CHAPTER FIVE
THE WAYWARD PINE
“Come on let’s move it girls, we can’t let a little rain stop us!”
Golden’s shouted encouragement was lost in the howling wind and driving rain that battered her armour like a million tiny hammers. Water poured through the gaps in the steel plates, soaking her mane and coat, mingling with her body heat and making her discomfort nigh on unbearable. She tried in vain to blink away the rain and sweat stinging her eyes but the more she tried the worse it seemed to get, if that were even possible. She lifted her head, took a breath and pushed on up the hill – hill? It was more like a mountain! In fact, it probably was. That rat of a sergeant of theirs had brought them out here in a covered army wagon, dumped them on a trail in the middle of a blasted rainstorm and gave her a map that looked like it had been drawn by a drunken colt! There were times, she thought to herself bitterly, that she could very happily just collect her things and tell the academy command to shove their career right up their combined furry arses.
“G…Gold…Golden…” One of the mares stopped on the trail, her breathing so hard it was coming out in plumes that made her look like a steel scaled dragon, “How much…how…”
“Not much more, Anchor, just a few hundred yards and we’ll be at the campsite.” Golden tried to sound convincing, but in truth, partly due to the weather as well as the horrendously vague map, she was anything but certain. “Try and keep up with the others, now.”
“Y…Yes, ma’am.” The mare attempted a salute which turned into more of an exhausted wave of her hoof before returning to the uphill trail.
Golden mentally checked them off as they passed, although with the low visibility she couldn’t be certain whether she’d missed anyone. “Damn it!” she hissed, and pulled off her helmet. To hell with orders, the blasted thing was causing more trouble than it was worth and if she couldn’t see or hear properly, what bloody use was it? She gave herself a shake, trying to see down the track towards the struggling mare coming up through the mud and rain. The cadet’s coat was hard to see, but she knew who it was before she’d caught a glimpse of those familiar brown eyes.
Fair Lace staggered to a halt, all but collapsing into Golden, “Hello…” she gasped, “Fancy meeting you here.”
Golden shook her head, “Damn it, Lacy, I said to stay with the wagon if you were sick!”
“Who said I was sick?!” Fair snapped, coughing suddenly. She squeezed her eyes shut, spitting a gobbet of phlegm onto the mud slicked track and held up a hoof, “Okay, I’ll give you that one.”
“Look at state of you!” Golden reached out and caught her friend, “Goddesses above, Lacy, you’re burning up!”
“I am not!” Fair Lace pushed Golden away, but even in that simple act, she could tell just how little strength her friend had left. But what were they going to do now? They were, at least according to her estimations, over halfway to the campsite and to take a sick mare back down in this weather would be madness. What was worse, their unit medic was one of the lead mares! She cursed herself for that stupidity.
“Here, lean on me.” Golden made her friend lift a foreleg over her shoulder, “That’s right.”
Fair Lace coughed again and spat out another mouthful of phlegm, “Let’s go, Trips.” She wiped her muzzle and tried a smiled, “I can’t…let that piece of crap see me…like this.”
“Who? Nut Case?” Golden asked.
Lacy nodded, “That rat has is in for me.” She smiled sadly before, locked together, the two of them began hauling themselves up the muddy track. It was easier with a friend to help, both physically and emotionally.
Golden lifted her head, focussing on the path ahead, “He has it in for all of us Lacy. If there’s one thing I’d say about him, it’s that he doesn’t discriminate: he just hates everypony. He’s what you might call an equal opportunities bigot.”
Her friend chuckled, “Always feels better when you spread the love eh?”
“Doesn’t it always?” The white mare grinned and together they continued on up the hillside.
Around them the rain continued to fall in a windswept cascade that felt as though nature herself was trying to wash the land free of everything, including the trees, rocks and in particular, two foolish ponies. Golden could tell Lacy was nearing exhaustion - she could feel it even through the armour. Her friend’s hide was radiating heat like a beacon fire with steam pouring off her and floating away in the wet, muggy air. To make matters worse, it was all too apparent that making any headway up the mountain was becoming almost impossible: between the river of mud that had once been a track, and being weighed down with not only her own armour but also her friend, they were going nowhere and their efforts were only sapping what little strength they had left.
“W…Why have we stopped?” Lacy asked.
Golden grimaced, gave herself a shake and looked around them at the thick woodland, “Because we aren’t getting anywhere, and if we don’t find shelter soon, we’ll really be up to our fetlocks in it.”
“But…” Lacy began to protest, but relented, “You’re the boss.”
The white mare huffed and, helping the stricken cadet, took them off the trail into the trees. The rain wasn’t as intense here, but that wasn’t saying much. The sound, if nothing else, was somewhat deadened by the dense foliage and the air warm and thick. Golden looked about them for something they could use, and there…yes! Just what they needed, “Come on, not much further.”
True to her word, their salvation stood before them. Fair Lace furrowed her brow, panting for breath, “What? It’s a…a broken tree?”
Golden nodded, “Father used to call them ‘Travellers Pines’; when the branches are collapsed downwards like that, they act like a shelter. Not perfect, and we’ll have a bit of work to do, but if we can get inside we may even be able to get a small fire going.”
“Hah! Full of surprises is our Trips” Fair Lace snorted.
“An advantage of coming from a military family” Golden said, pulling off her armour, “And first things first, we’re getting this junk off our backs so we can actually move.” She paused, “You first.”
The amber mare groaned, “Wish we could have washed our hooves off, this bloody stuff’s like glue.”
“You got that right old girl, looks like were stuck together whether you like it or not, eh?” Golden gave her friend a wink, receiving a tired smile in return, “So, let’s see what we’re dealing with here.” There was a clank as the first of her friend’s armour plates came free, quickly followed by the rest.
“Oh, thank the goddess!” Lacy gasped, “I thought I’d never be able to breath again!”
Golden didn’t reply. She’d already noticed the way Fair Lace’s body had been filling out lately and the strain she was putting on the straps and adjustment buckles was really beginning to tell. Any more of that and she’d need to go to the armourer for a larger set and questions would definitely be asked as to why one of the cadets was putting on so much weight.
The last of Golden’s armour dropped onto the mud and pine needle strewn ground before being unceremoniously stuffed under cover. Tired and aching, the two mares pushed their way through the drooping branches into the relatively dry and pungent space beneath. Lacy all but collapsed, her head leaning against the trunk and completely dismissive of the sap sticking to her fur; she just didn’t care any more. Golden pushed her way to the other side and moved the branches back, covering their entrance and immediately began rummaging in her panniers for one of the small magical heaters they carried for cooking. It was a marvellous device, and one of the few magical items she’d ever had much time for. After all, in the Spoon family earth ponies simply didn’t have the need for such ‘frivolities’ and ‘pointless knick-knacks’ such as magic. Thankfully for her the army did make use of ‘frivolities’ and this was one she was glad of too. Taking out the small tin and collapsible frame, the addition of a couple of the fire crystals soon produced a warmth that felt pleasantly soothing in the confines of the pines tree’s fallen branches.
Lacy groaned, stretching out her legs, “Got anything for making a cuppa?”
Golden held up her canteen and gave it a shake, “Always be prepared!”
The addition of a mess tin, some water, and a sprinkling of tea and sugar was like a little slice of heaven. Best of all though, most of the rain was outside and not in there with them. A cold drop landed on Lacy’s ear, making her squeak in surprise; the odd drip she could live with, but why did it always find its way into such bloody awkward places?! Golden pulled her issue towel out of her pack and gave her mane a rub, “Did you bring provisions, Lacy?”
The amber mare nodded, “Some, but only the usual emergency stuff.” She raised an eyebrow, “’Only to be eaten with the express permission of a senior officer’, remember.”
Golden closed her eyes and raised a hoof, “In which case, as the slightly senior officer here, I hereby give us both permission to enjoy a delicious repast in the comfort of our woodland billet.”
The mares shared a laugh. You had to when you looked at what the ‘emergency rations’ actually comprised of. Goddesses above it was bad enough being stuck out here, wet, tired and probably lost, without adding hunger to the mix too. Unfortunately, the word ‘rations’ proved to be a hopelessly optimistic title.
“What the hell’s that?!” Lacy snorted, “It smells like crap!”
“Soup…apparently,” Golden said reading the instructions.
“How in the name of Luna’s paddled rump is that round thing soup?!” Lacy tossed her still damp mane, “Nopony can eat that!”
“You add it to boiling water and stir for two to three minutes” Golden said, dropping two of the round tablets into her mess tin, “I’ve got enough water afterwards for another cuppa each.” She rummaged in the open parcels and took out a paper wrapped parcel, “And...Chocolate and biscuits, boiled sweets, and of course my all time favourite: reconstituted, dehydrogenated hay strips with flavour enhancer!”
