Dented Silver

Chapters

Questions
Treats and Doubts
The Test
Replacement
Visiting Apples?
Sweet Project
A Snowy Day
Dented Diamond
Catharsis
Reunion

Questions

The clock's ticking within the walls of Ponyville Elementary reached Silver Spoon’s ears, a slight breeze from outside flowing into the classroom from the open windows. Her mind imagined the classroom not as a prison like some fillies and colts did, but as a garden. Instead of the chipped and withered desk before her, it was a smooth tree trunk with roses sprouting around it. If only school was as serene as her imagination; the Cutie Mark Crusaders always made sure something unexpected happened. Most of it dealt with cutie marks, naturally. Snapping out of her imagination, Silver Spoon stretched her forelegs and scanned the perimeter of the room.

Within the confines of the classroom, several fillies and colts gossiped amongst each other with unintelligible phrases. They gazed at the clock above the chalkboard like hawks. Scraps of paper, pencils, candy wrappers, and other specks of junk were scattered over the oak floors. Almost everypony was on the edge of their seats as the seconds ticked down, never blinking once. It was a ritual the class followed as though it was second nature, though two fillies didn't take part.

Twist was the first pony not a part of the custom, a fact anypony could figure out without even glancing at her for proof. She always jotted down what Cheerilee lectured verbatim and scored the highest marks on tests or projects. Some ponies were green with envy, though the wise Diamond Tiara informed Silver Spoon not to worry about Twist's grades. She even recalled what Diamond always said about Twist down to the last word.

“Twist's noggin must explain why she has that huge head. I mean—like—does she even have a social life? Only a no-life would always end up doing so well in class. I know you know this, Silvy. That probably explains why one of the blank flanks doesn't even hang out with her anymore. What a loser, right?”

As those words clouded her mind, Silver Spoon's heart couldn't help but ache a tad. Maybe there was something appealing about Twist she didn't understand; perhaps something similar to her as well. Silver Spoon shook her head. There was no way she'd ever feel sorry for Twist, let alone see her as a potential friend. What Diamond uttered was almost always right, after all.

Surveying the class once more, Silver Spoon knew she was the other filly not focusing on the clock. Her school supplies snugly resided within her saddlebag; all of them were organized by subject and utensil. Even the area around her desk lacked any scraps of paper, not a speck of dust or trash reclining on the floor below.

Silver Spoon glanced back at Diamond, the latter quivering and biting her lip. She was even about to topple over from sitting too close to the edge. A little dramatic for Silver Spoon’s tastes given the conundrum, but everypony acted in such a way at times.

A second later, the bell’s ringing split the air. All the fillies and colts sans Twist and Silver Spoon leaped out of their chairs like springs in the blink of an eye; they let out a thunderous cheer in unison. The foals then dashed toward the door with wide, glowing eyes.

"Have a great day class," Cheerilee said, her words a muffled under the ringing bell. "I'll see you tomorrow!" She, and by extension Silver Spoon and Twist, observed some of the more jittery students squeezing through the doorway. Some of their friends or others pushed them out, grunting as they attempted to slide through even the tiniest of gaps. The door frame appeared as though it bent, Silver Spoon holding her breath in case it exploded into shrapnel. "Be careful, class! Don't hurt anypony on the way out!"

Standing on all fours, Silver Spoon then pushed her seat against the desk, a slight screech reaching her ears. Trotting toward the doorway and mass of pastel ponies, she waved at Cheerilee with a smile adorning her visage.

"Goodbye, Miss Cheerilee!" Silver Spoon chimed. "See you tomorrow!"

"Goodbye!" Cheerilee replied. "I hope you have a great rest of the day."

"I'm sure I will."

Turning around, Silver Spoon then noticed the miasma of classmates dissipating a little. Silver Spoon twisted her head left to right, hoping to find a pink filly donning a glamorous tiara atop her head.

"Silvy!" a familiar voice cried out. "Can you just believe these ponies thinking they can all fit?"

Approaching Silver Spoon was the filly she hoped to see, Diamond Tiara. A sly smirk ran across her face, a glint sparkling within her eyes. Swishing her tail around, Diamond then placed her lips next to Silver Spoon's ears, brow furrowed.

"Uh, I don't mean to be rude, but you know you didn't have to wave goodbye to Cheerilee, right?" Diamond whispered. “That’s a Twist or Sweetie Belle thing, not a Silvy one.”

Silver Spoon shrugged. "I was just trying to be nice, Di," she murmured. "You know, maybe you're over-thinking these kinds of things. I'm pretty sure that's not healthy for you."

"The pony who knows my health the best is me. No need to be concerned for somepony as brilliant as I, Silvy.” She paused for a second; Diamond took a step back. “Anyway, it makes you look—well—like one of those fillies who loves school. Like, you know what I mean." Diamond stuck her tongue out, pretending to gag up something. "Just a wave will do next time."

"Got it." With a nod, Silver Spoon then cracked a sheepish smirk. "Just a wave for next time."

"By the way, how long have you been doing that?" Diamond rubbed her muzzle. "Just curious."

"Um, about two months."

Rolling her eyes, Diamond let out a soft sigh. "Silvy, I think I know where this is going. Maybe we should talk once we're outside. You're welcome to say you don't want to, but—" Diamond leaned closer to Silver Spoon once more, a flame flickering in her pupils "—I'd recommend it."

"You're the boss, Di."

"And maybe we can talk about how lame those blank flanks are later."

Silver Spoon raised her brow. "And we can then talk about how the sky is blue, right?"

Placing the tip of her hoof to her lips, Diamond snickered. "Good one, Silvy!"

The initial clog of ponies squirmed their way through the door at last. The rest of the class exited the doorway with skips in their steps, both Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara among the last to depart the classroom and into the outside world. The shift from wooden planks to a cobblestone path, its hard and smooth texture a nice touch, caught Silver Spoon’s attention. Such a feeling did have a habit of taking her off guard; the same could be said for other ponies as well. At least the cold, dew-covered grass tickling her hooves was a familiar sensation.

Diamond turned toward Silver Spoon, the two making eye contact. Neither filly said a peep for a few seconds; only the chirping of birds and laughs of other ponies reached their ears.

Clearing her throat, Diamond stretched her forelegs and muttered, "Okay, I know you're still bothered about us teasing a blank flank about how she couldn't fly." She pursed her lips. "And you're especially bothered about the whole Prancy Drew thing. Silvy, are you okay or something? I mean, something has to be on your mind since you've been acting like this for the past one—two months, right?"

With sagged shoulders, Silver Spoon nodded. "I do have something bothering me," she murmured. "First, even you must admit we went a little too far with teasing Scoot—I mean, the blank flank, right? We should have some form of standards."

Diamond shrugged. "Hmm. Yeah, maybe you have a point there, but still, it was funny in the moment. We both laughed our heads off back then, huh?"

"It was. Teasing the blank flanks can be funny, but—" Silver Spoon lowered her head "—there has to be a limit to our teasing. As for it being funny in the moment, it's thinking about it after the fact that hurts the most, you know? I mean, I never really thought too much of it until Twilight Time was a thing."

"I remember Twilight Time and want to forget it." Diamond rubbed the tip of her hoof across her lips as though to seal them shut. She shuddered. "Let’s pretend it never happened to us, okay?”

"The Prancy Drew thing also stung." A sigh escaped Silver Spoon's lips. "I almost made a new friend."

"But you still have me, right?"

"Of course we’re still friends, Di. We're the best friends in all of Equestria, and nothing is going to change that. I mean, you’re perfect when it comes to supporting each other and most of your pranks are golden."

"That's good to know." Diamond took a deep breath, Silver Spoon following suit. "However, seeing this—guilt—from you is weird."

Silver Spoon cocked her head, eyebrow arched. "How so, Di?"

"I mean, you don't just wake up one day and become some filly who probably listens to super-depressing music." Diamond rubbed her eyes. "It's like looking at a new, lamer Silver Spoon. Seriously, try not to mope too much, especially around me.”

“I’d never do such a thing. I can control my emotions—I think.”

Diamond nodded. “Good.”

Silver Spoon placed a hoof on her chest, a sigh departing her cold lips. Diamond was right in knowing such a problem wasn't a day old. A slight tear cut through her soul not long after teasing the blank flank about struggling to fly. It was a small rip, however, and in retrospect it didn’t sting at first from what she recalled. However, there was something pulling it further, the wound growing in size until it tickled her chest. It only kept growing until it became a sharp ache.

And then the Prancy Drew incident occurred, and the agony shredded Silver Spoon's soul into tiny little pieces.

"Silver Spoon, are you in there?" Diamond asked. She flailed a hoof in front of her as if to swat a fly. "Snap out of it!"

Jumping up in surprise, Silver Spoon quivered a little. With blushing cheeks, she then rubbed the back of her neck. "I'm here," she replied. A chuckle escaped her throat, trailing off soon after. "What do you need, Di? It can’t be teasing advice."

"It’s nothing at the moment other than how weird you looked staring into space." Diamond raised her head and blinked. "Actually, there is something I want to ask, Silvy." She turned back to Silver Spoon, making eye contact with her. "Why do you care so much about the Prancy Drew thing? I mean, we won that contest! Sure, the prize was stupid, but we still won!"

"I betrayed somepony." Silver Spoon sighed; the weight of the world crushed her until her bones disintegrated into dust. "Diamond Tiara, I'm going to be brutally honest here."

"Brutal honesty is my specialty, Silvy."

"If I could do it all over again, I'd help Prancy and throw away victory." Pausing, Silver Spoon then exhaled. "It would have been the right thing to do."

With a gaping mouth, Diamond let out a gasp "What did you say?" She shook her head, forcing her jaw shut with her hoof. "You can't be serious, right?"

Silver Spoon nodded. "I'm serious. I meant what I said, Di, and please don't take it the wrong way."

Diamond scrunched her muzzle, shoulders raised. "Silvy, you do know that you should always side with your friend, especially your best friend. I thought that was obvious."

"You are my friend, Di, and I'm grateful you are. You've been the only friend I've had for some time." Silver Spoon pursed her lips. "But I was so close to making a second friend as well and I blew it. It wasn't your fault, Di."

"Uh, it kinda sounds like you're making it out to be." Diamond scrunched her muzzle, head cocked to the left. "I'm just saying."

"Then why did I place the blame all on myself then, Di? If I was rotten like—like those annoying blank flanks, I would have said it was your fault. We're not rotten, so I know who was truly at fault."

"Like, was the stuttering supposed to mean you—" Diamond's eyes looked up for a second, then shifted back to Silver Spoon "—never mind."

"I wasn't going to say you're rotten, Di." Silver Spoon's shoulders drooped, her face pale. "I'd never see you as rotten, especially when those blank flanks exist. I'm so sorry if you thought that. I was just trying to get the words out of my mouth."

"It's okay, Silvy." Rubbing Silver Spoon's back, a slight smile returned to Diamond's visage. "Like, just watch what you're saying and doing next time, okay? Don't wanna end up like those blank flanks, right?"

Silver Spoon shuddered, a chill coursing down her spine. "When you put it that way, I'll definitely watch my tongue. I'm not going to be as lame as those blank flanks."

"That's the Silver Spoon I know!" Diamond raised a hoof up, pumping it in the air for a moment. "Show your attitude and don’t hold back! Now then, you do know what the correct answer is, right?"

"I think—" Silver Spoon placed the tip of her hoof on her muzzle, brow raised "—the best option would be to—do what I did and follow you, right?"

Nodding, a wide grin with sparkling teeth on display adorned Diamond's face. "That's more like it, Silvy. Now then, say it with more gusto!" Diamond nudged closer to Silver Spoon, the two mere inches apart. "Say it like you mean it!"

Silver Spoon took a deep breath. Upon exhaling, she shouted at the top of her lungs, "Following Diamond was the correct decision!"

Diamond toppled over; a chuckle departed her lips. "Geez, Silvy. You didn't have to do it that loudly."

Blushing, Silver Spoon let out a giggle. "I know, but you did tell me to say it with more gusto."

Diamond tilted her head, brow raised. "What does gusto even mean?"

Rolling her eyes, Silver Spoon then bit her lip and held in a groan. "It means enthusiasm in doing something, Di."

"And you know this how?"

A cold sweat poured down Silver Spoon's forehead, her muscles tightening. She recalled learning it after reading a novel about Commander Hurricane 110,000 words long. The book was thick enough to be considered a weapon and beyond what ponies her age tended to read. In a way, she bore a similarity to Princess Twilight Sparkle, but on a smaller scale. Still, if Diamond discovered the secret she clenched so close to her chest, Silver Spoon knew their friendship would be in shambles. Silver Spoon took a quick breath, the thumping of her heart filling her ears.

"You don't remember?" Diamond asked in a soft tone. "Well, nothing wrong with that."

"I remember!" Silver Spoon blurted out. "It was something I learned when I heard somepony use it. I was curious about it, so my parents told me what it meant." She rubbed the back of her neck. "That's it."

"Oh." Diamond paused, blinking thrice. "Well, the important thing is that you know the answer. Always stick with your true friend, Silvy."

"I sure do." Silver Spoon's face tautened for a split second, her chest twisting itself into a knot. "I most definitely know."

I still think I had the right idea.

Neither Diamond nor Silver Spoon uttered a word for a minute or so. During this time, Silver Spoon swiveled her head about, scanning the environment around her to pass the time. Few ponies seemed to be out and about, most of those outside being fillies and colts around her age with family members. However, other than seeing Rumble hovering inches above the ground alongside his brother, none of the other youngsters were her classmates.

She knew the landscape off the top of her head, but ever since Princess Twilight's castle sprouted from the ground like a tree, Ponyville experienced a slight growth spurt of sorts. Every week, a recently added house seemed to arise from the earth.

Silver Spoon's sightseeing came to a screeching halt at something grumbling. Both she and Diamond froze in place, the roars reaching their ears again. Diamond looked down and chuckled.

"Well, looks like I'm getting hungry," Diamond said. She twisted her head around, meandering about for a few steps. Then, without warning, her pupils dilated. "Silvy! Look!"

Diamond pointed to the building before her, Silver Spoon spotting a bakery designed to mimic a gingerbread house. Aside from the walls, every other square inch of the establishment appeared edible. A sign swinging back and forth against the wind was attached to the building, faint creaks splitting the air. Printed on the sign was a cupcake and the words Sugarcube Corner below it.

"A tasty treat is just what we need!" Diamond continued. "I bet it'll cheer you up as well."

A faint smile ran across Silver Spoon's face. Licking her lips, she then nodded. "Yeah, I could go for something good," she replied. "If there's one thing I've discovered after learning my special talent, it's that Sugarcube Corner is one of the best when it comes to pastries and desserts."

"Then it's decided."

Silver Spoon followed Diamond toward Sugarcube Corner, her stomach purring and ticklish. However, an itch in the back of her mind informed her she wasn't too hungry. Silver Spoon had room for a treat, without a doubt, but as her mind recalled the conversation she had with Diamond, her stomach's purring intensified the more thought she put into it.

Maybe I'm thinking about all of this too much. Diamond is a friend. I just need to remember that.

At least Sugarcube Corner and their sweet treats could cool off her overheated brain for a while just as long as nothing notable occurred. Silver Spoon smiled at the fact, but the tension squeezing her grew alongside her smile.

"Today's Tuesday, isn't it?" Silver Spoon whispered to herself. "Isn't that the day—it is, isn't it?" She held her breath for a second; her face became pale. "I hope I'm wrong."

Treats and Doubts

Sugarcube Corner ranked among Silver Spoon’s favorite shops; delicious delicacies were all crafted within its kitchen. However, the interior was a far cry from its candy-like exterior. The walls were all painted a dull green, though not a single crack or stream of dust running along it. A few ponies sat at the tables spread out across the room, grins painted on their visages. The tiled floors may as well have been ice as far as Silver Spoon was concerned, the smooth surface chilling her to the bone. At least there was a warm current of air circulating within the shop.

The crisp scent of fresh cupcakes, scones, chocolates, and other delicacies flowed into her nostrils; the aroma urged Silver Spoon to lick her lips and the glass counter only supported this action. The pastries shielded behind glass as though they were works of art brought back memories of when she discovered her special talent; it’d help lighten her mood recalling the fateful day.

It was like any other day for little Silver Spoon back then, her flank still blank and her mind eager for exploration. She recalled meandering into the kitchen and, with her only culinary experience being observations she made, whipped up a simple pastry. It lacked any exquisite qualities, but it had a nice, creamy texture to it. While her craft had evolved multiple times since then, becoming tastier and utilizing more complex techniques, it did signal the beginning of life with a cutie mark. The sudden itch upon its arrival was unlike anything she felt before or after.

And as Silver Spoon trotted alongside Diamond Tiara toward the counter, their stomachs purring together like kittens, something prodded her mind. The Cutie Mark Crusaders were all blank flanks like they both had been, only they were likely to become late bloomers if anything. There didn't appear to be anything wrong with being a little late in getting a cutie mark.

Perhaps their talents require them to be older. Silver Spoon shook her head. No. Sweetie Belle is a talented singer. I've heard her serenades before. A soft giggle left Silver Spoon's mouth. At least I didn't say that word—serenades—in front of Di. She'd pester me about that as well. Silver Spoon rubbed her muzzle, brow raised. The itching sensation within her grew more intense as each second passed.

"Di, can I ask a quick question?" Silver Spoon asked. "I'm just curious about something."

"You can ask me almost any question, Silvy," Diamond replied. She locked gazes with Silver Spoon, a smirk adorning her face. "What's on your mind?"

"Well, we were blank flanks at one point, so—" Silver Spoon took a deep breath, trying to loosen the tension in her muscles "—why do we tease the Cutie Mark Crusaders so much about it?" Before Diamond could utter a single word, Silver Spoon raised her hoof toward her friend's lips. "Now, I'm not saying it because I think they don't deserve it. I'm just curious."

"It's—" Diamond winced "—it's a long story.” She took a deep breath; Diamond straightened her posture. “We'd be here for days if I tried to explain it."

Silver Spoon arched an eyebrow. "Di, are you okay?"

"Of course I am, Silvy." Diamond chuckled, rubbing the back of her neck with a crooked smile across her face. "I'm always okay!"

"Well, if you say so." Silver Spoon's shoulders drooped, a sigh leaving her mouth. "I'm sorry if I offended you there."

"Silvy, you do need to get more sleep. Like, did you roll off your bed and knock your head or something?"

"I'm not drowsy or anything, Di." Silver Spoon nudged an inch closer to Diamond; she forced her eyes to widen. "I'm as awake as I usually am. I mean, Truffle Shuffle should be the pony you ask that question to." She shuddered. "Did you see how much he drooled and snored during class today?”

"Everypony saw, Silvy. With a quick breath, Diamond then cocked her head, her brow raised. "Look, you've been acting all emotional today, Silvy. I'm—like—getting worried about you, especially with how you're questioning what we've been doing for ages. It's kind of weird."

"My recent question just kind of occurred to me." Silver Spoon shrugged. "I think we've all had moments like that, you know. I was only curious, Di."

“Curiosity killed the cat, Silvy.”

“But satisfaction brought it back.”

Diamond blushed, a slight snicker escaping her lips. “Okay, you got me there.”

An aching sensation coursed throughout Silver Spoon’s body. Perhaps these sudden thoughts and sensations revolved around growing up, though Silver Spoon doubted such a change could be so quick. Diamond was about as static when it came to personality as almost anypony she knew, given her static personality since the day they met. Getting her to budge even a millimeter was like pushing an iceberg; Silver Spoon wondered if such a feat would be needed one day. The thought turned her face a little pale.

"What looks good to you, Silvy?" Diamond asked upon reaching the counter. A grin ran across the length of her face, her gleaming teeth visible. "I know what I'm having."

"Just a Prench Eclair will do," Silver Spoon replied. "The chocolate they use is scrumptious."

When Silver Spoon trotted up next to Diamond, a light blue mare made her way to the counter with a spring in her step. Her pink mane was curled up like a cupcake's frosting. Such was the telltale sign of none other than Mrs. Cake, a mare whose baking prowess made Silver Spoon's eyes twinkle at the mere thought.

"Hello there," Mrs. Cake chimed. She placed her hooves on the counter, a warm smile adorning her face. "How can I help you two today?"

"I'd like the Sugarcube Corner Sundae," Diamond blurted without hesitating. She massaged her stomach for a second and grinned.

"I'll have the Prench Eclair, please," Silver Spoon added.

Mrs. Cake nodded, turning toward the register atop the counter. As she punched some buttons with the tip of her hoof, clacks echoing into Silver Spoon's ears, at least she knew it functioned.

"That will be twenty bits, please," Mrs. Cake said.

Diamond shivered, her eyes dilated. "Twenty bits?" she gasped. Trudging closer to the counter with puckered lips, Diamond planted her hooves on the clear, glass surface. "Are you trying to rob me or something? Because—"

"Di! Silver Spoon interrupted. “Honestly, it’s not too bad.” She extended her foreleg toward Diamond, eyebrows ruffled. "Mine cost eight and your sundae cost twelve. There are times to get angry or shocked about something, but this isn't it. And have you seen what Canterlot charges in their inferior cafes?"

"Come on, Silvy." Diamond swiveled toward Silver Spoon, lips puckered and brow drooping. "We can haggle—"

"I'll cover the cost, Di."

Diamond shook her head; she pouted. "You don't have to do that, you know. I have a much better idea, and you know it."

“Sure you do,” Silver Spoon muttered under her own breath. She rolled her eyes, then said, "I'm aware of that, Di, but I'm doing it anyway."

Reaching into her saddlebag, Silver Spoon procured twenty bits and placed them on the counter. Upon raising her head and gazing into Mrs. Cake's pupils, a flickering flame burning within them, she let out a soft sigh. "Sorry about my friend, Mrs. Cake," Silver Spoon murmured. "She's a bit feisty at times, but she means well."

Mrs. Cake raised an eyebrow, then turned around in a huff. "At least someone has manners," she whispered to herself, tail swishing about.

"What was that?" Diamond asked.

"Nothing!" Mrs. Cake giggled, her cheeks flushing. "Just thinking out loud is all. Anyway, please have a seat and your order will be right with you."

"Sounds good, Mrs. Cake," Silver Spoon said. "Thank you!"

"You're welcome!"

When Mrs. Cake trotted through the folding door and into what Silver Spoon presumed was the kitchen, she twisted her body around and made her way to the table before her. Collapsing on the seat with a thud, Silver Spoon's limbs sprawled out as though she reclined on a bed. The seat's woven surface was rough like sandpaper, her back itching somewhat, though anything she could sit on after a long walk was welcome. Silver Spoon sensed the tension in her legs loosening a tad with each second; her lips curled into a bright smile.

"What did I say, Silvy?" Diamond asked with a wide smirk. "You really were tired after all."

A faint chuckle escaped Silver Spoon's mouth, trailing off soon after. "I'm not tired as in I need to sleep, Di." Straightening her seating posture, she rubbed the back of her neck. A hot pink covered her cheeks. "It's just nice to sit down again, you know? Moving about all the time can wear the body down, after all."

"Perhaps." Diamond paused, rubbing her muzzle. "Say, I bet the blank flanks would've gotten kicked out if they tried what we did. They're—like—so lame!"

Silver Spoon maintained a straight face, brow raised. Not a single peep left her sealed mouth as the corner of her eye caught the recognizable, cotton candy mane of a fellow classmate.

"Silvy, I thought you found those funny."

Silver Spoon shook her head. "That's not why I'm being quiet." Lifting her glasses up for a second, she rubbed her eyes. "I just don't want to get in trouble."

Glancing behind where Diamond Tiara sat, Silver Spoon pointed at a small unicorn filly with a fluffy mane at one of the adjacent tables. The filly grasped a chocolate shake with her hoof, sipping it at regular intervals and licking her lips afterward. It was Sweetie Belle, without a doubt, and she was having a treat there as predicted. If Diamond and her made Sweetie Belle bawl, kissing Sugarcube Corner's carpet would be the meal she'd receive instead.

At least she's not looking toward us. Silver Spoon took a deep breath, stretching her forelegs. Please don’t notice us.

A split second later, Sweetie Belle glanced behind her, eyes widening upon making eye contact with Silver Spoon. The latter's heart skipped a beat, a lightness consuming her. Silver Spoon sensed the weight returning to her piece by piece, biting her lip as she forced herself to stay conscious. With quicker breaths, the world to Silver Spoon tilted on its side, its colors rippling into modest waves. Her body wobbled about like a tree swaying in the wind.

"Silvy!" Diamond shouted, leaning toward her. "Snap out of it!"

A pop rang within her brain, Silver Spoon swiveling her head from left to right. "W-what was that?" she asked. With a sigh of relief, she brought her gaze back to Diamond. "Sorry, just felt a little strange for a second."

"Silvy, you looked like you almost passed out." Diamond bit her lip, holding back a giggle. "Geez, you must have gotten—like—two minutes of sleep or something."

Silver Spoon adjusted her glasses, her vision returning to normal. "Do I need to repeat myself? Maybe you're a broken record today, Di." Straightening her posture, a slight snicker left her mouth. "I don't know what happened."

"I'm a broken record for a reason, and I’ll stay that way if I have to.”

“Well, at least I know to expect more of the same lines from you.” Silver Spoon cracked a smile; she chuckled.

“Yeah, it’s kinda funny, but what in Tartarus was your little episode about?" Diamond crossed her forelegs. "There's got to be a reason, Silvy."

"It's something—" Silver Spoon placed a hoof to her mouth. A cold sweat dripped over her brow. There was something about saving a blank flank trouble which churned her stomach; it was necessary for survival. "Well, it's because I'm exhausted. I admit it."

"Didn't you just say you weren't tired, Silvy?" Diamond shrugged, a bemused expression painted on her face. She sighed. "Anyway, please make up your mind or tell the truth next time. Like, I know we’ve told white lies before, but this is serious stuff! I'd rather not see you get hurt or become lame."

Sulking, Silver Spoon gazed down at the table's sparkling surface. Her reflection within the table's sheen was blurred, though detailed enough to where she could spot her drooping visage. "I-I just didn't want to disappoint you, Di."

"Thanks, Silvy." Diamond paused, lips pursed. "Still, you should just enjoy the moment, okay?"

"Okay."

"Are you afraid of the test being passed back tomorrow?" Diamond clamped her hooves together. "Honestly, worrying about a stupid test isn't something you should put so much effort in. As long as we pass, which is easy, we're good."

"Not really." Silver Spoon raised her head, locking gazes with Diamond. "I know I got a B on it."

Diamond cocked her head. "Wait, what makes you say that?"

"I just have a feeling. Did you think it was tough?"

"Sort of." Diamond paused. Her shoulders perked up a second later, eyes widened. "Wait a second!"

"What is it, Di?"

"Whenever you make these predictions about how well you do, you're always right. And not only—"

A plate appeared before Silver Spoon without warning, a crisp eclair with chocolate running along it resting atop the plate. Then, a bowl of ice cream with bananas and hot fudge drizzled over it slid in front of Diamond, halting right in front of her as though it was sentient.

"Enjoy your treats," a soft voice uttered, its owner a yellow stallion with an orange mane.

"Thank you, Mr. Cake," Silver Spoon replied.

"Thanks," Diamond added.

"You're welcome!"

Stepping back, Mr. Cake retreated back to Sugarcube Corner's kitchen as Silver Spoon stared at him from afar. The skips in his steps were a nice touch, as was the wave he and a Mrs. Cake donning a radiant grin on her face exchanged. Silver Spoon couldn't help but smirk as she studied their movements, a warmth filling her heart at the sight. She couldn’t help but recall the days where doing such movements with Diamond were commonplace.

And when such thoughts swirled within Silver Spoon like a tornado, a faint sigh left her lips, head hung low.

"No, things will be just fine tomorrow. I just know it."

"Silvy, as I was saying, your predictions about how you do on tests are always spot on," Diamond continued. Silver Spoon shifted her head back toward Diamond, ears pointed toward her. "You're also crazy accurate in how many correct you got." With a raised eyebrow, Diamond tapped her hoof against the table. A sharp clack split the air, Silver Spoon shielding her ears for a moment. "What's your secret? Are you hiding something lame? Is it luck?" She leaned closer to the gray filly. “Tell me.”

Silver Spoon shrugged. "I'm just lucky, I guess."

"Okay, I can believe that.” Diamond nudged away as to give both of them ample breathing room. “Well, at least you're not 'Miss Perfect Test Taker', otherwise known as Twist." Cringing, Diamond stuck her tongue out as if to spit something out. "Like, she keeps doing so well to where it's not admirable, but embarrassing. Thank Celestia you’re not that much of an egghead."

Silver Spoon’s heart skipped a beat. "That's the first time you've made a jab at Twist in a while, Di." She then twiddled the eclair in her hooves. "Still, what's so b-bad about that?" Exhaling, she squirmed in her chair a bit. "I'm curious."

"Isn't it obvious? It shows she has no life outside of school."

