//------------------------------// // Epilogue // Story: The Silver Spoons; A Tragic Silver Spoon Story // by TheOneAJ //------------------------------// "You’re what?" Apple Bloom asked. It had been mouths after the family project had been due, but all four of them got their A’s in the end. Now it was the beginning of summer as the four crusaders were unwinding in their clubhouse as Silver Spoon delivered the dreaded news. After she had gotten her new cutie mark, reporters, scientist, and even the princess, would grace her with relentless visits to try and understand what had happened. While there were many different in depth details about what happened to Silver Spoon, the only Pony in history to ever have a cutie mark change, there was always in the end one simple explanation; Silver Spoon had wanted to change, so she did so After the media frenzy died down, Silver Spoon was free to resume her normal life with her friends. However, thing would never be normal for her again in Ponyville. For one thing, aside from Apple Bloom and the crusaders, most other ponies tended to avoid her, especially her classmate and other fillies. She wasn’t sure if it was because they feared she had the cutie poxes or something, or if it was just because of some other reasons she didn’t understand. Either way, she was getting pretty feed up with their stares. However, her last straw came from her parents. When Silver Spoon finally opened up to them, told them how she felt, and she how what she wanted to do with her life, she dared for a moment to dream that they wouldn’t get a divorce anymore and that she wouldn’t have to put up with their high expectations from them or her family. Yet, only a few hours after she came clean, her parents had another huge fight, and continued to treat her like a foal despite everything that had happened. They even straight up tried to comfort up, only to hint about her to give up on her teaching dream because it would be very difficult for her because of her Dyslexia, it wasn’t what Silver’s did, and their finally argument was that were not a lot of teaching opportunities in Ponyville. In the end, she still had to choose who she was going to live with. She could either spend the school year with her father in Ponyville, or her mother in Manehatten while she spent the summer with the other, and one Hearths Warming with each parent until she graduated in two years. So while she hadn’t been much too pleased with her mother’s actions either, she chose to move to Manhattan with her at the end of the summer. "I'm sorry girls,” she sighed after she told them her decision, “it was my choice and, and..." "But," Sweetie Belle said as held back a tear, "Mainhatten is so far away. You sure you want to live with your mother?" "Yes girls," she said with a heavy heart, "but it's nothing you did, it’s what I feel I have to do." "Is it because you and Diamond Tiara haven't made up yet, or because of those scientist who won't leave you alone?" Scootaloo said, ready to do some bucking for her friend. "Kind of." As she explained everything about her choice, how she wanted to get anyway from the weary ponies of Ponyvile, as well as live in a place where there might be opportunities for her to be a teacher. “Where are you going to stay?” Sweetie Bell asked, the first to accept the terrible news. “In one of the high rise apartments in upper Manhatten, right next door to my aunt and younger cousin.” She said as she gave them a reassuring smile. “Look, I promise I’ll invite you all over sometime to see the city.” “But,” Scootaloo cried out, “it’s not far, you shouldn’t have to it’s… it’s not far!” “You said it,” she nodded, “but, we still have the whole summer together, I just have to move before school begins.” "But then you have to leave us all,” Apple Bloom protested the hardest, “y’all have to make new friends, you won’t know anypony, and wouldn’t it be easier to stay in Ponyville with us?" "It would, but I guess I just want a new start. You’ve seen how pony’s look at me. This is the end of our friendship, I'll come back every summer and this year’s Hearth Warming, girls.” She said as she forced her crying friends into a group hug. “You don’t know how, happy I am right now. I am so glad I have friend like you.” After a while, she broke from her embrace as they four filly’s went from crying to laughing, with no good reason to. “So how about we have the best summer ever,” she insisted with a hoof raised into the air, “alright?” “O-okay.” Apple Bloom sniffled as all four of them let out a loud, but teary, “CUTTIE MARK CRUSADERS FOREVER, YAY!” ***** So the summer came and went much faster than any of them would have liked. While they would do random things as they had done since getting their cutie marks, they mostly spent the summer doing things that involved their cutie marks. They would spend one day watching Scootaloo scooter ride as they tried to ride on a scooter themselves, while the