Heart Of Silver

Chapters

"A Whole New World"
"Upendi"
"Colors of the Wind"
"Stranger Like Me"
"Touch the Sky"
"You'll be in My Heart"
"Into the Open Air" (Part 1)
"Into the Open Air" (Part 2)
"When You're the Best of Friends"
"Poor Unfortunate Soul"

"A Whole New World"

"A whole new world
A new fantastic point of view
No one to tell us no
Or where to go
Or say we're only dreaming"

“Hey Silver, you coming?” Diamond asked.

“Nah, I’ll see about having lunch with somepony else today,” she replied and watched her friend leave the classroom. She was probably going to meet up with Sweetie Belle and the others down at Sugarcube Corner.

Silver Spoon glanced around the classroom as ponies filed out. She left and walked down the hallway towards the front doors, letting her mind wandered off, thinking about where she could possibly go for lunch; some place other than the Corner.

Lost in her thoughts she paid little attention to where she was going. In that moment, she walked straight into another pony who shared her absent-minded pace. The two of them stumbled, Silver’s hoof locked between the other ponies front legs and they both crumbled to the ground.

“Ugh…” The other pony groaned as she picked herself up.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to... I mean, I wasn’t watching where I was going. Sorry,” Silver Spoon stammered as she sat up. She looked up to see two ponies standing in front of her, both of them were only a year or so younger than her.

The pony she had collided with had a lavender coat and a turquoise mane with eyes to match. The other, the one she had been speaking with, was a unicorn who had a light red coat and darker red mane. The unicorn just snickered with a hoof over her muzzle.

However, the earth pony she had bumped into simply smiled at her and offered her a hoof. “It’s alright. We’re in no rush and I should have been paying attention to where I was going too.”

Accepting the offered hoof, she stood up and shook her tail, to free the dust that had gotten into it. “Okay, well I guess I’ll be going. Sorry again.”

“Wait, so you’re just going to go like that? No, ‘Stupid fillies’ or ‘Blank Flank’ comments or anything?” It was the red unicorn who spoke. She stopped and just looked at the unicorn with a puzzled confusion painted across her face.

“Well, I’m Aura, and this is Berry Pinch. We’re heading to lunch, would you like to join us?” the lavender earth pony said giving her friend a sharp glance.

Aura and Berry Pinch started walking towards the door, without waiting for an answer from her, so she just decided to follow them out the door.

“So where are we going to go eat?” Silver asked curiously.

“Well, a new place just opened up. I don’t remember the name of it, but it’s supposed to have the best hay in all of Ponyville!” Berry Pinch said with a huge grin. “Also, where’s Diamond Tiara, I always thought the two of you were inseparable.”

Aura spoke up, “Good point, Pinch. Why aren’t you with Diamond?”

“Well, I was going to have lunch by myself today. She’s with some of her friends down at The Corner.” She shrugged it off not wanting to sound desperate for new friends.

Berry chuckled looking at Aura who just gave her a glare in return. Aura looked back at Silver Spoon, her expression softened. “Well doesn’t that suck. I’m guessing you don’t like these new friends of hers. Am I right?”

Berry pitched in her two cents once again, “Maybe she’s dating one of them!”

This made Silver Spoon almost trip over her own hooves. She was completely unprepared for it, but it could have very well been true. She rebuilt her composure, “It’s not that I don’t like them, but I just don’t feel comfortable around them. The Crusaders can be a bit overwhelming at times. Besides, no colts there for her to date.”

“Wait, so Diamond Tiara. Thee Diamond Tiara. The same Diamond Tiara that bullied and tortured and picked on those three fillies for years is now friends with all three of them? Just like that?” Berry Pinch grumbled for a moment then spoke again, “I’m going to need a drink after school. You look like you could use one too.” she lifted an eyebrow to Silver Spoon then gave Aura a smile and a wink.

Aura simply blushed a little and turned her face away from Silver Spoon. She whispered something into Berry Pinch’s ear. Whatever she had said made Pinch simply laugh and nod her head.

“Um, yeah… She’s not as bad as she was when we were in grade school. Diamond’s changed, I swear,” Silver spoke quietly, feeling somewhat awkward, “And… actually, a drink sounds nice…”

“Well good to hear you say that because I just happen to be digging into my mom's liquor locker tonight. Party at my place!” she shouted galloping off down a side street. Aura followed her. Silver Spoon sighed and followed the two mares down the road, they turned a corner and stood there, in front of a small building nestled between an obnoxiously loud bar and a local laundry mat.

The place was called, ‘CrackleCorn’, all one word. There was a sign next to the door which read, “Welcome to the CrackleCorn, the only Corn in Equestria which crackles and makes you cackle.” Under that, it said, “We also sell a variety of breakfast, lunch and dinner items.”

“This the place?” Aura asked Berry Pinch quietly.

“Yeah, but honestly I want to go next door.”

“You’re too young. Only six more months.”

“I’m legal damnit! Don’t try to tell me where I can and can’t go!”

“Sure, whatever, have fun getting arrested.” Aura laughed as Berry Pinch simply stomped and kicked at the ground in frustration.

“Well, should we go inside, I’m kind of hungry,” Aura said looking at Silver Spoon.

“Sure, I can pay for us if you’d like,” Silver Spoon offered, taking a few steps towards the door.

Suddenly the door burst open and a younger pony was thrown out like a pile of trash. He quickly scrambled to his feet and ran back to the door just to get a hoof to the face which knocked him onto the ground once more. “Yeah? Well then, I didn’t want to eat here anyways! I’ll just tell everypony you piss in your soups and spit in their foods!”

“Hey girls, don’t eat here, the waitresses are real skanks, they probably work next door at night.” He sat down rubbing his forehead where he’d been hit.

Aura tilted her head. “Rumble? What the hell happened to you?”

“Oh! Hey Aura, how’ve you been? Actually. Better question. Why haven’t I seen you in my bed yet?”

“Rumble, you haven’t been to school for almost a week or two. What happened to you, dude?” Berry Pinch asked.

“Well.” He shook his head and just looked at the Aura then at Berry Pinch. Apparently, she was invisible to this inebriated idiot. “ooh 'kay. umm… First!” he sat there with a hoof held in the air for at least a solid minute or two. “Where are we?”

“We’re at the CrackleCorn, CC for short. You just got kicked out and punched in the face. Why?” Silver Spoon said, feeling a little ignored at this point.

“OH SHIT! It’s Silver Spoon!” He jumped onto all four and stood between her and the other two mares. “I’ll handle this beast! I’m fuckin’ fireproof!”

He burped and lost his balance falling backward into Berry Pinch. He looked up at her, “You wouldn’t happen to have anything to drink with you, would you, Berry Pinch. You always have something to drink. Even at school, where it’s not allowed.”

Silver Spoon simply shook her head. “Rumble, right? Look, why don’t you go on home and get some rest or something, I think you may or may not be a little drunk.”

Rumble gave her his attention now, “You know, when Diamond Tiara’s not around you, you’re much more pretty.”

“Don’t you mean she’s prettier when Diamond’s not around?” Aura said with a small flushness to her cheeks, “Look she does have a good point, you should go home Rumble.”

“But… I was just in there having a drink,” He pointed his left hoof towards the bar to their left, and then raised his other hoof towards the food joint in front of them. “I have no idea how I got in there!”

Silver looked at the two fillies. “What are we supposed to do with him?”

Berry Pinch looked down at him, “Do you want to go to Shady Daze’s?”

“Can’t. I’m too drunk to go to Butter’s.”

“Do you mean Button’s?” Aura asked.

“Yeah, Button’s.”

Berry looked up at Aura and mouthed something, Aura answered her silently before they both looked down at him. Berry Pinch opened her mouth first, “Well, it looks like you’re coming home with me.” She shouldered him back to a standing position and he leaned against him for a moment before life flooded his eyes again and he began bouncing around as excited as a schoolyard colt.

Aura moved to stand next to Silver Spoon and as soon as Berry had Rumble out of earshot Aura began to whisper. “She’s going to take him to her house, see if she can’t sober him up before our party tonight. I’m going to fetch Shady Daze from Button’s house. Wanna come with?”

Silver Spoon shrugged; she was hungry but it could wait. “Sure, but aren’t we going to be late getting back to school?”

“Yeah, actually, we might not be going back to school today. Shady Daze wasn’t at school today and Button Mash is homeschooled for the most part. I have no idea why Rumble was out drinking at noon on a school day.” She shook her head before turning and walking in the opposite direction the other two had gone.

SIlver Spoon just followed Aura. “So we’re going to get Shady from Button’s place?

Aura tilted her head back and just looked at her. Her eyes were shining as she stared at Silver. However, she said nothing before turning to look forward again.

Silver Spoon caught up and trotted next to her, “I’ll take that as a yes,” she paused for a moment and looked over at Aura, who simply looked down and away from her. “You okay?” she finally asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Aura said passively.

“You sure? You seem, distracted. Do you have a crush on Rumble?” Silver was pretty sure this wasn’t the case, but it was worth a shot.

“Nah, he’s nothing special, always hitting on everypony and bad-mouthing any pony who inconveniences him.”

“Than why help him?”

“Well, Berry Pinch and him are drinking buddies, and they usually try to help each other out when stuff like this happens. I just roll with whatever they happen to do.” Aura looked at the ground and her pace slowed slightly.

Silver Spoon slowed to match the pace, “So what. You just go with the flow and see where things end up?”

“Yeah, pretty much, Berry Pinch is always stealing her mom’s liquor and oftentimes Rumble and Shady Daze are there to help drink it.” Aura looked up at Silver Spoon, and then over her shoulder. “I swear, those two are perfect for each other. Always wasted or trying to find a way to get wasted. Their minds are about as clean as Applejack’s barn.”

“That’s pretty bad. so why aren’t they together?” she asked tilting her head a little.

“Well I talked to Berry about it but she just said they were better off being, as she put it, ‘friends with benefits.’ Berry also said that she wasn’t sleeping with him though I don’t know how much of that is actually true. You know how he is.”

Aura sighed as Silver Spoon fell speechless. “I’m sorry Silver, I just need to vent, usually I’m not like this. Those two have been doing this at least once or twice a week for awhile now. Not saying I can’t hold my spirits down, but, I’m kind of tired of it always ending up with me watching them get drunk and they’re always all over each other every time one of them throws a party. Berry always drags me to them. I usually stop them before they start grinding. Freaking Rumble.”

This time, Aura began to walk faster, steam practically rising from her ears. Silver had no trouble keeping up with Aura’s quick pace and soon enough they were standing in front of Button’s house. Aura took a deep breath and smiled at her real quick before walking up to the door and ringing the bell.

While they waited, standing in front of the closed door, Aura bent her head and whispered, “Whatever you do, we can’t stay very long, so when she offers you anything just politely say no.”

A cream colored pony opened the door and offered them in, Aura stepped in first and Silver Spoon followed closely behind her, Button’s mom simply gazed at the two of them, “Nice to see you again Aura, who’s this?”

“My name’s Silver Spoon, it’s nice to meet you,” she said as politely as she could.

“Oooh, you’re Diamond Tiara’s friend, right?”

“Yes, I am,” Silver half expected her to explode and start yelling at her about either her or Diamond’s actions towards her son, they must have bullied him at some point. Button’s mom simply smiled and turned back towards the kitchen. Silver Spoon and Aura followed her.

“If you’re here for my baking, then you’re in luck because my muffins are almost ready!” She chuckled.

“We’re just looking for Shady,” Aura said softly.

“Sorry,” Silver Spoon added quietly not wanting to be rude.

Button’s mom simply waved a hoof, “It’s fine girls, him and Button are in the basement playing video games.”

“Thanks,” they both said in unison before heading through to the staircase laughing a little.

“Hey Silver, you owe me a cup of cider,” Aura said with a giggle.

Aura opened the door and Silver Spoon had expected to hear the sounds of television. Aura led the way down the stairs, the lights were off, except for a flickering light from the opposite side of the room, behind some hanging blanket walls.

Aura sudden had the face of a pony struggling hard not to laugh aloud. Silver Spoon opened her mouth to ask but Aura put her hoof against Silver’s muzzle than tipped her head towards the blankets. “Listen,” she whispered.

Silently the two of them crept towards the blanket wall, now Silver Spoon could hear it and she almost laughed out loud herself.

“I don’t see the thrill in this Button,” Shady said over the sounds coming from the TV set.

“Come on, this was your idea,” Button said with a nervousness in his voice.

“No, it wasn’t, Rumble told us to do this. I can think of a few reasons why he would.”

“Me too. Like seeing how gay you are. At least, that’s what he told me.” Button laughed a little but Shady just grunted.

Silver was so tempted to just burst in and start laughing at the two of them. It was beyond funny that they happened to show up at this specific moment. Aura just sat down silently laughing her own ass off.

“Yeah, I still don’t see the appeal,” Shady said sounding a little annoyed by the gay joke.

“Me either, but it’s hot, gotta give Rumble credit, he’s got good taste. Not to say you don’t… I mean, Twist is pretty cute… I mean… uh…” Button continued to ramble on nonsensically.

“Well, I gotta say he’s not bad looking, So yeah, Rumble’s got magnificent taste.” They both shared a laugh.

At this point Silver Spoon was laughing so hard she was making little squeaks, luckily neither of the boys noticed it. Aura was laying on the floor at this point with both her hooves covering her muzzle.

“Well, I’m not going to use this, you can feel free to,” Shady said with a chuckle.

“I want to, but, you’re just going to watch me the whole time! It’ll be awkward!” Button’s voice cracked on the last words he spoke.

“I promise, I won’t watch you tug on yourself, you’re like a brother to me, I’d rather watch whatever this shit is Rumble gave you,” He laughed as Button made an unsatisfied grunt.

“Why don’t you just go upstairs and talk to my mom or something, I can smell her cooking somethin’ up there!”

“Nah, it’s more fun sitting here watching you struggle not to beat it.”

Silver Spoon took a deep breath and slowly breathed out. She looked over at Aura who was recomposing herself as well. A huge smile stretched from ear to ear. They both nodded and poked their heads through opposite sides of a blanket.

“Hey there boys,” Aura said in an overly feminine voice.

“How are things hangin’?” Silver asked from the opposite side of the boys.

Silver Spoon looked down at a young slender stallion who was laying on the couch. He had his hooves tucked underneath him. Just past him sat a light brown stallion laying flat on his back completely exposed in a recliner that sat next to the couch.

Hearing a moan from the television, she turned to see a cream colored mare laying on top of a dark brown stallion with a light blue pegasus bent over her.

“Really Button? She looks like your mom, you know?” Aura said with a smile as the young colt rolled over, effectively covering himself as he scrambled to find the remote. Shady just laid there looking at Aura.

Eventually the Television turned off and Button scrambled to his hooves. “What the hell, Aura!”

“Yeah, what the hell, Shady!” Aura countered with a huge grin still on her face.

“Wait, don’t you dare pin this on me, I had no idea you were here!” Shady said as he got off the couch. He turned around and looked at Silver Spoon.

Silver smiled at him and walked through the curtains, “You know, It’s been awhile since we last talked Shady. But I gotta say, catching you two down here like this is priceless!”

Button turned around and saw her. His facial expression was one of sinking despair, “Don’t tell me, Diamond Tiara’s here? Please tell me she’s not! Oh, Celestia! What if she saw or heard this! My reputation is as good as dead!”

He immediately stuck his head out of the curtains and glanced around. Aura fully entered the small enclosure, “She’s not here, it’s just me and Spoon.”

“Are you sure? She’s slimier than the acidic spit of the Qui’lan from Aliens Incognito.” Button looked at each of them, his face was red and his eyes were as open wide. Silver Spoon simply tilted her head to one side wondering where he was going with this.

“The Qui’lan are like giant bugs with huge wings, they spit this slimy acid that can melt through adamantium walls three layers thick! Nothing can stop it! It eats and eats and spreads and eats and spreads! Like Diamond Tiara’s rumors!” He sat on the floor and cowered for a moment.

“Look, I promise not to tell Tiara about your little adventure,” Silver Spoon said with a wink.

Aura down at Button, “Dude, it’s just porn. Everyone has watched it at some point in their life. Quit making such a big deal about it.”

Shady simply nodded in agreement. “So why are you two here?”

“Well, actually we were looking for you. We ran into Rumble while we were out for lunch, He was being kicked out of a restaurant, thinking it was a bar. We figured we should come get you, Berry Pinch is taking him over to her house for the night. Also, we’re throwing a mini-party tonight and were wondering if you two would like to come.” Aura said walking over to stand next to Shady.

Button finally stood up. “I think I’m going to just stay home tonight… Have fun Shady!”

“I think you’re going to have more fun tonight than I am,” he said looking over his shoulder. The young colt just shrugged as his face turned bright red. “and Aura has a point, she does look like your mom, Button”

Aura laughed and Shady winked at him as his flushed face turned even brighter.

Silver sat down and looked around the room. There was a set of shelves stocked full of comic books and other reading material. She looked closer to a set of red bindings which had large golden numbers at the top of each issue. Along the binding of each book was a different title, as she scanned them she recognized the title of one of them. Stalkers of Alagar. She had read the book in school once because she was bored to tears. She had found it really interesting and actually liked it though she had no idea what series it was from or what issue it was. She had honestly thought it was a stand alone story.

Standing up, she walked over to the bookshelf and pulled it out, examining the front of the cover. “I’ve read this one,” she said looking over at Button. “You collect these stories?”

“That’s a comic book, Silver,” he said walking over to stand next to her. “I have the whole series in first edition! This one is actually the fourteenth in the Alagan series. You see, this story is unique, though, it follows a completely different group of Alagarians who are stalking the main characters. The main characters are on a quest to stop the Alagarians from creating and using a wormhole to destroy planets they deemed worthy of destruction.”

Silver cut him off, “I know, I’ve read this one. The main characters are a rebel group who ends up helping the Cyntria group from behind the scenes. It’s so interesting. I thought this one was a stand alone story. I didn’t know it was part of a twenty-five book set!”

She watched as Button took the comic from her hooves and put it back where it belonged. He then pulled another book off the shelf and handed it to her, “Here’s the first book of the series. Cyntrian Defence is probably one of my favorite space series ever! It opens with the Cyntrian defenses trying to defend their planet from an alien bombardment. They end up having to evacuate the planet! The aliens destroy as many of the escaping pods and ships as they can but this ship the main character’s ship has stealth technology, something very rare and new to the Cyntrians. They-”

“Don’t spoil it all! I already want to read it!” Silver said with a smile as she nabbed the book from his hoof and opened it.

“Um, I’m glad you two have found common grounds in space over there, but we really need to be moving along now,” Aura said with a smirk. “Let’s leave the poor colt to his private business.”

“Oh, right. Sorry.” Silver closed the book and put it back on the shelf.

“You can take it with you if you’d like,” Button was blushing a little.

“That’s alright, I can come by later and pick it up, I don’t want to lose it tonight or something. Besides, I have nothing to carry it in.” Silver turned and walked over to stand beside Shady and Aura.

Shady smiled at the two girls and then turned to Button. “You know where to find us if you want to join us tonight, right?”

“Yeah, Berry Pinch’s house, right?”

“Yup!” Aura said with a matter-of-fact tone to her voice. She turned and ducked through the blanket wall. The other two followed close behind.

“C’ya later, Button.” Silver Spoon said as she ducked through the blankets and followed the other two back upstairs.

“Hey, there you three! The muffins are ready. If you’re leaving, why not take some with you. I’m sure Rumble would be happy to have them.” Button’s mom appeared out of nowhere with a huge smile on her face and a giant bag of muffins already packed.

Silver Spoon heard Aura’s voice softly whisper into her ear, “How’d she know we were going to see Rumble?”

“Not a clue,” Silver whispered in return.

Shady nodded and thanked her for the muffins, grabbing the bag in his jaws he turned and lead the way out.

Author's Note

I'm hoping to see some comments, good or bad!

Also Show all the love you want to Guy_Incognito for allowing me to use his characters in my story! :D It's an honor to have Rumble, Shady Daze, and Button Mash here for the ride!

"Upendi"

"You better watch your step
Cause the path's steep
You better hold your breath
The water's deep
It's a long way down off a Lover's leap
But falling is half the fun"

“Alright. We’re here,” Aura announced.

Silver Spoon and Shady Daze followed her through the front door of Berry Pinch’s place. The house wasn’t too large though it was two stories. at first glance, it appeared to have three or four rooms on the first floor, and like most houses in Ponyville probably only had two bedrooms upstairs.

“My bits are that they’re in the kitchen,” Aura said with exhaustion.

“Really? Umm… I guess my bits are on Pinch’s room,” Silver Spoon said with a knowing smile.

“Nah, it’s the kitchen,” she said glancing back at Silver Spoon.

“How do you know?”

“Well, Rumble is drunk, he’ll want food and more to drink. I bet you Pinch is now as smashed as he was when we found him.” She let loose a small sigh before venturing into the house.

There were light sounds echoing down the hall towards them. Silver Spoon frowned as she noticed Aura’s pace speed up her strut. She may as well have been a very angry train about ready to come off her tracks.

As they rounded the corner into the kitchen, they found Berry Pinch sitting on the counter holding a bottle and a shot glass, with more stacked next to her. Rumble was laying on the floor, his tail wagging back and forth. Berry Pinch giggled and gave a command, “Roll over!”

Silver Spoon couldn't help but laugh even harder when Rumble rolled completely over and then stood up begging for a treat, much like a dog would. They watched as Berry Pinch filled a shot glass and poured the whiskey down Rumbles throat, afterward, Rumble's tail wagged faster and he laid down, looking up at her with puppy dog eyes.

“Alright, I think this has gone on long enough.” Shady Daze stepped in between the two ponies. He looked at Berry Pinch, leaving Rumble to look at his flanks and every glorious jewel Shady had.

“Dude! Get your fun parts out of my face!” Rumble roared as he rolled to one side and stood.

“BAD DOG!” Berry Pinch shouted and threw the shot glass at him, hitting him in the forehead.

“What the hell, Berry!” Rumble yelled, putting his hooves against his forehead as he fell backward.

“Nothing, you're being bad and bad dogs don't get whiskey. So behave yourself!” Berry Punch laughed but when she spotted Rumble moving for the whiskey, she snatched a shot glass off the top of the stack next to her and chucked it at the back of his head, hitting him between the ears.

His hooves quickly covered the back of his head and he hissed at her in pain as she climbed off the counter.

“Alright, Berry, it's time to stop abusing your seductive powers against Rumble.” Aura said, stepping forward and grabbing a bottle of whiskey. Silver Spoon watched patiently as Aura passed the bottle over to Shady Daze who took a gulp before passing it back to Aura who also took a good sized drink out of it. Aura then passed her the bottle.

Silver Spoon took a long look at the bottle, labeled Reigns of Bowe Whiskey. It read 115 proof. That fact alone meant it was going to be strong.

“Drink it already!” Rumble said, anticipating him to be next in line.

Silver Spoon hesitated and just looked at Rumble. She finally sighed, giving in to the liquor, even though she preferred vodka rather than whiskey. She lifted the bottle to her lips and took a small drink, but as soon as she went to lower the bottle, Rumble gripped the bottom of it and forced the whiskey down her throat. She got two large gulps before Aura and Shady Daze pulled him away. Berry Punch was laying on her side laughing.

After Rumble was properly contained while sucking on the whiskey bottle, Silver Spoon sat down coughing up a fit. She'd never been a chugger, she never was one to drink fast or have any sort of contest. She enjoyed drinking games and she enjoyed her buzz rather than be smashed and unable to enjoy her night.

“You okay Silver?” Aura asked sitting down next to her and running a hoof over her back as she coughed. Eventually, her coughing slowed and Silver Spoon simply nodded.

“Alright, Let's get you three drunk now!” Berry Punch said as casual as ever.

“Berry...”

“C'mon, we were planning to party tonight anyways, why not start early? My mom's going to be gone for the next two days! She's been staying over at some stallion’s house lately.” Berry Punch laughed and she started grabbing more bottles from the cabinet. “My mom's been buying it, but she isn't home long enough to actually drink any of it.”

“Well, I'm up for a drinking game! How about Truth and Dare? Every time you chicken out of something or lie you gotta drink!” It was Rumble who suggested it, he had a devilish grin spread across his face as he eyed his friend, Shady Daze.

“Sounds good to me!” Berry Pinch said before carrying all the drinks into the living room using her magic. She also carried a stack of large glasses. Everypony followed her and sat in a semicircle around the table where Berry had set the drinks.

Silver Spoon was first to speak, already having enough whiskey in her to feel a good buzz, much less the coughing fit had made her light headed and just sped up the alcohol's effectiveness. “I call that one!” She pointed a hoof at a bottle of Luna Shine. Though it was the second strongest of all the bottles, it was the only vodka to be seen and the bottle was still nearly full.

Silver reached forward claiming the bottle for herself. “Of course, she'd take first picks.” Rumble sneered at her, before grabbing two bottles of high-quality whiskey. He popped one of the bottles open and started drinking.

“I guess I'll take that.” Shady Daze said grabbing for the Dayflower Creamed Rum.

“This is now mine!” Aura yelped as she grabbed and hugged a bottle of Silver Berry Burst, it was a strong sweet whiskey.

Berry Punch grabbed another bottle, leaving four bottles on the table. Berry had chosen a bottle which only had a black label which had three white X's across the front.

“So who starts?” Aura asked curiously looking from Berry Punch to Rumble. Who would speak first. Of course, it was Berry Punch who called it.

“Aura! Truth or Dare!” She shouted with enthusiasm.

“Truth.”

“Is it true... That you like Rumble?”

“What? NO! Hell No! I'd never touch Rumble. He's all yours, sister.” She spat in Rumbles direction and smiled at him.

“That's just rude,” Rumble said passively.

Silver Spoon noticed Aura's eye linger on her for a moment before moving to Shade Daze and then finally Rumble. “Rumble, I dare you to kiss your hoof.”

Rumble laughed and licked his front left hoof. “Thanks for giving me the option of truth or dare, bitch,” he said mildly.

Aura simply laughed at him, “You were going to choose dare anyways, Rumble, Why waste the time? Now go!”

Rumble laughed, “You've got a point. Hmm. Silver Spoon. Truth or Dare?”

Silver Spoon hesitated, she had never actually played this game before, “I guess I'll go with Truth.”

“Is it true that you're a rich snob?” Rumble asked pushing his nose up with his hoof.

“Actually no, my family isn't rich. Also, Diamond Tiara isn't a snob!” Silver Spoon spat at Rumble just as Aura had and she earned the same response from him.

“Oh, how rude!”

“Not as rude as you!” Silver Spoon laughed and Rumble joined in wholeheartedly.