Lacy scrunched up her face, “Oh, goddesses…” she said with a wince “Is that what I’ve just eaten? Hell fire, I thought it was cardboard.”
“I take it the flavour enhancer isn’t quite up to par?” Golden asked, selecting some of the chocolate.
Lacy shook her head, “Not unless it’s enhanced with the flavour of cardboard, no.”
“It’s better than starving” Golden replied.
“Huh!” her friend huffed taking a swig of her tea to drown the horrible taste, “If you say so. I’ll have to take your word for that.”
The soup, mercifully, was actually quite good despite the odd smell. The consistency wasn’t amazing of course, but it had a distinctly pleasant flavour. What it was, was probably best not enquired about, but after the ‘hay strips’ it was more than likely necessary to use the soup to soak the vile stuff in your stomach.
“Mmm…chocolate’s not bad” Lacy muttered, “Crackers are nice too.”
“You must be hungry…” Golden groaned and shifted her hind leg. The thing was still twinging after slipping and sliding around in that blasted mud bath out there. She peeked outside: it was still raining and it was nearly pitch black too, as it would have been inside their improvised shelter if it hadn’t been for reddish glow from the fire gems.
“Guess the others must be at the base camp by now.” Lacy muttered.
Golden nodded as she rummaged through her pack, “Mmm.”
“Trips?”
“Mmm?”
“I’ve been thinking; do you think that I should, you know, try and make a go of things with Smelt.” Lacy smiled sadly, “I think I’d like that.”
Golden tried pulling her brush through her mane but gave up. The tangles were too full of sap, pine needles and who knew what else. Manticores bollocks, she was probably going to have to have the damned thing cut right back now. Blast it! She froze, her friends words finally sinking in, “Make a go of things?” She closed her eyes and sighed. Of course, it all made sense now didn’t it? “How long?” she asked.
Lacy blinked, “Huh?”
“How long have you known?” Golden pressed.
“About a few months or so” Lacy said softly, “I’m not sure to be honest.” She looked up into the purple eyes of her friend, “You knew?”
“Do you honestly think I wouldn’t notice you sneaking out before reveille to puke your guts out in the bathroom?” Golden shook her head, “Or that you were eating things you normally hated and could barely get into your armour?” The white mare sighed, “Oh, Lacy…I warned you this could happen.”
Fair Lace nodded slowly, “Yeah…well, it’s a little late now though, eh, old girl?”
“Yes…yes, it bloody well is, isn’t it?” Golden snorted and gave her muzzle a rub. Even her forelegs were cover in sap now. She looked over at her friend’s lost expression and felt a mixture of anger and sadness towards her. She’d thrown her future away as if it meant nothing, and for what? For a tumble under the sheets with a fancy coated stallion? Goddesses above, some ponies can only dream of getting a place in the Equestrian Military Academy and Fair Lace, her careless, foolish, dearest friend, had just given it all away. “You’re going to keep it, aren’t you” she asked, already knowing the answer.
Fair Lace nodded, “Wouldn’t you?”
“I…I don’t know” Golden huffed, “My career is…everything to me.”
“To your family, you mean.” Lacy replied. She waved a hoof “That’s all this means to them, Trips. Mama, Papa, they all want a child of theirs in the academy so they can show the rest of the nobs that they’re ‘playing their part’. It’s all about political point scoring in the royal court; you know that, and I know that. The really sad part is that everypony knows it too, and yet it still goes on. Doesn’t that bother you at all?”
Golden sniffed, “No.”
“Well it should” Lacy said with her customary air of importance, “There’s more to life than playing at soldiers so you can warm your arse on a comfy chair in the castle court.”
“Is that how you see this?” Golden asked, her ear twitching in irritation, “You think we all do this just for political gain? That all the months of training and stress and effort is all for something so…so shallow?”
“Isn’t it?”
“NO!” Golden’s mane bristled, “Some of us care about more than just politicking, Lacy. I don’t know about everypony else, but I want to be able to play my part to protect our home and do my duty to Equestria.”
“Pah!” Lacy spat, “What a load of old claptrap! You don’t seriously believe all that ‘Duty, Honour, Commitment, Loyalty’ rubbish do you?” She started idly picking at a blob of sap on her hoof, “That lot would happily watch you trot off to fight in some goddess forsaken war of theirs and wouldn’t even be bothered to piss on your grave when you came back in a box.”
“If that’s how you feel, then why the hell did you join up?” Golden growled.
“Because, dear, like you I was bloody well made to come, wasn’t I?!” Lacy narrowed her eyes while fiddling with her hoof, “But then I suppose that a pony with such a lofty sense of duty and honour probably jumped at the chance, am I right?”
“Some of us care about Equestria, Lacy. Is that so hard for you to understand?” Golden replied.
“Oh, come down off your bloody soapbox! You’ve always been so damnably self righteous, haven’t you?” Fair Lace shifted her weight and rolled onto her stomach, “I’m sorry we can’t all be perfect like you, Miss Dutiful, but there’s a real world out there – far out beyond the realm of jumped up little self important turds like Nut Case, the damned nobility and those prissy princesses sat in their ivory castle.” She gave her mane a shake, “So what if I enjoyed a bit of fun with Smelt? So what if I’m going to have a foal? I love him, Golden, I love him and I want us to be together. Stuff the academy and stuff the nobility! As soon as we get off this stinking mountain I’m going to the camp commandant and giving him my papers.” She nodded, “And that will be that.”
“What about Smelt?” Golden asked, “You think he’ll just give up his career for you?”
“Of course he will” Lacy said with a confident nod of her head, “He loves me, and I know he’ll make a wonderful father to our foal. He’ll come away with me and we’ll be able to start a life together. I’ve got some money in a trust fund from my grandfather, so we’ll have everything we need to make a go of things.”
Golden closed her eyes and rolled over onto her side. There it was again, that phrase, ‘make a go of things’, as if by simply uttering those words the world would somehow bend itself around you to help you achieve your goals. Life didn’t work like that, and in reality, Lacy knew that all too well. Optimism and wishful thinking were all well and good, but reality and fate were bitches and they took no prisoners in this life. Golden took a breath and settled herself down for the night, “I hope you find the happiness you deserve, Lacy, I really do.”
“The way you said that makes it sound more like a threat!” Lacy chuckled, “But I’ll accept it anyway.” She gave Golden a wink, “Look, Trips, I know you’re angry with me, I can see it in your eyes, but…this is my choice. I knew the risks and I was willing to take them.” Lacy sighed, “I was hoping you’d agree to be the godmother to our foal.”
“Me?” Golden barked out a laugh, “What do I know about foals?”
“As much as me, I’ll wager.” Fair Lace yawned, “And like me, you’ll need to get some sleep too.”
“And on which note, I’ll sound the evening retreat.” Golden closed her eyes, screwed up her face, and let out a loud fart that shook the branches with its unbridled ferocity.
“Goddesses almighty!” Lacy shrieked, “Oh…Oh Celestia! What the hell?!”
“Oops! Sorry about that!” Golden blushed and began to laugh, “I think that was a lot more dehydrogenated than I expected!”
Lacy covered her muzzle with her forelegs, her eyes squeezed tight shut, “Buck me, I can’t breathe! Damn it, Golden Spoon, I’ll get you back for this one day, you mark my words!”
“Hey! I didn’t know it was…” Golden’s ears twitched and her tail quivered, “Oh…oh no…here comes another one!”
“TRIPS, YOU BLOODY….!”
A low rumble of thunder rolled through the quiet forest as the rain continued on into the night.
********************
Silver Spoon yawned expansively and threw the covers off herself. Why was it that when it was cold out and you didn’t want to go anywhere, there was always something you had to do? Celestia’s ears, never mind that, why was she up so early? She looked round and saw Diamond Tiara still fast asleep beside her. Silver sighed; it just another day. Hello, what was this? A small red book sat beside her on the bedside table, open at the last page – that was careless, she usually made sure she closed a book properly before going to sleep. Another yawn took her and she reluctantly pulled herself from her warm, protective cocoon like a butterfly in the warmth of the summer sun.
“One that needs her teeth brushing” Silver muttered to herself, walking unsteadily to the washstand.