next day they would watch and help as best they could with one of Apple Bloom’s projects. The further the summer went along, the more Silver Spoon began to notice how here friends where spending too much time on their special talents rather than with each other. One day Apple Bloom would have overslept from working on a project, while the next day she caught Sweetie Belle daydreaming about a worldwide tour right in the middle of one of their adventures. Yet for their last night together, she went out of her way just to make sure they were all in the club house for their end of summer slumber party. While they didn't do as much as they had done over the summer, it felt like it was the best night of their lives. They sang, played games, and star gazed as they slowly began to drift off to sleep. As the night went on thou, Silver Spoon found that she just couldn't sleep. She had a thought on her mind that she just couldn’t stop thinking about as it ate and grew in her mind like a parasprite. When she noticed that Apple Bloom hadn't fallen asleep either, she decided to confess her fear to her. "Hey, Apple Bloom?" "Oh," her friend muttered, "you awake too, Silver?" "Yeah,” she nodded, eye’s locked on the sky, “I’ve got a lot on my mind." Apple Bloom chuckled. "I'd imagine you would. Ah got somethin on my mind as well, but it sounds stupid." "I'm sure it's not," she assured, "why don't you tell me first?" Apple Bloom sighed. "Alright, I'm… I’m worried about all of us." She waved a hood in the air. Silver Spoon just nodded, knowing where she was going from already feeling those same fears. "I mean, yeah, we've hung out and had fun all summer, but, Ah don't know. Dose it sound crazy to worry about us all drifting apart? I mean, y'all's moving away, Scootaloo has already made plans to build a park just for scooter with some extreme scooter games to go with it, Sweetie Belle is still talking about finding a music agent in Canterlot, and as for me..." She sighed deeply, "Well, you've seen how late I can be at time after buildin my toys all night. You don't think this is the end of our friendship, do you?" Silver Spoon remained quiet for a moment as she though more on it. She had an answer, but as Apple Bloom spoke, it remained her of how she a Diamond Tiara where no longer friends. Even thou their friendship was built on their rich families and picking on other fillies, they had always considered themselves best friends. It reminded Silver Spoon of when Diamond Tiara’s parents spilt up before either of them got a cutie marks. How Diamond cried all day, how she had tried to comfort her, but to no avail as Diamond Tiara’s heart had hardened after that day. Truth be told, Silver Spoon probably had kept Diamond Tiara in check from doing anything really regrettable through their fillyhood, but she was sure Diamond Tiara wouldn’t do anything rash while she was gone. Even with that, it still broke her heart that she wasn’t able to make sure that her friend wouldn’t be alone either. Yeah, Apple Bloom and the crusaders would try to help her and accept her as a friend when she was ready, but she hatted leaving Diamond Tiara on the ground they were on now. So, what made her friendship with the crusaders different, aside from them being nicer? After a moment of deep thought, as she thought about all the hardship her friendships had been through, she had her answer for Apple Bloom. "Well, yes, I can't promise that we all won't drift apart and go spate ways now that we got our cutie marks. We may go mouths, even years without seeing one another as we chase our dreams. However, through it all, no matter what happens to us, we will always be friends because our bounds are strong. I mean, you've girls have survived Diamond Tiara's and mine constant name calling and far worse as your crusaded for your cutie marks. On top of that, we all got our cutie marks together, I think, no, I know a friendship like this can survive even a few years being apart." The words brought comfort to Apple Bloom, but not enough for her to fall back asleep. "Yeah, but it's still a scary thought." "I suppose it is," Silver Spoon admitted, "but wasn't it one of your sister friendship lessons with Twilight that friendship isn't always easy, but that it’s well worth fighting for?" Apple Bloom toke a deep sigh before she went on. "Apple Bloom, you’re a great friend, the whole reason the cutie mark crusaders even exist, so promise me that, no matter what happens, no matter how busy you three may be, you will always find time to spend time with each other, even if it’s only once a year, deal?" "As often as I can.” Apple Bloom said. “Oh, and Silver Spoon?" "Yeah?" "Don't y'all give up hope on Diamond Tiara. Best friends always come through in the end," she yawned, "even if it takes years. She still cares about you, I know it as well as Pinkie Pie knows when somthin is go’na fall out’a the sky." The words brought a smile to Silver Spoon tired