“I guess it's my turn.” Silver said looking around the table. “Berry Pinch! Truth or Dare?”

“Dare me!” she said with a wink.

Silver Spoon thought for a moment. What to dare her? “I dare you to lick Shady Daze's forehead."

“That's it! That's the worse you could come up with?! What's wrong with you Silver?” Berry Punch seemed to pout a little.

“Well I can think of worse, but I don't want to be the first one to make you drink, Berry Pinch. So lick him!” Silver Spoon laughed and winked at Berry Pinch while Shady Daze simply shook his head not sure what to think.

“Fine,” Berry punch smirked and turned towards Shady Daze who simply closed his eyes. She gave him a big sloppy lick from the tip of his nose all the way up to the start of his mane.

“Awwww Berry! Was that necessary?” Shady Daze rubbed his hoof against his face.

“Alright! My turn!” Berry Punch turned and smiled at Aura.”Aura, Truth. Or. Dare.”

“Dare.” She stared her friend down with a big grin on her face.

“I dare you to kiss Rumble.” She smiled to herself

Silver Spoon watched as Aura stood up from beside her, walked around the table, and gave Rumble a big sloppy kiss. Once she seemed satisfied she broke the kiss and left Rumble sitting there stunned.

“Your turn Aura.” Berry laughed, “Good job.”

Aura turned towards the rest of the group and smiled. “Rumble, Dare or Dare”

Rumble had obviously missed the double dare and spouted off the answer Aura had given him. He laughed and burped. “Give me what you got! I'll never chicken out!”

“I dare you to kiss Shady Daze. On the lips and with tongue.” Aura seemed proud of herself.

“Sure. Shady?” Rumble grinned, “I know how long you've been waiting for this opportunity, just don't enjoy it too much.” Everypony just watched as Rumble turned towards Shady and pulled him in close. Which in turn made everyone, especially Berry Pinch, lean forward in anticipation.

Silver Spoon noticed that Shady Daze was smiling at this point. She wasn't quite sure why but she couldn't help but smile too as Rumble's lips met Shady Daze's. Rumble had hooked a hoof around Shady's neck and another around his hip, pulling him closer. Shady returned his favor by putting both his hooves on Rumble’s hips. Both stallions had their eyes closed as they both got more into the kiss and it quickly escalated from there. Rumble had pushed Shady onto his back and was now standing over him, with their lips still locked.

Eventually, Rumble pulled away and stepped off Shady. Rumble had a huge grin on his face as he looked at Shady, who seemed genuinely stunned. As the girls around him began to laugh he quickly sat up and covered himself as he realized his arousal. “Now I see how you get all those mares,” Shady said still in a bit of a daze.

Rumble laughed and waved a hoof in front of Shady's face. “Hey, did you just pop a boner for your best friend? Wow, how gay of you, Shady.”

Shady shook himself from his daze. “Gotta say bro, you definitely have a way with your tongue.”

“Yeah, too bad for you that's the only time you'll have a taste of my unlimited sexual powers!” he laughed and sat back down, “Alright, my turn right? Shady Daze! Switch drinks with Aura for the rest of the game.”

“Um, that's all?” Shady laughed and passed his bottle to Aura who reluctantly handed her own bottle across the table. Shady Daze immediately took a drink of it and smiled. “My favorite. Honestly, I didn't even notice this stuff was here.”

Shady Daze had started scanning the ponies, “Aura, Truth or Dare?”

Aura responded with a nod after removing the bottle from her lips, grimacing a little at the harsher flavor. She began coughing a little but managed to gasp out a single word, “Truth.”

Silver Spoon watched her friends closely, simply curious to know more about Aura. Shady Daze smiled a little as if amused by her coughing up the drink he'd originally chosen to drink. He cocked his head already ready to ask a question. He was just waiting for her to finish her little coughing fit.

Once Aura had recovered she smiled weakly. “What was the question?”

“I haven't asked it yet,” said Shady.

“Oh well, what was it?” Aura asked curiously.

“Do you prefer mares or stallions?” Shady Daze finally asked. This caught Silver Spoon’s attention for some reason. She wasn't sure why then she remembered her conversation with Diamond Tiara back in her father's blacksmith. She had said she'd always been a filly fooler, and that she wasn't comfortable with others knowing. She listened carefully for Aura's answer.

After a moment’s hesitation and glanced towards Silver Spoon, Aura answered, “Stallions.”

“I call bullshit!” it was Berry Punch. “You're as much of a fillyfooler as Shady here is a coltcuddler. So take your chug!”

With a grim expression, she silently began chugging at her bottle. After her drink, she seemed to stare off in a random direction for a moment with her cheeks flushed. When she finally looked back, her eyes locked on Berry Pinch. “Damn you,” was all she said. “Truth or Dare?” Aura's eyes were big and vengeful for that one.

“Dare.” Berry answered with a challenging voice.

“I dare you to shut up for the rest of this game.” Aura laughed.

Berry Pinch simply nodded and using her magic she gripped a quill, some paper, and some ink. After scribbling something down, she turned a piece of paper around. Across the top, it read, “Fuck you, Aura. Just fuck you.”

Aura laughed and blew her a kiss. Silver Spoon couldn't help but join in on Aura's laughter, they were quickly joined by Rumble and Shady Daze.

Silver Spoon took another small drink from her bottle. Everypony had just casually started drinking from their own bottles, completely ignoring the rules. Silver Spoon just watched as Berry Pinch began to scribble again. She held up the same piece of paper. The previous sentence was scribbled out and just below it was written, “Silver Spoon, Truth or Dare?”

“Dare.”

The drunken mare looked around the table, her eyes falling on Aura. Pinch smiled wide and began to scribble something down. Just as before, the previous sentence was scratched out and just below it the new dare was written.

Both of Silver Spoon's ears fell back as she gulped a wad of saliva.

Rumble read it out loud, smiling thinly. "Make out with Aura." He looked at the two. "This should be entertaining."

Aura and Silver Spoon just looked at each other, they must have been sharing the same thoughts or something because Aura's expression was a mimic of her own. Silver Spoons mind raced, We only just met! What should I do? Chicken out and chug my bottle? I don't know how this would go! Why am I so nervous! Wait, have I even had a first kiss at this point? Does a parent count? Of course not, wait, what was I thinking about? Her eyes scanned her surrounding company. Aura seemed to be in just as much distress as she was, and the others just waited eagerly, except Shady who seemed to be incapable of having any less interest in the two mares sitting next to each other.

With a small sigh, Silver Spoon turned towards Aura and moved closer, Aura did the same. They both began to lean closer, their eyes closed and lips puckered. Suddenly Silver Spoon felt a hoof around the back of her neck and expected to feel lips pressed against hers, but her lips caught nothing but air as her body was pulled forward some. She felt breath on her shoulder and could smell the alcohol wafting off the mare.

“I'm sorry,” Aura softly whispered into her ear before standing up and running up the staircase.

“Um, what just happened?” Silver Spoon asked curiously.

Berry Pinch sighed and began to write something before she used her magic to crumple the paper and toss it behind her, “She's been going through a rough time lately, I'm afraid I may have pushed her too far. I'll go talk to her.” Berry Pinch stood up and started heading towards the stairway, she paused for a moment, “Silver Spoon, come with me. We need some girl time, you boys behave yourselves.”

Silver Spoon stood up and followed her up her stairs. They could hear somepony crying from the first door on the left. Berry tried opening the door to find that Aura had locked herself inside. “Aura! Please open the door, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that to you.”

Aura didn't reply, so Silver Spoon tried, “I'm sorry if I did something wrong, Aura, I was just as nervous as you were...and...umm...” Silver Spoon didn't know what to say really. She didn't have anything to be sorry for anyways. She just wanted to help her friend.

“Who's all out there?” Aura asked through the door.

“It's just me and Silver Spoon,” Berry Pinch said and was answered by the sound of the door unlocking.

Both the mares entered the bedroom, it was Berry's room. “Are you okay Aura? What happened?” Silver Spoon asked curiously, “I'm sorry if I did something wrong.”

Aura looked at her and dried her eyes, “You didn't do anything wrong, Silver. I was being stupid, but it's Berry's fault.”

“How were you being stupid? Why's it Berry's fault?” Silver asked her but turned her attention towards Berry Pinch with a bit of anger boiling up.

“Well, I sorta...hahaha...” Berry Pinch rubbed one leg with her hoof before sitting down next to Aura and giving her a big hug which Aura seemed to accept without hesitation.

Silver Spoon stood there for a moment as the two hugged and whispered back and forth. Eventually, Aura and Berry Pinch both looked at her. Aura stood up, “Well, first of all, Rumble took my favorite drink from me and gave me that shit Shady likes. After that, Miss Pinch here decided to call bullshit on something only she knew to be false AND made me chug that crap. Then she...” Her voice had evaporated into the air.

“Then she dared me to kiss you. I gotta admit it made me nervous too. I've never actually kissed anypony, much less a mare like you.” She turned towards Berry Pinch and just wrinkled her nose and snorted.

“That's just it, though, I've had a crush on you for as long as I can remember, you and Tiara never bothered me when we were fillies and so, I never developed that paranoia every other pony had. Though I knew if anyone knew I was a fillyfooler and had a crush on one of the two biggest bullies in school, I'd be an outcast faster than you could have insulted me.” she sighed and hid her face behind her mane. The truth was out and it was awkward.

Berry Pinch finally spoke, “You know, Aura isn't joking either. She's always had a thing for you. No idea why, but she does and what she just said is the complete truth. Me and her have talked it over many many times and tonight wasn't supposed to end like this. It was my fault it did.”

Silver Spoon laid on the floor with a hoof over her nose. “Aura? I didn't know...” I still don't know what's going on... What do I do now? What should I say? Should I accept this? Should I try that? Where should I go? I've never actually dated anyone! But what if this were an opportunity to try something new? Make a change in my life. Maybe it'll be for the better. I know if I were to say something that brought us closer we could return to the party as if nothing happened, but what are the risks? What happens if my father found out? What would happen if my feelings were to change or what if it were just due to this drunken stooper? What if what they said was fake? What if they were lying? What if this was all a plan to get at me somehow? No... I doubt it. But now isn't the time to start a relationship. I want to get to know her first. I want her to get to know me.

Standing up she walked over to where the two mares sat together. Aura was crying and Berry Pinch was trying, unsuccessfully, to comfort her. Tapping Berry Pinch on the shoulder she motioned towards the door, silently asking for a moment alone with Aura. Berry Pinch whispered a word or two into Aura's ear and left the room quietly. Silver Spoon sat down next to the crying mare and wrapped her hooves around the mare's neck, Aura responded by wrapping her hooves around Silver's waist and holding her as tight as she could.

“Aura, how long have you had these feelings for me?” Silver Spoon whispered softly.

Aura pulled back and looked up at her. “Truthfully, I've had a massive crush on you since before Rainbow Dash saved me from that well you and diamond had tossed me into. And no, that incident didn't change my opinions of you. You're still one of the most beautiful mares I've seen and that hasn't changed at all over the years.”

Silver Spoon felt a tinge of guilt for having helped thrown that filly in the well, “I honestly didn't know that was you... I'm so sorry we did that to you.”

“It's okay Silver, I always blamed Tiara for pushing you into it. You didn't seem like you enjoyed it back then anyways.” Aura's words were true and her soft cracked voice was quite adorable. She'd had a lot of liquor already and it was easy to smell it on her.

“Look, Aura, I do like you, but I've never actually had a relationship, and I don't want to break your heart if my heart isn't in it too. So, how about this. We agree to stay friends and hang out more often. If things start going in that direction then we can call ourselves a couple... but for now, let's stay friends and go have some more to drink,” she smiled and with a wink. “Besides, you still have a bottle to finish chugging!” Silver Spoon started to stand up but Aura still had her hooves around her.

Aura laughed a light chuckle. “Actually, no I don't.”

“Wait wh-” Aura had cut her off mid sentence by pressing her own lips against Silver Spoons without warning. Aura's lips were warm and wet, she moved her lips apart and Silver followed suit as she wrapped her own hooves around her neck. Silver felt Aura's tongue slip in between their lips and begin searching her mouth, then Aura's tongue found hers. Silver Spoon ran her own tongue along the side of Aura's and on into her mouth. She tasted the alcohol on Aura's and her own breath. She pulled away and Aura did as well, as a small string of saliva still connected their lips.

“Well, that was unexpected.” came a voice from the door. It was Berry Pinch who stood there smiling. “Are you two a couple now or what?”

They just looked at each other, Silver Spoon felt her body heat up quickly and her face turn red. “Umm...”

Aura laughed, “Not yet. But we'll get there.” Her face was also pure red as she put her muzzle near Silver's ear. “Also, that was my first kiss, too.”

That made Silver Spoon smile; It meant that she wasn't the only one with absolute zero experience. “We should go back downstairs,” her heart was beating so fast, and she felt new, she had enjoyed that brief moment, she really liked it.

The three mares went down the stairs and saw that the two stallions were both laying next to each other on their back staring at the overhead fan as it spun. “You two comfortable? Or are you ready to continue our 'little' game?” Berry Pinch said looking at Rumble, she giggled as he tried to focus his eyes on her.

“Um Berry, they sorta drank almost everything that was left,” Aura said sounding sort of bummed out now that the tension was gone.

“Damnit!” She kicked Rumble in the flank and then looked at what was left, “Well Aura, apparently your favorite was left untouched and so was yours, Silver. They drank the rest of mine and one of the other bottles. SOO! We have four bottles total,” she grabbed one of the remaining rum bottles and popped it open, taking a drink.

Shady finally sat up but didn't say anything, he just sat there grinning from ear to ear. He grabbed an empty bottle, then another, and a third. Carrying them into the kitchen and placing each one carefully into the sink he said, “I dunno, we just got bored and started drinking, sorry that we got carried away. I blame Rumble. Even if he might already have alcohol poisoning.”

“It's fine Shady, we have plenty more where that came from,” Berry said as she walked into the kitchen and swinging open a cabinet which contained many more bottles of liquor.

Shady smiled and grabbed another bottle, shortly after him, Rumble followed suit. “Thank you, Berry,” Rumble said with a wink.

“You're welcome, Rumble,” looking back over her shoulder, “Silver Spoon, can you grab us the muffins Button's mom made? They're still in there on the counter.”

“Sure!” Silver Spoon spun on her hooves and grabbed the sack off the counter. She spun back towards the living room to see Berry Pinch already standing in the doorway, blocking her. Her expression was hard and serious as if she’d had something on her mind.

“Silver Spoon, I don't know exactly what happened up there, but from what I saw... Don't hurt her. If you do, I’m not afraid to hurt you. Got that?” Her features softened a bit as she noticed Silver Spoon drop the muffins and seem to shrink. “Not that you'd hurt her. Oh. And by the way, you have a chug to take. You lied about being straight. Or was that kiss fake?”

Silver Spoon shook her head trying to make sense of this sudden confrontation. Do I lie and say I won't hurt her? Does she think me and Aura are together now? Just because of a kiss? I mean I don't know how much she saw, but with that kiss... It felt so right. Am I straight? Was I ever straight?

Clearing her mind with a deep sigh, she looked up at Berry Pinch. “Berry, I think you misunderstand. Aura and I aren't together. What you saw was something else, because me and her agreed to stay friends for now and actually get to know each other before we start anything. I've never even dated before. Hell, you saw my first kiss.”

She paused hoping for Berry Pinch to say something, and when Berry simply sat down and wrapped her tail over her hooves, allowing Silver to continue her little rant. “I promise you that I won't hurt her at all, and if I do then feel free to hurt me in return. I'm letting you know now, though, Berry Pinch. We only just met and I was straight up until five minutes ago, right now I'm really drunk, I'm not sure exactly what just happened, and I have no idea what to say or do right now. But right now, I know I'm happy. I'm happier than I've ever been in my life! Honestly. I was almost suicidal just last night! I took almost half a bottle of sleep medication just to get five hours of sleep.”

She stopped talking and noticed Aura was standing in the doorway just behind Berry Pinch. Her eyes were starting to water a little. Silver Spoon spoke quickly, taking some steps forward. “But! I'm glad nothing happened to me last night, and I want to try something new anyways. I'm glad I ran into you, Aura. Berry Pinch, I'm glad you allowed me to come here and party with you. I'm so happy to actually not be going from school to home. I'm so glad I don't have to be tethered to Tiara all the time anymore. I actually have friends now!” Silver Spoon burped, effectively ending her speech.

Aura and Berry Pinch stepped towards her, both of them wore smiles and Aura was still crying. She leaned forward and rubbed her cheek against Silver Spoon's. After a moment, Aura whispered into her ear. “I'm in no rush either, so let's have fun.”

Berry had grabbed the muffins and all three of them turned and walked out into the living room. Sitting down, Berry Pinch wasted no time shoving her bottle of whiskey into Silver's mouth and pushing her head straight up. “You still owe us a chug!” she laughed letting the bottle lower.

Silver Spoon gagged for a moment as the bottle was removed from her lips, she choked down the last little bit of the whiskey in her mouth then spat on the floor. She erupted into a fit of coughing and wheezing until her lips closed and her cheeks filled, she jumped to her hooves and ran to the front door, flinging open the door, letting it smack against the wall. She staggered out into the lawn and vomited up her breakfast before sitting down and dry heaving for a few moments. She spat now and then before she finally looked up to see Rumble and Shady standing in the doorway laughing.

Just then Aura parted them and slipped out with a glass filled with water. Silver filled her mouth with it then spat it out and raised the glass to her lips once more taking a slower drink to clean her throat. Aura looked down at her with a skeptical look on her face. Silver Spoon looked up at her and smiled. “I'm hungry.”

"Colors of the Wind"

"If you walk the footsteps of a stranger,
You'll learn things you never knew you never knew."

Silver Spoon stood up and nodded to Aura, turning around, they headed back inside. Shady Daze and Rumble were both still laughing, but Berry Pinch stood just behind Rumble looking at the floor.

“Hey, who’s hungry?” Silver Spoon asked as she walked between the two colts.

“I could go for a bite to eat,” Rumble said, rearing up on his rear legs and throwing his hooves up in the air. Staggering he fell backward into Berry Pinch who simply stepped to one side letting the colt crash to the ground next to her.

Berry Pinch laughed. “Having fun down there?”

“Best spot in the house, if you know what I mean,” He said, eyeing the base of her tail.

“Oh, so you like being flat on your back ready to receive?”

“If by receive, you mean having you sit on my face, then sure. I’ll receive.” He laughed and rolled over onto his hooves.

“Well, Berry, since this is your place, what should we make to eat? I mean, those muffins Button’s mom made us won’t last very long,” Silver Spoon said with a small smile; her stomach was all she could think about right now.

“Um, Well, we don’t have a whole lot in there, I suppose you guys could make some pasta, I mean, I know we have Roaming Noodles in there. So throw a pot on the stove and toss four or five packages in some hot water.” Berry laughed, turning around and heading towards the couch where the booze sat untouched. Shady Daze and Rumble followed her.

“Well, Roaming Noodles are pretty good... hey, have you ever wondered why they’re called Roaming Noodles?” Silver Spoon asked as she followed Aura into the kitchen.

“I’ve never really thought about it. I just eat it because it’s cheap and tasty. Though I imagine it’s something like the creators were always roaming the countryside or it’s meant for a pony on the move, quick to cook and easily prepared.” She began preparing the stove while Silver grabbed five packets from the pantry and tossed them onto the counter next to the pot of water Aura was preparing.

Silver spoke up, “Too bad neither of us have a horn. This stuff is always a pain to make without accidentally burning yourself.” They shared a laugh and began dropping the noodles into the water. Silver accidentally forgot to open one of the packages, letting the whole package plummeted into the pot.

“Shit!” Aura said, quickly grabbing a wooden spoon between her lips and fishing it out, “Well, apparently we’re both a little bit more drunk than we thought.” They laughed again and Aura grabbed her suddenly, pulling her into a hug and lightly kissing her on the cheek. After a moment, Aura let her go. “You don’t realize just how long I’ve been wanting to do that,” she said with a wink and went back to stirring the noodles as they began to soften up.

Silver Spoon giggled a little and turned away feeling her face start to burn red, “I’m going to go check on Berry and the boys, are you alright right in here?”

“Yeah, I’ll be fine Silvy. Don’t worry, I do know how to cook… Roaming Noodles aren’t that hard.” She said with a smirk and winked before turning back to the pot and began stirring it.

Silver Spoon had begun to turn towards the door before she froze, Did she just call me… Silvy? No pony has ever called me that except for Diamond Tiara, and she never said it in front of any other pony. After a moment she smiled, simply loving the sound of it rolling off that mare’s lips.

She walked back into the living room and laid down next to the couch where Berry was laying. Rumble and Shady were sitting at the far end of the room on the staircase, they were just talking quietly about something. Silver Spoon looked up at Berry then back at the kitchen door.

“Hey Silver Spoon, why are you here?” Silver Spoon turned her head back to see Berry Pinch looking down at her.

“Well, To be honest, I kinda wanted a change of pace. Besides it’s not like I have that many friends.”

“You have Diamond Tiara, and I’m sure you’ve got more friends than that. You’re one of those rich popular mares, everyone knows you.” She spoke without stutter, as if she actually believed in what she was saying.

“Actually, no. Diamond Tiara is like a sister to me, but other than her, I have nopony else. I had a crush on Featherweight for the longest time, but he stopped talking to me and I guess he’s with Applebloom now so I don’t really know if we’re still friends.” Silver Spoon smiled a little, “But then I happened to bump into you two and that all changed. Like I said earlier, I have friends now, right?”

“Right! You got drunk in my house. I now own you, well actually Aura does, but that’s beside the point. So, you really don’t have all the friends everyone thinks, huh.”

“Nope, I’m not ‘rich’ like everyone thinks either. I mean, my family has money, but my dad never actually allows me to spend that much. Sweetie Belle’s richer than I am.”

Berry Pinch rubbed a hoof against her chin. “I’m curious, why were you and Diamond Tiara such bullies when we were all younger?”

Silver Spoon sighed, not sure how to begin. “Well, to tell you the truth, I only did what Tiara wanted and I only followed her lead because I had no other friends. I didn’t want to lose the one friend I may have ever had.” Her body shuddered, “If it weren’t for Tiara I’d have probably offed myself a long time ago.” Her voice started to tremble so she stopped and took a breath.

“My mom acts like I don’t exist, and my dad is honestly a bit abusive. Though he’s not as bad as he used to be. He just doesn’t care what I do now, as long as I stay out of his way.” She finished as tears began rolling down her cheeks.

She looked away from Berry Pinch, who seemed to have lost her voice. “I had no idea…” Berry Pinch finally breathed quietly.

At that moment, Aura entered the room holding a platter with two steaming bowls of noodles. “Hey, Silver, I was wonder-” She hurried across the room setting the platter down on the table in between the bottles of alcohol. “Are you alright?” Aura asked laying down next to her.

Silver simply leaned her forehead against Aura’s shoulder and Aura glanced up at Berry Pinch and snorted before laying her chin between Silver’s ears. “C’mon, let's have a drink, babe.”

Silver nodded, “Sounds good.” They both stood and walked around the table. “This soup looks good,” Silver said with a weak smile and wiping her eyes dry.

Berry looked over, “Sorry, Silver. Didn’t mean to hit a soft spot. I guess all the rumors we’ve heard about you are wrong.”

“It’s fine Berry, it’s not your fault.” Silver said opening a bottle and taking a swig. Setting the bottle down, she leaned over her bowl of noodles and took a deep breath, “Yummy! It smells amazing, Aura, thanks.”

“No problem.” She smiled big and took a drink of her own bottle, almost falling backward at the same time. She tilted forward and put the bottle back on the table, “Dig in!”

Berry Pinch stood up and turned towards the kitchen, pausing to look over her shoulder at Shady Daze and Rumble, “Guys, the noodles are done! C’mon!”

“Awesome!” Rumble jumped up off the step he was sitting on and ran towards the kitchen door, stumbling and running face first into the wall next to the door. “I meant to do that!” he shouted, staggering back as he laughed and disappeared into the kitchen. He was followed shortly after by a laughing Berry Pinch and Shady Daze, who just shook his head with a smile painted across his face.

“Hey, Aura, I was wondering something…” she started awkwardly, not knowing how to say it.

“What’s that?” Aura’s head tilted to the side and an eyebrow rose.

“Um. Well, how do you know you’re a fillyfooler? Have you ever done anything with anypony?” Silver Spoon asked trying to keep her breathing leveled through her drunken daze.

“Actually, no. I’m still a virgin.” She hiccuped and giggled, letting the alcohol take control of her.

“Then how do you know you’re a fillyfooler than?” Silver asked again.

“Well, I haven’t felt anything for any colts, they just never caught my interest, at least, not in the same way you do.” Aura winked at her, even though her face was turning bright red.

Silver Spoon smiled and took another big bite out of her noodles and Aura leaned across the table and lightly pressed her lips against Silver Spoon’s forehead. Silver Spoon swallowed hard and looked up at her. “Well, hello to you too.”

Aura simply smiled in reply and sat back down to continue eating. Just then, the other three came stumbling back into the room, trying to carry their bowls. Berry Pinch looked at them and smiled, she stopped and whispered in Rumble’s ear, he immediately perked up his ears and walked quickly towards the staircase, trying to keep his bowl of soup well-balanced. Shady Daze sighed and followed the two of them up the stairs. Berry Pinch paused at the bottom of the stairs and turned towards the two of them, giving them both a wink before she followed the boys up.

Aura spoke next, “Silvy, what do you think of me?”

She swallowed her noodles in a gulp and started coughing, trying to stifle it the best she could. After her throat was cleared and she could speak again, “Honestly? I like you, I really do, and I do find you attractive if that’s what you mean.”

She watched as Aura’s smile grew bigger, she stood and walked around the table. Wrapping her hooves around Silver Spoon’s neck and pulling her in so their lips met. Her eyes closed and the taste of rum over powering, Aura had no intention to stop this time, that much was obvious. Silver Spoon returned her kiss and opened her mouth, allowing Aura’s tongue access. Aura’s body was pressed hard against hers and Silver Spoon couldn’t help but lean backwards until she was flat on her back with Aura laying on top of her.

Eventually Aura placed her hooves on each side of Silvers' head and broke their kiss, panting she rubbed her cheek against Silver Spoon’s and whispered into her ear, “What do you think of that? Getting excited?”

Silver Spoon blushed and nodded without saying anything. Aura’s back was arched and she was looking down at Silver Spoon. She watched as Aura smiled and lifted a hoof away from the floor. Silver Spoon felt the hoof lightly brush the fur just below her stomach and trace the edge of her hip, down the inside of her thigh and back up aimed for the inside of her hips.

