//------------------------------//
// Questions 
// Story: Dented Silver 
// by Manaphy 
//------------------------------//

	The clock's ticking within the walls of Ponyville Elementary reached Silver Spoon’s ears, a slight breeze from outside flowing into the classroom from the open windows. Her mind imagined the classroom not as a prison like some fillies and colts did, but as a garden. Instead of the chipped and withered desk before her, it was a smooth tree trunk with roses sprouting around it. If only school was as serene as her imagination; the Cutie Mark Crusaders always made sure something unexpected happened. Most of it dealt with cutie marks, naturally. Snapping out of her imagination, Silver Spoon stretched her forelegs and scanned the perimeter of the room.

Within the confines of the classroom, several fillies and colts gossiped amongst each other with unintelligible phrases. They gazed at the clock above the chalkboard like hawks. Scraps of paper, pencils, candy wrappers, and other specks of junk were scattered over the oak floors. Almost everypony was on the edge of their seats as the seconds ticked down, never blinking once. It was a ritual the class followed as though it was second nature, though two fillies didn't take part.

Twist was the first pony not a part of the custom, a fact anypony could figure out without even glancing at her for proof. She always jotted down what Cheerilee lectured verbatim and scored the highest marks on tests or projects. Some ponies were green with envy, though the wise Diamond Tiara informed Silver Spoon not to worry about Twist's grades. She even recalled what Diamond always said about Twist down to the last word.

“Twist's noggin must explain why she has that huge head. I mean—like—does she even have a social life? Only a no-life would always end up doing so well in class. I know you know this, Silvy. That probably explains why one of the blank flanks doesn't even hang out with her anymore. What a loser, right?”

As those words clouded her mind, Silver Spoon's heart couldn't help but ache a tad. Maybe there was something appealing about Twist she didn't understand; perhaps something similar to her as well. Silver Spoon shook her head. There was no way she'd ever feel sorry for Twist, let alone see her as a potential friend. What Diamond uttered was almost always right, after all.

Surveying the class once more, Silver Spoon knew she was the other filly not focusing on the clock. Her school supplies snugly resided within her saddlebag; all of them were organized by subject and utensil. Even the area around her desk lacked any scraps of paper, not a speck of dust or trash reclining on the floor below.

Silver Spoon glanced back at Diamond, the latter quivering and biting her lip. She was even about to topple over from sitting too close to the edge. A little dramatic for Silver Spoon’s tastes given the conundrum, but everypony acted in such a way at times.

A second later, the bell’s ringing split the air. All the fillies and colts sans Twist and Silver Spoon leaped out of their chairs like springs in the blink of an eye; they let out a thunderous cheer in unison. The foals then dashed toward the door with wide, glowing eyes.

"Have a great day class," Cheerilee said, her words a muffled under the ringing bell. "I'll see you tomorrow!" She, and by extension Silver Spoon and Twist, observed some of the more jittery students squeezing through the doorway. Some of their friends or others pushed them out, grunting as they attempted to slide through even the tiniest of gaps. The door frame appeared as though it bent, Silver Spoon holding her breath in case it exploded into shrapnel. "Be careful, class! Don't hurt anypony on the way out!"

Standing on all fours, Silver Spoon then pushed her seat against the desk, a slight screech reaching her ears. Trotting toward the doorway and mass of pastel ponies, she waved at Cheerilee with a smile adorning her visage.

"Goodbye, Miss Cheerilee!" Silver Spoon chimed. "See you tomorrow!"

"Goodbye!" Cheerilee replied. "I hope you have a great rest of the day."

"I'm sure I will."

Turning around, Silver Spoon then noticed the miasma of classmates dissipating a little. Silver Spoon twisted her head left to right, hoping to find a pink filly donning a glamorous tiara atop her head.

"Silvy!" a familiar voice cried out. "Can you just believe these ponies thinking they can all fit?"

