//------------------------------// // Chapter 57; Plots And Plans // Story: Working Towards The Future // by Dasponi //------------------------------// “I’m not sure how much more of this I can take.” Diamond Tiara said dejectedly to Silver Spoon. The pair of them were on their way to school to greet Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle who would, undoubtedly, be waiting to greet Scootaloo and her little entourage. “How much longer do you think it’ll be?” Silver Spoon asked. She was amazed that her friend had held out this long without exploding in a fit of rage and ruining everything. Not that there really was some kind of grand master plan. Diamond Tiara simply hoped to ruin Scootaloo’s life a little. “I don’t know. I thought that the last Gabby Gums thing would do it but the blank flank seems happier than ever!” Diamond Tiara exclaimed. “Maybe because it wasn’t something to do with her? That was really an attack on Rainbow Dash more than anything.” Silver Spoon offered. “I guess. I was subtle in my attack on the blank flank though. I was hoping ponies would start questioning why she was gone for a whole week. Or why she’s living with Rainbow Dash. They aren’t family. I checked up on that. Her dad is some deadbeat and I couldn’t find out anything about her mom but I know it’s not Rainbow Dash. She’s too young.” Diamond Tiara mused. “I bet Miss Cheerilee knows what happened. You remember how much she freaked out that first day back?” she added as the memory came back to her. Cheerilee really did seem to know exactly what had happened and judging from her reaction it had been something pretty bad. “Yeah...wait you know about her family? You know they’re not super rich businessponies who are always away on business?” Silver Spoon asked, surprised both that Scootaloo wasn’t from the background she said and how far her friend had gone in her endeavor. “Super rich? Businessponies?” Diamond Tiara said, suppressing her laughter for only a second to speak before laughing uncontrollably at the very thought that could be the case. “Oh hay no. Her dad is some drunk deadbeat. He used to have a top job in Cloudsdale somewhere...oh, he ran a Flight Camp. He mighta been rich at some point but not anymore.” she explained, still suppressing her laughter. “If you know all that, why don’t you write that? Expose her as a liar and let the world know who her dad really is.” Silver Spoon asked. Diamond Tiara shook her head. “Its a good plan, and I thought about doing that when I found out who he was, but I thought it’s too blatant. I need to stay subtle so she doesn’t know it’s me.” Diamond Tiara replied. Silver Spoon admired her cunning. The pair continued their walk in silence while Diamond Tiara thought. “By the way, I heard something you might be interested in.” Silver Spoon said suddenly as she got hit by a thought she had been meaning to tell Diamond Tiara. It was kind of difficult to tell Diamond Tiara things at times. “Hmmm?” Diamond Tiara replied, looking across at Silver Spoon. “I heard she’s going out tonight. All three of them actually.” Silver Spoon said. “What? How do you know that? Do you know why?!” Diamond Tiara asked hurriedly, shaking Silver Spoon with a maniacal glint in her eye. Silver Spoon waited until Diamond Tiara had stopped shaking her to reply. “My mom told me. She went to Carousel Boutique to get a dress and was looking around the back room when she found two really pretty dresses and a suit. She asked what they were, hoping to buy them for her, my dad, and me. Rarity told her that they were for somepony else and after some coaxing she said they were for Rainbow Dash, Scootaloo, and that Star Shine guy.” Silver Spoon explained. Diamond Tiara’s grin grew wilder than ever as she let go of Silver Spoon and started cantering towards the school. There was an almost literal skip to her step. “What’s the hurry?” Silver Spoon asked as she managed to catch up to Diamond Tiara. “I got the best idea ever. Oh she won’t know what happened. I just hope I can pull it off.” Diamond Tiara replied. “There has to be something in that house of Rainbow Dash’s that I can use...there must be some evidence of where she was that week…” she added, trailing off. --- By the time Scootaloo arrived at school Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon had met up with the rest of the Crusaders and were waiting for them. “Still no trouble with them girls?” Rainbow Dash called back to Scootaloo before they touched down. Scootaloo shook her head. “Maybe they really have changed.” Star Shine offered. Scootaloo wanted to argue but she couldn’t at this point. It had been nearly a week and there hadn’t been any problems. She was starting to believe that Diamond Tiara might