Chapter 17
“So, that was your sister?” asked Apple Bloom.
“Unfortunately, yes,” sighed Silver Spoon. “I wonder how she set this up.”
“Thet what up?” Twist wanted to know.
“This whole thing. She obviously just wanted to embarrass me. Again.”
“But,” said Apple Bloom, “she didn't look like she knew that lunch was ready.”
“Then why was there a plate set for her?” asked Silver Spoon.
“Maybe that Butler did it?” suggested Twist. “Just in cathe, you know?”
“Also, she didn't act like she knew we'd be here,” added Apple Bloom.
Silver Spoon shook her head. “It doesn't matter. Planned or not, I'm sorry you had to see this.”
“Don't worry,” said Twist. “It'th not your fault what she did.”
Apple Bloom nodded. “And besides, yours isn't the only sister who acts strange or stupid from time to time.”
“If it only were from time to time. And I'm sure Applejack doesn't do that, right?”
“Believe me, she does.”
“Really?” Twist asked. “You never told me about that.”
“Well, Ah' have to admit, it's not the proudest thing to say about ma' sister.”
“Whatever she did,” said Silver Spoon, “I bet it wasn't as bad as anything Marecedes did.”
“Has she ever come back home so drunk she was barely able to walk straight?
“Maybe. But I've never seen it if she did.”
“Well then if she did she didn't sing so loud ya'd wake up from it even before she had entered the house. Granny, Big Mac and Ah' had a lot of trouble getting her into her bed. We had to stop every few steps because she'd hug us and tell us how great we were and that she was the happiest pony alive.”
“That doethn't thound tho bad to me,” said Twist.
“Believe me, those words lose every meaning if ya' get them told like a hundred times between yer front door and the second floor. Especially if the pony telling ya' is reekin' like a dozen sailors at three in the mornin' after payday.”
“How do you know what that smells like?” Silver Spoon asked.
“Well, Ah' don't. But Granny said that's what she smelled like.”
Twist scratched her chin. “How doeth she know what that thmellth like?”
“How should Ah' know? Ah' don't even know if Ah' want to know.”
“Still,” said Silver Spoon, “I think I'd endure that if it was the price for having my sister actually being happy to see me.”
“Well, Ah' did leave out some parts Ah' think Ah' shouldn't tell ya before we've eaten.”
Neither of the other two replied to that statement. Silver Spoon saw in Twist's eyes that she, too, was struggling to keep her mind from imagining what Apple Bloom could have meant.
After a few moments of silently staring at each other Twist suggested: “Tho, maybe we should thtart eating?”
There were no objections.
Soon enough, the taste of their lunch washed away any distracting thoughts of whatever Applejack might have done that one night. After they stuffed themselves with dessert, they went up to Silver Spoon's room.
Just as yesterday, studying proved to be difficult. But this time, it was the their host who couldn't focus on learning. Even though it wasn't for the reasons she would have expected. But that only added even more to her annoyance with herself about getting distracted in the first place. Which, in return, kept her mind even further from participating in her friends' efforts of explaining to her the basic principles geometry.
Finally Apple Bloom said: “Ah' know that after yesterday Ah' shouldn't be complainin' too loudly. But this way we ain't getting' anywhere.”
“Yes,” added Twist, “you thpathed out about a dothen timeth by now. And we thtarted not even half an hour ago.”
Silver Spoon let her quill drop – this time on purpose. “I'm sorry you two. It's just that I can't get what my sister said out of my head.”
“Which part of it?” Twist asked.
“About tomorrow. That whatever happens then will be entertaining for her.”
“What ith tho bad about that?”
“Usually, when I'm involved, it means that it won't be entertaining for me. I wonder what she has planned.”
“I don't know. It didn't thound to me like she had planned anything at all. More like thomething wath goin' to happen anyway she didn't expect to be fun.”
“Yeah,” agreed Apple Bloom. “Maybe it has something to do with what yer maid said yesterday.”
Twist looked at them both in confusion. “What did her maid thay?”
Silver Spoon explained: “She said Stickler, our butler, had been talking with my father about something. And she said I shouldn't worry about it. Okay, so let's say you're right, Apple Bloom. Then my sister knows what will happen tomorrow, thinks it would be boring or uninteresting, but you being here would make it entertaining for her. What could that be?”
“Ah've no idea. But that maid looked like she was sure ya'd like the surprise. Me being there or not.”
Silver Spoon nodded. Then she sighed. “Great. So they do have a surprise planned for tomorrow I am supposed to like but my sister now knows how to ruin that for me.”
