//------------------------------// // Untarnished // Story: Untarnished // by knightcommander //------------------------------// Untarnished By Knightcommander Two hours; two whole torturous hours of listening to Mr. Pi drone on and on about the quadratic formula. Two hours of having to endure his grating, monotone voice. It reminded Apple Bloom of that movie where the kid plays hookie with his friends and gets into all kinds of crazy adventures. She couldn't blame the fictional character for his decision. It must have made his ears bleed having to listen to that drone. She sighed heavily as she approached her locker and let her saddlebags ease from off of her back and hit the floor. At least it was a half-day for her and it was her last class for the day. She could go home and catch a power nap before she did her homework. It was one of the perks of being in high school; the block scheduling allowed some students to go home early. It certainly helped after one had been at school since seven in the morning after a cram session for a test the next day... Apple Bloom was suddenly brought out of her train of thought when she noticed something attached to her locker that her hazy mind had prevented her from seeing before. It was a note, made of a stiff paper and decorated in fancy floral patterns. It reminded her of the thank you notes that Applejack had her send out after each birthday and Hearths Warming Day. But what really got her attention was the picture that had been expertly drawn in the center of the front flap. It was a symbol she had seen before, and one that was impossible to forget. It was the same pink heart surrounded by crafted silver that advertised the hoof of someone who had mastered their profession, a mark that Apple Bloom had oft dreaded whenever she saw it's owner approaching. It was Silver Spoon's cutie mark. "What in Ponyville?" She wondered aloud as she plucked the note free from the tape which held it captive on her locker's door. It couldn't be, could it? Silver Spoon had long since moved away from Ponyville. What little they had been able to learn about her after that they heard from Diamond Tiara, who often visited her before their friendship -- if one could call what was left of their relationship that -- collapsed after Silver had caught Diamond in mid-rut with her then coltfriend Sunny Daze. Apple Bloom couldn't help but feel sorry for Silver after that. Diamond may be been an utter jerk, but they were still longtime friends and to see her betray her like that, Apple Bloom couldn't even begin to fathom the pain that must have caused. With a flick of her head, she tossed the note in the air and slapped it up against her locker with her hoof, a trick she had mastered to read the notes that Pipsqueak left her. A small adjustment in its position and she was able to read the note's contents. The words were written in a flourishing silver script, perfectly matching the one whom it had apparently come from. You are cordially invited to a birthday in honor of SILVER SPOON Saturday, April 21st in the One-thousand and Eighteenth year of Celestia's Reign, at Six o' Clock PM Please RSVP by 4 pm this Friday "OK, so it is from Silver Spoon," Apple Bloom said to herself. "But, why me? We weren't exactly what you would call friends." True, Apple Bloom remembered Silver Spoon mostly as the obnoxious sidekick to Diamond Tiara back when they were still attending Cheerilee's school, be she also remembered some times when Silver Spoon seemed like a completely different pony. She particularly remembered Family Appreciation Day when she was younger, when her Granny Smith came to school to speak to the class and blew everyone away -- Diamond Tiara being the obvious exception -- with her story about he she had helped in the founding of Ponyville. Silver Spoon had actually taken her aside when Diamond Tiara was out of earshot and thanked her for bringing Granny. She could remember it like it was yesterday. *** "Apple Bloom!" Came a voice that Apple Bloom had learned to dread, and cringed every time she had heard it. It was almost an instinctual response at this point. She turned around with a forced smile on her face. "What's up, Silver Spoon?" She asked. Silver Spoon, to her surprise, beamed at her. "I just wanted to say thank you," She said. "Your Granny's story was amazing! I never heard anything like it before. She's so cool!" To say that Apple Bloom was taken aback would have been the understatement of the century. She was positively thunderstruck at hearing Silver Spoon, of all ponies, saying she thought a member of her family was cool! "Oh, um, thanks Silver." She replied. "Glad you liked it." It was all she could manage, but it seemed to be enough as Silver Spoon squeed in response to her. "Silver Spoon!" She heard Diamond Tiara's unholy screech sound over the crowd that was leaving class. "Where are you!?" Silver Spoon winced. "Uh, gotta go!" She chirped before dashing off, leaving a thoroughly perplexed Apple Bloom in the dust. The bell ringing to signal the start of classes for those who would be stuck in class for the rest of the day jarred her out of her trip down Memory Lane. She hastily retrieved her books and pocked the note in her saddlebags before rushing out the door to avoid the crowds. As she walked to the fountain where she met her friends after school, her thoughts went to the invitation. When did Silver Spoon get back into town, and more importantly why was she inviting Apple Bloom to her birthday party. "This is just too weird." She drawled. *** "Goal!" The pinto-coated colt shouted as he sent a soccer ball sailing past the keeper's hooves right into the back of the net. "Trottingham, Trottingham! Oi oi oi!" His teammates on the practice squad started snickering and laughing as he began a bouncing celebration around the penalty area of the field. Pipsqueak didn't care; he always rode a high every time he scored a goal. It mattered little if it was during an actual game or just practice. "Alright everypony, enough gawking!" The team's head coach, Red Card, said. A stout red earth pony, he blew his whistle to get the attention of the rest of his players. "Front and center!" He said. The team gathered around, Pipsqueak heading the ball over to him before taking a spot. "You guys are looking great out there, and kudos for keeping yourselves in shape during the off season, but there's some things I wanna work on some more." He pointed at the keeper. "You're getting slow following the shots. I want us to run more drills with you next practice and work on your reaction times." "Got it, coach." He said. He mentioned a few more pointers for his players before dismissing them with a victory shout. Pipsqueak headed the ball into the bag before heading off. A short gallop and he was at the fountain, where Apple Bloom was waiting for him as she always did on half days. She waved as he galloped over. "Howdy, sugarcube." She greeted him, kissing him on the cheek. He smiled and nuzzled her. "Hello, love," He said. "Lovely day, eh?" She nodded. "How was practice?" She asked. He quickly wiped a tiny bit of mud from where he slid in the grass. "Tiring. What about your lectures?" She shook her head. "Let's just say I'm grateful it's a half day." She said. He kissed her. "Likewise," He said. "Our coach even cut practice early. Oh, before I forget, can I ask you something?" He asked. "Sure what is it?" He pulled something out of his uniform pocket. She was surprised to see that it was the same invitation that she had gotten. "Did you happen to hear anything about Silver Spoon moving back into town?" He asked. "I found this taped to my gym locker this morning. I was surprised to see it, as you can probably guess." "No kidding, I got one too," She said, taking hers out of her saddlebags. "It's weird. I never thought she liked me that much. I mean, she was never nice to me until Granny Smith came for Family Appreciation day back when I was six." "Yes I know," He said. "Though that's odd, because she never did anything to me." "Really?" Apple Bloom asked, honestly surprised. She new Diamond Tiara bullied Pipsqueak horribly when he was a colt. Pipsqueak nodded and motioned for her to sit