Silver Spoon began to squirm underneath Aura’s weight and touch. “No…” she whispered as she managed to roll over onto her side, closing her open legs and wrapping her tail down between them.

Aura’s expression went blank for a moment then she stood up and stepped off her. Silver Spoon sat up with her head hanging, feeling a spark of fear flow through her. She glanced up to see Aura crying, immediately she felt bad for having stopped her, but she just couldn’t have gone through with it. There was no way her first time was going to be with a mare she just met and in the middle of the living room of a random ponies house. Much less while drunk.

“I’m sorry…” Aura said quietly between her heaves.

“It’s not you.” Silver Spoon said. “I just… it doesn’t feel right, doing something like that here or now. I’ve taken so many chances today, I don’t want to do something to mess everything up.”

“But how would this mess up anything? It would bring us even closer!” Aura had stood up, tear flowing down her cheeks. “I was ready to give you everything I could possibly give! Something I’ve wanted to give you for Celestia knows how long!”

“Aura, I just don’t feel ready to do that with anypony. I mean tonight... tonight’s been a wonderful night and I don’t want to mess it up by doing something stupid.” She looked down knowing she’d said the wrong thing. Aura froze in her spot and simply turned around and headed for the staircase.

“I’m sorry that having sex with me is such a stupid thing to do.” Aura said quietly without looking back at her. She slowly made her way up the staircase.

Silver Spoon simply sighed and thought, Why do I screw everything up in some way or another?

She grabbed the bottle of Last Whisper’s Rum and unscrewed the top, putting it to her lips and tipped it upwards. Letting the cool sting burn her throat as she let the bottle slowly empty into her.

After a moment, she put the bottle down, now half empty, and she looked up to see Rumble and Shady Daze standing halfway up the staircase just watching her. “Wow, that was one hell of a drink. Even for me, that shit’s strong,” Rumble said with a laugh. Silver Spoon just looked at him, while both of them came down and sat by her.

Trying not to cry she took a deep breath and sighed, turning her head away from the two colts. “What happened, Silver?” Shady asked in a calm voice.

“What’s Aura doing up there?” she asked him in return.

“She and Berry Pinch are talking, they kicked us out so we figured something happened between the two of you. So what happened?” Shady Daze’s voice was as soothing as velvet, soft and comforting.

“Look, it doesn’t matter. We’re all drunk and Aura let it hit her a little too hard. She wanted to do something and I told her no. Though I wouldn’t blame her if she and Berry kicked me out right now.” She sighed again then lifted the bottle of Last Whisper’s Rum back to her lips, finishing the other half of the bottle. “I don’t want to remember whatever happened next.”

“Drinking like that, You won’t remember anything from tonight,” Rumble said with a calm voice to match his friends.

“Shady, Rumble, you two won’t say anything will you?” She asked them both with pleading eyes and a small snort.

“Sure, what is it we’re not talking about?” Rumble asked. Shady simply nodded, though his eyes told her he had questions.

“Well, for one, I don’t know if I’m straight, gay, or bisexual. I was straight when I woke up this morning but then all this happened and somehow, I just don’t know anymore. I have no idea what to feel for her, I know I love the way the way she looks, hell, even the way she smells gets to me. I know when she kissed me earlier it made me go mad with lust, but I don’t know if that’s me or the alcohol. I mean, what do I do? She obviously wants me, that much is I know. Do I want her, or is it these drinks?” She paused and waved a hoof over the mass of empty bottles scattered across the tabletop. “I’ve never been in a relationship, or anything even close to it. I had a crush on Featherweight for the longest time, but after that… I don’t even care about him anymore.” She stopped talking with a shuttering exhale. She reached across the table and gripped her original drink and drug it across the table, then took a swig from it. It tasted bitter and burned a little, though it flowed down her throat like water.

Rumble opened his mouth about to say something but Shady put his hoof over Rumble’s muzzle to quiet him. “Silver, I can see why you told her no, and I agree that you made the right choice, don’t let it bother you too much. Just talk to her tomorrow when we’re all sober. Okay?”

“What if she holds it against me and doesn’t want to talk?” Silver Spoon’s eyes burned as fresh tears began rolling down her cheeks.

“See, you care about her, she’ll understand.” He smiled faintly as Rumble reached for a random bottle that was unopened and popped the cork.

After taking a large drink Rumble laughed. “You should’ve just fucked her, hell, I would’ve loved watching that.”

Silver Spoon shook her head, “Not like it would have done anything for you, you’re about as straight as I am. At least, that’s what I’ve taken from that kiss you two shared earlier.”

Shady laughed and Rumble’s cheeks turned a bit red. “I’m straight! That kiss was just because you dared me to!”

“Well, you still seemed to be enjoying it,” Shady said.

“No, I didn’t! You did!” He answered seeming a bit flustered. Silver Spoon stood up and walked around the table, throwing a hoof around Rumbles neck, she shook her head.

“Don’t deny it. We both know you enjoyed it more than you want to say. No pony said you had to get that into the kiss, you chose to do that yourself.” She smiled at Shady who returned it with a grin of his own.

“Silver Spoon, you have no idea who I am, so why are you questioning my sexuality?” Rumble had a serious look on his face meaning the joke was over. “Now, either suck my dick or get off my back.”

Silver rolled her eyes and scooted away from him. Shady Daze looked at Rumble with a grin, “Oh c’mon you really are a hard-headed horse, you know that right?”

“Look, just because I kissed you doesn’t mean I want to fuck you or have you fuck me.” Rumble said with a scowl.

“You know I’d rather be a bottom, so what if I’m not a mare?” He laughed and took a swig of his drink.

“Just because you want it, doesn’t mean I do.” He looked away and took another big drink.

“Hey Shady, you’re gay, right? What’s it like? I remember you and Peppermint Twist having a thing, what happened?” She asked curiously.

“Yes, I’m gay, and it’s the same as anything else, nothing’s changed other than my preferences. As far as Twist and I go, we’re still friends and we still talk from time to time, we just broke up, that’s all.” Shady smiled, “Now the question is, what are your preferences?”

Silver Spoon thought about this for a moment, and while she was thinking Rumble stood up and headed for the kitchen, “Gotta piss.” He disappeared around the corner and she heard a door open and close. What are my preferences? I’ve got no experience with either gender, except for tonight. So I guess I prefer mares at this point.

Silver Spoon looked over at Shady and scooted down towards him. “Honestly, I’ve never done anything with a colt. Before tonight, I always had a thing for Featherweight, like I said before, but now. After having Aura on top of me like that and wanting me like that, I’m not sure what to think, I don’t know if I should go for it. I’m honestly a bit scared. I’ve never dealt with this before.”

“That’s fine, sometimes you have to be brave and face your fears. Why don’t you go on upstairs and talk to Aura?” He winked at her and took a drink. Silver spoon stood up and turned towards him, throwing her hooves around his shoulders she pulled him into a hug.

“Thank you, Shady. Hopefully, this doesn’t backfire.” She took a deep shaking breath and went up the staircase.

Silver could hear voices echoing from behind a closed door. One was crying and the other sounded annoyed but otherwise caring. She couldn’t make out any of the words being exchanged but the voices didn’t seem to be welcoming to her presence.

She sighed and walked quietly up to the door and knocked. Both voices went silent and after a whisper or two the door swung open and Berry came storming out, slamming the door behind her using her magic. The door cracked against its frame sending echoes throughout the house. “And just what do you want?!” she shouted as loud as she could putting the end of her muzzle against Silver Spoon’s nose. Silver Spoon had cowered down, almost laying flat on her belly with one of her rear legs extended towards the staircase, wishing it could escape on its own.

“I.. I wanted to talk to Aura… to tell her I’m sorry.” Her voice shook as she spoke.

Berry Pinch just looked at her and sighed, then sat down. “I know you didn’t mean to hurt her, and I know you aren’t ready for... that sort of activity. But why did you have to tell her she wasn’t good enough for you?”

“I didn’t say that… I told her that I wasn’t ready and that I didn’t want to screw up the rest of the night, it’s been far too good so far… I didn’t want to do anything to make it go wrong… and to be honest, I’d prefer it if we were both sober.” Silver Spoon sighed with a few loose tears rolling down her cheeks.

“Well, she didn’t take it that way. She thinks you just don’t want her.” Berry Pinch opened the door, “Come on, I’ll go downstairs and leave you two alone.”

As Silver Spoon entered the room, she saw Aura laying on Berry’s bed crying into a pile of pillows. Berry Pinch closed the door quietly and left the two of them alone. Silver Spoon walked over to the bed and climbed onto it, laying herself down next to her friend. Aura didn’t move, but her weeping had slowed, her breathing was heavy and she was heaving trying to calm herself. Silver Spoon simply nuzzled the nape of her neck and whispered into her ear, “I’m sorry, Aura.”

Aura rubbed her face into the pillow then glanced over at Silver Spoon, her eyes were red and the fur was matted down. The pillow which she’d been crying had a large wet spot on it. “Silver Spoon? I-” she stopped when a hoof was pressed against her muzzle to silence her. Silver leaned up and licked her cheek and kissed her on the lips.

After a moment, she pulled back. “Aura, I didn’t mean to say what I said.”

“Well, I guess the living room wasn’t the best place in the house for that.”

“Yeah, but here we won’t get disturbed,” Silver Spoon smiled and kissed her on the neck.
Aura smiled back, obviously enjoying the attention she’d been craving. Silver Spoon continued pecking at her neck and along the edge of her chin until landing a kiss on her lips. Aura’s eyes closed and Silver could feel a smile on her face.

Pulling away she looked at Aura in the eyes and shared her smile, “I’m still sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“It’s alright, Silvy.” Aura said leaning forward and locking their lips once more. Silver Spoon parted her lips and allowed her tongue to reach out, craving the taste of her mares mouth. Aura’s mouth opened a bit and her tongue had met Silver Spoon’s half way. This time it was Silver Spoon who ran a hoof down Aura’s stomach and along the edge of her hunch and back up. Aura was still breathing fast, but now she was taking shallow breaths, her friends body was hot to the touch, almost feverish. Silver Spoon’s eyes were closed but she could still picture Aura’s barely open as their kiss continued. She still tasted like a mixture of different alcohols and the taste of the noodles was still lingering in her mouth.

Silver pulled back, her lips parting from Aura’s. She opened her eyes to look at the other mare, noticing that Aura’s mane was an absolute mess. Her coat was in need of being brushed as was her tail. However, Aura’s eyes were glittering with happiness, she was adorable. Aura had shifted her body to be laying on one side facing Silver Spoon and their tails had passively wrapped themselves around each other. Aura closed her eyes and nuzzled her forehead against Silver’s cheek making Silver Spoon blush a little and smile.

“Silvy, I’m glad you ran into me this morning,” she whispered. “I know things have moved fast so far, and personally, I blame the alcohol, but I’m so happy to be laying here with you right now.”

“I’m glad I ran into you too, Aura. I was honestly on the verge of giving up on life, until tonight happened.”

“So what are we? Friends or…?” Aura asked quietly laying her head across one of Silver’s hooves and pressing the side of her face into her friend’s chest fur.

“We’re too good for each other to be friends. Besides, I think you trying to sleep with me kind of pushed that ‘lets be friends’ thing out the window and into a thorn bush.” Silver laughed and could feel Aura chuckle lightly under her touch.

They both stretched their legs and repositioned themselves so they were both more comfortable, Silver Spoon laid on her side with one hoof over Aura’s neck, while Aura laid next to her on her stomach with her head just under Silver’s chin. Silver rubbed the bottom of her chin against the top of her mares head and smiled, “I think I’m ready to go to sleep, we do still have school in the morning.”

“I think...” Aura yawned into Silver Spoon’s fur. “I’m ready to pass out too. I just wish tonight didn’t have to end.”

“Well, there’s always tomorrow night,” Silver Spoon said quietly and looked up as the door cracked open. Berry Pinch was in the doorway, She simply snorted and smiled at her then turned off the light and left them alone.

“Good night, Silvy,” Aura said quietly as she drifted off to sleep, nuzzling Silver’s neck once more.

Silver Spoon smiled in the darkness. “Good night, Aura.”

Author's Note

Just throwing out a big thanks to SpaceCommie for all his help editing this and teaching me to be a better writer over all! Thank you so much for helping me as much as you have. I garantee that my writing has progressed so much faster thanks to him and his critical editing style.

I also wanted to point out that I do enjoy feedback on anything and everything so feel free to leave comments! :D

"Stranger Like Me"

"Every gesture, every move that she makes
Makes me feel like never before
Why do I have,
This growing need to be beside her"

Silver Spoon squeezed her eyes tight and yawned. She had her face nestled between a soft feathered pillow and something warm and wet. it smelled like alcohol, sweat, and lavender shampoo. Taking a deep breath, she pressed her face into the pillow before pushing herself up. She squeezed her eyes closed before opening them, the sun had just begun to rise meaning it was around six in the morning.

After her eyes adjusted, she looked down next to her to see what she had been cuddled up against all night and that was when it hit her. Lying fast asleep next to her was Aura. Aura was laying on her side facing away from Silver. She smiled and kissed the sleeping mare’s cheek before quietly climbing over her and out of the bed.

After sneaking out of the bedroom, she went down the stairs. As the living room came into view, she giggled at the sight of the other three partygoers curled up in a mass on a pallet of blankets and pillows in the middle of the floor. Rumble was laying on his back with all four hooves sprawled out in all directions. Pinch was on one side of him and Shady on the other, both were curled up against Rumble and a blanket covered all three of them.

She laughed at the possibilities of what happened after she and Aura passed out. She walked into the kitchen and spotted just what she was hoping to find; a coffee pot. It wasn’t anything special or expensive but it would make enough for everyone who wanted any. Searching through the cabinets she found filters, coffee grounds, and a pitcher to fill with water.

She pulled out the old filter and tossed it in the trashcan nearby, replaced the filter, filled it with coffee, and put it back into the coffee machine. Afterward, she filled the pitcher with water and dumped it into the compartment in the top of it. Flipping a switch, she heard the machine come to life and coffee immediately began flowing into the pot.

Silver turned back towards the living room as she heard a groan echo through the house, entering the living room again she noticed Berry Pinch had rolled, dragging the blanket with her, leaving Shady without any covers.

As she turned to go back into the kitchen she heard hooves on the stairs and cocked her head to spot Aura descending them. Aura’s face was that of a tired pony with a hangover. Silver knew the feeling though her own head didn’t pound in pain. Her stomach just wasn’t feeling quite as good as it could have.

Aura spotted her and smiled weakly as she followed Silver into the kitchen. “Good morning, Silvy,” Aura said and pressed her nose against Silver’s shoulder.

Silver Spoon returned her smile. “I’m going to guess that I’m doing better than you are.”

“Yeah, probably. Massive hangover,” she sighed and sat down her nose twitching. “Do I smell coffee?”

“That you do, I can’t wake up without it,” she said, noticing the pot was already full. “Wow, quick coffee pot. I just started it like a minute or two ago.”

Aura just laughed, walked over to the sink, and grabbed two clean cups from where they sat next to the sink. She turned back towards Silver, “Pinch’s mom drinks two or three pots of coffee, by herself, every day. Of course, it has to be a fast brewer.”

“Damn! That’s a lot of coffee, and I’m a mare who loves her coffee,” Silver said as she pulled the pot off the burner and filled both cups just over halfway. “Where’s the creamer and sugar?”

Aura pulled open the fridge door and pulled out a bottle of creamer, then pointed a hoof at the sugar shaker that sat next to the coffee maker. It was in plain sight, but Silver had somehow missed it.

“Thanks for makin’ coffee, the smell woke me up,” Shady Daze said walking into the room. “Apparently, Berry Pinch really wanted those covers.”

Silver glanced back into the living noticing that Rumble was spooning Berry Pinch. “Oh, how ironic.”

“What’s ironic about that?” Shady asked with a raised eyebrow. Then he looked into the living room and laughed, “that’s not ironic, that happens every time they sleep next to each other.”

“Nah, I just realized I had been spooning Aura when I woke up. Didn’t realize how cute it looks from an outside perspective.” She spoke calmly, looking back at Aura. Aura was sipping at her coffee cup that sat on the counter, she had accidentally added too much creamer to it.

“Wow, you were really sheltered, weren’t you?” Shady said as he grabbed a cup from near the sink and poured his own cup.

“Yeah… not really, I’ve seen ponies snuggle and spoon, I just find it ironic. Anyways, what happened after Aura and I passed out?”

“Nothing really, we finished off what was left on the table and made a pallet, we all cuddled and fell asleep. Ironically after me and you teased Rumble, he ended up chugging the majority of what was left and then started cuddling with both Pinch and me. It was weird but I was drunk enough to enjoy it. Though nothing actually happened between the three of us. They kissed a bit but Pinch got really tired. So we all decided it was time to pass out ourselves.” He took another drink of his coffee then continued stirring it with a spoon.

Aura held her cup in one hoof and sipped at it slowly, “Last night…What happened? Everything’s blurry.”

Silver Spoon sat down at the kitchen table with her coffee and the other two followed suit, “Well, from what I remember, me and you are, well, dating now.” Aura’s face went bright red, obviously remembering it, but her eyes glanced at Shady then back at Silver, who continued talking, “Oh, and you tried to have sex with me, and when I told you no you got really angry. You went and talked to Pinch while I had a talk with this one here…” She paused to point a hoof at Shady. “...and that drunk slob in the other room.”

“So, wait, I tried to sleep with you? When was this? I don’t remember it... I vaguely remember feeling really happy with you and Berry as we came back downstairs to find him-” She nodded her head towards Shady, “-and Rumble laying side by side on the floor watching the ceiling fan spin.” She paused and took another drink from her cup. “After that, I felt happy, then I remember something about noodles, and then really horny, and then sad.”

She stopped and looked at Shady, who just shrugged while taking a drink of his coffee. Aura sighed before continuing, “Beyond what I was feeling, I don’t remember anything. Other than you coming into the room and laying down next to me, talking to me, and calming me down.”

“Yup, you tried to have sex with me, right in there where those two are now sleeping.” Silver Spoon said with a smile, watching her friend blush even more.

“Well, I’m so sorry, Silver Spoon. I never meant for it to go that far. I had asked Berry to invite you along to lunch and then to that party with the intentions of letting you know how I felt. Things spiraled out of control so fast... I didn’t know what I was doing half the time.”

Hearing a noise come from the next room, Shady leaned back in his chair. “It’s Berry Pinch, she’s waking up and Rumble won’t let her go. Even though he’s still asleep.” His voice sounded flat and kind of annoyed. He took a big drink of his coffee and walked into the other room, lying down next to Rumble’s head. He winked at Aura and Silver who had followed him into the room.

“Hey, Rumble,” he whispered quietly into his friends ear. “When is it my turn to taste your magic?”

Rumble rambled for a moment in reply and his grip on Berry Pinch loosened noticeably. She yawned and wiggled out from between his hooves, joining the other girls near the door. She sat down and began rubbing her eyes, “Wha-”

“Shh, just watch,” Aura whispered into her ear.

“Rumble, I want attention too! You always pay more attention to Flitter than you do to me!” Shady continued whispering into his ear.

This time, Rumble rolled towards him and hooked both his hooves around Shady’s neck, “Fine, you want this? Come get this.”

He pulled Shady in for a sloppy kiss but Shady shouted into Rumbles face, “Woh! Stop, dude, Stop!”

Rumbles eyes cracked open and he found himself nose to nose with his best friend, who had a huge smile on his face. He immediately released Shady’s neck and rolled away from him, standing up. “What the hell, dude!”

“You tell me, you’re the one dreaming about a threesome with Flitter and Cloud Kicker. You just said so yourself,” Shady said with a chuckle.

“It was Flitter and Button’s M-” He paused suddenly realizing what he was saying. Everyone in the room had already fallen to the floor laughing uncontrollably.

“Wait, so you were dreaming about you, Flitter and Button’s mom? In a threesome?” Berry Pinch laughed harder as she spoke. “Of all the mares in Equestria, why the hell would you dream about her! I mean, I know you’ve always had a thing for me and Flitter, but Button’s Mom?!”

Rumble shook his head and stormed out the back door, shouting about needing to take a piss. After a moment, he came back into the house and spotted the coffee pot. He grabbed a cup and filled it, without adding anything to it. He started sipping from it lightly as he sat down at the table.

Everyone else took seats at the table as well, Aura and Silver finished off their cups and put them into the sink to be washed later. “So Rumble, how was Button’s Mom?” Aura asked sarcastically.

“Better than you’d ever be. Now, if anyone says a word about this, I’ll shove a hoof so far up your ass, you’ll taste dirt and blood for weeks. Guaranteed.” He took another drink of his coffee.

“Well, Aura and I are going to go take baths, that alright with you Berry?” Silver said as her tail wrapped around Aura’s.

“Yeah sure, just don’t use up all of my raspberry shampoo! I’m almost out of that stuff and there’s nowhere here in Ponyville that sells it.”

Rumble cocked his head, “Don’t worry, I don’t have any peep holes in there.”

“Great, thanks, Rumble. Have fun with Button’s mom!” Aura shouted back as they ventured up the stairs. Rumble choked on his coffee and growled at them while everyone else laughed.

Aura led Silver down the hall and past Berry’s bedroom. Aura opened the last door to her right and walked inside, Silver paused in the doorway and watched Aura as she started filling the tub with water. While the bath ran, Aura had grabbed two towels from a small rack against the back wall.

Silver stepped into the bathroom and closed the door with one of her hind legs. After hearing the door click closed, Silver looked over at her marefriend, “Um… Are you sure about this? I thought we were gonna bathe separately.”

“Well, we’re short on time, seeing as it’s a twenty-five minute walk from here to school, by the time one of us were to get out and the others had bathed, we’d all be late. But if you want to wait and take yours separately, go for it. I just figured it wouldn’t really matter. It is just a bath, right?” Aura’s voice seemed to echo off the walls as if the room itself approved of the idea.

Besides, she has a good point.

“Alright then. I guess…” Silver Spoon paused and looked away. “I guess a bath isn’t that personal.” She turned off the water, taking her glasses and necklace off. She placed them together on the sink counter.

“You’re even cuter without your glasses on. You know that, right?” Aura complimented her with a wink. Silver just watched as Aura slid a hoof into the tub before climbing completely in and getting comfortable. Silver Spoon followed suit, gingerly placing one hoof in to test the water before slowly settled into the tub opposite of Aura. She could feel her rear legs and tail tangle with Aura’s and she blushed lightly as she felt as Aura’s tail brush the inner side of her thigh.

Aura noticed this and blushed. “Sorry. That was an accident.” Though, her smile said otherwise.

“Quit teasing me like that!” Silver said as her face heated up even more. She quickly sat up and grabbed Pinch’s shampoo. “Sit up and turn around. I’ll do your mane and back, then you can do mine.”

Aura complied, leaning forward and spinning around, waiting patiently. Silver Spoon was about to squeeze some shampoo onto her head but paused. “Aura, dunk your head. Your mane needs to be wet.” Silver watched as Aura moved forward before laying her head back into Silver’s lap.

“Hi,” Aura said with a big smile. Silver just smiled and lightly kissed the mare’s lips before pushing her head back up with her free hoof.

Silver dropped a small glob of shampoo on top of Aura’s lavender colored mane and began rubbing it in, her hooves working the soap, softening the mare’s mane. She ran soap over her friends shoulders and back. Aura giggled as Silver washed her sides. “You’re tickling me! Let me wash myself already!”

Silver gave her the bottle of soap and leaned back against the tub. Aura stood above the water level and rubbed soap into the rest of her fur coat and her tail before cleaning herself off by dunking herself in the water. “There all clean. Now it’s your turn!”

Silver Spoon turned around in the bathtub and leaned back, letting her fur and mane soak in the water. Her head was resting in Aura’s lap and the warm water was surrounding the edges of her face. She smiled, “Hi.”

“Hello, Silvy,” Aura replied whimsically before leaning forward and pecking her on the lips. Silver Spoon sat up and smiled as she felt Aura’s hooves running through her mane and across her shoulders and back. It felt weird to be bathed by another pony, much less a mare, but she couldn’t help but enjoy it.

After Aura had finished her part Silver Spoon dumped some more shampoo on her own hooves and began washing her chest, stomach, legs, and flanks before settling back down into the water and rinsing herself clean.

The room was filled with steam and smelled like shampoo, both of them stepped out of the tub and looked at each other, soaking wet, they shared a short kiss. They grabbing their towels and dried themselves off. After the room aired out a bit, Aura began brushing her mane and tail straight, returning it to its normal style. Silver Spoon put her necklace and glasses back on before brushing her own mane and tail.

Once they were both finished, they tossed their towels into a hamper and drained the tub before heading back downstairs. Pinch had started a second pot of coffee. “Who’s next?” Aura asked, heading for the coffee pot.

Silver Spoon didn’t say anything but simply sat down at the table. Okay, so what’s happened so far? Went from being completely alone to having friends, then became a lesbian, and am now dating a very beautiful mare. Above that, I’ve skipped two days of school which means I’ll probably get a warning and a letter to my parents about my behavior, so I’m probably in trouble. I got drunk with a bunch of random ponies, again, and am actually happy now.

Shady smiled, “I suppose I’ll go next unless Pinch wants to take a bath. But being covered in the smell of sweat and alcohol sucks, so I do want to wash up real quick.”

Berry simply sipped at her coffee and nodded before turning towards Aura, “You two can head on to school if you like. I’m going to probably stay home today. I’ve got a bit of a migraine and don’t really want to deal with assholes all day.”

Aura nodded and glanced at Shady Daze, “Shady, you coming to school?”

“Yeah, but don’t wait up for me, okay?”

“Why not? I mean wouldn’t it be nice to walk together?”

“Yeah, but I’m going to take a quick bath before headin’ back to Button’s place. Gotta grab some books and shit, and I’ll be heading over there for lunch too. I promised his mom I’d cook dinner tonight and help her make a cake.” He turned and disappeared into the living room.

“What about you Rumble? Are you going to school?” Silver asked calmly.

“What? Like this? Hell no. I’m not even sure if I’m sober right now. I drank like four times the amount you and Aura did. Nah, I’m going to stay here, finish this cup of coffee and probably go pass out in the bathroom hugging the toilet.” He took another drink and stared at a wall as if he were in a daydream.

“Well then, I guess Aura and I’ll head to school after she finishes off that cup of coffee.” Silver Spoon winked. “Mind if I have a sip, babe?”

Aura laughed and took a seat at the table, pushing the cup across to her, “I don’t see why not.”