“What maketh you tho sure she'll do that?” Twist asked. “She didn't seem tho mean to me at all.”
“You only know her since lunch. I know her since I was born. She always does that. Or at least tries to.”
“Why do ya' worry so much?” Apple Bloom asked. “Even if she has something planned. I'll be there too and can help ya' if it should be necessary.”
Silver Spoon stared wide-eyed at her. But that moment of silence didn't last long. “That... That is true. I honestly hadn't thought of that.”
“Ya' see? This time yer not alone with her.”
“Well, not just this time. But usually it's Diamond Tiara by my side. And I just realized how used I actually have gotten to that...”
Another moment of silence passed before Apple Bloom said: “Ah' never thought Ah'd say this; but Ah' hope Ah' can be a good replacement for Diamond Tiara then.”
“A replacement?” repeated Silver Spoon. “Why would you want to be a replacement? I don't want a replacement by my side. I want you by my side when I'm facing my sister.”
“Wow,” laughed Twist. “Now you make it thound like you're having a duel with her.”
“I hope it doesn't come to that.” Silver Spoon had to laugh too. As much as she disliked Marecedes. imagining herself and her sister in a duel like those good and evil knights in some of the stories her nanny had told her was too silly.
“Now that that's settled,” said Apple Bloom, “should we get to schoolwork?”
The other two fillies agreed.
And this time, Silver Spoon was finally able to concentrate on what they were all here for. With Twist around to help her too, she learned even more in those few hours than she had with just Apple Bloom the day before. It made her wonder if she should somehow try to get even more fillies to help her studying? Even though she had no idea who else she could ask. At least, not with so many of their class-mates gone on vacation.
Apple Bloom too was obviously glad Twist was here. The glasses-wearing filly knew a lot about mathematics. And she wasn't bad at Equestrian either – despite her strange way of speaking.
After a few hours they were worn out and had their heads stuffed with as much information as it could gather. Done with learning for the day, Silver Spoon gave the same tour around the house for her newest friend as she had given to Apple Bloom the day before. And Twist turned out to be a perfect guest for the gray little filly. They spent a few entertaining minutes with Twist admiring her family's home in ever growing admiration with just the right hint of jealousy. Eventually, they reached the last part of the tour: The pool.
Today wasn't any cooler than yesterday and so the Silver Spoon had anticipated her friends would like it best to spend the rest of it there. But what she hadn't anticipated was her sister also suffering from the summer heat and already waiting at the pool side for them. Or at least sleeping in a lounge chair, a fashion magazine crumpled in her lap.
“What are we going to do now?” asked Apple Bloom.
“Good quethtion,” added Twist. “I don't want to wake her.”
Silver Spoon shook her head. “Normally, I'd agree with you. Asleep is the next best thing to her not being around. But if she really wants to take a nap, she can go to her room. Come on, let's have some fun.”
Without waiting for an answer, she jumped into the pool. She had always loved those few seconds after diving into the water. Her eyes closed she drifted almost weightlessly. Every sound around her got cut off at once. And then, the moment she broke back through the surface, everything returned to her like the world welcoming her back.
Gasping a little bit, she heard two splashes. One to her right, one to her left. Looking around she saw two blurry messes of wet red hair. Then the one to her right said:
“Do you alwayth leave your glathes on in the pool?”
“No,” laughed Silver Spoon, partly to hide her embarrassment. “I guess I got a bit over-exited.”
So she climbed up one of the ladders, way sooner than she had expected. On the table closest to her – the one right next to her sister – she saw Twist's glasses. So she put hers right next to them. The she turned around to take another dive into the pool.
But then she heard her sister mumbling: “Do you have to be so noisy?”
“No,” said Silver Spoon. “But we want to.”
“Can't you be noisy somewhere else?”
“Can't you sleep somewhere else?”
Now her sister sat up and rubbed her eyes. “My room is too hot and I can't sleep with the AC running. Here I at least can catch a breeze and have some shade.”
“You can do that beneath a tree on the other side of the house too.”
“No, I can't. Our gardener is mowing the lawn. How am I supposed to sleep during that?”
“Why do you want to sleep in the first place? It's only afternoon. And you only woke a few hours ago.”
“And why are you out here? Didn't you say something about learning?”
“We're already done with that. And now my friends and I want to relax for the rest of the day.”
“Friends, huh?” Marecedes looked over to the pool, where the two red maned fillies had started to splash water at each other. “You have a poor choice in friends.”
