//------------------------------// // Chapter Ten part 1: Silver Spoon's Lament // Story: Twilight's Diamond Daughter // by deadpansnarker //------------------------------// It had not been an easy night for the young pony who could now be comfortably described as the richest filly in all of Ponyville, Silver Spoon. Not that such a tawdry accolade meant anything to her. Especially not because it was gifted to her when the previous proud title holder had simply got up and… vanished. She never was quite as taken with the well-off lifestyle as her closest friend… true, she enjoyed the safety net of being in a financially stable family compared to her more low-income classmates, and she positively loved being able to buy nice clothes and jewellery on a whim instead of having to beg her parents for them like nearly every other youngster in town. But she never intentionally rubbed her fortuitous circumstances in the faces of others… well, actually that was a lie. Let’s just say, she didn’t particularly like partaking in the relentless teasing of others regarding her excessive wealth and other equally materialistic subjects.  She always did feel like a bit of a fish-out-of-water at school from her first day, and before Diamond came along nopony knew quite how to react to the upper-class filly with the posh accent, thick-rimmed glasses and carefully coiffed hair. With her new friend, at least she had somepony to hang around with during recess, walk home from school and even spend time at each other’s mansions. As they grew up together, the affluent pair became almost inseparable, even as Diamond’s relatively minor boasting evolved into outright bullying, and the more mild-mannered Silver suddenly found herself being thrust into the role of more-than-willing participant in the abuse. It’s not like I really enjoyed mocking other colts and fillies for being ‘Blank Flanks’, or laughing at them for not being able to fly, she’d thought back then, as if that excuse somehow justified her errant behaviour and unquestionable support of her pink bestie's mistreatment of others, it’s just I know for a fact I’d find it impossible to find somepony to replace her if I refused to go along with it. How many other young ponies at school are anywhere near my social standing? One, that’s it. And I’m staring at her right now.   So she let her conscience take a back seat, and remained silent about how distasteful she found the whole affair. It wasn’t until the day of the class election, when Diamond actually turned on her for daring to reveal the unveiling of a statue in Diamond’s image if the pink filly had won (in hindsight, probably not a great voting incentive) that she’d finally snapped. Told her a few home truths about what she thought of their one-sided ‘friendship’. Gave it to her both barrels, without hesitation. Trotted off without a care in the world, glad to be free of that pompous pest who’d dragged her down for far too long. As history will show though, their brief estrangement only lasted for a grand total of two days at the most. They were soon back together as if nothing had changed; well, as a matter of fact it had. After helping to build a new school playground with Diamond as the lead architect, and the rest of the class as eager constructors (they’d seemed to forgive her and the pink filly pretty easily, she doubted she’d be quite so merciful) their days of terrorising the schoolyard were over. The duo were officially reformed, ready to help other ponies with the privileges they’d been lucky enough to be born with instead of hinder them with caustic remarks and casual put-downs. The future was positive, the future was pink and grey, everything was going to be just fine… Except, as Silver had now found out in her young optimistic naivety, it wasn’t. Life has a way of throwing you unpleasant curveballs from time to time, with the only predictable element being how unpredictable everything is. First the messy situation with Diamond’s parents’ feuding, and now this…  It’d been hard enough keeping Diamond’s big secret from the grown-ups both at school and home, but now it didn’t appear as though she was located anywhere in town at all. Silver had made some subtle enquiries around town as to where she might be, but nopony had seen her since that fateful morning after they’d said goodbye just outside Rich Mansion or maybe they do know, and they’re keeping it from me. Can I trust anypony anymore? Hmm… Silver Spoon was now in full conspiracy-mood in her head, as the door to her bedroom slowly opened to reveal a concerned-looking motherly figure loitering just beyond the threshold, seemingly unsure whether her presence would be welcome at this testing time. Seeing her daughter in such a distressed state made her heart sink though, and despite all the negative consequences that could come from her intervention, the worried mare couldn’t help but speak up.  “Darling, you’ve been in here all night…” Silver Sterling wanted to add more to her opening statement, but her daughter unexpectedly turned around at this point to glare at her mother through steamed-up glasses. “Of course I have, stupid! I was sleeping. Isn’t that what you’re supposed to do at night?!” Silver Spoon’s answer was swift, sharp and to the point. No sooner had she closed her mouth though, she turned away once more, seemingly happy to let the conversation rest. Silver Sterling was having none of it, though. “You know what I mean, young filly!! I meant ever since you got back from school late yesterday evening in tears, me and your father haven’t seen head nor hair of you at all. You didn’t come down for dinner, breakfast and now you’re still up here, a few minutes before school starts, not even half-ready. I know things must be difficult for you at the moment, but staying in here all the time won’t help, and it’s certainly no excuse for such rudeness…!” “Huh! As if I’d want to spend time with a bunch of liars, traitors and… secret-keepers!” Silver didn’t bother looking back at her mother this time, she simply wiped her eyes and stared into the distance. “You won’t even tell me what happened to my best friend; my only friend for years and years, and you expect me to carry on as normal? I don’t think so! I’m not going anywhere, I’m not eating anything, until you tell me where she is. Even Miss Cheerilee was no help! I-If all the grown-ups know, and I don’t, how is that fair? Let me tell you… It’s not!!” Those last two words were uttered with such undistilled venom that even the determinedly supportive Silver Sterling took a step backwards in shock, but she plucked up the courage to answer her daughter even in the face of such youthful defiance. “I’ve told you why, Silver Spoon:  it’s an official order from the Princess. Only those entrusted with the information are allowed to know, and they can’t share it with anypony else. That includes you, I’m afraid. I know that might sound unfair, but rules are rules. Privacy laws exist for a reason, to protect the vulnerable and keep them from being persecuted. I’m sure you’ll understand more about it when you’re older. You see, the Princess…” “ ‘The Princess’ sucks!” Silver Spoon stuck her tongue out in a comical fashion after saying this, but she meant every word. “How did she even get to be ruler, anyway? Last time Diamond and I saw her, she was nothing but a nerdy librarian in charge of a treehouse full of ruffians. Then, she suddenly got promoted to alicorn… and now, she’s in charge of everycreature? How dumb is that? She’s not my Princess… e-especially now she’s taken a-away the o-one pony w-who…” At this juncture Silver had to halt mid-flow because she didn’t want to burst into tears right in front of her mother, as that would directly contradict the ‘tough filly’ image she was trying so hard to cultivate. Silver Sterling however had heard more than enough, and stormed inside to remonstrate with her daughter which included the dreaded use of her middle name. “Silver Bronze Spoon! I can appreciate why you might be upset, even a bit angry at what’s happened the last couple of days… but I’ll not have Princess Twilight’s good name insulted like this in my very own mansion! If you only knew what she’s done for this country… how she saved it from utter destruction… the selfless sacrifice she made when she agreed to take the throne…” “Well, that’s your opinion. Mother! I just see a geeky, overrated… best friend-remover!” The more her mother heaped praises on the magical mare Silver saw as responsible for all her current woes, the more petulant the grey filly became in return, and the whole heated debate soon degraded into a case of who could shout out the loudest. “Apologise for saying those horrible things about Princess Twilight right now!”  “I won’t! I hate her! And if I ever see her again, I’ll tell her that to her face!” “Y-You do that young filly, and you won’t get any pocket money for a month, no… two solid months!” “Who cares? Shopping at the mall’s no fun without Diamond, anyway. Also, not everypony loves the royal family as much as you, Mother!” “W-Whatever could you mean?” “I’ve seen that vast collection of memorabilia you keep locked away in the cellar. Vintage posters of Celestia, licensed Luna bed-sheets, limited edition Cadance crystal earrings… you even have Flurry Heart’s dirty old pacifier inside a glass case. No wonder you’d take their side ahead of your own daughter!” “B-Be quiet, and don’t go snooping around in there ever again. We’ll discuss your reckless trespassing amongst other transgressions later, young filly. For now, you need to get up and brush your teeth then collect your school things, because you’re going to class…” “I’m not!! And you can’t make me!”  I’m your mother! I can do what I like!” “I’d like to see you try!” “Well, I’ve never heard such language in my… you’re in big trouble now!!” “You mean, an even worse punishment than having my best friend taken away forever? Go on, surprise me.” “W-Why you…” “What’s going on up here?!” Before Silver Sterling could complete her no doubt complimentary remark about her daughter, Golden Spoon came bustling into the scene looking quite ashen-faced. His hooves were covered in flour, he had a chef’s hat on his head and a most exasperated expression upon his yellowish features. “I was just about to take a whole load of delicious macaroons out of the oven, when suddenly I hear what sounds like an explosion coming from upstairs… and I dropped the lot! Four hours of slaving and toiling in the boiling hot kitchen, for nothing. So I rush up here to see