One of the these days she’d put her head right in the bowl. She wasn’t sure whether it would help wake her up any quicker or just make a mess, but the thought of it had always tempted her. She stared at the water and groaned – not today. A flannel, a brush and she would be right as rain. Speaking of which… She opened the heavy curtains and stared out at the grey sky and rain. Weren’t there supposed to be weather ponies here? Where were…oh! Oh, yes, she remembered Sebastian saying something to her mother about rain coats yesterday: there must have been a scheduled downpour today. Still, as grey and miserable as it looked out there, it did have a certain charm about it, particularly when you had good waterproofs on and weren’t getting your fur wet! Di muttered something in her sleep and turned over as Silver brushed her mane. One hundred strokes before bed and when she woke up – every morning and every night without fail. When she was young she’d hated it, and envied the ponies who had short manes and tails, and especially those unicorns! Oooh! The way they just sat there, smug with their glowy, sparkly magic, and made everything look so easy! Being an earth pony was…well, boring by comparison. She wished she had magic, and could just ‘Poof!’ around the house without having to walk, or float things like pens, pencils and brushes! Holding it in your hooves or mouth was something she was used to of course, but it didn’t mean she couldn’t…wish… Silver sighed.
“Silv?”
Silver looked round to see a small pink filly sitting up in bed and rubbing her eyes with a foreleg.
“Is it time to get up?” Di asked groggily, “It’s so dark still.”
Silver smiled at her friend, “It’s early, Di, but that means we get the run of the house.”
“We do?” Di yawned, “Don’t we have school today?”
“Not for another two hours!” Silver said chirpily.
“Argh!” Di threw her forelegs up in exaggerated frustration, “Two HOURS!” She fixed her friend with a bleary stare, “Don’t you ever sleep?”
Silver shrugged, “Not as much as I’d like.” Di noticed the sudden distance in her friend’s voice as the silver-grey filly continued, “So, I’m going down to papa’s study. Coming?”
“I suppose so…” Di groaned and dragged herself from under the covers, trying to savour every last morsel of warmth before all but dropping onto the floor. Great alicorn feathers, why was this house so cold?! Di shivered.
“You alright?” Silver asked in concern.
“It…It’s f-freezing in here!” Di said, rubbing her forelegs, don’t you feel it?
Silver scrunched up her muzzle, “No?”
“I think my legs are going to drop off!” Di grumbled, “It’s no wonder you get poorly living here.”
Silver flinched at the off hoof comment by her friend. Di didn’t mean any harm by it of course, but she hated being reminded of her ‘fainting’ fits. She closed her eyes and gave herself a shake before walking over to the wardrobe, “Here, this looks like it should fit you.”
Di took the long prink fluffy robe from her friend, “It’s so warm!” she breathed and pulled the cord around her to snug the wonderful garment against her fur. She paused and looked up, “What about you?”
“I’m fine,” Silver shrugged, “I must be naturally warm blooded.”
“Humph!” Di huffed, “I’m not sure what that says about me!”
Silver chuckled, eliciting another giggle from her friend, “Come on, let me show you Papa’s treasures!”
Excitedly, the fillies dashed down the stairs, trying to keep as quiet as possible but at the same time falling about in fits of giggles as they loudly shushed each other and darted this way and that as though they were spies on a mission. They definitely needed practice, Silver thought to herself, especially when the large plant pot went flying! Thank Celestia she’d been able to catch the thing, even if it had dumped water all over mama’s new cushions. Still, the simple expedient of turning it round had effectively hidden the crime from view and nopony need be any the wiser. Unfortunately it had made the two giggle all the more and they’d all but galloped into the study and headlong into…
“SEBASTIAN!”
“Miss Silver, Miss Rich” the old fellow intoned.
Di’s mane stood on end in fright. She didn’t like Sebastian: he was…creepy. And why did he always refer to her as ‘Miss Rich?’. Oooh! She hated that!
“Good morning, Sebastian” Silver said happily, “Is everything alright?”
“Yes, Miss Silver. The morning post has arrived and is on his Lordship’s table.” He checked his pocket watch and frowned, “Breakfast will be at eight.” He raised an eyebrow, focussing on Diamond Tiara who flinched back behind her friend, “I shall instruct Cook to set another place for your…‘guest’.” Without another word the dark stallion swept from the room, closing the door behind him with a sound that made Di jump.
“I don’t know how you live with a pony like that” Di whispered, “He’s scary.”
“Sebastian?” Silver asked in surprise, “He’s a sweetheart.”
“A sweetheart?” Di replied in amazement, “Are you bonkers? He’s like a zombie!” She stood on her hind legs, held out her forelegs and began shambling around the room, “Yesss Misss Sssssillllveerrr… Let me get you some…BRAINS!” She suddenly jumped on her friend and the two fell onto the large settee laughing and tickling each other before a knock at the door made them freeze.
“Hello?” Silver called.
The door opened. To their relief it was Mrs Cream.
“Hello girls, thought I’d bring you a couple of apple juices and a hot jam tart each, fresh from the oven.”
Di took a sniff of the pastry and felt her heart leap. She had home made food at her house of course, but there was something about Mrs Cream’s baking that always made her feel ‘tingly’ inside. “Th…Thank you…” she muttered.
“You’re welcome!” Mrs Cream gave them both an expansive smile and winked at Silver, “Eight o’clock for haybacon sandwiches and a hot mug of sweet tea Miss.”
“Thank you!” Silver said, beaming. She was already halfway through the sweet pastry and ended up spraying crumbs across the floor. Mrs Cream just chuckled and vanished from the room.
“You alright, Di?” Silver asked.
“I…yeah…yeah I suppose so” Di muttered, half to herself. She suddenly gave herself a shake and took a bite of the tart, letting the still warm pastry crumble into tiny pieces on her tongue before tasting the tangy sweetness of the strawberry jam. It was…heaven…
“Come on, I’ll show you Papa’s cabinet!” Silver said happily.
The fillies walked past the bookshelves to the long wooden chest where Silver very carefully replaced the small red diary she’d been reading last night while Diamond Tiara stared around her in amazement. “I’ve never seen so many books” she breathed, eyes wide at the sight of shelf upon shelf, row upon row of the bound works of countless ages. She suddenly sneezed, “Phoo! It’s so musty in here!”
Silver flinched at the word, but didn’t say anything. Even after all this time, even though her friend didn’t say it to wound her, it still hurt to even hear it. She knew she was being foolish but…Goddesses, she wished she were stronger, like Golden Spoon had been. She ran her hoof over the diaries; there weren’t many left now before they got into all that war stuff. She didn’t want to read that, no matter how tempting it was to effectively ‘finish the story’. And something else was troubling her too: she couldn’t really put her hoof on it, but every now again she would remember bits and pieces of a conversation, like fragments of a jigsaw puzzle. It was hard to explain, but it seemed to revolve around a small grey colt and…and she didn’t know his name. Silver rubbed her muzzle and gave herself a shake before adjusting her spectacles – she really shouldn’t read so late at night.
“What in Equestria is all this?!” Diamond Tiara reached up to the huge glass cabinet before her.
The display cabinet was the entire width of the room, featuring treasures and mementos from generations of the Spoon family. A set of drawers and cupboards lined the bottom section, requiring a ladder on runners to reach the higher areas. Silver pointed out some of her favourites:
“Look there, do you see those? Those are manticore teeth. Great Uncle Bouillon fought one single hoofed when it walked into his camp while he was exploring the great western forests.” She pointed to another, “That’s the armour plate from a war dragon’s head. Papa said it was from the ‘wars of the three tribes’. That was before even the war with Nightmare Moon.”
Diamond Tiara stared at the enormous steel plate. It had clearly once been painted, some of the green colour having flaked off with age, and it was molded to shape too. She could see where the eye of the beast would have been, and cut-outs for what could only have been horns and…teeth? She shuddered. She’d been taught in schools that although dragons were rarely seen in Equestria due to the treaties with the princesses, they were still dangerous and should be avoided. ‘Keep low, keep quiet, keep still’, they’d been told – she’d kept the badge too, despite mother’s ‘dislike’ of such things. Silver was still talking, but something had caught her eye, something…large…
“…from the hills of the Griffin Empires third architect that…”
It was...a pony’s skull. She stared up at it, her friend forgotten. The large white bone, yellowed slightly with age and just…hanging there – she didn’t know why, she couldn’t explain it, but it made her feel…sad, for some reason. She reach up a hoof towards the hole where one of the eye would have been, the ears… She paused; they weren’t ears, they were…horns? She furrowed her brow, noticing the long curling teeth that seemed to sit alongside the more familiar equine teeth she was used to. Di ran her tongue over her teeth; there were four slightly pointy ones or ‘wolf teeth’ as they were called, but other than that, it was quite obvious ponies were far from the meat eaters the owner of this skull had been. She shuddered as a wave of cold ran through her from nose to tail.
“That’s the skull of a thestral.”
Di blinked and turned to her friend, “Huh?”
“A thestral” Silver repeated.
“A…a thestral?” Di kept staring at the strange thing, a sense of fascination and horror running through her, “What are they?”
“Were. They’re all gone now” Silver said quietly, “Papa said they were monsters that fought for Nightmare Moon over a thousand years ago.” She shrugged, “I think it’s a fake.”
