Chapter 23
“Well, that was unexpected,” Snips's nerve-piercing voice sounded behind Silver Spoon.
“Yeah,” added the drooping voice of Snails. “I never thought I'd ever see you stand up to her like that.”
“Hey, um, could ya' please leave us alone for a moment?” Apple Bloom asked.
Still staring after the long gone Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon heard the other two following Apple Bloom's request.
Then the red maned filly spoke again: “Don't y'think ya' ought to go after her?”
“No,” was all Silver Spoon answered.
Her friend seemed to wait for her to say more, but Silver Spoon was too caught up in her own mind.
As simple minded as those two were, what Snips and Snails had just said still rang true in her ears. This was the first time she hadn't agreed with Diamond Tiara. Or was it better to say, not followed her blindly?
Another voice interrupted her thoughts.
“What was that commotion I just heard?” Cheerilee asked.
“Nothing,” the two fillies said in unison.
“Girls, when I can hear Diamond Tiara from the other side of the building, it is not nothing. So, tell me what happened.”
Silver Spoon looked at Apple Bloom and knew they were both waiting for the other one to start. In the end it was Silver Spoon who gave in.
“Yes, we had a bit of a fight with her. And really, it wasn't that big, but she suddenly yelled at us and ran away.”
“She ran away?” Cheerilee gasped. “Where to?”
“Somewhere into town,” Apple Bloom said
Yet that didn't seem to calm their teacher. “And why didn't you go after her?”
“She's staying at my house,” Silver Spoon explained. “So I know where to find her.”
“But,” Apple Bloom said, “ain't ya' afraid she might not go there? What if she just runs off?”
Silver Spoon shook her head. “No, she won't. She'd never risk having to sleep outside.”
“Okay,” said Cheerilee, “I will take your word for that. But promise me that if she does not return until evening you will tell your butler what happened, Silver Spoon.”
“Of course,” Silver Spoon agreed.
The last lesson for the day moved by in an unsteady stream of emotions for Silver Spoon. As confident as she had been about what she had said, her subconscious wouldn't stop asking: What if she had been wrong? What if Diamond Tiara really didn’t turn up at her home? She knew that was nonsense, because where else would she go to, right? There was nopony at Diamond Tiara's home and she had no other friends. But, wasn't that all the more reason she should be looking for her right now? Then again, what good would that do? Di would still be mad at her and she, too, had a lot to throw at Di. They both needed some time to blow off some steam. Yet, what would Di do now? Usually, when she was angry, she'd come to her and complain about how unfair the world was. Silver Spoon knew the routine, just sit there and wait until her friend was done and then agree with her. But, what would she do now that Silver Spoon was the one she was angry at?
A few times Cheerilee broke her train of thoughts by summoning her to the blackboard. Each time her heart skipped a beat when she realized she hadn't been paying attention. Yet she was able to solve every last equation she was confronted with – each time with the delighted appreciation from Cheerilee. Truth be told, Silver Spoon wished that her teacher would lose the hint of surprise in her tone, but that still didn't stop her from rejoicing all the way back to her desk. Although she wasn't sure if feeling this happy was appropriate in regards of everything else that had just happened.
Despite her doubts, when the lesson was over, she wasn't nearly as distraught as at the beginning. But now she saw herself confronted with another problem.
And it was Apple Bloom who brought it up: “So, do ya' think we should go to yer place now? Or do ya' want to handle her on yer own?”
About an hour ago Silver Spoon would have objected this term, but now 'handle' seemed to be about right. “No, you should be there. We tried cautiously, but I guess it's safe to say that failed. Maybe it's time we just outright confront her with how it is.”
To her surprise, Apple Bloom grinned. “Finally.”
“Finally?” Silver Spoon repeated.
“Yeah. Ah'd have tried that from the beginning, but Ah' thought tryin' yer way was more promissin'. Ya' know, since ya' know Diamond Tiara better than me.”
Silver Spoon gave a hollow laugh. “Right, I used to think that, too.”
Apple Bloom looked at her like she wanted to say something about that but had absolutely no idea what. Yet what she did say was: “Well, then we're goin' to yer place now?”
“Yes, but we'll take a slight detour across the market, if that's okay with you.”
“Sure! But... why?”
