Diamond Tiara wore a silver gilded laurel wreath, with a light azure dress jacket over a white dress. Her hair wrapped in an ornate bun. With a corsage on her left foreleg. And as adorable as she looked, there was one thing evident. She was nervous.
“Princess, stop fidgeting. You’re little fillyfriend said she’d be here at 7 and we still have fifteen minutes till it starts,” Filthy Rich said warmly. Her mother trotted over remembering how nervous she felt for the first time and nuzzled her daughter murmuring soothing words to her.
“But daddy, mommy, what if she forgot?! What if she changed her mind and decided to go with some other filly? What if …” Diamond Tiara blubbered before her father interrupted her.
“What if the moon was made out of cheese? Or what if gold rather than silver was the most valuable metal in the world? There’s no use thinking about what if’s. You’ve gushed for a day about how amazing this Scootaloo character is, and how loyal and kind she is. I doubt that any pony who could make you brighten up so much, or was as good as you say would just leave you hanging,” Filthy Rich said nuzzling a nervous Diamond Tiara when the door rang.
Scootaloo stood nervously before the door as it opened an bouquet of pink and white roses with a sprinkle of purple babies breath. Scootaloo was had a simple black satin ribbon holding an amethyst gem. With the black and amethyst earings that Diamond Tiara got her when they went shopping for Cheerilee’s gift.
Diamond looked at her and burst into a thousand bit smile. Scootaloo gulped and passed the roses to Diamond, “My dad says that I should probably give you a bouquet for our first official date. And I didn’t know what to get you, but Ms. Rose said that this color scheme would best suit you.”
Diamond Tiara smelled it and her body practically glowed with glee, “I love them. Thank you Scootaloo.”
“No problem DT. I’m glad you liked them,” Scootaloo said nervously shuffling.
“Well why are you standing outside young lady? Come on in I want to meet the filly my daughter can’t stop gushing about. Darling, can you take Diamond Tiara to the kitchen and find a vase for those flowers?”
“Of course dear. Come now honey, let’s let your father have some alone time with your paramour,” Her mother jokingly jabed.
“Mom! Daddy! Please don’t embarrass me!” Diamond Tiara moaned.
“Don’t worry Princess I just want to talk to her abit. I promise I won’t do anything to embarrass you,” Filthy Rich said.
As Scootaloo and Filthy Rich walked to the study her mother waved her over before whispering conspiratorially, “Listen honey. If you want to listen in on them give them a few seconds head start and be careful not to get caught. Now go, and remember if your father asks, we went to the kitchen and gossiped about what you’d do at the Harvest Festival.”
She cantered to the study slowing down to tiphooving as she got in sight of the door. Putting her ear to the door she started listening in on the conversation. Even if it was a bit muted by the wooden door.
“So it was my daughter who asked you out?”
“Yes sir. I honestly was taken by surprise. I didn’t know she thought of me that way.”
“That’s my girl. The real go getter. Well did you say yes right away?”
“I didn’t. I would’ve if she said why she picked me, but she didn’t. I went over it for a few days and my dad said that there’s usually more than meets the eyes about every pony and if you look deep enough then there might be something worth seeing. And if I liked what I saw then I should give it a go to see if there was more there. And Ms. Ditzy Doo said told me some stuff that’s above my head, but I think I get most of it.
Anyway. There’ve been quite a few moments where Diamond Tiara looked like she has real good in her when she tries. And I think that she’s a good pony at heart … so I decided that I’d give this a try,” Scootaloo said nervously.
“Ha! You’re honest I like that. There’s no need to be nervous, I’m not going to threaten to ruin your life and destroy you if you hurt my daughter. I trust her, and if she says that you’re a loyal and kind pony I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt. That being said, treat her right and don’t break her heart got me?”
“I’ll be good, I wouldn’t want you to crush me with your coin purse or feed me to dragons,” Scootaloo joked trying to lighten the mood.
“Alright then. I want her back by one. That should give you plenty of time at the Festival, and an hour after the Firework Show. Diamond Tiara told me that she helped set it up this year, and I think she’d want you to see it.”
“Wait! She helped set up explosives?” Scootaloo shouted in surprise.
“Of course. Well this year at least, under Trixie Lulamoon’s supervision.”
“That’s so cool! Well I got to go I don’t want to keep her waiting to long. And I’ll have her back by then,” Scootaloo said.
“I’ll join you. I wouldn’t want you getting lost,” Filthy Rich said.