"What makes you think that, Di?" Quivering ever so slightly, Silver Spoon then raised an eyebrow. "I mean, she had to have gotten her cutie mark somehow, right?"

Diamond blinked, her lips closed shut. A blank expression covered her face, chilling Silver Spoon to the bone. Around fifteen seconds later, Diamond retorted with, "Did—did you seriously just defend Twist?" She raised her forelegs up. "Silver Spoon, I know Twist wears glasses like you do, but that doesn't mean you're more alike than anypony would think."

"It's not about the glasses, Di." Silver Spoon snickered, taking a deep breath. "It's just basic logic. Twist might spend hours reading material we'd find so dull, but she's also an artist when it comes to making candy." She paused, her cheeks burning a hot pink.

Maybe there's more in common between the two of us. The special talents we have would suggest that. Still, we have enough differences to where hanging out with her would be insane.

"Sorry, Di," Silver Spoon continued. "Something popped in my mind."

"What would that be?" Diamond asked. She shrugged, then took a bite of her sundae. "Did you remember something important?"

"Just a little joke we did a while ago." Smirking, Silver Spoon exhaled. "Anyway, let's not jump to conclusions so quickly."

"Well, you have to admit Twist is—like—so uncool, right?"

Silver Spoon nodded. "No arguing with that. At least a mane stylist could fix most of that."

"Yeah! That mane is begging for gum to stick on it!" With wide, glowing eyes, a smile adorned Diamond's visage. She pumped a hoof into the air, cheering, "That's the Silvy I know!"

"Well, I guess tomorrow will see the return of the old me." Silver Spoon's throat tightened, a slight ache forming in her head. A tingling sensation coursing throughout her body suggested such a feat may be just a speck on the horizon. It wasn't as though fixing everything tomorrow was impossible, as she had read accounts of such instances, though such claims were few and far between. "Let's eat, Di."

Silver Spoon lifted the eclair up to her mouth and nibbled on it. Chewing with a wide smile on her face, Silver Spoon let her taste buds succumb to the warm chocolate and crisp dough. Swallowing her bite and licking her lips, Silver Spoon brought her attention back to Diamond.

"This is delicious," Silver Spoon said as a matter of fact, eyes sparkling. "The chocolate and dough flavors balance each other nicely. Not to mention how well the eclair is composed in both texture and filling."

Diamond froze in place; she cocked her head. "I didn't understand a word you just said, Silvy."

Giggling, Silver Spoon covered her mouth with the tip of her hoof. "Sorry, Di." She straightened her seating posture. "I guess it comes with the special talent."

"I'd imagine so, Silvy."

"So then, what does yours taste like, Di?" Silver Spoon leaned closer to her friend. "Do you like it?"

"It's great!"

Seconds passed, but neither Silver Spoon nor Diamond uttered a word. The silence lingered, only broken when Silver Spoon replied, "That's it?"

Diamond nodded. "Yeah, I don't have your vocab, Silvy. I remember when I spied you sleeping on a cookbook."

Blushing, a snicker left Silver Spoon's lips. "Yeah, I remember that like it was yesterday. Well, it was kind of embarrassing, but we’ve all had moments like that.” Diamond’s lips curled into a slight smile; Silver Spoon breathed a sigh of relief. “Anyway, let's finish up eating."

And, as Silver Spoon suggested, the two fillies chowed down on the remainder of their treats. They savored each and every bite and, once no specks of food sat before them, the pair pushed themselves out of their seats with filled stomachs and grins brighter than the sun. Diamond trotted on ahead, but as Silver Spoon followed her, she couldn't help but glance at Sweetie Belle. The warm innocence bundled within the unicorn made zero sense in Silver Spoon’s eyes.

Then, Silver Spoon lifted her hoof up, giving Sweetie Belle a meek wave. Wearing a cracked grin, she took a few steps back, only for Sweetie Belle to reply with a wave of her own. Silver Spoon's pupils dilated; she felt her breath taken away.

Did Sweetie Belle just wave at me? Turning around in a flash, Silver Spoon dashed toward Diamond, already a few hoofsteps ahead of her. That couldn't have been genuine, right? Catching up to her friend, Silver Spoon slowed down upon trotting next to her, the blades of grass beneath her hooves tickling them.

"What took you so long, Silvy?" Diamond asked, her soft tone taking Silver Spoon off guard. "Did you see somepony you recognized?"

"Good guess," Silver Spoon replied. Panting, she then wiped some sweat off of her brow. "I saw one of our classmates."

"Who was it?"

Silver Spoon paused for a second, pursing her lips. Thinking of the first name she figured was acceptable, she muttered, "Rumble."

"Rumble?" With shimmering eyes, Diamond then wrapped her foreleg around Silver Spoon; she let out a gasp. "Why didn't you tell me that cutie was there?"

"You never told me you found Rumble cute, Di."

"His cuteness is a fact, Silvy." Diamond rubbed her hooves together, eyes glowing. "I mean, that smile of his is—like—amazing."

"Di, I don't think you'd get along with Rumble too well." Silver Spoon lowered her head. "Sorry to tell you that."

"How so?"

"He's a real sweetheart. A lot of ponies are saying it's down to how he was raised in addition to how well Flitter and Cloudchaser helped look after him." Silver Spoon stared back at Diamond. "I think you'd probably prefer somepony who was tougher or liked to joke around."

"Nonsense, Silvy! Rumble is definitely my type of pony."

Shrugging, Silver Spoon then swished her tail about. "Di, you're setting yourself up for disappointment." She placed a hoof to her chest. "I'm sorry if I'm being a little too blunt, Di."

"No apology necessary." Diamond's grin widened. "I'm going to prove you wrong one day. I just know it!"

With a slight snicker, Silver Spoon rolled her eyes. "Well, I guess only time will tell. Just try to not be so rude to him, Di. Rumble is also a bit sensitive."

Ruffling her brow, Diamond's ears twitched. "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that, Silvy. And I know Rumble is actually a cool pony. Maybe you want him for yourself, you sly filly."

“I’m not the romantic type, Di.” Silver Spoon's cheeks flushed. Twitching a little, she released a short breath. "It's still something to consider. I don't want you getting into any trouble."

"I know how to get out of it, Silvy." Diamond took a deep breath, her strides longer than before. "If there's anypony who knows how to avoid trouble, it's me!"

A rebuttal swelled within Silver Spoon's throat, trying to climb out. She yearned to list the numerous examples of Diamond's little claim being false, just to get it off of her chest. However, Silver Spoon forced her mouth shut. There was no need to risk escalating the situation further, Silver Spoon's muscles tightening at the thought of upsetting Diamond.

A sharp sensation within her chest nagged her about Diamond's attitude issues, refusing to cease prodding her. Silver Spoon didn't dislike Diamond, such a statement far from the truth. Diamond was her one true friend, after all. All she needed were a few tweaks to fix those imperfections.

Maybe it will all come to pass tomorrow.

Tomorrow couldn't come soon enough for Silver Spoon, the weight of the world crushing her bones.

The Test

Only a few of the fillies and colts took part in the typical ritual as the minute hand crept closer toward the time school ended. Unlike yesterday, most of the students wore tautened expressions or widened eyes as the clock ticked away. Spotting the far left side of the chalkboard, Silver Spoon knew the source of the tension in the air. Her chest tightened itself into a knot and her heart thumped as though it wanted to fly out. Shifting her eyes toward the writing in question, Silver Spoon memorized the sentence printed on the pale, green surface.

Math Test III returned after class!

With her head hung low, Silver Spoon gazed at her notebook. Words, numbers, and phrases adorned every square inch of the page she used, all listing different terms and theorems that made up today's science lecture. She'd be prepared for anything regarding the material, though holding back her intelligence required more concentration than the test itself; Diamond Tiara’s feelings needed to be considered.

When Silver Spoon spotted Diamond tapping her hind hoof and glancing over to where she sat, Silver Spoon shielded her notes as if by instinct. The pair made eye contact; a slight smirk decorated Diamond's visage.

"Like, I don't get why a silly test is making everypony so tense," Diamond scoffed. "So what if they get a low C on their test? All that matters is passing. It's nothing to spend so much time worrying about.” Diamond fiddled with her hooves; her lips were pursed. “Besides, being the best in the class isn't what I'd call amazing."

"Di, they're probably nervous because they want those high scores," Silver Spoon murmured. She ruffled her brow. "Not everypony has the same view on this as you do."

"I know that, Silvy. Geez." Rolling her eyes, Diamond let out a soft groan. "It's just something silly about the other students. I mean, we all know Twist got the highest grade in the class. Then it'll be Sweetie Belle, and then the rest of us normal ponies."

"Normal?" With a glare, Silver Spoon nudged closer to Diamond. "Di, I think you're worrying about it as much as the other ponies are here." Blinking, she then assumed a blank stare once more. "You say you don't care about the grades, but it sure sounds like you care a lot about it when it comes to everypony else. And maybe you want to get a great grade on this as well." She paused. Her cheeks turned pale at the sight of Diamond’s raised brow. "Actually, forget I said anything on the matter. Sorry, Di."

"And everything was returning to normal, too." Diamond's shoulders sagged. "Silvy, please tell me if there's anything bothering you. I’m not gonna let you slide into becoming uncool, you know."

Silver Spoon shook her head. "There's nothing bothering me, Di." Her cheeks turned pale. Lying to Diamond drove needles into her heart, Silver Spoon wincing a little, but her mind knew hiding the truth was the only way to preserve her friendship for now.

And Celestia forbid if I ever have to confess them any time soon.

"It's time to pass the tests back, everypony," Cheerilee announced from the front of the room. Whipping a yardstick against the chalkboard, an ear-splitting crack brought the class' collective gazes toward her, some students shuddering as though a blizzard blew past them. Not a word was uttered for a few seconds, silence filling the room.

"The class as a whole did well, getting around a B- average," Cheerliee continued. She grasped the stack of tests with her foreleg, passing each packet back to their owners. "We'll be going over the test tomorrow, so please look it over so we can discuss any questions you may have."

Cheerilee finished passing the tests back to the first row a minute after; Silver Spoon only heard the rapid thumping of her heart, growing louder as Cheerilee passed more tests back. As she approached the second row of seats, Twist waved her hoof in the air and asked, "Who's going to get the gold star?"

"Well, there's something I need to arrange first."

Swiveling her head back, Silver Spoon focused on where Cheerilee stood, a deep breath departing the former’s mouth. A chill coursed through her spine. "Something's not right here," she muttered to herself.

"What are you talking about, Silvy?" Diamond asked. Shrugging, she then raised her brow. "What's suspicious about it?"

“The gold star is awarded to the student who gets the highest test score, remember? Miss Cheerilee almost always gives it out first."

Diamond nodded. "Duh." Spreading her forelegs out, she then locked gazes with Silver Spoon. "What about that?"

"She's not awarding it for some reason, saying there's something she needs to take care of." Silver Spoon tapped her muzzle. "She'd still award it if she had to disqualify somepony for cheating, but not here. This time, she's holding onto it for some reason."

"How is that weird?" Diamond shrugged. "She must have forgotten to—"

"Miss Cheerilee always has her gold stars ready to give to other students." Edging closer to Diamond, Silver Spoon then pursed her lips. "There must have been something off with one or more of the tests."

The rustling of paper reached Silver Spoon's ears. Bringing her attention toward her desk, she gazed at the circled fraction written in a bright red stationary. It read 25/30, the score Silver Spoon expected to obtain. Peeking over to where Diamond sat, she noticed a mark reading 20/30 on her test. Silver Spoon forcibly restrained herself from sighing, knowing this was due to Diamond not studying so much. There was also the matter of her having to help out with her homework. Memories of jotting down answers and formulas while Diamond sprayed perfume and pranced around the mansion consumed her mind. With reddened cheeks, Silver Spoon took another deep breath, restraining herself to remind Diamond of the importance of studying. She just lacked the courage to nag Diamond.

Shifting her eyes back to her exam, Silver Spoon noticed another set of markings below the fraction. Upon reading them, her blood froze. The world swirled like a vortex around her; a lightheaded feeling consumed Silver Spoon as she reread the sentence Cheerilee added to her score.

See me after class. Do not worry. You are not in trouble, but I must speak with you.

"Why would Miss Cheerliee want to speak with me?" Silver Spoon asked herself. With quickened breaths, she shivered as though a snowstorm swirled around her. "There's no way she knew I purposefully—"

"What was that, Silvy?" Diamond questioned, her hoof raised. "Didn't quite hear you there."

"It’s nothing important." A faint chuckle left Silver Spoon's throat, trailing off seconds later. "Just surprised I missed one of the questions."

"Oh." Diamond blinked. "Well, I guess it happens. At least you weren't all nerdy about it, but I wouldn’t worry about something so—trivial."

Rubbing the back of her neck, Silver Spoon then nodded. "Good point." A soft, nervous chuckle left her lips.

"Wait." Diamond's eyes shifted about for a second. She then resumed making eye contact with Silver Spoon. "You look so pale, Silvy. Are you not feeling well?"

Quivering, Silver Spoon then shook her head. "I'm fine." Her muscles tensed up, her face losing color as though leeches sucked the blood out of her. "I'm just tired again, Di."

Diamond arched an eyebrow. She quipped, "Tired? Yeah, and I'm the winner of the next Best Young Fliers Competition." Ruffling her brow, Diamond then leaned toward Silver Spoon. Their noses almost touched at their tips, Silver Spoon nudging back a little to give herself some space. "Silvy, something is bothering you. I can see it in your eyes. Don’t lie to a friend."

Blinking, Silver Spoon scuttled farther away from Diamond and to the edge of her seat. "Look, I'm tired today like you said I was yesterday. Honest." With a deep breath, she then straightened her seating posture. "Di, not everything dealing with popularity and looks has to be taken seriously. Maybe things will be better if you just relax for once."

Diamond pouted; her muzzle scrunched up like an accordion. "All I do is relax, Silvy."

"Well, it looks like you're upset about something."

"I'm not upset. Like, I'm just pouting to show my disagreement."

Silver Spoon cocked her head to the left, then shrugged. "You're the boss, Di."

Swiveling her head away from Diamond, Silver Spoon let out a sigh. With sagging shoulders, she examined the additional marking on her test. It looked like any other test the students got back to her knowledge. Why Miss Cheerilee wanted to see her after class and not a troublemaker like one of the blank flanks eluded her. She didn't cheat; nor did she do anything unethical in the world of test taking. But those red scribbles inscribed on the paper suggested otherwise. With another sigh, she then raised her head and gazed at Cheerilee.

"Now then, are there any questions you'd like to ask?" Cheerilee inquired.

Not a murmur filled the room. Only the faint rustling of leaves outside echoed within the classroom.

"Okay then. Now remember, if you do have any questions that come up later, feel free to write them down somewhere and ask them tomorrow. We'll set some time aside to go over the questions you may have." Cheerilee paused, her ears twitching. "Also, I need to talk to one of you after class."

"Uh oh," a nasally voice uttered. "Who did what this time?"

Such a voice belonged to the plump colt in the back of the room known as Truffle Shuffle. Few knew much about the portly pony, though he carried some sort of food item with him without fail. To nopony's surprise, it tended to be something sugary or sweet. The other common quality he bore was how everypony not named Twist always felt sorry for whoever was paired up with Truffle Shuffle in group assignments. Something about him churned Silver Spoon's stomach at the thought.

"I bet it was Featherweight," Shady Daze blurted out. “He's a master at messing up the printers for the Foal Free Press, you know."

"Oh, blame the printer on me," Featherweight retorted. He crossed his forelegs. "I guess I should also mention how you were the one who filled the playground with confetti cannons that one time. And you messed with the printer so much one day it shot ink everywhere!"

"But it was totally funny, right?" Shady chuckled, a smirk adorning his face. "Everypony thought whoever did that was a genius."

Featherweight raised an eyebrow. His lips curled into a slight grin. "More like a clown. Where’s the nose that does the honking sound, Shady." Biting his lip, he held in a fit of laughter.

"Hey!"

"Everypony!" Cheerilee whacked a yardstick against the chalkboard as before. "Do you two want to go to detention or not?"

The class fell silent, all eyes glued to Cheerilee. Even Silver Spoon was a part of the collective, her chest tightening into a knot at the mere thought of detention. Not much was worse for any student to spend half an hour sitting and listening to the clock tick away the seconds. It sounded more akin to time teasing those trapped in detention than anything. Everypony knew of the tales and the tears which went alongside it, a tingling sensation coursing through Silver Spoon's mind at the mere thought.

"Now that I have your attention, let me explain," Cheerilee continued. "I'm going to talk about the test to this particular student, but let me say that this student is not in trouble."

"Then why did you scare us half to death, Miss Cheerilee?" Featherweight asked. He breathed a sigh of relief. "I thought we were gonna be toast."

"Or charred toast," Shady added.

"Well, if you didn't interrupt me while I was talking, then none of these concerns would have happened." Cheerilee ruffled her brow. "Now then, I'm going to give you two a warning."

"Sorry, Miss Cheerilee," the two colts muttered in unison.

"Now then, as for the pony I'll be speaking to, I've made a note on their test in order to keep things as private as possible." Trotting toward her desk, Cheerilee then placed a hoof on top of its oak surface. "As for everypony else, well—"

A chime filled the classroom and reached Silver Spoon's ears. At the drop of a pen, her classmates all sprang from their desks and dashed across the floor. Clacks polluted the air as the swarm of fillies and colts burst through the door, some pressing against each other as they wiggled and squeezed through the doorway. Silver Spoon adjusted her glasses, baffled at how quick the class forced themselves out this time around. Once a minute had flown past, all of her classmates had departed the room, only she and Miss Cheerilee stayed put. After a few seconds of silence, Cheerilee trotted toward her.

Okay, she said I wasn't in trouble, right? Silver Spoon exhaled. The hairs of her coat stood up. She probably just wants to make sure I understand a quick concept. Like, there's no way she'd ever figure out what I did. Studying Cheerilee's stern expression and twinkling eyes sank Silver Spoon’s heart. The lack of any smile decorating her visage and her slow, heavy steps thinned the air. She knows, doesn't she?

The moment Cheerilee sat at a desk adjacent to Silver Spoon, the latter averted her gaze. She couldn't bear to see her teacher donning a twisted, sagging scowl. Silver Spoon rubbed her muzzle with her eyes closed shut. An itch at the back of her mind wished she would plop back into her bed upon opening them again. Clenching her teeth, Silver Spoon opened her eyes once more.

The classroom environment she found herself in from before, complete with empty desks and a chalkboard with not a word jotted on it, was where she found herself. Silver Spoon's cheeks turned a light green, her stomach considering unleashing its contents.

"Silver Spoon," Cheerilee said, her calm voice surprising Silver Spoon. "Remember, you're not in trouble."

"I am," Silver Spoon replied. "Why else would I be sent here without warning?"

"Because the matter I need to talk to you about is important."

Silver Spoon brought her attention back to where Cheerilee sat. The latter placed her left hoof on her chest, her face now wearing a sagging brow and shimmering eyes. Cocking her head, Silver Spoon blinked thrice. However, the concerned stare Cheerilee bore still remained.

"Silver Spoon, is your friendship with Diamond Tiara healthy?" Cheerilee questioned. Pausing for a second, she then adjusted her seating posture though maintained eye contact. "Are you having fun with her?"

"Of course I'm having fun with Di," Silver Spoon answered. "Why wouldn't I have fun with my one best friend?"

"I had a feeling you'd answer that way."

"How so?"

Cheerilee clasped her hooves together. A soft sigh left her lips. "I'm sorry I have to ask this, but have you ever done something that would hinder your performance at school to please Diamond Tiara? Have you ever done something you didn't want to do to make her happy? I ask this because of what I found on your test."

Silver Spoon flinched for a brief moment. "N-no! I have a spine! I can think on my own! Everypony knows that, right?" She froze; not a word escaped Cheerilee's lips. "Right?"

"Did you miss any of the test questions on purpose?"

"No!" Silver Spoon recoiled a bit, aware the words she shrieked lacked standing. Cheerilee was right in guessing she intentionally missed questions to avoid Diamond's ire. The idea of Diamond comparing her to Twist drove a blade through her chest, Silver Spoon's body feeling numb. "Why would I ever do that?"

Cheerilee took a deep breath. "Silver Spoon, let me say two things. First, I don't know much about what your fellow classmates think of you. I know Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo don't get along with you for some reason."

"I'm not surprised the blank—" Shielding her lips with the tips of her hooves, Silver Spoon blushed. "Sorry, Miss Cheerilee." A forced smile ran across her strained face. "I'll keep quiet until you're done."

"Apology accepted." Cheerilee nodded. "Now then, the second thing I want to mention is that you should tell the truth to your teacher."

"B-but—"

"Silver Spoon, please tell me what's going on."

Silver Spoon gnashed her teeth; a cold sweat poured down her forehead. There was little doubt in her mind Cheerilee would fail to notice a lie. Her sulked posture opened much of her brain to any astute observers. The thought of Diamond getting a similar talk related to this crossed Silver Spoon's mind. If she ever suffered a similar fate to this or even got wind of Silver Spoon’s true identity, their friendship may as well be a sheet of glass careening toward a jagged stone.

There was no escape.

To think the tale of having a friend would reach its climax because of a stupid test.

Silver Spoon had to confess, even if the truth shredded her body to pieces. She gulped.

"You want to know what happened?" Silver Spoon asked.

"Yes, Silver Spoon," Cheerilee said as a matter of fact. "That's what I asked you before. Please let me know what's going on. I want to help you do better in school. You'll be happier in the long run." She clasped her hooves together. "I promise."

Silver Spoon took a deep breath. She quivered to release some of the anxiety flowing through her. "Okay then, you got me." Turning away from Cheerilee for a moment, Silver Spoon winced. The aches forming within her chest intensified. "I missed those questions on purpose. However, how did you—" Silver Spoon brought her gaze back to Cheerilee, the former's vision somewhat blurred. Clearing her throat, she then murmured, "How did you know I did that?"

"It's rather simple, Silver Spoon. I know you're aware that this test required students to show how they got to the answer. I added that rule so I could see who understood the concepts and if I needed to spend more time on a topic for the benefit of the class."

"That makes sense." Silver Spoon twiddled her braid. "I'm guessing you were able to see how I covered my tracks."

Cheerilee nodded. "That's correct, Silver Spoon. However, what tipped me off first was how you had everything correct in your work on the test. You even got the right answer, but you ended up circling a slightly different number instead. This made me suspicious at the time." She stroked her muzzle for a second. "You're probably wondering why it did."

"Yeah. I don't know how something like that caught your eye."

"Let me explain, Silver Spoon." Taking a deep breath, Cheerilee placed her hooves on the desk before her. "Now, I understand why some might make such a mistake. But the way everything was so clearly written and how the correct answer was written inches away from what you claimed to be your answer, I knew I had to investigate. I examined your test once more, focusing on what you got wrong and the work you showed. That's when I noticed something peculiar."

Silver Spoon hung her head low, gazing at the wooden planks below. "W-what do you mean?" Her cheeks burned a hot pink. "Yeah, I know I confessed and everything, but I feel like I'm missing something about how you discovered it. Did somepony tell you a rumor or something?"

"No." Cheerilee shook her head. "I don't listen to such gossip."

"Oh."

A ticklish sensation ran down both of Silver Spoon's cheeks; they were warm, wet raindrops. Blinking for a moment, she noticed her vision becoming hazier by the second. Dust must have invaded her eyes, irritating and reddening them. Silver Spoon always considered herself to not be the crying type. Maybe those blank flanks wept, but nopony like her did.

However, as her chest tightened into a corkscrew, the doubt within her mind spread. The twangs throughout her body became tighter than ever; the teardrops cascaded at a faster rate. Even some audible sobs left her mouth from time to time, increasing in frequency as time marched forward.

Silver Spoon was caught by the truth, unable to wiggle or break free from its tight grip.

Silver Spoon was crying.

Silver Spoon was nopony.

"Silver Spoon," Cheerilee murmured. "It's going to be okay." Stretching her foreleg out, she then placed a hoof on Silver Spoon's shoulder. The massage was soft, loosening Silver Spoon's muscles. However, the tears and sobs refused to cease. "There's nothing wrong with getting a good grade. Everypony wants one. You would have gotten the only perfect score in the class if you used the answers you got. Something like that is an achievement to be proud of, Silver Spoon. It's nothing to be ashamed about."

"N-not to Diamond Tiara," Silver Spoon whispered through sobs. "She thinks getting really high grades is for losers."

With an arched eyebrow, Cheerilee cocked her head. She sighed. "Is that so?"

Silver Spoon nodded. "Y-yes."

"Perhaps I'm going to have to talk to—"

"Please don't!"

Cheerilee's eyes widened. "Why wouldn't I talk to her about it? It's something I should look into, you know."

"I don't want to break my friendship with Di." Silver Spoon's sobs grew louder and tears kept flowing down her cheeks like a waterfall, dripping onto the floor. "She's my only friend. If—if she found out I mentioned that, she'd leave me in an instant. I don't want to be alone."

"Silver Spoon, you won't be alone. Somepony out there will be your friend, even if it isn't Diamond Tiara."

"No. Di is all I'll ever have."

"How come? You haven't wronged everypony here as far as I know." Cheerilee paused. "Can you share with me why you believe that, please?"

"I can't."

Wincing, Silver Spoon knew such a confession would also double as admitting she bullied a number of classmates alongside Diamond Tiara. While most of the fillies and colts saw her as the lesser of two evils, the label of villainess remained attached to her. Silver Spoon knew such a fact was obvious, and even mentioning such actions to Miss Cheerilee would earn a scowl or even detention.

"I can tell the reason disturbs you," Cheerilee said. Such a statement couldn't be more obvious. "I promise I won't tell anypony about it. Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye."

Silver Spoon froze for a second, then raised her brow. "H-huh? What was that?" she asked.

"It's a special kind of promise a friend of mine told me about. It's something you never break."

"Oh. Well, I still don't know if I should tell you."

"Silver Spoon, you do want to feel better, right?"

Silver Spoon rubbed her muzzle for a moment. After five seconds passed, she nodded. "Yes, Miss Cheerilee. I want to feel better."

Cheerilee's lips curled into the slightest of smiles, the first Silver Spoon noticed in what felt like ages. The rate of tears dripping down her eyes like a leaking faucet lessened at last.

"I'm glad to hear that, Silver Spoon," Cheerilee continued. "Do you know what the best way of feeling better in this situation is?"

Silver Spoon knew the answer from the start. Providing the answer, however, was something else. The words were there, but they refused to escape her clogged throat. However, when she cleared her throat, Silver Spoon then murmured, "I bullied others."

"Did you just say you bullied others?" Cheerilee tilted her head. A tautened expression adorned her face. "Silver Spoon, such behavior is inexcusable."

"I-I know." Lifting her glasses up for a second, Silver Spoon wiped the tears in her eyes. A deep sigh left her lips. "I bullied others with Diamond Tiara." Upon uttering those words, she couldn't help herself from cringing. Perhaps getting punched in the face would be a less painful alternative as Silver Spoon's body ached throughout. "We did that to the bl—I mean, Diamond Tiara and I did it to Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo for the most part."

"Silver Spoon." Cheerilee crossed her forelegs, her visage now donning a frown.

"I know." Silver Spoon sniffled. "I'm ready for detention, Miss Cheerilee."

"You're not getting detention, Silver Spoon."

Silver Spoon’s pupils shrunk to the size of pinpricks. She gasped. "I'm not?"

"No. However, I want you to apologize to anypony you've bullied in the past."

Silver Spoon raised her head and shuddered for a moment. "But if Diamond Tiara finds out, what will she think of me then?"

"I should tell you another thing." Cheerilee tapped a hoof against the floor. "It's not healthy to have everything you do dictated by what somepony else might want. Sometimes, you're going to have to do something they may not like. That's okay, because it helps you discover who you are and can make you happier in the long run."

"I-I guess so." Silver Spoon defogged her glasses. The world cleared up in a flash. Tiny details her tear-filled eyes or misty glasses couldn't spot were visible once more. At least she could make out Miss Cheerilee's faint grin and glowing eyes again, an expression which cheered her up once more. Silver Spoon couldn't help but realize how meaningful Cheerilee's name was. "Anyway, I'm sorry for what I did."

"Apology accepted, Silver Spoon." Cheerilee paused for a second. "However, you still need to apologize to those you've hurt. Understood?"

Silver Spoon remained static, her face wearing a blank expression.

"Remember my advice."

Flinching as though a bug zipped past her, Silver Spoon then bobbed her head. "Okay, I'll apologize as soon as possible. I'll try to do the best I can."

"That's the spirit, Silver Spoon!"

Cheerilee stood up on all four hooves, a radiant smile across her face. Striding over toward her desk, she opened one of the shelves and procured a gold-like object. Silver Spoon's eyes locked onto the pointed object, its bright sheen twinkling under the light. It was one of the gold stars Cheerilee awarded the student or students the highest test score with. And as Cheerilee trotted back toward Silver Spoon with her foreleg extended, the latter knew where this was all headed.

