It was the next day and Sweetie was making her way through town to see Silver again. She had so much fun playing with her dolls and adding the last piece to her collection. In her head, she’d thought having a bully as a friend would be a little awkward, but after hearing what had happened with her and Diamond Tiara, it sounded like their “friendship” had ended then and there. Sweetie is the kind of filly that’s willing to give others a second chance in redemption. Although the thought of having Silver Spoon, the Crusaders ex bully as a friend might not appeal to the others, especially Scootaloo. They all were teased and taunted for not having cutie marks, but around the time when the Equestrian Games were being announced and the trio had a routine planned out, the two of them took aim at Scootaloo and her disability. The three did win in the end, but the comments from the two had never left Scoots mind.
Sweetie made her way to Silvers house and knocked on the door. Not too long did she had to wait, as a gray coated filly opened the door and smiled warmly at her.
“Hey Silver!” Sweetie greeted her. “You all set?”
“Yeah, let me finish up real quick.” Silver said as she closed the door and after a few seconds she came back and greeted Sweetie. “Okay, all set.”
The two fillies walked through town, exchanging ideas on what they want to do today. Sweetie then thought of something.
“Hey Silver, was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t before?”
The question made Silver stop for a moment and think about it. “Well, there is one thing I always wanted to do with Diamond, but was a little embarrassed about it.”
Sweetie walked up to her and put a hoof on her shoulder and gave her a genuine smile. “Come on, I’m sure it’s not that bad. You can tell me and we’ll do it.”
Silver looked away, rubbing her foreleg then meeting her eyes with Sweeties’, returning a small smile. “Well, I kinda always wanted to have a small tea party with just the two of us.”
“Really? That sounds like a fun idea! Let’s do it.” Sweetie excitedly exclaimed.
“W-what? Really? N-now?” Silver suddenly startled by Sweetie’s surprising enthusiastic outburst.
Sweetie nodded. “Yeah, besides I’m sure the others are busy doing other stuff. Scoots is probably watching Rainbow Dash performing and Applebloom is busy with chores around the farm, so this is the perfect opportunity for us to have a tea party.”
Taking that into consideration Silver smiled and nodded and the two of them headed towards SugarCube Corner, ordering a couple of treats and pastries then walked back to Silvers house so that she could get her personal tea set and small heater. Sweetie went back to her home and got a basket and filled it with the food they got earlier and a blanket. The two met back up in the center of town and Silver leads the way to a small field with a nice view of Ponyville. After setting the blanket down, putting the kettle on the electric heater and laying out the food they got from SugarCube Corner they started eating a few before the kettle whistles out and Silver carefully poured Sweetie and herself a cup of tea, which was a blend of honey, wildberries and vanilla.
“Mmm, this is really good Silver.” Sweetie said setting the cup on the saucer then taking a bite of a cookie.
“Thanks, it’s something my mother made a long while ago. I was hoping to share this with Diamond, but well....” Silver looked into her cup and frowned a bit.
Seeing this Sweetie couldn’t help but finally ask this. “Silver Spoon, why did you become a bully for?”
The question made Silver look up and into Sweetie’s eyes. She lowered her cup and saucer onto the blanket and let out a sigh. “I put on a pretty convincing act huh?” Sweetie tilted her head in confusion. “I never really wanted to become a bully. I was kinda dragged into by Diamond. We only became friends because we got our cutie marks way earlier before anyone else in the school. Soon after most of the fillies and colts got their marks she wanted to poke a little fun at the ones that don’t have their marks yet. I was sure everyone would’ve gotten their marks by then, but when Applebloom became the only one left she thought it’d be fun to tease her about not having one yet.”
Sweetie would question how she and Scootaloo were also at the school, but only really remembers meeting her at Diamond’s cute-ceañera.
“After you formed the Cutie Mark Crusaders she aimed at you three as potential targets for her Blank Flank teasing.”
“So, why didn’t you try and stop her if she was going to act like a bully around us? Even having Appleblooms’ own cousin turn against her?” Sweetie questioned.