down on the fountain. "I remember one incident in particular," He said, wrapping a foreleg around Apple Bloom. "It happened, oh say, two days before Nightmare Night when Princess Luna first paid us a visit." He looked up at the sky as he began to think back. *** "Hey, short stuff." A familiar voice asked from behind the little colt. Hearing it caused his skin to start crawling and his breath to catch in his throat. Oh no, he thought, not again. Please, I don't want to deal with you today! He turned to see a familiar periwinkle-maned filly approaching, a sadistic grin on her face. No doubt she was trying to find something to torment him with. He started backing away slowly, not wanting to be anywhere near her. "Please go away," Pipsqueak meekly asked. Diamond Tiara laughed at him, making him cringe even more. "Aww, I just wanted to talk," She said with no small hint of mockery in her voice. "I was curious as to what you were doing for Nightmare Night." She smiled viciously at the verbal trap she had just laid. Pipsqueak was oblivious, however, and smiled immediately. "Oh, I was gonna go as a pirate!" He said. "My dad used to tell me all kinds of amazing stories about pirates..." He would have continued by Diamond Tiara cut him off. "I'm surprised," Diamond replied. "Your dad actually sits down and spends time with you? I wouldn't if I were your parent. Look at how short you are. Seriously, did you stop growing at four?" She giggled. To some it may have sounded cute, but to Pipsqueak it sounded less like a child's laugh and more like the cackle of a villain when they have the hero trapped. Her malicious words struck him like a hoof in the stomach. He began to tear up. "Sh-shut up!" He shouted. "My dad would never think something like that about me. You shut up!" His voice cracked as tears began to flow down his face. She laughed even more. "Aww, did I hurt your feelings?" She asked mockingly. "Because if I did, that makes it even funnier. Pipsqueak the Pirate indeed. I'd dress up as Pipsqueak the Nancy-Boy or something like that." Pipsqueak hunkered down under the onslaught of insults. He felt like he was being pounded by fists, but ones that hit him square in his very soul. He covered his eyes with his hooves and began to cry, which just caused Diamond Tiara to laugh even more. And she would have continued had another familiar voice not suddenly rung out. "Diamond! Your daddy's calling you!" Silver Spoon cried out, galloping over. Diamond scowled, clearly not done tormenting Pipsqueak yet. She growled at Silver but was not about to keep her father waiting. "See you later, shrimp." She said to Pipsqueak, cackling and running off to go see her father. Pipsqueak still winced, expecting more torment to come. He knew Silver's reputation and that she often teased the other foals right alongside her friend. But to his, surprise, it never came. When he looked up, he only saw a sympathetic look. "Your daddy loves you very much, I'm sure of that." Silver Spoon said, before running off, presumably to her waiting parents. Pipsqueak was confused, but his confusion was soon replaced by gratitude. He managed to allow a smile to crack his face. "Thanks." He said, his voice shaky but still filled with relief. *** "That's nuts," Apple Bloom said, her eyes wide. "The only times she ever said anything to me, before Family Appreciation Day that is, were when she was teasing me about not having a cutie mark." She pursed her lips in thought. "Now that I think of it, she never really bothered me after that. Sure I had to deal with Diamond Tiara, but I never really saw them together for a while before Silver moved away." "I never saw them together much either," Pipsqueak replied. "Every time they were, Silver Spoon always made some kind of excuse to drag her away from me. Good thing to, seeing how vicious she was with me." Apple Bloom smirked. "Until you grew up tall and handsome and then Diamond couldn't stop staring at your rump?" She asked. Pipsqueak blushed. "Well, that's certainly true." He chuckled, and Apple Bloom giggled as she saw his blush grow larger. She nuzzled his cheek. "I gotta get home. I'm gonna need to reply to this invite today." She said. "Thinking of going?" He asked. She nodded. "As long as AJ says it's alright." They kissed deeply before they said their goodbyes, Apple Bloom taking off for Sweet Apple Acres and Pipsqueak heading home himself. Apple Bloom found herself smiling a little bit as she thought about what Pipsqueak had told her. Maybe this wasn't so strange after all. *** Rumble was completely oblivious to everything but the warmth that he felt on his side. A gentle shifting told him that the white unicorn filly fast asleep at his side was getting cozy, resting her head just under the crook of his neck. A soft sigh sounded as the filly got comfortable. He felt her soft breaths on his forelegs. The feeling brought warmth to his heart and the kind of peace that only came from spending time with a close loved one, which was just what Sweetie Belle was for him. It had been two months since that fateful Hearts and Hooves Day when he finally worked up the courage to tell her how he felt about her. It was an interesting scheme, involving anonymous notes and disguise, but it worked beyond his wildest expectations. Since then, the two had been nearly inseparable. Rumble had never been happier. Sweetie was everything he could have asked for in a fillyfriend; she was sweet, kind, loyal and affectionate, and possessed of strong values and respect for herself and for others. Meeting her was a dream come true for him. He leaned down and planted the gentlest kiss he could on her head, just above where her horn jutted out from her two-toned pink and purple mane. Somehow it proved to be enough to cause her to awaken. She gently stirred and opened her sap green eyes which sparkled despite her obvious tiredness. Getting up early in the morning was murder on both of them, and they lost count of how many times they ended up taking naps when they got home from school. Thank goodness it was Friday and a half-day. "Hi." She said sweetly, smiling at him. "I'm sorry darling," He said. "I didn't mean to wake you." She kissed his cheek. "It's alright, I can finish when I get home," She yawned. "Did I miss anything?" "Just a bunch of fillies yapping about how they have to head to Hoofington Mall because the new line just came out." He said causing Sweetie to roll her eyes. "Good grief. I love fashion as much as the next mare, but does everpony have to follow the latest trend like some kind of pop culture zombie?" She asked with a frustrated sigh. Rumble smirked. "Moooorrrrrrrre dresses!" He joked, putting on his best zombie impression. "Murrrrrrrgh rarrrrgh!" Sweetie Belle giggled at her colt's antics. Rumble shuffled around growling and making more zombie noises until Sweetie was clutching her sides from laughing. The ringing of the town clock brought them out of their revelry. It was now two o' clock. Sweetie gasped. "Have I really been asleep for that long?" She asked. Rumble nodded. "So have I. Don't worry, I'm sure your folks won't..." A puttering sound came over the hill top behind them as a cloud of dust kicked up by a flying pegasus sped down the path after them. "Now who could that... oh, it's Featherweight." He said with an amused grin. Sure enough, the skinny editor-in-chief of their high school newspaper skidded to a halt in front of them, still wearing his stereotypical newsman's cap complete with an old style press badge on it. "Mail call! Mail call!" He cried. "You got mail, Sweetie Belle." He fished into his saddlebags and pulled out a pink envelope that sure enough, had Sweetie's initials on it in flourishing silver script. Sweetie gave him a confused look. "Huh? Who would be sending me notes?" Rumble got a mischievous look on his face. "There someone I should know about?" He asked jokingly. Sweetie's response was to blow a raspberry at him punctuated with a giggle as she took the note from Featherweight with her magic. "But seriously, who?" She wondered. Featherweight shrugged. "Some guy in a butler's getup asked me to give to you." He said. "Maybe he needs an apprentice." He laughed at his