Silver Spoon took a sip of the coffee just to immediately begin coughing. “How much sugar is in that,” she demanded.

“Just enough for me to enjoy it.” Aura responded with a laugh, Berry and Rumble both laughed joined in. Silver Spoon just pushed the cup back across the table. “What can I say, I love a little coffee in my sugar,” Aura said with a smirk.

After she’d finished her cup of coffee, the two of them grabbed their saddlebags that hung near the door and left. They walked in silence for a few blocks, “Sooo…” Aura said awkwardly, “What are we going to do once we get there? I mean you’re a grade ahead of me and we share no classes what-so-ever.”

“Well, I guess we could see each other between classes and then meet out front to go to lunch. Sound good? My lockers in the main hallway, near Mr. Whoove’s classroom.” Silver Spoon said as she looked around, a small place called Equestrian Coffee House caught her eye. A sign in the window said that it had all different brews of coffee and tea. “Hey, Aura, want to stop for a cup of coffee?”

“We don’t have time for that, but maybe we can meet there and try it out tomorrow morning, sound good?”

“Sure! That sounds good.” Silver smiled wide and moved closer to Aura, walking close enough for their fur to brush.

Aura’s tail intertwined with her marefriend’s. “So what about school? Are we…” She slowed down a little. “Should we hide our relationship?”

Silver Spoon stopped completely, letting their tails separate, she looked at Aura straight-faced and serious, “You know the rumors about me better than I do. Do you honestly believe I care what those ponies think or say about me? I don’t. I do care about what they say about you and I don’t want to see you hurt because of our relationship, so it’s your choice. Do you want ponies to see us together?”

Aura sighed and looked away as if she were thinking, but her face went soft and she looked back up to meet Silver’s gaze. “I don’t care either. I’m not ashamed to be yours. I’ve fantasized about this way too many times to be ashamed to be seen with you.”

“You know, I’m glad to hear you say that,” Silver said before leaning in and giving her a soft kiss on the forehead. As she pulled away she spotted the clock tower in the distance with its hands pointed at 7:45. “Shit! We’re going to be late!”

They both looked at the clock then at each other before taking off, side by side, all the way to the school. They sat down together under a tree just outside the school’s front doors. Ponies were walking by as they rested, some of them were deep in conversations amongst themselves. While other groups stopped and whispered with eyes batting at them. Obviously taking note of the fact that Silver Spoon had someone next to her that wasn’t Diamond Tiara.

“Hey, ponies are staring at us,” Aura whispered hesitantly.

“Don’t mind them, it’ll happen the more you’re seen with me,” she answered passively, watching some of the ponies she knew whispering about the two of them. Apple Cobbler’s daughter, Apple Crumble, was whispering to Firelock and Cyan Skies, who shared a confused look then took turns glancing over at them. Skies caught Silver’s eye which made her face went red.

The three of them walked over and stood over the two mares. “So, Silver Spoon’s got a new toy. Aura, you might wanna rethink your friend here. Don’t you remember what she and Diamond Tiara did to you? Leaving you in a well for… how long? thirty-five minutes?”

Silver Spoon looked away as she remembered the incident, but Aura laughed, “Big deal, that was years ago. You know ponies can change, right?”

Silver Spoon glanced over without turning her head. She watched as Apple Crumble turned to her friends, “Oh lookie there, some pony that actually wants to defend them. That’s a new one.” She looked back at Silver Spoon and spat on the ground near her hooves, “Not so tough without your marefriend around, huh, Silver Spoon.”

Silver Spoon stood up and looked down at the mare who was only a few inches shorter than her. As Silver Spoon readied herself a comeback, Aura had stood up and stood sideways in between the two of them. “Either you three leave my marefriend alone or I’ll show you just how much can be changed in a very short time.” Aura’s voice echoed through clenched teeth and she added emphasis on her threat.

As all three mares shrank and stepped backward in unison, Cyan Skies looked around before taking off towards the school’s entrance. Firelock just snorted, “Whores,” before her and Crumble ran off, following their pegasus friend into the school.

Silver stepped forward, “Thank you, Aura.” Water began running down her cheeks as she pulled her mare into a hug. Aura simply returned the hug, squeezing her as close as she could.

Hearing the bell ring and ponies began to file into the building, all of who had seen the confrontation had been talking and parts of conversations were easily overheard. “Did you know Silver Spoon was a lesbian?” As well as, “Wow, didn’t know Aura was that stupid.” Amongst other bits and pieces which were either insulting or ignorant.

Aura stopped and looked at Silver, “Here’s my locker. You better get to yours and get to class.” She smiled and gave Silver a hug and a quick kiss, “I’ll see you later, right?”

“Right!” Silver answered with a smile before turning to leave, noticing just how many ponies had witnessed the kiss. Not a single one spoke a word. The silence that filled the full halls almost all the way to her locker was unsettling until she heard a voice shout her name. It was Diamond Tiara, who was alone. “Hey, Diamond!” Silver said jumping forward and smiling big.

“What happened to you? I’ve been worried sick!” Diamond said as she began looking Silver Spoon over from head to tail. “You smell… different.”

“Oh, I took a bath this morning, went to a party last night and... Well, I made some friends.” And made out with a mare all night! Now I have a girlfriend and almost had-

She decided it would be best not to overload her friend right away, besides with all that had happened, she was bound to hear about it by the end of her first class. “A lot more happened, but we don’t have time to talk about it right now. Gotta get to class, love ya, sis!”

Diamond stood there dumbfounded for a short moment before the bell rang, and both of them quickly took off in opposite directions to their individual classes.

"Touch the Sky"

"I will hear their every story,
Take hold of my own dream,
Be as strong as the seas are stormy,
And proud as an eagle's scream."

Watching the clock tick away at the seconds left in class, Silver Spoon tapped her quill on the hard wooden desk she sat at. There was only a single minute of class remaining and she couldn't wait to get out. She had already gotten tired of hearing all the ponies whispering when they thought she couldn’t hear them. No pony had had the guts to just talk to her. As if she would bite their heads off or something, but that was to be expected.

“So I heard Silver Spoon got her hooves on some mare in a lower grade, any idea who it was?”

“No idea, but I feel sorry for her. Besides- psst -you even listenin’, dude? I think Silver Spoon probably blackmailed her into a relationship.”

“Could be. Hey, did you know she was a fillyfooler?”

“Who doesn’t, she followed Diamond Tiara’s royal tail around for how many years? Something had to of happened between those two. I haven’t seen the two of them together like they used to be in Celestia knows how long.”

“Oh and we have to find that red unicorn, named Firelock. She’s the one who got in Silver’s face. I heard she’s one we have to find to get a full story.”

“Dude, did you see her ear twitch? Think she can hear us?”

The bell finally rang. Both the ponies behind her stood and left. Silver Spoon waited for them to pass her. “And yes, I heard your whole conversation.”

The younger one stopped and just looked at her for a moment, seeming speechless. Silver smirked as she packed her satchel and stood up to leave. Both the ponies, whom she didn’t actually know, simply stood there whispering quieter. There was too much noise and Silver couldn’t hear their continued conversation as she left the room.

Alright, where to find Aura? She thought as she hurried towards the front doors of the building. Her pace was hurried and excitement pricked at the bottom of her hooves.

“Silver Spoon!” somepony shouted. Silver spun around to see Diamond Tiara catching up to her. “Silver, what’s up with you? You know you have rumors flying everywhere this morning, right?”

“Of course I know, Diamond. I do have ears, does nopony realize that?” Silver answered with a hint of annoyance. Does everypony think I’m deaf?

“Well? Care to explain what happened, I mean, I’ve been worried about you since we talked at your place two days ago,” Diamond said taking a step closer to Silver.

“Hey, Diamond.” Silver smiled. “Don’t worry so much, ‘kay?

Diamond just grunted but started towards the front door. “I’m supposed to catch Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo at the steps, are you coming to the Corner with us?”

“Actually, I’m meeting someone out by the apple tree. I can see if she wants to join us!” Silver’s excitement peaked again and she quickly trotted down the hallway towards the school’s front entrance. She looked back as she pushed the door open, Diamond Tiara was close behind her wearing a big smile.

Outside the door, Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle sat at the bottom of the steps waiting for Diamond. They were deep in conversation and hadn’t noticed us walking up to them. “Hello ladies,” said Diamond Tiara, taking the initiative as she usually did.

“Oh! Hey Dia,” said Scootaloo, looking up between her friend’s heads. Both Sweetie and Bloom cocked their heads back and smiled.

“Hey, Diamond! Did ya know Silver Spoon got a new marefriend?” said Applebloom. “I thought she had’a thing for Featherweight.”

Silver just snorted in order to make her presence known. “Apple Bloom, I did have a ‘thing’ for him. Though I’m over him now… for obvious reasons.”

“I know you two are friends and-”

“And what? Apple Bloom, ever since the two of you started hanging out, I haven’t even seen him, much less spoken to him. He hasn’t said a word to me in over a month or two…” Silver said with agitation burning in her eyes.

Sweetie stood and stepped between the two mares, facing Bloom while Diamond turned to face Silver. “Silver Spoon, calm down. There’s no reason to be angry with Apple Bloom over something Featherweight did to you.”

“He was my best friend! She took him from me…” said Silver. “Look, I have to go get Aura… I’ll see if she wants to eat at the Corner, but I really don’t want to be near Apple Bloom right now. Please tell me she’s not going to eat with you, girls.”

“I’ll talk to her and the others. Go get your friend and wait by the tree, I’ll be over soon to let you know what’s up. Okay, Silvy?”

Silver Spoon nodded and turned away from the group. She headed towards the apple tree which wasn’t too far away. Now that the crowds were thinning out, she could see Aura waiting next to the tree reading a book. She held a pencil between her lips as she scribbled down notes.

As Silver neared her, Aura glanced up. “Silvy! I was wondering how much longer you were going to make me wait.” Aura stood and packed her stuff into her satchel before stepping towards Silver and stealing a quick peck on the lips.

Silver returned the peck and smiled, “Do you wanna go eat at the Corner with Diamond, Sweetie, and Scootaloo?”

Aura smiled, “I’d like that. Since Berry Pinch is gone and- Hey! There’s Button Mash! Let’s see if he wants to join us.”

Silver watched as Aura walked over to him, he stopped before shaking his head, Aura returned alone. “He said he’s going to be meeting somepony somewhere for lunch, then said he was waiting on Rumble and Shady, I let ‘em know Rumble wasn’t here and that Shady’d been planning to go help Mom with that cake.”

Silver noticed Featherweight appear in the doorway, he met with Apple Bloom and then the two of them left. Diamond Tiara and the others walked over to the apple tree, “Silver, you and your girlfriend coming?”

“Yeah, we are,” answered Aura enthusiastically.

“So who’s this?” Scootaloo whispered, leaning towards Sweetie Belle.

“Not a clue,” Sweetie whispered in return.

Diamond Tiara turned her head and gave the two a dirty look, effectively silencing the two before smiling back at Aura and Silver. “Sis, I can’t wait to hear more about your adventure yesterday, but for now, let’s get going. I’m hungry!”

The five of them started walking towards the Corner. “Hey Silver, I’ve been hearing rumors all morning, about you. I’m guessing they’re true,” said Sweetie Belle, resting her gaze on Aura. “I’m glad to see that you’re making friends so easily. I had told Tiara that you would be able to do it. she didn’t seem as confident though.”

Silver just smiled. “I didn’t realize Diamond was so open with you about what we had talked about in private.” She let her gaze land on Diamond, who had adjusted her speed to match Sweetie’s. They were walking close enough to each other that their fur would occasionally brush.

“Sorry, Silvy, I was worried about you and had no one else to really talk to, so I ended up talking to Sweetie Belle during one of our classes yesterday after you disappeared. I was getting worried about you. No one knew where you had disappeared to.”

Silver and Aura were walking side by side just behind Sweetie and Diamond, scootaloo walked along next to Sweetie Belle. “I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to talk to you earlier Diamond. Just so much has happened in such a short amount of time.”

“It’s fine. So what happened?” Diamond asked slowing down so she was walking alongside Silver, opposite of Aura.

Silver was about to speak but Aura cut her off, “She bumped into me yesterday as me and my friend were on our way to lunch. We ended up inviting her to come with, she seemed distracted and a little upset. Before we could get to where we were going, we ran into Rumble, you know him I think, well he was a bit drunk and so we decided to skip school to take care of him. We decided to go get Shady Daze from Button’s place since they had both skipped school, and we headed over to Pinch’s place.”

“Wait, you mean Berry Pinch? Isn’t she, like, Rumble’s plaything? I mean I don’t know her personally, but I only ever hear bad things about her,” Scootaloo interjected, making her presence known.

Aura’s face tightened, her brow furrowed and her eyes narrowed, “Just because she has a reputation doesn’t mean she’s a bad pony. You’re talking about my best friend as if she’s nothing more than a sex toy and I don’t appreciate it.”

Scootaloo’s eyes went wide, “Oh shit! Sorry, I didn’t realize-”

Sweetie Belle interrupted her friend, “Aura, right? Don’t mind her, she can be a bit insensitive at times. She didn’t mean it that way.”

Aura simply stuck her nose in the air and grunted, “Whatever.”

Silver turned to face Diamond again, “Anyways, after we all got to Berry’s place, we ended up drinking and having a good time. Well, after a little while someone decided it would be a good idea to play truth or dare or chug. After a few rounds, which also included some very funny scenes involving Shady Daze, someone decided to dare Aura to kiss me. When she faltered and ran off, the game ended. Eventually, I ended up talking to Aura and well…”

Silver Spoon blushed and looked at Aura to continue the story, “She came into the room, Berry and I were talking, Berry was apologizing for the dare and that she knew she’d gone too far with it. Playing off the fact that she knew I had alway had a crush on Silvy.” She smiled, “I was so happy to see her show up in that doorway, and after talking to her for a few minutes we shared a kiss, our first kiss actually.”

“So, is that all that happened?” Sweetie Belle asked, her voice cracking with excitement like it used to do when she was younger. Diamond giggled at it as Belle’s cheeks changed colors.

“Of course not, Pinch caught the end of the kiss and ended up making me chug anyways, she shoved a bottle in my mouth and forced half the bottle down my throat. She apologized for it after I puked in her front yard, but I couldn’t help but laugh it off,” Silver Spoon said continuing where Aura had left off. “After that though, everything got hazy, for me at least.”

Aura gave her a smile, as if to tell her thanks for sparing her the embarrassment of her drunken escapades. “It got pretty foggy for me too, but I remember laying next to Berry on her bed, Berry was being a good friend and helping me through whatever it was I was going through right then, suddenly Berry was gone and Silver Spoon was there cuddling up beside me and wishing me sweet dreams.”

“Sounds like the two of you had an eventful night, so what happened this morning that got all these rumors flying?” Scoot said as she wore a grin.

Aura laughed, “Apple Crumble and her friends, Firelock and Cyan Skies were trying to pick a fight with me and Silver. They were asking why Diamond Tiara wasn’t around and suggest that I stay away from Silver. I told them that they can’t judge a pony based off of stuff that happened years ago, like being thrown down that old broken well,” both Diamond and Silver looked at each other while Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle exchanged a look. “I told them to lay off my marefriend or else I’d show them how fast I could kick their asses. They ended up leaving after that with their tails between their legs.”

“Wow,” said Scootaloo a little excited, “You’re a pretty badass mare, you know that right?”

“I blame Berry Pinch, I used to be as timid as a bunny, but thanks to her and the trouble she’s always getting into, I’ve had to toughen up to bail her out everytime,” said Aura with a smile.

“Obviously she doesn’t know Angel,” said Sweetie Belle with a laugh.

“That bunny’s got attitude problems. Come to think of it; how the hell is that rabbit still alive?”

“No idea, who’s Angel?” Aura asked, tilting her head to the side.

Sweetie answered, “Angel is a bunny that belongs to Fluttershy. That little rabbit has an attitude problem. Though he’s getting pretty old by now, I’m surprised he’s still as lively as he is.”

Silver’s stomach growled, realizing just how close they were to Sugarcube Corner. There were quite a few ponies there. Applejack and Pinkie Pie were talking about something, they were standing near the entrance. Noticing Apple Cobbler had just served a group of students their lunch, she recognized none of them, but Apple Cobbler walked spotted them and started towards them as their group took their seats around a table.

“What can I get for y’all?” Her voice carried the usual Apple family accent, but her voice was quiet and friendly.

Sweetie Belle was first to answer. “I’ll just take my usual, a dandelion sandwich, please.”

Everyone else placed their orders. “Oh! and a pitcher of water please, it’s kind of hot out today.” Tiara requested pleasantly.

“So you ditched school to go drinking?” Diamond asked glancing over at Silver.

Aura answered for her, “Actually, we ditched school to take care of Rumble, he was getting thrown out of a restaurant when we found him. He skipped today because of a hangover. I can only imagine what he’s been up to lately. He’s been skipping a lot of school lately.”

Silver laughed awkwardly as Diamond stared at Aura, seeming a little dumbfounded. “Hey, Diamond, I was meaning to ask you something. Are you and Sweetie Belle, well, you know…”

Diamond’s eyes went wide and her cheeks turned a darker shade under her pink fur. “I’ll… I’ll talk to you later about it.” she turned towards Sweetie Belle who just laughed in return. Sweetie Belle nodded and Diamond shook her head in response.

Sweetie Belle laughed again but said nothing more, at least, not until she turned towards Scootaloo, “So, Scoot, what’ve you been doing down at the bike shop? Learning anything?”

“Just that I hate when foals are trying to ride their scooters in the shop. Augh, they can get so annoying!” Scootaloo scuffed a hoof against the dirt under the table in annoyance.

“Well that’s a bummer,” said Diamond as her gaze swept from Scootaloo over to Aura. “So Aura, I want to hear more about you and my sis, if that’s alright.”

“Sure, what do you want to know?”

“How long have you had a crush on her?”

“Well, for as long as I can remember, to be honest…” Aura began to blush a little before turning towards Silver Spoon and smiling a little.

Diamond spoke up again, “Well, I had heard a rumor that Silver Spoon suddenly showed up with some mare and was declaring they were dating. I didn’t know she was a fillyfooler.”

This made Silver and Aura blush, “Well Apple Crumble wasn’t being too nice, she, Firelock, and Cyan Skies were being rude… Firelock even called us both whores,” said Aura quietly.

Sweetie Belle and Diamond Tiara looked as if they’d seen a ghost, their shocked expressions mirroring each other. Scootaloo, however, had steam flowing from her ears. “If I hear about them messing with you two, I’ll make sure they don’t do it again.”

“Violence isn’t the answer to everything, Scoot.” said Sweetie Belle.

Just then, Apple Cobbler showed up holding a couple plates with sandwiches on them, Pinkie Pie accompanied her, carrying a collection of glasses and a pitcher of water, afterwards, Pinkie Pie bounced off. Cobbler smiled after setting out the sandwiches and Tiara’s salad, “ah’m hopin’ ya’ girls enjoy it.”

“Apple Cobbler, you know your daughter was picking on our friends this morning, right?” Sweetie Belle said quietly.

Cobbler paused looking a bit shocked, “Wha's she up ta now?”

“She was picking on one of our friends this morning, Apparently her friend, Firelock, called her and her friend ‘whores’. It’s a little upsetting, but please don’t tell her who told you, okay?” said Diamond.

Apple Cobbler simply nodded, “I’ll take care of 'er an' 'er friends. Firelock an' Cyan Skies? righ'? that's who ah usually see 'er with…”

“Yeah, that’s 'em,” said Silver feeling a little upset. Cobbler nodded, with a sudden understanding, before walking away. Diamond and Aura both hugged Silver at the same time and she smiled as Aura kissed her cheek.

The school’s final bell rang as Silver walked out the front door. She had excused herself from class a little early, wanting to walk with Aura before heading home. She wasn’t looking forward for whatever her father had to say to her.

Sitting down at the base of the apple tree, she watched the front doors as ponies began spilling out across the front lawn of the school.

Crap! No, don’t spot me, just keep walking…

No! Damnit. Go away.

Silver spoon rolled her eyes as Apple Crumble, Cyan Skies, and Firelock made their way across the grass towards her.

Just leave me alone…

As they walked up Silver put on a fake smile but didn’t speak.

“Hey there, Silver. Where’s Aura? oh right, she’s staying late today. You know how detention is, don’t you.”

“How did she get detention?” Silver Spoon asked, not believing what Crumble said.

“Well, one thing led to another and she started yelling at somepony during last period. She was sent down to the office just before the bell rang,” said Crumble as both, Skies and Firelock, laughed in unison.

“So Spoony’s all alone today, poor you.” Firelock chimed in.

“Why are you three making it a point to bug me?” Silver asked feeling anger begin to boil under her skin. Crumble just laughed but didn’t answer the question. Taking advantage of the mare’s hesitation, Silver stood up and smiled. “I really hate bugs, especially the ones that just beg to be squished.”

Cyan and Fire stepped forward, heads down low as if ready to pounce. Crumble laughed and turned away, “Come on girls, let’s leave the filly fondler alone, she might try to touch us in inappropriate ways.”

Silver Spoon laid back down on the grass and watched as the three of them disappeared into the crowd. She felt hot anger flowing through her, to the point that she just wanted to hit something, preferably a certain Apple. Spotting Diamond Tiara, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Apple Bloom coming out of the building, Silver Spoon stood and walked over to them. She ignored Bloom but greeted everyone.

“Hi, Silver! How are ya’?”

“Doing pretty good, I guess. Just waiting on Aura. I was going to walk her home before heading back to my place. Though I guess she ended up letting her temper get ahold of her during her last class… Apparently she started yelling at Apple Crumble and her friends,” she said noticing Apple Bloom perk up at the mention of her cousin.

Diamond nodded with a bit of understanding, “Well that sucks. Are you going to wait out here for her?”

“Well, yeah, I told her I’d walk her home. I don’t usually go back on something once I’ve said I’d do it.”

“Wait a minute! What’s all this ‘bout Apple Crumble?” Bloom asked butting into the conversation.

“Well, this morning when she saw me and Aura together, her and her friends began harassing us for no reason. We haven’t done anything to them, but I guess Aura and her have a bit of history. And, well, you already can guess why she would go after me, especially while Diamond’s not around.

“We don’t got time for this, Apple Bloom, c’mon aren’t we supposed to be helping Applejack with something? Like now?” Scootaloo said as she offered Silver a wink.

“oh righ’, the apple buckin’...” Bloom said turning as if ready to leave.

Scootaloo turned too and Sweetie Belle looked at Diamond, “I’ll drop by your place, later on, tonight, okay?”

Diamond smiled, “Alright, darling.” Her eyes suddenly went wide as she looked at Scootaloo and Apple Bloom, both their backs were turned and they were still walking away. Then she glanced at Sweetie Belle, who was glowing under her white fur. “uhhh…”

Silver Spoon understood now, what Berry Pinch had said at the party the night before resonated with clarity. So she is with one of the Crusaders.

Sweetie Belle seemed frozen, allowing a silence to linger amongst the three of them, finally Scootaloo shouted over her shoulder. “Come on Sweetie, we’ve got shit to do!”

Sweetie Belle shook her head and whispered something into Diamond’s ear before nodding to Silver and galloping off towards the other two. “So what was that all about?” asked Silver.

“Oh, urm… nothing important, I’ll wait here with you until Aura gets out.”

“Really, nothing? Diamond, couldn’t you have trusted me with something like this? I mean it’s obvious that you and Sweetie Belle are dating.”

They walked over to the shade of the apple tree and laid down next to each other, no one else was there by now, except for a few other ponies walking away from the school. She sighed, “Silver, I wanted to tell you sooner, I really did, but I didn’t want it to get out… I was afraid…”

Silver simply put her hoof on her friends, “I know, and I don’t really care. I mean I understand your reasons, yours and hers, so don’t worry, I won’t tell anypony.”

“Thanks, Silvy.”

Aura finally stepped out of the front doors of the school, Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara looked up. Diamond smiled. “Well, there’s your girl, I guess I’ll head home now, leave you two to your business.”

Silver Spoon nodded, “You got your own girl to go see, so have fun, sis.”

With that Diamond stood and walked off in the opposite direction just as Aura approached. “Hey! I’m glad you waited for me.”

“Of course I’d wait for you, I told you I’d walk you home, didn’t I?”

“That you did,” said Aura with a big smile. She started walking and Silver followed her.

“So what happened? How’d you get a detention?”

“Well, Firelock and Cyan Skies were sitting behind me and they were talking about how nasty your… um…” Aura paused trying to think of a lighter word for it, “mare parts were. They were also talking about your glasses and that you can’t see past the end of your muzzle without them. So I blew up on them. Told them to stop talking about you when you couldn’t defend yourself. And I know for a fact that they were just talking shit to talk shit and to piss me off.”

“Well, apparently they succeeded… Aura, don’t let them get to you like that, even if they’re talking about me. I don’t care what they say about me, they’ve been doing it for years. I deserve it to be honest, and so does Diamond, but we both just grew up, learned to let them be the foals they are.”

“If you say so… I guess I kinda fell for their trick.” She sighed sounding a bit defeated.

“You know, you’re right, they did it just to get at us. They stopped by while I was waiting by the apple tree and told me you started flipping shit in class and got a detention for it,” said Silver. “You know, I didn’t mind waiting for you. I don’t really want to go home.”

Aura stopped walking and watched her closely. “Why don’t you want to go home?”

Silver stopped and turned back to look at her friend, “Didn’t I tell you last night? My home life is a bit… depressing.”

Aura stepped forward, threw her hooves around Silver’s neck and pulled her into a tight hug. Silver returned the hug with a small smile on her lips. “You know, Aura, my dad won’t be happy to hear about you.”

“Why’s that?” she asked pulling away and looking into Silver’s eyes.

Silver sighed, “Because he’s not exactly proud of his sister who’s also a lesbian. I don’t really expect him to be too proud of his lesbian daughter.”

“So we don’t let him know. I’m just a friend of yours.” she smiled and winked which made Silver smile in return. “C’mon, we’re almost to my house.”

Aura started walking again, Silver noticed that the fur on her shoulder and her flank would occasionally brush against her own. Neither of them spoke, they simply enjoyed the company of each other and the silence that they shared.

Eventually Aura stopped and put a hoof on the bottom step, the stairs lead to a wide front porch which had a roof to match its elegancy. The porch itself was white with simple furnishings, including a wooden table and cloth seats. as well as a two-seater porch bench which swung.

The house itself was a large two story building, white window shutters to match the exterior of the house. Aura stepped up the porch while Silver stayed at the bottom, she didn’t say anything. Aura turned towards her and smiled, “You coming?”