“You'll see when we get there. Let's go.”
This time, Silver Spoon took it upon herself not to wait for an answer and just break into a run. Yet she didn't run as fast as Apple Bloom usually did. She needed her breath for what she wanted to do.
A few moments of dodging legs and carts later she came to a stop before the stand she had aimed for. And immediately her stomach reminded her that it was indeed time for lunch as soon as her nose took in the sweet apple scent around there. As expected, Applejack was present, handing out bags and taking in bits. Yet she was greeted by a pony she hadn't expected.
“If that isn't Miss Silver Spoon,” Green Thumb said. “And Applejack's sister. Apple Bloom, if I remember correctly?”
At these words Applejack's ears perked. She turned around and smiled at them. “Hey there. What brings the two of you here?”
“Well, there's something I wanted to tell you,” Silver Spoon said. “But now that I meet you here, Green Thumb...”
“Yes?” the gardener inquired.
“You're part of the house staff, right?” Silver Spoon asked
“Sure am,” he answered. “Why?”
“And are you working today or this this your day off?”
For some reason, this question earned her suspicious looks not just from him, but from Applejack and Apple Bloom, too.
“What?” the irritated filly asked.
“You're not going to get me in trouble for this, are you?” Green Thumb asked cautiously.
“For what?” Silver Spoon wondered.
“This little chat here. You see, I needed some seeds and thought, when I'm already around here, I could catch up with some friends.”
Silver Spoon cocked an eyebrow. “Why would I get you in trouble for that? And how?”
“Um, never mind.”
“Okay,” said Silver Spoon, still not sure if it really was. “All I wanted was for you to tell Stickler that Apple Bloom and I will go for some ice-cream.”
“We are?” asked Apple Bloom.
“Yes. We'll be back about an hour later than usual. Oh, and also tell him, we will also use this time for some school work.”
“Guess that's fair,” said Green Thumb. “Though I'm not too excited about talking to that grump.”
Silver Spoon heard Apple Bloom giggle next to her. Even Applejack couldn't keep a grin off her face. Just like Silver Spoon herself, even though she felt a sting of guilt about it.
“Just tell him that,” the filly insisted far less serious than she had intended. “And I won't tell him you called him a grump, okay?”
The gardener nodded. “Better getting back to work then. Nice seeing you again, AJ.”
He turned around and soon disappeared between the other ponies crowding the market place.
“So, did Ah' hear you say there's something you wanted to tell me?” Applejack asked.
“You did,” confirmed Silver Spoon. She took a deep breath and said: “I would like to invite you and your family to have dinner with my family on Sunday in two weeks.”
“Really?” Apple Bloom rejoiced, grinning brighter than the summer sun. “That's awesome!”
Yet her older sister didn't seem nearly as excited. She was smiling, but Silver Spoon could see the force she had to put into it.
Applejack said: “That's very kind of you, sugarcube. But don't you think you should ask yer parents before invitin' us?”
“But I did ask father,” replied Silver Spoon.
“Didn't you say they were on vacation?” Applejack asked.
“Oh, oh,” Apple Bloom said before Silver Spoon could answer. “Did you use that tellyphone?”
“Telephone, yes,” answered Silver Spoon. “I did. And to be honest, it was father's idea that I should invite you.”
Now Applejack's smile vanished. Her eyes widened. Then she blinked a few times and said: “Really? Why?”
“Well...” Silver Spoon started but didn't know how to go on. Just telling Applejack it was to determine if they could use Silver Spoon's family's summer house somehow seemed awkward to her. She didn't even know if Apple Bloom had told her sister about that idea. And either way, she had wanted to keep that part as a surprise for when she had the chance to tell the whole Apple family at once.
As she kept staring at the batch of apples around the stand like the answer to her problem was hidden between them, Apple Bloom came to her aid: “What do ya' mean, 'why?' Since when do ya' need a reason to invite somepony for dinner?”
“That's not what Ah' meant,” Applejack answered. “It's just that, um, ya' see...”
“Because of what happened between ya' and Marecedes?” Apple Bloom asked.
Applejack went pale. “What do you know about that?”
Apple Bloom shrugged. “Not more than that somethin' happened. And that ya' never told me about it.”