Approaching Silver Spoon was the filly she hoped to see, Diamond Tiara. A sly smirk ran across her face, a glint sparkling within her eyes. Swishing her tail around, Diamond then placed her lips next to Silver Spoon's ears, brow furrowed.

"Uh, I don't mean to be rude, but you know you didn't have to wave goodbye to Cheerilee, right?" Diamond whispered. “That’s a Twist or Sweetie Belle thing, not a Silvy one.”

Silver Spoon shrugged. "I was just trying to be nice, Di," she murmured. "You know, maybe you're over-thinking these kinds of things. I'm pretty sure that's not healthy for you."

"The pony who knows my health the best is me. No need to be concerned for somepony as brilliant as I, Silvy.” She paused for a second; Diamond took a step back. “Anyway, it makes you look—well—like one of those fillies who loves school. Like, you know what I mean." Diamond stuck her tongue out, pretending to gag up something. "Just a wave will do next time."

"Got it." With a nod, Silver Spoon then cracked a sheepish smirk. "Just a wave for next time."

"By the way, how long have you been doing that?" Diamond rubbed her muzzle. "Just curious."

"Um, about two months."

Rolling her eyes, Diamond let out a soft sigh. "Silvy, I think I know where this is going. Maybe we should talk once we're outside. You're welcome to say you don't want to, but—" Diamond leaned closer to Silver Spoon once more, a flame flickering in her pupils "—I'd recommend it."

"You're the boss, Di."

"And maybe we can talk about how lame those blank flanks are later."

Silver Spoon raised her brow. "And we can then talk about how the sky is blue, right?"

Placing the tip of her hoof to her lips, Diamond snickered. "Good one, Silvy!"

The initial clog of ponies squirmed their way through the door at last. The rest of the class exited the doorway with skips in their steps, both Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara among the last to depart the classroom and into the outside world. The shift from wooden planks to a cobblestone path, its hard and smooth texture a nice touch, caught Silver Spoon’s attention. Such a feeling did have a habit of taking her off guard; the same could be said for other ponies as well. At least the cold, dew-covered grass tickling her hooves was a familiar sensation.

Diamond turned toward Silver Spoon, the two making eye contact. Neither filly said a peep for a few seconds; only the chirping of birds and laughs of other ponies reached their ears.

Clearing her throat, Diamond stretched her forelegs and muttered, "Okay, I know you're still bothered about us teasing a blank flank about how she couldn't fly." She pursed her lips. "And you're especially bothered about the whole Prancy Drew thing. Silvy, are you okay or something? I mean, something has to be on your mind since you've been acting like this for the past one—two months, right?"

With sagged shoulders, Silver Spoon nodded. "I do have something bothering me," she murmured. "First, even you must admit we went a little too far with teasing Scoot—I mean, the blank flank, right? We should have some form of standards."

Diamond shrugged. "Hmm. Yeah, maybe you have a point there, but still, it was funny in the moment. We both laughed our heads off back then, huh?"

"It was. Teasing the blank flanks can be funny, but—" Silver Spoon lowered her head "—there has to be a limit to our teasing. As for it being funny in the moment, it's thinking about it after the fact that hurts the most, you know? I mean, I never really thought too much of it until Twilight Time was a thing."

"I remember Twilight Time and want to forget it." Diamond rubbed the tip of her hoof across her lips as though to seal them shut. She shuddered. "Let’s pretend it never happened to us, okay?”

"The Prancy Drew thing also stung." A sigh escaped Silver Spoon's lips. "I almost made a new friend."

"But you still have me, right?"

"Of course we’re still friends, Di. We're the best friends in all of Equestria, and nothing is going to change that. I mean, you’re perfect when it comes to supporting each other and most of your pranks are golden."

"That's good to know." Diamond took a deep breath, Silver Spoon following suit. "However, seeing this—guilt—from you is weird."

Silver Spoon cocked her head, eyebrow arched. "How so, Di?"

