//------------------------------// // Guilty by association. // Story: Caught in the Act // by Doom Trot //------------------------------// With a yawn, Scootaloo stood, shaking away her stiffness. She smiled down at her half-finished report, satisfied with the progress she had made on it. She rubbed at her eyes, then glanced about, seeing what the other ponies in the park were up to. To her confusion, however, a good number of them had their eyes on her. She would shoot them inquisitive looks, and they would turn away in a hurry. Perplexed, Scootaloo trotted over to the nearest pony, asking, "Why's everypony giving me such weird looks?" The mare's eyes darted to and fro, a bead of sweat visible on her brow as she mumbled, "Weird looks? What are you talking about?" Scootaloo blinked, cocking her head as she raised an eyebrow, asking, "Is everything alright? You sound kind of nervous." "Oh, no! No, no, no!" the mare answered hurriedly, coughing quietly as she forced a grin. "Everything's fine. Just... don't hurt me, please." "What?" Scootaloo asked, shaking her head and donning a disbelieving expression. "Why would I hurt you?" The mare laughed warily, inching away from Scootaloo without giving her an answer. Scootaloo, frustrated by the mare's silence, took a step toward her and began to say something, only for the mare to yelp and run away. Scootaloo watched her go, mumbling to herself, "What the hay..." She looked to another nearby pony, who was watching the frightened mare run off. "Hey you!" she shouted. The stallion looked to Scootaloo as she ran his way, eyes wide. "Can you tell me what's going on?" The stallion rubbed at his leg, averting his eyes from Scootaloo's expectant gaze as he meekly said, "I don't know what you're talking about..." Scootaloo frowned, somewhat perturbed as she said, "You and that other pony were giving me weird looks, and then she ran away when I tried to talk to her. Why?" Clearing his throat, the stallion turned away and began to hurriedly walk away, mumbling, "Sorry, I've got somewhere to be." Scootaloo scowled at him, but didn't give chase. Instead, she sighed with frustration, trotting back to where she'd left her paper and textbook, whispering to herself, "Just what is going on?" "Well, ah found out who done blew the whistle on Applejack," Apple Bloom said as she entered the library. "Who is it? When I get mah hooves on 'im, ah'm gonna—" "It's Diamond Tiara." "Oh," Applejack's ears drooped as she said this, her fury quashed. "Well, shucks." "Yeah," Apple Bloom shifted her jaw after saying this, looking annoyed. "She's behind all this nonsense. First Applejack's secret gettin' set loose, and now this angry mobbin'. It's all her doin'." "Goodness gracious!" Rarity began, shooting Applejack a look of concern. "How could she possibly manage to turn so much of the town against you and Rainbow Dash?" "Diamond Tiara ain't no stranger t' spinnin' lies as truth," Apple Bloom said, brow furrowed. "She's real good at spreadin' rumors." "If she confesses, it might just clear everything up," said Twilight, donning a small grin. "If she admits to lying, then the ponies of Ponyville will most likely stop chasing Applejack and Rainbow Dash." "Sounds like a plan!" Applejack said, gaining a confident smile. "Where's she at, Apple Bloom?" "Um... Ah don't have a clue." Apple Bloom said, then giggled guiltily. "Ah found 'er, yelled at 'er, then came right back here. No tellin' where she's run off to." "Tarnation!" Applejack shouted with a stomp. "Well, she shouldn't be that difficult to track down," Twilight reasoned, the look in her eye indicating she already had a plan in the works. "After all, there are only so many places to hide in Ponyville." "Yer right!" Apple Bloom excitedly agreed, only to look confused after a moment. "But what do we do with 'er once we've found 'er?" "I say we inform Filthy Rich of her schemes," Rarity suggested, "as I'm certain he wouldn't allow them to continue." "That'll never work," Apple Bloom argued. "Diamond Tiara did what she did with the Foal Free Press and got off without a hitch. Ya really think 'er dad is gonna stop 'er this time?" "Well, Mr. Rich was never informed of that," Rarity reasoned. "How could he have been?" "Filthy Rich ain't gonna do nothin' soon, whether he knows 'r not," Applejack said impatiently. "This'll only get sorted out iffen we take our own action." "Our own