Ghost of the Everfree

by David Silver

24 - To Woo, er, Be Wooed by a Filly

"We need a tux." Diamond was digging through her wardrobe. They were in her home where she was rooting about. "At least for when you see them. Then you can go back to wearing whatever." It turned out she had a lot more than just clothes for her in that closet that she was busy throwing to the ground behind her. "I doubt you're suddenly going to be a fancy pony. That's not you, and it isn't what she wants, anyway."

Diamond grabbed a black and white suit and held it up against Dry. "Mmm, no..." She tossed it and resumed her rampage on her clothes. "Meeting her parents is the make or break for you. She made the first move, which you rubbed in her face." Diamond looked far too amused at that fact. "But that means she has to introduce you to them. Good on you, you don't have to do it yourself. But what they see still matters." She dug out another suit that was a pale green with no pizazz other than looking sharp, but it pleased her and she and set it against Dry. "Better!"

She casually tossed it over his back. "Put it on and see how it fits."

Dry grabbed it in his mouth and nodded, scurrying off to do just that.

"Kids these days." Diamond shook her head softly. "There's a changing room right there." She pointed to a convenient corner of her room. "Get in there and try it. Now, while you work on that, we need to talk about other things. You are not a well to do pony. Some ponies are going to assume that's why you have any interest in her. And don't tell me she acted first! That won't make a difference!" Diamond cut across her throat with a swipe of a hoof.

"Charming a mare into making the first move isn't impossible. Now, lucky you, I know you. You didn't do that. I know her too, and she didn't do that. Point remains that you have to show you're 'worth' her, even if the two of you are alright with the situation." She thumped the divider between them. "Welcome to the upperclass life!"

"I am not trying to tell you this." He poked his head out. "It fits a bit oddly. I think it is because I am not from here." He had an Everglow body, minus his mane, which didn't count for much.

"Come out here and let me see it." She waved Dry out of his hiding place and examined him critically. "Alright, close enough. We can get the rest fixed." She clapped her forehooves together. "But it means we don't have to get a whole new suit, so that's a plus. Now, public attitude! You don't want to roll over too easily, because that would go right in the other direction."

"Other direction?" Dry wriggled free of the suit in a set of contortions and kicks that left the suit on the floor. "What's the other direction?"

"Duh." Diamond rolled her eyes. "The other options is that she is the one pulling you around. You're there just because it amuses her, poor you." She leaned in. "Closer to the truth if we're honest, but that's not the whole truth, now is it?"

Dry swallowed thickly. "I-I though we were friends, and we share a goddess. And she wants to court me and I'm still new at that but I am willing to try!"

"You don't need to convince me." Diamond patted him on the shoulder gently. "This is about convincing the rest of the world, and not by shouting that, let me tell you. It's about what you do and, possibly just as important, how you do it. Now, point in your favor! She's mentioned Luminace before. It's already a known fact she's all over that alicorn." She clucked her tongue softly as she reached out and batted at Dry's holy symbol.

"So that gives you an edge. You two have a common point ponies can see and grasp easily enough. This means don't take that off. It's as much a part of the bond between you two as anything else. And there will be others. I can't imagine Silver Spoon won't get you a gift or two... or three? Wear what you can wear, but don't throw it in pony's faces. Just wear them and go about your day. Having them in view sends the right message."

She turned slowly in place. "But, again, works both ways. You'll have to get her some gifts. If only she showers you, yep, obviously she's the one calling all the shots and you're the victimized lower class being yanked around by the rich filly that they can't say no to." Diamond scowled at Dry as if remembering something from the past. "You don't want that."

Being courted by a high-class filly came with more strings than he had thought of originally. "I see. I don't have a job... How do I get her a gift that's worth her time?" He could imagine the jewels being shown in that store. None of them were free... "I don't have parents to ask for an allowance."

"About that." Diamond prodded Dry suddenly. "How old are you? Are you a foal? A foal foal? Or a stallion foal? Give me a hint!" She threw up a hoof as the others carried her away fitfully. "You being from another world makes that hard to guess. Trust me, other ponies will guess. High, low, they'll guess."

Dry considered Diamond a moment. "I don't think we're that far apart? Um... I'm fifteen years old. Old enough to stand on my own." He flashed a nervous smile. "Young enough to not be good at it."

Diamond cocked a brow at the admission. "You're older than us?! You don't act it." She prodded at the colt as if that was somehow his fault. "Well... That throws an entanglement into things. Some will say you used your rugged otherworldly charms on her. There's not a lot we can do about that." She lowered her brows. "If it helps, you're close enough it'll stop mattering eventually if you two stick together."

Dry watched her pacing. "We're both learning how to be adults. Um, if it helps, I know so little about this world. I feel very behind you."