"Silver Spoon, while your current grade will remain the same, I'm still awarding you the gold star due to these circumstances," Cheerilee continued. "It's quite an honor to receive one, you know." Placing the gold star before Silver Spoon, Cheerilee then withdrew her hoof. "I know it must be hard for you to feel happy right now." A sigh left Cheerilee's mouth, her shoulders sagging somewhat. "Believe me. I've dealt with tough moments in my life as well. It's impossible to be cheery all the time, after all."

"Yeah, I guess so," Silver Spoon replied. Pushing herself off of the chair, she then exhaled. "Still, I'm nervous if I'll ever be happy again." Silver Spoon placed a hoof on her chest. A bleak frown adorned her face a second later. "I'm sorry if I'm acting all mopey and all, but I don't know if—"

"Silver Spoon, you have nothing to apologize for in that regard." Silver Spoon raised her head and made eye contact with Cheerilee. "You're going through a time where it may feel hard to avoid such behaviors. However, I see something inside of you."

"You do?"

"I do." Cheerilee's eyes glowed like the sun. "You may not see it now. You may not even believe what I say. However, I know there's a wonderful pony standing before me. She has a gray coat, stylish glasses, and a cute braid. Her name is Silver Spoon, and one day, she's going to grow up to be an amazing pony."

"E-even though I bullied others because of the lack of a cutie mark?"

"Silver Spoon, once you apologize, things will become easier for you. Believe in yourself. Keep on doing the best you can." Cheerilee shuffled her hooves to the left. Stretching a foreleg out, she pointed at the doorway. "You're free to go whenever you please. I hope that tomorrow works out well for you. I’m always willing to lend a helping hoof if you ever need me."

Silver Spoon donned her saddlebag, filling it with her school supplies and gold star. With a nod, she muttered, "I guess that makes sense. Thanks, Cheerilee. I'm glad to have you as a teacher."

"You're welcome, Silver Spoon." Cheerilee waved her hoof in the air. "Take care."

"Will do."

And as Silver Spoon made her way out of the classroom and into the open fields, she made sure to keep her chin held up high. Nevertheless, a tingling sensation coursed through her spine.

The sounds of rustling leaves reached her ears. Twisting her head to the right, Silver Spoon noticed a lone bush shaking as though it were caught in a whirlwind. She shrugged, unsure of what to make of the phenomenon.

Then, her eyes widened. Silver Spoon felt the breath taken out of her.

The shaking bush in question was the only one moving and just happened to be next to one of the classroom's windows.

Sensing her body lightening by the second, Silver Spoon clenched her teeth. She surveyed the bush for a minute, holding her breath and not making a peep, but not another instance of shaking occurred. Maybe it was just an animal scavenging for food, though why one would end up in a bush eluded her. Then there was the other possibility which chilled her to the bone.

Somepony was spying on her to spread gossip.

Silver Spoon's throat tightened, hoping to all of Equestria's princesses the first instance was the correct one.

Replacement

In the blink of an eye, tomorrow arrived with the clock mere minutes away from striking noon. And as Silver Spoon jotted down notes from Miss Cheerilee's lecture as usual, she could've sworn the talk with her schoolteacher occurred mere minutes ago. While a chill still lingered in her spine, Silver Spoon glancing toward Diamond as the latter lazily tossed paper balls at Apple Bloom, the current climate had a more welcoming sensation than yesterday's did. Perhaps unloading her emotions onto Miss Cheerilee worked out in the end after all. Almost everything fell back into place.

However, Diamond acted as though Silver Spoon turned into a ghost. The same could be said for the rest of the ponies sans Cheerilee for most of the day, as nopony even batted an eye at her. The most attention she received was when she trotted into class a few hours ago, all eyes locked onto her for a few seconds.

And then, nothing.

"Maybe they already know."

Silver Spoon did call out Diamond's name before class started about three and a half hours ago, though a swish of her tail was all she received. And whenever the pair made eye contact, instead of cracking a joke at the Cutie Mark Crusaders' expense or Diamond detailing the afternoon's plans, not a word left her mouth or a gesture performed.

Silver Spoon clenched her teeth. If she could avoid making a scene, she figured it'd all smooth out in the end. Asking the same for Diamond, the same filly who threw a fit over not being able to haggle two days ago, seemed to be impossible.

"Diamond Tiara?" Cheerilee asked. Silver Spoon brought her attention back to reality; her eyes focused on Diamond's sheepish smirk. "Who was the founder of the Wonderbolts?"

Diamond rubbed the back of her neck, cheeks flushed. "Don't worry, Miss Cheerilee," she chimed. "I totally know this. Like, let me just think about it for a second, okay?"

Silver Spoon caught Sweetie Belle rolling her eyes. Her lips moved as she whispered, "Here we go again. We can tell she doesn't know this. Watch, she'll ask for Silver Spoon to give the answer again and pretend it was all her doing." After a filly in the back muttered something inaudible, the spitting sounds of Scootaloo and Featherweight trying to hold back laughter soon reached Silver Spoon's ears.

And in the midst of the two pegasi's giggling fit, Silver Spoon made eye contact with Sweetie, the latter cracking the faintest of smiles. Silver Spoon blinked; a blank expression was planted on her visage. Waving to Sweetie just as she did at Sugarcube Corner, the white filly responded with a brief gesture of her own.

"It makes ya wonder why Diamond Tiara gets so mad about smart foals," Scootaloo whispered.

Scootaloo's words echoed in Silver Spoon's ears. She couldn't help but think of the irony behind some of Diamond's behavior.

"That's great to hear, Diamond Tiara." Cheerilee said in a monotone voice. Diamond placed her hooves on the back of her head. "So then, what's the correct answer?"

Shuddering, Diamond straightened her seating position, cheeks pale. "The answer?"

"Yes, Diamond." A faint groan left Cheerilee's lips. "Not everypony here may know the correct answer, so if you would be so kind as to share with the rest of the class, please. Somepony here wants to know, after all."

"Like, it's not as if I need to share the answer." Diamond's shoulders perked up; her eyes sparkled. "Yeah, that's it! The answer is so obvious!"

Cheerilee furrowed her brow. "Diamond Tiara." Stomping her hoof on the ground, the classroom shook as though an earthquake rumbled beneath them; Silver Spoon's heart lodged itself into her throat for a split second. "Answer the question, please."

"Well, you see, the answer is—um—" Diamond bit her lip. She glanced over to Silver Spoon, but before the gray filly could even say a peep, Diamond orated, "It's Captain Dodo! You know, Scoo—"

"Diamond Tiara!" A fire ignited within Cheerilee's eyes; her face turned red. Even the air within the room turned thin, some of the foals' mouths gaping at Diamond and Cheerilee. "And don't pretend like I don't know what the second part was for. Do you want detention after class or not?"

Diamond shook her head. "No, Miss Cheerilee. I'm a good student." She pressed her hooves together; a crooked, mile-wide smile adorned her visage. "I'd never wrong a fellow student like that, right?"

The class fell silent, two dozen or so bemused expressions locked onto Diamond. A bead of sweat trickled down the filly's forehead.

"Regardless, I'm giving you a warning," Cheerilee said. With heavy steps, she trotted away from Diamond, her muzzle scrunched. "Do it again today, and you'll definitely be heading to detention."

As Diamond scooted toward the chair's wooden backrest, Silver Spoon reached a hoof out to her. However, instead of being greeted with her serene words, the filly's pink hoof pushed Silver Spoon's as if shooing her away. Silver Spoon did as instructed, though her heart ached nonetheless. Perhaps Diamond desired them going their separate ways; maybe the bush from yesterday was somepony spying on her all along.

Silver Spoon shook her head. Diamond had to have caught the same tiredness bug she'd been accusing her of catching over the past few days. Sure, she noticed the lack of drooping, bloodshot eyes or yawns escaping the filly's throat, but the same external conditions covered Silver Spoon's visage those days. Placing her pencil down, Silver Spoon exhaled, the tightness in her muscles loosening.

"Silver Spoon, can you answer the question for us, please?" Cheerilee asked.

Shuddering in surprise and ears perked, Silver Spoon made eye contact with the fuchsia mare. "I can try," she muttered. She noticed Cheerilee's lips curling into a soft smile. It was as though Cheerilee unconsciously guided Silver Spoon along a road, the act of speaking up in class the destination. Silver Spoon took a quick breath. "It was General Firefly! She founded the organization eleven years after Nightmare Moon's banishment in order to lift the spirits of Equestria after said incident. The Wonderbolts were also founded to help protect the populace."

"That's correct!" Cheerilee clapped her hooves. "And you even added some more to your answer." A soft, innocent snicker left her mouth. "I think somepony has been reading ahead."

Blushing, Silver Spoon rubbed the back of her neck. She chuckled. "Yeah, it's a surprisingly interesting subject." She glanced over to Diamond; the pink filly scowled with her head hung low and averted her gaze. "It's—not often you get so attached to a subject, especially for somepony like me."

"I'm glad to hear you're enjoying it so much." Cheerilee paused; she glanced over to the clock above the scribbled on chalkboard and then back to the students. "Well, since lunch starts in about a minute, I think we'll end our history lesson here and pick it up tomorrow." Cheerilee paused and caught her breath. "Getting all strict has tuckered me out. Sorry if I scared the more sensitive ponies here." Her cheeks reddened for a second. "Anyway, when we get back from lunch, we'll work more on introductory algebra." Shuffling back to her desk as though she anticipated an explosion, Cheerilee then rummaged through her desk. She procured a brown bag filled with something, then plopped it onto the wooden surface. "You're free to head on over to the lunch tables and playground until the bell rings."

The foals leaped out of their chairs like springs. Most of them dashed toward the back door while a few others casually trotted toward it; all of them lined up single file soon enough and passed through without difficulty. Silver Spoon found herself within the middle of the winding line, arching an eyebrow as she observed such an orderly march and curious if school still being technically in session had to do with it.

"Silver Spoon?" a squeaky voice called out. The gray filly's blood froze as she turned toward the voice's owner. It belonged to Sweetie Belle. "Can I ask you something quick?"

Silver Spoon shifted her eyes toward the playground; Diamond was already at the lunch tables and gossiping with Tootsie Flute and Archer by her side, almost as if Silver Spoon was a stranger. Sighing, she gazed into Sweetie's eyes. "If it's brief, sure," she muttered.

"I saw you at Sugarcube Corner two days ago, and I noticed you were acting—friendlier toward me." Sweetie shrugged. "I mean, you waved at me and all in a nice way. And then you did it again."

Silver Spoon nodded. "Yeah, I did. Why do you bring this up now?"

"All I wanted to say was—I hope you're becoming nicer and this isn't some elaborate prank. It'd be cool if you were nicer. Same goes for your friend." Sweetie cracked a slight smirk, eyes twinkling. "A class where we all got along would be more fun."

"Maybe." Swishing her tail, Silver Spoon then crossed her forelegs. "Anyway, I didn't want to cause a scene back then. Making fun of a blank flank in a public place is a recipe for disaster, you know. And as for Diamond Tiara—" Silver Spoon's throat tightened as if they tried to prevent the words from leaving her mouth "—it's complicated."

"Oh." Sweetie's shoulders sagged. Perhaps she hoped Silver Spoon made progress toward becoming kinder to her, but with all the things she did to the unicorn filly in the past, why she'd wish for such a thing eluded her mind. "Well, I guess I'll get going now."

Not another peep escaped Sweetie's lips as she trotted over to the playground; her hooves flailed back and forth with Apple Bloom and Scootaloo responding in kind. Silver Spoon twiddled her braid as she watched the filly gallop farther away.

"What's with Sweetie Belle?" she asked herself. "Why would she be interested in me?" Rubbing the top of her head, Silver Spoon rolled her eyes and sighed a few seconds later. "Why am I wasting my time? She just wanted to make sure I wasn't planning anything. She didn't want to be something like my—" Silver Spoon almost threw up in her mouth "—friend. That's impossible, especially in regards to a blank flank."

Silver Spoon blinked, only she and Cheerilee still stood within the classroom's confines. Glancing up to where her teacher sat, Silver Spoon then gave Cheerilee a quick wave.

"Silver Spoon, you should eat up with the other foals," Cheerilee said. A bright smile decorated her face. "Even if you don't make a friend today, there's always a chance you will in the near future. You just have to put yourself out there. You just spoke a bit with Sweetie Belle, right?"

"I did," Silver Spoon replied. Shrugging, she approached the doorway leading to the playground. "Though it wasn't the best conversation out there. She wanted to make sure I wasn't trying to trick her because I was friendlier to her in Sugarcube Corner a few days ago."

'Well, maybe you should spend time with her one day. Try and get to know her better. Who knows, maybe you'll become friends."

Shivering as though a snowstorm tore through the classroom, Silver Spoon's breaths quickened, pupils shrunk. "Become friends with Sweetie Belle?"

Cheerilee nodded. "That's correct." She then cocked her head. "What's wrong with that? Other than the history you two share, that is."

"It's that us becoming friends because of that history is impossible. I have a better shot at becoming friends with Princess Luna or Coco Pommel than I do with her."

"Well, even celebrities known to be shy in public make new or even unexpected friends at times. When it comes to friendship, you never know who'll become a friend in the future."

Silver Spoon shrugged. "I-I guess." She peeked out of the doorway, the shimmering dew atop the blades of grass and the packed tables capturing her attention. A soft grumbling sound reached her ears; her stomach tickled somewhat. "Well, I better go have lunch." She swiveled her head back to Miss Cheerilee and waved. "I'll see you later, Miss Cheerilee."

"Same here, Silver Spoon!"

Silver Spoon trotted across the open grassland which made up the playground; the clean air coupled with the flowers' pungent aroma soothed her nostrils. The swings, the courts set aside for sporting activities, and the metallic mesh known as the jungle gym or the Bruise Maker all resided to her left. The lunch tables shielded by a blue tarp rested on her right. However, with each step she took toward the neatly arranged tables, the tighter the knot in her chest became. Glancing over to where Diamond sat, Silver Spoon waved a hoof at the pink filly.

But no response arrived. She tried once more, though she reached the same result.

"Diamond Tiara?" Silver Spoon meekly asked.

Diamond averted her gaze from Silver Spoon. "Tootsie Flute, remember the time I rode atop that float and tried singing a song? Like, it was so embarrassing," she gossiped. Pausing, Diamond glanced over to Silver Spoon, her brow ruffled. "Look, I now know more about you than I wish I did, so could you leave me alone? I don't want to talk to you or deal with you right now, okay?"

Silver Spoon sulked, head hung low. "Okay."

Sighing, Silver Spoon turned away from the table. She knew to avoid making a scene, after all, just as she thought before. Either Diamond cut ties with her for good, or she just wasn't in the mood to talk with her for some reason. Silver Spoon silently wished for the latter to be the case; her lips puckered up a tad.

Maybe friendship isn't cut out for me. Silver Spoon scanned the filled tables, almost everypony with at least one friend. I guess I'll need to adapt.

And it wasn't as though she'd find luck anywhere else. Most of the tables were either filled to the brim or occupied by foals she knew would shoo her away for being a bully or occupied by foals she didn't know how to approach. With drooping shoulders, Silver Spoon trudged toward one of the emptier tables, Twist the only one seated there. She made sure to keep her distance from the filly she once teased with Diamond. And with another deep breath, she sat down and focused on eating her sack lunch.

Inside her somewhat crumpled bag, a neatly stacked sandwich, an apple, and a small bottle of water awaited her. Silver Spoon smiled faintly. The meals prepared for her always pleased her taste buds; she made sure to thank her generous mother for preparing them each school day, especially given the quality of each component.

As she licked her lips and finished eating, Silver Spoon noticed Twist nudging a few inches closer to her. She lifted her glasses and rubbed her eyes, now spotting Twist even closer to her as her vision cleared up. All she could muster was cocking her head with a raised brow.

"What are you doing by your lonesome?" Twist asked; her lisp was still evident, but less defined than a few months ago. "Don't you hang out with that Diamond Tiara and tease others?"

"I-I used to," Silver Spoon replied. She sighed, her head hung low. While Twist wasn't the first foal she thought she'd chat with today, at least she was better than a Cutie Mark Crusader or nothing. "Well, I think I may have offended her."

"How so?"

"I regretted some of the things we did."

Twist cocked her head. "I don't see how that's a bad thing."

"It is to Di—Diamond Tiara." Silver Spoon paused. Biting her lip, she knew the fateful opportunity arose. "Twist." She raised her head and sighed. "I'm sorry for bullying you from before. I acted inappropriately back then and should've known better."

"Well, I was kinda expecting that, to be honest." Twist grasped onto Silver Spoon's hoof; the grip was tight and warm. "I think the school knows how you're feeling, so—"

Leaping up in surprise as though a thunderbolt struck her, Silver Spoon's heart skipped a beat. "W-what are you talking about?"

"You heard about the big gossip story of the day, right?"

Silver Spoon's pupils shrunk; her eyes widened. "Let me guess, it's about—"

"Your talk with Miss Cheerilee," Twist finished for Silver Spoon.

"But how did you know?" With her hoof, Silver Spoon forced her gaping mouth closed. "Like, I don't ever see you gossiping."

Twist's ears twitched. A soft chuckle left her lips. "Well, I'll admit that I sometimes listen in on conversations, usually louder ones. It came up before class started and before you arrived." Twist pressed her hooves together; she smiled sheepishly. "See, I get curious a lot, and that's how I sometimes pass the time."

"So somepony was spying on me." Silver Spoon gnashed her teeth, her blood about to boil. "So much for the magic of friendship, Diamond Tiara. It had to be her. She did the same slimy tactics for the Foal Free Press a while ago."

"Well, it actually wasn't Diamond Tiara who discovered it." Shrugging, Twist then adjusted her glasses. "I mean, she was the one who shared it to everypony but you, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, and I, but it was somepony else who spied on you."

"She wasn't?" Silver Spoon slid a few inches closer to Twist. "Well, who was it? Tell me!"

"Nopony knows. Diamond said it was a pony known as No Name." Twist paused for a second. "However, there's no doubt he or she is a part of this class."

"What makes you say that?"

Twist leaned over to Silver Spoon's ear and whispered."She's a part of this class. Diamond Tiara accidentally mentioned that part, but took it back and pretended nothing happened. Just don't tell anypony I know that, okay?"

"How come? It doesn't sound like anything I'd need to keep a secret."

Twist shuddered, eyes widened and pupils shrunk. She backed away to give Silver Spoon more breathing room, then regained her composure. "I-I don't want to anger her. You know what she's like when somepony spills something she wants secret."

"I think—oh, right." The 'Letter and Dinky Incident' was best forgotten by everyone, the only time Diamond ever apologized for something and meant it. Dinky Hooves still glanced over at Diamond and shuffled away to this day. "I'll keep it between the two of us," Silver Spoon murmured. "Well, at least that will make finding out much easier." She attentively scanned the playground; most of her classmates already huddled up at the structures and courts in place. Balls bounced up and down, colliding with foals' hooves, whilst others climbed all over the place or swung back and forth like a pendulum. Somepony within one of the miasmas had to be the spy. "Still, asking everypony here is something I'd—rather not do."

"I know what you mean. Ever since Apple Bloom and I split up, I've kinda avoided talking with others for the most part." Twist paused. "But I'm hanging in there." She cracked the faintest of grins. "By the way, you're different since I last saw you. Seeing you—the new you—now made me want to try again. It's hard to explain why, however."

Silver Spoon raised an eyebrow; she rubbed her muzzle for a moment, curiosity piqued. "Why did the blank—I mean, why did Apple Bloom even leave you?" Twist glanced at the grass below and puckered her lips. "I understand if you don't want to answer."

"I don't know. It just kinda happened when I got my cutie mark. I wish I got to spend more time with her, but she almost never recognizes me."

"So she was jealous? Figures, as she's—" Silver Spoon cut herself off. Tears or grief from either of them were the last thing she needed. "Well, she's kind of like that, I'd imagine. Still, I understand why it upsets you."

Twist nodded. "Yeah." Her eyes darted over to where the Cutie Mark Crusaders stood, Diamond pacing around them like a beast circling its prey. "Come to think of it, how come you and Diamond Tiara started leaving me alone?"

Silver Spoon tugged her braid, face tautened. "Well, I did, but Diamond sometimes whispered things behind your back."

"Oh."

"She thought I was going to become friends with you since we both wore glasses."

Twist chuckled. "Not because we have similar interests or get along, but glasses of all things." She rolled her eyes, but her smile brightened. "That makes total sense."

Silver Spoon snickered back. "Yeah, that's Diamond Tiara for you. You won't believe the stuff she says, and it's a miracle whenever I can keep a straight face." She cleared her throat; the tension in her muscles dissipating. "By the way, can I ask you a question?"

"Of course." Twist nodded. "Ask away."

"Why did you come up to speak to me? I mean, I'm only asking because of how I used to tease you."

"Well, you don't tease me like you used to. Also, the gossip I heard plus seeing you having lunch tipped me off."

"But I didn't even apologize to you." Silver Spoon cocked her head; a bemused expression adorned her face. "Shouldn't you hold a grudge against me? You know, like how the Cutie Mark Crusaders do?"

Twist shook her head. "Silver Spoon, I'm not one to hold grudges. I take the lessons Princess Celestia outlined in her famous book, Friendship, Society, and You, to heart. It's worth a read."

"I've been meaning to get to that." Silver Spoon cracked a smile; something about Twist sharing an appreciation touched her heart. It had a resemblance to when she became friends with Diamond. Only this came with a warmth akin to being wrapped in a blanket instead of just the ticklish part. "Given its importance to Equestrian culture over the years, I should read it sooner than later. Thanks for reminding me, um, Twist."

"Sure thing."

"See, I told you you'd find a new friend soon enough," Cheerilee called out from afar. Silver Spoon peeked behind Twist to find her teacher trotting with a skip in her step. She wore a radiant smile brighter than the sun, both foals attentively staring into her bright eyes. "I can already tell you two will get along greatly."

"Hey, Miss Cheerilee," Silver Spoon said. "Well, I haven't made the transition to friend just yet—I think. I don't know what that's like." Silver Spoon blushed. Twist was everything she could've asked for in a friend; she was already a friend according to the definition. Explaining it to Diamond should she come back to her, however, was the tough part of it all. "Maybe I'll find out soon enough."

Cheerilee winked. "Oh, but I can see a friendship just about to blossom. When I got to know the real you more, I had a feeling you'd get along great with Twist."

"You make a good point, Miss Cheerilee," Twist added. She brought her eyes back to Silver Spoon. "Also, before you say anything, I accept your apology." Twist rubbed the back of her neck; she donned a sheepish smile. "I know it was probably on your mind, and I think I should've said that earlier."

"Thank you, Twist. You're so kind." Silver Spoon placed a hoof to her chest. Her coat was warm and comforting, yet a bit sore at the same time. "I wish I was kind already."

"You'll get there soon enough. Canterlot wasn't built in a day, you know. Stick with me, and you'll learn soon enough."

"Are you sure? I'm going to be a bit bratty at times, so can you handle it?"

"I can handle it."

"And—will I repair my friendship with Diamond Tiara?"

With sagging shoulders, Twist let out a sigh. "That's one thing I don't know how to help with. Sorry."

Silver Spoon groaned; she buried her head into her forelegs.

"I didn't mean to hurt your feelings." Twist rubbed Silver Spoon's back. "I'd help if I knew how."

Silver Spoon raised her head, eyes shimmering. "It's okay, Twist. It's just—I had fun with Diamond Tiara in the past, and I don't want to lose that forever."

"Silver Spoon, I have something I'd like to ask," Cheerilee said, hoof raised.

"Fire away, Miss Cheerilee."

"What was the most fun you've had with Diamond Tiara? And when you look back on it, do you still find it fun?" Cheerilee assumed a straight expression. "If you don't want to answer, I understand."

"It's okay." Silver Spoon closed her eyes. The parties Diamond held and invited her with the upper crust to involved Silver Spoon yawning or rummaging through the bookshelves in the hopes of finding something to read in private. Hiding the books from Diamond was kind of fun, though it was an awkward kind of fun. "I'll—need some time to think about it."

"That's fair." Cheerilee gently rubbed the top of Silver Spoon's head. "I only asked because I wanted to get to know your relationship with Diamond Tiara a little better. It could be helpful in repairing your friendship—or at least get along." She knelt down; her eyes level with Silver Spoon's. It was as though Cheerilee stared into the gray filly's soul. "Silver Spoon."

"Yes, Miss Cheerilee."

"If anything comes up regarding my question, feel free to let me know. I know how much Diamond Tiara means to you. I'll try to help out with your relationship if you need it, but what's most important is that you make the decision on where to go from here." Cheerilee poked Silver Spoon's chest; a giggle left the latter's lips. "After all, the pony who knows Silver Spoon the best is Silver Spoon."

Silver Spoon nodded. "Yep." She couldn't argue with Cheerilee's words there. Taking a deep breath, she swiveled her head toward Twist. "Twist, do you think we could—" Silver Spoon twiddled with her braid "—you know—spend some time together in the future? I'd like to get to know you a bit better."

"I'd love to! Why don't you come over to my house in a few days and we can do all sorts of stuff together!"

"Then it's settled."

Just then, a blaring chime polluted the air, all the foals hopping and skipping across the playground freezing in place. Those airborne landed on all four hooves; they and the rest of the class all trudged across the grass and toward the classroom with static expressions and any energy the students had siphoned out. It was the usual response to this particular ringing, though Silver Spoon couldn't help but chuckle after seeing it from afar for the first time.

"Okay, class!" Miss Cheerilee orated. She approached the open door. "Let's all settle back in the classroom and begin the day's next lesson!"

Silver Spoon and Twist propped themselves up in a flash; they shook hooves.

"Well, it was nice talking to you, Twist," Silver Spoon said. "You know, you're a good pony. I wish I knew that earlier."

"You're a nice pony as well, Silver Spoon," Twist responded. "Well, the new you is pleasant." She rubbed Silver Spoon's shoulder, the soft motion comfortable. "Well, let's get back to class. Knowledge awaits us!"

"Sounds like my kind of day." Silver Spoon nodded; she followed Twist back into the classroom with her head held up high. While some of the aches regarding Diamond still lingered within her, finding a new acquaintance greatly lessened the impact. Of course, explaining to Diamond her relationship with Twist should the former return to her would be complicated, though the dread of doing so dissipated bit by bit as the seconds passed.

The rest of the day's lesson flew past, Silver Spoon's seating posture perkier than before and her writing faster than ever without losing its cleanliness. She'd raise her hoof when a question was asked and provided the correct answer whenever she happened to be called on; each question she or others received excited her brain as it hungered for more.

Other than Twist, the rest of the class never batted an eye at her as before. At least somepony acknowledged her existence, a step up from zero not too long ago.

However, Silver Spoon's eyes remained glued to a new message adorning the chalkboard before her.

Groups for class project assigned tomorrow!

Silver Spoon knew said groups were randomly assigned, the idea of getting a Cutie Mark Crusader or the spy as a 'partner' tensing her throat. As usual, tomorrow would either be a wonderful day or a dreadful one.

Visiting Apples?

Silver Spoon couldn't recall the last time she read a book without a lingering tightness in her chest. Sure, the fracturing relationship she had with Diamond left a bitter aftertaste, as did the lingering question of the spy's identity, though she couldn't help but smirk through it all. Being inches away from becoming friends with Twist filled her with a peculiar, fresh warmth. She knew about the playful and warmth, the romantic and enigmatic warmth, and the warmth of the sun glowing overhead, but this warmth was different. She slipped a smile through it all as usual; this new warmth, however, massaged her weary spirits and encouraged her as well.

All of those old feelings seemed trivial at this point, at least with the discovery of this new warmth.

Silver Spoon closed the thick, leather bound book, a plopping sound reaching her ears. Sliding the brown book onto the glass coffee table, Silver Spoon let her body sink into the couch's cushions as she closed her eyes. The light blue walls and marble sculptures surrounding her filled the air with a princess-like aura. Yet, it felt homely at the same time; it was much more reserved than Diamond's abode and perfect for relaxing. Silver Spoon released a soft sigh, her mind wandering aimlessly, only for her to open her eyes at the thought of today.

Okay, Silver Spoon. You can do this. She straightened her seating posture; the muscles in her limbs tensed up as though she anticipated a brawl. I just have to be friendly toward Twist when I spend more time with her. And what do I do with Sweetie Belle? She was nicer to me, right? She rubbed the top of her head, one of her hooves tapping the carpet. Are the blank flanks up to something? Silver Spoon shook her head. Even if they were, they'd probably leave me out of it since I'm not with Diamond.

"There's my favorite little sis!" a raspy voice called out.

