//------------------------------// // Chapter Six- Treat Time // Story: The Journals of Silas Sombra // by DreamWings //------------------------------// Diddy and Silas were happy. Today was going to be a good day. For the past two weeks they hadn’t suffered any kind of fit, they’d taken their pills when they’d been asked, they’d eaten all of the rotten sludge they’d been given at mealtimes (whether or not they wanted to) and now was the time to claim their reward. N.E.M.I. had a policy, created by the doctors, that said that every patient will be rewarded for a prolonged amount of time engaged in good acts that benefit themselves and others. There were no two foals, this time round, that the council of doctors believed deserved a treat more than Diddy and Silas did. Nurse Temple had been the only one to argue against it. She believed that giving somepony like Silas a treat would just be a further excuse for his bad behaviour. But she had a hidden agenda when she said this—she wanted to repay Silas was always answering back to her. He was the only pony in the entire hospital who had the courage to stand up against anything she said. She hated that her power was lessened when she was around him. And the more he stood up to her the more other patients did too. It wasn’t fair. Even now, as she and the two young colts stood in the kitchen she didn’t smile. She hated this. Morning Glory and Rainbow Dragon stood at the side, aprons around each of their chests and chefs-hats balancing on top of their manes. The two colts laughed to see them. “You laugh now, but just wait until you get into yours,” Rainbow Dragon said. He came over and swaddled each colt in a large apron of their own. Diddy pulled a face. “It looks like a dress,” he moaned. Morning Glory smiled. “Well, of course it does, you’re both Princesses of the kitchen,” she said. Silas laughed and twirled his apron around in his hooves. “Yep, definitely looks like something a Princess would wear,” he said. “And something Rosen wouldn’t be seen dead wearing.” Diddy had gone quiet on the mention of princesses and Silas had noticed it. He patted the draconequous on the back. “Don’t worry, I’m sure Tia will answer back soon,” he said. Diddy didn’t seem convinced. “But—maybe she won’t,” he said, looking down at the floor. “What if she doesn’t want to be my friend anymore?” “Of course she does,” Morning Glory said, stepping forward and rubbing Diddy’s head soothingly. “Yeah,” Rainbow Dragon said, coming up to him as well, “who wouldn’t want to be friends with you, little dude? I know my life’d be missing something if you weren’t there.” Silas giggled and looked at Morning Glory. “He’s a bit over the top, isn’t he?” Rainbow Dragon grinned goofily and rubbed Silas’ mane. “Love you too, little guy,” he said. Silas grinned back and pushed the night guard’s hoof away from his head. “You’d better not do that. I don’t want Siren on my case again.” “Ah, yes, you’re right.” Rainbow Dragon stuck out his tongue and whispered in Silas’ ear. “Best not annoy Nurse Tight-Hoof either.” “So, let’s get to baking, eh?” Morning Glory said walking over to the kitchen counter-top in the centre. The others followed her; all except Nurse Temple who decided to watch from a Silas-far-away-and-so-safe distance. Diddy and Silas climbed the stools put there for the smaller ponies and creatures. The stools wobbled slightly but Rainbow Dragon managed to catch Diddy before he fell over. “Better watch it. We don’t want a Diddy-Smoothie by the end.” Morning Glory took all of the ingredients they needed out of the cupboard underneath her bit of counter. Silas looked greedily at the crystal-berries lying on the counter. He licked his lips. “You got crystal-berries?” he asked. “How? The Crystal Empire’s ages away from here.” “I went there a couple of weeks back to get them,” Morning Glory said. “When I had some free time. I didn’t want our Silas going without his favourite treat.” “But that must’ve taken ages,” Silas said. “And how did you even know where the best place was to find them?” “She got a bit of help from your friend Mr. Ember,” Rainbow Dragon told him. Morning Glory was blushing as she gathered up the ingredients for Diddy’s treat. Milk, chocolate and sugar all appeared next to the berries. “Chocolate milk?” he asked, excitedly. “Yep,” Morning Glory said. “We were told that was your