“Then how do you-”
“I told her,” confessed Silver Spoon. “I kind of had to when I told her why I couldn't visit you anymore. I'm sorry.”
Applejack sat down and sighed. “No, it's okay. Ah' guess this was bound to happen sooner or later.”
“Then, what did happen?” Apple Bloom asked.
Applejack shook her head. “Ah'm sorry, this is not the right place and time. It will take a bit longer to explain. Ah' will tell you. But... not now, okay?”
Apple Bloom didn't seem very satisfied with that, still she said: “Well, okay. But that's a promise, right?”
Her sister smiled and nodded.
“Good,” Apple Bloom continued. “But then, what about the invitation?”
Silver Spoon could see a string of unspoken thoughts pass in Applejack's eyes. It was hard to tell what was going on in her head yet obviously she was at odds with herself. Finally she closed her eyes and asked: “You really want us to go, sugarcube?”
“Of course!” Apple Bloom declared.
Her sister took a deep breath, like she was trying to breathe out the doubts she had. When she opened her eyes again, her smile was as genuine as it had always been. “Alright then, we'll accept.”
With a shared mix of joy and relief the two fillies parted with Applejack. They strolled through the alleys of market stands, towards Silver Spoon's favorite ice-cream parlor. And that was not just because it was the only one in Ponyville. She had been to a lot all throughout Equestria. But this one had been unmatched. Her mother had once said it was one of the few left making their ice-cream by hoof. Silver Spoon had no idea how that made any difference, yet obviously it did.
She ordered a large cup for both of them, ignoring Apple Bloom's fainthearted protests that she could pay for herself. But in the end, she didn't seem too unhappy about getting treated to some ice-cream by her friend. Whether or not it was because of that, she had no objections when Silver Spoon asked her if she could copy her notes for the last lesson.
Scribbling all that into her own exercise book took much less than the estimated hour, but they both had no intent of going to Silver Spoon's place any sooner than that. Still, that hour seemed shorter than most other hours Silver Spoon could remember. And when it was over, there was no choice but to get on their way.
Again, neither of the two had any desire to turn this walk into their usual race across town. Nonetheless, they reached the front gates eventually.
And as they crossed them Apple Bloom spoke out aloud what both of them had on their minds: “Do you think Diamond Tiara will be there?”
Silver Spoon only gave an undefined noise as her answer, not sure herself what she wanted to say with that mix between a snort and a grumble.
The question, however, was answered when they were greeted by Stickler at the front door: “Welcome home, Lady Silver Spoon. And welcome, Miss Apple Bloom. I received the message from Mister Green Thumb. Therefore dinner is not yet served, but may be if you wish so. However, Lady Diamond Tiara has not returned thus far. Do you intend to wait for her or shall I let the meal be prepared?”
“I guess we will wait another hour with dinner,” replied Silver Spoon, She still felt stuffed from the ice-cream, yet she knew from experience that wouldn't last for long. An asking look at Apple Bloom and an agreeing nod later she continued: “If Diamond Tiara is not back by then, we will have dinner without her. Oh, and when she returns, regardless if it is before or after dinner, please let us know.”
Silver Spoon was already about to pass her butler and enter the house, yet the expected acknowledgment of her order didn't come. Instead one of his bushy brows rose about a millimeter or two and he said: “Pardon, Lady Silver Spoon, I hope you don't mind me asking: Where exactly is Lady Diamond Tiara?”
The filly did her best not to flinch. A sudden wave of heat, even worse than the sun burning her coat, engulfed her face. “She... she... I don't know...”
“The two of you went to school together.” Stickler didn't need to add any questions or accusations for Silver Spoon to know what he meant.
“Yes, we did,” said Silver Spoon as slowly as she deemed not be suspicious. “And after that... we... um... parted.”
“And she did not tell you where she was going and when she would return?
“Um... no?” She silently pleaded that this answer would be satisfying for her butler.
And to her relief, Stickler nodded. “Very well. I will then tend to my other duties. Just one last thing, Lady Silver Spoon: Please know that I indeed was sincere about what I told you yesterday after you talked to your father.”
“Um, yes, of course,” Silver Spoon said, trying desperately to remember what that was. Mechanically, she added: “Thank you, you're dismissed.”
As soon as they were alone Apple Bloom asked: “Why didn't you tell him?”