Silver Spoon shivered in surprise; her head swiveled to the voice's source. Trotting past the towering display cases, all filled to the brim with photographs and sparkling trophies, was a mare with a gym towel around her neck. The colors of her mane, coat, and eyes were identical to Silver Spoon's, the sole difference being her pair of broad, folded up wings. It was her older sister, Silverspeed, the beads of sweat dripping down her forehead a familiar sight during Thursday evenings.

Silver Spoon waved meekly. "Hey there," she softly said. "How are you?"

"Awesome as always," Silverspeed replied. It was likely an exaggeration, given how she'd pout and mope if she missed out on first place in archery competitions, but Silver Spoon never questioned it. Silverspeed's tongue could turn sharper than a sword, after all. "I got to meet up with one of my foalhood friends. She's a future Wonderbolt from the sounds of it."

Silver Spoon chuckled. "Funny, as I learned about their history in class today."

"Nice!" Silverspeed jumped up and, with opened wings, glided down onto the couch, softly plopping onto the plush cushions. She then shuffled closer to Silver Spoon; her eyes widened and pupils dilated. "So, what did ya learn about 'em?"

"Well, I learned about their founding history and some of their accomplishments, both recent and in the distant past."

"Sounds radical to me!" Silverspeed smirked. "Ya know, the pony I spent time with told me some cool stories about 'em. It's no wonder they're so popular in Cloudsdale, especially since they've given a lot back to the community in some way." She placed her hooves behind her head and lifted her hind legs onto the table.

"Did you also meet up with them?"

Silverspeed shook her head. "I've only met one of them, but talking with the rest of 'em is definitely on my 'to-do' list, once I get around to making one."

Silver Spoon nodded. "Interesting." She paused. "By the way, who did you spend time with today? Is she nice?"

"Cloudchaser is her name, and she's like niceness in the shape of a pony. I totally have to introduce you to her when I see her again!" Silverspeed clasped her hooves together. Squealing with delight, a radiant grin then adorned her visage. "She and her sister are just so awesome to be around. And whenever Thunderlane joins up with them, the greatness just grows from there!"

"Well, I hope I get to meet them." Silver Spoon raised her right foreleg, then placed it onto the gray couch's armrest. "So then, anything else you did today?"

"Of course, but c'mon, little sis." Silverspeed gently nudged her. "Let big sis hear about your day first."

Silver Spoon twiddled her braid. "If you must."

"Oh." Silverspeed's smile vanished in the blink of an eye. Wincing a bit, it looked as though something crashed into her gut. "Was it rough?" She massaged Silver Spoon's shoulders; the latter closed her eyes for a moment and smirked ever so slightly. "I'm here to help ya if you need it. Just let me know what happened—if ya wanna, that is."

"Well, it started out rough." Silver Spoon exhaled. "I may have lost Diamond Tiara as a friend."

Silverspeed pursed her lips; not a single word escaped her mouth.

"After that, I managed to spend some time with Twist. She's—actually a nice, fun pony to be around. I've never felt a friendship blossom like that ever before."

"Somepony's been reading a lot." Silverspeed cracked a smile. "But I'm so glad it all worked out in the end!"

"Same here."

Clearing her throat, Silverspeed then shimmied an inch away from Silver Spoon. "As for the second part—well—we're heading up to Sweet Apple Acres."

Silver Spoon's cheeks turned pale, her breath taken away. "W-what?"

"You know Silver Shill, right?"

Silver Spoon slowly nodded. How couldn't she know about her cousin? He always managed to land a spot in the newspapers every other month; most of his activities earned him praise while others forced bemused expressions onto others. His latest escapade, however, happened to be the only one Silver Spoon never heard him discuss often or find in the newspaper. The few details she did unearth involved some eccentric characters known as Flim and Flam. She wondered if her cousin wanted to keep such details a secret for the time being.

And Silver Shill rarely ever visiting the house to catch up on how her parents, Silverspeed, and she were doing never helped matters as well. Rubbing her muzzle for a second, a tingling sensation coursed through Silver Spoon's veins as she pieced as much of the puzzle as she could together.

"Anyway, he's heading up to Sweet Apple Acres for some business, and he invited us to all come along!"

Shrugging, Silver Spoon nodded once more. "Okay, I guess."

"Something you're afraid to tell me about that place?"

"I'm fine." Silver Spoon violently shook her head. "I'm only nervous is all."

"Ah. I thought ya had some sort of trouble with somepony who works or lives there."

Silver Spoon gulped; her sister hit a bullseye. She always counted herself lucky in avoiding mentioning how she bullied Apple Bloom with Diamond to her family. They'd assume Diamond was some sort of bad influence if they uncovered the truth, then chastise her and construct an invisible, moving wall between them. And while Diamond seemed to be forging her own path away from her, the idea of confessing to them still sent a chill down her spine.

"Well, even if the two of ya don't get along, I'm sure we can work something out."

Raising her hoof, Silver Spoon then stood up. "Um, but we don't have to go over to Sweet Apple Acres, right?" Her lips puckered up for a second as though she tasted something sour. "Right?"

"The whole family is going. Flitter and Cloudchaser aren't able to come by tonight to look after ya, so foalsitters are out of the question." Silverspeed shrugged. "Sorry 'bout that."

Silver Spoon sighed, head hung low and shoulders drooped. "Okay." She turned back to Silverspeed. "So then, how long are we going to be there?"

Shrugging, Silverspeed raised her brow. "Beats me. Maybe it'll take an hour or two, but I bet it'll be crazy fun. I know there's gonna be something you'll like over there!"

A quick nod was all Silver Spoon could muster. Sure, some methods of amusement might be present, but lingering around Apple Bloom's residence sounded anything but fun. Being paired up with Apple Bloom at the dining table or in an activity would just churn her stomach. Silver Spoon shuddered; she preferred to keep such a probability unknown.

Knowing Apple Bloom, Silver Spoon would find the bow-wearing filly peeking from behind a barn or scowling at her. They'd make a few passing remarks, but at least Apple Bloom would not shower her with complaints. Having her family find out about the bullying was the last thing Silver Spoon needed.

Just then, a trio of rapid knocks reached Silver Spoon's ears, the gray filly's pupils shrinking.

"We're here!" a pair of familiar voices chimed. Silver Spoon knew these belonged to her mother and father, the latter's drawl able to be pinpointed in a hurricane of endless chatter. "Is everypony ready?"

"We're ready!" Silverspeed called out. Opening her wings a bit, she then waved a hoof toward Silver Spoon. The two ponies' eyes remained glued to each other. "C'mon, Silver Spoon. Being late stinks, ya know."

Silver Spoon nodded. "I know."

Following close behind Silverspeed, Silver Spoon tugged at her braid, her eyes briefly scanning the luxuries nestled within the cabinet once more. One which caught Silver Spoon's attention without fail was the geometric, trophy-like object Silverspeed won in a competition, the cocoon of tape holding the pieces together the result of a clumsy and beloved mailmare. Silver Spoon softly chuckled. Perhaps it'd all end just how it did with the mailmare, a friendship forged from a sudden incident.

Or maybe it'd all implode as expected. Silver Spoon sighed as the door opened up; a faint creak split the air.

"Only one way to find out," she muttered to herself.

A ten minute long taxi ride, much of it involving shaking inside the interior until everypony's cheeks turned green, separated Silver Spoon and company from their destination. When the taxi pulled over next to a tall fence, a series of deep breaths and relieved sighs followed, the ponies all wiggling themselves upright. Silver Spoon's father, a plump stallion with a thick mustache, exited first and gave a generous tip to the chauffeur. He was then followed by Silver Spoon's mother, her amber-colored coat and wings her most notable feature. To Silver Spoon, having to explain to Diamond she was indeed her mother grew tiring after the fifth or sixth instance.

And jumping out in unison were Silverspeed and Silver Spoon, a small cloud of dust dirtying the latter's glasses upon landing. Groaning, Silver Spoon then cleaned them up and followed her family up toward the barn at the top. It was just as Silver Spoon imagined it'd be, right down to the cool breeze, slight incline, and fruity aromas.

"Isn't it wonderful to be outside for once?" Silver Spoon's father orated. He spread his forelegs out and twirled like a ballerina. "Meeting up with Silver Shill, seeing the famous Sweet Apple Acres, and so much more! What isn't there to love?"

Everything? Silver Spoon swiveled her head around like an owl. Then again, I probably shouldn't be rude about that. The setting sun on the horizon and its orange glow, the trees covering her with shade, and the red barn off in the distance all received cursory glances from her. A few pegasi shearing through the sky grasped her attention; a colorful streak followed wherever they went before fading away. And as Silver Spoon lowered her head, she noticed Silverspeed flailing her hooves about with widened eyes and a dropped jaw, her gasping seemingly constant.

Other than analyzing the scenery whilst counting the kinds of trees by bountiful fruit they bore, most of them some variation of an apple, all Silver Spoon could do was yawn or listen to her parents babble, sometimes both.

"Silver Spoon, you've been so quiet ever since we left home," her mother said. She glanced over to her with a concerned frown. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes, mother." Silver Spoon bobbed her head; she feigned a smile. "I just haven't had much to say."

"Maybe somepony there loves books as much as you do, Silver Spoon," her father added. He released a hearty chuckle; Silver Spoon cocked her head and raised an eyebrow. "Remember, just try to have fun."

"I'll try."

Minutes of trotting passed by; the pebbles prodding Silver Spoon's hooves caused her to cringe on occasion. Soon enough, the four ponies reached the hilltop, the large building which the Apple family called home standing before them. The exterior's smooth texture seemed spotless, almost as if it underwent a complete restoration while nopony was looking. Silver Spoon's father then stretched his foreleg out, knocking on the wooden frame thrice.

"I'll get it!" a voice shouted from within the house. A series of muffled thuds then polluted the air. "Sorry!"

The four ponies stepped back, Silver Spoon straining her cheeks as she forced a smile. As the large door opened up, a light gray earth pony stepped onto the front porch, his posture tall and stern. A striped shirt adorned his chest, the black and white colors somewhat faded and the fabric ragged. His eyes shifted about; the stallion's blank expression was replaced with a beaming grin a second later.

"Hey there!" the stallion shouted. He opened his forelegs and wrapped the four into a hug. "I've missed you all so much."

"We've missed you as well, cousin," Silver Spoon's father replied. "How's life treating you?"

"Wonderfully! And it's only gotten better since my encounter with the Apples." Silver Shill released the group from his hug. "And when they invited me, I thought a little meeting between our families was in order."

"Do they know about this?" Silver Spoon asked. She shrugged. "I don't know if we're all going to fit inside."

"It'll be a tight fit, but they do know and are more than welcome to let y'all in."

"I see ya picked up their countryisms," Silverspeed teased. She snickered. "You're gonna have to teach more of them to me if ya can."

Silver Shill pulled his shirt's collar; he chuckled back. "Yeah, I've got a lot to learn before I'd call myself fluent." Clearing his throat, he straightened his posture and shuffled to the right. "C'mon in, everypony. I bet they're all excited to meet you."

Silver Spoon froze in place, cheeks pale. Some of the Apples might greet her with smiles and waves, but one would most definitely scoff at best. She glanced behind her; the open fields of Sweet Apple Acres basked under the sunlight. However, nothing of note seemed viable to waste time on, let alone be useful in avoiding Apple Bloom.

"No need to be shy, Silver Spoon," Silver Shill said. He pointed toward the doorway, the rest of the family already inside. "I promise they won't bite."

Silver Spoon shrugged; while her cousin had every reason to believe such a claim, she knew a yellow filly would clench onto her flesh or hiss at her on sight. While her leg muscles turned to concrete for a brief moment, Silver Spoon then mustered just enough strength and trotted an inch forward, only for Silver Shill to guide her inside the abode.

Here we go.

The door slammed shut a second later, almost as though a ghost played the role as doorkeeper. Silver Spoon leaped up in surprise and turned pale. She watched Silver Shill move forward, entering the somewhat small living room. Inside the abode resided a lime green carpet with an apple insignia stitched in the center, a couch matching said carpet, and a cozy but unlit fireplace within the wall's niche. The faintest scent of ashes lingered, however.

The chatter among the two families turned Silver Spoon invisible. She exhaled; her head twisted around in search of a bookcase and somewhere to hide. The little corner by the staircase seemed as good as any, just secluded enough for nopony to take a second glance, and she knew a captivating book would speed up time. Silver Spoon crept forward; faint creaks followed her hoofsteps.

Just then, a small bookcase constructed from plywood came into view, its frame resting on the back wall. Silver Spoon's eyes lit up. However, her expression immediately returned to a static, blank one. A sea of pastel ponies blocking one route; none of the gaps seemed wide enough for even a mouse to shimmy through. Silverspeed and an orange earth pony with a hat atop her head had both of their eyes pointed toward the bookshelf. If just one of them saw her, she knew her fate.

Being dragged into the conversation and possibly running into Apple Bloom. At least the latter seemed absent.

"Here goes nothing," Silver Spoon murmured to herself.

With light steps, she made her way toward the kitchen, then took a sharp left down one of the hallways. A somewhat open pathway led to the still visible bookcase. Silver Spoon held her breath as she passed by a few ponies present, one of them a red colossus with a yoke around his neck. Pressing her back against the wall, Silver Spoon scuttled across the floor like a crab. After passing them, she glanced back at the ponies at or by the kitchen, none of them batting an eye and all absorbed in some sort of conversation.

"Now then, the tricky part."

Silver Spoon peeked around the corner; the gray and orange mares were still staring at the bookshelf during their conversation. She pursed her lips. Both of them would divert their attention at some point, right?

Yet, after five minutes passed by, neither of them rotated an inch. Silver Spoon's legs locked into place. She counted each second in her head; another three minutes were wasted. Silver Spoon gulped and shuddered. It was now or never.

Silver Spoon took a short step forward. But to her dismay, the orange earth pony cocked her head and grinned a second later, her green eyes gazing into hers.

"Howdy," the mare said, a warm smile across her face. "No need to be all quiet and sneakin' around."

"That's my little sis," Silverspeed added. "She's smart and just awesome to be around, ya know."

"What's her name?"

"Silver Spoon. Let me tell ya, she's one of Miss Cheerilee's rising students!" Silverspeed winked at Silver Spoon, then motioned a hoof toward her. "She knows so much more than I do!"

Raising her foreleg up, Silver Spoon then meekly waved. "Um, hi," she muttered."

"Come again?" the mare asked.

Clearing her throat, Silver Spoon then repeated in a higher pitch, "Hello."

"Gotcha." The mare extended her hoof toward Silver Spoon. "The name's Applejack. Nice to meet ya."

"S-same here." Silver Spoon grasped onto the hoof, performing a quick hoofshake before releasing her grip. "So then—I've heard about you before. Don't ponies consider you to be quite honest?"

"They sure do, sugarcube." Applejack adjusted her hat. "When you're sometimes called the Element of Honesty, such a claim kinda sticks."

"Yeah." Silver Spoon gently kicked the air; her lips forced a wide grin. "Such a title must be quite the honor."

"Ah try to be humble about it." She paused for a second. "I don't wanna boast too much 'bout it."

"I understand. I have a friend—um—former friend who boasted a lot." Silver Spoon chuckled; Diamond's boasting about her talents and what she considered achievements still rang in her ears. "She's—okay, I guess."

"Say, since you're in Miss Cheerilee's class, ya must know about my little sister, Apple Bloom."

Silver Spoon cringed, then nodded. Here it comes.

"Did ya want to spend some time with her?"

In an instant, Silver Spoon quickly shook her head; she donned a stiff upper lip. "No thanks. I'm fine right here."

"Are ya sure? She's a nice filly, so don't worry if the two of ya don't become friends."

"I'm positive." Silver Spoon took a deep breath. "I'd prefer to keep to myself, if that's okay."

Applejack and Silverspeed gazed into the other pony's eyes; both of them raised their brows simultaneously. Their lips moved, yet no words escaped them. From what Silver Spoon noticed, the duo had to be somewhat perplexed based on their bemused expressions, but even those were mild at most. She closed her eyes for a few seconds, wishing the evening would pass by in a flash and she could return home. While Sweet Apple Acres did have a coziness to it, she knew it'd be a cottage of tension in the near future. Upon opening her eyes, Silver Spoon spotted Applejack bringing her focus back to her, a bright grin adorning her face.

"Well, if ya wanna stick to what's comfortable, that's fine by me," Applejack said. "One of my closest friends is shy, so I understand why you'd feel uncomfortable chattin' with us all." She paused for a second; Silver Spoon's posture straightened out a bit. "However, we're all gonna be eatin' dinner together, so I guess ya can introduce yourself to Apple Bloom then."

Not a second passed before Silver Spoon's shoulders sagged once more. She forced her head up high, cheeks stretching her lips into a crooked smile. "Okay. When do we have dinner?"

"Probably when they tell us dinner's ready," Silverspeed replied. She licked her lips. "The food we're gonna have sounds awesome! I know you'll love it!" With a brightened expression, Silverspeed twisted her head toward Applejack. "Say, my little sis is an ace when it comes to making pastries! If you ever get the chance, trying one is a must!"

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind," Applejack said. "Maybe it'd go well with our cooking."

Silver Spoon rubbed the back of her neck. "Yeah, delicious food is always nice. I don't know how well they'd—"

"Dinner is ready!" a scratchy voice shrieked from the kitchen. A clanging noise split the air; Silver Spoon cringed and shielded her ears for a moment. "C'mon over to the table, everypony!"

"Talk about perfect timing!" Silverspeed shouted amid the harsh clashing of metal. "All this talk of food has made me starving." She trotted up to the kitchen, eyes locked onto Silver Spoon, and waved her hoof. "C'mon, SIlver Spoon. Deliciousness awaits us!"

Silver Spoon slowly nodded. Looking back at the bookcase, she released another sigh and followed Silverspeed, effectively retracing her steps. She meandered through the now empty kitchen, the tiled floor freezing her hooves. Papers with recipes jotted down on them, Silver Spoon noticing them covering every last detail, as well as some dough-like residue rested on the cabinet. Silver Spoon made her way toward one of the dough splotches. Leaning over, she sniffed it, a simple sourdough aroma tickling her nostrils. Anything to get a preview of what was to come was necessary to her, if awkward.

"I know you love baking and all, but we have food to eat, silly," Silverspeed said. She stretched her foreleg to the left. "The dining table is this way."

"Got it."

Silver Spoon scuttled across the floor, catching up to Silverspeed a second later, and the pair arrived at the aforementioned dining table. Everything atop the oak surface was organized by what kind of food it was. The bread resided in the upper-left corner, with a green bowl of mashed potatoes sitting next to it. Fruits of all kinds, from grapes to blueberries, all had their place. Unsurprisingly, the apples made up most of the fruit present, dwarfing the next largest group. And completing the environment was a cake, the chocolate texture causing Silver Spoon's mouth to water at the sight.

"Little sis, I'll sit next to ya," Silverspeed said out of the blue. "Sound cool?"

"Yeah," Silver Spoon replied. "It does."

"Hold on a sec," a familiar voice called out, her drawl freezing Silver Spoon's spine. "Ya mean to tell me that she's related to you, Silver Shill?"

"Is it because we don't look identical?" Silver Shill asked. He sat down on one of the empty chairs; Silver Shill then squirmed about for a moment, struggling to get the right seating posture. Upon fixing his conundrum, he cleared his throat. "I don't know why you'd be surprised."

"It's not that it's surprising or anythin', but I—don't get along with her."

Silver Spoon glanced over to the yellow filly. She fixed her eyes on the pink bow, Apple Bloom's signature accessory. Blinking, not a word left her mouth, her expression emotionless.

"You're—quieter than usual," Apple Bloom said. Arching an eyebrow, she then leaned forward. "But I've got my eye on ya."

Nodding, Silver Spoon's throat tightened. "Okay," she said. Turning around, she plopped onto the seat furthest away from Apple Bloom, the cushion hugging her body. Silverspeed kept her promise and took the seat to Silver Spoon's right. As everypony else took their seats, something soft prodded Silver Spoon's shoulder.

"What was that about?" Silverspeed whispered. "Ya got a history with her or something?"

"I do," Silver Spoon muttered. "It's—a long story. I don't think it's worth talking about."

Silverspeed arched an eyebrow, head cocked to the left. Seconds of pure silence passed.

"Honest."

"Okay, I believe you." Silverspeed rubbed Silver Spoon's head. "Just let me know if it's worth something to talk about, okay?"

"Got it."

The plates of food circulated around the table, everypony adding a portion to their plate. The red stallion collected the most amount of food, his portions perhaps three times the size of Silver Spoon's, though her stomach merely purred instead of roared like some of her neighbors'. With the portions all divided up, the two families began feasting; the sounds of chewing and sipping polluted the air.

Silver Spoon elected to take smaller bites; she wanted to savor the rich textures each item provided. Whether she clenched her teeth on an apple or scooped up some mashed potatoes, she couldn't help but smile after each bite. However, with each passing second, Silver Spoon shifted her eyes over to where Apple Bloom sat, the filly responding in kind. At least the conversations swirling around her meant Apple Bloom likely would keep to herself.

"Say, Silver Spoon," Apple Bloom blurted out. "Why ya actin' all shy?"

Silver Spoon shivered; a chill coursed down her spine. "I don't have much to say," she replied. While true, she knew it was a weak answer. "That's—that's all there is to it."

"Then how come ya aren't teasin' me like ya always do with Diamond Tiara?"

Everypony froze in place, swallowing their food before locking their eyes onto Silver Spoon with tautened expressions. The latter cringed; her heart pounded, yearning to burst from her chest and scuttle away as she turned paler than a ghost. Pursing her lips, Silver Spoon shifted her eyes about.

"Well, I don't want to tease you," Silver Spoon replied. She twiddled with her braid again and bit her lip. "Actually, I—I don't want to do that again. You saw me leave Diamond Tiara, right? You also saw me make amends with Twist, right?"

Apple Bloom raised an eyebrow. Cocking her head, a sigh escaped her mouth. "I did, but that doesn't count for all the mean things ya said. I'm lookin' for an apology."

"Silver Spoon, what did you do to Apple Bloom?" Silver Spoon's mother asked. She pouted; her face scrunched up. "If you bullied her with Diamond Tiara, then you know you'll be in huge trouble, right?"

Nodding, Silver Spoon's vision blurred, wet drops trickling down her cheeks. "I-I know."

"And I'm going to have to tell Filthy Rich about Diamond's role in this as well."

Silver Spoon sprung out of her chair, foreleg extended. "Please don't tell him!" In the blink of an eye, she twisted her head over to Apple Bloom. "I'm so sorry I teased you! I should've apologized when I had the chance! I'm so sorry!"

"Hmm." Apple Bloom rubbed her muzzle; Silver Spoon's stomach churned. "I forgive ya."

Sighing quickly, Silver Spoon then wiped her forehead. "Thanks, Apple Bloom."

"You're welcome, but don't think we're on good terms just yet, okay?"

Silver Spoon nodded. "Okay."

"One more thing, Silver Spoon," Silver Spoon's father added, his brow ruffled. "Just because you apologized doesn't change the fact you're still in trouble. We're going to inform Filthy Rich as to what you and Diamond Tiara did, and we'll get to the bottom of this soon enough."

With her head hung low, shoulders sagged, Silver Spoon slowly nodded. "Okay, father."

Silver Spoon knew she couldn't prevent her parents from spilling the beans to Filthy Rich, the twisted scowls they wore already answering any requests she might have. As she sat back down, the two families resumed eating, picking up conversations as though nothing had happened. Silver Shill recounted his tale of how he met the Apples, Silverspeed talked about sports, the Wonderbolts, and other points of interest, and the Apples all had their own stories to share.

Everypony had something to share. Everypony did, except for Silver Spoon.

After all, everypony huddled up at the table had just learned about her checkered history.

She wished tomorrow could arrive in the blink of an eye; anything to wash the coldness away.

Sweet Project

Even in her sadder moments, Silver Spoon never truly dreaded the arrival of a new day; she'd be anxious as to what awaited her at most, a tenseness she knew many foals in her class had experienced a few times. And whether or not her fears ended up as justified, or even if the day presented pleasant and repulsive events like the day before, she recognized things could've ended up much worse.

Today, however, didn't relate to any day before it. Her mind drew blanks as to why. As Silver Spoon trotted into the classroom, a cold sweat cascaded down her brow. Swiveling her head to the right, Silver Spoon gazed blankly at the block letters adorning the chalkboard; her heart thrashed about at the mere sight of the six words.

Attention: The group project starts today!

"I hope my partner is tolerable," Silver Spoon murmured. "And I hope he or she is kind."

Silver Spoon took another step forward. Only the chirping birds from outside reached her ears; all of the desks were empty save for Rumble's. The gray colt scrutinized the textbook in his hooves, his eyes scanning the page with a blank expression. He raised a foreleg, waving gently at Silver Spoon, who responded in kind.

After trotting another few steps, Silver Spoon spotted Cheerilee waving at her as well. The pair made eye contact.

"Good morning, Silver Spoon," Cheerilee chimed, her bright smile forcing one on Silver Spoon. "How are you feeling?"

"Nervous," Silver Spoon replied. Somehow, she kept her slight smirk. "I had a tough evening, but I'm feeling a little better." Tough was an understatement; her eyes were still reddened since last night. At least fixing up her sour attitude seemed simple enough, her family all relaying the same message Cheerilee orated prior. Recounting such an awkward situation tickled her chest, however. She sighed and then pursed her lips. "I'd rather not talk about it, if that's okay."

"Well, if you need somepony to talk to, I'm more than welcome to oblige."

Silver Spoon nodded. "Thanks, Miss Cheerilee."

With a few short steps, Silver Spoon arrived at her desk and sat down. Sticking to her before-class ritual, her body slumped and she stretched her forelegs; the smooth, cold wood hugged her back like a mattress. A yawn escaped her mouth. Shifting her eyes to the clock, Silver Spoon counted each second which flew past, the minute hand twenty ticks away from when class would begin.

Like any other day, students would arrive at irregular times; each of them arrived with nopony else or in groups of two or three. Silver Spoon only gave cursory glances to each foal trotting inside. The door's creaking and clicking had grasped most of her attention. Only a minute passed until Twist arrived, the filly waving at Silver Spoon. With her hoof raised, Silver Spoon responded in kind.

"Good morning, Twist," Silver Spoon said. "How are you?"

"I'm well," Twist replied, sitting at her desk. "And you?"

"I'm okay, though I do hope we're paired up for the project."

Twist bobbed her head. "Me too." Stretching her forelegs out, she then cracked a smile. "I know it'd be fun working on a project with you."

"I feel the same way." Glancing over to where Cheerilee sat, the mare jotting down a series of notes on the board, Silver Spoon 's throat tensed up a little. Pairing up with Twist was unlikely, though perhaps Cheerilee pulled a few strings to get them together. It wouldn't be the first time it happened; Diamond Tiara was paired up with Noi just so the latter could get the former to cease whining for once. "Here's hoping luck is on our side."

"Same here, Silver Spoon." Twist paused for a moment; her hooves pressed together. "By the way, I heard you had a bit of an incident last night with Apple Bloom."

Silver Spoon turned pale, pupils shrunk. "I-I did. What about it?" It was no secret among the other foals regarding her past behavior. The mere fact only added to the miracle of how long it took her parents to discover it. Still, she hoped Twist wouldn't brush her off right there. "Is there something you need to mention?"

"I only wanted to check if you're okay."

Silver Spoon exhaled, her chest puffing out. "Oh." She swiped beads of sweat from her brow. "Yeah, I'm okay. I learned an important lesson that day."

"That's good. Maybe we'll both learn something today."

Rubbing the back of her neck, Silver Spoon blushed; a sheepish smile adorned her face. "Well, I hope this lesson isn't embarrassing."

A mixture of bright faces and drooping eyes soon followed suit. After seven or so foals had entered, a storm of cheers erupted from outside, five more seconds passing before the Cutie Mark Crusaders leaped through the doorway. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo were drenched in tree sap, but not a speck of dust clung onto Sweetie Belle's coat.

Silver Spoon rolled her eyes; she then averted her gaze. She wished she could just march up to the three, open their ears, and shriek the proper method of getting a cutie mark into them. With yesterday's incident with Apple Bloom still fresh, however, Silver Spoon kept her mouth shut.

As time continued its march forward and a hurricane of voices soon filled the room, Diamond Tiara arrived with less than a minute to spare. Sweat dripped from her brow. Her face was adorned with a deep, twisted scowl much like a manticore's. A red mark resided at the bottom of one of her hooves. Silver Spoon then locked eyes with the pink filly, the former's cheeks pale. Clenching her teeth and cringing, a slew of indistinct words left Diamond's mouth.

Maybe I should apologize. Silver Spoon bit her lip; she twiddled her braid. It's the thought that counts, right?

Diamond twisted her head toward where Silver Spoon sat, brow ruffled. "What do you want?" she asked in a harsh tone. "I'm not in the mood for much right now, okay?"

Silver Spoon recoiled. "I-I wanted to apologize."