joke, while the other two just rolled their eyes. "Oh, that reminds me," He fished another one out. "This one goes to Dinky. I'd deliver it myself, but I'm stuck delivering the new issue." "I'll get that one." Rumble said, taking it as Sweetie Belle opened hers. Her jaw dropped when she saw the familiar symbol printed on the front. Rumble was likewise surprised. "Is that what I think it is?" He asked. Sweetie opened the note and read, her eyes getting wider. "It is!" She said, showing him the note. "But why in Celestia's kingdom is she inviting me to her birthday. Silver Spoon and I weren't exactly friendly toward each other." "But didn't you tell me she was happy about Apple Bloom's grandmother's Family Day speech?" Rumble asked. She nodded. "Still, we weren't really friends," She sighed. "Which is a shame, after Family Appreciation Day I always got the impression that she wasn't as bad as she always seemed. Too bad I never found out for sure." Rumble nuzzled her. "Though there was one incident in particular." "Ooh, story time." Featherweight said, sitting down in front of them. Sweetie giggled at her friend's antics before continuing. "It was before she moved away, when I first started going to junior high. It was also the time that every pervert jock started to realize us fillies looked good when we grew up." She turned to Rumble. "No offense." He kissed her. "None taken," He said with a loving smile. "Go on." She kissed him back before continuing. *** Sweetie Belle felt like she was being stared at by hungry timberwolves. She had grown up to be a very lovely young filly, and it seemed every colt in school noticed as well, especially the perverts. She winced when she saw one jerk in particular take a good long look at her rump. She hated it when they did that. Rarity always said young stallions should have respect for young mares. Didn't that apply to her as well? "Hey hot stuff," She heard another one say. "Coach says I need to work out more. How about you stop by my place and work on my cardio with me." His pervert friends laughed at his disgusting remark. She blushed with embarrassment and picked her pace to get away from the jerk, but he somehow managed to catch up with her. "Come on, beautiful, I promise we'll have a good time. I'm gentle my first go-around." She felt like retching, both at his words and at the awful smile he wore on his face -- like all he thought about was sex. "No." She said as sternly as she could, though it still came out pathetically timid. The colt wasn't listening and managed to corner her by some lockers. She felt fear begin to creep into her blood. Her breaths started coming quicker, and it felt like her heart was going to come bursting out of her chest with how hard it was going. The colt looked lustfully at her, which only made her fear increase. "Come on, I promise, I'll give you a night you'll never forget." He rubbed her cheek with his hoof. "I said no!" Sweetie Belle shouted. "Get away from me!" She somehow managed to push him away and run over to her locker, tears beginning to form in her eyes. She felt like a piece of meat, an object to be used for some pervert's pleasure. She began to sob silently as she opened her locker and buried her head in it. "Ugh, fine, if you insist," The colt said. "There's plenty of hot tail in this dump anyway. Freakin' prude." The insult only made her feel worse. Was it that bad that she had standards? A loud bang and a high pitched squeal of pain from the colt shook her out of her thoughts. She looked out from her locker to see the colt, tears is his eyes and his forehooves clutching his groin, on the ground writhing in agony with... Silver Spoon standing over him? Sweetie Belle moved in for a closer look. "You harass another filly like that, and you're going to lose those in an 'accident' with molten silver." She snarled, sending another hoof into his side for good measure before walking away, huffing about "nasty uncouth bastards". Sweetie Belle just stood there with her mouth agape, not knowing what to make of this scene. *** "Huh, serves him right," Featherweight said. "I'm sorry I wasn't there to see it so I could give him a swirly for a change." "Likewise," Rumble replied. "Though I would knocked some of his teeth out just on principle. Nothing sickens me more than a colt who has no shame or respect for mares." He stomped the ground. Sweetie Belle smiled. "Aww, my knight in shining armor." She started smothering the pegasus with kisses on both cheeks and lips, which a surprised Rumble could only stammer at. She giggled at the strawberry red blushed that flooded his cheeks. Featherweight jokingly retched before his watch beeped. "Uh oh, two-thirty." "What's wrong with that." Sweetie asked. "Diamond's getting off of school soon," He replied. "Gotta get out of here before she brings out the baseball train. Choo choo!" He puttered off over the hills, presumably toward home while shouting his goodbyes. Rumble chuckled. "Where do you find these guys?" He asked. Sweetie giggled. "Don't tell him this, but he's actually an escaped mental patient." She quipped. They both laughed at her, lighthearted of course, joke before they took off to the fountain to meet with Apple Bloom, planning on replying to the invitation as soon as they could. *** Right about now, Scootaloo would have killed for a half-day. She was seemingly cursed with the most boring and downright stupid teachers in the school. Not only did she share Mr. Pi's torturous algebra class with Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, she was also seemingly cursed with a biology teacher that she had to strain to hear and a Health/PE teacher who would rather sit around and blab about his weightlifting records than actually teach the class. It was going to be a miracle if she could actually pass that one, what with how much of an incompetent twit he was. At least she could look forward to spending the weekend with her friends. She and Sweetie Belle were going to spend some more time with the newest crop of Cutie Mark Crusaders, of which her two brothers Jet Stream and Sky Flash were members. She gave a little chuckle when she remembered the spazz attack the two of them had when she offered them membership. Plus it was time for colt's soccer season, and Apple Bloom was excited about the team's first match that Saturday afternoon. Scootaloo suspected it was just because she liked how Pipsqueak looked in his uniform. Nothing wrong with that, of course. That would have to wait. Right now, she was just trying to figure out how to hear the words coming out of her biology teacher's mouth. So far it was proving fruitless. All she had to show for her efforts to pay attention was one measly little page of notes and a sore neck from stretching it out so much to hear. I'll have to kick my own rump for sitting in the back of the class later, she thought. Lucky for her, she sat nearest the door, which meant she would be the first to get out of this torture chamber and right outside so she could make a beeline for home. And it was also this fact that allowed her to spot the little piece of paper being shoved under the door in her direction. Luckily, no one else spotted it, or she ran a huge risk of getting in trouble. Waiting until her teacher's back was turned, she leaned down as quietly as she could, brushing her now long purple mane out of of the corner of her face and gently picking the piece of paper up with her teeth, just as the bell ending the class rang and granting them all clemency from another two hours of pain and suffering. "Ugh, free at last!" She gasped, pocketing the note and jotting down their homework for Monday before rushing out the door and straight over to her locker. Not wanting to be held up by the rush, she furiously spun the dial until the lock freed the latch and she was able to open it with a clang as it slammed against another locker. Covered in pictures of skateboarding shots, the Wonderbolts and little scraps of paper with band names and logos scrawled on them, her locker could easily have passed one belonging to a colt rather than a filly. It was something her famous father always teased her about. A huff and groan off to her right caused