“What's that supposed to mean?”
Marecedes simply ignored her question. “Since when are you friends with them anyway? Whenever I heard you and the little wannabe princess talk about that Apple Bloom, it sounded more like you both hated her with all you have.”
Silver Spoon hesitated. 'For about a week' sounded more than pitiful to her. And she perfectly knew that her sister would love to harp on the fact that it didn't take even three days for them to become friends after Diamond Tiara had departed.
Desperate for anything to say, she settled for: “What do you care? Since when are you interested in who I'm friends with?”
Marecedes rolled her eyes. “You're right, I don't care about your friends. As long as their names aren't Diamond Tiara or Apple Bloom.”
“And why is that? Why do you have a problem with them? Can't you just be happy I found some friends?”
“Not with them. Mark my words, your precious Diamond Tiara is going to grow up into something mom wouldn't want me to tell you about. And don't get me started with that Apple Bloom.”
Silver Spoon was close to just yell and scream at her sister. But she mustered up her last bit of will to resist the urge. She couldn't let herself go, now more than ever. Her new friends shouldn't see her like that.
Fighting the shaking in her voice, she hissed: “Is this about what happened between you and Applejack?”
Her sister blinked at Silver Spoon, a glimpse of surprise rising in her eyes. “You know about that?”
“Yes, she told me you and she had fight some time. But I don't even care what you've been fighting about. All I want is that you stop judging Apple Bloom by what her sister did. Nopony is responsible for what their siblings do or act like. Believe me, I know what I'm talking about.”
Marecedes snorted. “Yeah, you're one to talk. Tell that to mom and dad. But fine, why should you start listening to me now? See what happens. I don't need this. I'm out of here.”
She threw the fashion magazine onto the table and stood up.
Silver Spoon watched her until she entered the house, then turned back towards the pool. Shaking her head like to throw off the memories of what had just happened, she started running. One short jump later she was back in the water, washing away the lingering anger.
After a long, joyful afternoon of playing and laughing with her friends, eventually Stickler reminded them of the time. But unlike yesterday, he held Silver Spoon back at the front door.
“I am sorry, Lady Silver Spoon, but I am afraid I will have to ask you stay here today. There is something important we have to talk about. And besides that, I can not have you return as late as yesterday. You will have to go school again tomorrow.”
“Can't I at least go with them until the market place? I promise I'll come straight back home.”
“I am afraid I can not agree to that, Lady Silver Spoon. Your actions over the course of the last days have not been adding to my trust in your word. But that is, at least in part, what we will talk about.”
Silver Spoon wanted to try again to argue, but Apple Bloom laid a hoof on her shoulder and said: “It's okay. We'll see each other in school tomorrow.”
“Well, I gueth we won't,” said Twist smiling. “But you know where elthe to find me.”
“Hm, okay,” she agreed reluctantly. “I'll see you then. Both of you.”
After her friends were gone Stickler led the little filly into the dining room and told her to sit down. Then he sat himself on the other side of the table. Taking a deep breath he said: “Lady Silver Spoon, as you already know, I assume, your father and I had a talk yesterday. I called him to discuss your recent behavior.”
Silver Spoon had already opened her mouth, but the butler kept on talking regardless.
“And I am sure we do not need to talk about what I am referring to, do we? As I, your was father was not pleased with you staying away all night without even as much as asking for permission beforehand. However, he explicitly instructed me to let you know that he is not displeased with you staying with a friend over night in general.”
“He... is not?”
“No, on the contrary. He was more than happy to hear that you found a new friend. Yet he would have preferred if you had waited with ideas like camping until summer school was over. In that matter, he does agree with my decision not to let you visit the Apples' farm for now.”
“For now? As in 'it will be okay later'?”
“Yes, Lady Silver Spoon. As it seems, your father does agree with my decision, yet not with my reasons. He wants you, first and foremost, to improve at school. So he wishes for me to make sure you are working on your studies. Which means, it will be acceptable for you to bring friends here, as long as you still work for school.
“And I want to let you know that we are both most pleased you indeed are getting help for your studies from your new friend and do not use her as a means to avoid it.”
“I would never 'use' a friend of mine!”
“Of course not. I am sorry, it was not my intention to implicate anything in that regards.”
“Well, never mind. But, how did you know we were studying? We've been in my room all the time.”
“By the simple way of checking in on you.”
“Really? I didn't notice.”
Somewhere behind his thick, well-groomed mustache, for a short moment, Silver Spoon could make out one of Stickler's all too rare smiles.