"I mean, you don't just wake up one day and become some filly who probably listens to super-depressing music." Diamond rubbed her eyes. "It's like looking at a new, lamer Silver Spoon. Seriously, try not to mope too much, especially around me.”

“I’d never do such a thing. I can control my emotions—I think.”

Diamond nodded. “Good.”

Silver Spoon placed a hoof on her chest, a sigh departing her cold lips. Diamond was right in knowing such a problem wasn't a day old. A slight tear cut through her soul not long after teasing the blank flank about struggling to fly. It was a small rip, however, and in retrospect it didn’t sting at first from what she recalled. However, there was something pulling it further, the wound growing in size until it tickled her chest. It only kept growing until it became a sharp ache.

And then the Prancy Drew incident occurred, and the agony shredded Silver Spoon's soul into tiny little pieces.

"Silver Spoon, are you in there?" Diamond asked. She flailed a hoof in front of her as if to swat a fly. "Snap out of it!"

Jumping up in surprise, Silver Spoon quivered a little. With blushing cheeks, she then rubbed the back of her neck. "I'm here," she replied. A chuckle escaped her throat, trailing off soon after. "What do you need, Di? It can’t be teasing advice."

"It’s nothing at the moment other than how weird you looked staring into space." Diamond raised her head and blinked. "Actually, there is something I want to ask, Silvy." She turned back to Silver Spoon, making eye contact with her. "Why do you care so much about the Prancy Drew thing? I mean, we won that contest! Sure, the prize was stupid, but we still won!"

"I betrayed somepony." Silver Spoon sighed; the weight of the world crushed her until her bones disintegrated into dust. "Diamond Tiara, I'm going to be brutally honest here."

"Brutal honesty is my specialty, Silvy."

"If I could do it all over again, I'd help Prancy and throw away victory." Pausing, Silver Spoon then exhaled. "It would have been the right thing to do."

With a gaping mouth, Diamond let out a gasp "What did you say?" She shook her head, forcing her jaw shut with her hoof. "You can't be serious, right?"

Silver Spoon nodded. "I'm serious. I meant what I said, Di, and please don't take it the wrong way."

Diamond scrunched her muzzle, shoulders raised. "Silvy, you do know that you should always side with your friend, especially your best friend. I thought that was obvious."

"You are my friend, Di, and I'm grateful you are. You've been the only friend I've had for some time." Silver Spoon pursed her lips. "But I was so close to making a second friend as well and I blew it. It wasn't your fault, Di."

"Uh, it kinda sounds like you're making it out to be." Diamond scrunched her muzzle, head cocked to the left. "I'm just saying."

"Then why did I place the blame all on myself then, Di? If I was rotten like—like those annoying blank flanks, I would have said it was your fault. We're not rotten, so I know who was truly at fault."

"Like, was the stuttering supposed to mean you—" Diamond's eyes looked up for a second, then shifted back to Silver Spoon "—never mind."

"I wasn't going to say you're rotten, Di." Silver Spoon's shoulders drooped, her face pale. "I'd never see you as rotten, especially when those blank flanks exist. I'm so sorry if you thought that. I was just trying to get the words out of my mouth."

"It's okay, Silvy." Rubbing Silver Spoon's back, a slight smile returned to Diamond's visage. "Like, just watch what you're saying and doing next time, okay? Don't wanna end up like those blank flanks, right?"

Silver Spoon shuddered, a chill coursing down her spine. "When you put it that way, I'll definitely watch my tongue. I'm not going to be as lame as those blank flanks."

"That's the Silver Spoon I know!" Diamond raised a hoof up, pumping it in the air for a moment. "Show your attitude and don’t hold back! Now then, you do know what the correct answer is, right?"

"I think—" Silver Spoon placed the tip of her hoof on her muzzle, brow raised "—the best option would be to—do what I did and follow you, right?"

Nodding, a wide grin with sparkling teeth on display adorned Diamond's face. "That's more like it, Silvy. Now then, say it with more gusto!" Diamond nudged closer to Silver Spoon, the two mere inches apart. "Say it like you mean it!"