“A fake?” Di turned to her friend in surprise, “Why?”
“All those teeth?” Silver chuckled, “I think some of my ancestors liked to make themselves look like big explorers or discoverers when, you know, maybe they weren’t?” At her friend’s puzzled expression, Silver opened a drawer and pointed to a glass case with a stuffed creature inside. The faded label read:
Radragon
“WHATS THAT!” Di squeaked and jumped back in alarm.
Silver smiled at her friends reaction, “The original label fell off, but it said something about a ‘demonic rodent that terrorised the people of Paddock before being slain by Lord Cream Spoon of Spoon Manor.”
“And this is a...a demonic rodent? A ‘Radragon’?” Regaining her usual composure the pink filly leaned forward and stared at the mangy looking thing in the case. It had been posed to look at if it were rearing and about to strike. She looked closer, “Is that…is that glue?” She scratched her muzzle in thought, “It looks like the teeth have been glued on to a dead rat.” She peered at her friend in confusion.
“It’s lost a bit of fur, but back then it probably did look quite ferocious.” Silver nodded, “And yes, it’s a rat. If you look closer you can see where the spikes have been added and the teeth look like they’re from a manticore.” She pointed up to the teeth in the display cabinet, “I worked out how many teeth a manticore should have and there’s four missing.”
“And there’s four on our rat here!” Di said clopping her forehooves together, “You should be a detective. We could be detectives! How cool would that be?!”
Silver nodded excitedly, “Seriously cool!”
“Do you have anything we could use?” Diamond Tiara asked.
Silver thought for a moment, “Maybe, but I’m not too sure.” A thought suddenly came to her, “Wait! I’ve got an idea. Here…” She trotted over to a small alcove and rummaged around for a moment before there was a soft ‘click’.
Di stood back in surprise as part of the alcove began to…move. She blinked and stared as the once solid wood panel slid back to permit access to a set of stairs that lead…somewhere. A waft of dry air tickled her nose making her mane bristle.
“Come on!” Silver said quietly, “Follow me.”
Di lifted a hoof to forestall her friend, “I…Silv, I…” But it was too late, her friend had already disappeared through the doorway, “Oh…pony feathers!” Di swallowed back her sense of trepidation and bobbed her head before forcing her legs to move. If Silver Spoon could do it, then she sure as Celestia had furry ears could too! The pink filly walked into the doorway.
“Come on, Di” Silver called back from the surprisingly well lit passageway, “Its safe, don’t worry.”
“I am NOT worried!” Di squeaked, coughing to clear her throat, “I’m not!” She tried to ignore the quavering in her own voice and the shaking in her legs. What was it with this place? Why was she feeling so nervous? It was that skull, wasn’t it? What possessed a pony to collect bones?! They were mad, that was it, the Spoons were all completely bonkers!
Silver was stood beside a copper strip on the wall, grinning from ear to ear, “Promise you can keep a secret?”
Di nodded, “You know I can, Silv, why…?” Silver tapped the strip on the wall and light burst around them, nearly blinding them. Di shrieked and covered her eyes, “I can’t see! Silver!” A hoof gently brushed hers,
“It’s alright, Di, it’s only a magical light.” Silver’s voice was soft and kind, “Look!”
Diamond Tiara slowly opened her eyes and blinked as they grew accustomed to the brightness around them. From the gloom of the rest of the manor this place was like a different world altogether, and altogether…breathtaking.
“My…Goddesses…” Di breathed, “What is this place?”
Silver jumped around in excitement, “It’s papa’s secret room!” she said waving her hooves, “He doesn’t know that I know it’s here, but sometimes when I can’t sleep I come down here and look at all this stuff.” She grinned, “Isn’t it wonderful?”
Diamond Tiara sat back on her haunches and began fiddling with her mane as her eyes took in a sight that simply shouldn’t be. It was a room, no…a cavern! White washed walls held rack after rack of…of armour, swords, spears, crossbows… There were hundreds, maybe thousands of weapons here. The magical lights reflected off everything, making them gleam and sparkle like they’d just been placed here yesterday, waiting…waiting for their owners to come back and claim them. Good grief, she didn’t know where to look next! On and on, flags and banners ranged across the walls. One in particular dominated them all however; it was blood red, with a huge golden sunburst the same as she’d seen on Princess Celestia’s flank embroidered in the centre surrounded by golden leaves and the letters ‘EQ’. More of the beautifully embroidered scrollwork bordered it all, yet here and there was evidence of damage: small holes, scorch marks, and below it, a brass plaque which read:
First battle of River Valley
“Where’s…?” Di began, but Silver was already waving to her to follow deeper into the cavernous room. “Silver? What is this…oh!”
Silver Spoon stood before a set of armour that took Di’s breath away. It was…it was incredible! Gold and silver, worked in the most intricate and beautiful patterns, sat upon a mannequin that, if the scale was accurate, must have been a particularly tall pony. The shape suggested a mare, but…mares, fighting? Sure there were mares in the royal guard, but...they didn’t really fight though, did they? She felt a shiver run through her, but also a sense of fascination and the thrill of adventure.
“This belonged to my ancestor, Golden Spoon. She was the Commander of the Royal Guard” Silver said reverently, “She must have looked amazing wearing this.”
Di licked her lips, staring at the armour, “Are all those stories about her true, then?” she breathed, “All of them?”
Silver shrugged, “Maybe, I don’t know, but she was real and I’ve been reading her diaries too.” The silver-grey filly grinned, “Can you imagine what it was like to wear this?”
“No!” Di squeaked, “It looks really heavy!”
Silver laughed, “It’s not for fillies, Di, it’s for mares”
“I know that, I’m not stupid!” Diamond Tiara snapped.
“I…oh, I, I’m sorry Di.” Silver felt crestfallen. She’d angered her friend and-
“Silv?”
“Mmm?”
“I’m sorry I snapped at you, okay? I didn’t…I didn’t mean it.” Diamond Tiara placed a hoof on her friend’s shoulder, “Friends forever?”
Silver nodded, giving herself a shake and smiled, “Friends forever, Di.”
“So what is this place, then?” Di said animatedly, “It looks like you’re ready to go to war.” She froze, “You’re…you’re not, are you?”
Silver laughed, “Of course not! It’s just papa’s collection. I think this used to be where the old armoury used to be, but I’m not sure really. The armour looks like the old royal guard’s, at least from the pictures I’ve seen in papa’s books.” She shrugged, “Maybe it’s just old stuff that was getting thrown out and Golden Spoon kept it as a keepsake.”
“That’s some keepsake!” Di said shaking her head, “Don’t you, you know, find this a bit frightening?”
“Why would I find it frightening?” Silver asked genuinely surprised by her friend’s question.
“Because this was used to kill other ponies, Silv” Di said motioning towards a large heavy looking crossbow, “These things…they may have actually…you know…”
Silver gave her a dismissive look and shook her head, “These were to protect our country and our princess, Di” she said levelly. “Come…I’ll show you.”
“There’s more?!” Di said in surprise.
It was another room. This time there was more armour, more weapons, but it was immediately apparent that this was no Equestrian made equipment. Di blinked at the sight: there was armour for ponies, griffins and other ‘things’ she’d never seen before. Some of them looked absolutely terrifying. In one corner stood the mannequin of a creature she recognised from some brochures that had been sent around Ponyville for ‘motivational seminars’. It was a minotaur, and a big one at that. The beast that would have worn this armour must have been around seven to eight foot tall and the battleaxe it carried looked lethally sharp. Di looked closer; there were nicks in the blade, nicks that…that must have…hit something. She shivered.
“Di?”
Diamond Tiara turned to look at the stand of armour her friend was motioning towards and felt her heart skip a beat. The words were out of her mouth before she realised it, “Thestral armour”
“You’ve seen it before?” Silver asked in surprise, “I thought you’d never heard of them?”
“Yes…no…I mean, I mean that…” Di gave herself a shake, annoyed at her own nervousness, “I mean it looks like armour made for that skull thing upstairs.” She nodded, “See? The armour looks like it’s for a pony with horns and it’s all spiky too.” She looked down at the leg armour, “The design isn’t Equestrian.” She nodded to herself, “Definitely not.”
“Excellent investigative work, Detective Tiara!” Silver said clopping her forehooves together.
“Humph!” Di snorted, “Did you ever have any doubts?”
Silver chuckled, “Not when Equestria’s best detectives are on the case!”
As one they performed their age old routine, “Bump, bump, sugarlump, RUMP!”
The girls began laughing, changing the mood in the room completely. When you looked at it, all this place was, was a museum, and a boring one at that. How many times could you look at spears, swords and smelly old metal things from years and years and years ago without getting fed up?
Di peered at the thestral’s armour, “It’s not metal.”
“Nope” Silver shook her head, “I think it’s diamond, or something like that.”
