Ch. 3: Confrontation
The next day went like it normally did for the three foals, or as normally as it could. For some reason Scootaloo kept looking over to Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara until class was finally dismissed for the day. Scootaloo told her friends to go ahead and head to the club house while she finished something up and waited to follow Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. It didn’t take long for them to finally leave the school and start gambling off towards… the white tail wood? “Why are they going there?” Scootaloo asked herself quietly as she quickly followed them.
“So… did you talk to your mom?” Silver asked smiling to Tiara.
“Yeah, she’s happy for us but daddy is well…” Tiara said looking down a bit.
“Well… my daddy is happy for us too. So… maybe we could… have a sleep over at my house sometime?” Silver asked blushing.
“Um… I’d like to but I… need to give your daddy something.” Tiara said looking to her saddle bag.
“What do you need to give him?” Silver asked curious.
“A-a note from my mom,” Tiara said as they soon came to a stop, “she said to make sure he got it after we… have some time together.” Silver blushed at this and nodded to her as they went into the woods of the park.
Scootaloo thankfully, at least according to her, saw where the two had trotted and quickly followed after making sure the coast was clear and soon… “Oomph, ouch, what hit us, Scootaloo?!” the bullies called out as Scootaloo slammed right into them and into their little hiding spot.
“Um… Hi?” Scootaloo said nervously as she got up and offered her hooves to help them, which sadly they refused.
“What are you doing here?! This is our place is your club house not good enough for you anymore?!” Diamond Tiara nearly yelled at her angrily.
“No, no, wait I-I just wanted to talk.” Scootaloo said hold up her hooves in defense.
“Then talk, we don’t want you to ruin our spot!” Tiara said to her in a huff.
Sighing Scootaloo pulled out her picture case and looked right at them. “L-last week I saw you two go behind the school a-and I followed you to make sure you weren’t going to do something to get me and the other crusaders in trouble. Well I-I… I’m sorry I didn’t even know the camera went off and I caught a picture of you two kissing!” Scootaloo explained till she finished in a hurry holding out the very first picture of them kissing. Both bullies gaped at the picture in shock… and fear.
“Y-you took a picture of us… are… are you trying to black mail us?” Silver Spoon asked worried.
“NO! No I’m not… R-rainbow talked to me about this last night and… and I know what I did was wrong and I shouldn’t have done it.” Scootaloo said putting the picture back in its case. “I won’t show anyone these I promise but… I… I don’t want you bullying me and my friends anymore and… and I rather us just get along okay?” Scootaloo continued still looking down.
“You… you took pictures of us and then expect us to play nice after that?” Tiara asked annoyed. Scootaloo kept her head and eyes down as she nodded her head. “How do we know you won’t turn around and put those in the school paper?” Tiara asked her worried.
“I-I’m going to put these away in Rainbow’s house and Rainbow will know if any of them are gone. She’ll check them every day to make sure I don’t take any of them… and if I wanted to I could have done that last week.” Scootaloo said looking to them frowning. Tiara was about to retort that that wouldn’t solve anything till Silver placed her hoof on her shoulder.
“She’s right Tiara, she could have done that but she didn’t. I-I think we can trust her, besides… I… I don’t want to be a bully anymore.” Silver said looking to her.
Tiara looked back at Silver then to Scootaloo and sighed. “Okay… but this doesn’t make us friends okay?” Tiara said right at Scootaloo.
“That’s fine, just… stop bullying us.” Scootaloo said holding out her hoof. Tiara and Silver looked at it before giving it a hoof bump and they all sighed.
“Um, I better get going. The Crusaders are expecting me, so… see you tomorrow at school?” Scootaloo said slowly trotting out of the bush.
“Um… yeah,” Tiara said scuffing her hoof over the ground, “Sure… later.” Silver said looking away from Scootaloo. After making sure it was safe Scootaloo took off with the former bullies giving off a long sigh.
***
That night Silver Spoon hoofed over the note Tiara gave her to her father. “Hmm, so Circlet wants us to meet her and Tiara at a dinner tonight. I don’t see why we can’t, go on up and get ready sweetie while I get the shop closed up for the night.” Platinum said smiling to his daughter who smiled back as she gambled to the house and to her room. Platinum smiled and whistled a pleasant tune as he began closing up shop until the door’s overhead bell rang indicating a customer coming in. “One moment!” Platinum called out as he put out the forge and stepped up to the front only to stop and blink at whom was at the shop. “Rich, what are you doing here?” Platinum asked trotting up to the back side of the counter.
