The Ties of Friendship

by AldenExMachina

Rating: everyone
Tags: Sad, Slice of Life
Length: 1995

SIlver Spoon questions her friendship with Diamond Tiara

Ever since school started school Silver Spoon had no luck with making any friends and didn't really no how, nor did she know the value of a true friend. This begins to change when she befriends Diamond Tiara and begins to question the value of their "friendship".

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2014-01-01 12:10:27 UTC

Prologue

Prologue

   There's a saying.  To make a friend you have to be a friend. But, in Silver Spoon's case this wasn't exactly an easy thing to do. When she first attended school she didn't have any friends at all, so she was a bit lonely for the first few weeks. She would go to school, go to class, and go on about her day never really talking to anypony, and nopony talked to her. She was always lonely and with both of  her parents mostly at work, she really wanted someone to call friend. That's when she met Diamond Tiara.

She also lived in Ponyville, same school and everything. They had just never really noticed each other before. That and both of their parents were loaded. Although one thing that stood out to Silver Spoon was that Diamond tiara's father seemed to be more present in her life than her mother who, as far as she knew, did not live with Tiara and her father, but her father seemed to be around more. She wished she could for her parents.

It was in the third week of school when Spoon met Tiara. Everypony was at recess playing while Silver Spoon kept to herself as she always did when she bumped into somepony, knocking her glasses off.

“Hey! Watch where you’re going!” the magenta pony said.

“Oh. Sorry, I guess I wasn't really paying attention.” Silver Spoon said picking her glasses up.

“No, you weren't. Who are you anyway? I don’t remember seeing you in class and you don’t look like you’re from Ponyville.”

“I’m not, not really.  I was born in Canterlot and moved here when I was a foal. I’m Silver Spoon.”

“I’m Diamond Tiara, my dad owns “Riches Barnyard Bargains.” Tiara said , a bit pridefully.

“Really? Who is he?” Silver asked.

“He’s Filthy Rich.” Tiara answered

“That’s great but, who is he?”

“He’s Filthy Rich!” Tiara answered again, a bit annoyed.

“I know you said, but what’s his name?”

“FILTHY RICH!” Tiara yelled.

“Oh! Sorry, I just thought that-”

“Yeah, you and most ponies who haven't heard of him.” Tiara sighed.

“So...your dad is the gift market retailer?”

“Yeah, we live here because of my dads business here, in Ponyville.” Tiara said, showing an expression of disappointment.

“Why do you say it like that? What’s wrong with Ponyville?” Silver asked.

“Well I’m not saying it’s a bad place or anything. It’s just so...country and plain.”

“Plain?” Silver asked.

“Well yeah. I’d much rather live in Canterlot. I’m mean come on, Ponyville is definitely not the place for us.” Tiara said

“Us?” Silver said, puzzled at Tiara’s words.

“Yeah us, we privileged ponies got to stick together. You know what? We should be friends!” Tiara said.

“We should?”

“Yeah! We’re both better than other ponies, are parents are both rich, and we’re the only ones like us at this school. Right?” Tiara said.

“Yeah, okay! Let’s be friends!” Silver Spoon said happily.

Silver Spoon couldn't believe it. She had actually made a new friend. Somepony to talk with, play with, and spend time with, and suddenly she didn't feel so lonely anymore. She and Diamond Tiara could be best friends forever and if making a friend was this easy, she thought that she could have a group of friends in no time. Maybe things wouldn't be so bad after all, but she had to wonder. Why, besides the fact that she really wanted a friend, did she decide to be friends

with Diamond Tiara?

Chapter 1: In a Perfect World...

Chapter 1

It was morning, and just like any other Monday morning in Ponyville there was school. Silver Spoon awoke to the warmth of the sun bleeding in through the curtains on the window. She sat up in bed, rubbed her eyes, picked up her glasses that were sitting on the end table beside her bed, and looked outside.  The sky was clear and blue. She hopped up out of bed, trotted into the hall, downstairs and into the kitchen.

On the kitchen table sat a note from her parents.  The note read: "Sorry honey, we had some business to attend to in town and will be back later tonight. Me and your father love you very much.".

"They always do this." Silver Spoon thought putting the letter back on the table.

She knew her parents loved her with all their hearts, but sometimes it was hard to show it. Seeing as how most of the time they were wrapped up with their business, they weren't around as much as she'd like them to be. She still loved them though and she understood, but she wished they could be together more and spend more time together as a family.

She sighed, went to the cabinet and got a box of cereal and a spoon and placed them on the table. Then went to the fridge, got a carton of milk and poured herself a bowl of cereal. She looked at the clock. It was 8:35 and 25 minutes until school started. That was enough time to do her hair, get her stuff and trot over to school, where yet again she would meet up with Diamond Tiara, her..."friend".

