Silver Spoon hadn't slept well that night, images of Diamond Tiara kept popping up in her mind and her dreams that were more of nightmares. The worst part of the day so far was waking up and hearing the birds chirping and the sun shining lightly over Ponyville. There was a small breeze blowing the leaves of the trees. There wasn't a cloud in the sky from what she could tell. The days mocked her feelings of guilt. While the ponies around town were happy for the most part, she was gloomy, depressed and the knowledge of knowing that she would be running errands just made things worse. She knew that everpony but the princesses hated her and Diamond Tiara wouldn't let her forget it. Silver Spoon had to do something though, her parents needed the money. She sucked in a deep breath, put on a smile and got out of bed. “Come on Silver Spoon, today will better, it couldn't be worse right?” She tried to comfort herself and think positively but it wasn't helping.
Silver Spoon walked up to her dresser and picked up her brush. Who was she kidding; she was terrified to go do more errands. Today wouldn't be any different then the day before. All she could do was look at herself in the mirror and wonder why she ever became friends with Diamond in the first place. “Stupid Diamond Tiara, why did you have to come into my life?” Silver Spoon shakily brushed her mane while trying not to cry. She could change; she could break herself free from Diamonds evil grip on her and become a good pony. It would take some work but she could do it right? She could do it with the protection of Princess Twilight sure or any of the Princesses for that matter but for that to happen, she would have to tell somepony. She set her brush down and noticed that she had been crying, much harder then she had originally thought or noticed in the mirror. “I’m doomed.”
Silver Spoon walked out of her room and grabbed her saddle bag. This wasn't going to be a good day and she knew it. With her luck, she would end up delivering something for one of the elements of harmony. All she could do now was let out a sigh and head to the library. As usual, ponies she passed gave her hated stares. She knew the rumors that spread around when the princesses weren't in earshot. Ponies in Ponyville wished Silver Spoon dead, in prison, or even beaten to a pulp. She couldn't blame them though; she felt that she deserved any of those things for what she helped to happen to them. Silver Spoon just couldn't bring herself to look at anypony unless it was necessary. “Come on Silver Spoon; just get to the library with a smile.” She tried to put on a smile but it was very difficult.
Silver Spoon walked up to the library just as it opened up to reveal Princess Twilight herself. “Good Silver Spoon, you’re here. I need you to go to Carousel Boutique and get these bits to Rarity. There is no time to explain.” Twilight hoofed over the bits, thanked Silver Spoon and shut the door.
“Great, just as I thought, another Element of Harmony to yell at me.” Silver Spoon put the bits in her bag and ran to the Boutique as fast as she could. The sooner she got there the better. She was almost there when she felt a sharp pain in her side. She hit the ground and slid a few feet before she came to a stop next to another pony. The bits in her bag flew out and scattered along the ground.
Silver Spoon tried to get up but was kicked down by another. “Hey fellas, it looks like she stole from another pony. Gather the bits and lets go.” The stallion speaking kicked Silver Spoon a few times before he ran off laughing with the others. She tried to stand up but she couldn't find the strength. All she could do was listen to what the Stallion said. “Let her best friend beat her for her failure, serves her right for torturing ponies.” The voices faded after that.
After a moment, Silver Spoon stood weakly; her back and a leg ached from being kicked. She had to at least tell Rarity that she had been mugged by a few stallions. Thanks to the kicks she had received, she walked with a limp. The kicks hurt but what the stallion said hurt more. Not too far away she could hear Rarity in a panic and two tax collectors were at her door. Silver Spoon was almost at the Boutique when Rarity walked past Silver Spoon with a glare in her eyes directed at the grey mare. The angry fashionista bumped into Silver Spoon and knocked her over as she walked by. Silver Spoon couldn't blame the mare and she knew that Twilight would be furious with her when she found out. “There goes my only chance; still I should at least tell Sweetie Belle if she is there.” She wasn't sure why she thought talking with Sweetie Belle would do any good but she found herself wishing to do just that anyway. Silver Spoon had to tell Sweetie Belle and then apologize, that was why she had to.
Silver Spoon made it to the front door and knocked and it caused a pain to shoot through her leg and into her back. Sweetie Belle answered alright and she wasn't happy. “You, this is all your fault. Now my sister is going to lose the boutique, why don’t you just get out of here!” Silver Spoon flinched and turned her head away.
“Please Sweetie Belle, I tried to deliver the bits for Princess Twilight but I got jumped. The Stallions that attacked me thought I had taken money from another pony but it was your sisters. I thought that you should know and I’m sorry for everything.” Silver Spoon turned to walk away but a hoof grabbed her shoulder. Her eyes widened by the touch, it wasn’t painful like she would have expected but kind and gentle. She turned around to face Sweetie Belle. “You’re not angry with me?”