action? What might that be?" Rarity asked, sounding somewhat cross. "No matter how simple it would be to stand Diamond Tiara before the ponies of Ponyville, how can we get her to confess to what she's done?" "Ah say a few bumps 'n bruises will do the trick," Apple Bloom suggested, sounding partially serious. "Absolutely not! There's no need to harm her or anypony else," Rarity retorted, Apple Bloom hanging her head with a deprecated frown. "Perhaps Diamond Tiara isn't the pony we're looking for in this case," Twilight mumbled contemplatively. "Huh?" asked Apple Bloom, Rarity, and Applejack in unison, turning confused expressions Twilight's way. "Although Diamond Tiara may be to blame," she began, "it's very unlikely that she'll admit to starting the rumor. However, there always exists the possibility that there's somepony else involved in all this, such as an accomplice." Rarity and Applejack mulled this over in silence, but Apple Bloom gained an excited look in her eye as she asked, "An accomplice? Like somepony in cahoots with Diamond Tiara?" "Exactly," Twilight answered with a nod. "A pony who knows that Diamond Tiara is at fault and could expose her if they got the word out." "Ah know just who t' get!" Apple Bloom shouted excitedly. "Ya'll track down Diamond Tiara and keep 'er from runnin' off. Ah'll go get Silver Spoon." "Ain't Silver Spoon her best friend?" Applejack questioned dubiously. "She might be 'er friend, but somethin' tells me she'll join our side on this," Applebloom responded. "And if she doesn't?" Rarity asked warily. "We can always fall back on the 'bumps 'n bruises' idea," Applebloom said with a giggle, hurrying out of the library. Rarity breathed something between a groan and a sigh as the filly slammed shut the door behind her. "I suppose we should start looking for Diamond Tiara," she said. "Right," Twilight said, headed for the door as well. "We'll find her in no time." Rarity and Applejack began for the door, but the two unicorns each held out a hoof to stop Applejack before she could join them. "What? Am ah not allowed to help ya'll clear mah name?" Applejack asked, bearing a resentful pout. "Trust us, darling. You'll be much safer if you remain here," Rarity answered apologetically. "We'll be back before you know it." Applejack propped up her stetson, then turned and trotted toward the backroom. "Fine. Ah'll just sit here all quiet like and—" "Don't go back there!" Twilight shouted, teleporting herself to stand between Applejack and the door she'd been trotting towards. "Well, there ain't no windows in that there room, so why not?" Applejack asked, nodding past Twilight to the backroom. "Uh...there's..." Twilight glanced to the room, then shot a sheepish grin at Applejack. "There's a lot of delicate research equipment in that room, and I would really appreciate it if you didn't go in there." Applejack frowned inquisitively for a moment, then said with a shrug, "Whatever floats yer boat. Ah'll just go wait upstairs, ah guess." She turned to the stairs and began to climb them. As Twilight rejoined her at the library's front door, Rarity asked with an upraised brow, "What was that all about?" "Oh, nothing. Nothing at all," Twilight said dismissively as she opened the door with her magic and trotted out. Rarity watched her for a moment, then did the same, closing the door behind her. All the while, she kept a suspicious gaze locked on Twilight. More than a little unsettled by everypony in sight having disappeared, Scootaloo packed up her unfinished report and textbook, pencil held in her teeth as she began towards Ponyville. I have got to find out what's going on, she thought as she looked around for anypony who wouldn't run from her at first sight. Nearing town, she found a sizable group of ponies headed her way, a good number of which she recognized as ponies who had fled the park area. Heading them was none other than Diamond Tiara, a twisted smile on her lips. This can't be good, Scootaloo thought, standing her ground and glaring down Diamond Tiara as the group continued towards her. "There's no need to fear," began Diamond Tiara, not directing her words at Scootaloo, "even if she is in league with them." "Doesn't that make her dangerous, though?" meekly asked one of the ponies following Diamond Tiara as she marched onward. "Don't worry. She might know some of their secrets, but she's harmless," Diamond Tiara