Slice of Velvet and Pear

by David Silver

58 - Foal Free Press - Part Four

"Stupid..." Diamond kicked out at nothing before slamming the door behind her. "It was... Ugh!" Whole sentences were beyond her in that moment of impotent rage, making her way slowly towards her room. She would have hid there, if not for thumping into her father on the way. "Hi..." She shied back, not angry at him, and unsure how to channel her fury with him present.

He cocked a brow, quickly assessing her state. "What's wrong? This isn't the Diamond I'm used to seeing on her way home from school." He cradled her head with a hoof, a kind smile on his face. "Did something happen?"

"No..."

He rubbed gently along her throat. "Now now. I didn't raise you to lie. What happened?"

"I was doing great!" she shouted with far more force than she intended, red with a mix of shame and anger.

"Of course you were." He sat in front of her, drawing her in for a little hug. "What got in the way?"

"That... Miss Cheerilee..." Diamond sank in a glower. "I wanted to run some ads in the paper, so we could do more stuff. She went on an angry rant about keeping the paper 'bit free', as if she wasn't already handing us bits to get it done. It's not fair!"

"Hmm..." He lifted Diamond gently in his hooves, face to face. "What were you going to do with those bits?"

"Maybe get a color printer if it really went well... Show those foals what it's like to get paid for their work, that'd be nice. Get Featherweight a new camera to take better pictures with. He has real talent..." Diamond tapped her hooves with each count of a maybe something she'd get with those maybe bits. "Oh! Maybe get Spike new comics early to write on them." She smiled, even if the expression was somewhat forced in that emotional moment, conflicting with the others. "He'd like that..."

Filthy considered, curling that hoof to his chin. "You weren't going to keep them?"

"What? No." She waved that right off. "You give me more for allowance than I'd probably ever make, and if I wanted more, I'd just ask..." She perhaps second guessed how that sounded. "Um, because you're a good dad..."

"I do my best." He set her down on her own hooves. "Head on to bed, get a snack if you like."

"But..."

"This is my problem now."

His eyes blazed with an intensity that made Diamond tense up. Her daddy was slow to rouse, but when it happened, she knew to get out of the way. She scurried off to her room, her hoofsteps echoing down the hall.

The very next day, as foals hurried to school, one larger pony stepped among them. He was in no hurry, but quite purposeful with every hoof. Cheerilee looked up as the shadow extended over her. "Y--oh!" She started, realizing who she was talking to. "Mister Rich... Is... this about?" She wasn't a dull mare. There was really only one reason Filthy would be there, then... "She broke the rules, Sir. I won't be making exceptions for her."

Rich nodded as if listening to common sense. "I wouldn't want you to make exceptions for her. That sets a bad example. I will need to know what rule, exactly, she broke."

Cheerilee huffed. "The Foal Free Press is not a Get Rich Quick scheme for the lead editor..." She realized the pun after the fact. "No offense."

Rich raised a hoof, looking ready to slam it down, but it came it for a gentle landing on her desk. "Are you implying, ma'am, that I don't provide for my little filly's needs?"

"No! Of course not." Cheerilee glanced past him, to the growing crowd of foals, watching the exchange with growing confusion. "Let's not get heated in front of the foals, sir. This is a school."

"Of course." He slid his hoof free of her desk. "I questioned her, ma'am, on what she planned to use those bits for. She did have ideas, plans, if you would. Schemes, if you're being uncharitable..."

Cheerilee rolled her eyes. "Of course she did."

"A color printing press." Rich inclined his head towards the printing room. "A new camera for Feather Weight. Perhaps a salary for the workers, to teach them the value of good pay for good work. Do you know what she wasn't planning?"

"What's that?" Cheerilee asked, doubt heavy in her tone.

"Any for herself." He leaned in on her, not touching anything, but his presence was a smoldering rage. "She gets an allowance. I don't... mean to brag, but I feel certain that allowance is more than most foals here will ever touch with their hooves. She was not planning to use the school paper to enrich herself. I would have chastised her for such a silly plan."

"Daddy?" Diamond walked in just then, hearing her dad. But his burning aura was more than enough to make her scoot right past to her desk. "What's going on?"

