Author's Note
Set during MLP: FiM Ep. "Crusader of the Lost Mark": Silver Spoon had always been there for Diamond Tiara. Through thick or thin, she was there for her. These are her thoughts on when Diamond Tiara, her best and only friend, stabbed her in the back during the class presidential election.
Tarnished
To be honest, if any pony was going to win the class election, it be any pony except Diamond Tiara. Her campaign, though had high standards and big changes, it was held alongside sugar-coated blackmail and bribery for the other students. She threatened to reveal a few little, insecurities about the other foals if they voted for the other team. If there was one thing that I knew about Diamond Tiara, is that when she wanted something, she'd stop at nothing to get it. She pulled out all the stops when it came to these things, so her chance was pretty high.
But she could put up with it. I mean, they were best friends, and of the same high class. Like the old saying went, 'Ponies of cashmere sweaters, flock together'. Yet that still didn't mean that it got stressful to put up with her drama almost everyday, but how was she to say no to her best friend in the whole wide land of Equestria?
The answer: she couldn't.
She could only just try to help Diamond Tiara win this thing so that she could be satisfied and not have any more of this drama over beating her miniscule competitor with his lame, blank-flank, campaign managers as she so put it. So far she had tried to help by mentioning the announcement of a statue of Diamond Tiara being placed in the playground if the other foals voted for her, but it didn't turn out so well. Diamond Tiara scolded her since she wanted to be the one to make the announcement. She, herself, had tried to justify her actions by saying that she was only trying to help her friend, but she ignored her and went on to brag about her riches and superiority over every pony else.
"Silver Spoon! That was my big announcement for when I won!"
"I was only trying to help."
"I don't need that kind of help."
Her reply, through gritted teeth. It hurt her more than any pony could have expected. Diamond Tiara hadn't even noticed the pained look on her face as she just continued to try and sway the students into voting for her. It was then that she began to see how she cared more about the votes than for her best friend's own feelings.
She actually didn't mind the other team's campaign. It was for a selfless, worthy cause that benefited the school. A new playground set to replaced the broken, old one that had been mostly destroyed by Princess Twilight's battle with Tirek. Honestly she rather want that then just a statue. You couldn't play on a statue and it would be nice to have some nice, new equipment to play on.
Swallowing and covering up her feelings behind her, she tried again to help her friend out, just lending a simple suggestion that might help her gain more followers. Nothing could go wrong with helping her dear, best friend out with a helpful, little hint.
"I've a tiny suggestion, that you should be aware. You could probably win this election, if you showed them all you really-"
Then the bombshell dropped.
"I don't recall asking you to speak!"
Everyone gasped, all but her and her best friend. The best friend she had that just told her to be quiet, the best friend that now thought that her whole freedom of speech was controlled by her now. That she could only speak when asked and when told to be quiet, to shut up completely. That she was nothing more then a mere obedient servant who would only talk when asked or told to.
Best friends didn't tell you to shut up. Best friends didn't control who you were. Best friends didn't ignore you when you were only trying to help. Best friends didn't hurt each other.
Her talent was making things shine, like the shiny silver spoon cutie mark on her flank. She brought others up by making them shine, not leaving them neglected. If you let something neglected it became tarnished, like silver kept unpolished and left out for quite some time.
In the end, she knew what she had to do.
Pip won the election in a landslide vote. Diamond Tiara only received one vote total, but it wasn't from her.
"Whaat?! One vote!" She swung her head towards her. Silver Spoon! You didn't vote for me," she had asked.
"No, I didn't," was her own reply.
"But you're my best friend," she had exclaimed. Hmph, 'best friend'? Let's just see how much you were to me.
"Am I? 'Cause I tried to help by mentioning your 'surprise' statue, and suddenly I wasn't even allowed to speak!" It felt really good to let it all out. She kept going, breaking the reality of the subject to her. "You could have actually won this election if you had just listened to wanna know how?"
She leaned in a whispered to her, "Sorry. I'm not allowed to speak." She gently pressed Diamond Tiara's lips together before hurriedly leaning back again.
Diamond Tiara had grown angry, letting out a scream of rage before running off somewhere away from her. She then became aware of some pony watching her. She turned to see Pipsqueak, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, some of the students and the teacher, Mrs. Cheerilee, watching her.
"What? I don't have to follow her drama anymore," she replied before walking away from everyone's eyes.
After some paces, she stopped and thought over of what had just happened. She had just stood up to her friend, her 'best' friend, and had told her off. Something had set off inside of her, wanting to voice her injustice she had gotten from her friend.
It had felt good.
Grinning, she started to head back inside to gather her things since school had finished for the day.