Diamond reached out a hoof, “No…it’s not diamond, it’s like, I don’t know, like crystal of some sort.” She tapped it with a hoof, “See it’s…”
Di screamed.
Images burst through the filly’s mind, flooding her with a deluge of nightmarish scenes of such horror she could never have imagined; it was war…war, killing, blood, screaming, creatures with eyes of fire and teeth like daggers amid the fury of battle. She had to get away! She had to escape! The song of war howled around her, dragging at her, calling her away, pulling at her heart towards a land of dark sands and seas as black as ink. She was frightened, she didn’t want this! She had to-
“DIAMOND TIARA!”
A pair of big purple eyes stared into hers making the pink filly gasp in shock, “Wh…Oh! OH, SILVER!” Di collapsed into the embrace of her friend’s forelegs, “I have to get out of here! I have to get out!” She suddenly shot to her hooves and charged headlong for the stairs.
“Di!” Silver immediately got up and dashed out after her friend.
By Celestia, she could run! Silver hurtled past the racks of armour, dodged past the mannequins and up the stairs, nearly running straight into a tall dark unicorn stallion glowering down at her from the study’s doorway.
“Sebastian!”
“I believe your ‘friend’ is heading towards the garden, Miss Silver” the dour butler intoned, “May I remind you that breakfast is at eight o’clock?”
“Y...Yes, yes!” Silver stared past him, “Thank you Sebastian, that…that will be all!” She caught her breath and dodged past him before picking up speed towards the open front door. Behind her, the door to the study banged shut with a heavy finality that made her almost buck in fright. Blast it! Blast, blast, BLAST! What had she been thinking taking Di into papa’s secret room? She was scared senseless, and it was no wonder – she’d be frightened herself when she first went down there after finding the hidden switch on the wall. Oh, it had been exciting at first of course, but when she’d backed into that minotaur mannequin she’d nearly wet herself in fright. Now she’d scared her friend witless and it was all her fault! Furious with her own thoughtlessness, Silver ran for the place she knew, or at least hoped, the pink filly would be.
The tennis court was full of the early morning mist that always seemed to gather on the well tended lawn. It was immaculately kept, both for friends, family, but also some of the local ladies clubs that would gather to play here. It was a peaceful and sometimes even exciting time for some sport and, of course, socialising. This morning however it was anything but the sort of place a lost filly should be.
“Di?” Silver called, “Diamond Tiara!”
Nothing.
Silver trotted through the gap in the net walls to the court. The mist was thicker here and beaded on her fur; so much for brushing her mane this morning, it was going to be ruined!
“Di? Where are you?”
A bird broke from cover nearby giving her a start that had Silver clutching her chest. “Stupid thing!” she muttered, “Nearly frightened the life out of me…” She took several deep breaths to calm her nerves and readied a lungful to bellow her friend’s name. Right! “DIAMOND TI-”
“Stop shouting! Please!”
Silver nearly shot out of her own fur, rounding on the huddled image of a filly peering at her from the confines of the tennis storage hut. She blinked in surprise, “Di? What are you doing in there?”
“What do you think?!” Di nearly screamed, looking about her frantically, “You saw that didn’t you? Goddesses above, Silv, I’ve never been so frightened in my life!” She squeezed further back into the hut, “For Celestia’s sake get in here!”
“Di, please, I don’t know what’s…Eep!” Silver squeaked as the pink filly grabbed her around the neck and hauled her into the hut and slammed the door shut.
“Be quiet Silver! Please, please, just…be quiet!” Diamond Tiara closed her eyes and took a deep breath, but it was no use, she just couldn’t stop trembling. “Look at me,” she said staring at her hooves, “I’ve never been like this before – never!”
“Di, you’re not making any sense, what’s upset you so much?” Silver asked genuinely confused and even a little frightened by her friend’s inexplicable behaviour, “You just ran out of there screaming and now you’re hiding in the storage hut!”
“Can you blame me?!” Di hissed, upsetting a basket of rackets, “I…” she paused, hanging her head and looked up from under her brows into her friend’s concerned purple eyes. “You didn’t see it, did you?”
Silver shook her head, “See what?”
“There were soldiers! Lots and lots of soldiers!” Diamond Tiara whispered urgently, “And demons! Monsters with axes, fire, and swords…” She could feel her heart rate increasing just thinking about it, “There was so much blood, Silver, blood everywhere!” Di sank to the floor, covering her head with her forelegs, “It was a nightmare, a real nightmare, and I was there, watching it as if I was part of it!”
Silver leaned down and stroked her friend’s mane, “I saw you touch the thestral’s armour Di, that was all.”
The pink filly hung her head and groaned, “Haven’t you ever touched it yourself?”
“I think so, but I’m not sure.” Silver grimaced apologetically, “But I can tell you one thing though: I definitely won’t be now!”
Di sighed and leaned back against the basket of tennis balls. Her heart rate was slowing, her breathing returning to normal and her fear slipping away as surely as the mist outside. “What do you think that was?”
Silver shook her head, “I don’t know, Di. Papa used to say ‘if only these things could talk’ whenever he showed me anything new in his display cabinet.” She pulled off a comically accurate parody of Lord Spoon, complete with pipe, “’Youngsters these days don’t appreciate their own history. Ponies gave their lives in the past so we could have a safer future, Silver, and that includes you.’” Silver chuckled and felt her heart lift as her friend laughed behind her hoof,
“You’re changing the subject!” Di giggled.
Silver shrugged, “I know, Di, but who knows what it was. Hey, maybe you were able to look back in time and see things nopony has been able to see in a thousand years!” She nodded emphatically, “Hey! Maybe you time travelled!”
Di narrowed her eyes in thought and rubbed her chin, “Maybe…” Suddenly she looked up, “But I’ll agree with you on one thing Silv.”
“What’s that?”
“I am NOT doing that again!”
The sense of relief for both of the friends was as tangible as the rough floor beneath them as they both shared a laugh at the absurdity of what had happened and, at least in Silver’s case, at the world in general. Ghosts from the past inhabiting armour? Madness…Mind you, she was sure she’d played with it when she’d first found it. She hadn’t been scared of it of course, but that was probably down to growing up in a house that was perpetually in semi darkness with gloomy old Sebastian shuffling around like a shade from the underworld. She smiled to herself and sniffed at her fur, “Di?”
“Huh?” The pink filly was stood up and reaching for the door handle.
Silver frowned and snuffed her foreleg again, “Do I, you know…smell?”
“Smell?” Di walked up to her and sniffed her friend outstretched leg, “You smell like Silver Spoon, my friend.” She lifted her own leg for inspection, “What about me?”
Silver took her friend’s leg and smiled, “Like my friend, Diamond Tiara.”
“Well I’m glad that’s settled then! Good grief!” Di tossed her mane, her trademark confidence back, “Honestly, I do wonder about you sometimes. ‘How do I smell’?” she snorted, “Speaking of smell…HAYBACON!”
With a loud neigh, the pink filly took off through the fading mist of the tennis courts, her best friend close on her heels. Diamond Tiara charged along the path, across the neatly mown lawn and straight through the open kitchen door where the smells of cooking, of warm bread and freshly fried haybacon was calling to the hungry fillies. Silver slowed before entering, well aware of mama’s dislike of running in the house, but as for Di, rules simply didn’t seem to apply to her and she was already muzzle deep in bread rolls, haybacon and fruit juice.
Mrs Cream, in her habitual good humour, just beamed from ear to ear at the sight as Silver took a seat beside her friend, “We really should be eating in the dining room, Di” Silver muttered, “Mama doesn’t really like me-”
“Oh, Poo!” Di interrupted as she licked crumbs from her muzzle, “Mrs Cream doesn’t mind, do you?”
Mrs Cream shook her head, “No, Miss.”
“You see?” Di bopped her friend on the nose with a roll, “Anyway, stop worrying all the time, you’ll give yourself grey hairs.” She paused mid bite and turned back to Silver Spoon, “Hey, did you see what I did there? Grey hairs!”
Silver rolled her eyes, “Yes, Di, I get it.” She groaned and began tucking into her plate.
“No sense of humour…” Di looked up at Mrs Cream, “Now this is a breakfast!” she said happily, “Proper food for proper ladies.” She nodded, affirming her own words.
“Don’t you have breakfast at home, Di?” Silver asked.
Diamond Tiara clucked her tongue, “Well, duh! Of course!” she huffed, “Just, not like this. Father likes foreign rubbish that taste funny and there’s too much butter on everything. Mother likes it too because it’s ‘Ever so refined, Diamond Tiara’.” She sighed, “I suppose this is a traditional breakfast. Your family always seems to stick with tradition, right?”
