Silver Spoon, along with Scootaloo, panted heavily as they stood just outside the Cutie Mark Crusader club house. Both fillies were sweating and laughing as their pseudo race ended. Silver Spoon reveled in her new found bond with the young orange pegasus. The tension she previously felt melted away.
“A…Again,” Scootaloo panted. “I never thought you could keep… keep up!” The little pegasus parked her scooter near the tree.
Silver Spoon nodded, wiping away sweat from her forehead. “I didn’t know I had it in me either! I’m gonna be sore all over again…” she sighed, remembering the pain she felt once before after the last race she had with Scootaloo.
“C’mon, we better join Bloom and Twist,” Scootaloo suggested, beckoning Silver Spoon to follow. “I’m sure the girls will hardly BELIEVE what they are about to hear!”
---
“Ah jus’ don’t believe it,” Apple Bloom chuckled to herself as she shook her head. “Out of all ponies, Sweetie Belle... grounded.” She turned her gaze up to the two fillies standing before her as a grin spread across her face, her eyes narrowed towards her friends. “Ya’ll got to be pullin’ mah leg!”
“No really!!” Scootaloo protested, standing on her hind legs as her forehooves shot into the air for emphasis. “I thought that Rarity’s mane was going to catch fire like I heard about when Twilight gets mad!”
“What?” Silver Spoon glanced over at the pegasus, wondering who this Twilight pony was. “I think that might be over-exaggerating it, Scootaloo....” she rolled her eyes.
“Well, yeah...” Scootaloo smiled sheepishly as she rubbed the back of her neck with a hoof. “But I was serious when I said she was MAD!”
“‘Tho, what do we do?” Twist asked, working a candy cane around in her mouth.
“I don’t think we should go off crusading without Be—err... Sweetie Belle,” Silver Spoon added. “I mean, it wouldn’t be the same for you girls, right?”
Apple Bloom and Scootaloo nodded. “Ah guess yer right,” Apple Bloom said. “Wouldn’t want her feelin left out ‘n all. Guess ah’ll see if AJ need help in th’ orchid t’day!”
“‘Thay, ‘Thilver ‘Thpoon, do you wanna hang out today?” Twist asked, looking at the gray filly expectantly.
“Huh? Well, sure.” Silver Spoon nodded. “But, why the interest in just me?”
“Well everypony el’th ‘theem’th to have had a heart to heart with you, ‘tho I figure it’th my turn!” Twist giggled. “Be’thide’th, I could u’the ‘thomepony to te’tht my new candy cane flavors! Bon-Bon i’th te’thting me.”
“Testing you for what?” Silver Spoon asked, cocking her head to the side.
Twist playfully rolled her eyes. “Well duh, the Chocolade is run by her,” she stated matter of factly. “‘The’s my mentor and aunt.”
“I guess.” Silver Spoon shrugged. “Though, if you ask me, I kind of have a personal favorite for those green stripey ones...” She began to imagine the sharp taste dancing around on her tongue, her mouth lightly watered.
“‘Thpearmint.” Twist corrected, snapping Silver Spoon back to reality. “The new kind’th I want to be ‘thofter and ‘thmaller.”
“It’s minty!” Silver Spoon excitedly squeaked, obviously addicted to the treat after her previous taste from the filly. “Ohhh! You’ve GOT to... toooo....” her voice faded, realizing she just embarrassed herself and acted like a newborn foal over candy.
“Are you seriously getting worked up over candy?” Scootaloo snickered.
Silver Spoon lightly blushed and rubbed the back of her neck with a hoof, too embarrassed to reply after her out of character outburst.
“Ah swear t’day just gets weirder an weirder,” Apple Bloom chuckled. “Well, Scoots, ya mind lending me a helping hoof?”
A rainbow trail streaked across the sky, heading for the Sweet Apple Acres farm. Scootaloo was mesmerized by the signature symbol of her pegasus hero. A grin stretched across her face. “Bloom,” Scootaloo said, as her eyes widened. “I know what I’m gonna do today!”
“I swear I’ve heard that somewhere before...” Silver Spoon whispered to Twist.
Twist giggled and nodded. “I know right!”
---
“What’s it taste like?” Twist asked, her eyes lighting up as Silver Spoon placed a fresh miniature mint in her mouth.
“Too chewy,” Silver Spoon groaned, hanging her tongue from her mouth and wiping the failed test into a nearby bin to join its other failed experiments. “I swear I couldn’t tell if that was gum or not,” she joked.
Twist frowned; she and Silver Spoon had been going at this for about an hour. Every batch of peppermints didn’t come out right. Too soft, too hard, or too weird tasting. In one instance, the outcome was a tangy gum like substance.
“Well,” Bon-Bon snorted as she trotted in from the kitchen. “It seems you have learned nothing from me in your time as my apprentice, Twist,” The older mare chided, a slight smirk on her face. “What is my number one rule?”
“Pay attention in the kitchen,” Twist sighed, disheartened.
“Wait...” Twist turned to her mentor and noticed the coy smile about her face. “When did you get in the kitchen Bon-Bon..?”
Bon-Bon giggled as she trotted past the fillies. “It is my job to make sure you learn and grow. Even if that means taking things into my own hooves.”She left laughing, casting one last glance at her pupil before mixing in with her customers, leaving the fillies to themselves.
“I... I think ‘the messed with my cooking!” Twist laughed, shaking her head. “And here I am thinking I wa’th doing ‘thomething wrong...”
“Are you gonna try again?” Silver Spoon asked, reeling a bit at the thought of another disgusting disaster.
“Nah,” Twist shook her head. “But thank’th for thi’th, ‘Thilver ‘Thpoon!”