her to look away from sorting her books to see Diamond Tiara talking to her ditz friend Ivory Wings, the purple-coated pegasus digging around in her purse for something. Diamond was evidently ticked at some misforture -- or what could pass as one for the rich and the ditzy -- because Scootaloo could just make out some profanities in between her grunts of frustration. She smirked. "Hey DT, what's the problem? Are they serving chili in the cafeteria again?" She asked. Diamond groaned even louder. "And why is it any of your business?" She snarled. Scootaloo hadn't seen her this angry in a long time, not since she found out Rumble was dating Sweetie Belle and she wouldn't be getting a chance to try and seduce him -- something that gave all three of them no small amount of satisfaction. "Whoa, no need to go all rage mode on me," Scootaloo said. "I was just curious. I haven't seen you this pissed since you got wind that Rumble had that thing for Sweetie Belle. Say Ivory, how long did she go on about that? A month?" Diamond Tiara growled. "For your information, I never cared who he was seeing. If he wants to date outside his social circle, whatever! No skin off my teeth." Scootaloo snickered at her obvious lie. "So I was hearing things when all your ditz friends were complaining about how you wouldn't shut up about it?" Scootaloo said with a devious smirk. "I did not!" Diamond shouted. "Piiiiss aaaand moan! Piss and moan! Piss and gripe!" Scootaloo sang. Ivory Wings went into a laughing fit while Diamond glared daggers at her. "But seriously, what's the deal this time? You're cussing like a sailor." "If you must know, Sunny Daze is going to be out of town." She explained. "Him being the one you swiped from Silver Spoon?" "Shut up! It mean he'll be gone for his birthday and I had a special surprise waiting for him!" Scootaloo clutched her chest. "You mean you'll have to go an entire weekend without any squeaky squeaky?" She asked, miming shock. "Oh no!" Ivory Wings was by now in stitches, tears flowing down her face as she banged the floor. Diamond Tiara had veins popping out of her head and had every appearance like she was about to blow her stack, but all she did was stomp off in a hail of profanities. "Byeeee!" Scootaloo said, waving. She snickered as Ivory Wings stumbled off clutching her sides. Finally able to concentrate on getting her books, she hastily stuffed them into her saddlebags and slammed her locker shut. As fast as you could say "Wonderbolts" she was out the door and into the Friday afternoon sun. She spread her wings and was about to take off when she remembered the weird note she had received. Suddenly curious she fished around in her saddlebags and withdrew it. She tore it open with all the grace and subtleness of a paper shredder before feasting her eyes on its contents. "Oh you gotta be kidding me!" *** Fresh apples, that was the first thing that Apple Bloom and her friends smelled when they approached the appropriately named Sweet Apple Acres. Apple Bloom's especially sensitive nose detected that it was harvest time for the huge crop of Mcintosh and Gala apples that they were expected this season. It didn't take a rocket scientist to know where Applejack and Big Macintosh would be. "This way guys." She said. "Hey, think your sister will miss a couple?" Rumble asked as they entered a row of honeycrisp trees. Apple Bloom laughed. "Nah, but you'll owe four bits for 'em." She replied. "Even though I'm over here so much I'm practically a member of the Apple family?" He said, half-seriously. "Surely that entitles me to at least a discount." Sweetie giggled and Apple Bloom rolled her eyes. "Nice try, buddy." Apple Bloom said with a chuckle. They followed the path into the field until Apple Bloom's ears pricked. She smiled and pointed her hoof to the left, leading them further into the field until they reached Applejack, who was busy working on some trees bursting to the brim with Gala apples. "Howdy, sis!" Applejack looked up at her with a big smile. "Hey, you're back!" She opened her forelegs for a hug. Apple Bloom squeeze her tightly. "Oof!" "Hehe, sorry," She said. "Need help?" She gestured toward the apple trees. "Nah, we got this," She said. "Howdy kids, y'all workin' on something?" "Nope, we're actually free all weekend," Sweetie answered. "Which is good, because something's come up." "How so?" Applejack was curious. They never brought anything up that happened at school unless it was really noteworthy. "They got birthday invites from Silver Spoon." Rumble answered for them. "And we're not sure what to do," Apple Bloom said. "We were going to reply to the invite, but then we got the idea that it might be one of Diamond Tiara's pranks." She explained. "Or it could really be her," Applejack said. "Yeah, it sounds like something the little floozy would do, but you never know. Tell you what, how do you have to RVSP?" She asked. "Phone." Apple Bloom answered. "I'll stand with ya when y'all call up," Applejack said. "If y'all hear anything from Little Miss Floozy, just pass me the phone and I'll give her what for." She said with a wicked smirk. The others grinned back at her. "Deal." They all answered. Applejack led them into the farmhouse, where Apple Bloom made an immediate beeline for the phone. She dialed the number and then put the phone on speaker. It only took two rings for someone to answer. "Hello?" A filly's voice sounded. "Silver Spoon?" Sweetie Belle asked. "Yes, who I am speaking to?" Silver asked. "It's Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle." Apple Bloom answered. An audible squeak was heard on the other end. Well, she certainly sounds happy, and it's definitely not Diamond Tiara. "It's about your party." "Can you come?" Silver asked. "Yeah, that's what I was gonna say," Apple Bloom replied. "We can definitely come." She felt a hoof tapping her shoulder. "Hey, ask her where the money bin is." She heard Rumble ask. "Who's that?" Silver Spoon asked. Sweetie grinned. "Oh, just the smoking hot hunk of a stallion I managed to snag myself." She said, causing Rumble to blush, Apple Bloom to laugh at them and Applejack to roll her eyes with a grin. "Teenagers." She said in mock exasperation. Silver Spoon was in stitches. "I didn't know you two had coltfriends," She said. "I would have made more invitations." "I was actually going to ask if we could bring dates." Apple Bloom said. "Hmm. Well, I don't see why not, I've got plenty of room," She said. "I just hope they're hungry. My folks planned an early supper for us before the party. That was the other thing I wanted to ask. Can you come early, like around four?" "How come?" Apple Bloom asked, curious. A brief silence filled the air. "Well... I'll explain it when you get here. It's hard to really talk about it over the phone." She said. What did this mean? Was it important? It must be, if she wanted to discuss it in person. A thousand thoughts were coursing through their minds, but they forced that aside. Whatever it was could wait. She was being perfectly nice so far, no reason to be suspicious. Besides, that was Scootaloo's job. "Alright, if you want," Sweetie said. "We'll be there at four sharp." "Thank you," Silver Spoon said. "You have no idea how much this means to me. You guys take care." "Bye, Silver Spoon." They replied. Applejack smiled at them. "Well, that wasn't so bad no, was it." She said. They smiled. Maybe this will turn out alright after all. Apple Bloom thought. *** Rainbow Dash, ex-wonderbolt, bearer of the Element of Loyalty, three-time World Flying Champion (among other accolades) and most awesome friend in the history of Equestria or anywhere else, was currently engaging in one of her favorite midday activities; napping. A habit she had since she was a young filly at flight camp, her midafternoon nap was something she always looked forward too, especially during the busy shifts she worked at the weather patrol. During her tenure with the Wonderbolts, the intense training schedule forced her skip it. She never really complained about it, as the aching bones and utter exhaustion kept her mind occupied, but she still missed it. When she was laid off and founded her business in Ponyville, she