“And that's how I know you really are finally taking school seriously,” her said. “So, provided you keep up your efforts, I will have no choice but to let you visit that family again eventually. Therefore, from now on, I will make it a priority of mine to stay in contact with your teacher. If she can confirm your improvement, then you will have my approval.”
Silver Spoon's mind told her to be happy about what her butler had told her. All she had to do to visit her new friend again was keeping up what she had planned to do anyway. Yet something in Stickler's tone held her back.
“Stickler,” she said timidly, “you still sound like you don't like me going to the Apples farm. Even after father told you that it is alright?”
His eyes lowered for a moment. Then a silent sigh shook his mustache. “Yes, Lady Silver Spoon. As your father's employee and by my professional honor I am bound to his directions. Yet I still am entitled to my own opinion, which has not changed since we last talked about this matter.”
“So I guess father also told you to be nicer to Apple Bloom?”
“Yes, he indeed instructed me to treat her as any other guest of the house. As hard as it is.”
Now Silver Spoon sighed, more audibly than her butler did. “How can you say that? What did she ever do to you?”
“It is not about what she has done. It is about her whole family's background and what influence she might bring upon you. I simply am worried about your personal well-being.”
“Even though father isn't?”
“Lady Silver Spoon, I guarantee to you that he is.”
“You know what I meant. But I don't know what you meant. They're the nicest ponies I ever met. They are hard working and honest. They only knew me for a day and already treated like I was part of their family. What could have ever happened that makes them so scary to you?”
“Scary is the wrong word, Lady Silver Spoon. But I honestly do not think it is an appropriate topic for you to know about.”
“What?”
“Lady Silver Spoon, please do accept that I will not delve into this any more. And, for the possibility that I might be wrong, I agree with your father that there is no need to unnecessarily make you think less of your newly found friend.”
Silver Spoon opened her mouth, but Stickler kept talking regardless. “Now that this is settled, there is one more thing I need to address. Considering your already mentioned lack of communication regarding your spare time activities, we, that is of course your father and I, have come to the agreement that it would be for the best if you from now on let me or other house personnel, should I not be available, know where you will be when you are not at home and at what time we can expect you to return.”
Silver Spoon sat in silence. Not because she was stunned or angry, but because she had to process the last string of words her butler had delivered. After a moment of mentally working through the provided information, she asked: “So, I'll have to tell you where I'm going and when I'm back?”
“That is correct.”
“But, I didn't even have to do this during regular school time.”
“If you take another look at your most recent report card, you will see where that has led you.”
This time, Silver Spoon didn't even attempt to speak up. All she could do was look down at the table and endure the growing heat intruding on her face.
“Well, Lady Silver Spoon, now that we have the unpleasant matters solved, your father wants me to let you know that he is proud of you. He said he is glad that you are working hard and still manage to have a pleasant summer vacation. And, of course, he told me to tell you that he loves you.”
The gray little filly never really knew if her butler's ability to deliver such messages in the same way other ponies checked off their shopping lists was impressive or unsettling. Maybe it was even both. But right now, there was another question overshadowing this: “Why didn't he tell me that himself?”
“Well, for one, you weren't home when I called him. But more importantly, he is afraid you might still be mad at him and do not want to talk with him. But if that should not be the case, you are free to call him any time you wish to. I know he would be very glad to hear from you.”
Again, Silver Spoon fell silent.
“This would be all, then, Lady Silver Spoon. So, if you don't need me anymore, I will excuse myself and bid you a good evening and a good night.”
The filly simply shook her head and so Stickler left her alone with something she had no answer to: Was she still angry with her father?
Yes, he had left her alone at home. Even worse, alone with Marecedes. He had made her go to summer school. Yet, apart from being trapped with her sister, this had proven to be the best that could have happened to her. But would having Stickler in charge be the same in the end? And why wouldn't he trust her to keep up studying if she were visiting Sweet Apple Acres?
The rest of the evening wasn't enough time for her to come to a conclusion. Her mind went back and forth on it. All through supper and her evening bath it was working. It only stopped once she fell asleep. And when she awoke the next day, the questions had vanished from her mind.
The first she saw after her eyes had adjusted to the sudden flood of daylight was Rosy. Still sitting in her bed, Silver Spoon said: “Oh, good morning. I haven't seen you yesterday around here.”
The maid chuckled. “That might be because I wasn't here. Even I get a day off once in a while.”