actually have changed herself. After everything Diamond Tiara had done to her she wasn’t sure it could all be forgotten so easily but maybe, just maybe, the pair could get along eventually and then school wouldn’t be as bad for her. Her home life was so much better now and if her school life was to get better too then things would be pretty much perfect for her. She closed her eyes and smiled as she imagined things going well for her. She could see herself flying with Rainbow Dash and Star Shine. Maybe the three of them could even do tricks together like Rainbow Dash and Star Shine had that morning. She could even have more fun at school. Maybe if Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon got along with them they could be made honorary Crusaders. Crusaders didn’t necessarily have to be blank flanks. If that was the case it would mean herself and her friends would be out of the club as soon as they got their Cutie Marks and that didn’t seem very fair to her. They were more than blank flanks and crusaders, they were friends. With Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon in the club they could probably use their resources to do even more things in an attempt to get their Cutie Marks. Perhaps their Cutie Marks involved something that they couldn’t get their hooves on yet. “Scoots…Scoots...We’re here.” Rainbow Dash said, tapping Scootaloo to snap her out of her reverie. Scootaloo opened her eyes to see that they were a good few feet above the school still but she was also in Rainbow Dash’s forelegs and not on her back anymore. She had been so distracted she hadn’t even felt the shift. She laughed sheepishly and buried her face into Rainbow Dash’s chest in a hug. Rainbow Dash nuzzled her and kissed the top of her head before Star Shine leaned in and gave her a quick kiss too. He would have nuzzled her but then it would have been very obvious to the ponies on the ground watching what was happening. He felt it was already very obvious but was willing to let the girls have their delusions. “Do you want to glide down to your friends? I bet they’d love to see you glide.” Rainbow Dash asked but Scootaloo shook her head. “I’m kinda nervous about trying it in front of them, and I don’t want to screw up in front of those two.” Scootaloo replied. Rainbow Dash nodded and floated down to the ground to let Scootaloo jump off of her back safely. Scootaloo did so and waved goodbye to Rainbow Dash and Star Shine before giving her Crusader friends a hug. “Mornin’ Scoots.” Apple Bloom said happily. Sweetie Belle repeated the greeting. “Good morning Scootaloo.” Diamond Tiara said nervously. Scootaloo looked across at her and smiled. “Good morning Diamond Tiara.” Scootaloo replied. Diamond Tiara looked a little taken aback but smiled. “You too Silver Spoon.” Scootaloo added for good measure. Silver Spoon smiled back too. “You don’t think we’re going to hurt you anymore?” Diamond Tiara asked, going back to being nervous. It helped she was genuinely nervous. “Yeah, it’s been like a whole week now. Sorry for being so rough on you.” Scootaloo replied, rubbing her foreleg apprehensively. Diamond Tiara smiled so widely all her pristine white teeth were visible. It almost unnerved Scootaloo and made her think she made the wrong decision. “Oh no, don’t worry about it. This makes everything so much better for me.” Diamond Tiara was quick to reassure her. “Wait, makes what better?” Scootaloo asked. She thought the slip up she had been expecting might finally happen right when she thought it wasn’t ever going to. “Well everything really. I was so scared you’d never like me and it was starting to hurt.” Diamond Tiara quickly said. She had slipped up. Everything was going so perfect for her. Not only had she managed to finally win Scootaloo’s trust but Scootaloo was also feeling guilty about spending so long not trusting her. It was almost too much for Diamond Tiara. “Oh...sorry...again.” Scootaloo said quietly. Even slipping up was going just right and making things better for Diamond Tiara. “Like I said, don’t worry about it. Now come on, or we’ll be late for class!” Diamond Tiara replied sweetly, heading for the schoolhouse door. Silver Spoon followed behind and the Crusaders followed behind her. “So why’d you change yer mind?” Apple Bloom asked Scootaloo while they were still out of earshot of Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. “Well it has been nearly a week. If she was going to do something I think she’d have done it by now.” Scootaloo replied. It was good enough for the Crusaders, who entered the classroom just after Silver Spoon walked in. It was going to be a long day for Scootaloo, but it had started way better than she could ever dream a day could start.