answered, stopping a stone's throw away from Scootaloo, her followers cautiously huddled beside her. Tossing her pencil onto her back, Scootaloo asked in a tone that was somewhat baffled and angered, "What are you up to this time?" Diamond Tiara giggled, donning a smirk that could be called sinister as she answered, "Serving justice where justice is due." Scootaloo cocked her head, obviously shocked that Diamond Tiara would ever say anything resembling heroism. "Excuse me?" "Is it true that you're an apprentice to Rainbow Dash?" asked a mare as she stepped from behind Diamond Tiara. Scootaloo opened her mouth to answer, then paused. She thought for a moment, then, a smug grin donning on her lips, answered, "You bet I am!" "See?" Diamond Tiara mused, nodding to Scootaloo. "She even admits to it." "What guarantee do we have that she won't fight back?" asked a stallion, his scrutinizing glare fixed on Scootaloo. "After all, we've all seen what became of those poor colts." "She's just their servant, really," Diamond Tiara reassured, bearing a mischievous grin. "She can't actually hurt you." "Just what are you talking about?" Scootaloo asked, focusing a hostile scowl on Diamond Tiara. "What do we do with her, anyway?" asked the mare at Diamond Tiara's right. "Technically, she's done nothing wrong." With a stunned scoff, Diamond Tiara said, "That may be true, but there's no telling what she'll do if she's allowed to go free. Besides, she might know where Rainbow Dash is hiding." "Okay, what the hay is going on?!" Scootaloo roared, her patience gone. Despite the spooked reactions of her followers, Diamond Tiara only smirked at Scootaloo, musing, "Don't play dumb. You know what you've done." "And that would be?" Scootaloo asked, directing a menacing glare at Diamond Tiara. "You did say you were an apprentice to Rainbow Dash, right?" asked the mare to Diamond Tiara's left. "Yeah..." Scootaloo sounded confused by the question. "Which means that she's... taught you a number of things. Correct?" asked the stallion at Diamond Tiara's right. "I guess..." Scootaloo rubbed at her neck, her eyes darting to meet each of the gazes of the ponies in the group. "Look," began Diamond Tiara, her impatience prevalent, "she's only stalling for time. Grab her now, while neither Rainbow Dash or Applejack are here to save her, then lock her up or something." "Lock me up? For what?" Scootaloo asked, sounding more frightened than furious. "Enough of this!" shouted Diamond Tiara, her head lowered as if to charge Scootaloo. "Just get her already!" "Not so fast!" declared a young dragon from behind the group. Startled, Diamond Tiara and her followers turned all at once to look at him. Spike inhaled sharply, then loosed a torrent of smoke from his maw, enveloping Diamond Tiara, Scootaloo, and everypony else. A midst the commotion and wheezing, he dived into the cloud. A small yelp could be heard from Scootaloo, then Spike frantically instructed, "Go! Run!" It took a good while for the lone pegasus in the group to remember that she could easily clear away the smoke, which she did upon remembering as much. Spike and Scootaloo, however, were nowhere to be seen. Diamond Tiara hacked and coughed for a spell, then turned a fearsome glare to her followers. "Idiots!" she yelled, the group shrinking and cowering. "You let her get away!" Rather than linger and continue yelling at these ponies, Diamond Tiara took off, headed towards Ponyville. "Stop right there, you unruly stallions and mares!" shouted Zecora as she stormed out of her hut, the mob of ponies quieting. "Why must you run amuck in the Everfree? Why must you disturb its inhabitants, counted among them me?" "We were told Rainbow Dash was hiding in this forest!" answered the stallion heading the mob, a chorus of chuckles and whoops sounding behind him. "Why do you pursue poor Rainbow Dash in a manner so uncivil and brash?" Zecora scolded, stepping closer to the stallion who lead the group. "For her crimes against the natural order," the stallion answered, meeting Zecora's icy glare with his own. "Rainbow Dash has been called a criminal, you say? Just what has she been accused of this day?" Zecora didn't sound as perplexed as she sounded annoyed. "She and Applejack are witches!" shouted a stallion from the back of the horde. "They're heretics!" "You believe they've committed heresy?" Zecora asked, her expression doubtful. "What