followed Sour in and closed the door behind him as he continued, “Anyway, here’s the front room. The kitchen and dining room are just through there, and that hall to the right leads to the bedrooms, bathroom, and door to the storm cellar.” “Kinda small, but it’s not like I brought a lot with me. After all, I like to travel light.” She turned back to him and smirked. “I’m surprised you don’t have more stuff around here. You were always something of a packrat.” “In my defense, I think that’s genetic.” Edgar fluttered over and landed atop his head, and Quiver smiled. “Ah, here we are. Sour, meet Edgar. Edgar, this is my cousin, Sour Sweet. Be nice to her.” “Not Angel,” the bird cawed indignantly. He then looked to the newcomer and bobbed his head in a nod. “Hello!” Sour rolled her eyes. “The third in line after a bird twice in one day.” Quiver chuckled. “Please. Edgar doesn’t pay rent.” He moved over to his desk and prompted Edgar off his head and onto a waiting perch. “Anyway, I hope this’ll work for you, at least until you get sick of me.” “Anypony ever tell you that you’re way too hard on yourself, Quiver?” Sour smirked as she approached her cousin. “Seriously, you work ten hours a day, four days a week. Sometimes as many as six. Me, I’ll be with Princess Twilight every day at the library, or on government trips to wherever. We’ll see each other, but not enough that we’ll be sick of each other. Besides, it is good to see you.” She playfully ruffled his mane and remarked, “You look good. I can’t really remember the last time I saw you like this.” “I don’t look any different from normal.” “You’re standing up straighter, acting a little more confident. You’re certainly a lot more comfortable. I mean, you’re not even referring to Princess Twilight by her rank.” “She’s my friend. Besides, she doesn’t like making a big deal out of the whole princess thing.” Quiver smiled and admitted, “I guess you’re right, though. Having friends, being supported, it helps.” Sour set aside her luggage, then gestured for him to join her on the sofa. “So, Pinkie Pie’s seen the family record. Does that mean that she knows about Regal?” “She knows that he existed.” Quiver settled in beside her and explained, “I haven’t opened up much about him with any of the friends I’ve made. Part of it’s just because he hasn’t come up, and another part…” “Hey, hang on!” She put a hoof to his shoulder and gently shoved him. “You aren’t responsible for what happened to him! For anything that happened to him! Doesn’t matter what anypony says, let alone that jerk of a father of yours!” An eyebrow was raised. “You realize you’re badmouthing your own uncle, right?” “Yeah, and you and I both know that he badmouths me all the time. He badmouths everyone! You, my mom, Aunt Connie, the princesses, I wouldn’t put it past him to badmouth the Maker once he goes on to the other side!” “Yeah, well, he’s still got nicer things to say about you than he does about me.” Quiver rolled his eyes and added, “Of course, he goes about it in the most schizophrenic manner possible. Praise one second, bitching and complaining the next.” “All the more reason for me to not cut him any slack. It’s easy to sit on some chair and criticize, but actually doing something?” She snorted derisively. “No way in Tartarus could he do your job, and he’d have an even harder time doing mine.” A small smile formed on her face as she added, “Anyway, I’m glad you got out from under him. If nothing else, you’re proving him wrong.” “I’ve proved him wrong before. Getting him to acknowledge it is another story entirely.” “Then settle for your own satisfaction. And speaking of…” A gurgling sound issued from Sour’s stomach, which prompted an embarrassed expression on her face before she frowned. “Well, that could’ve gone better.” Quiver chuckled. “I should be able to fix something up for us.” He climbed off the sofa and made his way to the kitchen. “Worst case scenario, I know a couple good restaurants, and not just the local Hayburger.” “Just as long as it’s not something as basic as a grilled cheese sandwich.” At her cousin’s expression, Sour noted, “What? That’s something you have for lunch, or a snack. I want a meal.” The stallion gave an encouraged smile. “I’ll do my best.” - Filthy Rich’s hoofsteps were heavy and exhausted as he made his way home. The day at Barnyard Bargains had been a long one, between his talks with the district attorney’s office and training the new employee to replace the one who’d been fired for theft. It was by no means a bad day by his estimate, as the new worker was eager and showed great promise, but still, the day had been taxing, and he was looking forward to coming home and spending time with his family. Well, mostly. Spoiled had gone on a tirade as soon as she’d heard of the incident, and had continued to vehemently argue since then that he had cultivated far too casual a relationship with his employees. Filthy argued back that he felt that a workplace filled with ponies happy to work there was far better and more productive than one where ponies loathed to work, a belief that his father and grandfather had proven before him and many studies had supported, but his wife had stuck to her guns. Better that they knew who was in charge and were too afraid of the consequences to misbehave, she claimed, than to become too casual with their