Silver started up the stairs, meeting Aura at the top. Aura cocked her head to the side and a sweet smile crossed her face. Silver stepped towards her and rested her chin on Aura’s shoulder, pressing the side of her head into Aura’s neck.

Just then the door opened and they both stepped away from each other. A large blue stallion stood in the door, His mane was short and spiked, much like Aura’s just instead of it flowing downwards it stuck up into the air. His darker blue tail matched his mane, short and spiked.

“Oh! Hey Dad,” Aura said sounding bit nervous.

“Hello, Aura, who’s this?” He asked in a lighthearted tone, he had a little smirk on his face, as if he had just devised an evil plan in his head.

“Oh… right, uh…” Aura glanced at Silver as if pleading for help.

“I’m Silver Spoon. A friend from school, it’s nice to meet you, sir.” Silver added the last word with some hesitation, not knowing the stallions name, and not wanting to sound rude. If he ended up being like her own dad, stuff could get ugly rather quickly.

“Good to meet you, Silver Spoon, please, come in. Would you two like some coffee? I just got home and decided to start a pot before Aloe got home. Oh, and Silver, my name’s Klein.”

“Actually, I’m sorry but I’ve got to go here shortly. I’m already running a bit late.” Silver said with a friendly smile to Aura’s father before turning towards Aura, “I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”

Aura’s entire body slumped and a hollow smile played across, “Alright, meet at the coffee shop?”

“As Celestia’s sun rises.” Silver answered, turning towards the door. Aura followed her to the door, but her dad stayed in the kitchen and made his coffee.

“Hey Silver, you sure you don’t want to just stay here tonight?” Her eyes seemed to be a bit pleading.

“I wish I could, but I need to go home sometime. I can’t just run away from home like that. I haven’t been home in two days.”

“I understand, just remember you’re welcome here whenever you need a place,” Aura said as she pulled Silver into a tight hug, “Good night, Silvy.”

“Good night, Aura,” Silver Spoon said as she returned Aura’s hug. Silver kissed her lightly on the cheek before turning to leave. She just realized that Aura lived in the middle of town, the coffee shop was off in the western direction, and her own house was off to the east, not too far, but apparently she’d be picking Aura up in the morning on her way to the coffee shop.

"You'll be in My Heart"

"Why can't they understand the way we feel?
They just don't trust what they can't explain
I know we're different but deep inside us
We're not that different at all"

“Mom? I’m home.”

Why are the lights off? I guess they’re gone.

Silver walked into the living room. Mom’s books were piled to each side of the living room table. In the middle of the table were a bottle of shimmering apple wine and two empty glasses.

Why does that not surprise me? she thought before heading upstairs.

Her room was in the same chaotic order she had left it in, nothing had been moved. She smiled and opened the bottom drawer to her nightstand. There it sat, a small, dented, metal heart with a hole through it.

Dropping her satchel on the floor, she picked up the heart. “I think it’s time we finished you, don’t you think?”

She placed the heart in one of her empty bags and left the room, closing the door behind her. Humming to herself, she went back downstairs and out to her father’s forge.

Good, Dad’s not home either. Then again, when is he ever home?

She took the heart out of her bag and placed it on the workbench before starting up the smallest oven.

Once the oven was heated up, she picked the heart up with some tongs and placed it inside the oven. Once she removed it she began working the metal, smoothing it out and removing any dents it had.

I wonder what Aura’s up to? She thought as she accidently hit her hoof with the hammer.

Damnit! She flailed for a moment, biting her bottom lip. “Good. No blood… I hope it doesn’t bruise too badly.”

“Hmm… What should I do with you...” she whispered, looking the piece over. It was smooth and solid, except for the ragged hole in the middle. She slid a hoof protector over one of her hooves and set to work sanding the edge of the hole, Smoothing it out and bringing its edges so they weren’t so jagged.

She looked over the piece, inspecting its finish. That looks better. Time to get creative!

She pulled out her dad’s metal cutter. She flipped the switch on it and began cutting a design into the heart’s inner edge, around the hole. It wasn’t anything fancy, just a simple swirl upwards from the bottom tip of the heart, around the edge of the hole and out across heart.

Oh wow, that came out better than I’d expected! Now, what to put on the backside? More swirls? No… What about a quote or something? Something meaningful, maybe?

An idea sparked in the back of her mind and she began etching it into the metal, using a swirling format to match the front. Once she finished the inscription, it read.

“From rock to metal,
and from me to you.
Keep my heart safe,
I’ll always stay true.”

Aft er she finished, she sat there and stared at it. It was truly beautiful. She blew the metal shaving from its surface and went over the entire thing once more to smooth out any and all sharp edges before placing it in her bag and leaving the forge.

I guess I’ll go to Aura’s for the night. Should I show it to her? Or wait until it’s finished?

Silver Spoon had grabbed everything she needed, including her satchel for school the next morning, and stepped down the stairs. The heart she had been working on was back in her nightstand drawer. She didn’t know what to think of it because it wasn’t finished yet, but she didn’t know what else to do with it.

A door opened and two ponies entered the house.

“Mom? Dad? That you?” she asked calmly.

“Silver Spoon? When’d you get home?” her father asked. Her mother squeezed past them and walked to her couch, grabbed a book and began to read.

“I got home at about four or five this afternoon,” she said softly.

“You’ve been gone for two or three days! Where have you been? Obviously not at school, your teacher dropped a letter off the other day saying you ditched school not once, but twice!”

“Sorry… I made a few friends and, well, uh…” She didn’t know what to say. She couldn’t tell him the truth, he’d be even madder at her.

“So why’d you ditch school, Silver Spoon? Tell me the truth.”

Frustration boiled over and finally Silver answered him, “Fine! You want to know what I was doing? I made some friends, skipped school to go drinking with them, and got harassed at school, yet again. Oh, and guess what, Dad? I have a marefriend. Now if you would excuse me, I’m leaving.”

“No, you’re not.” He moved to block the exit.

“Dad! Get outta my way.” Anger spurred her onward, “All you two ever do is either ignore me or scold me. You don’t care about me, and it’s obvious she could give less than two shits about what I’ve been doing. Your own daughter is missing for two days straight and you two are here having wine and going on romantic dates. What’s up with that?”

Her dad was silent for a moment. “Silver Spoon.”

“What is it you want from me!?” She shouted at him, her eyes glossing over.

“I want to talk to my daughter.”

“Fine. Talk.”

“Silver Spoon, you’ve always been a troubled little filly, for as long as I can remember you’ve been either a bully or a loner. I wasn’t worried about you because you’re my daughter. You are able to take care of yourself. I don’t want to see you hurting your education like this. You can’t be skipping school anymore.”

Anger sparked inside of him. “And I don’t want you seeing this filly again.”

“Isn’t that just like you? Finally start being a real parent and then forbid me from seeing a pony just because she makes me happy.” She turned away from him and spat on the floor. “You just said that I’m strong enough to take care of myself. So why do you continue treating me like a child?”

“Silver, just listen to your father. I’m tired of hearing the two of you fighting all the time.” Her mother spoke from where she was laying on the couch.

Silver Spoon walked into the living room and glared at her mother. “Mom, how could you say that? He’s telling me I’m not allowed to go see my marefriend, simply because she’s a mare. Isn’t that a little messed up?”

“No, I don’t want you seeing her either. You’re our only daughter, how are we supposed to get grandchildren from you and a mare? Explain that to me. How is Platinum's business supposed to run itself when he’s too old to work the forge? How do you expect us to sit by and watch you ruin your life?”

“I am not ruining my life by being with a mare! I can run the forge when Dad’s too old. Besides, all you ever do is sit there and read or sleep. Am I even alive to you? Do you even recognize me? Because this is the first time we’ve had a conversation in what? Three weeks? We live in the same house and we don’t even speak to each other!”

Platinum stepped into the doorway of the living room. “Silver Spoon, take a seat.”

“No! I won’t sit down when you’re both attacking me!” She stood next in between the table and a chair with tears in her eyes.

Her mom spoke next, “It’s not that I ignore you. It’s that I simply have nothing to say to you.”

Dad stepped forward and glared at her. “What Gem Stone means is that she does care about you, she just doesn’t know what to say or do when you’re around. You’ve always kept a distance between us that we can’t bridge.”

“I haven’t tried to stay distant. But every time I try to help in the forge, I screw up. Every time I come home, I don’t get acknowledged or anything. No stories or good nights, nothing. She gives no effort towards being a Mother. She’s a maid, she cleans and cooks and reads. That’s all. It’s pointless for me to give her any respect when all I am to her is a whisper in the wind.”

Platinum glared at Gem Stone. “Is this true?”

“Well…” her mother started.

“I don’t think she’s ever even said she loves me.” Silver finally dropped into the chair and took a shaken breath. Tears poured down her cheeks.

Platinum stood next to the chair she sat in and placed a hoof on Silver’s shoulder. “I work all day and strive to keep a roof over our heads, food in our stomachs, and bits to spare. I may not have time to spend with Silver Spoon here.” He glanced down at his daughter. “You have no right to ignore your own daughter like that. It’s your job to take care of her, and love her unconditionally.”

“Does it matter now? She’s a fillyfooler, just like your sister. Does that mean you’re going to disown her too?”

“Leave my sister out of this. She’s messed up her own life. We’re talking about our daughter here and how you’ve been ignoring her. I had no idea you were being such a lazy leech! No wonder Silver Spoon and her friend were always bullying the other children while they were younger. She never had a mother!”

“She never had a father either!” Gem Stone closed her book and sat it on the table. She stood up from the couch and took a few steps towards them. “I don’t have to be here, I don’t have to clean your house, I don’t have to make your dinner, and I sure as hell don’t have to love your daughter.”

With that, her mother turned and walked out of the room. A moment later she appeared with two saddlebags full of her belongings. “I’m done,” she said, walking out the front door and slamming it behind her.

Both Silver Spoon and her father sat in silence for a while. Finally, Platinum stood up and walked into the kitchen. He returned with a bottle of scotch and two glasses, setting them on the table, he shoved a pile of books off onto the floor. “They were in the way. Here, try this. It was your grandfather’s.”

He poured a little of the liquor into one of the glasses and pushed it across the table for her. He poured himself some, filling it almost to the brim, before setting the bottle down. She lifted the glass to her lips and sipped it. Her lips puckered at the sourness of the drink, but it had a good flavor. She just hadn’t expected it to be quite that strong.

“I’m sorry, Silver Spoon.” He took a drink from his glass and sighed.

“Don’t be. You weren’t the one who completely ignored me for the past ten years.”

“No, but I should have talked to you sooner about her. She always assured me that you were doing fine and that everything would be alright. I shouldn’t have listened to her. All she ended up doing was driving a wedge between us and using me for my money.”

Silver sat her glass down and stood up. “I’m… I’ll be going now… I’m staying the night at Aura’s house. That okay?”

“Have fun, Silver Spoon.” He didn’t look up from his drink. “Just stay safe… Love you.”

“You too Dad, love you,” she said before she stepped towards him and gave him a small hug before leaving.

Silver Spoon knocked at Aura’s front door. A moment later a light pink mare opened it. “Hello, how can I help you?” she asked in a cheerful voice.

“Hello, is Aura home?” she asked politely, “She had offered me a place to stay tonight…”

She nodded, “If you’re a friend of Aura’s, please come in, we were about to sit down for dinner if you’d like to join us.”

Silver couldn’t help but smile at her generosity. “That would be lovely, thank you.” She followed her into the house and saw Aura setting the table for dinner. Her mother walked on into the kitchen and started talking to Aura’s dad.

Aura sat the last plate down before she noticed Silver. “Silver! You’re here!” She rushed around the table and hugged her tightly.

“Yeah…” Silver hugged her back, but she was feeling completely drained.

“Oh! I need to set you a spot, don’t I?” Aura said, rushing into the kitchen. She came back with a plate in her mouth, she sat it on the edge of the table and smiled at her. “Dinner shouldn’t take too much longer to cook, why don’t we go to my room, you know, so you can put your bag down.”

Silver nodded and followed Aura up the stairs and down the hallway. Her room was the second room on the left. “I’m glad your parents are alright with me staying over.”

“Yeah, my dad overheard me offer you a place to stay,” she said, smiling as she fell onto her bed.

Silver took her satchel off and dropped it near the end of the bed before dropping down next to her friend. “Hey, Aura…”

Aura rolled onto her side and looked up at her. “What’s up?” She was still wearing that soft joy-filled smile.

“Well…” Silver started crying, pressing her face into Aura’s blankets.

“Silvy? Are you okay?” She moved closer to Silver and laid a hoof across her shoulders. “Don’t cry, Silver, it’ll be okay.”

Silver didn’t look up but started crying harder into the blankets. At this point, Aura had moved so she could lay her chin at the base of Silver’s mane with one hoof and her cheek pressed against Silver’s shoulders. Aura squeezed her marefriend tight for a moment and gently rubbed her back and side comfortingly. “It’s alright, Silver, you can let it all out now.”

A knock came to the door. “Aura, dinner’s ready,” her father said through the door.

“We’ll be down there soon,” Aura answered. “Silvy? Are you going to be alright?”

Silver took a deep breath and got up. “Let’s go eat dinner. We can talk about it later, okay?”

Aura nodded and lead the way downstairs. Silver followed her into the dining room and took her seat, across from Aura. Aloe and Klein were already seated opposite of them. Aloe had taken the liberty of filling the plates for the two of them, it was spaghetti with a creamy vegetable sauce instead of the traditional tomato sauce.

Silver Spoon looked up at Aloe, finally able to place where she’d seen her before. An awkward silence lingered over the table for a moment before she realized why she was so familiar; she was one of the Spa sisters.

“Silver Spoon, yes?” Aloe asked with a harmless smile.

“Yes?” she answered.

“I remember you now. You and your friend, Diamond Tiara, used to come to the spa quite often when you were younger.”

“Yeah, sorry if we ever caused any trouble. I know Diamond and I used to be a handful whenever we were in there, especially when Diamond was having a bad day.”

“Oh, that’s alright. Obviously, you’ve never been in there when Fluttershy and Rarity drop by every week. I love my work, and so it doesn’t bother me or Lotus. We used to look forward to your visits because something interesting always happened.”

Silver flicked her ear in surprise. Did she enjoy having Diamond Tiara bad mouth her and her sister? Well, then again, Diamond just threw bits at ponies and the spa girls always did do a good job on her hooves and mane. “Perhaps I should start visiting you more often -- at the spa I mean.”

“You should! Bring Diamond down, too. I haven’t seen her but once or twice since you were both fillies.”

“I’ll let Diamond know, we’ll see about visiting you some time,” said Silver, poking at her food.

“So what do your parents do?” Klein asked through a mouth full of noodles.

Silver closed her eyes trying not to cry. “My father’s a blacksmith.”

He swallowed his food and prepared another bite. “That must be some hard work. What about your mother?”

Silver shook her head feeling as if she were about to puke. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, standing up and running up to Aura’s room.

She closed the door and crawled under the mountain of blankets on Aura’s bed. She only laid there for about a minute before she heard the door open. “Silver Spoon? Are you okay?”

Silver couldn’t answer her with anything more than a woeful wail. She felt Aura climb into the bed next to her. “It’ll be okay, Silvy, but what’s wrong?”

Pushing the blankets out of the way, Silver pulled her friend into a tight hug. “Thank you, Aura.”

“I haven’t done anythi-”

“Yes, you have. You’ve given me something to live for,” Silver said before pulling away. “My... My mom… Sh… she just l-left us.”

Silver laid down and pressed her face into it. She could feel Aura stroking her mane. “You can tell me about it later on. But for now, just rest, okay?”

Silver tilted her head so she could speak clearly. “Celestia just lowered the sun, though… I was thinking about going and seeing Berry Pinch or Shady Daze.”

“I think we should visit Shady instead of Pinch. Pinch is a good friend, but she can be too… anyways, we should get going if we want to talk to him.” Aura stood up and looked down to see that Silver hadn’t moved.

“We can talk to him tomorrow after school, but for now, let’s just stay here and-”

A knock on the door interrupted Silver. “Come in,” said Aura.

Klein opened the door and came in, closing it behind him. He sat down at the edge of the bed. “Silver Spoon, I’m sorry if I said something wrong. I shouldn’t have been so blunt; I was just curious if I knew your parents or not. I’ve met your dad once or twice, but I don’t know his name.”

“It’s alright. It’s just-” she paused to take a shaken breath, “It’s just that my mother walked out on us only a few hours ago.” Silver lifted one of her hooves and punched the bed, “Fuck her.”

“Oh, my… How is your dad holding up?”

“I don’t know… I left shortly after she did and came here.”

“Well, Silver, It’s not my place to tell you what to do, but you should be there for him. He probably feels like he just lost his wife and his daughter in one fell swoop.” Klein bowed his head and dismissed himself, closing the door again on his way out.

Silver shook her head and looked at Aura, “Let’s stay here tonight. Tomorrow after school… can you come with me to my house? I want to talk to my dad. He’s against me being with you, but I want him to meet you before he judges you. After that, we can go talk to Shady Daze or something, alright?”

Aura climbed back into the bed, throwing the blankets over the two of them. She pulled Silver close to her and kissed her softly on the lips. “I’m alright with that.”

Silver Spoon’s eyes began to water again and she pulled her friend into a tight embrace. “Thank you so much, Aura.”

Aura smiled and began to cry too. “I’d do anything to help you through this.”

Silver Spoon kissed Aura’s neck softly; her fur was soft and warm, like a pillow. Silver Spoon pulled away and looked into her friends’ light blue eyes. “Aura, I’m so glad I- we bumped into each other. I can’t believe it’s only been three days.”

Aura just smiled and kissed her again before closing her eyes and pressing her face into Silver’s chest. “I’m glad too, I just wish everything would slow down and leave us alone for a while. We actually haven’t had a chance to just spend time relaxing like this.”

“Don’t worry there will be more time in the future. I just hope my dad hasn’t done something stupid.” Silver stroked Aura’s mane with her hoof and she rolled onto her back. Aura moved with her, keeping her head on Silver’s chest.

“Babe, you know you can talk to me about this, right?”

“I know, Aura… And it’s not that it’s all bad. M-my mom… She was never treated me like I was her daughter, s-she ignored me for most my life. I mean when I was a young filly, s-she did everything she could possibly do to make me smile and laugh. I… I was happy.” A lump filled her throat and stopped her from speaking. She took a deep breath and Aura looked up at her. Aura kissed her neck and laid her head back where it had been.

Silver Spoon calmed her emotions and continued, “I don’t remember when she stopped caring, but I know it was before I knew Diamond Tiara. My mom just flat out ignored my presence. Hell, I can’t even remember the last time my parents and I sat at the same table and ate dinner together. I forgot what that was like until tonight… and sorry for running out without eating, it did look good, but I’m just not hungry.”

“You should still eat something, Silver. I can go make you a sandwich or something.” Though Aura’s offer required her to leave the bed, she just snuggled closer to Silver’s side, squeezing her tighter. “I don’t wanna get up…”

“Then don’t. I’m not hungry anyways.” Silver smiled. “Hey, Aura?”

“Yeah?”

“What do you honestly think of me?”

“Well, you’re a lot more complicated than I had ever expected. Definitely not the mare I had always heard you were. I’m glad you’re not what I expected. I always had had a feeling that you were deeper than the shallow shell those rumors made you and Diamond out to be. I’m happy I get to know the real you, and proud that I can call you mine.” Aura said snuggling closer to her.

Silver Spoon placed a hoof under Aura’s chin, moving her head so she could look at her smile.

Such a cute smile...

Silver leaned down and kissed Aura softly on the lips. Aura returned her kiss and slid her tongue into Silver’s mouth while letting her hoof run through Silver’s fur. Silver broke the kiss and smiled at her. “Let’s go to bed, tomorrow’s going to be a rough day.”

“Yeah. I guess you’re right…” She seemed a bit disappointed but she smiled in return.

Silver Spoon giggled, knowing what she was thinking. “Don’t worry, we’ll get around to that later.”

Aura blushed, “Sorry…”

“You’re fine, and not alone.” It wasn’t a lie, Silver wanted it just as bad as she did. She just wanted to wait. “Good night, Aura. Sleep well.”

“Night babe. May Luna guard your dreams,” Aura replied, quietly yawning.

Silver Spoon could feel Aura’s breath slow though she hadn’t fallen asleep. Silver Spoon closed her eyes and carefully ran her hoof through Aura’s mane.

I’m sorry, Dad.

"Into the Open Air" (Part 1)

“Could these walls come crumbling down?
I want to feel my feet on the ground,
And leave behind this prison we share.
Step into the open air.

How did we let it come to this?
What we've just tasted we somehow still miss.”

Aura could feel something warm pressing against her muzzle. She cracked her eyes open to see a mare sleeping next to her. Taking in a deep breath, she couldn’t smell anything but the dried sweat and the perfume Silver Spoon had worn yesterday.

She pulled her hooves free from the folds of her blankets and quietly sat up in the bed. She looked over. Silver Spoon had fallen asleep with her glasses and necklace on.

“You’ve been through so much pain lately…” she whispered before leaning down and lightly kissing the side of Silver’s neck.

Careful not to make disturb the mare, she crawled from the bed, took Silver’s glasses off her and laid them on the dresser next to the bed. After that she went to the restroom and continued down to the kitchen. Her mother, Aloe, was awake and already had coffee brewing. “Good morning, Mom.”

Aloe turned towards her and gave her a soft smile. “Good morning, darling. Did you sleep well?”

“I did, though I think Silver had a rough night. I’m going to let her sleep in, since we don’t have school today.” Aura had taken a seat at the table. “She wants me to go with her to her place this afternoon, so I can meet her dad.”

Her mother was chopping carrots, she paused and cocked towards Aura for a moment. She finished, carried her bowl of carrots to the table and took a seat. “Aura, I’ve met Silver Spoon’s parents, and I’ve known Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara since they were fillies. I also remember what they did to you when you were younger and honestly... I don’t know how I feel about you being friends with those two.”

Aura shook her head trying to make sense of what she’d just heard. “So wait, you have a problem with me and Silver Spoon?”

Aloe stared at her for a moment, as if the hamster in her head had stopped for a breather, “By Silver Spoon and I, what do you mean?”

“You know we’re dating… right?” Aura’s voice almost cracked. “I didn’t think you and Dad would have a problem with it,” she sighed, unable to maintain the eye contact her mother’s gaze demanded.

“Aura. I have no problem with you dating.” her voice carried a soft, sweet tone. “I just don’t want to see you getting hurt or used. I’m sure you can’t fault me for being a bit weary. I personally don’t think Silver Spoon would use you. Although, she’s going through a very rough patch in her life, so I imagine she’ll treasure your friendship even more after this ordeal of hers is over and done with.” Aloe’s voice was a little raspy, then again, it always was in the mornings.

Aura nodded before standing up and pouring herself a cup of coffee. Once it was poured, she sat the hot cup on the table and stood next to her mother. “I love you, mom.” She gave Aloe a hug and smiled. “I’m going to help Silver Spoon in whatever way I can. She needs a friend there for her, now more than ever.”

“Alright, sweetheart, as long as you know what you’re doing. I trust you to know what’s right from wrong. Just try not to get hurt in the process. Okay?”

“I won’t Mom.”

“Also, Klein is worried that Silver’s dad might be a little suicidal. So if you two head over there, please… be careful… for her sake.” Aloe kissed Aura on the forehead and went back to eating her carrots.

Aura thought on that for a moment. The last thing she wanted to see was Silver Spoon discovering her dad had killed himself. She sighed and just stared into her coffee, What do I do now? Maybe Shady could help her… He had something similar happen to him.

Aura sipped her coffee and looked up when her mother spoke. Aloe was smiling and then a hoof lightly touched Aura’s shoulder.

“Good morning, Aura. How’s Silver Spoon doing?” Klein asked cautiously.

“Good, I suppose, she fell asleep as soon as you left the room, but she had been rolling around and even woke up once or twice in the middle of the night.” Aura yawned, looking over her shoulder at him.

She watched as her dad got himself a cup of coffee before sitting next to Aloe at the table. Aloe smiled at him and ate another carrot slice before pushing the bowl over to him. “All yours, darling. I’m not that hungry right now.”

“Hey mom, dad, what do you two… What do you two think of her? Of Silver Spoon, I mean.” Aura flicked one ear and watched the coffee pot steam, she was scared of what their answers would be. “She’s been through a lot these past few days and… well… I guess yesterday couldn’t have been the best impression of who she’s become, y’know?”

Aura’s parents just looked at each other before glancing back at her. Klein opened his mouth as if to speak, but quickly closed it and looked into his coffee cup. He gently blew the steam away and took a small sip.

Aloe, however, sighed and looked at her intently. “I’ll be honest. I wish you weren’t with her. Or any mare for that matter. I wish you were with a colt, like Shady Daze or Featherweight. Someone who can take care of you. Someone who can give me grandchildren.” Aloe took a short breath and continued, “Sweetie, I'm just glad to see you happy again... ”

Aura opened her mouth to begin protesting but instead she smiled. Laying her ears back in embarrassment. At least until her dad continued her mom’ssentence. “But, please, don’t let her drag you down with her if she starts to fall. Your mother and I don’t want to watch you get hurt. Okay?”

Aura sighed and looked into her cup. May as well tell them what they want to hear.

“I promise, I won’t let her drag me down.” She took a drink of her coffee and pushed her chair away from the table. Her ears swiveled towards the front door as it quietly closed. “Crap.”

How much of that did she hear?!

Aura turned and ran out the door, she spotted Silver Spoon’s tail disappearing down the road. She leaped from the front porch and chased after her. Silver Spoon dodged off a side road. Aura followed her around the corner and saw her slow down to a slow trot, giving Aura a chance to catch up.

“Silvy! Wait up, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean it!” Arua shouted, closing the distance between them. She watched as Silver Spoon slowed to a stop and took a seat with her back still facing her.

Aura approached Silver slowly from behind, lowering her head and laying her ears back, she whispered, “Silvy? Are you mad at me?”

Silver Spoon looked up at her with a smile on her face, ‘Look around, Aura...”

She looked up and around. Nothing really stuck out, until she spotted that sign again, Equestrian Coffee House.

“Really!?” Aura sat down, “Silver Spoon! You had me worried sick. Why would you do that?” She sighed in relief and looked back at the smiling silver pony.

“Because you were drinking coffee without me. Besides, your parents aren’t that fond of me yet. So it would have been extremely awkward if I had joined you all in the kitchen.” Silver’s smile melted. “Though, I wish you could have said more than you’d leave me if I had a meltdown.”