proof do you have of witch-like sorcery?" "We saw two victims of their insidious arts," answered the leader of the horde. "Victims of witchcraft you say you've seen? Just who might these two have been?" Zecora asked incredulously. The leader was about to shout the answer, but paused, looking unsure as he mumbled, "Two colts... who were they?" "Weren't they Skids and Slugs, or something?" suggested a mare that stepped forward. "No, no. That wasn't it." "I remember one of them was named Snails." "Snails and Spits... nah... who was that other one?" "Snips?" "Snips and Snails?" The leader nodded, pointing at Zecora and saying with a confident smirk, "Snips and Snails are their names." Zecora furrowed her brow, then turned and closed the door to her hut. "The ones called Snips and Snails I shall go see," she said, beginning to trot away. "In the meantime, try to go about your mobbing with some decency." Somewhat bewildered, the mob silently watched Zecora depart, then many of its members exchanged confused glances. As per Zecora's instructions, they continued their search for Rainbow Dash in an organized, civil manner, navigating the dense vegetation of the Everfree. With a great yawn and smack of the lips, Snips asked, "So, what do you want?" "Um..." Fluttershy glanced over her shoulder, still awaiting Spike's return. "I'll tell you in just a second..." "Just a second" later... "Ah! Here he comes!" Fluttershy chimed as Spike and Scootaloo hurried into view. "Nice work, Fluttershy," Spike lauded as he and Scootaloo stepped to either side of the pegasus. "Now to ask these two a few questions." "What questions? What have Snails and I done?" Snips asked, squirming under Scootaloo's cold glare. "So, earlier today you two covered yourself in paints and fake tattoos," Spike began, his arms crossed as he scrutinized the colts. "Why would you do that?" "We don't know what you're talkin' about, eh," Snails said, looking confused by Spike's recount. "We didn't use any paint or tattoos." "Oh really?" Spike asked, Scootaloo now looking as confused as Snips and Snails. "So those burns and cuts were the real deal?" "Of course they were!" Snips answered, rolling his eyes. "If they were fake, then who would believe what Diamond Tiara told everypony in Ponyville about Applejack and Rainbow Dash?" "Wait a second. What did Diamond Tiara tell everypony?" Scootaloo asked. "Something about 'practicing voodoo.'" Snails answered, his eyes upturned in thought. "What? Voodoo?" Scootaloo asked disbelievingly. "Who would believe something so stupid?" "Apparently, Snips and Snails were 'victims' of their 'dark deeds,'" Spike said, shrugging and turning a glare to Snips and Snails. "Isn't that right?" "It most certainly is!" Snips snapped, returning Spike's glare. "Those two are wicked witches who prey on the innocent, yes sirree." Fluttershy and Scootaloo exchanged bewildered glances, but Spike simply pointed to Snips and asked, "And just how much did Diamond Tiara pay you to pretend that you had been 'voodoo'd?'" "Twenty bits each," Snails answered with a small smile, Snips turning an outraged glare his way. He looked to his friend, asking innocently, "What?" Spike scratched at his chin in thought, then proposed, "Twenty-five bits for both of you if you admit to the town that you were faking it." Snips and Snails glanced to Spike, then to each other, then back to Spike, then answered in unison, "Deal!" Scootaloo and Fluttershy both beamed at this, Spike saying smugly, "Alright then. All we need to do now is gather up everypony in Ponyville." "How do we do that?" Scootaloo asked, glancing to the evening sky. "Everyone's scattered, running around looking for Rainbow Dash and Applejack." Fluttershy chuckled, suggesting, "I think we should pay Pinkie Pie a visit." "Why's that?" Spike asked, turning to Fluttershy with an upraised eyebrow. "You'll see," Fluttershy mused, taking to the air. "Come on!" She flew off, Scootaloo and Spike looking to each other, shrugging, then following behind. "Wait!" Snips shouted after them. "What about our money?" "You'll get it after everything gets cleared up!" Spike shouted back, disappearing from sight. "Aww!" Snips cried, kicking a clump of dirt in frustration. "Well, forty-five bits in one day isn't too bad," Snails observed. "Yeah, I guess you're right," Snips said, he and Snails trotting after Spike, Scootaloo, and Fluttershy.