favourite.” “The cocoa beans are from a garden in Canterlot too. Thought it might make you feel more at home,” Rainbow Dragon added. The mention of Canterlot had a mixed reaction for Diddy—he was happy because he loved Canterlot more than anything (maybe not as much as his camping ground near the Everfree Forest, but still a strong second), but he also knew that everything bad that’d happened to him in the last year had happened in Canterlot. Ever since he’d left there he’d been a bit better off, even if he did miss his friends that he’d left behind. Morning Glory sensed his feelings and quickly moved on to beginning to make the treats. “Okay, guys, first we make the pastry for the pie,” she said. They got to work, the two colts doing most of the work by themselves and the adults stepping in occasionally to help them with mixing and rolling. Eventually they had a few tart tins lined with a layer of pastry and ready to go in the oven. “I’ll put them in,” Rainbow Dragon said. “There’s nothing better than fire for a Dragon.” He winked and the two colts laughed. Whilst the pastry blind baked, paper and beans covering them for the first part and then taken off for the last fifteen minutes, they made the filling. The colts measured out the sugar, the berries and a special secret ingredient that Morning Glory called ‘the crystal-love’ (that Diddy thought was just magic dust like that he’d seen in King Alicorn’s kitchens) and mixed it in a pan. They heated it over a burning fire, again Rainbow Dragon taking the lead on this part, and watched as the berries soon melted into the sugar and ‘crystal-love’ forming a deliciously pungent paste. This was then poured into the tart cases and was covered by a pastry lid to seal in the flavour. Silas watched hungrily as they baked. He and Diddy were covered in all sorts of ingredients by this point; predominantly flour. The two adults laughed at the look of them. It really was good Siren couldn’t see them. Nopony could ever persuade Siren to come anywhere near the kitchen, even if they really tried. “Right, chocolate milk time,” Morning Glory said, pulling Silas away from the oven. He groaned but followed her. He could smell the crystal-berry pies everywhere. He wanted to eat one now. They threw the chocolate, milk, sugar—and magic dust (Diddy couldn’t understand why they’d called it ‘crystal-love’ before) into another pan. They heated it and watched at the chocolate, milk, sugar and dust melted into one. After the milk had turned a light brown and had started smelling good and chocolaty Morning Glory poured it into a jug and left it to cool. Now Diddy felt just as ready to drink as Silas did to eat. They took the pies out of the oven carefully. Nurse Temple even dared to come closer to make sure they didn’t hurt themselves. Silas jumped when he saw her right behind him. “Aw, I didn’t know you cared,” he said. She pulled a face and walked back to her corner. “Okay, you know what we have to do now,” Rainbow Dragon said. The colts pulled faces at one another. They sighed. “I suppose, if we have to,” Diddy said. The put the pies, the jug of chocolate milk, plates and cups on a trolley and helped push it down the corridor. Nurse Temple followed at a safe distance. Emblem was sat outside of the living space and opened the door for them. Morning Glory thanked him, and Diddy swore a smile almost came to his lips. Almost, but not quite. “Alright, everypony,” Silas shouted, “who wants pie?” “And chocolate milk,” Diddy added. A large crowd surrounded them, beaming faces everywhere. They poured cup after cup and cut slice and slice. Rainbow Dragon kept hold of the knife and kept at a safe distance from the patients. You could never be too sure what might happen. Petie had been banned from the kitchens ever since he’d threatened to stab himself in the neck with a fork. There’s no telling what he’d do with a knife. “Thanks Silas, thanks Diddy,” Chrisi said, and other voices added their compliments. Diddy beamed. He hadn’t felt this good since the first day he’d met Tia. Silas was grinning from ear to ear. He’d done this a few times but each time it felt just as good. As good as the first day he’d met Rosen. “Maybe Tia’ll write back soon,” Diddy said drinking a large glass of chocolate milk. Silas was on his fourth slice of crystal-berry pie. “Yeah, I’m sure she will. Soon, Diddy, she’ll write soon.”