was finally able to come back to it, and it came in handy especially now that she was approaching her tenth month of her second pregnancy and her body often ached and pined for rest. Normally, her husband Soarin' -- who managed the business with her and was often home at this time -- would nap with her during his lunch break to help her stay comfortable, but he was currently busy with some urgent transactions and wouldn't be home until the shop closed. Oh well, her pillow would make a good stand in until then. She sighed with happiness in her sleep. She was in the middle of a nostalgic dream involving her first World Flying Championship victory, during her first year as a Wonderbolt. And she was just getting to enjoying it when... Slam "Yah!" She jolted awake, managing to stop herself from falling off of her bed by clinging to the edges. She paused for a few moments to catch her breath before gingerly climbing down and walking downstairs where she heard the noise. She groaned when she saw that it was Scootaloo, who had apparently tossed her saddlebags across the room so that they hit a nearby table. Rainbow scowled a bit. The last thing she needed to deal with now was Scootaloo in another one of her teenage funks. Granted, she had to put up with a lot between Diamond Tiara and her cronies and the useless crop of teachers she had this year -- she had to hire a private tutor to meet with her on weekends to help out with some of her coursework-- but that was little excuse to toss her stuff around and risk breaking things. "Any particular reason you felt it necessary to abuse the poor table?" She said half-jokingly, half-seriously, but the glare in her eyes told Scootaloo that she in fact meant business. She gulped. "Oh, sorry," She said. "I didn't mean to wake you." "You remember what I keep telling you about watching your temper?" Rainbow asked, keeping her eyes locked on Scootaloo as she walked down into the living area. Scootaloo hung her head. Her temper had gotten her into trouble in the past. "I know, it's just... I'm sorry, it won't happen again." She said, trying her best to sound sincere. Rainbow must have sensed it, because her expression softened. "What's up?" She asked, gingerly getting onto the couch and settling in, ignoring the ache in her sides. "Did you have bad day or something?" Scootaloo nodded. "Well, kind of," She said. "I got this weird note. I think it's another one of Diamond Tiara's pranks." She began fishing around in her saddlebags and withdrew the offending note. "It was passed under the door while I was in my last class for the day. I dunno what it is, but I don't like the look of it." "Let me see," Rainbow said. Scootaloo handed the note to her. "Huh. Well this doesn't look bad. What makes you think it's a prank?" Scootaloo looked at Dash like she had lost her mind. "Look who's cutie mark that is," She said. "Why would I be getting notes from Silver Spoon asking me to come to her birthday party? One, she doesn't even live here anymore. Two, she hates my guts." Rainbow examined the note closer and smiled. "Well, there's one problem with your prank theory." Scootaloo looked at her curiously. "What's that?" She asked. Rainbow grinned. "This invite is hoof made," She said. "Take a look at the cutie mark. Notice something about it?" She asked. Scootaloo leaned in for a closer look. "I don't see anything out of the ordinary." She said. "I'll spoil it for you; it's been painted." Rainbow said. "You mean..." "Yep," Rainbow said. "Hoof made. Seems like an awful lot of trouble to go through just to prank someone." Scootaloo nodded. It actually made a lot of sense, when she thought about it. "But why?" She asked. "Call and find out," Rainbow said. "And if it does turn out to be a prank, hand me the phone and I'll tear them a new one." Dash said, punching the air with her hooves. Scootaloo smiled. "Alright." She said. She picked up the phone and dialed the number. She tapped her hoof as she waited past four rings, before a click sounded as the other receiver was picked up. "Hello?" A filly's voice, obviously another teenager, said into the phone. "Hey, it's Scootaloo." She said. "Oh, hi!" The other filly was apparently quite happy to hear from her. "Are you calling about the party?" "Yeah, actually." Scootaloo said. "Uh, before I say anything else, who's this?" She asked. A brief pause. "It's Silver Spoon, silly." Was the answer. It's certainly not DT. Scootaloo thought. "Ah, right, silly me. So, yeah, I'll be there. It's six PM right?" "Actually um," Silver Spoon paused. Scootaloo was curious. "What's up?" She could hear Silver Spoon shuffle a bit. Why is she nervous all of a sudden? "Can you come early, around four?" Silver asked, her voice betraying her nerves with the soft tone it suddenly took on. "How come?" Scootaloo asked in reply, suddenly curious. "I'll explain then," Silver said. "I promise." Scootaloo nodded. "Oh, and before you ask, yes you can bring your coltfriend." Scootaloo snickered. "Well I don't have one, but thanks," Scootaloo said. "Well, see ya at four." She said. Silver Spoon squeaked. "Thanks, this means so much." She said. "Bye!" She said before hanging up. Scootaloo heard Rainbow's hooves sounding lightly on the cloud floor. "Well that was interesting," She said. "She wants me to come early. I got the feeling there was something she wants to say to me... or us, I should say." "Did she say what it was?" Rainbow asked. Scootaloo shook her head. "Huh, must be something serious. Are you alright about going?" "Yeah, I'll be fine." Scootaloo nodded. Rainbow smiled and kissed her forehead. "I bet it'll all turn out alright. The old hooves are warmed up just in case, though." She joked. Scootaloo chuckled. Her mother's humor never failed to make her feel better. She just hoped that the party would turn out alright as well. *** Saturday seemed to move at an unusually slow pace for them. Normally, they were too busy engaged in the typical activities of Equestrian teenagers to even really notice the passage of time, and often only realized how late it was when one of their family called them to let them know it was time for dinner. Today, however, they spent more time looking at the clocks than they did hanging out. Time moved with the pace of a snail with a hangover, and nothing they did seemed to distract them at all from that perception. It wasn't helped that as each hour crawled by, they got increasingly nervous. It wasn't that they were doubting Silver Spoon to any significant degree, which was especially true in Apple Bloom's case -- she had seemingly inherited the same gene that gave her sister the ability to sense dishonesty -- who sensed nothing that would indicate deception. It was more about what would happen when they actually got there. How would they react to seeing her after all this time? Sure, they had memories of where Silver Spoon had behaved in a manner that contradicted her bullying persona, and even seemed quite nice. But would that be enough to make the feel comfortable around her after the way she and Diamond Tiara had treated them? What was it that she wanted to say to them? Did she want to make amends? Was it really just a well-disguised joke? Ugh, why couldn't the time just come already! "Gah, I can't take it anymore!" Sweetie Belle, tired of the agonizing wait, slammed her hooves onto the floor of the old clubhouse, scaring Jet Stream and Sky Flash and making them drop the crayons they had been holding. Jet Stream whimpered a bit, as though fearing he were in trouble. Sweetie winced. "Oh, I'm sorry, sweet pea." She said, rubbing his head. "Yeah, she's just going crazy. We all are," Scootaloo huffed. "Ugh, I'm so bored! When is it going to be freaking 3:30 already?" She started scooting along the floor on her face, her tail in the air and a sour expression on her face. Sweetie Belle giggled at her, which only caused said scowl to deepen. "We should really get a clock for the place." Apple Bloom said, scouting out some spots on the wall for it to hang. Finding one in between the crazy array of posters, graphs, Cutie Mark Crusader member photos and even old memorabilia from Scootaloo's "Rainbow Dash Fan Club" that had been tacked