“Then why doesn't Stickler get one? I could do a day or two without him.”
“Oh, what did he do this time?”
“He put me on watch.”
“Really? For what?”
“It's still about that whole camping thing. He called father and now they decided I shouldn't go anywhere without letting Stickler know. And I'm still not allowed to visit Apple Bloom until I'm getting better in school.”
“But that doesn't sound so bad, does it? I mean, you usually tell us where you're going anyway, don't you?”
“Yes, but I never had to...”
“And getting your grades up is why you are going to summer school for in the first place. Also, I've heard Apple Bloom is helping you with that. So, keep up the work and I'm sure he'll let the whole reporting in thing go sooner than later.”
“I can only hope so. But now that it came up, does Stickler ever have a day off? I can't remember him ever not being around the house.”
“He does, technically. I was actually wondering the same thing before and asked him about it. He said becasue he lives here there is no sense in taking a day off since he would still be around anyway.”
“I guess that makes sense. Probably.”
“But talking about Stickler, I can already hear him complaining about you being late for school. So maybe you should get ready for school?”
Silver Spoon nodded and finally left the soft caress of her bed. Already on the way to the door she said: “Oh, and if I should be so lucky not to see Stickler before I leave, I am planning on visiting the library after school. So I might be back home later than usually.”
“Oh, no,” she heard the surprised call by her maid.
When she turned around she saw Rosy covering her mouth, with a growing shade of pink on her cheeks. Silver Spoon just stared at her with a raised eyebrow.
“What I mean is, that, um,” Rosy said struggling to regain her composure, “maybe you should come back straight home today.”
“Why?”
“Well, um, how should I say this...”
“Is this about the surprise planned for me?”
Rosy blinked a few times before she said: “You already know about it?
“I kind of figured it out. Marecedes gave me a good hint. Even though I don't know what it is.”
“Okay, then let me tell you, it would be better if you didn't let your surprise wait.”
“Let it wait? What's that supposed to mean?”
Rosy smiled. “If I told you it would ruin the surprise. But the sooner you're home the sooner you will see.”
“Hm, okay. I guess I can still go the library tomorrow.”
Not very long after that the little filly was on her way to school. And there, something happened, that hadn't in a long time. Today she didn't feel completely lost during the lessons.
Naturally, she didn't get everything Cheerilee talked about, but at least she understood enough to know what she could ask about it. And her biggest success came during Geography when she realized that for the very first time her inability to find something on a map was not due to being unable to read it, but simply not knowing where it was.
When Apple Bloom arrived during the break between second and third period Silver Spoon was in high spirits. By now, even what Stickler had told her last evening didn't seem that bad any more. Rosy was right with what she had said. And Apple Bloom agreed, just as Silver Spoon had expected.
The way home they both spent the time with speculating on what the surprise could be.
“Maybe some very special meal?” suggested Apple Bloom.
“No,” replied Silver Spoon. “We always have something exotic. Not everyday, but often enough that they wouldn't make such a deal out of it.”
“Then maybe they bought ya' a present? Is there some toy ya' wanted for a long time?”
“Hm, no, not a toy. But I always wanted a dog.”
“Then maybe they got ya' one to keep you company while yer home alone?”
“Yeah, that would nice. If mother really agreed to that. She always says animals don't belong inside a house. But it would explain how the surprise could be waiting for me and why I should be home as soon as possible.”
“Then let's go and find out!”
And before Silver Spoon could stop her Apple Bloom again dashed off towards Silver Spoon's home. A few minutes of running through the summer heated town, they arrived at the gates.
Once more, Stickler greeted them at the front door. This time he even recognized Apple Bloom's presence and offered her a few words of welcome. They gave him a quick response and hurried towards Silver Spoon's room.
And there, standing across the floor, just opposite from the door, waited Marecedes.
“'What do you want?” snapped Silver Spoon as she walked up to the door of her room.
“Just to see your face when you open that door.”
“Why? What did you do?”
“Me? I didn't do anything.”
Silver Spoon thought for a moment. She knew better than to trust her sister's word. Especially when she was grinning like that. Turning to Apple Bloom, she gave her friend a questioning look. When she nodded, Silver Spoon said: “After you.”
Then she looked back to her sister, making sure not to let her out of her sight. Marecedes simply kept on smiling. Cautiously, Silver Spoon opened the door, expecting the worst.
Then, form behind her, she heard a voice.
A voice she had given anything for to just hear it only a few days ago.
Now it made her blood freeze.
What she heard was:
“What is she doing here?”