"Um, what?" Cocking her head, Diamond then shrugged. "This has nothing to do with you."

"It doesn't?"

Diamond nodded. "If you must know, it's because I stubbed my hoof against a stupid rock. So then, could you let me rub my hoof in peace?"

Bobbing her head, eyes widened, Silver Spoon averted her gaze from Diamond. Not a single peep about last night departed her lips; Silver Spoon rubbed her eyes. She always knew Diamond's father spent most of his time sitting behind a desk, filing paperwork and counting bits with a gleaming grin. This, however, was unprecedented.

And of the few times he'd been with Diamond, Silver Spoon noticed how much he showered her former friend with gifts, turning the other cheek whenever Diamond found herself in trouble. Whenever he did try to take action, Diamond weaseled her way out of punishment with puckered lips and screechy pleas.

Silver Spoon blushed; she stared at the desk's bright sheen and whispered, "How does Di manage to do it? Is it her charisma?"

"It looks like everypony is accounted for," Cheerilee said as a matter of fact. "Anyway, I bet you're all curious as to what your group project is."

"Is it photography?" Featherweight asked. "I can do something cool with that."

Archer shook her head, muzzle scrunched. "I think it's going to be something more athletic—probably something the Cutie Mark Crusaders will win at or come close to winning as usual." She shot a glare at Scootaloo; the latter smirked sheepishly. "That's my guess."

Silver Spoon's brow shot up. Archer did have a point; the trio of fillies did have a knack for luck and having all the pieces in place for success, just so long as it didn't involve getting cutie marks. She also recalled Diamond bringing it up back when they worked with Prancy Drew. However, Silver Spoon cringed as she recalled Diamond's words, the descriptions she used fitting her sharp tongue and puffed cheeks.

Maybe Diamond Tiara wasn't as right about this as I thought. A sigh escaped Silver Spoon's lips. Sure, the Cutie Mark Crusaders are incredibly lucky, but she's so jealous to where her argument kind of falls flat.

"Maybe I'll get to meet her again—just to apologize for what I did," Silver Spoon murmured. "Again, it'd be the thought that counts." She raised her head, forcing her attention to focus solely on Cheerilee.

"You bring up interesting ideas about the project, but those are incorrect," Cheerilee said. "For this assignment, we'll be going on a little field trip."

"A field trip!" Truffle Shuffle shouted from nowhere. "Will they have food?"

With the exception of Twist and Silver Spoon, the class erupted in laughter.

"Please be more considerate about Truffle Shuffle, class," Cheerilee scolded. Exhaling, she then regained her composure. "Now then, our field trip will be to the Ponyville Weather Facility. We'll all get to learn so much about how weather is managed, recorded, and even the magic behind how the team influences it."

"Then that means Rainbow Dash will be there!" Scootaloo screamed; her petite wings buzzed about as she donned a radiant grin. "This has to be the most awesome field trip ever!"

"Maybe we'll see her, Scootaloo. And perhaps we'll learn something from her as well." Cheerilee trotted over to her desk. Opening one of the cabinets, she procured a small stack of papers, bringing the topmost sheet to her face. "Now then, you'll be split up into groups of two and receive further instruction upon arriving at the facility." Cheerilee peeked behind the paper, her eyes scanning the classroom. "Does everypony understand?"

"Yes, Miss Cheerilee," the class replied in unison.

"Good! Now then, let's announce the groups you'll all be in."

Silver Spoon held her breath; her head swiveled about, studying the blank expressions her classmates wore. One of the foals in the back gulped, another had tautened cheeks, and Silver Spoon herself shivered a tad. For something as minor as being paired up with somepony, it carried a tightness not unlike a python strangling her. However, prior instances of nemeses being paired up saw them averting glances and sealing their lips for the most part. Only one or two incidents saw somepony coming home with a black eye.

"The first group will consist of Apple Bloom and—" Cheerilee's cheeks turned pale "Scootaloo."

"Yes!" the pair shouted in unison, hooves punching the air.

"Please tell me Sweetie Belle gets to be with Pipsqueak!" Apple Bloom added. In a way, Pipsqueak was like an honorary Cutie Mark Crusader; he just didn't bother with blindly entering rodeos or jumping through a flaming hoop, among other things. Apple Bloom then pressed her hooves together; a bright smile adorned her visage as she leaned closer toward Cheerilee. "Please!"

"Patience, Apple Bloom," Cheerilee replied. With a stern expression, she placed a hoof on her desk. "These groups are assigned randomly, remember?"

"I know, but Sweetie Belle has to be with Pipsqueak, right?"

"Apple Bloom." Cheerilee trotted toward the filly. "Please be patient with me."

Sighing, Apple Bloom then remained as still as a statue, her mouth sealed.

Cheerilee cleared her throat. "As I was saying, the next group will include Pipsqueak and Berry Pinch."

"Oh," Scootaloo murmured.

Silver Spoon kept her gaze locked onto Cheerilee, her muscles tightening the longer her name wasn't called. Group after group had their names orated, some cheering with grins across their faces, some shrugging, and others sulking as they released deep sighs. Diamond Tiara ended up being paired with Shady Daze, the former metamorphosing into a pale green when her group was announced while the latter teasingly winked at her. Silver Spoon couldn't help herself from releasing a chuckle upon spotting Diamond's slight scowl. Even other students joined in on the brief laughter; Diamond's cheeks turned a bright red.

Yet, as only four ponies remained, sweat trickled down her brow. Truffle Shuffle and Sweetie Belle awaited their names, two ponies Silver Spoon would rather distance herself from with a yardstick or two. The third of these was Twist, the one pony she wished to partner up with.

"Please let me be with Twist," Silver Spoon muttered. She tapped her hoof against the cold, smooth floor. "Please let me be with Twist."

Cheerilee shuffled the papers in her hooves, arriving at what Silver Spoon assumed to be the last page. "The second to last group will include Silver Spoon—" the gray filly pursed her lips "—and Sweetie Belle."

Silver Spoon's heart skipped a beat; she glanced over to where Sweetie sat, the latter's eyes locked onto her. Of course she'd end up with one of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Then again, Sweetie prodded her coat the least of the three, though her antics and history still managed to freeze her blood.

"Looks like we're in this together, Silver Spoon," Sweetie said. She shrugged, then forced a smile.

Nodding, Silver Spoon's cheeks tautened, a faint smile forming across her visage. "I-I guess so," she responded. "Look, let's try to do the best we can on the assignment." She paused for a second. "And let's not hurt each other during the class trip." She recalled the day when Diamond ended up having to work with Scootaloo; their coats were covered in black, brown, and blue for the remainder of the day. "Promise?"

Sweetie bobbed her head, eyes widened. "Duh. We'd just get into trouble and get a bad grade if we did that. Besides, you're different now, Silver Spoon." She rubbed her muzzle, brow raised and head cocked. "You're acting differently, right?"

"I guess so." Turning back to where Cheerilee stood, then back to Sweetie, Silver Spoon then pulled her braid. "Look, we'll talk once the assignment gets going, okay?"

"Makes sense." Sweetie's smile brightened. "Let's do a great job."

"Now then, let's cover what some of your assignments will be during our trip," Cheerilee said. "First off, feel free to complete any of the questions on the worksheet in any order. They're broken into sections, and some questions are based off of those in the same group. There are twenty-five questions in all, and it shouldn't take you too long to complete it." Skipping over to the front door, Cheerilee pushed it open, a soft creak filling the air. "And I hope all of you have a wonderful time on our field trip. Follow me, please!"

Trotting across Ponyville almost always brought sights to grasp Silver Spoon's attention; some produced a slight smile while others chilled her spine. However, nothing dazzling or shocking gripped Silver Spoon throughout the class' journey. A hurricane of voices filled much of the air, most of it spewing from her classmates' mouths. Songs, gossip, and formulating where to go first were among what Silver Spoon heard; she assumed a straight face whenever any word reached her ears.

"Silver Spoon, you've been so quiet since we left," Sweetie said. She caught up to Silver Spoon, the pair now trotting next to each other. "I know we're—not friends and all, but I don't want to make you feel all alone in this."

Silver Spoon arched an eyebrow; she locked gazes with Sweetie. "I know," she replied. "I just don't have much to say. Nothing wrong with that, right?"

"Yeah." Sweetie shrugged. "Still, maybe we should talk a bit so we're prepared to work together."

"Okay." Silver Spoon paused. Pursing her lips, she then exhaled quickly. "Where should we go first? I'm thinking of the exhibit titled 'Weather and Water', as it's the closest to the entrance and the questions seem simple enough. What do you think?"

"That was my first option as well." With her foreleg raised, Sweetie tapped Silver Spoon's back, a soft chuckle leaving the former's mouth. "But I don't know where we should go from there."

Silver Spoon glanced at her saddlebag, the packet of questions stuffed inside with some essential materials. Rubbing her muzzle for a second, she then brought her attention back to Sweetie. "It's rather simple. We circle the facility one room at a time, getting the questions written down. If the packet is anything to go by, they seem to be written in order depending on how close they are to the room's entrance."

Sweetie's jaw dropped, eyes widened. "How did you figure that out?"

"It's common sense based on previous field trips we've had."

"It wasn't common sense to me."

"Oh."

Silver Spoon looked ahead, the glass structure defining the Ponyville Weather Facility looming in the horizon. For such a complicated building, the architecture unlike most of what Ponyville offered aside from the gaudy castle, few ponies even bothered to give it a cursory glance. Of these ponies, only a few of them scrutinized the building or entered it. Most of them carried thick books or wore glasses and suits. Otherwise, it may as well have been invisible to all but those who tinkered within it.

"That's the Ponyville Weather Facility?" Apple Bloom asked. Everypony's eyes locked onto her. "It looks like modern art."

"The outside isn't what one would call beautiful," Cheerilee admitted; a smirk formed across her face. She blushed. "However, the inside of the facility is truly awe-inspiring. Just wait until you get to see the exhibits open to the public! Anypony interested in the sciences will be drawn to the different things there. I remember when I visited it for the first time."

"Was it always this—different?"

"The facility was built around ten years ago, and it has been chugging along ever since!" Cheerilee paused for a few seconds. "If I had to guess, the standards of beauty were probably different back then compared to what they are now."

"Ponies used to think that was beautiful?" Shady Daze asked, his tone high-pitched. "That's messed up, though maybe not as messed up as how Archer drinks eggnog."

"I heard that!" Archer called out. Her brow ruffled. "Eggnog is totally fine, you know."

Silver Spoon groaned softly. She then turned back to Sweetie Belle. Such arguments or background chatter did grow stale after some time, especially with a project coming up where some planning or quiet would be preferred.

Nevertheless, Sweetie filled her mind. Wrapping her head around her kinder persona only prodded Silver Spoon's head. Her hooves aching somewhat only accelerated the problem, Silver Spoon wishing she could sit on a bench for a few minutes.

But there was schoolwork to be done. Since Diamond no longer defined her life, there was no justifiable reason to relax before starting.

At least the worksheet would only take an hour of exploring at most; the entrance to Ponyville Weather Facility merely a few hoofsteps away.

"Ready, Silver Spoon?" Sweetie asked. "I'm ready to finish this."

Silver Spoon nodded. "Same here, Sweetie Belle," she said.

Cheerilee then ceased trotting and turned to face the group of foals, her limbs becoming as static as a statue. The rest of the class followed suit; everypony looked upward into Cheerilee's eyes, her grin brighter than the sun which sailed above her.

"I think it goes without saying, but just as a reminder, please do not touch the exhibits unless explicitly stated," Cheerilee announced. The class bobbed their heads in unison. "Also, feel free to ask any of the representatives present if you're unsure about something. They'll definitely give a helping hoof if they're able to." With a step forward, her eyes then widened in a flash, pupils dilated. "One more thing. We'll meet up at the local cafe when we're all done. As mentioned prior, we do have a lunch plan for everypony, and there's a variety of options available."

"That's good," Sweetie whispered into Silver Spoon's ears. "And my big sister won't nag me about trying new foods, so that's also nice."

"Picky eater?" Silver Spoon asked.

Sweetie nodded without hesitating. "Yep."

"I don't think you could be much pickier than Diamond Tiara." Silver Spoon snickered. "You have to coerce her to even eat something she hasn't seen before."

"I've liked new foods before. Maybe I should try one of your treats, Silver Spoon—if you bring them to class, that is."

A mild smile adorned Silver Spoon's visage. "I'll see if I'm able to bring treats to class one day. No guarantees, however."

"Cool!"

Up ahead, Cheerilee waved her hoof; the class all lined up double file in a flash, all organized by group members. With each hoofstep she took, Silver Spoon's head rose, her eyes locking onto the looming building. She couldn't help but feel shorter as she gazed at the building with widening eyes. However, even the tallest of ponies trotting around it were crumbs in comparison.

And as Silver Spoon approached the front gate, giving a quick glance at Sweetie's bright smile, her throat tightened. Even with this tension, she couldn't help but faintly smirk through it all. Exhaling, she then passed the gate and approached the nearest building with the rest of the class, the collective voices polluting the air.

"I know you're all excited, class, but please follow the facility's etiquette," Cheerilee said. "Don't make too much noise, as some students and visitors may want peace and quiet while touring the Ponyville Weather Facility." She paused. "Does everypony understand?"

"Yes, Miss Cheerilee," the class replied in unison.

"Good!" Cheerilee grinned. She opened the glass door, allowing those outside to pass through effortlessly. "Please explore the exhibits at your own leisure, but don't stray from this building, please. And ask the staff or me if you have any questions."

Most of the class nodded together, though both Diamond and Scootaloo stared off into space. A second later, they all passed through the front door with no difficulties, nopony pushing or shoving their neighbor. Silver Spoon breathed a sigh of relief; Sweetie followed suit. Her first step in the facility earned her a sudden breeze. Silver Spoon shivered for a moment.

Scanning the first room, Silver Spoon was drawn to a scale model of a conceptual flying machine dangling from the ceiling, the wires holding it up invisible when viewed from afar. The graphite-like walls and floor covering the interior all wore a radiant sheen; Silver Spoon gawked at her own reflection for a second or two. It was as though she had huddled up in a canopy floating through space. Sweetie, however, flailed her tongue and spoke gibberish. Silver Spoon blinked, then twisted her head toward Sweetie.

"Um, Sweetie?" Silver Spoon muttered, eyebrow raised. "What was that about?"

Blushing, Sweetie crossed her forelegs. "Sorry, I was having fun with the reflections," she said. A giggle left her mouth, trailing off soon after. "You know, not everything has to be serious all the time."

Silver Spoon raised her head; she made eye contact with Sweetie. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, aside from how you giggled when you bullied others, everything else has been about keeping an image—or doing well in class. It's especially true now. You can be serious and goof around, silly."

"How so?"

Sweetie skipped ahead; her tail swished around. "Just be yourself! It's easy—but it's kinda hard, too."

Shrugging, Silver Spoon followed Sweetie toward the nearest exhibit, the latter whistling. "Well, it's good to know that it's easier said than done, but what if this is who I am?"

"I know it's not who you really are."

Silver Spoon quivered, cheeks pale and pupils shrunk. "W-what? What makes you say that?"

"Call it a lunch, but—"

"Hunch," Silver Spoon corrected.

"Call it a hunch, but I know there's a fun side to you." Sweetie hopped back toward Silver Spoon; the two were now inches apart. "Those times you laughed with Diamond Tiara weren't for no reason, right?"

"Maybe." Silver Spoon rubbed the back of her neck. She'd rather not admit how enjoyable teasing used to be, especially in the moment. Stumbling into an awkward conversation with just one Cutie Mark Crusader was more than enough. Two or three would churn her stomach, nausea building up at the mere thought. She twiddled her braid again. "It's not something I want to talk about. No offense."

"None taken." Sweetie trotted over to the nearest exhibit, a bowl of water with a variety of materials inside it to visually represent buoyancy, at least according to the bronze plaque to its left. "Let's knock this first question out of the park, Silver Spoon!"

"Sounds like a plan." Silver Spoon froze for a moment, her head twisting a tad before bringing her focus back to Sweetie. "By the way, can I ask a quick question before we start?"

"Sure! What's up?"

Silver Spoon massaged her muzzle. "How—how has your search for a cutie mark gone? I'm not asking to tease you. I'm genuinely curious."

"About as well as you'd expect." Sweetie chuckled. "My friends and I tried to get vine swinging cutie marks before school. I told Apple Bloom and Scootaloo that it wouldn't work, and I think the tree sap they got covered in to start the day should tell you what happened."

"I'm guessing it's not the first time they've tried that."

Sweetie shook her head. "Well, not exactly. You see, I think the answer might have been in front of us this whole time."

"That's how you know when you're close to getting your cutie mark." Silver Spoon glanced at her flank, focusing on the spoon adorning it and the stylized heart. "When I was younger, I had no idea what my special talent would be. Like you, I did some experimenting myself, and curiosity and a touch of experience helped me discover that talent." Her cheeks metamorphosed into a hot pink. "To be honest, I kind of felt silly not realizing it until then; the same could be said for many ponies as far as I know."

"What do you think my special talent is?"

"Just do what you like and think you could be talented at." Silver Spoon cracked the slightest of smiles. "That's what I'd recommend."

"Cool!" Sweetie turned to face the exhibit, her eyes following the wooden ball's motion. "And one more thing."

Silver Spoon glanced at the worksheet below, noting the first question of what objects floated on the water. "What is it, Sweetie Belle?"

"You're a cooler pony than I thought. Maybe—we could hang out one day. It'll just be the two of us to start."

Arching an eyebrow, Silver Spoon gazed into Sweetie's pupils. "Are you serious? But we barely even had time to get to know each other."

"That's why we're going to have fun together, silly! We can't become best friends in a day, you know."

"Well, that makes sense to me." Silver Spoon glanced over at the exhibit's plaque, then jotted down the answer to a question in her worksheet. "But what will we do?"

"I'm glad you asked, Silver Spoon." Sweetie hopped over toward the next exhibit; Silver Spoon followed close by, her hoofsteps short. "Did you know that there might be snow tomorrow?"

"Huh?" Silver Spoon cocked her head. While weather patterns throughout Equestria did lean toward the irregular, snow arriving in such a short time poked her mind. "Where did you hear this?"

"Scootaloo told me about it. She's excited that it'll be snowing during the weekend, and she wants to do a bunch of stunts when it snows." Sweetie studied the barometer encased in a glass box, her eyes wiggling in unison with the instrument's needle. "I wanted to just enjoy the sights, maybe go skating." She then swiveled her head toward Silver Spoon. "So it's a perfect time to hang out and have fun. It'll just be the two of us!" Leaning toward Silver Spoon, Sweetie's eyes widened. "What do you say?"

Silver Spoon stepped back; her shoulders perked up as she assumed a bemused expression. "Um, sure."

"Awesome!" Sweetie wrote down another answer on the worksheet. "Alright, Silver Spoon. That's a few questions down. We'll be done in no time!"

"Sounds fair."

And as the pair of fillies meandered throughout the exhibit halls, gawking at displays and writing down answers, Silver Spoon couldn't help but wonder how Sweetie warmed her heart. For some reason, it was akin to the warmth she experienced upon bonding with Twist, yet Sweetie was a Cutie Mark Crusader.

A few days ago, Silver Spoon would have laughed off the idea of becoming closer to one of the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

But there she was, smiling and working together with Sweetie Belle.

Silver Spoon then thought about what tomorrow would bring; she hoped it'd be as good or better than today.

A Snowy Day

Of the eight or so hours Silver Spoon reclined on her bed, only half an hour was spent sleeping. The other seven and a half hours saw Silver Spoon glancing out her bedroom's window, drops of snow descending from the sky and fluttering to the ground below; this was in addition to scanning her clock every couple of minutes, twiddling her mane, and taking deep breaths. And through all of the time spent awake, Silver Spoon's cheeks were pale as she shivered somewhat.

Foals were supposed to adore snowy days. Building snowmares and having snowball fights were a foalhood tradition in such regions. With Ponyville rarely ever experiencing snow, let alone during non-winter months, the day would be unlike any other Silver Spoon had experienced.

Such would be the case in more ways than one.

"Sweetie Belle's going to spend time with me," Silver Spoon reminded herself. "And I bet Twist would love to spend time with us." A quick breath escaped her lips, eyes widened. "I've never gone out in the snow, even when I was still friends with Diamond Tiara." Silver Spoon couldn't help but find it odd, her brow rising in return. It was a similar story for Diamond; she tended to stay cuddled up under a blanket while hissing about the cold during snowy days.

"What are we going to do?"

A series of soft knocks reached Silver Spoon's ears. Quivering for a second, she pushed herself upright.

"Can I come in for a second, sis?" Silverspeed asked. "I wanted to talk to ya."

"How did you know I was awake?" Silver Spoon replied. She cocked her head. "Were you listening in on me or something?"

"Your tossing and turning was impossible to miss." Silverspeed giggled. "Not to mention ya got up to get a drink of water three times tonight." She had a point. Every hoofstep Silver Spoon took coupled with her gulping down of water ended up louder than a thunderstorm, even if it should've been quieter than a mouse.

"Well said." Silver Spoon rubbed her eyes; a yawn escaped her mouth. "To be fair, I was parched."

"I'm not blaming ya." A few seconds of silence passed. "But can I seriously come in for a bit?"

"You're older than me, sister." Silver Spoon crossed her forelegs. "Oh, and I'm awake. I don't think there's anything stopping you."

The door nudged open, Silverspeed shimmying through the gap. A bright smile decorated her face. "Thanks, sis."

"No problem."

With her wings closed, Silverspeed sat down on the chair to her right; her eyes locked onto Silver Spoon's. "Now then, I wanted to mention a few things you told me about the past two days."

"My friendships and the thing with the Apples, right?"

Silverspeed merely nodded.

"What's on your mind?"

"Well, I first wanted to mention how proud everypony is that you're making such fast progress." She rubbed the top of Silver Spoon's head. The circular motion surprisingly relaxed her muscles, though she'd have to comb her mane before heading out. "Making new friends isn't easy, but I knew somepony as charming as you could do it."

Blushing, a few chuckles left Silver Spoon. "Well, I wouldn't call myself charming."

"Don't be so modest, sis." Silverspeed clasped her hooves together. "Be proud of how awesome you are!"

A smirk adorned Silver Spoon's visage. "I guess I can try."

"That's a start." Silverspeed shrugged. "As I was saying, I hope you have lots of fun with your friends today." Rubbing her muzzle, Silverspeed's smile slowly widened. "I remember when it snowed during my foalhood. My friends and I got into lots of trouble at times." She snickered. "I think we learned to never anger the hothead of the class that day. Fitting that her name was Blaze."

"Well, that's names for you." Come to think of it, the idea of names and how they connected to personalities and cutie marks always piqued her interest. And with many things regarding cutie marks, it all came back to the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Sweetie Belle in particular.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders were a chunk of her life.

Maybe their special talents have been in front of them this whole time. Silver Spoon assumed a blank expression. I know I've thought about it before, but it's just so weird. Watch, they'll get their cutie marks in some grandiose way. I'll admit, I'd feel jealous at first, but I'd be proud of them nonetheless.

"Something on your mind?" Silverspeed asked.

Silver Spoon shook her head. "It's nothing important," she said. "It's just funny—the names and cutie mark connection."

"No arguing with ya there. Maybe we're all psychic in some way."

"Maybe we are." Silver Spoon softly chuckled. "I guess my parents knew I'd become a great pastry chef."

"Anyway, there's one—I mean—two things I wanted to say." Clearing her throat, Silverspeed then stood upright. "Firstly, Apple Bloom sent us a letter. She apologized to you for embarrassing ya."

Gasping, Silver Spoon's pupils shrunk. "She did?"

"Yep. She felt it made her look bad. While she's not on the best of terms with you, she's willing to make amends here."

"Well, I guess I'll send her a letter accepting her apology." Silver Spoon rubbed the back of her neck. "I wasn't expecting that."

"I think nopony was. It kinda came out of nowhere. Like, when I first discovered the letter, my jaw totally dropped." Silverspeed caught her breath. "Anyway, she and Scootaloo are gonna be doing their own thing, so Sweetie Belle and Twist will be hanging out with you. Oh, and they're going to be here at nine."

Silver Spoon peeked at the clock in her room, each second ticking past. The time was half past eight.

"So that gives ya half an hour to do what you need. Sound good?"

"It does." Nodding, Silver Spoon then flung the sheets off the bed. "Anyway, I'll be ready in no time."

Silverspeed ruffled her wings. She pranced out of the room, her head sticking out of the gap. "Let me know if ya need anything or wanna talk."

Silver Spoon pressed her hooves together. Something about today prodded her, her chest tightening ever so slightly. "Actually, I'm a bit nervous about how today will go."

"That's understandable, sis." Silverspeed nudged toward her; she stretched her foreleg out. "But just be the bundle of awesome I know you are, and things will turn out great. There's nothing wrong with being a bit anxious."

Quickly nodding was all Silver Spoon replied with, though her lips curled into a faint smile.

"That's the spirit!" Silverspeed pumped her hoof into the air. "I hope it's lots of fun!"

"Same here, sister."

Silver Spoon pushed herself off her bed, landing on all fours. She swiped her glasses and donned them; the same story occurred for her pearl necklace. Even on weekends, it was important to exude stylishness, at least Diamond told her as much; the compliments she received from peers and passersby only encouraged this. Yet, as she glanced at the window once more, the glass slightly foggy, Silver Spoon couldn't help but shiver. Her teeth clacked.

Something was missing.

"Right, it's cold when there's snow," she reminded herself. Swiveling her head toward the closet, Silver Spoon then nodded, a smirk adorning her face. "Well, at least I'll be able to put something else to use."

Half an hour had already passed; Silver Spoon was certain it was closer to a mere ten minutes, though her clocks never lied. Eating breakfast had to be at least two minutes as well.

But there she was, a purple cap atop her head and brown boots snugly hugging her legs. Just wearing these toasted her coat, the iciness in her veins melting away. She stood before the front door; the light blue frame looming above her. Outside, a world of wonders and anxieties awaited her. How Twist and Sweetie would behave throughout the day was anypony's guess. Silver Spoon closed her eyes for a moment; she just hoped shouting wouldn't be a part of it.

Silver Spoon exhaled. "It shouldn't be too hard," she muttered. "Like my sister said, I just have to be myself." Just then, her throat tightened. "Okay, maybe I need to dial down on the teasing. Maybe if I—"

A series of knocks rang in her ears; Silver Spoon jumped up in surprise, her heart rate skyrocketing for a second.

"W-who is it?"

"It's Twist," she answered on the other end. "I've got Sweetie Belle with me, too. Are you ready?"

Silver Spoon paused for a moment and glanced behind her. Nothing else needed to be done. Yet, there was something off-putting about going with the same ponies she teased in the past. Twist was fine; she knew Silver Spoon was changing for the better. On the other hoof, Sweetie was different. A Cutie Mark Crusader would likely still feel hesitant.

But she wasn't any Cutie Mark Crusader.

"Need more time?" Sweetie asked. "We can wait if we need to?"

"No need to wait," Silver Spoon said. Without a second thought, she pushed the door open, a faint creaking sound splitting the air. "I'm ready."

Standing before her were Twist and Sweetie. Bright smiles decorated both of their faces. A quick breeze swirled past Silver Spoon, her braid whipping about as it followed the wind's current. All around her, the once lush grasslands of Ponyville were covered in a thin layer of snow, extra specks of white cascading from the sky like autumn leaves.

And through it all, Silver Spoon's eyes couldn't help but glow. Something about seeing such a landscape planted a beaming expression on her without fail, regardless of how many times she'd seen it.

"Amazing, isn't it?" Twist added. She adjusted her cherry-colored scarf and then her glasses. "I haven't been out in the snow for three years!"

"Three years?" Sweetie blurted out, voice cracked. "That's terrible. Everypony should go out in the snow whenever they can."

With a faint chuckle, Twist blushed. "Well, I haven't really had anypony to share it with."

"What about when you were still friends with Apple Bloom?" Silver Spoon asked. She cocked her head. "You two were close friends a year ago, right?"

"We were." Twist pursed her lips. "Though Apple Bloom was always doing other things—things I wasn't excited about or could do. That's all."

"I see." Trotting up to Twist, Silver Spoon then patted her shoulder. "I hope today is a lot of fun."

"Naturally." Twist paused for a moment, eyes closed. "Say, what should we do first?"

"I don't wanna do anything tough," Sweetie said. Her forelegs wiggled. "The last time I did a snowball fight with the other crusaders, I thought I'd pass out."

"I would've actually done it." Silver Spoon snickered and her cheeks flushed. On second thought, maybe she had more in common with Sweetie than she realized. Fashionable tastes, an appreciation for books, even staring attentively at certain history lectures, among other things, defined such similarities. Perhaps that accounted for the warmth yesterday.

Or maybe Cheerilee knew this all along, grouping her up with Sweetie as if she knew how it'd end.

"Stamina isn't your strong point as well?" Sweetie asked.