Diamond Tiara galloped to her mother waiting by the front door. Her mother ran a brush over her hair fixing the few loose strands that came up, “I remember the first time I dated somepony, just make sure to have fun.”
Diamond Tiara held onto Scootaloo nuzzling into her as they went at a moderate pace to Ponyville proper. As they entered the food district they Scootaloo spotted the plastic tent in front of Jack’s Monster Shack, “Why do they have a plastic tent over that table? Is that where they’re going to serve the Monster?”
“Oh apparently it’s 25 million Scovilles, two times hotter than normal rainbows. And it has a habit of affecting any pony nearby without the protection. But yes that’s where you’ll be eating the monster, and if you can do it in under a minute it’s free and you get to choose. Either free food from any food place that is sponsored by my father’s business, or ten percent off all things in Bargain Bins. This deal lasts for one year after the day you finish the challenge.”
“Wow … okay. I never ate anything that hot before but this’ll be fun,” Scootaloo said as she pulled up to the tent. As the owner came out in a full hazmat suit carrying a biohazard box with a pair of tongs a crowd of ponies gathered around. And seeing Scootaloo a mixture of cheers and worried murmurs.
As the lid was lifted an orange-red cloud burst from the container. As it dispersed water started condensing on the plastic covers. A bun was pulled out that was hot enough to leave a shimmer around it. As timer was set, Scootaloo let out a yell before digging in, “I’ve been waiting all week for you gorgeous!”
Fifteen seconds later the burger was gone, her orange coat turning Big Mac red. Before belching a large gout of flame, “Wow! that was a little hot, can I have another one?” Scootaloo asked.
The crowd was so silent the dropping of the tongs could be heard, “It’ll take twenty four hours, but yes the day after tomorrow we can have another one made for you,” Jack said. His voice coming out distorted through the hazmat suit.
“What about two? Can I have two?” Scootaloo asked bouncing on her seat.
“Well … yes. So I take it you want free food for a year?”
“Yep!” Scootaloo chirped. steam coming out of her ears and nose as her coat slowly turned to normal.
“Well then … Congratulations Scootaloo! You’re the second pony to win The Monster Challenge, and the one with the fastest time. You’ve earned free food for a year. I just need to take your picture for posterity,” the owner said. A little flabbergasted by Scootaloo’s energetic joy after downing something that was the currently hottest food in Equestria without being fazed in the slightest.
The crowd burst into cheers, and after she roped in Diamond Tiara got her picture, “Thanks DT. That was the best burger I’ve ever had.”
Diamond Tiara blushed as she trotted back to the scooter, As the slowly glided through the crowds Scootaloo glanced back at Diamond Tiara and asked, “So all those ponies you helped out for the Festival that was for me wasn’t it?”
“It was. I thought that even if … well you said yes so that doesn’t matter, but if you didn’t. Then at least you’d have the best Harvest Festival ever, and it’d show that I care. At least that’s what I was thinking. But to be honest, it was kind of fun. We got to taste test the foods the farmer’s other than the Apple family will be making, I got extra credit for helping Ms. Cheerilee and Ms. Rarity with the decorations, and Trixie let me set up the fireworks for tonight. So I know without a doubt tonight would’ve been amazing for you.”
“Wow! That’s actually the nicest thing anypony’s ever done for me before. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I just hope the rest of the night goes well.”
“So I have to ask, how come you really don’t hang out with ponies other than Silver Spoon?”
“Part of it is because me and Silver Spoon’s daddy’s love us enough to warn us about ponies who’d only like us for our bits. The other part is well … remember how I looked sad when I said I had no bits left after we went shopping for Ms. Cheerilee a little over half a year ago?”
“Sure?”
“Well not a lot of ponies would’ve stayed with me when they learned that I ran out of bits. It’s just the way the world works. Other than rich and successful ponies, if ponies know you have bits to spend then they're your friend for as long as you’re willing to spend bits on them. But when you run out, they have other places they need to be, or find some reason to ditch you.
I actually have some pity on Coronet, she’s wealthy, but her parents apparently never gave her the talk. So she has friends who like her since she throws parties for them, or gets them things but when she runs out … well it’s a lesson she’ll need to learn someday.”
“Wow … that’s the saddest thing I’ve ever heard. Do you really think everypony’s like that?”
“Not you. And maybe not some ponies, but enough that I’ve learned the hard way what happens when you stop using money to buy friends.”