Aura sighed and stepped forward, pulling Silver into a hug. Aura smiled and whispered into her ear, “Fuck you, buy me coffee.”

Silver Spoon laughed, returned her hug and whispered back, “C’mon, babe.” She let her go and turned towards the coffee shop. Aura smirked and followed her through a stained glass door featuring a steaming coffee cup.

“Welcome to the Equestrian Coffee House!” A cheerful voice echoed from behind the front counter. A young stallion stood up from behind the counter, “What can I get for you?”

The two of them walked up to the counter and looked at the menu that was concealed under the glass countertop. Silver Spoon answered him, “We’ll just take some normal coffee, but can we get caramel apple creamers?” Silver glanced over her shoulder, “What kind of creamer do you want?”

Aura smiled softly, glad for her consideration. “I’ll take some Hazelnut, please.”

“Coming right up! By the way, good job guessing my name. Caramel Apple!” He cheered as if they had just won some sweepstakes. “Oh, you ladies may take a seat, I’ll bring it over once it’s done.”

Aura walked over to a table that was in a far back corner of the room, away from the windows. Silver Spoon had followed her and took a seat across from her. “So what were you and your parents talking about?”

“Oh, well... my mom knows who you and Diamond used to be, and she’s afraid that you might still be like that. My dad is also afraid that you might drag me down into some kind of depression or something.” Aura shifted in her seat and flicked a nervous ear. “They just don’t want to see you hurt me. Which you won’t, so I told them what they wanted to hear.”

Silver Spoon gave her a sad smile in reply, “I understand how that feels,”

What do I say now? Aura thought, glancing around the nearly empty coffee shop.

“Hey, Aura… Are you wanting to go to Button Mash’s with me? I need to talk to Shady and pick something up.”

Caramel appeared next to the table and placed two cups of coffee on the table. “Sorry for interrupting, ladies. Enjoy!”

“You’re fine, Caramel,” Aura replied calmly before turning back to Silver, “I don’t see why I wouldn’t come with. I’d like to see how Shady’s doing.

“Oh! Aura, how’s classes going for you?” Silver asked, blowing lightly on her coffee.

Aura took a small drink of her coffee, “Yep, too hot.” She placed her cup on the table and looked up, “They’re going okay. I mean I’m still an A/B student. Though, I’m still struggling in literature and history.”

“How are you failing literature? It’s like one of the easiest classes in our school!” Silver took a drink of her coffee, “I actually do pretty well in it, I could help ya’ if you’d like.”

“Sure, I usually struggle with characterization. We’re learning about narratives, last week and next week. Augh, I don’t want this weekend to end.”

“Why not?”

“Well,” Aura sighed, “I don’t want to deal with Firelock and her friends again.”

“Well, lets see, characterization right? hmm... lets use me and you for example,” she paused to sip at her coffee. Silver spoke with a knowing confidence, “Me,” she said suddenly, her eyes lighting up with an idea. “How would you describe me? I’d describe you as strong headed, ill-tempered, witty and caring. You’re rambunctious and a good problem solver. From what I’ve seen, you’re lustful-” Silver paused and winked at her. “But, you know your limits and tend to play it safe whenever possible.”

“Wow, that’s actually pretty accurate.” Aura let a smooth smirk compliment her expression, “You’re sweet, but you overthink everything and you’re a bit of a trouble maker. Well it’s more like trouble follows you.” She paused to take a drink of her coffee. “Mmm… That’s better… Anyways, You’re smart, shy, somewhat awkward and a bit of a nerd. In a good way, of course.”

“Really, a shy nerd? Are you sure you stalked me for the last, what? ten years?” Silver laughed and winked as she blushed.

Aura looked away trying to shake off the redness in her cheeks. She pursed her lips and whispered, “It was only seven years…”

Silver’s face turned a little red as well, “I should be weirded out right now. But, I’m finding it hard to be weirded out when you’re making a face like that.”

“Oh hey, I just remembered something! I heard a rumor once, I heard that C-” Aura paused, glancing over her shoulder. A moment later, her ear twitched and she turned back to Silver Spoon. Who was playing with her nearly empty cup of coffee. “I heard Caramel Apple was gay.” she whispered, immediately getting Silver’s attention.

“We should go tell Shady!” Her gray friend jumped to all four and turned towards the door, “Let’s head to his place already!”

Aura couldn’t help but smile into her cup before polishing off its contents. “Fine, fine. Geez, I’m starting to think you might be related to Pinkie Pie! Mood swings like crazy.” She laughed and followed Spoon out the door, pausing long enough to wave a farewell to Caramel, who delightfully returned it.

After getting only about a block or two away, Silver Spoon slowed and glanced at her, “Wait, did we pay?”

Aura knocked lightly on Button’s front door before taking a step back. Shady Daze opened it, “Good morning you two! Haven’t seen you in awhile. How are things?”

“Actually, we could be better,” Silver paused for a moment and looked at Aura. “Shady, can I talk to you about something?”

Shady nodded solemnly before turning and walking towards the kitchen. Aura followed him and Silver into the house, Shady took a seat in the living room. The room itself had dull blue walls and well-cared for wooden floors. The near empty room contained a center table, a paperwork covered desk, an old grandfather clock, a couch, and two chairs. Aura took a seat next to Silver Spoon on the couch.

“So, what’s up?” Shady Daze asked, calmly picking up a cigarette and lighting it. He blew the smoke up and away from the two of them, which she silently thanked him for.

Aura watched as Silver shifted her legs and twitch her ear as if she were uncomfortable. “Well…” she began, “My mom left yesterday.”

“Where’d she go?” he asked calmly.

“How should I know?” Silver growled before lowering her gaze, “She just left… Her and my dad got home as I was leaving to go to Aura’s and they tried stopping me, saying that I needed to stay home. When they found out I was dating her, they flipped. My mom tried telling me I needed to listen to my dad-” She paused for a moment her tail lashing out against the couch cushions. “I called my mom out on how she’s treated me with my dad spending most his time working, She didn’t care about me, she was only there for my dad’s money and a comfy place to sit while reading.”

Aura leaned towards Silver Spoon and rubbed her cheek against her shoulder. Silver Spoon continued her explanation after a deep breath, “She left after my dad realized I was telling the truth.” Tears began streaming down her cheeks. “I’ve never seen him that way before. I’m starting to worry about him a little and I’ll be heading over there to check on him.”

Shady leaned forward and placed a hoof on Silver’s shoulder. “Silver Spoon, I know what that feels like. Unlike Rumble, when I say it, I mean it.” He leaned back into his chair as both the mares looked up. “My mother left us when I was young. Afterwards, my dad became a heavy drinker. I mean, I know he tried from time to time to be a good parent, he ended up doing nothing more than talking out his ass and making empty promises.” Shady Daze hesitated. “It’s also thanks to him that Rumble and I are such close friends. Believe it or not, I know what Rumble is capable of, and he showed me that one day.”

Aura didn’t know what to say to him, but Silver Spoon had something to say, “So you sorta know what I’m going through.”

“Look, Silver.” He took a quick drag off his cigarette to keep it from going out, “I was really young when my mom left. It left a lot of emotional scars. I’ll be honest, there’s not a lot I can say or do to help you through this. From what I’ve heard from you already, your dad’s a busy guy, but he loves you. Your mom on the other hoof is -- as Rumble would put it -- just a bit diggin’ bitch.” Shady’s ear twitched with obvious discomfort, “I’m not trying to sound mean or like I have had it worse, but you lost the bad parent, I lost the good one. So you should be there for your father, you should try to help him through this. He was betrayed and hurting just as much as you are, probably much worse.”

“Wow,” Aura said looking at Silver Spoon. Silver was laying with her hooves up over her eyes. Her shoulders shuddered and she looked up, taking a slow deep breath. “I didn’t mean for this…” Silver took a deep shaky breath, “I didn’t mean for this to happen.”

Silver Spoon looked over at her, “Aura, I think I’m going to head home here soon, I don’t think you should come with… I need to talk to my dad and make sure he’s doing okay.” With that, Silver Spoon stood and looked at the door but instead turned towards the kitchen and continued through to Button Mash’s staircase.

“Silvy?” was all Aura asked as she followed her marefriend through the house to its foundation. In the basement was the sound of a movie playing behind that wall of blankets. Silver glanced back at her and gave her a weary smile before taking another breath and putting on a full smile. When she only smiled in return, Silver Spoon poked her head through the blankets and said something to Button Mash.

Aura glanced over her shoulder to see Shady falling in close behind her. The movie paused and two voices sounded in surprise, one was obviously Button Mash… but who was the other? The only mare who came to mind was Dinky Doo, but why would she be here? Aura stuck her head through another opening in the blanket, “Dinky?! Wow! Wouldn’t have expected the two of you to be a thing. Kinda cute… I like it!”

Dinky blushed, “Yeah, well, me and the girls bumped into him on his birthday, and well, things happened and some how I ended up here today to watch movies and nerd out.” Dinky wasn’t normally one to talk, unless flustered. She lit up like a big red tomato when she realized she had been rambling.

“It’s fine Dinky,” said Shady, who’d also entered, “I actually forgot you were down here.”

Dinky’s redness disappeared, “Hey! Wait a minute! How often do mares come over here? Seriously! How could you have forgotten I was here?!”

“The same way Button forgot to hide his porn mags before you got here. You were just overlooked.” Shady gave her a sly smirk as Dinky glanced at Button Mash who was busily talking to Silver Spoon about some comic books she was supposed to borrow from him.
The pair had migrated from the couch to the giant collection of books that filled a fifteen foot wide by eight foot tall book case. It was a massive collection of all of Button’s comic books, manga, games and collectables. “Now if you’d excuse me, I’m heading back upstairs, Coffee’ll be done any moment.” Shady turned and disappeared back through the blankets.

Silver was actually smiling and seeming a lot happier as if the conversation upstairs had never taken place. She seemed perfectly content to stand there and talk about comic books all day and night if she could. “Hey, Dinky, so you and Button Mash are a thing now?” Aura asked curiously keeping an ear on Silver Spoon.

Dinky looked at Button Mash with fondness in her eyes and a soft smile on her face. “Yeah, I suppose you can say that.” She glanced back at Aura and tilted her head to the side, “So I heard you and Silver Spoon are a thing.”

Aura looked at Silver Spoon then to Dinky, “Can you come upstairs for a moment, I need to talk to you and Shady.”

Dinky nodded. “Button, me and Aura are going upstairs, have fun with those comics you two!”

Button glanced over his shoulder. “Okay, Dinky.” He went back to his conversation with Silver.

Aura and Dinky turned and left the blanketed room then continued on up the stairs. Shady Daze was sitting at the table drinking a cup of coffee. “Any particular reason you’re just sitting up here?

“Nope, just waiting for Mom to get back so her and I can finish this cake.” Shady nodded his head towards a large green bowl that sat on the edge of the counter. Aura slid into a seat, Dinky claimed a seat near her. Both of them were across from Shady. “Wait, am I going to be interrogated?”

Dinky looked blankly at Shady before laying one hoof across the table’s edge and turning towards Aura, “So why are we up here?” She asked tilting her head to one side.

Aura blushed a little, “So you heard Silver Spoon’s issues, regarding her family, right? Well, my parents didn’t seem to take it too well, I’m not surprised, though, they don’t forget things easily. Dropping me down a well is one of those things they didn’t particularly care for.” She looked at Shady then at Dinky, who was still leaning on her foreleg. “I needed to talk to someone about this, and well, three heads are better than one, right Shady?”

“Well, I guess… Though I’m sure Rumble would disagree.” Shady answered with a smirk drawn across his face.

“Was… that… a… penis joke?” Dinky asked sarcastically.

“Yes. Yes, it was.”

“Can we stop talking about dicks? My parents are against me seeing Silver Spoon, and after experiencing her at her worse, they believe she’ll drag me down with her.” Aura shifted in her seat having caught both their attention. She took a short breath and continued. “I’m just not sure what to think about everything that’s happened lately. I mean I’ve got the mare I’ve always dreamed about. I’ve got a loving family, and great friends to keep me company. What more can a mare ask for?” She paused to see if either of them had any input.

Dinky took the opportunity to speak, “Aura, we’ve been friends for awhile, right? I mean we may not talk or hang out very often outside the school, but we’ve still shared a few laughs here and there… This is the first time I’ve ever seen you open up about your problems to really, anyone that wasn’t Berry Pinch.”

“Well, I can’t exactly fetch Berry at the moment. Besides, Shady Daze would be more help than her in this situation.” Aura swiveled her ear towards shady and heard him snort. “Anyways, Silver Spoon and I only just got together, what like five days ago? I can’t even remember, too much has been going on and neither me or her have really had a chance to rest…”

“Silver Spoon needs you Aura, but not all the time. She needs to spend time with her dad and help him through this. I suggest letting her head home and you heading over to Berry Pinch’s to check on Rumble, I might be able to join you for that adventure. But Silver Spoon and her dad have to work through their family matters together. You’d just be a huge distraction for Silver Spoon and possibly an irritation for her dad to deal with.”

Dinky nodded, “I agree with Shady on this one, you need to give her some time to her dad. I’m assuming her dad isn’t too happy with the whole marefriend-”

Aura interrupted her with a sigh, “Well, actually that’s sorta what sparked the situation…”

Dinky just flicked her tail, “I still agree with Shady on this one. Go hang out with Berry Pinch or something. Silver Spoon needs to be there for her dad.”

Aura looked at Dinky and tried to smile, but failed. “I can’t say I like the idea… but I guess you’re right, Shady.”

Shady nodded and stood, “Should we go back downstairs?” Aura and Dinky both nodded and the three retreated back to the cloth walled room. “Eh, Button! Any idea where your mom’s at?”

“Not a clue, Shady. Last I heard she was heading to market.” Button replied glancing over his shoulder, him and Silver Spoon had migrated to the couch with a stack of comic books between them.

“Silver, are you planning on carrying all those home? Do you even have time to read all them?” Aura giggled, walking over and sitting down next to her.

Silver glanced up at her and nodded, “Of course I do. I’m going to be spending some time at home and I’ll need some sort of entertainment, right?”

“Right. Anyways, I’m going to be heading over to Pinch’s place. Try and find Rumble and make sure they aren’t, well, stuck together.” Aura wrapped her hooves around Silver, pulling her into a hug.

“Alright, well I’m going to go and try talking to my dad and see what happens… Wish me luck… I’ll need it.” Silver’s voice sputtered off and she looked at the floor.

“Oh C’mon, Silvy, cheer up! Give it some time, your mom wasn’t exactly the best influence on you and your dad.” She rubbed her cheek comfortingly against Silver’s.

Silver finally nodded, her face lighting up with a small smile, “Thanks, Aura.” returning the hug, she gave her a small kiss before leaning back and glancing at Button Mash, who sat there, blushing.

“Oh right, he wasn’t at the party last week,” said Shady from the other side of the room. “Generally, we try to keep mares from being intimate in front of him. He has a habit of humping things.”

Button’s face turned beet red as he twisted to face Shady, “Hey! I-”

Dinky appeared next to him with a smile, “Calm down, Button. He’s just poking fun. But really, no need to stare at them.” She leaned forward and kissed him softly on the lips before smiling at the other two. “Don’t get too excited, they’re going through a lot right now…”

Aura laughed, “You make it sound as if we just lost a dear friend.”

Silver adjusted herself before standing and loading four or five comic books into her bag. “Well, I lost my mom, but I didn’t like her to begin with, so we’re good. Although, I’ve got to be going now. I need to get home. Have a good afternoon.” She turned to face Aura. “See you tomorrow night at the coffee shop?”

“Don’t forget your bits this time,” she answered softly before giving her another soft kiss. She watched as Silver Spoon disappeared through the blanket wall.

Shady stood up, “We should be heading to Pinch’s now. Let’s hope Rumble’s there, because I really want to avoid going to Rumbles house.”

Aura tilted her head. “Why?”

Shady ignored the question and instead looked passed her. “Have fun you two. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

Dinky laughed, “Sooo, whatever we want to do?”

“Something like that,” Shady answered with a calm chuckle.

Button looked at Dinky before shifting. “Don’t worry, Shady. We.. We’ll be fine here. Alone. For the rest of the night.” His face had gone every shade of red imaginable.

Shady laughed and Aura couldn’t help but chuckle. “Be safe you two,” She said, following Shady up the stairs.

“Think those two will-”

Shady smiled, “Yup.”

“Did you do this on-”

Interrupting her again, he tried not to laugh. “Yup.”

“Are you going to keep interrup-”

“Yup!” he said opening the door and taking off down the road looking over his shoulder at her. She laughed and galloped after him.

"Into the Open Air" (Part 2)

"How will it feel when this day is done?
And can we keep what we've only begun?

And now these walls come crumbling down,
and I can feel my feet on the ground.
Can we carry this love that we share?
Into the open air."

Silver Spoon opened the front door to her home and stepped inside, closing the door quietly behind her. Walking through the living room, she could see that nothing had really been moved, except now there were a few empty whiskey bottles sitting on the table in front of the couch.

On the couch laid a pillow and blanket with a book on top of them. The book was face down and open, it was one of her mom’s books. A certain book named Death of a Sales Pony, it’s not a bad book, though not something her dad would normally read.

Feeling a little unnerved by the living room’s scene, she continued on into the kitchen, Nothing was out of the ordinary, though the fridge door was cracked open and it’s light gave the room a dull glow. She sighed, closed the fridge door before leaving the room and heading up the stairs.

"Dad?" She asked, cracking his bedroom door open. The room was dark, but no one was inside. "Dammit, where is he?" she whispered to herself beginning to feel worried.

She heard a hammer on steel and her ears perked at the sudden noise. She went into her room, slid her saddlebags off before rushing out the door and down the stairs. She raced through the kitchen and out the back door, pausing outside the door to the blacksmith shop to catch her breath.

She opened the door to see Platinum standing near the ovens, the smallest of which was on. "Dad!" she shouted across the room, not wanting to enter.

When he didn't respond she yelled his name, this got him to turn and look at her. He placed the hammer where it belonged, hanging on some hooks above the anvils. Platinum walked over to the oven and turned it off before making his way over to her. “Silver Spoon, you’re home.”

“I’m home." She turned and started for the back door. "C’mon let’s get some dinner started and talk about this.” He nodded his agreement and followed her inside.

Once inside she opened the fridge to find there wasn’t much to choose from. A carton of milk, some carrots, a single head of cabbage, and an unopened box of cider brews. She pulled the cabbage and carrots out along with the box of brews.

She prepared the carrots and cabbage then turned and walked to the soup pantry. Inside it was overfilled with boxed mixes. Everything was there, cakes, brownies, muffins, strudels, cheesecakes, jello and even pudding and for some odd reason, there was even a case of cat food.

Silver Spoon sighed and looked over to her father, “Do we even have soup in this soup pantry?”

He just shrugged, “What are you going to cook? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you cook before.”

She glanced over her shoulder at him, “Believe it or not, I do know how to cook. Mom obviously wasn’t the teacher, but I did learn how to cook. Same as Diamond did.”

“So who taught you?” he asked patiently waiting, his eyes focused on the unopened case of brews.

“Pinkie Pie taught me, that mare knows how to cook more than just cupcakes you know," Silvy said, frustration beginning to peek in her voice as she continued to dig through the pantry. Finally, she closed the door and turned back to her dad. "Well, how does eating out sound?"

"Nah, I'd rather see you cook something. Make some brownies if you want. I know I won't argue." He smirked and leaned on the table watching her.

With a twitch of the ear, she growled, "I saw pancake mix. How's that sound?"

"Pancakes sound good. Got anything to go with it?"

"Salad. I'll make some brownies for after dinner." She whipped around and set about gathering the stuff to make pancakes. A bowl to mix in, a pan to cook in, the milk from the fridge, and the mix from the soup pantry.

As she began to mix the pancake batter, she could hear her dad chuckling. "What? No vanilla extract?"

Silver spoon groaned, setting the bowl on the counter she set out to find the extract in one of the spice racks on the counter.

Her father spoke up, "Nope! Try again, dear."

She sighed, giving the spice rack a strong spin before pushing a chair against the stove and opening the doors above it. "Found it!" she said, as she fished the bottle from its hiding place.

While she mixed in a dash of the vanilla and began cooking, her father broke into the box and had pulled out two brews. Silver looked at him with an eyebrow raised.

"For when you've finished," He answered with a chuckle.

"You sure? I don't believe we've ever had a drink together." She dumped two small pancakes onto a plate and put the salad into a bowl before setting the dishes on the table.

"Would you like syrup?" She asked calmly. She flipped her own pancakes and began preparing her own salad, with a pinch of basil and some oregano.

"Silver Spoon... I'm sorry," was all he said.

Silver stopped fiddling with her salad, turned and looked at him again. "Why?"

"For doubting you. I didn't know you could cook. I didn't know how Gem Stone had been treating you, and I didn't know you were a lesbian. It made me realize just how little I know about my own daughter." Platinum took a bite from his pancakes and smiled up at her.

“Don’t worry, we can spend more time together now.” She sat down across from him, “You know, you weren’t always around when I was younger. Of course, that doesn’t mean we can’t be closer together now that she’s gone.”

“I suppose you’re right, Silver Spoon,” he smiled and popped the top of the bottle open, letting the cider fizz before he took a drink. He smiled and licked his lips with satisfaction, “Well, I wish I had known what was happening… I shouldn’t have been so oblivious to how horrible of a mother she’s been. I wish you would have said something sooner.”

“Dad, what she did was wrong, what you did was wrong, and what I did was just as bad. I’m not going to lie, it wasn’t easy. I mean you’ve been gone for the majority of my life, and she’s ignored my existence for longer than I can remember.” She sighed, opening her own bottle of cider. It fizzled for a moment but she took a drink anyways. “Look, all that’s in the past. I’m pretty much over it now. I’ve learned to live with it. And it’s thanks to those I’ve met… but Dad… I want you to be a part of my life.”

She took a drink and took a bite of her food, her eyes focused on her fathers. His were full of guilt and anguish as he took another drink. “Well, I suppose the first step would be accepting your sexuality, wouldn’t it?”

“Well it doesn’t change who I am, and certainly shouldn’t change the way you see me. I am still your daughter. Does it really matter who I like or what I’m into?”

“Not really. Though I had hoped to have grandchildren one day.”

“Who knows, I’m still young. Let me have my fun and worry about my own future.”

“So now I’m not allowed to worry about my daughter’s future?” he asked with a smirk.

She tilted her head to one side, “I said let me worry about my own future. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t too. Though, I do want you to meet Aura and the rest of my friends. Perhaps you’ll have more confidence in me once you’ve met them. I know Diamond Tiara has been a bad influence over the years, but she’s changed ever since her and Sweetie Belle began dating ab-”

Her dad suddenly choked on his food. “Wait, Diamond Tiara’s also a lesbian?”

“Yes… She always has been, I didn’t know it either though it wasn’t much of a surprised. Anyways, they’ve been together for about three or four months now. I really haven’t spent much time with Tiara lately... She’s been hanging out with Sweetie Belle and her friends.” Silver took a drink and finished off her dinner.

Platinum nodded, "That doesn't really surprise me. You have new friends, it's only expected that you spend time with them rather than your old friend. She's doing the same you know, she isn't trying to ignore you or push you away. She's just busy like you are."

"I know, I'm happy for her and she's happy for me." She calmly stood up and placed her deity dishes on the counter, near the sink.

"Silver, tell me about your friends. Who are they?" He had pushed his plate across the table and had already opened a new bottle.

"Well, there's Aura, Berry Pinch, Rumble, Shady Daze, and Button Mash, and by extension Dinky Do. Who should I tell you about?"

"All of them, I'd like to hear about who you're spending your time with." Platinum smiled softly.

"Well, how about I go get some of them and see if they want to come over here tonight, you'll get a chance to meet them. I'll only bring Shady Daze and Aura, okay?"

"Okay, but later. Silver, did she ever hurt you?" He asked sounding a little uneasy.

"Mom? I mean, Gemstone? No. Just ignored my existence. No harm was done."

“Good. Well, I’ll clean up around here if you want to fetch your friends.” He stood and carried his plate to the sink, turned it on and began cleaning the dishes that had piled up over the past few days.

“Dad? Please keep positive… I feel like I finally have you back, so try not to let it get to you, ‘kay?” Silver Spoon stood and walked out of the room.

Silver knocked on the front door of Button’s home. Shady Daze answered. “Oh, hello Silver Spoon, how’d the talk go?”

“He wants to meet some of my friends, I was hoping to bring you and Aura over, are you available?”

“One sec,” he cocked his head and shouted over his shoulder. “Eh, Mom! I’m goin’ over to Silver Spoon’s place for awhile. Might be back kind of late!” He stepped out the door and began walking.

Silver stood for a moment with a confused look on her face, “Wait you can come and go as you please?”

“I pay rent, so yes, I can come and go as I please. I just have to let her know when I may be out past curfew, or else I may get locked out for a night.”

“Oh, so why do you live with Button Mash?” she asked casually.

“Long story short, Button's mom treats me better." He tilted his head towards her and smirked, "you know. Aura's lucky to have you. You've changed so much in just the last week. You even carry yourself in a different way now."

“Really, and how is that?” Silver asked turning a rosy cheek towards him.

“Well, for starters, you’re not always looking at the ground or slouching.” He laughed. “So how did that conversation go with your dad?”

She looked forward as they walked, “Well, he’s not as depressed as we thought. He’s proud of me and wants to be a part of my life, and so he wants to meet my friends. I figured you and Aura would like to meet him. I know Aura wants to… and I wanted you to meet him too.”

He didn’t respond, allowing a comfortable silence to grip them. Silver glanced over to see him looking up at the sky. “It’s almost time for Celestia to be setting the sun, isn’t it?”

“Nah, we still have another two hours or so.”

“Well, we’re almost to Aura’s place. Hey, Shady… Can I ask you a question?” Silver came to a stop and turned to him.

“You can ask, but I can’t guarantee an answer.” He smiled and winked as he sat down in front of her.

“I think Rumble’s been rubbing off on you,” she laughed.

“How so?"

"For starters, you're being a smart ass. Anyways, I was going to ask you... What do you think of Aura? You've probably known her longer than I have."

He paused to think. "Well, I know she's honest and strong willed. She comes from a good home and she's a good student. Though she does get a bit wild when she drinks." He chuckled. "I remember this once at a party over at Berry Pinches she almost got dragged into a threesome with Berry and Rumble. I'm glad I was there to stop it."

Her eyes went wide with surprise. "Really? Wow, I'm glad you stopped that from happening too."

"It was the first time I met her, rumble had and I have only known the two for a month or two, but you know Rumble. Quick and to the point." He stood and continued in the direction they had been heading.