Silver Spoon nodded. "Ask Diamond about it if you want to know." Then again, Diamond only ever told facts to the Cutie Mark Crusaders if there was scheming ahoof. Having her relaying even the simplest story to Sweetie would be an indicator she was dreaming. "Well, how about we head on over to Sugarcube Corner? I hear they have some excellent tea."

"What doesn't Sugarcube Corner have?"

Silver Spoon shrugged. "Beats me."

"Yeah, Sugarcube Corner does have everything," Twist said. "Shall we get going?"

"We shall." Both she and Sweetie nodded.

The trio trotted across the plowed pathways, small patches of cobblestone still visible with the rest buried under the snow. All around Silver Spoon, ponies of all ages skipped and pranced across the field, every single one wearing a glowing grin. Some even stopped to roll around in the snow, build intricate sculptures, or any other snowy game their minds could create.

Ponyville truly came alive during the snowy days.

But a tingling sensation covered Silver Spoon's body nonetheless.

Why? Everything is going swimmingly. She turned to where Twist and Sweetie were, the pair chatting about school-related stories and subjects. Silliness from the other Cutie Mark Crusaders and the results of the last test made up the topics, Silver Spoon still wanting to forget the traumatic part of the latter. Maybe it's just my nerves getting to me again. That has to be it. If only getting rid of it was easy.

"Nervous?" Twist questioned; her eyes gazed into Silver Spoon's. "You've been so quiet."

Nodding was all Silver Spoon could muster, lips sealed.

"I'm nervous, too."

"Me three!" Sweetie chimed. Her smile then vanished like a mirage; replacing it was a blank expression. "But seriously, is it because you're hanging out with ponies you used to tease?"

"Hit the nail on the head right there," Silver Spoon replied. "Well, that and I'm trotting in unfamiliar territory."

"But we're in Ponyville, silly." Sweetie bit her lip, holding in a chuckle. "And Sugarcube Corner is in sight!"

"It's a figure of speech."

"Oh. I guess I'm the silly one now!"

All three fillies shared a quick laugh. Looking up, Silver Spoon spotted the familiar gingerbread house which marked Sugarcube Corner. A group of ponies huddled around the building's perimeter, Silver Spoon arching an eyebrow in response.

Since when did the bakery become so huge among ponies? I don't recall Sugarcube Corner ever being this busy. Maybe somepony from out of town is visiting and brought her friends along.

Silver Spoon shook her head. The queue wrapped around two of the establishment's walls. Either somepony had more friends than the Princess of Friendship, or it was another commotion altogether. Waiting in line wasn't Silver Spoon's idea of fun. To some, the mere act would constitute as torture.

Regardless of the circumstances, Twist and Sweetie's widened eyes and gaping mouths said it all.

"Do you want look elsewhere?" Silver Spoon asked. "Or shall we deal with the long line and head on in?"

"Head on in, of course," Sweetie answered. "We gotta try some of their treats!"

"I'm with Sweetie Belle on this one," Twist added. "I've been meaning to try some of their candies."

"If you insist." Silver Spoon's limbs tensed up. She then twiddled her braid, hoping things wouldn't go south. Large crowds never carried the allure some ponies thought they did; they only increased the odds of conflict in Silver Spoon's eyes. Brushing against somepony's shoulders or having every square inch covered with hooves also grew tiring after the first few seconds. How Diamond loved it was beyond her. "Just don't blame me if waiting in line gets too boring."

"That's only fair. Not everypony is like Diamond Tiara, you know."

Silver Spoon sulked for a moment. "Yeah, Diamond's an interesting filly." In a flash, she perked up, such negativity wasn't welcome at a time like this. "Anyway, let's hope the wait isn't too long."

Trudging up to Sugarcube Corner, the three took their place at the back of the line upon arriving. A storm of chatter polluted the air, most of the words reaching Silver Spoon's ears regarding the bakery and what it sold, though such was to be expected. Yet, mutterings of a mare from Cloudsdale also reached her ears. No name was given, as far as she knew, but her ears couldn't help but twitch in response.

"I'm bored," Sweetie moaned. Her head hung low; a sigh escaped her lips. "Maybe waiting wasn't such a good idea."

"We've only been here for a few minutes," Silver Spoon said. She shrugged. "Trust me, some lines are even longer than this."

"I don't know how any line could be longer."

The ponies before Silver Spoon nudged an inch forward; she and her friends followed suit. A pair of ponies skipped across the snow with beaming grins. Boxes of sweets and a paper rested in the mint-colored mare's forelegs; the sheet of paper bearing the autograph of somepony.

"Oh, brother," Silver Spoon murmured. She rolled her eyes and groaned. "Of all the things to make a huge deal about."

Tilting her head, Twist shrugged. "Did you find something?" she asked.

"Well, something tells me those who adore celebrities have stormed Sugarcube Corner."

"Who do you think it is?" Sweetie questioned. She rubbed her muzzle. "I'm hoping it's somepony cool. Maybe it's Sapphire Shores."

"Or Princess Celestia," Twist added. "Maybe even Princess Luna!"

"Well, I guess we'll find out," Silver Spoon said.

As time continued its march forward, the line moved bit by bit, those exiting Sugarcube corner wearing the same faces as the ones to leave before them. At least Silver Spoon knew they could spend the time and get to know each other better. Stories spanning years departed their mouths. Sweetie told of the time she met Princess Luna in a dream and her muddy participation in the Sisterhooves Social. Silver Spoon's eyes were permanently glued to Sweetie's during both stories. Twist, on the other hoof, reflected on how she got her cutie mark and the embarrassing tales of when she was partnered with Truffle Shuffle. The three of them had shared laughs at the latter.

Not once had Silver Spoon averted her gaze from the pair. Rarely had she blinked.

It all warmed her heart. Maybe she could share something as well.

Am I becoming friends with them?

"Do you have any interesting stories to share?" Twist asked out of the blue. "I'd love to hear any."

Shrugging, Silver Spoon slowly nodded. "Sort of. I remember when Diamond tried designing a cart for a parade."

"I remember that, too!" Sweetie chimed. "It was around the time Babs Seed visited Ponyville, right?"

"Correct. See, Diamond desperately wanted to outdo the Cutie Mark Crusaders."

Rolling her eyes was all Sweetie did. She clearly wasn't surprised, and Silver Spoon understood where she was coming from.

"Yeah, Sweetie has the right idea." Silver Spoon paused. "Anyway, I kinda told her that we should just focus on befriending Babs, and Diamond was so adamant to where she tried building the cart on her own." A brief snicker left Silver Spoon's mouth. "Guess how that went?"

"I'm guessing it ended poorly," Twist said. "Did it fall apart?"

"I bet it did," Sweetie added.

Silver Spoon bobbed her head. "Yep. However, Diamond prancing around and yodeling was actually kinda humorous." Silver Spoon tugged her braid. "I-I know it's not the most appropriate thing to laugh at, but since nopony was hurt and Diamond even whined about why algebra was a thing, it was funny at the moment."

"It's okay." Sweetie chuckled. "I'd have laughed as well. Still, that's a cool story."

"Yeah, I guess it's cool. Thanks for sharing one of your stories."

"You're a nice pony, Silver Spoon," Twist said. A bright grin decorated her visage. "I'm glad I got the chance to know you."

"You're welcome," Silver Spoon said, nodding. "Thanks for sharing yours as well, and I'm glad I got to know you better."

And with thirty minutes having flown past, Silver Spoon and company faced the glass door leading into Sugarcube Corner. The discussions were as lively as ever; silhouettes within the building trotting back and forth. A crisp, warm aroma tickled Silver Spoon's nostrils.

"That smell is simply divine," Sweetie said, her tone mimicking somepony else.

Silver Spoon arched an eyebrow. "Huh?"

"Just imitating my sister." Sweetie giggled, Silver Spoon responding in kind. "She talks like that."

"I'm guessing she's a stylish mare."

"I guess you could call it that."

A faint knocking sound then followed. "Next!" a familiar voice called out, Silver Spoon recognizing it as Mr. Cake's.

The doors opened up; the three fillies trotted inside, most of the tables already occupied. Mr. Cake stood before them with bags under his eyes. A yawn escaped his lips.

"Are you here to get an autograph?" Mr. Cake asked with a clipboard in tow. He wiped his brow, a forced smile across his face. "Or do you plan on having a meal here?"

"The second, please," Silver Spoon said.

"Thank goodness." Mr. Cake stepped back, his head turned around for a moment. "That young pony could use a break from all these signings and all."

"Who's even causing this commotion?" Twist questioned. "Not many famous ponies come to Ponyville—often."

"A mare named Blaze, if you're wondering."

Silver Spoon's eyes widened. The same mare Silverspeed knew in her youth had become this famous? She seemed so nonchalant about her as well, not even squealing with twinkling eyes upon dropping her name. Perhaps this Blaze was known for an amazing discovery or something which got Equestria talking.

"Hey, aren't you Silverspeed's sis?" a peppy voice called out.

Silver Spoon peeked behind Mr. Cake, a yellow mare clenching a newspaper sitting at one of the tables with a strawberry smoothie before her, the sweet flavors touching her tongue at the sight. The mare's mane was a dark orange; its streamlined form seemed perfect for flying, as did her stretched wings which probably sheared the air into pieces.

"Who are you?" Silver Spoon asked. "Are you this Blaze everypony seems to be talking about?"

"The one and only," Blaze replied. Placing the newspaper down, she placed her hooves behind her head. She smirked. "I used to hang out with your sis. She told me about you some time ago and says you're pretty smart."

"Well, I do appreciate the praise." Silver Spoon blushed. "What do you do?"

"Stuff." Blaze adjusted her seating posture. Taking a quick breath, she made eye contact with Silver Spoon. "Not really in the mood to go into specifics."

"Say, you look kinda familiar," Sweetie said; she stretched a foreleg toward Blaze. "Weren't you chasing down Spike when he—"

"Let's not go into too much detail." Blaze's cheeks turned a bright red and she bit her lip. She then cleared her throat and took another sip of her smoothie. "As I was saying, I'm doing a mission of sorts. It's about—"

"And didn't you—"

Blaze's brow sagged; her muzzle scrunched somewhat.

"Let's not push her buttons, Sweetie Belle," Silver Spoon interrupted. "Sorry, Blaze."

"Yeah." With a soft sigh, Sweetie's shoulders sagged. "Sorry."

"It's cool now," Blaze replied. She donned a mild smile. "At least ya know I'm a bit of a hothead."

"You can thank Silverspeed for letting me know." Silver Spoon snickered for a second. "What was it like hanging out with her?"

"It was totally awesome." Blaze's eyes shimmered. "Trust me, we got into some crazy stuff back then. A lot of it was fun. Other moments—" Blaze tapped her hoof on the table; she sighed "—weren't."

A sharp sensation poked Silver Spoon's head. For reasons she couldn't comprehend, something about the pale expression Blaze bore spoke to her. It was as though all she needed to do was peer into her eyes and learn Blaze's true story. Even the air's warmth seemed familiar, just like the day when her friendship with Diamond first cracked.

"So you're curious about what went on?" Blaze asked. Leaning forward, she took yet another sip; the glass' contents were now only a quarter full. "You wanna know my past?"

Shuddering in surprise, Silver Spoon then bobbed her head. "Y-yes," she answered. "How did you know?"

"The look in your eyes said it all. Ya know, you're not so different from your sis. Honest."

"What makes you say that?"

"But first, a question." Blaze raised her hoof and shifted her focus to Sweetie and Twist. "How did you see Silver Spoon before coming friends with her?"

Gently kicking the air was all Sweetie could do. She shrugged.

"You can tell the truth," Silver Spoon muttered. She placed a hoof to her chest. "I know what I did, so you explaining it won't hurt me."

Blaze raised an eyebrow; she clasped her hooves together. "You were a bully in the past, weren't you?"

Quickly shuddering was Silver Spoon's response. She gulped. "I guess that cat's out of the bag."

"Former bullies always have the same look behind their eyes. It's especially true when they've just realized how wrong it was."

Twist glanced over to Silver Spoon. Surveying her for a few seconds as though she was a work of art and then looking left and right, shimmying across the room, Twist nodded in the end. "Huh. She does have that glint in her eyes," she said. Rolling her shoulders, she looked back up to Blaze. "So what you're saying is—"

"I was a bully as a foal." Blaze cringed, teeth clenched. "I used to be such a brat, always touting my superiority over the other students. I even had a friend of mine back me up on everything."

Silver Spoon leaned closer to Blaze. "Sounds like somepony I know."

"So I'm guessing you were the partner in crime."

"I was."

"But when and how did you realize it was wrong?" Sweetie questioned. She massaged her muzzle. "It's not like you can just learn it, right?"

"Simple. I scared somepony I cared for—and she just so happens to be the same mare I work for now." With a sigh, Blaze then rubbed her eyes. "I played a prank on my cousin."

"You did?" A gasp escaped Sweetie's mouth. "Why?"

"I thought it'd be funny. My cousin was a shy filly back then—before the tough mare she became to be known as. See, she was visiting us from Cloudsdale with her parents, and I kinda dumped a cold glass of water on her." Blaze glanced at the floor below. The grim expression she wore sucked the brightness from Sugarcube Corner away, the world seemingly paler than before. "I made fun of the look on her face, and that drove her to tears. It hurt seeing her like that."

"But you made amends, right?" Twist asked.

"We did. I think we both learned something that day, but the memory still sticks to me. I'm just glad we're on friendly terms now."

"Same here," Silver Spoon said. "Well, thanks for sharing your story with us."

"Not a problem." Stretching her forelegs out, Blaze then pushed herself upright. A smile decorated her face. "It was nice just letting it all out. Nice meeting you all."

"Nice to meet you as well, Blaze."

A grumbling sound filled the air, Sweetie's eyes widening. It was soon followed by a purring, Twist assuming the same expression Sweetie wore. Making eye contact with each other, the three fillies all snickered for a moment. Perhaps the theory of getting hungry after reading stories had some truth to it after all.

Silver Spoon licked her lips; she peered at the menu above the counter. "Ready to get some grub?"

"You bet!" Sweetie chimed. In the blink of an eye, she dived toward the display counter, her nose gently poking the glass separating her from the treats. "I'm starving!"

"I'm ready for food when you are," Twist added. She nudged an inch closer to Silver Spoon. "Say, thanks for spending time with us. It was brave of you to come join us, you know."

"You're welcome," Silver Spoon replied. "I think I learned a lot today. It was nice to experience it with all of you."

"Agreed. And I think we all learned something. Then again, don't we learn something each day?"

Bobbing her head, Silver Spoon slowly approached the counter. "Yeah, we do learn something each day. It's what makes life exciting and scary, but worth experiencing."

"And I just know there's still tons of fun waiting for us," Sweetie said. "We should go for a brief walk together after our meal. How about it?"

"I'm up for it." She knew trotting along the snow-covered roads would be better than wrapping herself in a blanket and watching the fireplace's dancing flames. Having other ponies with her was the icing on the cake. "Let's just take it slow and steady. You know, so we can appreciate the scenery."

"Sounds great to me!"

The trio each ordered a selection of treats, Sweetie asking for the largest load by a fair margin. Milkshakes, candies, and other delicacies filled her order. Even Twist's generous order of a sundae seemed modest by comparison. Silver Spoon, on the other hoof, just ordered a croissant and a small cupcake. While devouring a pile of food was something she and other foals had been guilty of before, her stomach wasn't in the mood for overindulging. It didn't even utter a peep.

"That's it?" Sweetie blurted out. "C'mon, there has to be more you like."

Blushing, Silver Spoon snickered. "Of course there's more I like." Silver Spoon approached an empty table; she sat on the chair, its cold and curved surface hugging her back. "I'm just not as hungry."

"Makes sense to me," Twist said. "Sweetie sounds like she hasn't eaten in decades."

A sheepish smile decorated Sweetie's face. She blushed. "It's not that bad," she said. "Just a few years—or hours."

A white bag, perhaps larger than Silver Spoon herself, plopped before Sweetie. Mrs. Cake, a bright smile adorning her visage, trotted up from the kitchen and stared at Sweetie. Chuckles escaped her mouth.

"You must be hungry," Mrs. Cake teased. She hoisted the bag up, veins bulging for a split second, and brought it up to where Silver Spoon resided. "Either that or you three have a party planned."

"No parties yet," Twist said. She trotted up toward Silver Spoon, Sweetie following suit while she licked her lips. "We're just getting some deliciousness."

"Well, I hope you enjoy."

"We totally will!" Sweetie shouted. She leaped onto the chair, her body shivering; star-like twinkles formed within her eyes. "Thank you!"

"You're welcome."

Sweetie rummaged through the bag's contents. Delicacy after delicacy spewed out, eventually sliding toward its owner. Silver Spoon's eyes widened as a mountain of sugary sweets ascended in front of Sweetie. A heavy eater like Truffle Shuffle would've ended up stopping two-thirds of the way through the orders. Perhaps Sweetie was planning on saving some for later.

If it was enough to where she'd have to help carry it, Silver Spoon knew the journey home would take ages.

The journey home was taking ages.

The cottages and fields of Ponyville still shielded by a few inches of snow didn't help matters. Ponies trotting across the roads, some prancing and giggling, made maneuvering a nightmare.

A crisp, buttery flavor coupled with a chocolaty taste tickled Silver Spoon's nostrils ever since departing Sugarcube Corner, a smile on her face throughout the meal. Twist wore the same expression as she took her time digging into the sundae. Just gawking at the ice cream, chocolate chips, and bananas excited Silver Spoon during their meal. She'd have asked for a taste if her stomach wasn't close to filled.

Sweetie also donned a similar, bright expression. Only pale green cheeks and puckered lips replaced it minutes later. The following four minutes saw Silver Spoon trying to convince Twist in dragging the bag of treats up to Carousel Boutique; Twist tried to do the same. In the end, a quick guessing game resolved the matter, the loser assigned to trudge along the snow with the candies and chocolates.

And as Silver Spoon panted, tongue sticking out, she wished clairvoyance was possible among ponies.

"You okay, Silver Spoon?" Twist asked. "I know you said physical stuff wasn't your thing, but you look ready to faint."

Silver Spoon wanted to scold Twist for getting her into this mess, her blood close to boiling. Her tongue knew all the right words. However, she knew it'd only make the situation worse; Twist wasn't a bad pony. Good ponies deserved respect, even if they needed a tongue-lashing or two. Blaze's story also swirling in her mind only further encouraged her to keep such phrases at bay. Silver Spoon sighed, head hung low.

"I'm not doing so well," she murmured. "Carrying this is—is so hard."

"Try feeling like you're going to throw up," Sweetie added; a groan escaped her lips. "Maybe I should've eaten less. Sorry about that."

"It's—it's fine." Silver Spoon slowed down; she then came to a halt. "Hold on."

Collapsing onto the snow, Silver Spoon's muscles loosened at last, the bag toppling off her back. The sun's rays beat down on her, specks of snow slowly falling and poking her cheeks. In a way, the chill coursing through her body seemed soothing. Perhaps it was her winter clothes striking the balance between warm and cold.

"Look, sorry I made you do this instead," Twist muttered. She pressed her hooves together and bit her lip. "I-I just didn't want to mess up."

"It's fine, Twist." Actually, it wasn't fine, but such events were in the past. Silver Spoon's huffing and puffing quietened; white steam left her mouth. "I'll be okay."

A second passed by. Blinking, Twist shuffled closer to Silver Spoon, leaned down, and lifted her on all fours. "I'm glad, but let's get this thing to Carousel Boutique together."

Silver Spoon wrapped a foreleg around Twist. "Thank you. I appreciate it."

"Anything for a friend, right?"

Silver Spoon paused. Friend. I know we've butted heads before, today being an example, but perhaps that's what being a friend is all about. Her lips curled into a bright smile. When we fall down, we'll be there to lift each other back up. And no matter how long or severe the conflict is, making amends might be what being a friend is about. Warmth spread throughout her body. It's weird having this repaired so easily, and while I still think Twist screwed up, I harbor no negative feelings. Perhaps—

"Everypony!" a familiar voice shrieked. "Everypony!"

Sliding into view was none other than Featherweight. With a camera in hoof and a blue scarf wrapping around his neck, he flailed his forelegs about, locking gazes with Silver Spoon and company. He always made a scene whenever a story or gossip came up, but something about this instance carried tension with it.

"What's wrong?" Silver Spoon asked.

"Diamond Tiara is gonna ask Rumble on a date!"

"What?" the three fillies shouted together.

"That's what came from her huge mouth." Featherweight exhaled, his limbs calming down. "Anyway, tomorrow is going to be huge. I just had to tell ya."

"Wait a second, isn't Rumble super-sensitive?" Sweetie asked. "He doesn't seem like Diamond Tiara's type."

Silver Spoon's heart skipped a beat. Her pupils shrunk.

"Oh, no."

Tomorrow was going to be eventful. Fate wouldn't have it any other way.

Dented Diamond

For the first time in what had to be ages, Silver Spoon brought her full attention to the clock in Cheerilee's class, five minutes separating now from recess. Her notebook was filled with class notes and exercises, though even during the morning hours, she'd occasionally glance at the clock or at Diamond. The pink filly's pupils glittered as she stared blankly at Rumble. Reddened cheeks were all Rumble gave in return.

The shift from Silver Spoon's class notes, then to the clock, and back to Diamond only to repeat the process grew more frequent as the fateful time approached. Twiddling her braid and pursing her lips became commonplace for today; phrases regarding how to cool any kind of conflict flying past her head.

And with four minutes remaining, Silver Spoon's chest constricted itself.

I hope Diamond doesn't do anything too stupid. Silver Spoon exhaled. Wiggling her muscles to loosen them was all she could do for some time. Yet, the tightness lingered. If she gets upset at Rumble, I-I know it won't be pretty. I just have to hope nopony gets hurt. Tears are going to be a definite.

Silver Spoon repeated her glancing ritual. Three minutes remained.

And to think I was a bully once.

"Silver Spoon?" Cheerilee called out. "Can you please answer the question?"

Silver Spoon shuddered in surprise ever so slightly. "Sorry, Miss Cheerilee, but could you please repeat the question? I missed it the first time."

"Who was the legendary King of Griffonstone?"

"King Grover," Silver Spoon answered, a slight smile across her face. How couldn't she know King Grover? "He brought the griffons together with the Idol of Boreas."

"That's correct, Silver Spoon." Cheerilee donned a smile, then wrote King Grover's name on the chalkboard. Her cursive was a work of art; at least it was better than Diamond's ineligible scribbles Silver Spoon sometimes endured. A chill coursed down her spine at the thought of deciphering those.

"I'll conclude the lesson for now." Approaching her desk, Cheerilee sat on the chair and placed her forelegs on the table. She opened a shelf and procured a stack of papers. "As always, feel free to ask me any questions during recess."

Most of the students nodded in unison; Diamond was the sole exception, her eyes still fixed to Rumble.

"Be safe and have fun, everypony!"

The bell's chiming split the air. Some of the foals leaped out of their desks as if they sprouted wings. Others, however, trotted toward the back door, Silver Spoon fitting with the latter group as usual. As laughter and gossip reached her ears, the world slowly dimmed. Visions of Diamond staring down a bawling Rumble assaulted her mind.

"Hey, Silver Spoon," Twist said as she caught up. "Is everything okay?"

Silver Spoon shook her head without hesitation. "No," she muttered. "I'm worried about Diamond Tiara and Rumble."

Twist then raised an eyebrow. "Is there something specific I should know? Or is it just that Diamond's still—" Twist pressed her hooves together "—aggressive?"

"The second one." Silver Spoon tugged her braid. "Remember how Sweetie Belle mentioned Rumble's sensitivity?"

"Gotcha." Twist quickly nodded. At least no details about Diamond's cruder behavior were needed; nopony needed to remember the wagon incident. "And you're worried Diamond Tiara is going to make a scene, right?"

"Precisely."

The two fillies stepped out of the classroom, their hooves touching the dew-covered grass. Trotting across the playground brightened Silver Spoon a tad. The crisp, fresh air and the dew cooling her hooves were almost always treats. While the leftover chill in the air from yesterday lingered, the climate was tolerable. Silver Spoon had wished for the temperature to increase, however, but tolerable wasn't even close to awful; heat waves and blizzards constituted awful. At least the sun looming above the clear skies suggested such chills would come to pass.

The plethora of games and structures across these plains eased the tension in the air; most of them were already surrounded by cheering and jumping foals. Others yearned for somepony to approach them.

But to Silver Spoon, the tightness surrounding her still crushed her bones to dust. No games would alleviate her.

"So then, do you think we should keep an eye on Diamond Tiara?" Twist suggested.

Silver Spoon gulped. She bobbed her head, a grim expression adorning her. "We shall. Do you think we should get involved if the worst happens?"

"At least wait and see. If it happens, comforting Rumble might be the best plan."

"Yeah, I can see that. Diamond Tiara's feelings are important as well."

"I thought she'd be the mean one?"

Silver Spoon's chest tingled; she pursed her lips for a moment. "I understand why you'd think that, but I just have this strange feeling." Staring into Twist's eyes, Silver Spoon then took a quick breath. Avoiding melodrama was what mattered most of all. "Diamond Tiara should be by the tables. If not, she'd probably be in the emptier area."

"Got it. Lead the way, please."

Raising her hoof, Silver Spoon's ears twitched. "Hold on a second."

"What is it?"

"Did you hear something?" Both fillies sealed their mouths. Faint rustling reached them. "Somepony might be spying on us."

"You think it's the one who knew about your talk?"

Surveying the area, Silver Spoon paced about for a moment. Everypony in her class was accounted for, though Tootsie Flute and Archer seemed dirtier than before. They did spend time with Diamond after Silver Spoon left her; perhaps one or both of them was the snitch. A predictable conclusion, but she'd need more evidence first.

"I'm pretty sure it is," Silver Spoon continued.

Twist shrugged. "But why would she watch us now?" she asked, her head tilted. "What good would come of it?"

With an eyebrow raised, Silver Spoon tilted her head. "Who knows what's going on?"

Rolling her shoulders, Silver Spoon trudged across the grassland, her eyes set on the series of tables. As she expected, Diamond sat at one of them with a beaming grin. Even Celestia would find it a little too bright. Sitting next to Diamond, his expression blank, was Rumble. The colt nodded at whatever Diamond blabbered about.

"And then I told my butler how awesome it is to have a swimming pool," Diamond said as her smirk widened. Nothing new escaped her mouth as far as Silver Spoon was concerned. Diamond then placed a hoof behind her head. "Like, you should totally check it out. It'd make any pool the blank flanks could come up with look totally lame."

Rumble glanced at his flank, brow sagging; he puckered his lips. "I guess so."

Silver Spoon's pupils shrunk. Was the storm brewing?

Leaning closer to Rumble, Diamond donned an incredulous expression. "You guess, or you know?"

"Know." Rumble nudged back a bit. "I know."

"Anyway, tell me about how awesome your brother is." Diamond leaned closer to Rumble, the latter shuffling away. "I hear he's a cadet in the Wonderbolts Academy!"

Rumble shrugged and cracked a soft smile. "He's a great brother. Thunderlane is his name, and we're always there for each other."

"Is he as cute as ponies say?"

"I don't get what you mean." Rumble exhaled, posture slightly slumped. "Say, maybe we should go play for a bit."

"Why?"

"Because isn't having a date—" Rumble tapped the ground with a hoof "—at least that's what you said—supposed to be fun?"

"But we are having fun." Diamond snickered, cheeks flushing a little. "Isn't that right?"

"I-I don't know." Head hung low, a sigh escaped Rumble's lips. "All you do is badmouth the Cutie Mark Crusader and gloat. We haven't played any games or gotten to know me better. The only questions you've asked are how much I fly and if my brother is cute." His eyes shimmered. "That's all."

Silver Spoon's heart tied itself into a knot as she watched from afar. Twinges formed in her chest.

"And Scootaloo isn't a bad pony," Rumble continued. "I don't know why you hate them so much."

"Hate? I don't hate them," Diamond retorted. "I just strongly dislike them."

"You hate them." Rumble blinked thrice. "But why? What have they ever done to you? They've made plenty of mistakes, I'll give you that, but they don't mean harm. They're just curious like I am, only more energetic."

"Rumble, you're nothing like them. You're as cute as a button."

"There you go again." Standing on all fours, Rumble's face twisted into a mild frown. "You've gotta answer my question. Why do you hate the Cutie Mark Crusaders? Why do you keep calling them blank flanks? And so what if they don't have their cutie mark? I don't, and I'm just fine with who I am. I'll discover my special talent one day."

"I know you will, Rumble, but they won't."

"Answer my question, Diamond Tiara!"

Rumble's command echoed throughout the playground. All motion ceased; eyes were affixed to Rumble and Diamond, nopony blinking even once. Silver Spoon glanced at Twist, then back to the scene. If she could stop it from erupting like a volcano, she would, but her limbs remained frozen. In her eyes, stepping in would make things worse. All she could do involved wishing for a peaceful resolution. Knowing Diamond, however, such a result would be impossible. Everything had to be like a dramatic play for her at times.