“I was just a lackey, you really think a pony like Diamond Tiara would listen to me or even think about how I feel about calling you and your friends ‘Blank Flank’?” Silver's ears lowered. “I never wanted to be a bully. I never wanted to go along with her plans. I never wanted to feel like I was better than you and the crusaders. I also didn’t want to lose the only friend I had ever. Before meeting Diamond, I was too shy to make any friends, due to the fact I got my cutie mark early.” She tilted her head to her silver spoon cutie mark.
Sweetie tilted her head too, looking at her flank. She wondered what that meant. Was it a saying that she was some kind of spoon maker or something? The spoons she has in her kitchen aren’t as fancy or as decorative as the one on Silvers flanks. It looks like a fancy tea spoon. Maybe she might become a tea maker like her mother someday?
“Diamond said my cutie mark meant I was born to be rich and wealthy, but to make that true she said I had to be her friend. So I became her friend to live up to my cutie marks meaning.” Silver continued. “I didn’t know she’d be this nasty towards you and your friends. I especially felt bad about what she did to Scootaloo, playing along with all the things she was telling her, it felt wrong.”
Silver’s head lowered as tears welled up in her eyes. Seeing this Sweetie moves beside the other filly to comfort her. Silver looked up to Sweetie, who gave her a soft smile. “Sorry if I kinda ruined your tea party.”
“It’s okay Silver. I know you mean well. I’m still having a fun time though.” Sweetie said with a smile.
“You think your friends will forgive me one day? Especially Scootaloo?” Silver asked wishfully.
“I’m sure they will one day. Now, you want to continue our tea party?” Sweetie's question made Silver smile a bit as Sweetie returned to her spot and resumed their tea party.
Later in the day the two were walking back into town then in the distance two sets of tiny hooves were heading from Sweeties right. When she looked she saw the yellow and orange filly, Applebloom and Scootaloo.
“Hey Sweetie, where’d ya been? We’ve been waitin fer ya all day!” The farm filly said.
“Yeah, we can’t go crusading without you you know.” The filly pegasus said.
“Oh uh, s-sorry. I thought you two were busy with other stuff.” Sweetie nervously answered.
“Well come on, we might be able to do...” Scootaloo’s sentence came to a halt seeing who was behind her friend. Trying to shrink behind Sweetie, Silver Spoon slowly pokes her head out.
“What is she doing here?!” Scootaloo blurted out, pointing a hoof at the gray filly. Applebloom gently held her back with a hoof on the enraged orange pegasus. “Ah’m sure Sweetie has a good reason why she’s here, right Sweetie?” Applebloom looking at the unicorn for some clarification.
“Uh well, I was having a tea party with Silver Spoon. We had snacks and treats and had some really good tea.” Sweetie answered honestly. Applebloom nodded to that, but Scootaloo glared at Silver who was avoiding eye contact.
“Why would you hangout with a bully like her instead of us?” Scootaloo near shouted the question at Sweetie.
“Well, you know yesterday when I was lost is thought. Well, I was thinking about Silver Spoon. She and Diamond kinda broke their friendship with one another and I wanted to comfort her.” Sweetie replied sternly. “Look, I’m sorry I missed our Cutie Mark Crusading time, but I wanted to make sure Silver was okay.”
“You should’ve just left her where she was instead!” Scootaloo immedient responded. Shocking Sweetie and Applebloom. The sound of Scoot's voice rang through Silvers heart and made her run back home. Well, more like oddly trot with the tea set and heater on her back.
“Wait! Silver!” Sweetie's cry had fallen on deft ears as Silver got farther and farther away. She turned to the now surprised Scootaloo who just looked away. Applebloom looked at Sweetie and gave a nod. Sweetie returned the nod and followed after the gray filly. When she got far enough away, she could hear the sound of a hard knock on a hollow log followed by a, “Ouch!” that made Sweetie smile a bit as she pursued Silver.