//------------------------------// // A change in plan // Story: Moving on: Silver Spoon's story // by Hollyfern //------------------------------// After about another hour and a half the recess bell rang, releasing the students from their dreadful imprisonment. Without waiting to be dismissed every filly and colt in class bolted out of the classroom, except for a small group of fillies. "That pith'ure you drew made mith' Cheerilee look 'thooooo preth'ious!" Twist chirped as she cooed over the drawing again. "Yeah, it's really good!” Sweetie Belle added. "I'm surprised your cutie mark isn't a pencil and a...and..." the filly stopped short, words escaped her as they sometimes did. "Big whoop!" Scootaloo snorted. "She probably traced it for all we know!" "No she didn't!" Apple Bloom protested. "Ah was sittin’ next to her the whole time and..." she picked the drawing up and thrust it in Scootaloo’s face. "This here is hoof drawn!" Silver Spoon didn't think too much of her drawing. Nothing to argue over, but she had been in class long enough to know that Apple Bloom and Scootaloo argued on a daily basis. In that moment it was clear that becoming friends with that pegasus will be hard. "You two, quit arguing!" Cheerilee chided. "It's recess, go play nice my little ponies." Apple Bloom and Scootaloo took one last furious glance at each other, then began laughing as if nothing happened. Silver Spoon didn't understand those two. They seemed to hate each other’s guts one moment, then be the best of friends the next. The group of fillies left the classroom and headed for the playground. Everypony seemed to be enjoying themselves. The Cutie Mark Crusaders galloped off, leaving Silver Spoon and Twist behind. She wanted to join them, but she felt out of place. "Aren't you going with them?" Twist asked as she too watched the Cutie Mark Crusaders go. "O-oh, no," Silver Spoon sighed. "Wait, aren't you their friend?" "I am," the amber-gray earth pony proudly stated. The filly saw the hint of sadness in her classmate’s face and knew just what to do. "I have 'thomething that'll make you 'thmile!" Twist hurried back inside to retrieve her 'surprise.' Silver Spoon shrugged. She looked off at the swing set where the Cutie Mark Crusaders were most likely about to attempt to find their own cutie marks. Just watching them play discouraged her a bit. They all had something in common that she would never experience again. ...It just means that she's full of potential. Sweetie Belle’s words from Diamond Tiara’s ‘Cutecinera’ echoed in her mind. Yeah the possibilities are like... Endless! Scootaloo’s words followed. Silver Spoon looked at her own cutie mark and half wished it would disappear. She was no longer full of potential, she was defined. Her possibilities are no longer endless, she found that end. What kind of cutie mark is a spoon anyway? A spoon is a tool! Maybe...that's what I am. A tool... Silver Spoon thought on it and realized that was just how Diamond Tiara treated her. As an accessory, as a tool. A tear crawled down her cheek at the realization that she had no real friends. Being alone was how she had been living. "Here!" Twist said through clenched teeth, between her teeth she held a green and white candy and offered it to her sobbing classmate. "I can't accept this," Silver Spoon sniffled as she wiped away a tear. "Thank you though, Twist." Not happy with the answer, Twist placed the candy cane snugly behind Silver Spoons ear. The gray filly looked slightly confused as her generous classmate smiled warmly at her. Again the question: Why are they treating me so...nice? came to mind. For all the things Silver Spoon knew, this completely baffled her. She loved the fact that she was being given a second chance, save for Scootaloo that is, but she still felt guilty about all the teasing she did. Her conscious gnawed at her relentlessly constantly making her feel worse. "Hey! Twist! Silver Spoon!" Sweetie Belle called from over at the swing set. "Are you two coming? Scootaloo is going to see if she can get a cutie mark for..." "C'mon 'thilvy." Twist giggled. "Let'th go!" Silver Spoon smiled and nodded. Admittedly, this curly maned filly began to grow on her. The pure generosity she has shown refreshed her to a degree. Both fillies joined the Cutie Mark Crusaders at the swing set as the ever adventurous mild orange pegasus pulled back on the swing as far as it allowed. She grounded her hind legs and tightly gripped the swing seat with the other two. Slowly she flapped her wings and gradually increased their speed until her wings were moving too fast to see. Scootaloo picked her hind legs up and as soon as she did she went soaring straight forward...into a tree. The four fillies rushed over to their friend, who hung upside down with an embarrassed smile. "Scootaloo are you alright?" Sweetie Belle called up into the tree. The pegasus loosened herself and fell on top of Silver Spoon, who collapsed underneath the weight. "Hopefully... that did it!" Scootaloo grunted as she got to her hooves. Not bothering to check on her safety cushion, she quickly turned and