The Honorary Crusader

chapter 6

Diamond Tiara hung her head and came inside to see her father by the fireplace, smoking his pipe. She didn't even bother talk to him. Every time she did now, he would just scold her and crush her inside. Didn't anypony realize that even a heartless, cruel earth princess had feelings? Diamond Tiara relocated on her life, all she did was make fun of the Cutie Mark Crusaders for not having their cutie marks yet, they would get them soon, why did she constantly make fun of them for it? 

"Diamond Tiara?" Filthy Rich spotted his daughter.

Diamond Tiara didn't speak to him. She just carried herself to her bedroom and shut the door behind her. She knew if she talked with her father, the only thing it would bring would be trouble and pain. She pounced into her bed and started to cry her eyes out, feeling that the Cutie Mark Crusaders were gone forever and there wasn't anything she could do about it.

"Wow, I never saw Diamond Tiara cry before." 

"Ah know, it's weird!"

"It's like... She has feelings or something..."

"Stop haunting me, guilty conscience!" Diamond Tiara whipped her head up in angered sadness. Her eyebrows angry over her tear soaked eyes and she punched her pillow.

"Guilty conscience? What's she talking about?"

"Maybe she has a soul..."

Diamond Tiara turned, sniffled and saw the Cutie Mark Crusaders were really there and not just a figment of her guilty imagination. She was almost the image of King Coltius in William Shakemare's Hambone, only she sent away her worst enemies and didn't try to murder her brother and nephew all in one big sick, twisted project for royalty. 

"Sweetie Belle? Apple Bloom? Scootaloo?" Diamond Tiara got off her bed and spotted them, her tears still dripping from the sides of her face.

"Wow, you know our names, that's an accomplishment." Scootaloo remarked, looking dull to be in Diamond Tiara's bedroom.

"I heard you guys got adopted." the filly dismissed the Pegasus pony's snarky nature, and still seemed focused on the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

"We were, only your daddy won the auction between himself and Mrs. Chris Alice." Sweetie Belle explained.

"Auction?" Diamond Tiara tilted her head.

"Yeah, your pa is a lot more nicer and a better pony citizen than you are, Diamond Tiara!" Apple Bloom added, sounding scorned.

"Well, excuse me!" Diamond Tiara flipped her mane, looking irked with them than happy to see them now. "I was just sick and tired of you guys stealing my best pony friend forever! Silver Spoon was just like me, we do everything together, then you guys come along, and she doesn't even have a cutie mark, she's a blank flank just like you!"

"That is enough, Diamond Tiara!" Filthy Rich had come in and witnessed the act behind the door and shut it behind him. "I'm taking the fillies home, I'm not going to make you apologize for your wrong doing, I'll do it for you, I just want you to know that I am VERY disappointed in you!"

Diamond Tiara hung her head in shame.

Filthy Rich came to the Cutie Mark Crusaders. "Come on, fillies, I'll take you home. I'm sure everypony will be glad to have you back."

"Thanks, Mr. Rich!" the ponies cheered together.

Filthy Rich smiled at them. He envied that the families had three cheerful and sweet ponies to keep them. Even Scootaloo looked well-behaved compared to Diamond Tiara. He lashed one last death glare at his daughter, then walked with the fillies to take them to their rightful homes. 

"Welcome home, it's so good to have my little grandpony back!" Granny Smith cheered once Apple Bloom was brought back home.

"You're very welcome, Granny Smith," Filthy Rich smiled at her. "And this is for your trouble." he handed her a bag of gold coins.

"Oooh! Fancy, schmancy, huh? Thank you, Stinky Money!" 

"Uh, Filthy Rich."

"My bad!"

Apple Bloom giggled and rushed inside her home to be with her brother and sister and ever-loving granny.

Filthy Rich smiled, then went to take Sweetie Belle home. 

"Oh, I'm ever-so thankful that you have brought back my little sister," Rarity beamed. "Sweetie Belle, how would you like to have some ice cream for a late dinner?"

"Thanks, Rarity, but I'm really tired, how about ice cream for breakfast?" Sweetie Belle grinned, innocently.

"I'll see what I can do," Rarity laughed, rushing her to bed. "Thank you, Filthy Rich. I guess you're best pony in my book."

"Thank you, Miss Rarity, and here, for your trouble." Filthy Rich handed a bag of gold coins.

"Oh, thank you so much! Good night, now." Rarity smiled politely.

Filthy Rich smiled. 

Now it was time to take Scootaloo home. 

"So, Scootaloo, will your parents be at the house?" Filthy Rich asked.

"Nah, they're still not home," Scootaloo said, glancing at the ground as she followed him. "They're just away."

"Scootaloo, forgive me for asking, but do you have any parents? I had never seen them. According to Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, you brought Rainbow Dash for your Family Appreciation Day project and they've been gone for so long."

"Well, Mr. Rich, you see," Scootaloo looked into his eyes. "My pop has gone around the world to protect us from bad ponies from his past. He had gone on so many adventures, that he made some enemies along the way, and they could hurt me, my mother, and my sister, though she seems to be doing fine so far."

"Wait, you really do have a sister?" Filthy Rich wondered.

"Yes, Miss Cheerilee is actually my sister, that's how I got into school after my parents left home," Scootaloo explained. "Don't tell anypony else I said that though, we like to keep it secret."

"Oh, then where is your mother?"

"Don't tell anypony this either, but my mother is in Canterlot being a royal guard. They don't let mares in, so my mother pretended to be a stallion in order to join and provide for us once they both come home to see me. I still see them on Christmas. They sometimes come for my birthday and Hearts & Hooves Day, but not often."

"Wow, Scootaloo, you must be so proud. They know Rainbow Dash?"

"My parents and Rainbow Dash's parents are old friends, so they usually got Rainbow Dash to come over and check up on me like a sister since Cheerilee is busy with her own life. I'm okay though."

Filthy Rich smiled at her again. "You're a very noble and special Pegasus, Scootaloo."

"I know," Scootaloo smiled proudly, then they came up to her house. "Well, I better get going."

"Here, Scootaloo, for your trouble." Filthy Rich handed the gold coins like he did with Granny Smith and Rarity.

"Oh, Mr. Rich, I couldn't..."

"Please, for the sake of your well-being and your parents."

"Well... Okay... Thank you, sir. Good night."

"Good night, Scootaloo, take very good care."

Scootaloo smiled at him, took the gold and went inside her home to sleep. Filthy Rich smiled back, then went his way home. And with that, it was a peaceful Ponyville night in comparison to last night.