“I’m here on business of course Plat. Need to have something repaired sadly.” Rich said as he pulled out a box and opened it on the counter. Plat gave the inside of the box a good look and then back to Rich before he pulled out an old solid silver circlet broken into two pieces. “It was the first item I gave to Circlet before we get together. Sadly the case the circlet was in fell to the ground right after one of my bags fall on top of it. I’m hoping you can fix it.” Rich explained frowning.
“Hmm, this this is some pretty poor looking silver, I could re-forge it for you but the design isn’t used anymore Rich. I’ll have to put the two pieces back together and hope for a clean mold. Means I’ll have to melt this old one down to make the full repair, unless you want a duplicate. That won’t take me long.” Platinum said looking the broken circlet over before placing it back into its case.
Rich frowned at this before sighing, “Duplicate it, the original is… it’s far too special to just melt it down.”
Platinum nodded to this and put the box aside and looked to Rich, “It’ll be done the day after tomorrow Rich.”
Rich nodded to this before sighing, “Thank you Plat but sadly I won’t be back before then. I only returned to Ponyville long enough to drop that off and return to Canterlot for another business deal. Could you keep hold of it till I return?”
Platinum thought on this till he saw his daughter out the workshop’s window ready to go. “Normally I don’t Rich but if you’re willing to put down a down payment on the work I think I could hold onto it for a few days.”
Rich nodded to this, put down a small bag of bits and looked out to what Platinum saw. “I heard from my staff your daughter has been going around with mine while I’ve been away. I’m glad she has someone to talk to. Anyway Plat,” Rich said turning back to Platinum, “I should be back by next week, if not earlier. Good day.” Rich said taking off soon to be followed by Plat having already gotten the shop ready to close.
“What was Mr. Rich needing daddy?” Silver asked watching as Rich left for the train station.
“I minor job sweetie nothing to worry about for now. So, shall we go meet your friend and her mother?” Platinum said then asked gaining a nod as they trotted into town.
***
Circlet sighed in relief when the family butler informed her that her husband wasn’t returning home today and was only in Ponyville to do some minor business then instantly leave. She loved her husband she really did but his off hoof speech the day he came home; it hurt her to think that… if their daughter revealed she liked another filly… Circlet just sighed heavily. His issue about Filly Foolers was hurting the original family business and now it was hurting her daughter. Just when things start going like they were?
Shaking her head she looked into her mirror and checked her complexion one last time. Though her and her daughter’s dinner meeting with her old friend Platinum and his daughter was casual, she didn’t want to be going out looking like a mild mess. “Mom I’m ready.” Tiara said trotting into her mother, and father’s, bedroom.
“Give me one moment my little diamond and we’ll be going.” Circlet said using her magic to fasten her earrings before smiling at her reflection. “There, now we don’t wish to be late correct?” Tiara nodded to this smiling and followed her mother out to the entrance.
“Shall I get the carriage for you madam?” their butler asked as he met them in the foyer.
“No thank you Bones, we’re not going far.” Circlet said smiling to the good butler.
“Of course, have a pleasant evening.” the butler replied as they slowly trotted out the door and into town. As the two trotted Circlet chatted away with her daughter about her day, which Tiara left the issue with Scootaloo out on thankfully, until they finally arrived at the Golden Bit and Horse Shoe. It was an eat-in restaurant that Circlet had many of her personal meetings in and was very much a contributor to the establishment with her generous tips and recommendations.
“Circe, was wondering when you would show up.” A voice called out making Circlet smile.
“Plat it’s so good to see you again.” Circlet said hugging Platinum as they reached each other at the entrance. Not many knew it but Platinum got his nick name Plat from Circlet as she had gained her nick name Circe from him.
“Look at you Circe,” Platinum said looking her over, “you’re as lovely as ever. And this must be your daughter Diamond Tiara.” Tiara shyly nodded as Silver trotted over to her and nuzzled her.
“Yes she is, and this must be Silver. Last I saw you dear you were just a tiny little foal.” Circlet said to Silver making her blush.
“Well shall we all go in?” Platinum asked gaining a nod from everyone.
After being seated and gaining their drinks Circlet began to speak, “It’s been a long time Plat, how have you been holding up?”
Platinum smiled as he took a sip of his drink. “From when we last talked… a lot better thankfully. The shop’s doing well, I have my lovely daughter to keep me active, just… better I suppose.”
Circlet nodded to this. “That’s good to hear Plat but… that’s not what this meeting is about.”
Platinum nodded to this before turning to the other side of the table where his daughter and Tiara was talking adamantly with each other. “It’s about them isn’t it?”