betters. Filthy Rich loved his wife, and never denied that he admired many of her convictions. Her insistence upon quality was something that he could agree with, for one thing, and something that he’d made good use of in his business. There were times, however, when he felt like the old comical image of the henpecked husband. But such was life, it seemed. Regardless, it was always good to be home and to see his daughter’s face light up whenever she saw him. He loved Diamond, and did his best for her. Yes, he could be harsh on her at times, but no one could call him abusive. What punishments she suffered, thankfully few and far between, were fair on his part, and meant to teach her a needed lesson rather than to be cruel. His household wasn’t one for spankings or harsh words, but one where the value of hard work and respect for others was to be taught. He only hoped that he was doing enough. He entered his home to find Randolph and a footstallion awaiting him. “Good evening, sir.” “Good evening, Randolph.” The footstallion claimed his bags. “Thank you, Rayburn. Please leave those in the home office.” The footstallion nodded and went about his work as Filthy Rich turned back to his butler. “It’s good to be home.” “I am pleased to see you home safe, sir.” The elderly stallion gave a polite nod, then gave an apologetic frown. “I must apologize, however. Dinner will be delayed this evening.” At his master’s curious expression, the butler explained, “It was the request of Mistress Spoiled, sir. She had business to take care of this evening with Miss Cheerilee, and ordered that we not cook until her return.” That only encouraged further curiosity from his employer. “Randolph, is something the matter that I need to be made aware of?” The butler looked reluctant to answer, and was assured, “I like to think that I’ve earned a little trust from you, old friend.” Randolph nodded. “My apologies, sir. I only hesitate because of the young miss. There was an altercation today involving her…” He quickly noticed the alarmed expression upon his master’s face and added, “I assure you, the young miss has received no injuries, only caused them. Young Miss Diamond requested that I visit her at school today, so that I may entertain her classmates.” “Were you injured?” “No sir, though in her enthusiasm, the young miss was somewhat rough in her treatment towards me during the incident.” Filthy sighed. “Randolph, while I appreciate your concern for my daughter’s happiness, things like this are only going to spoil her. I’m going to ask that you not do something like this again. Now, who was injured? Another student?” “No sir, a stallion who visited the school. An earth pony whom one of the young miss’s classmates referred to as ‘Mister Quiver Quill’. He helped me to stand, complimented me upon my acrobatics, and then addressed the young miss for her actions.” Again, he frowned regretfully. “I’m afraid that he spoke some unpleasant words regarding your capacities as a parent, sir.” Filthy frowned at that. “Given what little he’s seen of Diamond’s behavior, I’m afraid that I can’t blame him.” “The young miss, however, took offense and attacked him. Miss Cheerilee witnessed the incident, and subsequently suspended the young miss from classes for the next few school days. Mistress Spoiled has gone to the school in an attempt to have the sentence reduced, if not totally revoked.” “Thus explaining her absence.” Filthy bowed his head and sighed. “Where is Diamond now?” “In her room with Miss Silver, sir.” “Very good. When I’m done speaking with her, please go ahead and start dinner.” Orders issued, Filthy Rich made his way through his home to the upper floor, and quietly mulled over what he was going to say. He had no desire to yell at his daughter over what had happened, and could certainly understand her lashing out in order to defend his honor, but at the same time, she had done something that she wasn’t supposed to do in the first place. And punishing her for this was also going to be tricky, especially given Silver Spoon was going to be staying with them for the next few days. He couldn’t very well send the filly home, given that her parents were out of town. That would be irresponsible of him. But something had to be done, and he hoped that he could figure out exactly what once he reached his daughter’s bedroom door. Failing that, once he finished talking with his daughter. “Diamond?” He gently knocked with his hoof. “Diamond, I’d like to speak with you.” He knocked again a little more forcefully, then turned the knob to open it, for once glad that he’d acquiesced to his wife’s insistence that their daughter’s door not have a lock.“Diamond, Randolph told me about…” He immediately noticed the very empty room, as well as the open window and rope dangling out of it, and his blood ran cold. “Diamond?!” He rushed to the window and cried out, “DIAMOND!” He did an abrupt about-face and rushed out of the room to find one of the maids rushing towards him. “Rosemary, has anypony seen my daughter or Silver Spoon?!” “No sir, not since Miss Silver arrived…” She noticed the terror in her master’s eyes and gulped. “Oh dear.” Filthy Rich’s next orders were rapid, frantic, and clear. “Gather the house staff! Search the grounds! Get my wife! Contact the authorities! We need to find my daughter and her friend, immediately!”