"Only if it gets much worse," Silver Spoon murmured to herself. She gulped, cheeks paler than ever. "I'll stop them then."

"Okay, calm down," Diamond said; she stepped back, eyes widened. "Like, there's no need to get all loud."

Blushing, Rumble shrugged. "Sorry."

"If you really wanna know why I can't stand the blank flanks—it's kinda obvious." With a groan, Diamond then pouted, her muzzle scrunched. "They're just—like—so obnoxious. They always have things work out for them in the end and they never shut up about cutie marks. You'd think they'd learn by now, but the blank flanks refuse to learn."

"Hey, Sweetie Belle's smart. She gets good grades." Rumble's wings buzzed; he hovered a few inches above the ground. "Scootaloo is a pro when she rides around and does tricks on her scooter. Also, Apple Bloom is quite crafty when she needs to be. Diamond, you're wrong about the Cutie Mark Crusaders." Another deep breath escaped Rumble's lips. He furrowed his brow. "Just because they don't get along with you doesn't make them dumb."

"It does!" Diamond's cheeks reddened. "Don't tell me you're falling for their little game."

Freezing in place was all Rumble could do; his pupils shrunk as he landed on all four hooves.

"You honestly don't know?" Diamond placed a hoof on the table and rolled her eyes. "They might be all cute and fun at first glance, but they're not. Remember the Foal Free Press?"

Rumble quickly nodded.

"They helped make it become the monster it was."

"But they learned their lesson."

"Brats don't learn lessons, Rumble!" Snarling, Diamond slammed her hoof against the table. The resulting clack filled the air, Rumble flinching and scuttling an inch away. "Honestly, you don't want to become a brat like them, right?"

Silver Spoon gulped. Her heart thrashed about trying to escape. And with a deep breath, she then shuffled closer to Diamond and Rumble, the tension in her legs crushing her bones. Perhaps breaking the two up now would be for the best. Somepony was bound to leave the playground with a few scars, likely emotional ones. As Silver Spoon learned over the past week, healing such scars made pushing a boulder up a mountain look simple.

However, as Silver Spoon raised her foreleg in the hopes of calming the situation, Diamond shot a glare at her. Silver Spoon turned colorless.

"Oh, this is just perfect," Diamond quipped. She planted a hoof to her face and sighed, eyes rolling. "Silver Spoon, now's not the time."

Silver Spoon cocked her head. "I don't want anypony getting hurt. Could you—"

"Nopony's getting hurt. Just stay out of it and don't betray me, okay?"

"Di, I'd never betray you like that," Silver Spoon replied unconsciously. Approaching Diamond, the world around Silver Spoon slowed to a crawl, her body seemingly sinking into the earth. It'd gobble her up at some point, the world of the unconscious pulling the lightheaded Silver Spoon toward it. The beating of her heart filled her ears; even Rumble heard it if his twitching ears had anything to say, though everypony probably noticed it. "We've had our differences, but I never said I hated you or anything."

"You had fun with a blank flank, Silver Spoon."

Twinges coursed through Silver Spoon's veins. Diamond's words were like poisoned arrows, all of them colliding with her coat. "So what if I did? And why do you care?" She paused, teeth clenched for a moment. "Also, how did you find out I spent time with Sweetie Belle and Twist yesterday? You weren't even outside."

"I have my contacts." Diamond pressed her hooves together. "You know that."

"You spy on your friends?" Rumble's jaw dropped; he rubbed his eyes. "That's not what friends do."

In a flash, Diamond assumed eye contact with Rumble, the former's pupils lit aflame. "Well, what do you know about friends? Do you even know anything? Are you just that gullible?"

Faint glows swelled within Rumble's eyes. A second later, two streams of liquid dripped down his cheeks.

The shimmering tears were like sucker punches to Silver Spoon; a brooding expression was painted across her face. Passing out would've been preferable to witnessing the disaster before her.

"Oh, so you do cry." Another groan left Diamond's mouth, Silver Spoon's throat tightening on instinct. "Why does somepony who looks like you have to be so lame?"

The tears cascaded down at a faster rate. Silver Spoon inched closer to Rumble, wrapping a foreleg around the distraught colt. Warmth enveloped her, the environment around Silver Spoon turning into a blur. Even a wetness tickled her cheeks, though such tears felt different than the ones from before. They weren't sour or depressing.

These tears stung. An empathetic taste dripped on her lips, if a taste could be defined as such.

"It's going to be okay, Rumble," Silver Spoon muttered. She massaged his back for a second. "It's going to be okay."

While she wasn't familiar with supporting somepony crying, the action something Silver Spoon would never do a week ago, something about trying to comfort Rumble just felt right. Any reason as to why this was the case eluded Silver Spoon. Maybe this was the kindness Silverspeed, Cheerilee, and others knew she was capable of.

Rumble needs me. I'm sorry, Di, but he needs me more right now.

"Don't worry. I'll be here if you need somepony," Silver Spoon continued. "I promise."

Rumble sniffled. "I wish Diamond learned how to be nice," Rumble murmured. "You did it, so she can as well." Seconds passed by, his face slowly twisting into a scowl. "But right now, Diamond Tiara isn't like you." Rumble took a deep breath, eyes glued to Diamond.

"Diamond Tiara, you are the worst, most despicable pony I've ever had the displeasure of meeting!" he snarled. "How dare you act like this!"

Speechless, Diamond stepped back. She blinked.

"You never cared about friendship! This was all an act!"

While Silver Spoon disagreed, Diamond's concern for her before splitting up ringing in her mind, she knew where Rumble came from. Anypony would understand when placed in his horseshoes. Yet, while Silver Spoon wished she could chime in and let Rumble know of Diamond's redeeming qualities, saying them would be too out of place. Defusing the crisis was more important. Any time she thought of an idea about easing tensions, however, only produced blanks.

"You just want to look cool and be popular, and you're going to break the backs of anypony who gets in your way! Backstabbing your one best friend is just the worst! How dare you!"

Diamond's brow rose; her eyes widened. "But I—"

"I'm sorry, but you need an attitude adjustment. All that bullying got to your head, and don't tell me it's innocent teasing or something your cutie mark is telling you." Rumble glanced over toward Silver Spoon, then back to Diamond. "Your former friend is proof of this."

Then, Diamond's pupils shrunk to the size of pinpricks. No response left her.

"You know what, I'm done with you. If you leave me alone, I promise I won't tell Miss Cheerilee." Nudging away from Silver Spoon, Rumble turned around in a huff, shoulders sagged and head hung low. "I just want time to myself, okay?"

Diamond slowly nodded; her visage was colorless. Not even a ghost could've managed such a reaction.

"I'm sorry I had to unload on you, but it's for the best." Rumble sighed. "I hope you learn from this." And with one last flick of his tail, Rumble trotted toward the playground's corner, never bothering to raise his head during the brief journey.

Not a peep left anypony's mouth. Even the air and the animals silenced themselves. A second later, the crowd all stared into Diamond's eyes, none of the gazes focusing on them wearing smiles or glowing expressions. They all donned grim, bleak frowns. Silver Spoon, on the other hoof, merely sat down on the grass and kept her attention on Diamond. As for the pink filly, she became a concrete statue, not a single muscle budging or an eyelid closing.

Time screeched to a halt in the middle of Ponyville Elementary.

Silver Spoon desired for the day to end. Suddenly waking up in her bed with a headache was all she wanted.

This wasn't a dream.

The searing wounds within Silver Spoon's chest were too real.

Her attempt at kindness lit the fuse.

And the storm was likely to return later.

Silence ruled the rest of the day. Aside from a few moments where a student raised their hoof to answer a question, all gossip froze. Rumble's eyes were still reddened; he sniffled on occasion. On the other hoof, an eerie stillness defined Diamond, her coat pale and eyes wider than they've ever been. No words or grunts left her. She just sat there.

Even Cheerilee had a quietness to her. She rarely raised her voice, the lessons more melancholic than they should've been. Of course, math was a subject most foals found dreary at best, Silver Spoon only having a passive interest in the myriad numbers and symbols which decorated the chalkboard. Yet, everything was darker and slower as if the world approached absolute zero.

Silver Spoon wore a glum expression through it all, eyes glued to the chalkboard and blinking less and less. On occasion, she'd glance at her notebook and jot something down, usually exercises and miscellaneous notes.

Other than those activities, nothing major happened as the clock approached the end of school.

Nopony even bothered glancing at the clock. They just sat there like emotionless dolls.

Soon enough, a chime split the air, everypony slowly packing their school supplies and pushing themselves away from their desks. Cheerilee feigned a smile, cheeks taut.

"Goodbye, everypony," Cheerilee said. She waved at the trotting students, most returning a wave of their own. "I wish you all the best!"

"Same here," some replied.

Sitting was all Silver Spoon did for the following minute. Her eyes scanned the perimeter of the classroom, waiting for the initial crowd to clear up. With the clacking sound of hooves quietened, she hoisted her saddlebag and approached the doorway; Silver Spoon then waved at Cheerilee.

"Goodbye, Silver Spoon."

"Goodbye, Miss Cheerilee."

Rolling her shoulders, Silver Spoon then stepped outside. Knowing home awaited her warmed her heart. Another minute of being confined in such a gloomy room would siphon the joy from her after some point. She'd inform her parents and Silverspeed of what went down and her involvement in the mess soon enough. Withholding such information tended to result in emotional outbursts; she knew this well. Anything else needed a thick blanket and some tea.

But first, she needed to rest.

Silver Spoon made a beeline toward a wooden bench; she sat down on it without a second thought, plopping her saddlebag to her left. The violet cloth bulged like a overfilled balloon and the stitches clung for dear life, though they luckily didn't budge enough to tear a hole in the bag. At least some of the books and assignments resting inside could take her mind off of today's events. Anything which could do so would've been welcome.

I hope Rumble and Di aren't hurt. A sigh escaped Silver Spoon's mouth. She scanned the world around her, everypony minding their business and trotting about. At least nothing too outlandish or horrifying leaped out of the bushes. Further incidents were the last thing she needed. Maybe things will be better tomorrow.

"Silver Spoon!" a squeaky voice called out. "Silver Spoon! Are you there?"

Swiveling her head to the right, Silver Spoon noticed a trio of fillies approaching her. Sweetie Belle was the one hollering her name, eyes widened and unblinking, while both Apple Bloom and Scootaloo trudged behind with anxious expressions and drooped shoulders. If Sweetie was doing what she thought, wanting to talk to her with her fellow crusaders in tow, she knew she couldn't blame them for being nervous.

She was Silver Spoon, after all.

"Is something wrong, Sweetie Belle?" Silver Spoon replied, her tone soft. "How can I help?"

Sweetie skipped toward Silver Spoon with a bright smile. "Nothing's wrong. I just wanted to talk to you."

"What's on your mind?"

"Hold on!" Scootaloo blurted out. "Sweetie Belle, are you sure we can trust—" Scootaloo pointed a hoof at Silver Spoon "—her?"

"Of course we can, Scoot. She's a better pony now." Sweetie turned to face Scootaloo, their eyes gazing at each other. "Haven't you noticed?"

"She hasn't gotten into trouble for a while, but you shouldn't just trust her so quickly."

Apple Bloom raised a hoof. "Well, Sweetie's right," she said. "Silver Spoon is nicer—from what I've noticed."

Silver Spoon's lips curled into a soft smile. "Thanks, Apple Bloom."

"No problem." Pausing, Apple Bloom's pupils then shrunk. She rubbed the back of her neck and blushed. "And come to think of it, I should apologize to ya in pony for embarrassin' ya at the dinner like that."

"It's okay." Silver Spoon exhaled; her muscles loosened a little. Hearing the apology from Apple Bloom's mouth did warm her a bit, even if the embarrassing event seemed like ages ago. Despite this, such events did have a habit of clinging onto ponies like her, though at least it wasn't gnawing at her. "It's in the past now."

With puckered lips, Scootaloo then rubbed her muzzle. "Well, if both of ya think Silver Spoon is okay, I guess I can talk with ya." A fierce scowl twisted enough to make a manticore's hair stand up adorned Scootaloo. "But I'm watching you." She leaned closer to Silver Spoon, their noses inches apart. "Got it?"

Silver Spoon nudged away from Scootaloo; her coat turned pale. "Got it."

"Don't scare her like that, Scoot," Sweetie berated. She rolled her eyes, brow ruffled. "Sorry, Silver Spoon. Scootaloo is—kinda like that."

"It's okay. Given what I did, I understand." This was the same filly she teased with Diamond about her inability to fly, after all. Brief pictures of that day appeared in Silver Spoon's eyes. She cringed. "I'm sorry for teasing the three of you."

"Apology accepted." Sweetie trotted up to Silver Spoon, taking the empty seat next to her. "Isn't that right?"

Apple Bloom nodded and bore a smile. On the other hoof, Scootaloo froze in place. Tapping her hoof for a few seconds, silence filling the air, Scootaloo then slowly nodded as the other crusaders did before her.

Not a speck of doubt swirled in Silver Spoon; she knew Scootaloo hadn't truly forgiven her. At least a nonverbal acceptance was a start.

"Anyway, where was I?" Sweetie continued. Incoherent mumbling left her lips. Silver Spoon's ears twitched, but even leaning an inch closer to Sweetie failed to decipher what left her mouth. Just then, she said, "I remember now."

"It's about Rumble and Diamond Tiara, isn't it?"

"Bingo!" Sweetie turned toward Silver Spoon; the pair made eye contact. "Silver Spoon, what happened to Diamond Tiara? She looked so—different."

Silver Spoon shrugged. "I wish I knew. Getting a lashing from Rumble must've cut deep. Looking back, I wished I could've helped both of them."

"I bet," Apple Bloom said. "I've never seen her like that."

"Neither have I—and that's what worries me."

"You don't think she'll never be happy again, right?"

"She'll be okay." Silver Spoon pressed her hooves together. Looking back at how Diamond appeared, something about her paleness and lack of light in her eyes sent a chill down her spine. The tightness in her muscles returned without warning. "I hope. As you said, this isn't the usual Diamond Tiara. She'd been called out before, and she'd always leave in a huff."

Everypony knew this. Silver Spoon was there for some of these instances, such as when they both landed in a muddy pigpen, and without fail Diamond would groan and mumble. Some curse words coupled with mentions of the Cutie Mark Crusaders may have left her mouth. From the moment she met Diamond, any encounter would end this way if it fell apart for her.

Until today. A piece of Diamond vanished today.

"And now she's lost her bite, right?" Scootaloo asked.

"I guess you could call it that." Silver Spoon twiddled her braid. "Oh, I'm also concerned about Rumble. Is he okay?"

Sweetie bobbed her head. "He'll be fine. I saw him chatting with his big brother after school. I saw him chuckle a bit when his brother made silly faces."

Silver Spoon wiped her brow and breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness."

"That's part of why I wanted to see you for a bit."

Cocking her head, Silver Spoon shrugged. "To ask about Rumble? I don't know him as well as other ponies do. He seems nice."

"Not exactly." A mild giggle escaped Sweetie's lips. "I just wanted to say how proud I am of you. Ya stuck up for Rumble. Even though the pony being mean to him was your former friend, you did the right thing."

"Even I had to admit that took a lot of guts," Apple Bloom added. "I'd still be shakin' if I was in your spot."

"Well, thanks for the kind words," Silver Spoon murmured, her cheeks warm. As she thought about what transpired, the back of her head couldn't stop itching. A sort of unconscious sensation took hold of her during the situation. Comforting Rumble and interacting with Diamond was clear in her mind. Yet, at the same time, she didn't feel in complete control. It was as though destiny guided her along a fork in the road and urged Silver Spoon to take one path. "I appreciate it."

How did I become that empathetic? Was I always like this?

It prodded her coat the more she thought about it.

"No problem," Sweetie replied. "You've earned some praise."

"Though I can't help but wonder what Diamond Tiara's up to," Scootaloo added. She tapped her hoof on the ground. "Ya think she's plotting some revenge?"

"Scootaloo, she's not in the right frame of mind to do anything that complex," Silver Spoon said. She brought her attention to the pegasus. "I've been around Di before, and I know that she tends to keep to herself whenever she's upset."

"It's just a thought." Scootaloo gently kicked the air; she then crossed her forelegs. "Like, I wouldn't put it past her."

"Diamond Tiara is probably wondering what went wrong. Yet, even when she was upset, I've never seen her take something so hard."

"Maybe she needs somepony to talk to?" Sweetie pointed out. "Just a hunch."

"Somepony to talk to," Silver Spoon whispered to herself. She gazed at the grass below and then back to Sweetie. "I don't know if it'd work, but maybe I need to go visit her."

"Didn't she call ya a traitor or somethin'?" Apple Bloom asked.

"She did. Yet, I think I'm the one who needs to see her." Silver Spoon paused and caught her breath. "I was her closest friend once. If anypony is able to get to her, I think it'd be me. You understand, right?"

The three fillies nodded in unison.

"I just need to think about how to phrase it." Placing her hooves behind her back, Silver Spoon closed her eyes. "Hmm. I can't throw difficult questions at her to start out. Maybe easing into it is the best option."

"That's a start," Sweetie said. "But how would you know when to ask the bigger questions?"

"That's the thing. It depends on how Di responds to my words. I might not even get through to her."

"That would be a problem." Sweetie rubbed her muzzle. "Maybe you should wait a day or two."

"I could, but now is the best time if I'm going to cheer her up."

"But is she going to even listen to you?" Adjusting her posture, Sweetie then crossed her forelegs, muzzle scrunched. "I know you were once friends with her, but I don't think she'd listen to anypony right now."

Silver Spoon's shoulders sagged; she sighed. "I know where you're coming from. Yet, I'm going to have to try." Perking up, she then pushed herself off the bench and stood straight, head held up high. "I'm going to have to try for Di's sake. She needs somepony right now."

"That's pretty kind of ya," Apple Bloom said. "Do ya wanna have us come along?"

Turning toward Apple Bloom, Silver Spoon locked eyes with her. She then shook her head. "I appreciate the offer, but this is something I'm going to have to do on my own. Sorry."

"It's fine," Scootaloo replied, gently waving her hoof. "Diamond Tiara's kinda b—" the other fillies all shot glares at her "—she'd probably trust you much more than us." Her cheeks became a rosy red. Scootaloo snickered for a second. "That's what I was gonna say."

"That's why I'm the only one who can go."

Silver Spoon glanced to her right, a white speck on the horizon none other than Diamond's mansion. Memories flooded into the crevices of her brain. Admiring the art and sculptures her family collected over the years was always a part of visiting the mansion. The games and the outdoors swimming pool also warmed her heart at the thought, Diamond's giggles echoing in her head.

For as much trouble as Diamond got herself in at times, she truly was charming once one got to know her better.

It was just like how others saw Silver Spoon.

A flash of light appeared.

"I got it!" Silver Spoon blurted out. "I know how I can help Di!"

"That's awesome!" Sweetie cheered. "What is it?"

"It's just a little application of what I learned." Silver Spoon donned a sheepish smile. "I have a feeling this might work."

"I hope it does."

Silver Spoon turned around. "Same here." She exhaled. "Well, I better get going. It was nice talking to you."

"Yeah, it was nice," Apple Bloom said. "Well, I guess we'll see ya tomorrow."

Nodding, Silver Spoon's smile widened. "Goodbye, Cutie Mark Crusaders." She grabbed her saddlebag; the weight on her back pushed Silver Spoon into the soil a little. "I wish you the best."

The trio waved in unison, grins painted across their faces. "Goodbye, Silver Spoon," they all shouted in unison.

With a comforting sensation bundled in her chest, Silver Spoon strode toward where Diamond's abode resided. Within the marble walls would be her former friend, the twinges of her wounded soul palpable from miles away. As she continued pressing on, Silver Spoon's smile slowly vanished like a mirage, a blank expression replacing it.

There was no telling whether her plan would work or not. Diamond was always tough to persuade, even when they were still friends. There was a reason why some saw her as more of a follower than a partner in crime, after all. Yet, Silver Spoon needed to try her best. Diamond Tiara needed somepony by her side. She needed help.

Diamond Tiara needed Silver Spoon.

Author's Note

Fun Fact: I finished writing this chapter two days before "Crusaders of the Lost Mark" aired. After applying the final edits, I couldn't help but notice some of the similarities between that episode and a few of the events in this chapter. Coincidences can be funny things.

Catharsis

It felt like ages since Silver Spoon last gazed at Diamond Tiara's mansion. The abode's combination of pink walls, three floors, and marble supports had a lavish taste to it; Silver Spoon wondered if there was such a thing as too much luxury whenever she thought about it.

The tall, metal fence surrounding the abode exuded power. An array of flowers and statues adorning the field exuded power. The spots of red rust running along them somehow added to it, almost as if it was dug out from a kingdom in Tartarus. The swimming pool she used to always swim in with Diamond sat off to the side, only a few pink umbrellas reaching for the sky visible at the moment. It was surrounded by a cleaner fence, though something about it tickled Silver Spoon's coat.

Nothing about it was different at first glance, but Silver Spoon raised an eyebrow as she continued examining it.

Maybe it was her imagination. Anxiety had a way of messing with the senses.

Nevertheless, Silver Spoon cracked the faintest of smiles as she surveyed the area. In the past, she'd find herself prancing about the garden and scrutinizing the statues to the smallest detail, but learning about the sculptures' history was also wonderful. It was enough to always make visiting the mansion an experience. The pool was the icing on the cake, jumping into it and those cool memories of her and Diamond splashing and giggling might be a possibility again.

However, just rekindling her bond with Diamond was more important.

Silver Spoon's shoulders then sagged as she approached the front door. Even during their friendship, getting words into Diamond's head was like finding a needle in a haystack. Perhaps reliving those memories was impossible.

It was now or never. Exhaling, Silver Spoon's chest puffed out.

Please be okay, Di.

If Diamond was ever going to smile again, Silver Spoon would need to beat the odds.

She just wished the odds weren't so bleak.

I'm coming to help you.

She trotted up to the door, adorned with golden trimming and flanked by glittering pots, and knocked on its frame.

"In a minute!" a voice called out.

Silver Spoon straightened her posture, head held up high. Precisely one minute later, the door opened, a brown stallion with a slick, black mane standing before Silver Spoon. He bore his signature tie and confident smirk, though the twinkling in his eyes was a new trait. At least Filthy Rich wasn't sporting a wrinkled frown, Silver Spoon loosening her muscles as a result. Almost nopony saw him with a deep frown.

"Hello, Silver Spoon," Filthy Rich continued. His cheeks were clearly strained, however. In a flash, Silver Spoon sensed a tension much like an anaconda latching onto her. "Are you looking for my daughter?"

"I am," Silver Spoon said. She nodded. "Is she here right now?"

"She is, though I haven't seen her leave her room since she got back. Well, I may have seen her out and about once, but that's it." Filthy Rich took a few steps back. "I don't know what's gotten into her."

With widened eyes, Silver Spoon's coat turned pale. No words left her pursed lips.

"I tried talking to her, but all she'd say was that school went okay." A sigh escaped Filthy Rich's mouth. "I know she's lying and all, but I just don't know how to help her." He assumed eye contact with Silver Spoon. "Do you have an idea you want to tell me?"

Any idea would've been welcome at this point. However, all Silver Spoon could muster was a shrug. While chatting with Diamond was undoubtedly one key to solving the problem, knowing what to say only drew blanks. Silver Spoon tapped the floor, clacks reaching her ears. And all Filthy Rich could do for the next minute involved pressing his weight against the door's frame and scrunching his muzzle.

Exhaling, Filthy Rich then stepped farther back. "Well, I'm guessing you want to talk with my daughter, right?"

Silver Spoon nodded again and donned an incredulous look. "I do," she said. Before, she'd call Filthy Rich something like 'Captain Obvious,' but now was not the time to do that. Then again, Filthy Rich was known for repeating himself and pointing out things almost everypony knew, so it wasn't unusual for him.

"So then, do you want to wait until she's okay with talking again?"

"Not exactly." Silver Spoon paused for a moment. She shivered as if a snowstorm was on the horizon. "I'm concerned for Diamond right now, and I can't waste any time. Can I see her, please?"

"Well, she's kinda—"

"Did she tell you anything about me?"

"Not really. She didn't want to hang out with anypony, though I didn't hear her drop any names."

Silver Spoon arched an eyebrow, head tilted. "Then what's with the hesitation, if you don't mind me asking?"

"She's deeply upset and bawled for at least five minutes." Filthy Rich rolled his shoulders and sweat dripped from his brow. "Believe me, I counted. I promised to not bug her about her feelings until she's ready."

"But she's upset right now. Filthy Rich, she needs somepony now more than ever."

Scrunching his muzzle, Filthy Rich shook his head. "My daughter wanted privacy. I'm not going to back down from that."

"And I'm not going to back down from giving her the help she needs."

"I'll handle everything from here, Silver Spoon." With a few steps forward, Filthy Rich then stretched his foreleg out, pressing his hoof on the door. Silver Spoon nudged back, eyes still locked onto the stallion. "You can go play outside for the time being and if you come by when Diamond's willing to talk, then I'll let you see her."

"But will you talk to her now? For me?"

"I'm not changing my answer." A groan left his lips. Sharp twangs covered Silver Spoon's chest for a second. "Goodbye."

"Wait, don't—"

A slamming noise cut Silver Spoon off, the filly jumping up in surprise and nearly landing on her back. She'd rant for minutes about how Filthy Rich was going about this the wrong way, possibly making it even harder for her to reach Diamond. Time wasn't on her side at the moment, however. With a downcast expression, Silver Spoon trudged away from the mansion, a grim frown painted on her visage.

Swiveling her head about, she noticed a small clearing to her right. As if fate was rewarding her, a gate rested over there, opened and unguarded. She recalled said gate leading to Diamond's swimming pool. One of the windows overlooking the pool was none other than Diamond's bedroom.

It was almost too coincidental. Was somepony expecting her to arrive?

Silver Spoon rubbed her muzzle and approached the gate. While having Diamond see her down below might be unlikely, it was her only shot. Something about slithering next to the swimming pool sent a chill down Silver Spoon's veins, however. Even during her friendship with Diamond, she'd rather fall into another fifty pigpens than blatantly disregard such universal rules. They always had some standards.

Yet, she knew nopony would get hurt if she broke the rules and, if successful, it'd be worth it. Her bullying in the past was probably more taboo than trespassing, and she knew the still beloved Cutie Mark Crusaders had done their share of trespassing before. Another sigh left Silver Spoon. She licked her lips and made a beeline toward the open gate.

"Sorry about this," she muttered. "Di needs me right now."

With light steps, Silver Spoon scuttled past a few bushes. Her head twisted in all directions and scanned the area for any passersby. Neither of Diamond's parents were out and about. None of the butlers who sometimes attended the family were even outside. The only voices Silver Spoon heard came from some singing birds and the slight breeze outside. It was as if everypony decided to leave Ponyville except for her.

Silver Spoon passed through the open gate, the swimming pool sitting before her devoid of any drops of water. The chairs and umbrellas were all present as they usually were. The raft perched on the pool's edge earned a raised eyebrow from Silver Spoon; Filthy Rich would always stuff things like that into storage whenever Diamond and she left the pool. Maybe it didn't cross his mind this time, but it prodded Silver Spoon's nonetheless.

Silver Spoon shuffled her hooves closer to the pool. A faint scent still lingered, Silver Spoon's nostrils twitching.

Breathing sounds reached her ears. However, they weren't hers. They were too muffled to be hers.

Her coat turned pale; the world becoming lighter to where Silver Spoon figured she might float away.

Somepony must've spotted her trespassing. Silver Spoon held her breath.

"Silver Spoon, I know you're there," Diamond murmured. "And I know why you're here. Like, let's just cut to the chase."

Silver Spoon exhaled, the tension in her muscles loosening. "Di, is that you?" She knew the answer, but making sure wouldn't hurt. "Are you okay?"

"Of course it's me." A sigh left Diamond's mouth; a pink foreleg stretched out. "Just because I forgot to close the gate doesn't mean I'm some incompetent changeling."

"Good point." Silver Spoon blushed. "But are you okay?"

"Take a wild guess."

Sulking, Silver Spoon then slowly approached where Diamond sat. "Well, I'm here to help you."

"Help?" Diamond glanced behind her chair, making eye contact with Silver Spoon. "I don't need help."

"I'm sorry, Di, but you do need help. I saw what you looked like after the incident with Rumble."

"Look, can't a filly just relax outside for once?" Diamond groaned; she then placed her hoof on her muzzle. "Gosh, I wanna just have time to relax."

"You can relax, but only after we've talked this over."