Silver Spoon took a deep breath. Upon exhaling, she shouted at the top of her lungs, "Following Diamond was the correct decision!"

Diamond toppled over; a chuckle departed her lips. "Geez, Silvy. You didn't have to do it that loudly."

Blushing, Silver Spoon let out a giggle. "I know, but you did tell me to say it with more gusto."

Diamond tilted her head, brow raised. "What does gusto even mean?"

Rolling her eyes, Silver Spoon then bit her lip and held in a groan. "It means enthusiasm in doing something, Di."

"And you know this how?"

A cold sweat poured down Silver Spoon's forehead, her muscles tightening. She recalled learning it after reading a novel about Commander Hurricane 110,000 words long. The book was thick enough to be considered a weapon and beyond what ponies her age tended to read. In a way, she bore a similarity to Princess Twilight Sparkle, but on a smaller scale. Still, if Diamond discovered the secret she clenched so close to her chest, Silver Spoon knew their friendship would be in shambles. Silver Spoon took a quick breath, the thumping of her heart filling her ears.

"You don't remember?" Diamond asked in a soft tone. "Well, nothing wrong with that."

"I remember!" Silver Spoon blurted out. "It was something I learned when I heard somepony use it. I was curious about it, so my parents told me what it meant." She rubbed the back of her neck. "That's it."

"Oh." Diamond paused, blinking thrice. "Well, the important thing is that you know the answer. Always stick with your true friend, Silvy."

"I sure do." Silver Spoon's face tautened for a split second, her chest twisting itself into a knot. "I most definitely know."

I still think I had the right idea.

Neither Diamond nor Silver Spoon uttered a word for a minute or so. During this time, Silver Spoon swiveled her head about, scanning the environment around her to pass the time. Few ponies seemed to be out and about, most of those outside being fillies and colts around her age with family members. However, other than seeing Rumble hovering inches above the ground alongside his brother, none of the other youngsters were her classmates.

She knew the landscape off the top of her head, but ever since Princess Twilight's castle sprouted from the ground like a tree, Ponyville experienced a slight growth spurt of sorts. Every week, a recently added house seemed to arise from the earth.

Silver Spoon's sightseeing came to a screeching halt at something grumbling. Both she and Diamond froze in place, the roars reaching their ears again. Diamond looked down and chuckled.

"Well, looks like I'm getting hungry," Diamond said. She twisted her head around, meandering about for a few steps. Then, without warning, her pupils dilated. "Silvy! Look!"

Diamond pointed to the building before her, Silver Spoon spotting a bakery designed to mimic a gingerbread house. Aside from the walls, every other square inch of the establishment appeared edible. A sign swinging back and forth against the wind was attached to the building, faint creaks splitting the air. Printed on the sign was a cupcake and the words Sugarcube Corner below it.

"A tasty treat is just what we need!" Diamond continued. "I bet it'll cheer you up as well."

A faint smile ran across Silver Spoon's face. Licking her lips, she then nodded. "Yeah, I could go for something good," she replied. "If there's one thing I've discovered after learning my special talent, it's that Sugarcube Corner is one of the best when it comes to pastries and desserts."

"Then it's decided."

Silver Spoon followed Diamond toward Sugarcube Corner, her stomach purring and ticklish. However, an itch in the back of her mind informed her she wasn't too hungry. Silver Spoon had room for a treat, without a doubt, but as her mind recalled the conversation she had with Diamond, her stomach's purring intensified the more thought she put into it.

Maybe I'm thinking about all of this too much. Diamond is a friend. I just need to remember that.

At least Sugarcube Corner and their sweet treats could cool off her overheated brain for a while just as long as nothing notable occurred. Silver Spoon smiled at the fact, but the tension squeezing her grew alongside her smile.

"Today's Tuesday, isn't it?" Silver Spoon whispered to herself. "Isn't that the day—it is, isn't it?" She held her breath for a second; her face became pale. "I hope I'm wrong."