face. "Thanks, Apple Bloom, for everything." If Apple Bloom heard she didn't acknowledge it as a series of snores soon fallowed Silver Spoons last words. Within moment of feeling relief, she was quickly feel asleep. __________________________________________________ "You sure you want to bring that?" Her mother asked again as she pointed to one of Silver Spoon’s large packages. It was moving day for her and all that was left was to load the luggage they had brought with them to be loaded onto the train. “Yes mother, I’ll defiantly need it.” She said as she continued to stare around the station, eagerly awaiting for four different pony’s to arrive and say their goodbyes. Her friend’s had to take care of few things that day, but they all promised to show up to say goodbye before the train left. “Alright then, no, not like that, gah!” Her mother shouted as some handyman where carrying a wardrobe the wrong way. She walked off, but Silver Spoon hadn’t even noticed as she reflect back on how her father had said goodbye. He gave her a very beautiful diamond necklace, which she was wearing now to be polite, and then just patted her on the head and said that he would miss her. She chose to believe that his lack of emotion was just a result of being happy that he didn’t have to fight with her mother anymore. He did give her a big hug before she left, not that she would have been to forgiving even if he broke down and begged her to stay with him. She didn’t want to hate her parents, but she didn’t like them with how little the seemed to care about her, even after everything that had happened. She was in deep thought when a dark gray mare walking up beside her as her large box was being loaded onto the train. “Why hello their sister, you seem well today." Octavia said as the content of the package feel out. “Epp!” She shouted, forgetting that her sister had been in town, and was going to accompany them on their train ride to Manehatten. As she jumped into the air, she knocked over the stallion carrying her box as it feel over and revealed the large plush box within. "Oh, sorry sis, I didn’t mean to, hey, what is that?" Octavia said intrigued by the object that feel out. "Don't!" She raced toward the plush book, but it was too late. Octavia’s eye’s widened as she saw a worn out picture of her on the front and recognized what it was. "You've kept this?" Octavia asked as she tilted her at the worn out plush with a very torn picture of herself on the cover. "All this time?" Silver Spoon just lowered her head in shame. “Well, I…” she felt a little ashamed to admit that she used her sister’s present to de-stress herself each day. Octavia just held her hoof up to her trembling sister. “Its fine, I just though you would have thrown it away because, you know.” She stopped talking when she saw how distressed her sister was. “I didn’t mean anything mean by it, I just thought it would be a good laugh. I didn’t think you would keep it.” “Well, I did.” she said with a deep breath as she dared to smile at her sister. “I’m sorry if I upset you, but why’d you keep it all this time?” She didn’t feel comfortable to admit that she kept it as a way to spite Octavia, and to relive stress, but luckly her sister just held a hoof up. “Its fine, you don’t have to tell me now, but you doing alright there, all thing considered?” “All things considered,” she answered truthfully, “I’m doing better than expected.” All throughout the summer, her older sister had come down to Ponyville after she had heard about all that had happened. At first, she was reluctant of her popularity, which turned into a blessing after a while as it took negative attention away from her. Then after a while, Octavia began to spent time with Silver as she tried to comfort her through this rough time. She spoke with her as an adult, admitted that she though their parents’ divorce was selfish, and most importantly, she strongly believed and supported Silver Spoon’s teaching dreams. Octavia gave her sister and honest grin and comforting pat on the back as she just pushed the book aside for the moment. "Well, if you want to talk more about it on the train or whenever you want to we will. For right now, it looks like you got some friends who want to see you.” She nodded towards the steps of the station where her friends were racing towards her. “Oh thank Celestia we made it.” Scootaloo huffed as they four fillies embraced as Octavia picked up the plush book to allow her sister to say goodbye. “We wouldn’t miss this for the world.” Sweetie Bell assured as tears began to form in her eyes. “You sure you have to go?” Apple Bloom asked one last time as she fought back her tears harder than Scootaloo was. “Oh, Apple Bloom,” Silver Spoon trying not to cry herself, “girls, don’t forget to write to me every month, at minimum. I want up to date info on what’s going on in Ponyville, got it?” “We got it, we’ll send you one every week.” Sweetie Belle promised as