//------------------------------//
// Ugly (Silver Spoon X Snips) 
// Story: Pretty Little Ditty 
// by Closer-To-The-Sun 
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Ugly

“I don't look in the mirror/I don't like what I see staring back at me/Everything is clearer/I'll never see what you see/It's not me/So beautiful and free/I'll never be what you need/Can't help at all/I was born so beautiful/But now I'm ugly.” –Smashing Pumpkins, “Ugly”

The final bell had rang and the school day was over for Miss Cheerilee's class of youngsters. All of the fillies and colts rushed out the door to start their bright and sunny weekend. One blue colt, however, was a bit slower than he normally would be. On any other day, he would be rushing out with his best friend and the two unicorns would find some mischief to occupy their time. But today, Snips was the last to exit the schoolhouse. Using his magic, he levitated a piece of parchment that he found at his desk after lunch. Scribbled on the paper was the statement, "Meet me at the big oak tree just outside of the schoolyard after class."

The small blue unicorn trotted along, puzzled on who would give him a note. "Thinking about it, I guess it could be anypony, but why?" Snips thought to himself aloud.

As he drew nearer to the tree, a figure appeared in his line of sight. Squinting his eyes, he recognized the pony's coat and mane by their grey shade. It was Silver Spoon.

"Uh, hi, Silver Spoon," Snips said as he trotted closer.

Silver Spoon, who noticed Snips arriving, tried to look away from the small pony, "Oh, hello Snips." Her voice was prissy and in a tone familiar to anypony who knew her and her best friend, Diamond Tiara.

"Hey, you wouldn't happen to have seen anypony else around here?" Snips asked, looking around for others.

"Nope, just myself," the grey earth pony answered, fixing her light blue framed glasses that sat on her face.

"Huh, weird. Cause I got a note from somepony about them meeting me here for something," the unicorn commented, turning his attention back to Silver Spoon.

The filly gave a small glare to Snips, "That was me."

Snips was understandably confused, "Say what?"

"I wrote that letter to talk to you in private."

"Um, okay then. Why?"

Taking a deep breath, Silver Spoon closed her eyes and tilted her head downward, "Because I want to say….I like you…."

Snips didn't reply.

"I said I like you, Snips," the grey filly opened her eyes and aimed her eyes at the colt's face, "I'm not sure why, but I do. And I have for a while…."

The surprised expression on the unicorn's face turned to one of doubt, "This is one of your jokes, isn't it?"

Silver Spoon couldn't believe her ears, "Huh? What do you mean?"

Snips became defensive, "I wasn't born yesterday, Silver Spoon. You and Diamond Tiara have been very mean to be in the past. You two have tripped me numerous times, done things to my belongings, and called me many hurtful things."

Silver Spoon's ears flattened against her head, "I know…."

"And some of the things you've said….how I was ugly….it really hurt me…." Snips' voice was very bold and serious despite his hushed volume.

Fighting back a couple of tears, Silver Spoon spoke again, "I do remember how I called you names….and I really am sorry for all of that. Honest. And saying that you were ugly….well, on the inside….I'm the ugly one….and it bothers me. Sometimes I don't like to look at myself in the mirror because of how I treated you….you deserve better."

The unicorn looked to the side with a hurt expression, not speaking.

"You're a really wonderful colt. Kind, caring, thoughtful, and just charming in your own unique way. It's just a shame ponies can't look past something as trivial as appearance," the grey filly continued with her words.

"But why are you so mean to me if you think those things?" Snips asked in a pleading manner.

"And that is why I'm sick of myself. I try constantly to be the best filly I can….but ever since I was little, my method of getting anypony's attention was through being just plain awful. Since it worked with my family, I figured it would work elsewhere. But it seems to have just isolated me from ponies that I could have been great friends with, like you. I guess it turned me ugly," Silver Spoon gave a heavy sigh as she finished. While she felt relieved, it didn't make her feel better.

Snips listened closely to the earth pony's words. It allowed him to see a side of Silver Spoon he never thought could exist. The pony in front of him, the one that use to bully him, was now bearing her soul to him.

"So….could you ever forgive me, Snips?" Silver Spoon looked into Snips eyes, failing to fight off the tears forming in her eyes. 

As much as the colt wanted to forgive and forget the past he shared with Silver Spoon, he couldn't bring himself to say the words. A gentle breeze blew by the two schoolponies, rustling Snips' messy orange mane and causing Silver Spoon's braided mane to swing slightly. A chill ran up both of their spines.

With silence as her answer, the filly took her glasses off and brushed away the tears that began to fall down her cheeks. Trying to return to her normal attitude, she spoke, "It's fine. Not like I blame you or anything." When the glasses returned to their proper place in front of the filly's eyes, she saw a smile on Snips' face. 

"Yes, of course I can forgive you," the warm smile on the colt's face was accompanied with a slight tint of pink in his cheeks.

Silver Spoon's face quickly became flushed at his response, "R-Really?"

Snips nodded as his face beamed, "Everypony deserves a second chance!"

Overcome with joy, Silver Spoon wrapped her hooves around Snips' neck, hugging him tightly as a different type of tears rolled down her face, "Oh, thank you, Snips. For just being you…."

Returning the hug, the colt added one more statement, "And I do like you back, Silver Spoon."

END