“I... I can't.”
“Why not? Didn't yer father want him to take care of ya'? Then tell him ya' had a fight.”
“No! That just feels wrong. It's like, you know, making it official. I don't want to have a fight with my best friend.”
“Ah' get that. But ya' do have a fight. Don't ya think not telling the ponies around yer house just makes everythin' more difficult?”
“I don't care!” Silver Spoon declared. “When Diamond Tiara comes back I'll talk to her. And this time I won't run away and I won't let her either.”
Apple Bloom took a moment before replying: “And Ah' already told ya' that's the best thing ya' can do. But...”
“But?” Silver Spoon insisted.
Again, she hesitated. “Ah' might be wrong, but aren't ya' getting' the feelin' yer butler already at least knows that somethin's goin' on?”
With a quiet click the door to Silver Spoon's room closed behind them.
“Of course I do,” sighed Silver Spoon. “And it's not just him. My sister knows, too. She even knew what would be going on before it was going on. But, that's just what I said. If I told them they are right, I'm letting them be right about it. And I don't want all this to be right. It is wrong. Everything happening with Di is wrong.”
“Ah' guess Ah' can't argue with that last bit,” Apple Bloom admitted.
“It's even worse with my sister. She still acts like Di is the next Nightmare Moon or something. When I admit all this to her or just anypony around here, do you think it would really help anything?”
Apple Bloom thought a moment. Then she nodded. “Yeah, point taken. So, what do we do now?”
“Geography,” said Silver Spoon. “And hope Diamond Tiara is back when we're done with lunch.”
Her hopes were not fulfilled. The time for lunch came, yet her friend did not. As much as she told herself that this had to be expected, she couldn't keep her mind from recalling what her teacher had said. Still, the two fillies returned to their studies, Silver Spoon determined not to worry about Diamond Tiara. Yet with every passing hour, her subconscious grew a bit louder. And all she could do to ignore it was focusing even harder on studying. Which worked better than she had ever thought possible.
Until Apple Bloom said: “Okay, Ah'm beat. Anythin' more for today and Ah' think ma' head will burst.”
Silver Spoon didn't answer. She kept staring at the text book in front of her, marveling at herself for something else she would have never thought possible. She didn't want to stop studying. Not until Diamond Tiara was back.
“Ah' don't even care what we do now,” Apple Bloom continued. “Let's just use the time till yer butler throws me out for somethin' that has nothin' to do with school.”
Silver Spoon finally dropped her quill and stared at Apple Bloom. Then she asked “What did you just say?”
“That Ah' want to do somethin' else?”
“No, about Stickler.”
“That's he'll throw me out. Why?”
“That's it,” Silver Spoon said slamming her hoof on the table. “Ugh, how could I have not seen this.”
“Well, he did that every time Ah' was here,” Apple Bloom said. “What's the surprise there?”
Silver Spoon shook her head. “No, not that. Diamond Tiara. That's why she's not back yet.”
“Because yer butler's goin' to...” Apple Bloom's voiced trailed off. Silver Spoon could see the realization go through her friend's eyes as she was talking. “Oh, Ah' see.”
Silver Spoon let herself drop back onto the floor. Glaring at the ceiling she said: “I guess there's no sense in keeping on studying then.”
“What, that's why you've been workin' so hard?”
“Well, by now,” Silver Spoon admitted. “I wanted her to see I'm serious about everything I told you. And you helping me, of course.”
“Ah don't think she'd be any more impressed than the last time she saw that.”
“I don't want her to be impressed, I want her to accept it.”
A moment of silence passed between them. Then Apple Bloom asked: “So, what do ya' wanna do now?”
Silver Spoon sat up again. “Exactly what you said. There is no point in wasting our vacation if Di won't show up before you're going home anyway.”
A short evaluation of options later they headed to the tennis court. Of course, the pool was always inviting during this time of year, but Silver Spoon did look forward to something she needed more focus to do. And since Apple Bloom told she was curious about how tennis was played, the choice hadn't been a hard one.
Naturally, Apple Bloom lacked the technique for this game, yet she had all the agility and endurance it demanded. Once she had managed to handle the racket, Silver Spoon had to admit, she became an excellent partner to play with. She even seemed much more invested in the game than any of the house personnel had ever been.