Spike shrugged. "He's been making really scary faces at Cheerilee the last few minutes. What happened? That's my line. Did I miss something? You ran off yesterday."

Silver Spoon nodded swiftly. "You okay? We're, like, here for you, you know."

"Thanks." She smiled nervously at her friends. "Glad to have you two..." She looked back to her father and teacher and their discussion. "This is..."

Filthy crossed his arms. "These foals will eventually have to touch bits, ma'am. Even Fluttershy, the pony well known for hiding away from civilization, has to use bits. That's the way of things. Now... if my little filly was using them badly... I would want to know. But that she used them at all? That's the crime she committed?"

"It's the Foal Free Press," Cheerilee defended, ears pinned on her head.

"I would certainly hope so!" He raised his head, hooves returning to the ground. "A free press is the cornerstone of a free society. Even Princess Celestia wouldn't dream of changing that. Let the press ever be free, to report on what it finds, so others may be informed." He let out a calm sigh. "What does that have to do with advertising, ma'am?"

Cheerilee swallowed audibly before the calm inferno that was Filthy Rich. That his family supported much of the school didn't help. She let out a weary sigh. "Sir... I'll just come clean."

"Please." He rolled a hoof lightly. "Go on."

"This isn't the first time a foal has tried to make a few bits off the paper, generally for very selfish ends and lining their own pockets with a few easy coins to run off and buy junk food and toys with. I've had to shut that down no few times. Diamond isn't the first, just the latest."

"Hm." To his credit, he seemed to be genuinely considering that. "I see... You were trying to head off a problem before it became a problem. I can... see the thought process there, but you did it harshly. A warning against corruption would have sufficed." He paused there. "No... No. I take that back. Actually... You have a point."

Cheerilee sagged with relief. "T-thank you."

"Asking you to oversee every step of the process, after school, is a big ask... You already work so hard the entire day for these foals. However, I have a solution for you."

Cheerilee perked an ear. "You do?"

"Oh, yes. I know a pony that will keep an eye on things and will not broach a foal stepping out of line. Especially Diamond Tiara. You know her."

Cheerilee picked through the ponies Rich could be referring to. Female, knew money, would for sure keep Diamond in line... "You don't mean?"

"He wouldn't," gasped out Diamond.

"I'll send Spoiled. Every day after school, is it?"

"Except the weekends," advised Cheerilee, her voice tense in a new way. "Isn't she... busy?"

"She's not too busy to lend a hoof to the foals of the town." Filthy turned for the exit. "I'll make sure of that." He marched off, the topic slammed shut without another word from him.

Diamond flopped, head to her desk with a suffering groan.

Spike poked her though. "Hey. It's not all bad, is it?"

"You've met her! You know exactly how bad it is!" Diamond threw a hoof wide. "Dad... I know he means the best... Dad!" She thumped back down to the desk. She looked up as a hoof tapped on that desk. There was Cheerilee with an uncertain expression. "Yeah?"

Cheerilee coughed into a hoof. "It would seem I was... hasty. The position for editor-in-chief is available. Your mother will administer all the financial portions of the paper. Do you want the job?" She asked with a clear tone of it being possible Diamond wouldn't, considering.

Diamond shuffled her forehooves. "Ugh.... Yes... Yes! I will prove even to her that I'm doing it right..." She let out a slow sigh. "Dad..."

"He has a powerful personality." Cheerilee went to the front of the class. "Now, enough about that. We have a class!" And she began the day's lesson.

---

Spike walked alongside Diamond. "When did you stop being the editor?"

"One miserable night." Diamond huffed with annoyance. "Didn't you notice... me not being there yesterday?"

"I figured even you needed a break?" He shrugged helplessly.

"I'm not on the paper," defended Silver. "Not my thing."

Diamond lifted an ear, just for it to fall back. "Huh... This is our first... Huh..."

Silver went in closer. "Our first what?"

"We have a different hobby." She thumped against her friend. "And we're still BFFs."

"Forever," assured Silver with a smile, and adjusting her glasses. "You two seem to enjoy working on it. Spike--" He looked at her curiously. "--You ever consider doing a few girly comics? I know they, like, exist."

Spike's eyes widened. "I never even thought of that... You're a genius! Um, do you have one you like?"