“Papa likes tea instead of juice” Silver said around a mouthful of roll, “But is this traditional? I don’t know, maybe, but I like it.”
“I wish I could live here…” Di whispered to herself.
Silver looked up quizzically, “Hmm?”
“Nothing.” Di shook her head, “Just being silly!” She finished the last of her roll and bopped the table with her hooves, “Ready for a wash up, Miss Spoon?”
Silver nodded, licking her lips, “Absolutely Miss Tiara.” She jumped down off her stool and followed her friend out of the kitchen and up the stairs.
Behind them, the door opened and a charcoal coated stallion walked in, taking his wellingtons off, “Bit chilly this morning, Mrs C” he said cheerily, “Got any tea on?”
The Cook sighed and trotted over to collect the pot and pour out a cup.
“When’s Rinse due back from her holidays?”
Mrs Cream shrugged, “She’s away for another week yet, so we’ll just have to manage without her.”
Crisps groaned.
“Missing her?” the mare asked, pushing a roll in front of the tired handypony, “You know, you could lose her if you don’t make a move soon. A lady won’t wait forever.”
“I know!” Crisps said animatedly, “I just…Rinse and I…” He sighed, “I don’t know, I just…don’t know.”
“Well you’d better make your mind up, that’s all I can say” the cook replied returning to her work, “Don’t come crying to me when it all goes wrong.”
Crisps groaned and stretched his forelegs across the scarred wooden table, “You’re mean to me, sometimes.”
Mrs Cream barked out a laugh, “You stallions need a mare to ‘be mean’ sometimes.” She looked over her shoulder and waved a ladle at him, “A stallion is always at his best when he acts like a stallion. Be firm, Crisps, be assertive and show her she can put her faith and trust in you. That’ll do the trick.”
“You make it sound so easy” Crisps muttered.
“It is” the mare replied, “she can only say no.”
Crisps closed his eyes and ran his tongue over his teeth to clear away the last of the crumbs. It was all very easy for Mrs Crisps to say these things, but it was altogether different in reality. Perhaps if he didn’t work with Rinse then a rejection wouldn’t be so bad, but to tell her how he felt and then have her reject him? How could he ever show his face there again? He sighed; maybe he was worrying about nothing. They did have a relationship of sorts already though didn’t they? They’d been ‘sort of’ dating for years and they would sometimes cuddle up and enjoy each others company together in front of the kitchen fireplace. But that was the problem wasn’t it? He wasn’t really sure how Rinse felt about him, and she always had that sense of distance about her that he could never quite breach. Perhaps the one who wouldn’t ‘wait forever’ was him.
“Crisps?” It was Sebastian, “Milady wishes you to bring the carriage around the front for the young Miss and her… ‘friend’.”
“Bloody hell, Seb” Crisps groused, “I’ve just come in! Give me a minute will you?”
Sebastian raised his eyebrows and stared down his muzzle at the form sprawled across the table, “Very well. I shall inform her Ladyship of your reticence in complying with her request.” He sniffed, “I’m certain she will be most understanding of your desire to finish your breakfast.”
“Oh, sod off!” Crisps huffed, “Why are you always like this, eh, Seb? Do you have to go around like you’ve got a broom shoved up your arse all the time?”
Sebastian blinked slowly and seemed to gather himself before replying, “I understand that due to your age this may be lost on you, but it is an honour to serve this family, boy, and you should be grateful that you have not only a steady wage but a roof over your head with such a prestigious line of Equestrians.” The butler’s tail bristled, “You may not appreciate your post and the weight of history the Spoon family bear, however I do, and I can assure you, Mister Crisps, that I take my post very seriously indeed.”
“All right, all right! Bloody hell, Seb, I’ll get the carriage, alright?” Crisps snorted and pulled himself from the stool before giving himself a shake, “I’ll have it ready in ten minutes.”
“See that you do” Sebastian said imperiously and strode from the room, his tail flicking irritably. Behind him Crisps swore under his breath and picked up his overcoat that had dropped on the floor.
“You really shouldn’t bait him, you know. He could cause you a lot of trouble, that one.” Mrs Cream shook her head and turned back to her cooking.
“Yeah?” Crisps sniffed, “All that ‘prestigious line’ stuff is a bit overplayed don’t you reckon? They’re damned near extinct, and Silver’s the last of ‘em.”
Mrs Cream picked up another potato and began peeling it, “She’s a little love” she said, rinsing the vegetable under the tap, “A heart of gold that filly.”
“Huh, so long as it lasts.”
Mrs Cream shot him a look, “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I mean,” Crisps replied, “we all know she’s sick now, don’t we? Come on, how many of these ‘faints’ is she going to have? One day it’ll be a big one and then its no more Spoons, and when her parents pop their clogs then Sebastian and his ‘prestigious line’ bollocks will be nothing more than a dingy old house up for sale to the highest bidder.”
Mrs Cream stopped and faced him, “How can you say that? Great goddesses, Crisps, I thought better of you than that!”
“Did you?” Crisps snorted, “Well maybe you don’t know me as well as you think then eh?” He neighed and slammed the door behind him making the cook flinch. She stared at the pan of water and the potatoes just sitting there, waiting to be cleaned, par boiled, and made into roast potatoes for dinner tonight. She watched her reflection in the water; she had been Silver’s age once, and just as full of life, love, and boundless energy that all children seemed to have in abundance. The difference however, was that as much as she didn’t want to acknowledge it, Crisps was right. Young Silver was on borrowed time. She knew it, the family knew it, and the whole household in all likelihood did too. The thought of watching that tiny little thing vanishing down a hole to be covered over with earth beneath a headstone made her heart ache. Sometimes, life could be horribly cruel.
********************
Grasshoppers. They were fascinating things, and the speed they could jump was so incredible it was almost impossible to keep up with them. They just seemed to disappear from one point and reappear at another, like magic. Magic…Silver sighed and sat up, brushing the grass from her fur, “I wish I had magic.”
“Huh?” Di watched her friend for a moment and shrugged, “Hey, I think I caught one! Come and…aww!” She clucked her tongue.
“You don’t want to squash it though, Di” Silver said walking over.
“I know that!” Diamond Tiara huffed, “But I don’t have a net with me, so we’re stuck aren’t we.”
“We can bring one from home tomorrow. I think I’ve got one in the cupboard” Silver offered.
Di rolled her eyes, “If daddy was home, he’d buy us one each! This so frustrating!”
“You’re missing your family?” Silver asked.
Di nodded and seemed to almost deflate slightly, “I guess so, but what I really miss is Randolph and my own room.” She gave Silver an apologetic look, “It’s not that I don’t like staying with you Silv, it’s just…it’s not home, yeah?”
“I know, Di” Silv replied. She felt a little jolt of sadness in her heart at her friend’s confession. She’d only been staying with her for a week, but for Di it probably felt longer with being away from home for so long. Why she would want to go back to that horrible mother of hers was anyponies guess. Spoiled Rich was frightening, and her own parents couldn’t stand being anywhere near her either. Of all the nobility the Spoons mixed with, the Rich’s were the ones most notable by their absence. Despite this, mother always invited them, be it for Hearths Warming celebrations, birthdays, tennis tournaments, or even her needlepoint gatherings. Every time, a neatly written note would arrive making polite apologies for non attendance. Now that she thought about it, it seemed strange that the only one of the Rich family that had anything to do with them, was their daughter. Silver watched the pink filly jump after another grasshopper and wondered…
The bell rang.
Di snorted the grass from her muzzle and gave Silver a twirl, “Good?”
Silver nodded, “What about me?”
Diamond Tiara grinned, “Still Silver!” She flicked a piece of grass from her friends tail, “Come on, I’m looking forward to this.”
“Lessons?” Silver asked in surprise.
The pink filly shrugged, charging forward, “Hurry up, slowcoach!” Silver clucked her tongue and galloped after her.
Inside the classroom was filling up quickly, with the usual suspects gathered towards the back. Diamond Tiara took her seat beside Silver Spoon and stretched her forelegs, peering over at Scootaloo who was doing her best not to make eye contact. Silver groaned; she could see what was coming from a mile away…
“Surprised?” Di asked. Scootaloo froze, barely daring to look up. “Bet you didn’t expect to see her back here, did you?” Di continued, “Well, I’m sorry to say that despite your best efforts, Silver Spoon is most definitely alive and well.” She raised an eyebrow, “Maybe that’s what Miss Cheerilee means when she writes ‘Must try harder’ on your homework.”
Apple Bloom clopped her hoof on her desk, “Hey, Diamond Tiara, that ‘aint fair. Y’all know Scootaloo didn’t mean to hurt Silver.”
“Ah, the bumpkin speaks!” Di announced imperiously, “And you know that for a…wait…you mean, she was trying to kill somepony else? Who? You don’t mean…” she gasped dramatically, “M…Me?!”