And Silver Spoon was thankful for that. She couldn't remember the last time she she had so much fun playing tennis. And more importantly, it took her mind of what was to come this evening. Unfortunately, that also meant the time for her friend to go came even faster.
So when Stickler eventually called them for supper, Silver Spoon only reluctantly answered to it. Apple Bloom did her best all throughout the meal to encourage her, to not let the looming return of Diamond Tiara drag the mood down. And Silver Spoon did her best to honor these efforts, but every bite she took seemed only to feed the nervousness creeping up her stomach.
For a moment she even considered walking Apple Bloom home. Tomorrow would be school-free day for them, so Stickler shouldn't have anything to say against it. But she knew that would simply be to delay the inevitable. And when she and Di were to finally have that talk Silver Spoon wanted to be the one waiting for her and not let it be the other way around.
After they said their goodbyes Silver Spoon went back to her room and sat on her bed. She knew it wouldn't be long before Stickler told her what she expected. And she wasn't disappointed. A few minutes later she went to Diamond Tiara's room and waited.
It couldn't have been more than a few minutes, but to Silver Spoon it felt like hours until her friend finally appeared in the hallway. Diamond Tiara showed no sign of acknowledging Silver Spoon's presence. Her eyes to the ground she trotted down the floor towards her. She moved right past Silver Spoon, deliberately avoiding eye-contact.
As Diamond Tiara opened the door, Silver Spoon asked: “May I come in?”
“It's your house,” was Diamond Tiara's indifferent answer. Then she stepped inside, leaving the door open.
Silver Spoon followed, closing the door behind her. “Where have you been all day?”
Still not looking at Silver Spoon, Diamond Tiara snorted. “Like you care. You didn't even come looking for me.”
“Yes, I didn't,” admitted Silver Spoon without hesitation. “How should have I known where you ran off to?”
“Yeah, right. You didn't even bother to check the places we usually hang out. Well, except for one, but I guess you can't call that 'looking for me', right?”
“What do you mean?”
“Don't act innocent. I saw you. After I sat for hours in front of that candy store, I thought that maybe in this heat, you'd rather expect me at the ice-cream parlor. I had never expected to be the one finding you there. And not just that, she was there with you. At our table.”
Ignoring the obvious accusation, Silver Spoon asked: “Then why didn't you talk to us?”
“Oh, no. I would never be so insensitive. You two were obviously caught up in school work and I didn't want to interfere with that.”
“Yeah, right,” Silver Spoon laughed. “Like you ever had a problem 'interfering' with anypony.”
“Oh, and you didn't?” Diamond Tiara scoffed.
“I never said that. On the contrary, I know we did a lot of things I do regret now. But what I never did was lying to my friend.”
“Yeah, you skipped that and outright went to stabbing her in the back.”
“Don't try to turn this around on me. You're the one who broke her promise to me. You said you'd give Apple Bloom a chance.”
Diamond Tiara spun around. She glared at Silver Spoon with bloodshot eyes, her face contorted in anger. She hissed: “I gave her a chance alright: To finally leave us alone.”
“That is not what you promised me!”
“I had no choice! What else was I supposed to do?”
Silver Spoon frowned. “What you said you would, give her a chance to be your friend.”
“After witnessing what she did to you? What she made you do?”
“Oh come on, are you really that mad at her for helping me studying?”
“I'm not talking about that,” Diamond Tiara said in her that's-so-obvious tone. And for the very first time Silver Spoon realized how annoying it was. “I'm talking about what she made you say to Cheerilee.”
“What? You don't want her knowing that Apple Bloom is helping me?”
“That is still not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about you telling our teacher that we were bullies and, on top of that, made it sound like those three losers were some kind of victims.”
“But, that's the truth. Nopony made me say it, I just told Miss Cheerilee what was going on.”
Diamond Tiara looked like Silver Spoon's words had gone straight to her stomach. She closed her eyes and said: “Please, for the sake of our friendship, tell me you do not actually believe that.”
“I don't need to believe that, I know it's true.”
“Do you also know that I had to sit through a private lecture from our teacher, listen to her telling me that I was wrong and had to think for a way to make up with them?”
“And what's so bad about that? If you would just let me help you, we could get that done in no time.”