“Well … I guess that makes sense, but it’d have been better if you never had to deal with that. And I can tell you Sweetie Belle and Dinky aren’t like that. And Apple Bloom doesn’t care about that either.”
“Ha! I don’t really want to talk about Apple Bloom. We used to be friends when we were still in diapers. My daddy talks about those times, and I have pictures, but we aren’t friends anymore.”
“Wait! Why not?”
“I’ll tell you someday when we get to know each other better. I don’t mind you being friends with her, but if she ever throws you away I’ll buck her into the sun,” Diamond Tiara said menacingly.
“Sounds fair, and I’ll pass on the message. But yeah, I’m not saying it’ll happen. I’m planning on giving this a serious try, but if we just don’t work as fillyfriends. I promise that I won’t just leave you. We can still be friends.”
“You promise?”
“Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!” Scootaloo recited.
best filly friend ever!
Eleven rolled around and Scootaloo and Diamond Tiara sat in the wagon attached to the Scooter. The wagon was stuffed with dolls, and knicknacks that Scootaloo won, or Diamond Tiara bought for each other and now they waited for the main event. The Fireworks.
“I had fun tonight,” Scootaloo said looking at the marvelous starlit sky.
“I’m glad. Do you think that we can have another date sometime?” Diamond Taira asked as the first fireworks flew into the air. Painting the sky with oranges and yellows.
“Sure. Although one of these days I want to hear you actually confess your feelings. But yeah you’re pretty fun to hangout with,” Scootaloo replied looking at Diamond Tiara with a small smile.
“One of these days. I just need to find the time when it’s most romantic,” Diamond Tiara said.
“Well what can be more romantic than this? The full moons out, fireworks are flying, you spent a week doing something nice for me with no guarantee that I would go out with you, and you got me the most hottest Veggie Burger in Equestria. That and I got you alot of prizes from the Festival games. So what could be better?”
“Alright when you put it that way … Alright. Ever since I first saw you. You were free and brave, and courageous. You never backed down from anypony or any challenge. And I guess I was envious of you at first,” Diamond started before Scootaloo interjected.
“You were envious of me?” Scootaloo asked truly bewildered.
“Yes, and please don’t interrupt. It’s hard enough telling you my feelings,” Diamond Tiara huffed.
“Sorry continue,” Scootaloo said waving a hoof for Diamond Tiara to continue the story.
“Yes I was envious. Heck when your wings finally grow in the skys the limit, and you make friends so easily. Most of all they like you for who you are. Not who your daddy is, or what they can get out of you. But just for being you. You’re loyal, kind, and you’d never leave a pony behind. And that’s a rare quality in a pony.
But I couldn’t tell you how I felt so I thought that as long as I got your attention some how it didn’t matter how I got it. And to your benefit even when I was insulting you and everypony around you. You never ignored me. And that was good enough I guess.
But then you came to me for help and things started changing. First you only wanted bits not for something selfish like ponies in the past have tried pulling, but for our teacher because you felt bad about the accidents that happened. Again a rare quality in a pony and I couldn’t help but admire you more.
Then after the school talent show. You actually hung out with me from time to time. Yes it was with Sweetie Belle or some other random mix of your friends, but you made the effort to come to me. And let me be part of your fun. I didn’t think things could get better then the whole thing with the crazy adults happened.
You not only didn’t leave me behind, but you saved me when I was about to be converted, and you involved me with one of your stunts. Ever since then … I don’t know. I don’t know if what I’m feeling is infatuation, which my mommy said is what leads to love, or love, or what I’m feeling. All I know is that I really like you, and you show me things about life and ponies I never thought possible. And I’m the luckiest filly in the world that you said yes to giving dating me a chance,” Diamond Tiara gushed everything out. Hoping that by spilling it out in one long speal she wouldn’t get too embarrassed before she stopped. She turned her head away from Scootaloo readying herself for the sting of rejection.
“Wow … you really feel that way about me?”
All she could do was nod.
Scootaloo brought Diamond Tiara’s head to look at her. Scootaloo’s eyes were watering a little, “You know you’re a lot cooler pony than you give yourself credit for. And all you had to do was tell me that and I would’ve definitely said yes.”
She whispered before pulling Diamond Tiara into warm hug. Adding her wings to the mix holding her close. Diamond Tiara nuzzled close to Scootaloo’s coat before thinking. This is the best night ever.