Silver stood and laughed before walking down a side road. "Aura's place is this way."

He spun on his hooves and followed her without a word. When they reached Aura's place Shady sat down near the steps while Silver went up and tapped a hoof on the door.

Silver heard someone bump a table and something glass break, a female voice cursed before shouting, “Sorry!” A moment later the door burst open and Aura dived out at her gripping her tight around the neck.

Silver lost her balance and stumbled backward a few steps before wrapping her hooves around Aura’s neck. “Aura! What’s gotten into you?”

“I expected it was you!” Aura answered loosening her grip. “How did things with your dad go? I assume everything went alright.”

“Of course, it did,” said Shady Daze from where he sat.

Aura glanced pasted Silver who twisted around to look at him over her own shoulder. “Oh yeah, Shady’s here by the way,” said Silver as she stuck her tongue out at him.

“Hey, Shady!” Aura stood and walked down the stairs, “And to what do I owe the honor?”

“Oh don’t worry about it, Silver Spoon did, after all, stopped by my place first. I feel somewhat special now.” He stood and dipped his head respectfully.

“Oh, shut up.” Silver followed Aura down the stairs. She walked passed them and winked to Aura. “Come with me now, ladies.”

Aura chuckled, but Shady just gave a sarcastic laugh but both of them followed her anyways. “So where we going?” Aura asked as the two of them took each side of Silver Spoon.

Silver Spoon smiled, “Well, my father wants to meet you.”

Aura paused in her tracks for a moment. Shook her head clear and galloped to catch up to them. “Wait, we’re going to your house?”

“Yeah, why are you surprised?”

“Well, because I’ve never actually seen where you live… and meeting your dad wasn’t something I really expected to be doing today.” Aura laughed. “I hope he’s doing alright after all that’s happened lately.”

“He’s doing better, and so am I. So Aura, Shady tells me you had a threesome with Rumble and Pinch, how’d that go?” She glanced over to see Shady’s eyes go wide but he smiled.

Aura sputtered again before catching up again. “Wait, how’d you even know that? Wait! Did Shady tell you?” She looked at Shady with fire in her eyes before looking back to Silver. “I swear, nothing happened!”

“Nothing happened? So why the blush?” Silver Spoon said as she winked and smiled.

Aura’s ears fell back and she squinted at Silver. She looked towards the sky, watching the clouds pass. “Well okay, so Pinch was telling about a colt she had met and partied with, well we ended up going to her house to find that she had apparently invited him and his friend to her place to party. She didn’t tell me that. She was trying to hook up with him and hook me up with Shady here.”

Shady laughed, “Really? Was she trying to set us up? Rumble was pretty sure he’d get a threesome. He almost did too.”

Silver let them around a corner, “So what did happen?”

Aura blushed, “Well, By the time the action started, I was long drunk… I barely remember now. I just remember waking up on the couch in Pinch’s living room.”

“Perhaps I can clear up some of the night then,” offered Shady.

Aura looked at the ground, “Sure, I guess…”

“Well, you’ll be happy to know that nothing too intense happened. You made out with Rumble and Berry Pinch, but for the most part, the three of you more or less cuddled the entire night.” Shady explained before looking away.

Aura quickly switched sides, so she was standing on the other side of Shady, “What? You’re leaving something out, aren’t you?”

“Maybe, though, do you really want to know?” He said with a small smile.

“Yes! For Celestia’s Sake, it’s in the past, what’s done is done, so just tell me, what did I do that night we met?”

“Okay, don’t say I didn’t warn you.” He laughed and moved so Silver Spoon was in the middle again. “So, after a while of cuddling and teasing each other without anyone actually being too sexual; Rumble smirked at me and made his move. I went ahead and stayed just to make sure he didn’t go too far, with either of you, I didn’t and still don’t want to be that awesome gay uncle I know I’m destined to be-”

Aura’s tail flicked with frustration. “Just get to the point!”

“Ironically, you were the one who got to the point, That is, you blew Rumble.” Him and Silver Spoon began laughing uncontrollably.

Aura turned red and laid her ears back in embarrassment. “Does Rumble know?”

“No, he doesn’t.” answered Shady.

“Good, let’s keep it that way, that stays between us. Okay?”

Silver turned to Aura slowed their walking pace. “Sure, but don’t let it get to you, okay hun?”

Aura sighed, “I’ll try not too.”

Silver Spoon smiled and lightly kissed her lips. “Good. We’re almost to my house. Come on guys.” She turned and continued down another path with her friends in tow. Silver guided them up to her front door and slowly opened it, the living room lights were on, reflecting off the hallway mirror. “Looks like my dad’s been doing some cleaning,” she noted noticing that the floors were still damp from a mop.

“Silver Spoon? Is that you?” She heard her father's voice ask from somewhere in the house. Shortly afterward, he came trotting into the small hall wearing an apron.

Silver Spoon immediately began laughing. Her father looked at her with confusion, “What’re you laughin’ at?”

“You! You look so silly!” Aura and Shady had also started chuckling but tried to hide out of respect.

Platinum rolled his eyes and went back to the kitchen, “I was just making some muffins, or trying to at least.”

The three of them followed him into the kitchen, which looked nearly spotless except for the bowls, utensils, and cutting board sitting on the counter near the stove. The box of cider brews was where she had left it on the table. Silver reached into the box and drew out one cider, her dad had only had two while she was gone and one of them sat on the counter in front of him. “Drink up, loosen up, and have fun! It’ll be dinner time here before too long.”

Aura glanced at the clock hanging next to the fridge, "It's only five."

Shady laughed, "I could use one of those." He reached across the table and pulled one out.

"Whelp, now I feel left out," Aura said as she reached into the box and withdrew a brew. Cracking the bottle open, Aura took a drink and looked at Silver Spoon.

Silver gulped her drink quickly and hopped up out of her chair, she hurried around to stand near her dad. "Dad, these are my friends; Aura and Shady Daze."

Her father spun around and looked at the two of them. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Silver's spoken of you two fondly."

Aura looked at him with a smile, "Good to meet you, sir. I'm Aura, your daughters mare friend."

Silver looked at her dad looking for a reaction. Her dad nodded and looked at Shady Daze. "You must be Shady Daze."

Aura looked at her and shrugged before taking a drink of her brew. Shady nodded, "What kind of muffins are you making?"

"They're vanilla with chocolate chips, would you like to taste the better before I pour them?" Platinum offered and stepped to the side.

Shady stood and walked over. "These are going to be delicious, Mr. Spoon," he said as he continued to lick the batter from the wooden spoon.

Platinum laughed and began pouring the batter into the two pans he had prepared. "I'm glad I don't need that spoon anymore."

Aura and Silver Spoon shared a laugh watching Shady lick the spoon in a rather seductive manner.

Platinum turned around just in time to see Shady lick the last of the batter off. "You can keep that spoon."

Platinum put the muffin pans into the oven and took a seat at the table. Grabbing a fresh brew he looked at the Aura and then to Silver Spoon. "So how'd you girls meet?"

"Well, we just ran into each other and decided to go to lunch," answered Aura.

Seeing a spark of thought on her dad's face, Silver decided to clarify for him. "Yes, we literally ran into each other."

Aura laughed and so did Platinum. “Hey Silver, didn't you get comics from Button Mash the other day?"

"Oh yeah! C'mon Aura, they're upstairs." Silver Spoon stood up and headed out of the kitchen and up the stairs, Aura closes behind her. As the pair got to her room, Silver Spoon hurried over to her bags and opened one of them when she felt a hoof touch her shoulder. She paused and looked up, just as her eyes met Aura's she felt a set of lips press against hers.

Silver kissed her back, enjoying the feeling of Aura's warm soft lips pressed against her own. Her eyes closed and she felt Aura's hoof wrap around her neck, pulling Silver closer to her. Silver Spoon felt her legs go a little weak under her crouched body so she rolled off them and laid on her side, her front hoof holding her up.

The kiss broke and they smiled at each other. Aura kissed Silver's nose before jumping onto the bed and pulling the blankets over her. "Your blankets are so warm!" she exclaimed as her head poked out from under them.

Silver Spoon smiled up at her before climbing into the bed next to her. Silver laid her head on the pillow and felt Aura pull at her side. Silver complied and moved closer to her, wrapping her hooves around Aura's neck.

Their lips met again for a brief moment before Aura broke it and pressed her forehead against Silvers. "I'm so glad to see you smile. It's an adorable smile and I want you to always wear it."

Silver smiled at her and with a giggle she replied, "only if you can smile too because yours is truly fitting and it's one of the things I love most about you, Aura. So keep smiling and so will I."

Aura pressed her hoof against Silver's heart. "As long as I'm here, that shouldn't be too hard."

"Don't worry, you are and always will be," Silver whispered, raising her chin so Aura could lay her head down on her chest.

Silver felt Aura rub her cheek against her chest. She smiled and wrapped her hooves around Aura’s back and neck, stroking her mane slowly. “I can hear your heartbeat, it’s so slow... so calming,” said Aura before quietly yawning.

“Silver Spoon! Aura! Muffin’s are done!” came a shout from somewhere in the house.

Aura groaned and slowly sat up, “I don’t wanna…”

Silver Spoon leaned up, wrapped a hoof around her neck and kissed her deeply. After a moment, she broke the kiss and rolled out of the bed. “C’mon, it smells like they managed to burn those things.” Aura whimpered for a moment before she rolled out of the bed and followed Silver Spoon into the hall and down the stairs.

They were met by Shady. “Silver, your dad kinda burnt his hoof and the muffins.”

Silver Spoon sighed and continued into the kitchen to find her father running cold water over his hoof. “How bad is it?” she asked him quietly approaching him for a better look.

“Not bad actually, Just stings a little, I’ll be fine. I don’t know how I managed to burn the muffins, though, I thought I had hit the muffin button.”

“Wait, your stove actually has a muffin button?” asked Aura taking her seat at the table and looking at the pile of burnt muffins.

“Yes, it also has a cake button and brownie button, why?" Platinum sat down at the table and picked one of the burnt muffins up. He bit it but couldn't even leave a dent in its blackened exterior. He then threw the baked good at the wall, leaving the wall cracked.

"Great. You’ve weaponized muffins," Silver Spoon stated sarcastically.

Aura laughed but Shady touched the older stallions shoulder, "It's fine, Mr. Spoon. Weaponized baked goods are the best in home defense. Just scatter these bad boys around the house and no one will dare to break in.”

Platinum's ears fell back as he turned to look at the clock. "Well, I'm going to go get ready for bed. You going out, Silver?"

"Yep! Gotta go find Berry Pinch and Rumble, you know, to make sure they haven't gotten into trouble." Silver watched as her dad stood and began cleaning the mess he'd made. She stood and led her friends outside. “Where’d Berry Pinch be right now?” she asked turning to Aura for answers.

Shady Daze shrugged and also turned to Aura who smiled, “I think I know where she’s at. Let’s try the Horses Mouth. C’mon.” Aura smiled before taking off down a street leaving Silver and Shady to gallop after her.

They sped down the street, dodging ponies and carts as they made their way towards the bar. Aura finally slowed down to catch her breath. Silver stopped and panted while Shady just casually slowed down and took a seat on the ground.

“Hey, Silver Spoon!” a voice echoed from somewhere behind them. Silver turned to see Diamond Tiara trotting up to them. “Silver Spoon! I’ve been trying to find you all day! Do you realize how much you run around now? It’s hard to find you when you’re constantly on the move.” Diamond Tiara sat down seeming a little out of breath.

“Sorry, Tiara. Hey, you busy? We’re trying to find Rumble and Berry Pinch. We think they might be at the Horses Mouth.”

"Well, I have nothing to do, I just got done walking Sweetie Belle home, so my night’s open." Diamond smiled sweetly. "So how's Platinum doing?"

Aura stood up and arched her back as she stretched her hind legs. "Well, he managed to weaponize muffins, oh and Sir Queer over here managed to make him laugh and offered to be his new cooking buddy.”

Shady jumped to his hooves, “Hey! I didn’t offer to be his cooking buddy! I told him I could get him an amazing recipe from Button’s mom, nothing else.” He paused for a second, touching his chin in thought. “Though, it’d be nice to have a cooking buddy, seeing as both you and Silver Spoon are handicapped when it comes to cooking.”

Silver Spoon just shook her head, “Anyways, Diamond, would you like to come with us then? We’re probably going to go to Berry Pinch’s and have a little party.” She paused looking back at Aura and Shady, “I’d like it if you came with us. You’ll get to meet my friends and me and you will actually get a chance to talk.”

Diamond tilted her head, “So much has changed...” she looked as if she were ready to cry, her head drooped as she looked at the ground. As Silver stepped forward Diamond looked up at her smiling and tears rolling down her cheeks. Diamond pulled her into a tight hug.

Silver hugged her in return, “Is that a yes?”

Diamond let her friend go and nodded, wiping her eyes dry on the back of her hoof. Shady Daze leaned towards Aura, “So… which one of you is dating Silver Spoon?”

Aura laughed, “I am, those two are practically sisters. There’s a difference.”

“So... can we go find Rumble now?” Shady asked, raising his voice a little so Silver Spoon would her him.

Silver turned and nodded, “Diamonds going to come with us for the night, I hope you don’t mind.”

“Not at all,” Aura chirped as she spun on her hooves and started towards the bar again.

The other three followed her. Shady had somehow ended up in between Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara. “Well, this is a position I never thought I’d find myself in. Between the two beautiful bullies.”

Silver Spoon laughed, “Too bad you’re gay because you are quite handsome.”

Diamond’s ears drooped, but as soon as Shady noticed he bumped his rump off her flank, “Lighten up, I was only joking, when was the last time a colt stood between Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon?”

Diamond looked insulted for a moment before she began to giggle, “I suppose you’re right, Shady.”

Aura stopped, “We’re here!” she said in a sing-song voice as she spun to face them. “Place is looking pretty bus-”

The sound of the bar’s door being thrown open had cut her off. Outcomes multiple stallions carrying a certain pegasus they all knew. The pegasus was thrown to the ground and one of the larger stallions spat on the ground, "Don't come back until you've learned some manners!"

Diamond leaned towards Shady and whispered, "Is that Rumble?"

"Yup."

"When You're the Best of Friends"

"When you're the best of friends
Sharing all that you discover
When that moment has past, will that friendship last?
Who can say? There's a way!
Oh, I hope... I hope it never ends.
'Cause you're the best of friends."

Once the door was closed, Rumble got to his hooves and spat a blood infused loogy at the door. "I did nothing wrong you asshats!"

"Rumble!" The door swung open, and out stepped Berry Pinch. "What in the living hell was that all about?!"

"She started it..."

"No, she didn't! You shouldn't have been hitting on her in the first place. First of all, she's old enough to be your mother, second of all, you and I both know she's claimed! Much less she was in there with her!"

Silver Spoon stepped forward, "What did he do?"

Berry Pinch glanced over at her, ready to say something ill-tempered but changed her tone when she realized who it was. "Oh, it's nothing. This asshat was trying to pick up Rainbow Dash. Of all the mares in Equestria."

"Hey! You can't say anything! You find her just as attractive as I do!"

"Shut up, Rumble," said Pinch without even glancing back at him.

"Don't tell me to sh-"

"Shut your trap or I'll punish you!" She turned and glared at him.

Shady snickered. "Wow, you go girl."

Silver sighed, "So he was hitting on Rainbow Dash? In front of Spitfire?" She frowned, "I wouldn't have guessed her to be on his list of mares to peg."

Berry Pinch sat down. "Neither did I. Her and Spitfire came in shortly after we did. I made the comment that Spitfire was the sexier of the two and he disagreed saying Rainbow was hotter. Apparently as we continued to talk about it, he came up with the brilliant idea of getting himself a threesome. Excluding me." He paused and looked back at him and her eyes began to water a little. "Sad part is we've only been here long enough to have one or two whiskers each. So I guess I'm just not good enough for him..."

Aura walked over to Berry Pinch and gave her a hug. "He is Rumble... I thought you two were just drinking buddies. I'm sorry, Pinch."

Berry Pinch hugged her friend back, "Well I'm cutting him off for now." She let Aura go and turned back to Rumble. "We're going back in there and you will apologize to them and to the bartenders. You've managed to make a fool of yourself and embarrass me in my favorite bar." Tears rolled down her cheeks as she walked closer to him.

As soon as he opened his mouth to protest she held up a hoof."You will fix this or I'll neuter you in your next drunken slumber."

Silver Spoon leaned towards Aura as Berry Pinch followed Rumble back into the bar. "Brutal. Should we go inside with them?"

"I don't think so. I trust Berry Pinch can keep him in control. It shouldn't take more than a minute for him to apologize..." She paused and turned to look into Silver's eyes. "I've never seen Berry Pinch this upset over any colt she's had."

Shady Daze stepped forward, "Rumble has that effect on mares who decide to get too close. It happens... But in the end, they all hate him."

Aura sighed, "We should talk to them about this. See if we can't get them on the same page so they can stay friends. I just don’t want to see Berry in pain.”

“Here they come,” Diamond said as the two exited the bar. Aura and Shady Daze trotted over to meet them while Silver and Tiara followed close behind.

Berry Pinch was looking a little bit happier with the situation while Rumble just looked at the ground and kicked up dust. “Well, he apologized. Though, Spitfire still seems pretty pissed off about the whole situation. The bartender wasn’t too happy either though he accepted the apology and Rumbles allowed back in, just not for tonight.”

Aura gave Berry a hug, “Girl, let’s just go and have a good night, okay?”

Berry smiled and looked at the ponies gathered around. “I’m glad you’re all here.” She spun on her hooves and shouted, “To my place!”

Silver Spoon dropped onto the couch next to Diamond Tiara. “How have things been with Sweetie Belle?”

Diamond huffed letting one of her rear legs hang off the side of the couch. “Well, everything's going pretty good, though, Sweetie’s a bit worried about Scootaloo. She won’t tell me what’s happening but I imagine the two of them can fix it on their own. Applebloom, on the other hoof, has been spending all her time with Featherweight, so we haven’t seen a lot of her lately.”

"I can only imagine how Scootaloo feels... I'm glad to hear you're both doing well." Silver said as she rolled onto her belly and wrapped her tail around her hooves.

Diamond sighed, "I'm a little worried about Scoot…” she paused before smiling up at her. “So how about you? Did that talk with your dad go well?"

Silver nodded, "Yep, it went pretty well. He met Shady and Aura and likes them both. He also wants to be a bigger influence in my life, so starting not tomorrow but the day after he'll be testing my metal crafting capabilities. I can't wait to show him how well I can do." Silver saw Diamond look past her and smile.

A second later something touched her tail. She turned to see what it was. There stood Aura with a pack of cards in her mouth. She smiled and nudged her head towards the kitchen. Both Tiara and Silver stood and followed Aura who led them through the kitchen and down a flight of stairs.

In the basement, she could see a light hanging from the wooden ceiling. It illuminated a circular green table and several cushioned chairs. Off to each side of the table sat red coolers which Silver could only guess were filled with alcohol. Aura nodded and led them over to the table and they took their seats, Aura dropped the deck on the table and looked over at her. "Shady and Rumble had to make a run for another deck. Berry is trying to find all her mom's chipsets so it might be a bit."

"That's fine, so how have you two been doing? How long have you two been dating?" asked Diamond, trying to hide her excitement behind her nervous hoof tapping.

Silver blushed but Aura had no problem answering. "Only a week or so, but I'd say we're doing pretty damn good." She reached into the cooler and pulled a glass bottle of cider out. "Want one?" she asked.

"Sure!" They echoed in unison before looking at each other. "Well, that was weird," they echoed again. "Wow!" They echoed once more before bursting into identical fits of laughter.

Aura withdrew two more brews and sat them on the table. Just then the door at the top of the stairs opened and in came Berry Pinch levitating three large chip racks. Once she sat them on the table she withdrew a second deck of cards for one of the racks and sat it on top of the first one. "The boys should be arriving soon. They're going to be pissed when they see I've found another deck."

They all shared a laugh and Diamond leaned on the table, opening her cider. "So what's up with you and Rumble? Last I heard, you two weren't together."

Silver Spoon and Aura both just stared at her, "Well, we're not together, but..." She paused and looked away for a moment. "I do have feelings for him and seeing him chasing those two tails really did upset me." Pinch had started crying again, but she continued, "I don't know if I should talk to him about it or not."

"Pinch, you need to talk to him about your feelings. He deserves to know." Aura said in a stern voice as she glanced over to Silver Spoon. "You've told me all throughout our childhood that I should just talk to Silver Spoon just once to see how it would go. But I was too afraid of the idea of rejection that I refused to… that is until just the other day when you made it happen for me. I know it's hard but it's thanks to you that I made it this far. Can't I help you in return? Trust me." She paused and looked at Silver Spoon.

Silver Spoon smiled softly and kissed Aura’s cheek before focusing on Berry Pinch. "Rumble deserves to know. He is capable of making the right decisions." Silver hesitated and her smile faltered. “Just…”

Diamond caught on first and took over, “Rumble is a hound. He’ll do or say whatever is in his best interest. He deserves to know how you feel about him, but don’t let these feelings or his reaction ruin your friendship.”

Just then the door opened, “Rumble's in the hou- ahh!” A series of thuds echoed off the walls followed by a groan as Rumble picked himself up off the last few steps.

Shady trotted down the steps and laughed, “Always gotta make a grand entrance, don’t you?”

Rumble rubbed his head as he took a seat, “Shut up, lumber lover.”

“That’s a new one. By the way, your ass looks great when it’s stuck in the air. Such an offer... I’m actually kind of flattered.” He laughed and took his seat between Rumble and Diamond Tiara.

Before Rumble could think of a comeback the door opened again and in stepped a pudgy brown colt and a lean pale purple mare followed him in. Aura smiled up at them, “Glad you two lovebirds could make it!”

Button Mash blushed as Dinky took a seat to the right of Aura who laughed and whispered a welcome to her. Rumble laughed, "Button, you know you’re one lucky little colt, right?

Silver Spoon giggled, “I’d have to agree with Rumble, though, Dinky’s got good taste too.”

As a silence settled over the table, all eyes on Dinky and Button Mash, they both blushed red until Dinky smiled deviously before turning and pressing her lips hard against Button’s cheek. As soon as Dinky’s lips left his cheek, Berry Punch smacked the tabletop with her hoof, “Alright! It’s time we began this game! We’re playing a game I made up!”

“This can’t go well…” Diamond whispered to Shady.

“I hope you’ve got a strong stomach, Di.” Shady whispered back with a smirk on his face.

Sure enough. Button Mash’s hoof flew into the air as if he had the correct answer in class. The moment everyone's eyes landed on him once again, he sheepishly lowered his hoof. “Uh… I know how to play, but it’s kinda vague, could we go over the rules real quick?”

Berry’s face twisted in confusion,“Wait, what? I haven’t even told you what we’re playing yet!”

Button’s face turned even redder as everyone bursted into laughter, Dinky included. Finally, after a few minutes had passed and everyone calmed down, Rumble leaned on the table and smiled innocently. “So Pinch, what’s the name of this game?”

Pinch bit her lip for a moment lost in her thoughts. Finally, Rumble spoke again. “It doesn’t have a name yet, does it?”

Berry leaned on the table and growled, “Bite me, Rumble.”

Rumble leaned back and laughed, “I already know what you taste like.”

Pinch leaned back and laughed, “Fuck you, Rumble.”

“Anytime.”

Once everyone had calmed down, Berry Punch used her magic to separate the chips that were in their containers. “Seeing as there are eight of us here, I’m going to separate these chips into ten thousand chips each. Okay?”

Button raised his hoof again, “Can we get it in different kinds of chips to start off?”

“I support this!” said Shady Daze with a smile.

“You’d support sword fighting, if you catch my drift.” countered Rumble, who sported a clever smirk.

“Only if you were involved, Rumble. Only if you were involved.”

“You’re so gay, bro.”

Aura giggled and nudged Silver Spoon. “The bromance… It’s so.... Touching.”

Punch cut Rumbles rebuttal short, “Yes, you may choose how you want your 10K. Red chips are worth one thousand, blue’s worth five hundy, and white’s worth one hundred. Got it? Good, I’m taking ten white chips, Rumble?”

“Ten white chips,” Rumble grumbled.

“Don’t you mean red?” Berry asked curiously.

Rumble pouted with his hooves crossed, “Yeah, whatever.”

Button smiled brightly, “I want seven thousand in red, two thousand in blue, and one thousand in white.”

“Is he pouting?” asked Aura with a giggle. “Oh and I’ll take eight reds, six blues.”

Diamond Tiara raised her hoof after Berry dished Aura her chips. “I’ll take what she’s got,”

Shady Daze raised his hoof for a moment and nodded towards Diamond, “I’ll take the same.”

“That just leaves you, Silver Spoon. What’ll ye have!” Pinch asked with a beautiful pirate accent.

She shrugged, “Eh. Ten reds please.”

Once everyone had their chips, Berry levitated the remainder of them off the table. “Alright! It’s simple, the dealer - me - gives each of us two cards. After that we bet, I flip three cards, bet again, flip a card, bet again, flip one last card with one last final bet. Best hand wins. You can either bet, stand, or fold. I’m sure you all know what beats what… If not then fuck you.” She laughed and began dealing cards counter clockwise.

Aura, Silver Spoon, Diamond Tiara, Shady Daze, Rumble, Button Mash, Dinky, and herself. She repeated the process twice. Silver looked at her cards, she had a nine and ten of spades. “What are the blinds?” She asked Berry Pinch.

“Oh right! Okay, the little blind is five hundred, and the big blind is one thousand. Anyone who folds has to take a drink. Anyone who doesn’t have a blind also drinks. The winner of the round can choose someone to chug. So feel free to make enemies!” Pinch smiled and glanced down at her own hand.

Silver and Aura both pushed a red chip forward. Dinky and Pinch used their magic to supply everyone with drinks from the coolers. Pinch cleared her throat to get everyone's attention. “Now to announce what the punishment is!” From behind her, a large unlabeled bottle was levitated into view. “Whenever someone wins, the pony they choose to drink has to drink from this jug.”

“What’s in that?” Rumble asked with a glint of greed in his eye.

“Not tellin’,” she replied, winking in Rumble's direction.

They went around the table matching the blinds before Pinch discarded a card off the top of the deck and flips three cards face up. Silver Spoon glanced at her hand again to double check what she had. nine-ten spades. She smiled as a six, seven, and jester mixed suits dropped.

Berry laughed and raised one thousand. Silver sighed and matched as did Rumble, Aura, and Diamond Tiara. Shady grudgingly folded and took his drink, so did Dinky and Button.