“Look, I don’t like you but I noticed you limp as you turned. Why don’t you come in, sit down and explain everything to me.” Sweetie helped Silver Spoon over to the couch and sat down. “What’s the deal, why would you try and help my sister after everything you’ve done?” Sweetie questioned as she brought a cup up to her mouth. She had been drinking some tea before the collectors got there and she wanted to drink what was left before it got cold. “So, what’s the deal?”
Silver Spoon couldn't say everything but she had to say something. What could she possibly say though, there was no doubt Diamond Tiara was watching her. “I shouldn't talk to you.” Sweetie rolled her eyes and stood up off the couch. “I will say something though. Guilt.” That was all she could say and even that one word was hard to say. Suppose that gave away to much, Diamond Tiara would definitely kill her for it.
“That wasn't of much help but whatever. Clearly there is something wrong with you, so I’ll keep an eye on you.” Sweetie sat back down and received a panicked reaction.
“No, no, no, no, you can’t, she’ll kill me!” Silver Spoon blurted out and then covered her mouth with her hoof. Sweetie smiled as she took a sip of her tea. “You must be thrilled to know that huh? Knowing that I’ll probably die because of what I just said.”
“Wrong Silver Spoon, that doesn't make me happy in the least because now I see it clearly, she has something on you now as well or at least more on you now.” Sweetie set her cup down and turned to Silver Spoon and held out her hoof. “What do you say, friends?”
Silver Spoon swat Sweetie’s hoof away and frowned. “Why would I be, why would you be with me? I've never been anything but mean to you and everypony else. I don’t deserve friends.”
“Wrong Silver Spoon, you do deserve friends.” Sweetie looked to the door as the bell above rang. Rarity walked in and shut the door behind her. She put a hoof to her chest relieved. “Hey sis, Twilight give you the bits you needed?” Sweetie didn't need to ask, it was obvious from her sisters sigh of relief.
“Yes, no thanks to Silver Spoon. I can’t for the life of me figure out why Twilight would help her out.” Rarity stayed at the door and had yet to notice the grey mare beside Sweetie Belle. “Of course I can’t blame Twilight; she doesn't know how awful the mare is.” Rarity was shocked when she heard another voice start to scream.
“I get it ok; I’m a terrible pony who doesn't deserve to even be alive. You don’t need to tell me what I already know.” Silver Spoon stood up and limped out of the building as fast as possible. Rarity stepped aside to let her through.
“What the hay Rarity, she already feels bad enough as it is, you don’t need to make it worse for her. In fact, she is afraid that Diamond Tiara is going to kill her now and why, because she said something to me. I’m going to go catch up to her and take her to the clubhouse.” Sweetie stood up and pushed past her sister who was still in shock at both seeing Silver Spoon there and hearing what her little sister had just said to her. She also felt a bit guilty for what she said without really thinking.
Sweetie Belle went after Silver Spoon hoping to talk to her some more. She almost felt bad for the mare but it was hard. Silver Spoon wasn't nice but she was trying to be, at least she said she was. Sweetie felt she had to do something and she would, even if she was wrong. “Silver Spoon, wait!” Silver Spoon turned around surprised to see Sweetie Belle behind her. “Where are you going?”
“I was going back to Princess Twilight to accept my punishment.” Sweetie didn't say anything; she just followed behind and helped out when it was needed. Once they reached the library, Sweetie opened the door for Silver Spoon. Of course, Twilight was there waiting and she wasn't happy.
“Silver Spoon, what happened? All you had to do was deliver the bits but Rarity never received them. I had to pay for her and why, because you didn't show up. You care to explain?” Twilight tapped her hoof but didn't receive an answer. “Silver Spoon, you have to tell me what is going on with you? First Rainbow Dash and now Rarity and for some reason they will not tell me why they hate you so much. I need you to tell me something Silver Spoon because with the way things are going, I can’t keep you. I don’t want to let you go because you are clearly desperate for work and for some reason; you can’t get work anywhere else. You have to talk to me Silver Spoon, so?” Twilight waited a little to give Silver Spoon the chance to speak up but she didn't. “Fine, I have no other choice then.”
“Wait Twilight, please.” Sweetie burst out. “Let’s talk in private.” Twilight accepted and led Sweetie into the other room. “Please Twilight, you can’t fire her.”
“I have to do something Sweetie Belle; she has to talk to me. If she can’t do that, I will have to let her go.” Twilight rubbed her head as she could feel a headache coming on.
“I get it but please, you have to trust me that she just can’t. Not yet at least, just give me some time to talk to her please.” Sweetie begged and fought for Silver Spoon. She couldn't be sure why but she knew that Silver Spoon was trying to change.
Twilight looked back at the other room and sighed. “Fine, you have the rest of this week to get her to come clean but if you can’t, she is gone. You won’t get an extended amount of time to help no matter how close you are. I may not even be able to afford this week.” After a little thought, she changed her mind. “Change of plans, you have up until the end of the week. If I have to let her go, she will go before the end of this week, deal?” Sweetie nodded and ran out of the room to talk to Silver Spoon. “What is going on with you Silver Spoon and what is going on with everypony?”