Silver Spoon blushed lightly and gigged. “It’s nothing really.” She waved a hoof dismissively. “I’m glad I could help... more or less,” she added with a shrug. "I honestly didn't do much."
“Mmm...”Twist placed a hoof to her chin, then grinned. “I know!” she squeaked. “Wait here!”
The filly excitedly bolted back into the kitchen. Silver Spoon’s stomach turned at the thought of another ‘sweet’ being brought back for her to taste.
The gray filly could hear Twist hard at work in the kitchen judging by the rapid sounds of her hooves. She sighed and took in the sights of the pseudo Cafe candy store. Small circular tables sat around the room, big enough to seat a small group of about four ponies each. The kitchen was behind the bar, a display of other little treats sat near the edge of its surface. The scent of coffee wafted about through the room, slightly overpowering the faint trace of candy. A few ponies sat at tables either chatting or in a few cases writing.
Bon-Bon was busy at a table taking an order on a note pad. A thought came to Silver Spoon’s mind. I wonder how she manages this herself? She watched as Bon-Bon expertly balanced trays with practiced precision on her back and head.
The alluring scent of a sharp, familiar candy found its way into Silver Spoon’s nostrils. “Spearmint!” she gasped as she turned and saw Twist offering the object of her recent obsession. The filly squealed as she snatched it up and tore the wrapping open.
“I’m glad you enjoy it!” Twist grinned. “Though, It’th ‘thill taking ‘thomegetting u’thed to.”
“Wot?” Silver Spoon asked through a mouthful of candy as she cocked her head to the side “Gettin used to?” she echoed, working her delightful treat around in her mouth.
“Twist!” Bon-Bon called from across the room. “I need you to go check on that new batch of oatmeal cookies for me while I tend to table two.”
“Ye’th ma’am.” Twist nodded then turned back to Silver Spoon. “You, ‘thilly filly!”
---
“...Thank you, come again!” Bon-Bon called as the last few ponies trotted out of her cafe. “Glad it’s closing time!” she squealed, bouncing upstairs.
Silver Spoon yawned and rubbed her watery eyes. Thanks to a bustling crowd, she and Twist didn’t spend as much time together as she had previously hoped. “Oh well...” she shrugged with a sigh. “This afternoon was something of a waste...”
The chairs sat atop the tables, the only other pony in the room with her was one of Bon-Bon’s employees, a rather stocky unicorn stallion. All he was doing was sweeping, which his cutie mark represented.
“‘Thorry we didn’t get to hang out much today, ‘Thilver ‘thpoon...” Twist grimaced as she trotted out of the kitchen, hanging her head and ears. “Today wa’th busier than I thought it would be.”
Silver Spoon could see her friend felt bad about how the evening turned out to be. “It’s alright, Twist,” she smiled, waving a hoof dismissively. “We can still hang out until Seabastion or August Hoof shows.”
“No, it’th alright.” Twist shrugged.
“Or you could spend the night.” Silver Spoon quickly offered.
What?! The gray filly chided herself, reeling back slightly after realizing the words that escaped her mouth.
“‘Thpend the night?” Twist echoed, her eyes widened in shock.
Oh great! Now you gotta follow it up..! “Uhh yeah!” Silver Spoon said, quickly forming a plan in her mind. “W-we could brush each other’s manes, tell stories and stuff.” Just like Titi and I used to do... Her memories of Diamond Tiara flickered in her mind, the laughter and precious time spun together was enough to bring down her mood.
Twist blushed and shook her head, her dismal look replaced with a cheerful grin. “Nah, I wouldn’t want to impo’the.”She giggled. “Thank’th for the offer though!”
“O-Oh!” Silver Spoon perked up, breaking away from her reverie. “Maybe some other time then?” she added, still shaken by the sudden memories.
“Are... are you okay, ‘Thilvy?” Twist asked, edging closer to Silver Spoon.
“Oh I’m fine!” Silver Spoon lied as she playfully rolled her eyes.
“I’m not much, but you’ve got friends now.” Twist stated, oddly enough without her lisp. “You don’t have to rough it by your’thelf anymore, rely on u’th!”
Silver Spoon nodded. “”I know, thank you.” She smiled. I didn’t see that one coming...
Twist’s words echoed relentlessly in her mind. All her new friends felt genuine; they accepted her. Yet, something still felt wrong.
“Twist, I’m going out to meet Lyra--” Bon-Bon looked up and saw how close Twist and Silver Spoon look then placed a hoof over her mouth as she giggled. “Oh~,” she sang. “I didn’t know Silver Spoon was still here.”
“Oh, I’m sorry Ms. Bon-Bon,” Silver Spoon, smiled feeling like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. “I was just about to leave.”
“Twist, why don’t you walk Silver Spoon home?” Bon-Bon suggested with a giggle.
Twist eagerly nodded. “Alright!” she smiled as she trotted over to Silver Spoon.
Silver Spoon smiled at her escort, noticing her blush slightly behind her red curls. “Thanks Twist!”
“Let’th go!” Twist squeaked, pressing the bottom half of the door open, letting the orange glow of the setting sun inside. “Wow, I didn’t realize it wa’th getting that late already!”
“Yeah,” Silver Spoon nodded, yawning slightly. “We better get moving.”
"Stop by anytime, Silver Spoon.” Bon-Bon called as the two fillies faded into the distance.
---
Rely on them huh? I guess that doesn’t sound do bad... Silver Spoon mused to herself as she climbed in bed. With a weary yawn, the little filly removed her glasses and tossed them onto the nightstand. She closed her eyes and tried to focus on getting sleep. The last rays of the day peeked thought her curtains, and she took one last look as she smiled. Silver Spoon spotted Twist trotting for home practically bouncing.