“Next card!” Rumble demanded with a sin-fueled smile.

“Calm down, Rumble, the game's just beginning.” Diamond said as she checked her own cards against those on the table. She bit her bottom lip in anticipation.

Berry trashed one card and flipped another. Ace of spades. Rumble deflated and tossed his cards towards the middle of the table. “Gay.”

“Hey! I resent that.” Shady said with a chuckle.

“Only because you resemble that remark.” Aura injected quickly.

Pinch tossed aside one more card before flipping the last card; an eight. Silver Spoon’s eyes went wide for a split second before she raised two thousand. Pinch took the bet and so did Aura and Diamond. The four of them flipped their cards. Pinch had three-of-a-kind pocket eights, Aura had a pair of aces, Diamond had nothing at all.

“So wait don’t I win?” Silver said with a smirk, “Straight beats three-of-a-kind, right?”

“Unfortunately… Enjoy your twenty-one thousand chips... So, who you gonna make drink?” She sighed as Silver pulled her pile of chips in. “Who are you gonna make drink from the bottle?”

Silver touched a hoof to her chin, “You can. Show us it’s safe.”

Berry grudgingly levitated the bottle over and uncorked it. An aroma filled the room with the fragrance of pumpkin spiced rum.

Shady sighed tossing the last of his chips into the middle. “I’m just going to donate my remaining 2K. My stomach’s a stirrin’.”

“Ain’t that what your old man used to say when he lost?” Asked Rumble as he flipped his cards, revealing his pocket kings.

“Something like that, I’m surprised you remembered.” Shady said with a chuckle before standing and leaving. “If anyone needs me, I’ll be passed out on the couch!”

“C’ya Shady!” Button hollered after him.

“Whelp, Rumble wins with four-of-a-kind kings. Pick who gets the poison!” Berry Punch laughed as she placed the bottle in front of him. He slid it across the table to Silver Spoon.

She sighed, “Damn you, Rumble…”

“Well, if I can’t fuck you than I can settle for screwing with you. Enjoy!” He chuckled.

“Is it too late for me to just fuck you?” She asked looking the bottle over cautiously. Aura jabbed her in the shoulder and glared. Silver couldn’t help but smile, “I was only kidding! I swear.”

Rumble laughed as Silver began to chug it. It was bitter and thick, but not too unpleasant in flavor. It tasted like Fall. Trying not to choke on it, she finally sat the drink down and gasped for air before erupting into a fit of coughs. The jug was still almost half-full as Pinch levitated it back off the table.

"So have the two of you done it yet?" Rumble asked her as she regained her composure.

"Done what? Had sex?" Aura laughed, "No, but I'm looking forward to it!" She said as she licked her lips and eyed Silver.

"Why don't you just fuck and get it over with?" he pressed.

"Because, we just started dating and this week's been beyond crazy," Silver answered, blushing a bit.

Berry Pinch flipped the last card. It was the seven of hearts. Aura laid her hand out, she had a pair of sevens and a pair of aces.

Button smiled as he revealed pocket sevens.

“NOOOOO!” Aura shouted dramatically, letting her chair tip backward, letting herself sprawl out on the floor.

“Good job, Button Mash!” Rumble hollered, over the laughter that ensued.

Button dragged the pile of chips from the center and began sorting the into his collection. “Diamond! Chug the jug!” he said with a chuckle as she grudgingly took the bottle in her hooves and began chugging. Once she placed the bottle back down, she gasped for a breath of air before pushing out her chair and quickly running upstairs.

Aura stood back up and followed Diamond upstairs. Silver laughed, “I guess she couldn’t handle it. Thing is, she drinks more than I do.”

Aura returned only a minute or two later, “Well Pinch, you’ve got a good size puddle in your front yard. I grabbed her a pillow and blanket from the closet and she’s laying down in the living room. Shady’s on the couch.”

“Thanks for the update, now sit back down so we can finish this off.” Berry began to deal out the cards again.

After the initial bets were in place she flipped three cards, two eights and a four. Silver glanced down at her cards, she had a two and a queen. She folded and took her drink. "Total bullshit."

“What’s wrong, Silver?” asked Button Mash as he took another swig from his drink.

Silver Spoon folded her hooves on the table and rested her head on them, "Cheater."

“I’m still trying to figure out how he managed to end up with that many chips… I didn’t even notice!” said Berry Pinch.

“You’ve all been drinking more than I have and I’ve been skipping my fold drinks because I didn’t want to get too drunk.” He laughed and pushed another three thousand into the middle.

Once everyone took their turn, Pinch trashed a card and flipped the next card. It was a queen. Silver sighed and leaned back in her chair. Aura laughed and showed Silver her hand. “I think I might be able to beat him.” She whispered.

Rumble sighed, folded, and drank. Emptying his bottle and reached for the jug sitting in the middle of the table. Pinch levitated it out of reach and pulled a fresh cold one from one of the ice chests nearby. He happily hugged the brew for a moment before popping it open and continuing his consumption.

Silver Spoon glanced back down at Aura’s cards. She had two eights. The same hand she had two or three hours ago when they began. “Eh, try it if you want… but I want to win at least one hand this game.”

“You won the first hand, Silver."” Berry Pinch groaned from the other side of Aura.

Silver Spoon leaned forward and looked passed Aura, “Pinch, I want to win another hand. Deal another Silver-Spoon-auto-win hand! Please!"

“We all want to win another hand!” Button said with a giggle of satisfaction.

Rumble looked over at him. “Dude, you’ve been spending way too much time with Shady lately, haven’t you? How drunk are you anyways!”

Button’s face turned to stone as he leaned against the table and stared at Rumble for a solid minute without an answer. Everything had come to a screeching halt as everyone at the table watched him. “Drunk. Very drunk.” His tone deep and serious. He didn’t even crack a smirk or a snortle.

“Wow Button… Isn’t that from issue 12, chapter 4 of Goldenhoof?” Dinky asked in a futile attempt at whispering.

Button began laughing and everyone else bursted into laughter. After a bit, Button looked at Dinky, gave her a small kiss on the cheek, “Yes, yes it is.”

Silver leaned forward and let her head smack off the edge of the table. She looked back up. “Button! How did you end up with all the chips I started off with! Seriously dude, you’re cheating or something!”

“Uh… well… Blame Rumble.” he answered sheepishly as he pulled yet another pile of chips towards him. “Hmm... Aura, you can drink.”

Aura groaned as the bottle was pushed towards her, nearly empty by now. Silver Spoon sighed and glanced down at the last three chips she had. one blue and two whites. Only seven hundred left…

Berry spoke up, “Hey Rumble, Can we go upstairs and talk, I’m out of chips, so the games over…. Besides-” Aura let loose a loud sigh of relief, pushing the bottle away from her, she let her head smack the tables edge. Silver began rubbing her back gently. “-uh… Okay then. Anyways, can we go upstairs and talk?”

“Isn’t Shady sleeping on the couch?” Rumble asked with a little slur to his speech.

“Yes, so we’ll go a floor higher, to my bedroom. And before you get the wrong idea… I just want to talk to you about something…” Berry sheepishly turned away for a moment before getting up and heading up the stairs. Rumble silently followed as if he knew something was up with her.

Aura rolled her head so she could see Silver Spoon, “Well, let’s go upstairs.” Aura smiled and glanced around the table. Dinky had migrated onto the lap of King Button Mash, who was leaning back and enjoying his victory dance.

Leaving Dinky and Button to their… moment, Aura and Silver slipped out of their seats and snuck upstairs. “Should we check on Berry and Rumble first?” Silver asked curiously.

Aura smiled, kissed her on the lips. “No, they’re fine with whatever they’re doing. Let’s go to my place.”

“Why not just stay here tonight?”

“Because, I was supposed to be home hours ago… Wasn’t expecting to be out this long.” She stumbled and caught herself on the doorframe between the kitchen and the living room.

The basement door swung open, smacking the wall, Button Mash, and Dinky stumbled up the stairs and headed for the staircase leading upstairs. Silver Spoon chuckled, “Totally gotta remember this for the next time we see them.”

“Yeah,” they watched them disappear upstairs before heading out the door. The pair stumbled their way through town, giving the adventure their full attention, stopping every once in awhile to help the other one stand back up.

Eventually, the two of them made it to Aura’s front door. “Here we are,” Silver panted as she came to a stop. “I guess I’ll head home now.” She kissed Aura on the lips but when she went to pull away, Aura pulled her closer and held the kiss. As Aura slid her tongue through their lips, Silver Spoon couldn’t help but comply with her mare’s wishes.

Finally, they parted and Aura nodded towards the door, “Why don’t you spend the night with me?”

“Why wouldn’t I?” She chuckled and followed her friend into the house. Once the door was closed Aura pressed her open mouth against Silvers. Silver braced herself against a wall, sharing the passion and lust that Aura was giving to her.

As they reached the door to Aura's bedroom Aura pressed Silver Spoon against the wall and pressed her forehead against Silvers and smiled. "I love you, Silver Spoon."

Silver smiled back, looking at her lips before looking up at her beautiful eyes. "I love you too, Au-"

Aura cut her off by kissing her moving lips and letting her tongue roam free. Silver Spoon opened the door and they stumbled inside. Quickly finding their way to her bed and proceeded to fall back onto it, Aura on bottom.

Silver pulled away, breaking the kiss to peer down at their bodies. She could feel the heat of Aura's nether regions radiating against the inside of her thighs. Her body wanted more.

Silver Spoon smiled up at Aura, kissed her forehead, and rolled off the top of her. She looked over at her a small calming smile, "I'm so glad I have you."

Aura smiled back at her, "Me too." She yawned and moved so she could get under the blankets. Silver joined her and slid one hoof under Aura's neck and the other around her hips before pulling their bodies together.

"I'm so tired now..." Aura began before she sat up. "Oh yeah! There was something I wanted to show you." Aura said with a small giggle. She reached forward and pulled open the top drawer of her nightstand, she reached into it and grabbed something before she rolled over to face Silver Spoon.

Silver smiled and propped herself up on an elbow. "Oh, woe!" Around her hoof hung the little metal heart Silver Spoon had made for her. Aura had fitted it onto a beautifully crafted white satin necklace and in the center of the heart, where the hole had been, was an enormous amethyst stone that matched Aura's pale purple coat.

Aura smiled. "I got the stone from Rarity, she helped me find it and set it. She also designed it. I wanted to show you it, and now is as good a time as ever."

"It's beautiful and I'm happy you managed to finish it in an even better way than I ever could've." Silver smiled and pulled Aura close to her. Pressing her muzzle into Aura's mane she took a deep breath, loving the fragrance of the berry infused lavender shampoo and conditioner Aura used.

Silver Spoon yawned.

Aura yawned in reply.

The two giggled and shared a kiss. Aura rolled over and put the necklace on the nightstand before settling herself back into Silver's hooves.

"Good night, Silvy." Aura whispered quietly.

"Good night, my Aura." Silver whispered in return, earning a tired giggle just before Aura's breathing slowed with sleep.

Silver took one last deep breath and closed her eyes and smiled.

"Love you."

"Poor Unfortunate Soul"

"I admit that in the past I've been a nasty
They weren't kidding when they called me, well, a witch
But you'll find that nowadays
I've mended all my ways
Repented, seen the light, and made a switch
True? Yes."

Silver Spoon took a seat, silently watching the other ponies around the table talk about the most recent rumors that had been floating around school.

“Well, I don't believe anyponies word on the subject,” Sweetie Belle said.

“It doesn't really matter who won that race. Everyone already knows Rainbow Dash is faster than Spitfire.” Scootaloo said, glancing at the doors of Sugarcube Corner. “What's taking Pinkie Pie so long with our food?”

“Who knows. I still say Spitfire is faster.” Diamond said with a small snort.

Silver Spoon let out a small sigh, following Scoot’s line of sight to the door. Just then, Pinkie Pie came out, followed by Apple Cobbler who was carrying plates to another group from their school. Pinkie Pie delivered their meals to them, she had awkwardly balanced two plates on one hoof and two plates on her nose. Pinkie Pie had some weird talents and this was one of them.

“Two Dandy Lion sandwiches on apple seed bread and two Dragon Sun sandwiches also on apple seed bread.” She smiled brightly and bounced off to another table.

“Pinkie Pie's so weird...” Scootaloo said biting into her Dragon Sun sandwich.

“Yeah, but her cupcakes are the best in Equestria!” Sweetie Belle said.

“Those strudels Mr. Cake makes are pretty good too,” Diamond added with a glance at Sweetie Belle.

Silver Spoon simply sighed silently and started eating her Dandy Lion sandwich. She had hoped to bump into Featherweight at some point. She'd promised herself last night, before bed, to ask him out on a date. It had been forever since they actually hung out. She couldn't even remember the last time they had spent time together outside the classroom.

Her thoughts blocked out those around her until Diamond Tiara shook her back to reality. “Silvy? Are you okay?”

Silver Spoon nodded her head, “Yeah, I'm fine. I was just thinking.” She looked at Diamond hoping she wouldn't ask any further questions. After a moment, Tiara sighed and went back to her previous conversation. Even though it was only half way through the day, Featherweight was the priority in her mind and she couldn't help but think of him. It irritated her that she could be so absorbed in her thoughts. They were distracting her from her friends, from her classes, and from her work.

Just last week, she was making horseshoes for an elderly mare and got the size wrong! She made two sets of four and all eight shoes were the wrong size. Her father wasn't too happy about having to apologize and reimburse his customers. Needless to say, she hadn’t been allowed to help in the forge since then.

“I think Rainbow Dash was faster than Spitfire,” said Scootaloo, smirking as she stuck her tongue out at Sweetie Belle and Diamond Tiara.

“Well I’ma head back to the school now, gotta meet up with Featherweight before class.”

Silver looked up and saw Applebloom standing at the far end of the table. All sorts of questions ran through her mind. What had she missed? When did Applebloom get here? Where did Applebloom come from? And most importantly, What did she say about Featherweight?

Applebloom said her goodbyes and started trotting away. Silver Spoon stood and quickly followed. “Hey, Applebloom?”

“Whatcha need?” she asked with a smile.

“You said something about meeting Featherweight.” She hesitated for a moment. “I was wondering why?”

“Oh. Well. Him and I have, well, we've been talkin' lately.” She seemed to hesitate this time.
“Look, I'm gonna to be late so I've gotta get going.” She turned and galloped away, leaving Silver Spoon’s jaw to drop.

Slowly Silver turned and walked back to the others at the table. In a quiet flat voice, she asked the others, “Are Applebloom and Featherweight a 'thing' now?”

“Yeah, I had thought that was obvious. They've been meeting for lunch nearly every day for the past few weeks,” Sweetie Belle said without thinking.

Diamond Tiara simply shook her head and looked at her friend. “Silvy, don't let it bother you.”

Silver Spoon simply nodded and turned away from the table with tears boiling in her eyes. She gave the group a weary smile before turning and walking away from the table. Once she was out of sight she broke into a steady gallop towards home.

I hope no pony followed... she thought as she ran. Finally slowing down, she stopped near a thick tree in the middle of the park and simply laid down with her hooves over her muzzle and her eyes clenched closed. Tears were still streaming down her cheeks.

Why am I crying over this colt? She rubbed her eyes clear and looked around. Nopony was in sight. She put her hoof back over her nose and smiled to herself.

“I should try to be happy for both of them. I mean, she is the one he's always liked. Even though he never said anything about her, it's always been obvious,” she quietly thought out loud.

Closing her eyes once more she took a deep breath and exhaled through her nose. Enjoying the absence of ponies and noise was calming to her. She could hear the birds singing all around her, their songs perfectly tuned and beautifully sung. Quietly she began humming to the birds’ song, simple, short, high-pitched notes.

She opened her eyes and sat up slowly, still humming the birds’ melody. Slowly she began swaying her head back and forth to match. As she swayed back and forth, she began to hum the rhythm of a lullaby her mother used to sing to her when she was younger. Allowing the childhood song to soothe her mind and just let her it rest.

Several minutes later she gave a weak smile, stood up, and began walking again. Her mane was a bit messy but she didn't care. She didn't meet very many ponies as she walked through town towards her father's blacksmith.

Entering her home through the back door which opened into their kitchen she saw her mother, who was laying on the couch in the living room reading a book. Her mom didn't even stop to see what she was doing or why she was home this early.

Father was probably out in the shop working. He usually spent all his time there, running the shop and filling out orders. There wasn't a lot of business here at The Shining Horseshoe, even though her father was a hard worker. Then again, her father was considered one of the best blacksmiths in all of Equestria.

She stopped at the bottom of the stairs, “Um... Mom?”

“What is it?” Her mother didn't even look up from her book.

“Nothing,” she whispered with her ears falling flat. She had hoped her mother would have at least noticed her skipping school. Or had acknowledged her without being spoken to first.

She silently went upstairs and dropped her satchel on the floor next to the door before flopping down on her bed. She took her glasses off and sat them on her nightstand.

She opened the nightstand's drawer and pulled out a small dark velvet blue bag. Inside it were pills, sleeping pills to be exact. She lifted the bag to her lips and quickly swallowed a couple of them before laying back down.

It didn’t matter how much she rolled around, she couldn't get comfortable. Even with the pills, her headache just continued to pulse in her ears and if she pulled a blanket onto her, she got too hot. As soon as she tossed the blanket aside, she got too cold. Her body just didn't want to let her sleep!

After laying there tossing and turning for what felt like forever she growled and rolled off her bed. Putting her glasses back on she headed downstairs and out the front door. She followed the well-walked path into her father’s blacksmith. Putting safety goggles on over her glasses as well as a blacksmith's apron and a heavy black jacket to cover her back from loose embers. Sitting down, she tied a blue ribbon on the end of her tail to keep it neat and out of the way.

She closed her eyes tight, the headache wasn’t being kind, and the drowsiness from the medication wasn’t helping. She stood up and ventured in cautiously. Her father had always been very strict about her work in the forge. She had made a few mistakes which ended up costing her father respectable clients or simply wasted his materials. His home-made steel ingots were hard enough to make and the materials that went into a single ingot were quite expensive.

“Dad?” she asked as she walked through the forge. He wasn't anywhere to be seen. She simply checked the usual places like the anvils and the ovens... He was at neither workstation, he wasn't at his workbench either. The only place left to check was his personal office. She walked up to the closed door at the back of the workshop. It was in the furthest corner away from the ovens and anvils. As she knocked at the door it slowly cracked open so she just pushed it the rest of the way. The room was dark and empty, her father was no where to be seen.

She sighed, closing the door and heading back over to his work bench. Grabbing a few tools, she lit the ovens and began working while she let her mind explore.

My only real friend has been pretty much ignoring me lately. Along with the one colt who actually understands me. Both of them gone, leaving me to support them when they are down and never there for me when I need somepony. When I need them!

How is it that not even my own family can see how upset I am? How lonely I've become? I'd bet if somepony were to come in here right now and catch me sitting in this oven they would laugh and watch as I- No. I'm not suicidal. Am I?

With a deep breath and a sigh she placed the melted metal into an ingot mold, she then tightened the lid on and let it set. She sat down, leaning against the wall. She closed her eyes once again, feeling the pills she had taken.

Diamond’s been spending all her spare time at the Carousel Boutique hanging out with Sweetie Bell and the other Crusaders. And now Applebloom's with Featherweight? Maybe? Either way. I don't know how much more of them all I can take... It's like I'm invisible whenever I'm around them. There's no point in me even being there and listening or trying to contribute to the conversations, I just get ignored when I do speak.

She looked up and saw Diamond Tiara standing there. She didn't have any safety equipment on, which was fine because she usually didn't stay in the forge very long. She always complained about the heat messing up her mane or the dust and dirt getting in her coat.

What do you want! She thought as tears began to boil and a nearly silent wail escaped her lips.

Diamond Tiara didn't speak, she simply sat down next to her and pulled her into a hug. This just made her cry more! She knocked her goggles and glasses off with the back of her hoof, they both just fell to the ground. Silver Spoon just buried her face in Diamond Tiara's neck and mane. After a short while her wailing turned to silent sobbing and quiet sniffling. Diamond simply rested her chin on top of her head and calmly brushed her mane.

Eventually Diamond nudged Silver Spoon with her shoulder, making Silver look up at her.

“Why did you leave?” She asked calmly looking her best friend in the eyes.

“I...” She struggled to find a reply, “I...”

Silver simply pulled away from Diamond’s head and looked at the floor between them. Diamond Tiara leaned forward and rubbed her cheek against the top of Silver's head, between her ears. It was something she had always done ever since they were fillies. She never understood why Tiara did this but she always loved it and the feeling it gave her. It felt like a flurry of butterflies were released in her stomach. It was a hot fluttering feeling that lifted her spirit.

Finally she cracked a weak smile. “Thanks, Tiara...”

“I'm always here for you Silvy. You're like a sister to me.” She smiled softly in return.

“I guess I ran away earlier because I felt out of place, unwanted, or rather unneeded.” She paused, expecting Tiara to jump to her hooves and start spouting off something crazy and really self-centered like she always used to.

Now, ever since that night we spent with the Crusaders, she's changed.

Silver Spoon continued, “I was also upset to hear that Applebloom is with Featherweight, It feels like the only two friends I really had were taken from me. Applebloom got Featherweight and, well, Sweetie Belle stole you. I mean, you and those three get along so well, I just end up on the sidelines.”

She sighed and put her glasses and safety goggles back on, looking around the forge. It wasn’t brightly lit, it reminded her of a candle lit bathroom. She stood up and went back to walked back to the furnace. Diamond simply stayed where she was and watched her work. She unclasped the lid to the ingot and then flipped it over, and taking the cast off. The ingot was still soft and warm which was perfect.

She quickly grabbed the small ingot in some metal claws, which didn't conduct heat. She reheated the ingot in the smallest of her father’s ovens then took it to the anvil and began shaping the metal to her hearts desire.

After a moment or two, she took it back to the oven and reheated it again. She repeated this process a few more times before dunking the red hot metal into a bucket of cold water. The moment the metal made contact a column of steam shot to the ceiling and dispersed throughout the room.

Why would she just randomly show up here and do this... All this... Everything that has always been the old her and then just suddenly turn around and be the new her... the friendly her... the Diamond Tiara that everyone liked. She didn't care if Diamond used to be a complete bitch. She never was to her, and always stood up for her whenever somepony tried to get at her. Diamond was like the sister she had never had. And now what was she? Some pony every pony wanted to know. But why was she there now? A pony. A friend. Her sister.

Silver removed her goggles and set the metal on the workbench. Turning off the larger ovens, leaving the smallest one on for warmth and light.

She turned back to Diamond who was still patiently waiting for her. Okay, who are you and what did you do with the real Diamond Tiara, she thought.

“Diamond? Are you okay?”

“Yes, I'm just waiting for you to stop and listen,” she said calmly before standing up and walking over to stand in front of Silver Spoon.

“I'm sorry. I've just got so much on my mind.” Silver said as she looked at the floor then back up at her friend. “I know, I know. you're my friend and you're always here for me.”

She saw Diamond smile a bit.

“Close but wrong. You're my sister. And I'll always be here, rather you want me here or not.” Diamond sat down. “Look, I understand that you're upset over me spending more time with Sweetie Belle and the others but I'm trying really hard to reshape who I am. I'm trying really hard to be there for you and still try to move forward and make my dad proud of me.”

She stopped immediately and drew her into a hug. “I'm sorry. I need to start thinking before speaking... Don't I?”

Silver Spoon could help but just nod a little.

“Well still, I understand how you feel about your parents... I was there at one point too you know.”

“Diamond. I know you've had a rough family life too, but your dad actively sought to make you a better mare and tried to spend time with you. I don't exist in my mom’s reality, at least not as anything more than a breath of wind in the room.” Silver Spoon sighed, biting back her disappointment and pain.

“Then there's my father. Yes, he tries to connect with me, but most the time he doesn't see me as his daughter, I’m more like his assistant. He even paid me for helping him in the forge! He treats me like an employee he wants to like!” Her eyes swelled with tears and she clenched her teeth and eyes tightly closed.

Diamond Tiara simply shook her head. “I wasn't comparing our families.”

“I know you weren't, but I'm just so angry and pissed off. I just don't know what to do anymore, I have no friends other than you and Featherweight, who I doubt I can trust anymore. I mean, he's been avoiding me for weeks! Probably since he and Applebloom began seeing each other.” Her eyes were still full and flowing.

“Silvy...” Diamond Tiara stepped closer and tried to pull her into another hug but this time, Silver Spoon pulled away and continued to rage.

“No! No more 'Silvy...' pity. I'm a grown mare now! I don't need a pony like you to pick me up every time I fall down! I swear it!” She finally laid down on the floor of the workshop with her eyes hidden behind her hooves and mane.

“I swear it...” she whispered before silently whimpering.

Diamond Tiara simply laid down next to her and rested her chin on her friends shoulder. “You may not need a pony like me,” she whispered with tears beginning to flow.

Silver Spoon uncovered her muzzle but kept her eyes closed, “I.. just don't know... anymore.” she said through her heaves.

Diamond spoke up again. “You know. When we were younger. The only reason I kept you around and protected you and kept you away from colts was because I had hoped you were like me.” Diamond sat up and Silver Spoon followed suit looking at her the entire time.

“Diamond wh-”

“Silvy, I always had a crush on you when we were growing up. But you ended up being into colts instead of fillies. now you're more of a sister to me now. So I do love you, but as family. You’re my sister and I’ll always be there to protect those I love.”

“So you're a fillyfooler after all?” For some reason, Silver Spoon wasn't surprised.

“Yes. But that's not the point. The point is that there is, at least, one pony who you can call family and who loves you unconditionally.” Diamond smiled softly.

“I suppose you're right Diamond.” Silver Spoon rubbed her cheeks and eyes dry with her forelegs and smiled, “I'm glad you're my sister.”

Diamond's smile grew bigger. “I think we need to get you some new friends, Silver Spoon.”

Silver Spoon shrugged and looked back to the floor. “Well. I guess it would be worth a try. Though I don't know how that would go.” She stood up and turned back towards the workbench where her metal creation lay. She looked down at it. Tiara had come to stand next to her, also down looking at it.

She had turned the metal ingot into a heart. The metal heart was cold to the touch, having already cooled. The scrap of metal barely even resembled a heart at all. In the center of the heart was a large hole, as if it were missing its core. The edges of the hole were sharp and uneven. The light gray metal had dents and burn marks all across its surface.

My heart needs to be fixed. Soon.

Damnit. What are you doing here NOW of all times… She thought as her father appeared in the doorway behind Diamond Tiara.

“Well? What are you doing in here, I told you to stay out. Do your father’s rules mean nothing to you?"