//------------------------------// // Chapter 66; When A Plan Comes Together // Story: Working Towards The Future // by Dasponi //------------------------------// Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were walking around Ponyville again. Diamond Tiara had told her dad that she was taking Silver Spoon home. She was still being followed by a few of her dad’s guards despite her insistence that she didn’t need it. To her dad, he wanted it and that was all that mattered to him. They were walking a route that the guards weren’t familiar with. “Excuse me Miss, but I thought we were taking Miss Silver Spoon home.” one of the guards said when it became apparent they were nowhere near Silver Spoon’s house and were in fact heading in the wrong direction entirely. The way they were going lead to the town centre and the only thing important there would be the library. This time she was flanked by a Pegasi and an Earth Pony. Diamond Tiara sighed and rolled her eyes. She turned towards them, smiling sweetly. “I know boys, but we wanted to get some ice cream. Can we go get some before we take her home? I’m sure daddy wouldn’t mind if you two stay with us.” Diamond Tiara said. It was true there was also an ice cream shop in the town centre. The guards looked at eachother, and then looked back down at the two fillies. “Fair enough Miss, but again tell us these things.” the Pegasus guard said. “Well then, let’s go get you girls some ice cream shall we?” the Earth Pony guard added. Diamond Tiara nodded at them and they set off slightly in front of Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. Even they could tell how depressed Diamond Tiara had seemed to be lately and they were quite happy that she would want something. Filthy could also tell that she wasn’t happy and that was another reason he had been keeping such a close eye on her, totally oblivious to the fact that him doing that was the main reason she had been so down. “You want ice cream? I never said I did.” Silver Spoon asked as the girls kept close to the guards. “Nah I need them kept busy while I go in the library. Think you can do that for me? Just stay outside and tell them I went inside when they weren’t looking or something.” Diamond Tiara replied. “I suppose so.” Silver Spoon said reluctantly. “But why do you want the library?” she asked. If Diamond Tiara just wanted a book or something then Silver Spoon figured there was no problem going in with the guards. Her dad would probably be happy she had shown an interest in reading even. Unless she was too embarrassed to. Silver Spoon herself had felt very conspicuous travelling with the escort herself. That had to be it. She was just embarrassed. Silver Spoon could understand that and so had no problem distracting the guards. Plus now that she had thought about it and been offered it, Silver spoon wanted some ice cream. “I-” Diamond Tiara began before she was interrupted by the guards. They had made their way to the ice cream shop and now they had to pick what ice cream they wanted. Silver Spoon asked if they could wait outside while the guards went in to get the ice cream. There was outdoor seating and it was pretty warm, so neither guard saw a problem with that. They insisted that one of them would stay outside with the girls while the other went inside. Diamond Tiara had a small problem with this. Like most problems however, there was a solution. “Excuse me…” Diamond Tiara said, tapping the Pegasus guard. He was the one who had stayed outside. He smiled and looked down at her. “I hate to be fussy but I’ve changed my mind, can you go tell your friend I want mint and not chocolate?” she asked, fluttering her eyelashes for good measure. “I suppose so, but if I’m going to leave you two alone I need you to stay together and stay right here, okay?” he pleaded. A guard should never leave their principal unattended but he wanted to accommodate Diamond Tiara as much as he could and make her more comfortable with them being around. “We’ll stay right here.” Diamond Tiara reassured him. He nodded and headed into the shop and up to the counter where the other guard was being served. “You know, I think if you just asked, they’d let you go in the library on your own. They seem nice.” Silver Spoon commented. “Nice? I suppose they are. It’s not very nice having to live with them being around all the time though. Besides they would just watch what happened inside the library from a window and I don’t want that.” Diamond Tiara replied. “Now remember what I said, just keep them distracted. I’ll only be a minute or so.” she added. Silver Spoon tried to reply but Diamond Tiara ran to the library before she had a chance to. She ran through the door and panted as Twilight looked at her, confused by the sudden entrance. “You gotta help me Miss Sparkle.” Diamond Tiara pleaded, kneeling on her back legs and bringing her forelegs together. “Oh it’s just terrible!” “Whoa there Diamond Tiara, calm down. I’d be happy to help you if you tell me the problem.” Twilight replied, planting a reassuring hoof on Diamond Tiara’s shoulder. “So what can I help you with?” she asked. “I don’t know if you’ve heard yet but me and Scootaloo got into a fight at school…” Diamond Tiara began to explain. The shocked look on Twilight’s face told her that no, Twilight hadn’t heard that. This worked towards Diamond Tiara’s plan perfectly. “Rainbow Dash got really mad at her and told her that they won’t be going to Canterlot tonight after all. Scootaloo told me all about it and how much she wanted to go and now she won’t get to and I wish I could do something for her.” Diamond Tiara said hurriedly. It wasn’t entirely a lie. “That’s very noble of you but I don’t know what I can do about it.” Twilight replied. “Do you want me to talk to Rainbow Dash?” she offered. Diamond Tiara shook her head. “I want to talk to Rainbow Dash myself, but I need you to put the Cloud Walking spell on me and send me up there. Daddy employs Pegasi so I could get up there on my own, but you’re the only unicorn I know who can do Cloud Walking. There isn’t enough time for one of daddy’s Unicorns to learn how to do it so I was hoping you could do it for