Still she pondered this. Why am I friends with her? She's always so mean to everypony else, sometimes even mean to me. Diamond Tiara was stuck, stuck in the same place and dragging Silver down with her. Silver Spoon didn't to be mean or be a bully. As a matter of fact when they first met, the real reason she became friends with her was because she was afraid that nopony else would accept her, and now she was afraid to try to approach anypony else because of her mean bully image. That they would shun her, treat her like she had treated them.

She didn't want that. The very idea brought a feeling of fear. It scarred her. But, that would mean taking a chance. Disconnecting with someone she's not sure she wants as a friend for ponies she wants as friends, but who aren't sure of her. And if that was the case, she would just end up friendless and alone again. Completely distrusted by everypony else.

She sighed. Finishing the bowel of chocolate cereal she got out of her chair, went to the bathroom, and did her hair. As she stood there looking at herself in the mirror she wondered. How must I look to everypony else. Maybe I am just nothing but a bully. Never really tried to make friends with anypony else, but I don't know how to. And that was the truth, she didn't know how to make friends, only how to push them away. She left the bathroom, got her saddlebags, and left out the door trotting down to school.

Upon reaching the schoolhouse other fillys and colts ran past her. Some laughing or talking to friends about how they hated having to come back to school after the weekend or about what they would do at recess or after school and some just minding there business and there was Diamond Tiara, waiting for her again.

"Silver Spoon where have you been? Do you know how long I've been waiting?" Tiara said.

"Sorry," Silver said apologetically, "I guess I just took my time this morning."

"Yeah whatever, come one let's go." Tiara said as Silver followed her, like always, inside.

They trotted in to the schoolhouse and sat at their desks. As she sat, she noticed three other ponies come in together, the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Diamond Tiara nudged Silver Spoon in her side whispered to her.

"Look, it's those blank flanks again." she said.

She didn't say that every day, just sometimes. Like a reminder to herself and even Silver that she was better than them. But Silver Spoon didn't think the same way. She looked on at them, not with disgust or a feeling of dislike, but with a longing. A longing to be part of their group, to share in their adventure and lessons and fun. Not just to walk around with Tiara, criticizing, judging.

A few minutes later all of her classmates found their seats and their teacher miss Cheeriliee came in and began the lesson, and as she talked her voice began to fade out in Silver's mind as she started to daydream. She imagined another world, a world where things were better, where she awoke in the morning to the smell of her dad's pancakes cooking and she walked in to her parents in the kitchen. Greeting her good morning and helping her to get ready. Her mom helps her with her hair, then she comes to the table to have some sweet, buttery pancakes.

Then she leaves for school, her parents both giving her a kiss and a wave goodbye as she trots down to the schoolhouse. And sees her friends Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo, waiting for her.

"Hey, Silver Spoon!" They all greet happily toward their friend.

"Hi girls!" she would say back.

Then they all go into school to talk and learn together, and then at recess they would play games with the other ponies or even just talk about whatever. Then after school they would hang out some more and try to help them find out what their cutie marks are seeing as how she already has hers. Then at the end of the day she would head back home back to her parents, have dinner and tell them about the fun she had with her friends, go to bed and wait for what the next great day had in store.

But then again this was her mind, a dream, and while dreams can be beautiful, complex, simplistic, amazing, blissful, or the one thing you wants so much, they are but dreams and we all have to face reality, one day or another. As she started to come back to the real world, Cheerilee's voice faded back in. She had been daydreaming again. She always did this. Usually when she was in class and there was no work to do and she could afford not to listen.

Eventually the bell for recess rang.

"Recess children! Have fun." Cheeriliee said.

All the kids ran out with yells of happiness, and Diamond Tiara told Silver Spoon to follow along. As they walked outside she stayed by Tiara's side like she always did. Loyal to the leader and still the follower. Yet again she looked at the Crusader, over there playing with Pip and Dinky. She wanted so much to join them, but yet again fear set in. Fear that they might judge her for her actions towards them from before, fear that they wouldn't accept her. The same fears that kept her friends with Tiara.

As they sat near the wall at recess, Diamond Tiara talked about what she usually talked about. Her hair, money, something she wanted, or worst case scenario what they could do to embarrass somepony else. Tiara confused her. She didn't know why she wanted to do these things. She just didn't understand, which made her believe even more that they shouldn't be friends. She didn't hate Diamond Tiara and she didn't want to shove her off like dirt, but she wanted something better than this.

Yet again she looked off into the distance and imagined playing with the friends she wish she could have. Yet again sinking into the dream she wished she could live in. She stopped paying attention and kept thinking about it until nudge hit her side.

"Silver Spoon are you even listening?" Tiara asked.

"Um..yeah. I'm listening, sorry." Silver said.

Diamond Tiara looked upset, but continued talking. She never asked what's wrong when she did that. She didn't really show that she cared. She just went on talking and treated Silver like she should be listening and and she should be talking. And as always Silver Spoon listened. Like always.