looked at her flank which still remained blank. "Well... that idea didn't work." "You're WELCOME!" Silver Spoon grunted as she stood. Her glasses, upon closer inspection had a crack that ran the length of her left lens. "Oh great... thanks a lot blan-" Silver Spoon bit back her words. She had something nice going and she knew if she finished that sentence it would be over. Scootaloo didn't bother to apologize. Obviously becoming friends with this filly would be harder than Silver Spoon expected; Scootaloo hasn't forgiven her. The group of fillies played together, this time including Silver Spoon. Although due to a certain pegasus, she was always 'it' or the monster. Gradually though, Scootaloo began to seem like a certain friend of Silver Spoon’s. Before long the bell rang to return to class. Everypony dragged their hooves back inside; for them recess was never long enough. "Silver Spoon!" Scootaloo called from behind her. The earth pony cast an angry glance over her shoulder. With her glasses broken, she had to strain her eyes to see the orange pegasus beckoning her away from the rest of the class. She had something to say and judging by the look on her face it wasn't good. She sighed and against her better judgment walked over to Scootaloo. "What?" She impatiently inquired. "Listen here, you might have my friends buying this pity play you've got going on but you don't fool me! And..." I figured as much... Silver Spoon tuned the angry pegasus out. She nodded now and again to feign like she was paying attention. "Are you done?" Not waiting for an answer, the gray pony headed inside. "I'm watching you," Scootaloo growled as she followed. --- Despite the little run in with Scootaloo, Silver Spoon couldn't wait for the bell to ring to dismiss them. Her mind raced with the things they would do. Make overs? Games? Shopping? Before the little filly knew it, the bell had rung again, dismissing the class. This time Twist and Silver Spoon were among one of the first outside. "Thank you again for the candy cane, Twist," Silver Spoon offered with a smile. The candy cane still rested behind her ear and she had no plans of eating it. After all it was a gift. "It'th alright, 'Thilvy." Twist proudly smiled. "Tell me how it taste'th! I can make all different kind'th of flavor'th!" "But, it's a gift from you. I'd rather not eat it." "Non'then'th, it'th candy! You're 'thuppo'thd to eat it!" Twist smiled at Silver Spoon expectantly waiting for her to eat it. The earth pony smiled back and decided to try her gift. She removed it from its plastic wrapping and placed the straight end in her mouth, as she did her eyes lit up. The sharp minty taste spread over her tongue like wild fire. "Mmmmm!!!" The Cutie Mark Crusaders appeared behind them and Sweetie Belle ran over to Silver Spoon, obviously excited about her coming over to the Carousel Boutique. "Are you ready Silver Spoon?!" The young unicorn eagerly asked. "Ready for what?" Apple Bloom asked. "Silver Spoon is coming over my house today!" Sweetie Belle proudly stated. "This is going to be sooo much fun!" "Aww! I want to come too!" Whined Apple Bloom. "Yeah, me too, Sweetie Belle!" Scootaloo added. Keeping to her word I see. Silver Spoon huffed. An opportunity like this she decided to use to get on Apple Blooms' good side at least; Scootaloo will be another story. "Hey, why not all of you come? It's sure to be a lot more fun that way!" Sweetie Belle gasped. “You know I didn't think of that! Good idea Silver Spoon!" "I gue'th I'll go 'thoo," Twist added. "I’ll meet up wi'th 'thu later." "Are you girls ready to go?" Rarity called to the little group of fillies as she approached. "Silver Spoon! Whatever happened to your lovely glasses?" "They..." the earth pony glanced at Scootaloo and sighed. "They fell." Rarity lifted the glasses from the little filly’s face and, in a flash of light, repaired them. She made them similar to the glasses she wore when working. "There." She placed the glasses back on Silver Spoon’s face and smiled. "Good as new, now, le-" "Rarity! Can the other Cutie Mark Crusaders and Twist come too?" Sweetie Belle asked. "F-Five fillies?" Rarity reeled at the thought of five young fillies running amok in Carousel Boutique. "Sweetie Belle darling, I just don't think-" "We can go to my house!" Silver Spoon unconsciously blurted out. What did I just say?! "Really?" everypony gasped. She had caught herself in a bad situation. Even Scootaloo seemed surprised and maybe, just maybe, she could get closer to her. "W-well, yeah," Silver Spoon finally said. "I'm sure Seabastion and the others wouldn't mind. Plus my house is plenty big for all of us, Miss Rarity." "Dear, what about your mother an-" "They don't care," Silver Spoon quickly interrupted, an echo of sadness in her voice. Rarity understood and merely nodded uneasily, obviously not too thrilled at the last minute change of plan. But it would please the little ones at least. "Well, you little fillies better get going!" The older unicorn smiled. "I'll inform your parents where you are." "Thank you Rarity!" The fillies sang as they galloped off.