"I love Teen Filly Hearthrob." She batted her lashes with a giggle. "They go over the recent fashions and the most up and coming bands."

Spike inclined at that. "Oh, but that sounds more like a magazine. What's a girly comic you like?"

Diamond bumped against him. "That sounds like a job for you. Figure it out. Meantime... While I was away, did you hear anything about anypony responding to our ad?"

It took Spike a quick second to shift gears. "Oh, yeah!" He shared the news that a few local businesses were ready to divest themselves of some burdensome bits. The paper's budget would expand.

---

"You look happy." Moon welcomed Spike into a firm hug. "School going well?"

"Yep! Also, think it's time for a report!"

Moon perked. "I'm very proud. Celestia will appreciate it, and I already do." She pulled over a paper and writing supplies. "Here you are."

"Thanks." He hopped up and got to writing. "Huh... Wish we had a typewriter, now that I got used to them."

"You can type?" Moon hiked a brow. "I'm impressed... Few can."

"It just takes practice..." even if he did look a bit proud about it. "Dear Princess Celestia..."

Dear Princess Celestia,

Hi, it's Spike! Did you know I'm working for a paper? It's a lot of work! But it's fun. Diamond got into a fight with Cheerilee, and her dad showed up... But I was impressed. He didn't yell at her or throw things around. He kept his cool the whole time, even if it was kinda obvious he was super mad.

Miss Cheerilee thought Diamond was up to no good, because other ponies had done bad things. Being a teacher is hard! Not a job I want, thanks. Um, but they worked it out and Diamond's back on the paper. Her mom's joining us, which isn't a part Diamond's excited about... But she gets to be editor again! Which is good... I like working with Diamond. Um, friendship! Back to that....

The friendship between a father and daughter can be a powerful thing. A potent force for good, or evil. I'm just glad Filthy is using it for the good guys.

Faithfully Yours,
Spike

Author's Note:

And... end episode, I think?

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Comments

[badninja]

I don’t know if I would trust Spoiled, but that is more about her canon self then anything else.

[David Silver]

11638577
That is a matter of what you're trusting her to do, or not do.

[Maulet Paya]

The principal problem with press , it needs money to work and the best way to win money are sponsors and publicity. The problem is that then the press is shackled to that same sponsors

[Venerable Ro]

11638580

Most would say that Spoiled can be trusted to turn anything she touches into a vanity project.

[David Silver]

11638707
So you expect her to not tolerate shenanigans with what she does, as it will reflect poorly on her and hurt her reputation. But giving her editorial control is a bad idea, as things will start to center about her and what she wants to hear about.

[Booster Spice]

Spike being asked to check female aimed comics? Maybe he should see what that one Lyras been proposing is all about.

My Little Human,

[David Silver]

11638838
Pfft, there's no way a proud manly dragon would enjoy that little filly's stuff.

[Booster Spice]

11638853

Good job its Spike then?

[TheGJ90]

11638853
"Looks at MLP and, more specifically, Equestria Girls."

Oh, the hilarious, pastel-colored irony!

Anyway, Filthy Rich went to bat for his kid, Diamond gets her position back thanks to her having a cooler head and Spike keeping her morals grounded just by existing.

Upsides: The Free Foal Press is running without a hitch, Cheerliee won't be too quick to judge from here on out, and Gabby Gums (so far) has been prevented from existing (the CMCs dodged a razor-sharp arrow in this universe).

Downsides: Spoiled Rich will be running the show now and, as we all know, she lives up to her name in a bad way. As a result, the uphill path that Diamond Tiara has been trotting just got steeper...

[huntar21]

I hope for a future chapter you have pear scam the flim flam bros of their cider squeezy using her charm and wit might make the farm life easier

[huntar21]

"Except the weekends," advised Cheerilee, her voice tense in a new way. "Isn't she... busy?"

Looks like even Cheerlie is even Scared of Spoiled rich LOL

[David Silver]

11641046
Filthy and Spoiled are a big chunk of the school's budget. She has reason to be cautious.

[howard035]

Great chapter. I feel like part of Filthy's motives, in addition to the stated ones, is punishing Cheerilee by inflicting Spoiled on her.