me. I told my daddy what I want to do and he told me to ask you.” Diamond Tiara explained. Twilight thought it over for a few seconds longer than Diamond Tiara would have liked her to. Every second was vital because one of the guards she was with before could burst through the door at any second. “I could send you up there easy enough, but how do you plan on getting back down?” Twilight asked. It was the only problem she could see. Diamond Tiara going up there herself made sense. Twilight was a little surprised to hear that Rainbow Dash would cancel everything when the night was also for her and Star Shine. That was another factor to consider. Star Shine was going up there himself early. “Actually what about Star Shine? She can’t just leave him up there.” Twilight mused. “I also wouldn’t send Pinkie up there when she wanted to go welcome Star Shine.” she added as more things came to her. “I’m sure Rainbow Dash will fly me back down when I’m done. Just send me to outside the door and I’m sure it’ll be fine. I won’t be intruding on them and if they don’t want to see me then, again, Rainbow Dash will just take me down to the ground. I don’t know what she’s going to do with Star Shine though. Maybe she’ll ask Spike to send him a letter, or find another way to do it.” Diamond Tiara said. She was getting worried that her plan might fail before it even had a chance to succeed. She didn’t expect Twilight to question almost everything. If one of the guards turned up before she left then it would all be over. In actuality she was expecting one of the guards to take her down to the ground. She knew they would find out what she was doing eventually and just hoped she would have enough time to make it sound believable she had convinced Rainbow Dash to go and had been left behind in Rainbow’s haste, or so sure she would been found by her guards eventually. Buttering them up might be the better option. “Makes sense. Spike would do it. When you talk to her pass the message along that I’d be happy to send a message to Star Shine if she hasn’t already.” Twilight replied. There was still the gaping question of why Rainbow Dash hadn’t told any of her friends the dinner was off, but she also hadn’t told any of them that she was going in the first place. “I will, thank you Miss Sparkle.” Diamond Tiara said sweetly as she felt something strange around her hooves. She figured it was the Cloud Walking spell. A second later there was a loud pop and she was stood outside of Rainbow Dash’s house. She hesitantly knocked at the front door in case anypony was actually home. If that was the case, and Rainbow Dash had cancelled after all, then she would actually try and convince them to leave. She sighed as her knocking barely produced a sound. It was cloud after all. She moved towards a window and peered inside. Seeing nopony inside the house, she carefully climbed through the window. “There has to be something in here…” Diamond Tiara muttered to herself as she looked around frantically. She took care to clean away any mess she made which slowed her down but ensured that Rainbow Dash wouldn’t suspect that anypony had been in the house while she was gone. “Where were you?” she muttered again as she opened a drawer. That’s when she saw it. The answer to all her questions was written down on a small, tear stained piece of paper. Where Scootaloo had been. Why she was living with Rainbow Dash. Even why she was an orphan in the first place was on there. Having seen Scootaloo’s dad, she had come to the assumption the girl was an orphan, and now she had it written down for her and confirmed. She quickly folded the note up and jumped under the table when she heard the beating of wings. She prayed it was one of her guards and not Rainbow Dash. She saw somepony land from her vantage point under the table and moved to get a good look at them. She tucked the note under one of her elbows and came out from under the table when she recognised it as her Pegasus guard. “There you are Miss, you know you aren’t supposed to be here. Your father wants you to stay away from Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo, especially after what happened this afternoon.” the guard said, relieved he had finally found Diamond Tiara. Cherilee had informed Filthy about what happened and he was accepting of Scootaloo’s punishment and saw no reason to try and take the matter further. “Why are you walking like that?” he asked, slightly concerned, when he saw the way Diamond Tiara was limping. It was very difficult to walk properly with something tucked between her foreleg and body so she settled for walking on three legs. “I think I sprained something running towards the library.” Diamond Tiara said, looking dejectedly at her raised leg. “I’m sorry I ran off, I really am. I didn’t think Rainbow Dash would be happy if I turned up with guards and I was so embarrassed to come here in the first place. Scootaloo hit me but I thought she should still go to Canterlot with how much she was looking forward to it so I came here to tell Rainbow Dash to take her. When I got here they were already gone though, but I knew you’d come and find me.” Diamond Tiara rambled, making her way towards the guard. When she reached him she hugged up against one of his legs. “Yes Miss, no matter what happens I’ll be there to find you.” he said, lifting Diamond Tiara on to his back. “Miss Sparkle told me what you were up to when I asked her if you’d seen her. I was so worried about out when I turned around and you had gone. I was really proud of you though for wanting to do this, and I’m sure your father will be too.” he added. “Do you have to tell Daddy?” Diamond Tiara asked. She didn’t think it would be too bad if he was told her version of the story but would have definitely been happier without him knowing. “I’m afraid so Miss, but don’t worry about nothin’. Like I said, he’ll be proud of you for being so mature.” the guard reassured her. Diamond Tiara hugged up against his neck as he glided down to the ground and thought of all the things she could do with what she had safely tucked away. One thing for sure was no matter what she did; Scootaloo would never live it down.