Diamond Tiara gave a small smile to herself as she watched the three newly cutie-marked ponies have their much-deserved celebration. After she had been so horrible to them for so long, it only seemed right that in the end she would be the one to push them over the edge to realize what their true talents were. But it was also a bittersweet moment for her, as she still had no idea how things stood between her and Silver Spoon. They had helped make the new playground together, but Tiara had been too nervous to say a single word to her, and now she worried that she’d missed her chance to ever make things right.
Then she saw her friend across the room, also looking happy at the fillies’ success, but with a sadness in her eyes that no smile could hide. Suddenly Tiara saw the possibility that it wasn’t too late after all, and after a brief moment of fearful hesitation she walked over. “So, I didn’t see this coming,” she opened with, seeing it as a safer bet than directing confronting the issue.
Silver Spoon looked back at her and said, “You can say that again. But it really does make sense the more I think about it. In fact, I’m thinking about asking for their help myself.”
This took Tiara back a bit. “Really? But you always seemed so comfortable before.”
Spoon retorted, “You mean like you were?” Tiara had to look away at that, the sting of the truth being too much for a moment. Spoon went on, “I mean, if you thought figuring out what your cutie mark meant was hard, just try this.” As she wiggled her flank, Tiara was a bit ashamed to realize that in all the time since they’d both gotten them, they had never actually discussed their marks with each other.
Seizing the chance to find some common ground, Tiara said, “I’d guess the heart in the handle has something to do with it. No idea what, though.”
Spoon simply replied, “Yeah, that’s what I figured.” Since the conversation started, Tiara had detected a slight edge in her friend’s voice. Anyone else probably wouldn’t notice, but they’d been friends for so long that she couldn’t help but pick it up. And that last line confirmed it: Spoon was still angry at all.
Tiara supposed she couldn’t blame her friend at all for that, and there was only one way past it that she could see. “All right, Silver Spoon. Let me have it.”
Spoon looked confused. “What do you mean?”
“You can drop the act. There’s something you want to tell me. Probably something really bad. Celestia knows I probably deserve worse. But I know you, and if you don’t say it, it’s just going to eat away at you. So just tell me, right here and now.”
Spoon raised her eyebrow. “You’re sure?” At Tiara’s nod, she said, “All right then, here goes. I completely get how messed up someone can become with a mother like yours. Maybe even more than you realize. But that excuse only goes so far. I was right there with you for all the bad things we did to those three, so don’t lie to me, or to yourself. It wasn’t all just because of what Spoiled Rich told you. Some of it you did just because you wanted to. Remember when we made fun of Scootaloo for not being able to fly? It’s maybe the thing I’m most ashamed of in my whole life, and somehow I can’t see even somepony like your mother going that far.”
Tiara looked down. “Yes, you’re right. And I’m ashamed of it too, now.”
Spoon gave her a hard look. “And that’s not all. Ever since the election I’ve been wondering, would I have ever done something like that if you weren’t there convincing me it would be a good idea? Maybe I could have been a good filly, but then you took that from me.”
Tiara winced. She’d been expecting this to be bad, but that hit quite a bit harder than she was expecting. “I don’t know what I can say to that. But I really do regret those things, and I’m going to try to be a better pony. You believe me, right?”
Spoon gave her that same smile with the sad eyes, and put a hoof on her shoulder. “Yes, I do. And believe me, I’m happy for you. But fixing a fence together just isn’t enough to make up for all the stuff between us.”
Tiara felt tears welling in her eyes as her worst fear seemed to be coming true. “But what can I do? I want to fix this. Our friendship was the best part of my horrible life before, and I want it to keep going, and be better.”
Spoon shook her head. “I don’t know if there’s anything you can do. I enjoyed our friendship too, and I’m sorry, but that’s just how it is.”
Tiara wiped her tears away as a new thought occurred to her. “Well, that doesn’t mean I can’t try, right? And I promise, from now on I’m going to do my best to make everything up to you. Maybe it won’t work, but it’s all I can do, right?”
Spoon nodded. “And I hope it does work. It’s not going to be easy, but if there’s anything I’ve learned since we met, you’re tough enough to do it if you really want to. Good luck.”
***
Later that night, Tiara still had no idea how she was actually going to do what she promised. What did she know about being anything other than a bully? She needed help, she decided, and only one name came to mind.
As Twilight opened the castle door, Tiara wondered if she was imagining the brief look of disdain at the sight of her before it was replaced with the princess’s usual smile. Either way, she imagined she’d be seeing that look for some time. “Can I help you?” Twilight said.
Tiara didn’t think she’d ever felt more nervous. “You were there helping with the playground, so you saw what I was like there.” At Twilight’s non-committal nod, she continued, “And I really do want to be better than the pony I was. But I just don’t know how. And so I thought, you and your friends have reformed a lot of ponies. Word’s gotten around about stuff like Trixie and Gilda. Even that you got Discord himself to turn good.”
Twilight held a hoof up. “Let me stop you right there. I wasn’t even involved in some of those things, and I didn’t do any of it alone.” Tiara began to drop her head and turn around, as she hadn’t let herself get her hopes too high about this anyway. “Wait!” said Twilight. “There is one other pony like that you won’t have heard of, and I think talking to her is your best chance of doing this, if you’re really serious about it, of course.”
Tiara nodded vigorously. “I am! Definitely!”
Twilight smiled and nodded. “Any time something like this happens, it’s the best part of my day, and I hope I can help any way I can. But for now, come on in.”
They went to the back of the castle, into its library, where Twilight pulled a book off a high shelf and opened it. Tiara was confused to see the pages were completely blank, but then Twilight cut off her questions with “Let me tell you about a pony named Sunset Shimmer.”