onto the wall over the years wasn't easy. It did, however, serve as something of a distraction from the monotony. Nonetheless, they were really to bored to make anything of it, and were about to call it a day and send the twins home when they heard hooves coming up the entrance ramp. "Howdy, kids," Applejack said as she came in. "Y'all ready?" "Is it time already?" Apple Bloom asked. "Thank goodness." "It's three o' clock on the button," Applejack replied. "Rumble just called and said the guys are on their way. Y'all should probably wash up before they get here." "We haven't really done anything, though." Scootaloo said. Sweetie Belled checked her hooves. The mud told a different story. "Still, we might as well be presentable," She said, turning to the twins. "Sorry guys, we have to go now." The twins starting cleaning up the clubhouse. "I'll take these two sprouts home." Applejack said. They thanked her before leaving the clubhouse and making a beeline for the farmhouse. The time was drawing near. *** "Aaaaah! Nothing like a hot shower." Scootaloo said as she stepped out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around her mane. Sweetie Belle looked up from the make-up kit she had been digging through. "You were in there for almost twenty minutes," She said. "Rumble and the others are gonna be here any minute." She scowled at her. Scootaloo laughed uncomfortably. "Hehehehe, sorry about that," She replied. "It shouldn't take you that long to doll up, should it?" Sweetie Belle shook her head. "No, it's you I'm worried about," She pulled out some blush. "Hold still." Scootaloo jerked back. "Oh no way! You know I don't do that stuff!" She cried. Sweetie Belle groaned. "Look, I know it doesn't sound like a super formal thing, but it never fails to look presentable," Sweetie lectured her. "Rarity's always telling me this, and I'm sure enough your mom isn't afraid to freshen up before she goes anywhere. Now hold still." Despite Scootaloo's stammers and protests, Sweetie still managed to get just the right amount of blush on her cheeks. Scootaloo shot a glare at Sweetie, but her only response was to smile at her. "There, perfect!" "I hate you." Scootaloo grumbled. Sweetie just giggled, putting on some eye shadow that perfectly matched her green eyes. "Buck up, Scoots, at least she didn't spray you with that stupid smelling frou-frou stuff Rarity's always wearing." Apple Bloom said, accepting some of the blush. "Hey, it's not that bad." Sweetie said in mock offense. "Then why call it 'toilet water'?" Apple Bloom asked. They all shared a giggle at that. "You girls ready!?" They heard Applejack call from downstairs. "They're here!" "Just a sec!" Apple Bloom called back. Sweetie took a few moments to brush Scootaloo's mane down and place a couple of hair clips in it. Scootaloo grumbled about how "girly" she looked, but was ignored as they trooped downstairs where Rumble and Pipsqueak were waiting for them. "Howdy, sugar." Apple Bloom said to him. He bowed. "Greetings, my fair lady." He said. Applejack giggled. "Aww, such a gentlecolt." Sweetie said, accepting a kiss on the cheek from Rumble. "You look incredible." He whispered, causing Sweetie Belle to blush a bit. "Three thirty, girls," They heard Big Mac say behind them. "Better get goin'." He nuzzled Apple Bloom. "Y'all have a good time, ya hear?" She smiled. "You bet it, big brother." She said. With a final wave, the gang trotted out the door. Apple Bloom turned to face her friends. "Well, y'all ready?" She asked. "As we'll ever be," Scootloo said, speaking up for the entire group. "Let's rock." They needed no further encouragement. "To Silver Spoon's." Apple Bloom said, the determination clear in the look on her face as she stared down the dirt road leading away from the farm. This will either be a great time or a torture test, She thought. We'll make the most of it though. As long as we have each other, nothing can stop us. *** The gray cobblestone path crunched under their hooves as they trekked along, following the directions that they had been given. Each step brought with it a greater anxiety. Despite the reassurances, they're nerves would not allow them any respite. The moment of truth was rapidly approaching. What waited for them? Despite Silver's friendly demeanor over the phone, none of them could help but wonder if this was all just an elaborate joke. It was still Silver Spoon, after all. But then again, Apple Bloom thought, our memories are so much different. Even thinking back on the time they had picked on her and even gotten her own cousin to start doing so wasn't doing much to dispel the thought that things were changing. That thought lingered in the back of her mind like the aftertaste of one of Granny Smith's apple pies. It just refused to leave, and it helped to ease the unease that had been building up in her heart. Her thinking was brought to an end, however, when she heard Sweetie Belle suddenly pipe up. "Hey, look who it is." She said. Pointing. Apple Bloom looked in that direction to see their friends Dinky Doo and Featherweight standing in front of an ornate wrought iron gate that led past a polished granite wall. She hadn't been aware that they had gotten an invitation too. "Dinks, Feathers!" Scootaloo exclaimed. "You guys get invites too?" Sure enough, they had the same exact hoof-made cards that the others had received. "We found them taped to our lockers." Dinky said. Featherweight nodded in agreement. "Surprised me to no end," He explained. "I still remember when you guys had that problem with Babs Seed. I still can't believe they got your own cousin to start reaming you." Dinky shuddered at the very thought of that. "But I still remember when she made the jewelry for my mom's wedding," Dinky replied. "And I also remember when she came to my cute-ceañera." She smiled and looked up at the sky, as though she could see the memory in the clouds. "She did?" The Crusaders asked. "I remember it like it was yesterday." Dinky said, still looking up at the sky as she reminisced. *** "Hey, great party Dinky!" Button Smash, missing his trademark propeller hat in favor of one bearing a soft drink logo, said as he passed little Dinky. She smiled at him. "Thanks!" She chirped, fixing one of the ruffles on the adorable pink party dress she wore for the occasion. Her mother, the eternally devoted Ditzy Doo, had spared no expense when it came to celebrating the day that her daughter had finally earned her cutie mark. She even went to great lengths to hand deliver invitations to just about every single filly and colt in her school, causing her stepfather Time Turner to joke that her mother must be Pinkie Pie's long lost sister. Dinky felt a warmth in her heart. She was so happy when her mark, a trio of blueberry muffins representing her talent in baking, finally appeared that she ran laps around the schoolyard giggling and cheering so much that some ponies passing by thought she had lost it. Now she got to celebrate with all her friends, her three fellow Cutie Mark Crusaders, and her loving family. And best of all, no more having to deal with Diamond Tiara's unending bullying about her blank flank. At least, until the doorbell rang, indicating they had visitors. "Oops, more guests!" Ditzy said. Dinky smiled at her. "I'll get it, mommy." She said, trotting over to the door. A quick burst of golden magic, and the door opened... and standing there was the absolute last pony in Equestria that she wanted to see. "Diamond Tiara!" She cried. Diamond huffed. "Relax, we're just here for the party." She grunted. "We?" Dinky looked behind her to see Silver Spoon, wearing a look on her face that was almost apologetic, as if she wanted to say "I'm sorry, it wasn't my idea". "We just want to have a good time. We promise not to bother you or show you up or cause any trouble," Diamond continued, as though reciting a rehearsed speech. "Now if you'll excuse me, Silver Spoon and I just walked all the way here from my house and we're quite thirsty. Could you show us where the refreshments are?" She asked in a decidedly impolite tone. Dinky scowled, but pointed in the direction of spread. Diamond trotted off with her nose in the air. Silver