"Again, don't need to convince me." Diamond waved a hoof at that idea. "Alright, I'll lend a hoof. But you can't tell anypony." She thrust a hoof at her own chest. "I have bits. We can shower Silver Spoon in things she likes, but you better treat her right. If I find out I was financing a bad time, I will end you and don't even think I'm exaggerating!" Her voice became an almost shrill shout at Dry as she glared him down with deadly intent.

That she was a spell caster that could bring pain with a glare didn't help. "Got it?"

"Got it." Dry sank to his haunches, even if he was trembling a little. They had a scary friend in Diamond Tiara. "I will do my best, promise. I don't want her to be sad. I don't want to be sad either. Um... If... If things don't work out, is there a graceful way to end it without being hurt?" He didn't look forward to being hurt!

"Wow... No." She shook her head slowly. "Unless the two of you come to the realization at the same exact moment and share it, again, at the same moment, it will probably involve a pony, either you or her, being hurt. That's how relationships work." She performed an especially slow golf clap of her hooves. "Still, points to you for even thinking of that. Shows you're thinking ahead, I like that."

"Now, I say that, but she started this." She smirked at Dry with a wicked intent. "If you dump her, which I am not suggesting, you are absolved of most of your wrongdoing. She tried to court you, and failed. It will be egg all over her face. Still... talk to me first, alright? Give me a chance to work things out." She leaned in with a charming smile, as if he imagined all the malice. "I am both of your friends. I want you two to be happy."

"Right, of course! Thank you, for helping me." He set his right hoof on the abandoned suit. "I would have been so lost if you weren't there. Seriously, I am grateful."

These were all facts Diamond knew, but it was so nice to hear them said out loud. "Let's go over how to greet a grown mare of a superior social class." She raised a brow. "Because you're doing that. You may be older than us a little, but you aren't even close to Silver's mom's age, and thank goodness for that!"

Dry blushed, his entire face warming at the even idea of being that old. "That would be inappropriate... unless our parents decided for us."

Diamond cocked a brow at him as silence fell across the room. She was gazing at him like the alien he was, as if he had just said something so inconceivable to her that she struggled to put the pieces together. "Wow... Gonna... put that one right under 'glad I'm not in Everglow anymore' if they do things like that."

"It's not like that!" He hurried to her, even if she wasn't facing him anymore. "That isn't a common thing at all. I'd be very surprised. But if a noble, or your mom, says you're marrying someone, um, you get married." He rubbed at his cheek helplessly. "I never saw it happen, just heard of it, really!"

Diamond dismissed it with a flick of her tail. "Lucky for us, you have no mom around to say you're married." She turned back to Dry with a smirk. "You're on your own, and you attracted the attention of Silver Spoon, lucky you. So, to be clear, never bring that up ever again. That'll bring the head on Silver's parents, who didn't do anything, and it won't matter."

"Forgotten!" He saluted the best he could. "About the suit?"

"I'm bringing you to a tailor tomorrow." Diamond grabbed up the suit in her mouth and dropped it on one of many cabinets. "Today we work on you. You don't want to embarrass her, right?"

"Right!" He bobbed his head quickly. "Please teach me your ways."

Diamond burst into giggles. "I like the way that sounds. Alright, student. Sit down, shut up, and listen to what I'm saying."

And the advanced study in... Well, alright, advanced was going a little too far. Diamond settled with teaching him the basics so he wouldn't make a fool of himself or Silver when he was addressing ponies of higher status. "Now, I'm told you're a nerd." Diamond batted at Dry's holy symbol.

"Um... What does that mean?" It was not a word he'd ever heard of before.

"You don't know? A nerd is someone who studies a lot. A bookworm, a know-it-all. In training, in your case." She sat on her haunches and crossed her arms. "You and Silver Spoon. Nerds."

"You keep saying it like it's an insult..."

"It is, to some ponies. Fortunately, I'm already your friend." She rolled a hoof. "I was getting to a point. As a nerd, you will want to do nerdy things. You'll need these skills to go up to ponies with the bits and ask them to finance things. Most of them aren't nerds, I should note, but they like looking good. Having their name attached to some big discovery? That makes them feel good. You have to sell them on that possibility."

"Oh... But I'm just... I'm in school." He inclined his head. "A person in training isn't going to start any projects that anyone would want to invest in, and I'd feel awful taking their money."

"That doesn't mean it's early to start learning the ropes." She turned away. "Speaking of that, help me clean up. We made quite a mess getting your stuff." Diamond made the mess. She was entirely responsible for the mess she made. That didn't stop her from making her request.

Author's Note:

Foals converse and I love it.

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[Booster Spice]

Learning the ropes? Sailing ships or ballista?