they heard the whistle to the train blow. “I’ll send one every day.” Apple Bloom assured as they broke apart. As they did so, Silver Spoon began to desperately look around for one last pony to see her off. “Hey,” Silver Spoon asked nervously, “have you girls, by chance, on your way here seen…” Apple Bloom just shook her head. “I’m sorry Silver Spoon; I even talked to her face to face. I’m sure she’ll be here.” She said as they heard the train beginning to power up. “Silver Spoon!” They heard her mother call to her as she and Octavia boarded the train. “In a minute,” she shouted as she turned to her friends. “It will be okay.” Apple hugged her. "We promise we'll look after her." “Thanks girls.” She then took the time to say goodbye to each of them. “Hey,” she went up to Sweetie Belle first. “When you go worldwide, you better make sure I get some backstage passes, okay?” “I’ll… I’ll make them VIP’s.” She said as she wrapped her hooves around her. Silver Spoon just patted her on the back. She then parted as they both wiped back a tear and moved on to Scootaloo, who was trying her hardest not to look like a crybaby. It wasn’t working or fooling anypony thou as she wrapped a hoof around her. “Yeah like, you take care up there in the big mean city.” Scootloo said as scrunched her nose. “I mean, if any of those mean Manhatenites try to pick on you, you tell me, and I’ll come running.” she began to tear up. “You hear me?” “I do, Scootaloo.” She said tightening the hug, which broke Scootaloo’s emotional dam. “Don’t worry, I’ll miss you to.” “Ye…yeah.” Scootaloo nodded as she wiped back her tears, trying to act like she hadn’t cried. “Just take care of yourself. “Okay.” She nodded with happy tears as she moved over to Apple Bloom. “So,” Apple Bloom sighed. “I mean, who would have thought, I’d be crying over you leaving ponyville over a year ago, and look at me now.” “Trust me,” she said as she wiped a tear away, “this wasn’t how I’d planned saying goodbye to you would be like either.” This time, Apple Bloom went into the hug first, as the two fillies just held each other for a moment. “Thank you. For not only giving me the courage to tell my family my secret desire, but for being my friend.” “Oh believe me,” she said as she tightened her grip, “I have more to thank you for.” There embraced ended as the conductor shouted, “Five minutes!” The conductor shouted as her mother and sister shouted for her to hurry up. “Thank you all so much. I’ll see you girls this hearth warming.” She said as they began to walk towards the loading platform. Just as she was about to board the train, she noticed a gleam of a tiara out of the corner of the station glisten. “Diamond Tiara!” She said relived as she raced towards her friend as she threw her arms around her friend. “Ugh.” Diamond Tiara tried to protest as she pushed Silver Spoon away, but not before she felt a hug from her. “Like, what are you doing? I like, only came out here because my daddy made me.” Silver spoon just sighed, while she could tell Diamond Tiara was half lying, but lying all the same. “Is this really how were going to say goodbye?” Diamond Tiara remained silent as she looked out in a warm and hopeful smile. “Come on Diamond, we’ve been through too much to end it like this.” Diamond Tiara turned her back on her friend. “Diamond Tiara!” While she tried to hide it, she could see tears rolling down her friends. Hey, no matter what you say, or what you do, you are still my friend. That’s not going to change. You got that?” With one last glance Silver Spoon would never forget from Diamond Tiara, the pink filly merely huffed and said, "Goodbye," and walked off the station platform without another word. As she watched Diamond Tiara walk off the platform, she felt Apple Bloom place a hoof on her shoulder. “It will be okay.” “Yeah.” Silver Spoon said as Apple Bloom and the girls forced one last group hug while the train whistled in the background. “I got to go!” Silver Spoon said as she broke her embraces and jumped on the train just as it began to leave. "Goodbye, everypony!" “Goodbye, we’ll miss you, take care!” The crusader shouted out at their friend, all the while Silver Spoon rushed to the caboose to wave for as long as she could to her friends, tear’s pouring as fast as a mighty stream the whole time. Then, just before they left the station, Silver Spoon caught one last glance at Diamond Tiara sulking in the road as she glance towards the train. The two fillies then caught one last glance at each other before the train left Ponyville. At first, she had expected Diamond Tiara to shout out at her, chase the train, and cry out how sorry she was for abandoned her, and scream to the heavens that she wouldn’t go. Instead, Diamond Tiara just huffed as she held her head up as she walked away. “Goodbye, I’ll miss you, friend!” She shouted out towards Diamond Tiara before she got out of view. Long after the train was gone, Diamond Tiara looked back.