Spoon... rolled her eyes. "Huh?" Dinky found herself wondering. She hadn't seen Silver react like that before. "You'd think she'd remember her manners at a party," She grunted. "Oh, I just remembered." She reached into her saddlebag and pulled a small box out. "Don't tell Diamond." She whispered, leaving it for Dinky to pick up before racing off after her friend. Dinky was, needless to say, rather taken aback. Sure, Silver Spoon had made them pretty jewelry for Ditzy's wedding, but a gift? That was the last thing she expected. Curiosity more than piqued, she opened the little box, and did a double take at what was inside; gleaming in the sunlight filtering through the front windows was a polished silver brooch with her cutie mark done up in amber and tiny sapphires for the berries. In one corner of the box's interior she spotted a familiar monogram; Silver Spoon's personal one that she stamped on everything she made. "She hoof-made this, for me." She whispered to herself. She could scarcely believe it, but there it was; a beautiful, hoof-made silver brooch of top quality, done for no other reason other than to honor the fact that she had gotten her cutie mark. And if that wasn't enough, it was made by a pony that she had for the longest time considered the closest she had to an enemy. Even when she was making the things for her mom's wedding, she felt she was just doing to create a future business contact. But now, she didn't know what to think, other than joy that after everything she had done, she decided to take time out to celebrate the then biggest day of her life. Trembling, she took the brooch out of the box and pinned it to her dress, the jewels sparkling in the light and giving her a radiant glow. "Thank you." She said to herself, a small tear coming to her eye. *** "I never saw her again after that, so I never got the chance to really thank her," Dinky said, wrapping up her story. "I don't think I was ever happier until I met Featherweight." She turned to the colt next to her and pecked him in the cheek, causing a blush to form. "It doesn't make any sense," Scootaloo declared. "Don't you guys remember what she was like when Babs Seed visited? Yeah, long time ago, I know, but still." "I do remember," Apple Bloom replied. "But then I remember when she pulled me aside to rave about Granny Smith's speech." "And I keep remembering when she kicked the crap out of that colt who was harassing me back in middle school," Sweetie Belle said. "It's like when she wasn't anywhere near Diamond Tiara, she was a completely different pony." "I'll guess we'll find out," Pipsqueak said. "Shall we make our entrance?" The others murmured in agreement. Apple Bloom took the initiative and led them up the path, the sweet scent of exotic wildflowers filling their noses, to the massive oaken front doors, brass handles gleaming like gold in the evening sunlight. Apple Bloom took a hold of the large brass door knocker and rapped it hard. Anyone on the other side of the door would be hard pressed to not believe that some army from the ancient past had awoken from their eternal slumber and was making siege on them. It seemed like an eternity in the grave for themselves before an elderly earth pony, white coated with a deep gray mane styled in old braid fashion made famous by men of a bygone era answered the door. He was dress gave him away as one of the hired help. Apple Bloom guessed he must be the stereotypical butler. "Whom should I tell Mistress Silver Spoon is calling?" He asked in a stiff but polite tone no doubt drilled into him by his training, his voice clipping with a thick and stereotyped gentry accent. "Um, I'm Apple Bloom, and these are my friends," She answered. "We've been invited to a birthday party?" "Your invitations, please?" Apple Bloom and the others handed them over, explaining that the colts were there as invited guests. The butler disappeared for a moment, before returning and allowing them into the manor. "If you will wait here, I will inform the mistress of your arrival." He said. It was then that the got a look at his cutie mark, a serving tray. "Seems nice enough," Rumble remarked. He started looking around the foyer. "Nice dibs." He said with a whistle. Indeed, the foyer, though small, was certainly beautiful. The walls were painted a delicate cream color which blended well with the mahogany paneling and floor. Above them hung a brilliant crystal chandelier that was so polished it seemed to be made of diamond. Lining the walls were pictures of various well-dressed ponies, who they took to be ancestors of the family. "Dang, this house is even nicer than mine." Scootaloo remarked. Dinky nodded in agreement. "Seems stuffy to me. Where's the rumpus room?" Featherweight cracked. "Something tells me we'll be seeing that later." Sweetie Belle replied. The butler soon reappeared down an elegant grand staircase. "If you'll follow me into the parlor, the mistress will be with you in just a moment." He said, directing into a richly decorated parlor filled with fine red velvet furniture matched to the carpeting, expensive oak furniture decorate with assorted fancy knick knacks one expected to find in the house of a rich family, and mahogany panels lined with more paintings. Sweetie wasn't a painter, but she could tell that they had to be originals. Silver's parents must have spared no expense in constructing the manor. "The house is beautiful." She complimented. The butler gave a small smile in acknowledgement. "Is there anything I can get you to drink while you wait?" He offered. "Eh, no thanks, I'm good." Scootaloo answered. "Ice water for me." Sweetie Belle said. "Ice tea with lemon if you have it?" Dinky requested. "I'll have the same." Pipsqueak said. "I'd kill for a root beer." Rumble cracked. "Toss me one, too." Featherweight said. "Mmm, surprise me." Apple Bloom asked. The butler bowed, promising to return with their drinks soon. It was only a short wait, however, before they heard hoofsteps coming from upstairs. "That must be her." Scootaloo said. Anxiousness began to build up once again. Apple Bloom stood at the front of the ground, Pipsqueak just behind her, rubbing her mane to try and help comfort her. She felt as though an entire butterfly garden had been released into her stomach. She still didn't know what to expect. It was a feeling that just refused to go away as the hoofsteps got louder and finally the figure of the butler, followed by an unmistakable teenage fily, came around the corner. "Presenting Mistress Silver Spoon." The butler announced in tone that spoke to a formality that none of them had expected, but seeing where they were, should have. There was no closed mouth when they got their first look at Silver Spoon in the years since she had vanished. Gone was the braided mane of her fillyhood, replaced with a straight and well-brushed mane capped off with high-quality silver hair clips. Her build had grown more slender and feminine; Scootaloo remarked in her head that it looked like someone had dyed Sweetie Belle gray and and slapped colored contacts and glasses on her. Surprisingly, she didn't appear to be wearing much in the way of make up, not that she would need it. In fact, she didn't wear much, except for a silver locket. Sweetie was starting to get the impression that she wanted to appear less like a wealthy pony. The butler bowed and departed, leaving the teens to stare at each other across the distance both of the room and the gulf of time. For what seemed like an eternity, no one uttered a word. Eight pairs of eyes stayed locked on to each other. The only sound that could be heard was the odd creak of a floorboard, or the ticking of the grandfather clock in the foyer. Strangely, there was no anxiety, that harsh feeling that made one think the walls were closing in and think of little more than the nearest route of escape. Instead it was a more... tingling sensation, like one might feel when they were about to open a gift. Anticipation reigned in the hearts of the seven ponies as they waited for someone to cut the tension that was beginning to fill the air. "Uh, hi Silver," Scootaloo finally seized the iniative. "You're looking great." She smiled awkwardly, still