The white filly with the purple mane shook her head, “You provoked it, Diamond Tiara, and you know it.”
Di screwed her muzzle up in thought and tapped her chin, “Maybe my memory is letting me down here, but you know, I don’t seem to remember being asked to be kicked in the head.” She turned back to Scootaloo, “What about you, dodo? Can you shed any light on this matter?” Scootaloo said nothing, but kept staring at her desk. “Oh dear!” Diamond Tiara said loudly, “Looks like a classic case of guilty conscience to me!” The pink filly stood up on her chair and glared at the orange filly, “What’s the matter, Scooter-poo, not murdered anypony today? Don’t worry, there’s plenty of time left yet!”
The room was silent.
Di could feel the eyes in the room staring, but not at her, but at something…somepony beside her. She closed her eyes and heard the intake of breath,
“Come with me.”
Diamond Tiara swallowed, but still managed to shoot Scootaloo a defiant look as she followed Miss Cheerilee from the room. The magenta mare paused and called back over her shoulder, “Equestrian Grammar, pages thirty six to fifty.”
And that was it. The door closed behind the two of them and the room was left so quiet that the only sound to be heard was that of the students breathing. One of the chairs creaked and every eye seemed to focus as one on Silver Spoon. She groaned and lifted her book, pretending to read it – they’d get bored soon and-
“Silver?” It was Scootaloo, “I’m…sorry…”
“What…oh!” Silver shook her head, “I’m fine, Scootaloo, really.”
“I know, I just…” Scootaloo took a breath, her voice shaking, “I meant to buck Diamond Tiara, not you, and…” She shook her head, “I mean, I didn’t really want to buck anypony, it was just…you know what she’s like.”
Silver sighed, “I do. But she’s not really mean, and she likes to tease more than anything.”
“But you join in with her, Silver” Sweetie Belle chimed in, “And I don’t know why when you know it’s wrong!”
“It’s…it’s not that simple” Silver said hanging her head, “Di and I, we had a bit of a rough time at the last school and she acts like this sometimes. I know she can be bossy with ponies, but-”
“Oh, come on there, Silver!” Apple Bloom snorted, “She’s just a bad seed that’un an’ y’all know it too.” She raised an eyebrow, “Y’all could hang around with us if ya like.”
Silver smiled sadly, “Thanks, but Di and I have been friends nearly all our lives and she’s more like a sister to me than a friend, I suppose.” She looked at Scootaloo, “Don’t you feel like that about your friends?”
The orange pegasus nodded.
“Even if they say things that hurt you or you don’t agree with?” Silver asked.
Scootaloo gazed at her friends and back to Silver before nodding, “We…we don’t always agree with each other.”
Silver nodded in reply, “We’d better get back to reading, or we’ll in trouble next.”
“What do you think will happen to her?” Sweetie Belle whispered to Apple Bloom.
“Dunno, but ah reckon she’ll get detention for that at least!”
If Scootaloo had any thoughts on the subject she kept quiet. As for Silver, she tried to ignore the speculation going on behind her and the mutterings of the rest of the class as she read her book. Considering everything that had gone on it was unlikely Miss Cheerilee would be really mad with Di, but if there was one thing she didn’t like, it was bullying. She sighed; no doubt Diamond Tiara would give her a full, blow by blow account of what had happened later, and more than likely it would be embellished to make it sound far more dramatic than it had been.
“Pssst.”
The next page contained words that made Silver’s mind reel. Who in Equestria would use words like ‘Splenetic’? She didn’t even know what it meant! She shook her head and read the description : bad tempered, peevish, petulant. Why was she suddenly thinking of Di? Unconsciously she grinned and read the next word, ‘vitriolic’ : bitter, spiteful, malicious. Definitely, Di!
“Pssst.”
Silver made a note of those words for later. She liked using words she’d just learned. Trying them out in conversation was a good way to remember them for…for…was somepony trying to get her attention?
“Pssst! Silver Spoon!”
Silver turned round to face the yellow filly with the red hair, “What? We’re supposed to be working!” she hissed.
Apple Bloom gave her an irritated look, “Ah was gonna ask if y’all wanted ter join us later in our club house” she huffed, “’Course, if yer don’t, that’s your choice.”
Silver was shocked. The ‘Cutie Mark Crusaders’ as they called themselves had a magnificent tree house that she’d heard of but never seen. She wished she had a tree house, but there was no way papa would allow it in case she hurt herself. But this? This could be really fun!
“Can Di come too?” she asked.
“No way!” Apple Bloom snorted, “No bullies allowed!”
Sweetie Belle clucked her tongue, “Apple Bloom, that’s not really fair on-”
“Yeah? And what about Scoot? That thar little rat pile spoke to her like she was muck on yer boots an’ was the real cause o’ poor Silver here being hurt.” Applebloom nodded her head emphatically, “The CMC headquarters is fer friends, not bullies!”
“But I’m…I’m not…” Silver cleared her throat, “I have my cutie mark.”
“You’re still a friend” Sweetie Belle said quietly, “and then there’s-”
“Sweetie Belle!” Apple Bloom interrupted, “Remember what we said?!”
Silver furrowed her brow, her suspicions raised, “What did ‘we’ say?” she asked curiously, “What’s going on here, really. You wouldn’t invite me over unless there was something behind this.”
“Y’all been hanging around that Diamond Tiara too long.” Apple Bloom huffed defensively.
Sweetie Belle shook her head, “Look, Silver, we all feel bad about what happened and we want to make it up to you, that’s all. We’d like to be your friends, but it really is up to you if you want to come or not.”
A wave of emotion rushed through Silver from muzzle to tail, making her instinctively look towards the door – it was still shut. She closed her eyes and let out a pent up breath, “What about Scootaloo? How does she feel?”
The orange pegasus flinched. She’d been quiet all this time, but now three pairs of eyes watched her and she could feel her hackles going up. She didn’t mind attention usually, but she didn’t like being the centre of it. Still, certain things were better off shared, and this was one of them. She nodded, “I’d like you to come and play with us.” Scootaloo tried a smiled, “If you want.”
“I’d like to, but…I don’t know…” Silver felt an awful sense of deflation. Di would hate her if she found out, but there was a part of her that was curious about all of this, not to mention the possibility of gaining more friends. Deep down she’d always had an underlying fear that if she fell out with Di, if one day they had a fight and went their separate ways, that she would be completely on her own with no friends whatsoever. Now that she thought about it, Di’s parents and hers didn’t get on as it was and what would happen when they went to college? What if Di went to a different one?! Her heart rate increasing, Silver’s mind was made up, “Sure.”
“Silver, are you really sure? What about Diamond Tiara?” Sweetie Belle asked.
Silver Spoon sighed, a sad smile ghosting across her face, “I’d prefer Di to come along, but if I want to make new friends then that’s my choice.” She huffed, “Anyway, she’s going home tonight, so…tomorrow after school?”
The three fillies nodded to one another, the agreement made. Silver turned back to her book and smiled to herself despite the tiny seed of guilt that was lodged in her heart. Di wouldn’t be happy, but she didn’t have to find out, did she? Besides, it wasn’t as if she had to do everything the pink filly said, even if she did tend to follow her around a lot. Silver closed her eyes and stared the page before her,
Forsake – disown, relinquish, abandon
Sometimes the silver-grey filly wondered if life, if Fate, were having a grand old laugh at her from her home in the heavens. Perhaps she was, but it didn’t mean she could control everything everypony did, did it? Maybe…maybe it didn’t really matter what you did because no matter what it was it was all pre-ordained, and in fact the very concept of self determination and ones choices in life were only illusory. Who could say that everything, all of it, wasn’t already woven into the tapestry of fate? Silver looked over at the window and the wide open fields beyond. The trees were lush and green, the grass fresh and inviting. She looked up at the clock; it wouldn’t be long until home time.
Along the corridor, a door clunked shut making her ear twitch.
Miss Cheerilee walked over to her desk in the staffroom and picked up her pencil, scribbling a note in her diary. It wasn’t necessary of course, she had an excellent memory for times and dates, and besides, the incident with Silver Spoon and the ‘bucking’ would go down in the annals of school infamy anyway. Everypony knew about it, and no doubt at the next parent teacher conference it would be discussed ‘ad-nauseum’. Right now though she felt like just opening the door and walking out into the cool air and walking and walking and walking. How many years was it until retirement? Like so many of her colleagues, teaching as a profession had called to her from as far back as her high school days, and she had been all too happy to ‘take up the chalk’ as they called it in teaching circles. What she hadn’t realised however, was just how much dealing with adolescents was going to affect her nerves, and by association - her private life. Oh, some days were wonderful of course, and to see the fillies and colts growing into thoughtful, respectful and productive member of society was a reward in itself, but sometimes….sometimes there were children like Diamond Tiara.