what all the fuss is about, and I discover you two ladies yapping and snapping away at each other like a pair of crazed Diamond Dogs! What on Equestria could be going on between you two? And, more importantly, when can I get some peace in here so I can fulfil all my orders tomorrow?” “Ask her! She’s to blame!” Both mare and filly alike pointed their hooves in an accusatory manner at each other, leaving Golden Spoon in the most uncomfortable position of having to pick sides between his wife and child. “E-Er, let’s start again. Sterling, you go first I guess…” “Our own flesh-and-blood practically slandered our beloved Princess in this very room,  refused point-blank to go to school, eat or drink anything and is being very bad-tempered and foul-mouthed too!” Silver Sterling summed up her position succinctly, still taken aback by what she’d just heard from her usually highly-compliant offspring. “I see.” Golden Spoon scratched the back of his head in earnest, before turning to the grey filly. “Okay Silver Spoon, you’re up. Let’s hear what you have to say. More calmly than before, if you don’t mind. I get migraines, remember?” “Nopony will tell me what happened to Diamond, or when I’ll even see her again! I don’t know if she’s hurt, sick, scared… I can’t even write to her, apparently. I’m just supposed to accept this? Well, I don’t… and anypony who thinks this is right is stupid and horrible and selfish and… wrong.” Golden Spoon listened to every word his daughter said carefully, before pausing to take mental notes. He then turned back to his wife. “She’s got a point, you know. Why exactly, can’t we tell her again?” “W-W-What?” Silver Sterling’s jaw practically hit the floor upon hearing this straightforward question. “Typical. You always take her side. Don’t you remember what Twilight told us, before she left? She said…” “Hmm, I may have got the gist of it. I’m pretty sure I had the blender on full frappe at the time…” Golden Spoon then gave a little wink to his watching daughter, which elicited the first giggle from her since Diamond’s unexpected departure. “Just so you know, I’m not as deferential to the Princess as you are. I humour your obsessive hobby of following the royals as much as I can, but when it comes to the well-being and mental-health of our filly, there’s just no contest.” Silver Spoon’s spirits rose considerably upon hearing her father’s position, and she jumped off her bed to hug him around the neck with great affection and appreciation. “Thank you, father. I should’ve known you’d understand. Unlike certain other parents…” Silver’s terse remark there stung Sterling to her core, but outnumbered two-to-one as she was there was really nothing she could do in response… …But retreat, at least for now. “I-I don’t have time for this… I’m going to be late for my job at the bank. But this isn’t over, Missy. I haven’t forgotten the things you said to me. We’ll discuss this in greater detail later… and you better not tell her while I’m away before we have a full family meeting, Golden! I mean it! Goodbye!” Sterling exited without so much as a second look, grabbing her saddlebag en route and making sure to give the front door a firm slam for good measure.  After he was sure she’d gone, Golden Spoon regarded his clingy daughter with a wry undertone. “Why did you have to bring Princess Twilight into the argument? You know how she gets when her favourite is spoken badly of in any way. Even her own family aren’t safe from her cultish wrath.” “So what? I hate the Princess, and I’m not afraid to say it.” Silver Spoon loosened her grip, and fell back on the floor with an accompanying flop. “She told me and Diamond when she came into the classroom the other day she’d help both of us. Instead, she stole Diamond away and left me feeling utterly depressed. Don’t you agree? Haven’t you said before how you’d like Equestria to be an independent republic someday?” “T-that’s neither here nor there…” Golden Spoon stammered, as he had indeed made insinuations along those lines before. “The fact of the matter is, things are often not as clear-cut as you’d like them to be. While I might not believe in the supreme right of a hierarchy of elite ponies to rule over us, I do think that Princess Twilight is a kind and noble individual who only has Diamond Tiara’s best interests at heart. You’ll understand more…” “I know: ‘when I’m older’.” Silver Spoon rolled her eyes at hearing that patronising expression for the second time that day. “You know, suddenly I’m feeling a bit hungrier. Any food I can have downstairs, on my way to school?” Golden Spoon blinked in surprise at hearing his filly’s sudden turnaround. “E-Er, well I just made some macaroons…” “You mean, the ones that fell on the dirty kitchen floor? No thanks!” “Oh, so you were paying attention. Just my idea of a joke. Glad you’re feeling a bit better now, anyway. In case you didn't already know, there’s only room for one ‘princess’ in my life.. guess who that is?” “I love you too, Dad. And just a fruit bar will be fine.” “Okay, got it. I’ll just grab you a plum-flavoured one from the basket then…” “Ugh, no thanks. Apple today, please.” “But I thought plum was your favourite?” “I know, right? I don’t know what it is, but I’ve suddenly gone right off anything purple…”