Silence filled the air once more. The birds ceased their singing, beaks sealed, and the wind screeched to a halt. Time had to have abandoned Ponyville by this point as well. Silver Spoon's throat tightened as she trotted up to Diamond, the latter donning a fierce scowl. But she had to press forward. She had to avoid breaking down into tears or fainting, even if the lightness urged her to tip over or bawl. Diamond was going through just what she'd gone through not too long ago, after all.

Silver Spoon sensed Cheerilee, Twist, Sweetie Belle, and even Blaze guiding her forward; it was as though they were right behind her, muttering words of encouragement despite being at home or at work.

"Why would I talk it over with you?" Diamond asked. She hissed. "You left me for a blank flank, remember?"

"Because we were friends, Di. I was in the same place you are right now and know how to escape it."

Diamond's brow sagged. She groaned, rolling her eyes. "Fine. Take the seat next to me, but this better be quick."

"It'll take as long as it needs to, Di." Silver Spoon approached the blue chair next to Diamond, plopping onto it seconds later. Sighing, she let her body sink into the plush cushions, her legs loosening ever so slightly. Even if the tightness still lingered, a little less tension was definitely appreciated. "Okay, so let's start at the beginning."

"The beginning?"

"If we're going to fix this, I need to learn the whole story. Otherwise, we'll just bicker and get nothing done."

"And who's to say we won't just do that?"

"I-I don't know." Silver Spoon tugged her braid for a second. "What was life like after we split up?"

Diamond pursed her lips, cheeks tautened. "Well, I did kinda ask Archer to spy on you."

"What?"

"Yeah, when I heard Cheerilee's announcement after the test was returned, I had a hunch something was up. I couldn't just wait for you, so I made a deal with her in order to find out."

"Find out about what?"

Diamond sighed. She glanced at the tiled floor below and then back to Silver Spoon. "I wanted to see if you'd admit to bullying. Also, I had a feeling you were still an egghead at heart." Averting her eyes from Silver Spoon, Diamond then gulped. "It turns out the answer to both was a yes, so I kinda got mad."

"I guess that's why you gave me the cold shoulder the next day."

Diamond nodded. "Yeah, I thought this meant our friendship was over. I made some new friends soon enough—Archer and Tootsie Flute, to be exact. And—like—they're fine and all, but something was missing."

"Maybe it's because you're guilty about what happened." Silver Spoon shrugged. "Do you think that might be it?"

"It could be that. Like, I could've gotten back at you if I wanted, but I didn't. I let you be until the Rumble incident today."

"And why did you call me a traitor?"

"Because—I think—you making friends with a blank flank was traitorous."

"Di, just because I'm friends with somepony doesn't mean you have to see them the same way as I do. See, Sweetie Belle is a nice pony once you get to know her. The same goes for Apple Bloom and Scootaloo as well. Just because they're noisier and different from us doesn't make them bad ponies."

"Okay, but why would I be friends with ponies like them?" Diamond pouted and scrunched her muzzle. "Like, they were rude to us, remember?"

Silver Spoon twiddled her braid. "How so? Did they call us names?"

Not a word left Diamond's mouth.

"Did they play pranks on us?"

Diamond slowly shook her head; her lips curled into a frown.

"Di, all of the bad stuff we've gone through with them was probably karma biting us back. I—I know it's weird coming from me, but we were probably wrong back then."

"But how could I be wrong?" Sniffling, Diamond wiped her eyes. Puddles shimmered like stars on her foreleg. "I was only doing what I thought ponies did."

"I thought the same way as well." Silver Spoon patted Diamond's shoulder, the latter cracking the slightest of smiles. While it amounted to almost nothing, just seeing Diamond donning such an expression warmed Silver Spoon's heart. She hoped it'd soon be wider. "But I learned something which changed my view on that. First, I realized we mistreated Prancy Drew. Then, I learned we mistreated other ponies. And when I became friends with them, I realized that kindness goes a long way."

"Kindness?"

Silver Spoon nodded. "That's right, Di." The world around Silver Spoon became a blur of watercolors, her eyes wet. "Please reconsider what it means to be a pony. There's a wonderful world outside of just us. And—and we'll need to be kind, generous, and loyal ponies in order to fully experience the world. With those and more, happiness will come about."

Pausing, Silver Spoon then blinked thrice. Nature became clear once more.

"Did—did you seriously memorize a self-help book?"

A snicker left Silver Spoon's lips. "Not exactly."

"Okay, but—thanks for the wise words?"

"You're welcome." Silver Spoon nodded again. "But do you see where I'm coming from?"

Diamond shrugged; she then ran her hoof across the chair's armrest. "Well, I kinda do."

"What do you mean, Di?"

"Like, I'm not going to go anywhere if I'm always sweet." Diamond assumed a slight scowl; Silver Spoon not even flinching at the sight. "I gotta be bossy. Otherwise, nopony will listen to me. My parents taught me that—and it got me attention."

"Well, you don't have to be nasty in order to be respected. Some of the most famous ponies in history, past or present, got to where they were by being kind or generous. They may not be perfect all the time, but they've shown that you don't need to be rude and bossy in order to get somewhere."

Pausing for a second, Silver Spoon pursed her lips. She dug through her mind, hoping to find an example of somepony kind and liked she could share with Diamond. There were plenty of candidates, though they all tended to have one or more flaws to where they wouldn't work.

Sweetie Belle and Twist? Diamond would just groan, roll her eyes, and order her to scram if she mentioned them.

Rumble? Silver Spoon didn't need to think for a millisecond to know why muttering his name again was a terrible idea.

Cheerilee, Twilight Sparkle, and Mayor Mare? Diamond may have had some incidents with all three of them, Cheerilee in particular given how she was their teacher.

Rarity and Spitfire? Their tongues were sometimes sharp and they weren't kind all the time.

Aches formed within Silver Spoon's head.

Maybe nopony would work as an example. She tapped her hoof on the ground. Wait a second, I think I know somepony who'd work.

If what she heard was true regarding Discord, perhaps Fluttershy was the pony to mention. While Silver Spoon never met Fluttershy, there was enough gossiped about her to where she had a general idea of her personality. Timid, but kind defined the pegasus.

The widespread fame for her more heroic actions and escapades must've had a role in this, Silver Spoon always remembering where she was whenever Fluttershy and her friends landed on the newspaper's front page. It was likely a byproduct of everypony barely surviving bone-chilling monsters which did this.

And why Silver Spoon took this long to realize why Fluttershy was beloved by most ponies crossed her mind. Silver Spoon winced a little, wishing she realized this prior to turning a new leaf, though it was better late than never for her.

Yeah, she's definitely the best one to choose.

"Um, what's on your mind, Silvy?" Diamond asked while tilting her head.

Silver Spoon exhaled. "You've heard about Fluttershy, right?"

Diamond quickly nodded. "Duh, of course I've heard about her. I've seen her around a lot and—like—acting all scared. How could I not know who she is?"

"You do realize that Fluttershy is respected by her peers in Ponyville—most of the time. Other than a few rare instances, Ponyville appreciates her efforts and how much she's given back to the town. More importantly, it's said that she got Discord to behave."

"Discord?" With twitching ears, Diamond rubbed her eyes. It was as though Silver Spoon just told her something which dealt with the fate of Equestria, not something everypony but Diamond had come to learn. "She's the one who got him to behave and not Princess Celestia? I thought Fluttershy doing that was a joke, but it was real?"

"You didn't know this until now?" Shrugging, Silver Spoon then chuckled. "Di, I thought you knew everything about what went on in Ponyville."

"Okay, maybe I didn't know that." A few seconds of silence had passed by. "I still don't know where you're going with this."

"I'll get there right now." Silver Spoon stretched her foreleg and locked eyes with Diamond. "Anyway, do you know how Fluttershy accomplished those things?"

Diamond rolled her eyes. "Let me guess, magic?"

"Not exactly. It was because she was kind to everypony and treated them with respect."

In a flash, Diamond sprung out of her chair and landed on all four hooves. "You're messing with me, aren't you?" She pointed a hoof at Silver Spoon; Diamond's muzzle scrunched. "That Fluttershy is known to be a doormat, so how was she able to do all of that?"

"Kindness, Di."

Standing upright, Silver Spoon then inched closer to Diamond. The thumping of her heart filled her ears, urging her to either seal her lips or descend into unconsciousness. Other plans were of the utmost importance, however, all of them needing her alert and ready to speak.

And if Diamond was ever going to start changing for the better, she'd need concrete evidence first. Silver Spoon knew finding evidence would be unlikely at best. Perhaps Fluttershy drilling the lesson into Diamond's head would patch things up. Repetition seemed to be an effective method of learning something, at least as far as Silver Spoon knew.

But if Diamond's former friend couldn't reach her, nopony could.

All Silver Spoon could muster was a deep sigh. Her shoulders drooped.

Maybe it's all hopeless. Silver Spoon's eyes shimmered as she clenched her teeth. Diamond doesn't want to change.

"Unless—" Silver Spoon's heart skipped a beat and her pupils widened. "Unless I fight fire with fire."

It was inevitable Silver Spoon's chest would twist itself into a knot. She knew it'd be the most painful experience in her life.

In order to make a few steps forward, she'd have to trot backwards.

Much to Silver Spoon's dismay, she needed to go months back.

Her cheeks burned a bright red; the world inside of her was set ablaze.

"Diamond Tiara," Silver Spoon muttered, the taste of poison on her tongue. "Rumble never loved you."

"What are you talking about?" Diamond questioned. "O-of course Rumble loved me—for a bit."

Then, Silver Spoon raised her head back up. She stomped closer to Diamond until their muzzles were an inch apart. "He never loved you, Di. He was only being polite and didn't want to hurt your feelings. Rumble was always a sensitive colt, and you knew this. You only saw him cute on the outside and wanted to brag about it. All it amounted to was a crush."

"I didn't want to brag about it." Beads of sweat dripped from Diamond's brow. "I actually thought Rumble was my special—"

"I can smell the lies coming from you, Di." Silver Spoon ground her teeth for a second. As she expected, sharp twangs formed in her chest, soon spreading throughout the rest of her body. "You did it for bragging rights." She took a quick breath. "Say it."

Diamond shook her head. "No."

"Say it."

"No."

Silver Spoon closed her eyes shut. "Say it right now, Diamond Tiara!"

Upon opening her eyes, Silver Spoon noticed the same paleness Diamond wore earlier. The same widened eyes and slightly agape mouth from before also returned, albeit less dramatic. Silver Spoon's left eye twitched, the lightheaded sensations returning to her.

However, apologizing wasn't an option. Silver Spoon would slap herself across the face every hour of every day if she screwed up then.

Wiggling her limbs with a frown plastered across her face, Diamond's pink color returned. She murmured, "Okay, so maybe some of it was for bragging rights." Another sigh left her lips. "You got me."

"Now then, did Rumble actually love you?"

Diamond shook her head. "No."

"Do you know why?"

"Because—" Diamond gulped. She brought her vision back to Silver Spoon. "Because I wasn't nice. I was a meanie. I'm sorry."

With the faintest of smiles, Silver Spoon then patted Diamond's shoulder. "That's what I've been waiting to hear. I think Rumble would like to hear it, too."

Diamond forced a chuckle. "Yeah, you're right. I was a rotten pony. I kinda had what was coming to me."

"And now you know the key to becoming happier."

Cocking her head, Diamond then arched an eyebrow. "Which is?"

"Kindness and being a fun pony to be around." Silver Spoon brought her hoof back to her chest. Sensing her muscles loosening, she took a step back "In other words, friendship. Look, I—I know I berated you there, but I needed to get my point across."

"I understand." Diamond wiped her eyes. "I'm sorry for not believing—"

"No," Silver Spoon interrupted. "I'm sorry." The environment turned into a hazy blur of watercolors, Silver Spoon's cheeks tickling. "I'm sorry for being mean to you like that. I'm sorry for not trying to patch things up sooner."

"And I'm sorry for refusing to believe you, Silvy. I couldn't accept the blank—I mean—the Cutie Mark Crusaders being nice, let alone becoming your friends." Diamond paused; she then sniffled for a second. "I was so caught up on keeping my attitude to where I forgot what was most important of all."

"What would that be?"

Without warning, Diamond spread her forelegs out and wrapped them around Silver Spoon. The filly's body warmed as if a fluffy blanket hugged her, her lips curling into the brightest smile she'd worn in ages. The wetness dripping down her cheeks intensified; these tears had a jubilant taste to them for some reason. It was as though something filled a hole in Silver Spoon's heart.

Silver Spoon refused to let go of Diamond.

Diamond refused to let go of Silver Spoon.

"Diamond Tiara," Silver Spoon whispered into her ear. "I'm so proud of you."

"Same here, friend," Diamond responded. "Say, do ya wanna get some treats at Sugarcube Corner?"

Silver Spoon snickered a little and blushed. "We shall." The pair released each other from their cozy embrace. "And this time, we'll have fun."

"Definitely! Let's not waste any time, Silvy!"

Raising her hoof, Silver Spoon gently poked Diamond's shoulder. "And one more thing, Di."

"Yes?"

"Don't worry if it feels like nopony else will be your friend at first. With kindness and generosity, you'll get there soon enough."

"And you know this how?" Diamond cocked her head.

"Let's just say that I have a lot to share with you right now." Silver Spoon took a deep breath. "This is my story of the past few days."

Both Silver Spoon and Diamond pranced away from the mansion and along the smooth road. Ponyville's streets were calm for once, everypony wearing a bright smile across their face and the sun above the sky glowing even brighter. These were paltry compared to the grins and widened eyes which decorated the two fillies.

Silver Spoon glanced over to Diamond, sharing the details of how she became who she now was. Everything, from her first meeting with Twist to her encounter with Blaze and everything in between, was mentioned. Diamond nodded and smiled throughout the whole story, sometimes asking questions and Silver Spoon answering them in a flash.

And once Silver Spoon approached where they were now in her story, Sugarcube Corner was only a few hoofsteps away. This time, they'd strengthen their bond instead of weaken it.

Reunion

For once, Silver Spoon could breathe without anything tightening her throat.

She couldn't remember the last time a second went by without her feeling anxious about something. Even during the brighter days, there was always an itch in the back of her mind creating tension. It was something that could be controlled, but having it absent for once was like a dream come true.

It was unusual, however. But unusual wasn't always awful.

It was also the second day she spent some time watching the clock. Her spirits lifted for each second which went past, eyes nudging in sync with the clock's hand. Today's lunch break was also one Silver Spoon knew would rank among her favorites.

She wasn't alone; every foals' eyes were glued to the clock. Cheerilee would even glance at it from time to time.

The outside world was also inviting; the sun glowed overhead and a faint breeze swirled within the playground's confines. All of the pegasi must have heard the news and made sure today would be perfect for an outdoors lunch. Perhaps Blaze had a gut feeling about today and put in a good word for her after their talk a few days ago.

Then again, she was used to coincidences.

Silver Spoon peeked at where Diamond Tiara sat, gently waving at her friend.

This time, Diamond returned with a wave of her own. A mild smirk formed across her face.

It was just like the good old days if those times saw them as the kinder, wiser fillies they became.

A fraction of a second later, the bell rang. Almost everypony leaped out of their desks in the blink of an eye, saddlebags or sack lunches in tow.

"Have fun, everypony!" Cheerilee shouted amid the joyful cheers. "We'll continue this lesson when we return!"

As Silver Spoon observed her fellow students dashing out of the classroom with bright grins, she wore a smile like everypony else for the first time in what had to be ages. It wasn't as though she hadn't smiled since then or even in a moment like this. For this instance, happiness was all Silver Spoon could express.

And it was thanks to the pink filly next to her.

Another minute flew past; Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara were the only foals still in the classroom. Gossip and laughter already filled the air with some ponies wasting no time in surrounding the playground equipment. On the other hoof, others slowly approached the table with sack lunches. For Silver Spoon, joining up with Twist and the Cutie Mark Crusaders was imperative. Even if forging a friendship between them and Diamond would be like climbing the tallest mountains in Equestria with a boulder on her back, Silver Spoon donned a faint smirk at the thought of them forgiving her friend.

However, getting Diamond to come along might take some time.

Diamond bit her lip, shoulders sagged.

"Ready, Di?" Silver Spoon asked.

Diamond tapped the tips of her hooves together and pursed her lips. "Like, I guess so," she said with a downcast expression. "Well, I was going to pass along a message to you and some other ponies, but I don't know how everypony will treat me after what happened yesterday."

"What would that message be?"

"I'll get to it when the time is right." A sigh left Diamond's mouth. "Anyway, I wouldn't blame everypony else for being afraid or mad at me."

"Don't worry." Silver Spoon wrapped a foreleg around Diamond. The two locked gazes with each other. "Sure, some ponies may be a bit hesitant at first, but maybe they'll be more comfortable with you in a day or two." Cracking a smile, Silver Spoon then trotted toward the playground that awaited them. "Remember what we talked about yesterday?"

Diamond nodded. "It'll take time, but I have to be friendly, even if it's tough."

"That's the spirit!"

"I'm glad to see you helping other ponies, Silver Spoon," Cheerilee said. Both Silver Spoon and Diamond turned around to face her; Cheerilee sat behind her desk as usual, a shiny red apple in her hoof. "And I hope you're feeling better, Diamond Tiara."

"I've—like—still got a ways to go," Diamond replied. A slight smile then decorated her face. "But I'm feeling much better. Thanks for your concern."

"You're welcome." Cheerilee bit her apple, chewing for a few seconds. "Anyway, is there anything else you need?"

"I'm fine."

Turning to face Silver Spoon, Cheerilee then made eye contact with her. "And you, Silver Spoon?"

"I'm also fine, but I'll let you know if we need anything, okay?"

"Sounds good to me." Cheerilee nodded and her grin became brighter than the sun. "I hope your lunch break goes well!"

Silver Spoon waved at Cheerilee, Diamond following suit seconds later. "Same here, Miss Cheerilee."

Upon trotting outside, a cool breeze brushed across Silver Spoon's face, her braid flailing about like a flag caught in a whirlwind for a moment. She glanced over to Diamond and then to the tables; Twist and the three Cutie Mark Crusaders were huddled up at one of them and already in the midst of discussing something. Perhaps the three were telling the myriad of stories they had about trying to get their cutie marks.

"Let's not waste any time," Diamond said as she trotted forward. "I'm—like—totally ready now."

Nodding, Silver Spoon stayed to Diamond's side. The thought of going up to the four fillies as friends tickled her chest. Yet, it was comforting in a way. Before, Diamond and she would assume sickening scowls, trotting around them in circles and hissing like snakes.

That was the past. This would be the opposite.

"Hi, everypony!" Silver Spoon called out. "Can we join you for a bit?"

The four turned toward Silver Spoon; they shifted their focus to Diamond a second later.

"Sure," Apple Bloom replied. "Is Diamond Tiara joinin' us as well?"

"I am," Diamond said. "Would you mind if I did?"

Scootaloo arched an eyebrow. "It depends. You're not gonna make fun of us again, right?"

"I won't tease you." Arriving at the table, Diamond sat down at one of the empty seats and quickly procured the sack lunch in her saddlebag. "Like, I know I was a rotten filly back then."

"Ya kinda were," Apple Bloom said. She paused; her cheeks flushed and her hooves shielded her lips. "No offense." A soft giggle escaped her mouth. "But if Silver Spoon was able to become a good pony, I guess I can trust ya, but I'll keep an eye on ya for now."

"Makes sense to me."

"Anyway, I talked to Di about how she was feeling yesterday," Silver Spoon said. She took the last empty seat, finding herself next to Diamond. "She may be a bit brash at times, but I know she means well."

"That's good to know," Sweetie responded, her visage donning a smile. She then stretched a hoof out to Diamond. "Welcome to our little group, Diamond Tiara!"

"Well, I wouldn't call myself a Cutie Mark Crusader," Diamond muttered. "I do have—"

Silver Spoon gently nudged Diamond, placing her lips closer to Diamond's ear. "Shake her hoof and accept, Di," Silver Spoon whispered. "Trust me. Don't mention anything about cutie marks, okay?"

Shrugging, Diamond cocked her head. "Huh?"

"Di, I'd do it that way. Trust me on this one."

While it wouldn't be the most genuine acceptance, Silver Spoon knew it'd be a start. Diamond expressing kindness in such a way, even if it was a minor moment, would be a vast improvement over her scoffing at everypony and forging her own path. Silver Spoon knew nopony would mind if she politely butted in from time to time.

If Sweetie's bright, radiant eyes and extended hoof were anything to go by, Silver Spoon knew they'd get along eventually. Warmth formed within her chest, her smile widening.

"You've got yourself a deal, bl—Sweetie Belle!" Diamond announced. In a flash, she shook hooves with Sweetie. "Like, I bet we'll become great friends once we get to know each other a little better."

"That's how it's done!" Sweetie chimed in return. The pair brought their hooves back to their chests. "See, you're getting the hang of it already!"

Silver Spoon patted Diamond's back; the warmth in her chest soon spread throughout her body. "What did I say, Di? I told you that kindness goes a long way."

"Yeah, I see where you're going with this, Silvy," Diamond replied. She brought her attention back to the Cutie Mark Crusaders and then to Twist. "Also, since I'm here, I guess I should—like—apologize for all of the nasty stuff I did." She sighed, shoulders drooped slightly. "Sorry for being so rude to the four of you."

"Apology accepted," Twist said. "No hard feelings."

With her eyes widened, Diamond's posture perked up. "Wait, what?"

"What's so odd about forgiving you?"

"Nothing, but it was so sudden." Diamond paused for a few seconds. "Like, with all the bad things I did, I thought it'd take days, maybe even months."

Twist grinned. "I don't see a pony who's mean. Instead, I see a pony who's trying to better herself. You spoke from the heart and while some of the stuff you did was terrible, I can still forgive you since you seem genuine about it."

"Yeah, I guess that's one way of looking at it."

"It is," Silver Spoon added. "While not everypony believed me at first, I was able to get that across." She made eye contact with Diamond, a slight smirk across her face. "Maybe after a day or two, ponies will start to see the new you."

Nodding, Diamond returned a smirk of her own. "You make a good point, Silvy. Like, if I stay nice and calm, things should go smoothly."

"That's the way it works, Di."

"Also, maybe I—"

"Excuse me," a familiar voice said. "Can I say a few quick things?"

The six fillies turned around; standing before them was Rumble, sulking a little. A chill rushed down Silver Spoon's spine. While the incident yesterday was more between him and Diamond, Silver Spoon couldn't help but notice her heart thumping in her chest. The pale cheeks Diamond wore didn't help matters; tension filled the air.

"Hello, Rumble," Silver Spoon said. She exhaled and forced a smile across her face, cheeks tautened. "How are you?"

"Hi, Silver Spoon," Rumble replied. "I'm better, thanks for asking."

"You're welcome." Silver Spoon pursed her lips for a second and twiddled her braid. "What brings you here?"

"No need to be nervous." Rumble trotted closer to the group and sighed. "If anything, I should be the one who's nervous."

"Is this about what happened yesterday?" Sweetie asked.

Rumble merely nodded.

"Oh."

"Diamond Tiara?" Rumble nudged even closer, Diamond scuttling back a few inches. "Look, I know our 'date' yesterday was a disaster and we said a few things."

"A disaster would be putting it lightly," Diamond muttered. She feigned a nervous chuckle and averted her gaze. "But—like—where are you going with this? I don't wanna make this any worse."

"I wanted to apologize for my behavior."

The six fillies' eyes all widened in unison. It was as though everything came to a halt for a second.

"I was rude, and looking back at it, I shouldn't have said some of the things I said."

Diamond raised an eyebrow. "What? What are you talking about?"

"I obviously said some things that hurt you, so I wanted to apologize."

"Like, shouldn't I be the one apologizing?" Diamond tilted her head. "I was the pony who said all those nasty things. I did start the problem."

"That doesn't change the fact that I was also rude." Rumble brought a hoof toward Diamond; his eyes shimmered. "So, Diamond Tiara, will you forgive me?"

Quickly grabbing Rumble's hoof, Diamond then shook it. "I do. I'm also sorry for my behavior that day."

"I forgive you as well." Rumble released his grip; he then faced Silver Spoon. "By the way, Silver Spoon, thanks for trying to comfort me back there. I highly appreciate it."

Silver Spoon's cheeks warmed up; a sheepish smile formed across her face. "You're welcome. I'm always willing to help if you need it."

"Same here," Diamond added. "While I don't know if I can make up for what I did, I'd be honored to help if you need somepony."

"Yeah!" Apple Bloom cheered. "We're always willin' to lend a helpin' hoof. Isn't that right?"

With bright grins, the six fillies nodded together once more.

"Thank you, everypony." Rumble placed a hoof to his chest and then bowed. "I have to meet up with some of my friends, but you're welcome to join up when you can." Turning around, he then waved to the group and skipped across the grass. "Best wishes!"

"Same here, Rumble!" the group shouted in unison.

As the colt reached his small circle of friends, Silver Spoon's group all brought their eyes back to each other. Diamond's expression caught her attention most of all, however, as a teary smile decorated her. It was enough for Silver Spoon to notice a wet, ticklish substance at the bottom of her eyes.

For once, crying felt comforting, maybe even pleasant in a way. She never considered tears of joy to actually happen outside of gushy romance novels, but there she was, crying tears of joy alongside Diamond. And while her other friends didn't exactly join in, their bubbly smiles and glowing eyes as they watched them were close enough. Silver Spoon would hug all of her friends at the same time if she could.

"You're such wonderful friends," Silver Spoon murmured. "There's no other way of putting it."

"I agree," Diamond said. "Maybe there is something about kindness. Like, maybe this is what makes happiness."

"You're exactly right." Silver Spoon wrapped a foreleg around Diamond for a moment. And as if they read her mind, Twist and the Cutie Mark Crusaders all huddled up around them, joining in the group hug she yearned for seconds ago. "We're all so proud of you."

Nodding, Diamond wiped the tears away from her eyes. "I know. You all rock, and don't let anypony convince you otherwise."

"Yeah, we're a cool bunch," Scootaloo replied, hooves behind his head. "Ya know, maybe we'll become close friends after all. You're a quick learner like Silver Spoon over there."

Everypony then returned to their seats, but they kept their gazes on Diamond and Silver Spoon.

"Silvy always learned quickly." Diamond gently nudged Silver Spoon, the latter chuckling for a moment. "We all know you're a genius."

"You're making me blush, Di," Silver Spoon said.

"Oh, and one more thing!" Straightening her seating posture, Diamond peered into Silver Spoon's pupils, Silver Spoon doing the same. "Silvy, I did talk to Archer about the whole spying thing, and while she can't come over right now, she is sorry."

"Well, I'll accept her apology." Silver Spoon cracked a slight smile; a giggle escaped her lips. "Her actions did make us all better ponies, after all."

"Agreed."

Silver Spoon rubbed her muzzle. "By the way, what's Archer up to right now? I assume she's working on some kind of project if she's busy."

"Yeah, she's busy doing something with her buddies right now, though I wouldn't call it a project."

"How come?"

Diamond took a quick breath. "Like, it's something sports related—something about a rumor that the Wonderbolts are going to be visiting in a few days. They're gonna talk to us about what it's like and teach us some things related to what we've been learning."

"Really?" With twitching ears, Silver Spoon leaned closer to Diamond.

"Yep!"

Of all the ponies who sprung into the air at Diamond's words, Sweetie was the last on Silver Spoon's list. Yet, she leaped up alongside Scootaloo, both of them adorned with radiant grins.

Scootaloo being excited at the prospect, however, was expected given her interests. With this observation, Silver Spoon wondered if Scootaloo would fly soon. Her wings seemed to be developing as the pegasus maintained flight for a few seconds; they were inches away from keeping the pegasus airborne. And Silver Spoon's heart couldn't help itself from warming at the thought.

I know you'll fly one day, Scootaloo. Maybe you'll even join—

"The Wonderbolts?" Scootaloo blurted out. She plopped back onto her chair, unable to sit still. "That's totally awesome!"

"Aha! That's who Blaze must work for!" Sweetie chimed, her voice squeaky. "I knew it!"

"You didn't mention it when we met her," Twist teased. "That would've been cool to know."

"I know." Sweetie sat back down, blushing. "I just kinda forgot."

The six all laughed in unison, Apple Bloom hiccuping in the middle only intensifying the giggling.

While both Diamond's journey and her journey were far from over, Silver Spoon knew they'd come out as stronger, wiser, and better ponies. To think that their initial breakup would see her befriending not one, but four ponies she teased in the past. Diamond was well on her way in doing the same, the playful remarks and friendly discussions with other ponies hinting at this. And somewhere within Ponyville Elementary, Cheerilee had to have been grinning and so proud of her students.

If friendship was magic, Silver Spoon and Diamond were both experiencing why friendship was the strongest magic of all. It was the light at the end of a dark tunnel. Even if there were some bumps in the road or obstacles to clear, Silver Spoon knew she had the heart to make it across; her friends would help guide her.

And should Silver Spoon cross paths with Prancy Drew again, they'd definitely forge the friendship that almost happened.

The End