unsure of what exactly to say. Silver Spoon managed to give a small smile, thought it was just barely noticeable. "Thank you, Scootaloo." She said. Sweetie Belle grinned. So far, so good. "How have you been?" She asked. Silver Spoon shifted on her back hooves a bit. "So so." She picked up one of her forelegs and began to rub her hoof along the other one. Her eyes seemed to be ore interested in the floor underneath the other hoof, or perhaps a spot on the carpet. Either way, she wasn't looking at them. All seven were wondering why she was so nervous. "Say uh, not to impose, but why don't we all sit down? I think we've all had a long day." Apple Bloom suggested. "Yes, please." Silver Spoon replied. She took a seat in a nearby leather easy chair. "Happy Birthday, Silver," Sweetie said with a smile. "We weren't sure what to get you, so the best we could do was some cards. Sorry." She grinned apologetically. "It's OK," Silver answered. "But, about that. There's actually a very specific reason I invited you all." She started to rub her foreleg again. The look on her face slowly became more anguished. Sweetie thought she was going to have a breakdown for a brief moment, before a respite came when the butler delivered their drinks plus a lemon tea for Silver Spoon. Silver seemed relieved, but it only lasted a minute as she continued. "Do you all remember what school was like when we were fillies?" She asked. "A few bits here and there," Apple Bloom said. "To tell ya the truth, Sweetie Belle here has the best memory, and even she can't recall much in the way of specifics." "Though I think all of us remember Diamond Tiara." Scootaloo said. Silver became visibly distressed upon hearing that name. Sweetie wondered if she should scold Scootaloo for bringing up any painful memories, but Silver's voice gave her pause. "That's actually pretty lucky of you. I remember almost everything I did back then." She said, with a heavy sigh. "And I mean everything. I remember every laugh, every single game I played, every little arts and crafts project, and every cruel thing I ever did to you. Every ugly joke, every cruel chuckle, every nasty prank." Her voice was beginning to falter. Even from their positions, they could see her eyes beginning to mist up. She began to tremble, as though the very idea made her sick. "Scootaloo, I called you useless because you never flew while I knew you, even though you didn't have anyone to teach you." She said. "Sweetie Belle, I taunted you until you cried for the simple fact that you didn't have a cutie mark. Apple Bloom, I turned your cousin against you. Your own flesh and blood." Her voice cracked, and slowly but surely, her cheeks began to glisten as fresh tears began to pour down them. She trembled even more as she was wracked by pain and guilt, her voice betraying the wave of guilt and shame, heartbreak and remorse than coursed through her very being and penetrated her very soul. "I didn't just bring you here to attend my birthday party, I brought you here because I wanted to tell you how sorry I was," She said, unable to hold it in any longer. "I'm sorry I treated you so badly. I'm sorry I made you suffer so much. I'm sorry for everything!" She buried her face in her hooves and she tried desperately to hold back the sobs that were threatening to ream through her entire body, her only speech being a occasional moan punctuated by sniffles. There wasn't a single heart in that room that wasn't broken by what they saw. It was though a miasma of regret, remorse and guilt spilled out from every pore on Silver's body and filled the room, reaching down to fill their own hearts and souls. Dinky even clutched her own chest. Scootaloo in particular felt as though an armored fist had clenched down on her heart. Unable to bear it any longer, she launched herself out of her own chair and enveloped Silver Spoon in the biggest hug she thought she had ever given in her life. When Silver looked up at her, she was met by the kindest of smiles. "It's OK," Scootaloo said. "We forgive you." Silver stopped crying, her sadness replaced by genuine surprise. "What?" Scootaloo nodded. "But how can you just forgive me after everything I did to you. You act like it never even happened. How can you..." She didn't get a chance to finish as Scootaloo shushed her. "Silver, you were eight years old," Scootaloo explained. "You were a little filly who hadn't learned much about the world yet. You fell in with a bad influence and it made you into that filly. I'm not saying it's excusable, but it is understandable. And besides, ponies change, sometimes for the worse and sometimes for the better. You changed for the better, and I'm not going to hold you responsible now for what a filly did all those years ago." "If you were a bad pony, you would never have brought us here, because you wouldn't be sorry." Sweetie explained. "Good ponies, when they do something wrong, always show remorse and try to make amends for they did. Just the fact that you brought us here is enough, but looking at you we can tell this is eating you alive. Only a good pony could feel that way about the mistakes they made." "And there's another thing we didn't tell you we remembered," Dinky started. "I remember how you made that pretty brooch for me on my birthday. I never got the chance to tell you, but that meant so much, knowing that you made it by hoof just so I could have something beautiful. I was touched." "And I also remember how whenever Diamond Tiara started on me, you always made some excuse to get her away from me," Pipsqueak added. "And don't think I've forgotten how you gave the perverted colt that was harassing me back in middle school something he won't soon forget." Sweetie at last added. "We mean every single word of that, so you don't have to ask," Apple Bloom said. "In fact... Silver, we'd all be proud to call you a friend." Silver could scarcely believe what she was hearing. Was this really happening? Where they really so forgiving? Did they really remember everything good thing, few as they were, that she had done for them? She scanned their faces for any sign that they weren't telling the truth, or were just putting her on. She saw nothing but warm smiles and sparkling eyes, even from Dinky, whom she knew had been so awfully treated by both herself and Diamond Tiara. For the first time in a long time, she felt the pain, the guilt, and the burning remorse and regret that had so often coursed through her like poison begin to melt away. For the first time, her heart didn't feel like it had been pierced by a sword. Instead, she felt a warmth begin to form and spread through her being, eventually going into her very soul. She felt the weight of years of emotional turmoil lifted from her shoulders. In it's place, was only a feeling of great relief, and joy. So great, in fact, that she felt more tears begin to form; tears of joy, rather than tears of remorse. She wiped her stinging eyes with her hoof and smiled at all of them "Thank you." She said, her voice raspy, but the joy she felt clearly in it. She wrapped her own forelegs around Scootaloo in a return hug. For the longest time, they stayed like that, Silver crying tears of happiness, and Scootaloo, joined by Sweetie and Apple Bloom, provided the best comforting presence they could. Finally, Silver pulled away, wiping her eyes but still smiling broadly. Sweetie picked her glasses up with her magic and cleaned them off for her. "So, now that we're friends, what do you say we get this party of yours started?" Scootaloo said. Silver gave a soft chuckle. "Lets." She said. As if on cue, the butler reappeared. "Dinner is served." He announced, stepping aside so they could go to the dining room. Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, Pipsqueak and Dinky flanked Silver, talking and laughing and otherwise building on what had already been starting, the fire of friendship beginning to blaze in them. Sweetie hung back for a moment, Rumble by her side. "So, what do you think?" She asked. He grinned at her. "I think it's the beginning of a great friendship, for all of us." He said, kissing her on the cheek. She grinned back at him. "I think so too." She said. THE END