Circlet sighed heavily at this before nodding. “I want to live up to hold up to the promise we all made to each other Plat but…”
Platinum sighed nodding already knowing what she was about to say. “Rich’s old habit sprung back up again?” Circlet nodded to this closing her eyes. Platinum just shook his head, “Stubborn old fool doesn’t know what he’s doing by acting like that again. Especially around here.”
Circlet just gave a half laugh before she spoke, “Oh he knows Plat, he just doesn’t care and for the time being doesn’t even know how hurtful it is to Tiara. Honestly he’s been putting more and more of his work before his own daughter and me, I rarely even get to speak to him anymore.” Platinum just face hoofed at that.
Over on the other side of the table Tiara and Silver spoke of much earlier events in low voices. “You still sure we can trust Scootaloo Silver?” Tiara asked worried.
“Tiara she’d showed a lot of… loyalty, not putting our picture up on the school paper. Plus she’s been living with Rainbow Dash and you know she’s one of the Elements.” Silver replied looking to her.
“Yeah but…” Tiara started to say before the waiter came by and gained their orders.
“But what Tiara, what does she need to do to make you and me trust her?” Silver asked worried.
“Well… I… I don’t know. Destroy the pictures or maybe make sure they were put into some kind of safe where only we have the combination?” Tiara asked rubbing her hooves together nervously.
“Well… we could talk to her tomorrow after school.” Silver suggested looking to her love.
“Well… a-alright, but… I really don’t want those in the paper.” Tiara replied scared.
“Me either,” Silver said before seeing the worried and scared look in her love’s eyes, “Tiara… is something wrong?” Tiara nodded to this. “I-it’s my daddy.”
Back on the parent’s side of the table the conversation turned more animate. “He didn’t, he knows how important that shop is to all the foals as well as this town. Plus they get a constant order from Princess Luna every month of different types of candy made through the ages.” Platinum said looking to Circlet complete shocked.
“He did and as I said he doesn’t care. You should have seen how upset Lyra when she found out he cut off poor Bonbon’s supplies. Honestly had I not stepped in Rich would have found himself in Canterlot’s intensive care… four times overs.” Circlet replied exhaustedly. “I’m telling you Plat, I don’t know what my husband was thinking when he did that but he doesn’t need to worry about that anymore since they’re under my business name now."
“Good for them,” Platinum said seriously as he took a bite of his food before continuing, “and really, you think Lyra would have hurt him that bad?”
Circlet shook her head no before smiling, “No… the Princess would.”
Platinum coughed on his drink before laughing heavily. “Oh I’d pay a spur to see that.” Circlet giggled along with Platinum nodding to this till they both finally calmed down. “But seriously you’d think he used that brain of his for more than his cutie mark.” Platinum said looking to Circlet sadly.
“I know, and he wasn’t always like this and I don’t know what started it but… if it hurts Tiara to much… I… may need to let him go.” Circlet replied before Platinum reached over and patted Circlet’s hoof before they returned to their collected meals.
***
Up in Rainbow’s cloud house Scootaloo gave the Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon pictures one last look before putting them back in their case and hoofing it over to Rainbow to put away, for hopefully, good. “You sure this is what you want to do Scoots?” Rainbow asked taking the picture case in her hooves.
“Yeah… I promised them this is what I’d do and… I want them to keep their promise too.” Scootaloo replied looking to the case.
“As long as you’re sure Scoots,” Rainbow said as she opened her side table drawer where her very first Daring Do book was and placed it inside locking the drawer with her hidden key, “I just want you to know that… I’m proud of you and this showed a lot of trust. If your mom and pop where here they’d be proud of you too, I think.” Scootaloo smiled slightly at this before following her idol out of the bedroom and into the kitchen for dinner.
“So, what kinds of pancakes do you,” Rainbow started to ask before a muffled knock came to her door, “Now who’d that be at this hour?” Rainbow slowly trotted over to the front door to open it finding a very sad looking Derpy Hooves at the door. “Hey Derpy, what’s up?” Rainbow asked before Derpy gestured her to come outside with her. “Um, okay… Scoots I’ll be back in soon so… why don’t you go get cleaned up while me and Derpy talk?” Scootaloo shrugged at this and headed to the bathroom as Rainbow followed Derpy out to her cloud based front yard and then to a cloud further away. “What’s up Derpy did something happen at the postal office again?” Rainbow asked worried. Though Rainbow didn’t show it, she and Derpy where good friends ever since she got onto the Ponyville Weather Team.
“I… I’m sorry Rainbow but… I was told to get this to you quickly, i…it’s from the Mayor.” Derpy said upset hoofing over a small scroll. Rainbow slowly took the scroll and opened it up and read it before gasping.
To be continued