The pink filly sat opposite her, staring at the desk and fidgeting with her hooves. She looked nervous, and so she should too. Goodness knows she tried to see the good in everypony, and there was bound to be some in this girl too, without doubt there was, but there was that mean streak wasn’t there, that underlying bitterness that reminded her of her mother, Spoiled Rich. Cheerilee looked at the filly from under her brows; in some lights and from certain angles she really looked just like a smaller version of her mother, and at the moment if she continued on this course she would become a carbon copy of her some day – a legacy of heartlessness and lack of empathy that would engender nothing but cold loathing from other ponies. The saddest part of it was, was that Spoiled probably knew it too, and just didn’t care one jot. No… ‘care’ was a word that mare had probably only ever come across in a dictionary.
Diamond Tiara closed her eyes and tried to concentrate on breathing, just…breathing. She felt sick; her stomach doing cartwheels, but she couldn’t let anypony know just how nervous she felt inside. If others saw her they’d think she was weak, and that was something that she would never, ever accept. No! She was the future heir to the Rich family empire, one of the leading business enterprises that spanned two continents! She had a legacy to uphold, and a name to protect, even if…even if she felt like she was going to-
“You know why I asked you to come here, don’t you.” The teachers voice was calm, and totally neutral.
Di nodded slowly.
“I spoke to several of the children about what happened in the playground the day Silver Spoon was hurt.” Cheerilee turned the page in her diary and didn’t look up, “Several of the accounts varied, but all the children agreed on one thing. Do you know what that was?”
“No, Miss Cheerilee.”
The magenta mare looked up, her large eyes gazing straight at the filly opposite her, “They said that you used a word to describe Scootaloo that I never thought I would ever hear used in this school.”
Diamond Tiara said nothing.
“Well?” Cheerilee pressed.
Di squeezed her eyes shut, her heart racing and tears threatening to break through. She took a breath and lifted her head, meeting the teacher’s gaze, “She bucked my friend in the face.”
“Yes, after you called her ‘that’ word, Diamond Tiara.” Cheerilee leaned back in her chair, “What I want to know, is why you called her that.”
Di felt her hooves digging into her hind legs painfully, but she didn’t care about that, if anything it helped keep her mind focussed on answering her teacher, “They tried to steal my friend.”
Cheerilee watched her for a moment and nodded slowly, “Yes…I thought it might be something like that.”
Diamond Tiara furrowed her brow. If Cheerilee knew the answer then why ask the question in the first place? Did she think she was a liar?
“Some of the other children said that you had an argument over a game of marbles” Cheerilee said calmly, “I have to say, Diamond Tiara, that I find it very hard to understand how Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom inviting Silver Spoon to play marbles with them ended up with Silver being put in hospital.” She watched the fillies reaction. Diamond Tiara kept silent, but her eyes were full of an indignant defiance that made her spine twitch with irritation. “Don’t you think you may have overreacted?”
Di said nothing.
Cheerilee looked the filly right in the eyes, “I haven’t said anything to your mother, Diamond, nor do I intend to either. We both know why now, don’t we?”
Di nodded.
Cheerilee banged her hoof on the desk, making the filly jump, “But this has to stop! I thought, I’d hoped, that what happened to your friend would have made you think twice about your behaviour and how you speak to other ponies, but what happens? I walk into the classroom today and you are doing it again!” Her anger flickering, Cheerilee took a deep breath and fought down the urge to scream at the unresponsive child, “I am very disappointed in you Diamond Tiara, very disappointed indeed.” She shook her head slowly, “I have had to report all of this, in detail, to the school board due to the significance of the incident with Silver Spoon. I have done what I can to play down the ‘circumstances’ surrounding the cause of her injuries, as I am sure your mother will be reading them, as indeed will your father.” Cheerilee shook her head, “But you have to understand, Diamond, that your actions that day could have ended in tragedy for somepony you yourself hold dear. I therefore cannot, and will not tolerate any more bullying, insulting, or provocative behaviour from you towards anypony else in this school or else I shall be recommending your expulsion.”
“M…my expulsion?” Di choked.
“Put yourself in my position, Diamond Tiara. What would you do?” Cheerilee asked.
“I…I don’t know! I’m not a teacher!” Di replied shakily.
“No, you’re not, and neither are you a fool.” The teacher leaned towards her student meaningfully, “And since you’re not a fool, I won’t talk to you like you are one either.” The magenta mare raised an eyebrow, her pale green eyes catching the sunlight and making Di’s mouth go dry, “Let me put it this way: If we have to have another talk like this again, I will be writing to your parents and you will no longer be a student here at Ponyville School.” Cheerilee frowned, “I never thought I’d ever have to speak to one of my students like this, Diamond Tiara, and I sincerely hope I never have to again. Now, I want you to go back to class and I will be along shortly. I suggest you do not talk to the others about this, and I hope that we can put this behind us and look forward to happier days ahead.”
Di’s mind was reeling. What was she supposed to say to all of this? This wasn’t her fault! It was…it was...was it? She hung her head and nodded, “Yes, Miss.”
“Good, now-”
“Cheerilee?” The caretaker popped his head around the door, “The headmistress has asked to see you – it’s important apparently.”
“I’ll be along in a minute.” Cheerilee climbed out of her chair and walked round to the end of the table, “Diamond, remember what we talked about, okay?”
Di hung her head, “Yes, Miss.”
The magenta mare pulled her panniers down from the rack and flicked them onto her back, “Back to class now, don’t tarry.” And with that she trotted out of the office leaving Diamond Tiara staring at the desk in shock.
Di couldn’t believe what she was hearing; she could be…expelled? No, no that couldn’t be right, it couldn’t be. If she was then where would she go? The only other school was…oh, goddesses…Wheat Halls Grammar School. A cold shiver of fear ran through her, making her fur itch horribly. If mother found out about this, if she discovered that her daughter had been involved in something that could lead to her having to move schools then she’d be…she’d be…A tear ran down her cheek. That little rat Scootaloo, this was all her fault! All she’d done was point out something the orange freak should have known anyway, and she’d reacted the way she had. It wasn’t as if she’d made the flightless pegasus buck Silv was it? But that was always the way with the common riff-raff: they didn’t have the intelligence to engage in reasoned conversation, and would resort to their old standby of violence every time. Oh sure, perhaps she should have known that ‘could’ happen, but it wasn’t like she’d gone so far as to invite an attack! Anyway, what had happened to the orange rat? Nothing, that was what! All the attention, all the anger had been focussed on her and that blasted pegasus had gotten away with murder! Well, attempted murder anyway. Besides, who was the one who went to Silver’s aid first? Was it the laughable ‘crusaders’? No, of course not, it was her best friend, Diamond Tiara, the daughter of the Rich family and a member of the Equestrian nobility. Nobles cared for one another, they understood one another, and both herself and Silv had been through more in their lives than those three imbeciles could ever, ever comprehend in a million years! It was, in some disturbing way, all rather predictable too, particularly the way Miss Cheerilee had let that feathered freak get off scot-free with such a brutal assault on an innocent filly.
Di wiped her eyes and sighed; Cheerilee was one of the proles though, wasn’t she. She was one of ‘them’, one of the same class as the self styled ‘crusaders’, so her taking their side was something that she should have predicted. Celestia’s bum, she had to go back into that classroom now, didn’t she? And they would all stop and stare at her with their dopey eyes when she walked in. They knew, they all knew, that she had been ‘disciplined’ and that horrible orange monster would be sniggering behind her hooves thinking she’d won. Diamond Tiara’s heart sank; sometimes she just wanted to run away and hide, to get away from all the fear, doubt and the unrealistic expectations that had seemed to haunt her ever since her mother had introduced her to the rest of the nobility as the ‘next in line’. It was something the mud stained riff-raff would never and could never appreciate, let alone understand. She took a breath and gave herself a shake; she had to do this, didn’t she? But she’d hold her head high and act as if it didn’t hurt, as though none of it really mattered. She could take it, like her namesake, like her cutie mark – diamonds didn’t crack, they didn’t dull nor falter. The last of her tears fell to the floor, lost in the carpet and onto the photograph that was sat where it had fallen.
Di furrowed her brow and picked it up. It was…was that Miss Cheerilee? She stared at the picture and sure enough, there she was, kissing a large red stallion with a yellow mane. She’d see him around town; wasn’t that Big Mac, the imbecilic, monosyllabic brother of the bumpkin? Great alicorn feathers, it was! But…this picture, it must have fallen out of Cheerilee’s panniers when she’d put them on earlier. She examined the picture and shook her head; it was disgusting! Imagine doing that with another pony, and having somepony even take a picture of it! She put the photograph on the desk and turned to walk away…