“You're missing the point! I don't want to make up. There is nothing I have to apologize for!”
Before she knew it, Silver Spoon had stomped her hoof. She felt a sudden burst of heat erupting over her face. Her mouth spat out words she had no time to think through: “Are you really that dense? I knew you were stubborn but this is putting a mule to shame! Now you listen to me: What we did to Apple Bloom and her friends was wrong. Whether you like it or not. We were bullies and they had to suffer from us. You want to know what you have to apologize for? Well, think about everything you ever said or did to them. We were horrible and Apple Bloom is still willing to forgive us. Don't you want to use this chance to finally be friends instead of getting into pointless fights?”
Having inched back with every sentence thrown at her, Diamond Tiara finally found a firm stand. Straightening herself she shot back: “No! And I can't understand why you ever would. They are beneath us. They don't deserve to be our friends.”
“Have you ever asked yourself if we deserve to be their friends?”
“Why would I do that?” asked Diamond Tiara with a forced laughter. “I don't need any other friends than you. Not in this town.”
“Not in... What's that supposed to mean?”
Diamond Tiara rolled her eyes in such an exaggerated fashion, it made Silver Spoon's blood boil again. “Oh come on, it's not just those other foals around here. We're not made for this backwater village. We belong to the big cities, where the truly important ponies live. This place here has nothing to offer for us.”
Fighting hard to keep herself from yelling, Silver Spoon said: “If I remember what your father said correctly, this place is the reason for everything your family owns today. And I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.”
For the split of a second, all color was drained from Diamond Tiara's face. But the next moment it was replaced with a furiously crimson shade. The filly cried: “So you're honestly choosing them over me?”
“No!” Her limit had been reached. Silver Spoon yelled back at Diamond Tiara: “For the love of Celestia, I am not choosing anypony over anything! All I want is for you to suck up your overblown ego and just treat other foals like they deserve!”
“I can't believe I am actually hearing that from you,” scoffed Diamond Tiara. “Until not even two weeks ago you were perfectly fine with the way we treated them.”
“And I'm glad that's over,” stated Silver Spoon. “I changed and so should you.”
“Well then, enlighten me, oh Saint One. How am I supposed to treat those weirdos?”
“Weirdos? What are you on to now?”
“Oh, you see,” said Diamond Tiara, pretending to think really hard, “let's take that trio of losers you're so desperately trying to belong to now. Like, Sweetie Belle. Have you seen her parents? They both look like they never even heard about the word fashion. And yet she runs around looking like some wannabe beauty queen despite lacking any class for that just because her sister sells some dresses. Do I even have to make fun of that?”
“No, you don't,” said Silver Spoon while trying to remember when Sweetie Belle had ever pretended to be a beauty queen.
Unflinching, Diamond Tiara continued: “And then there's Scootaloo. Have you ever seen her fly?”
Silver Spoon felt a sudden spur of heat rise to her face. “No, but-”
“Exactly, nopony has.”
“How do you know?”
“Because she can't fly,” Diamond Tiara said matter-of-factly. “Her parents even moved here because of that.”
“Again, how do you know that?” Silver Spoon growled.
“Well, I just guess that's why her dad has to fly to Cloudsdale every day for work. It just makes sense if he worked there before and then they moved here so their little flightless baby wouldn't drop off a cloud.”
The gleeful snicker Diamond Tiara added to her words made Silver Spoon's fur stand on end. Trying her best to keep calm she said: “Well, my father is also gone most of the time because of his job.”
Diamond Tiara simply waved a dismissing hoof. “Yes, most of the time, not all the time. And he earns enough to make up for it, right? Scootaloo's dad obviously doesn't. Isn't that just hilarious? Now her dad is gone all day because she is just an earth pony with wings that don't work.”
Feeling her brows narrowing against her will, Silver Spoon said: “I'm an earth pony with eyes that don't work.”
This simple remark made Diamond Tiara's malicious giggle stop. “What?”
“These glasses aren't a fashion statement, Di,” Silver Spoon reminded her. “Without them I am almost blind.”
“Yes, but you aren't blind,” Diamond Tiara said. “Your eyes still do work. They just need a little enhancement.”
“So if I were blind, that would be hilarious to you too?”
“You're not seeing the point here!” Diamond Tiara cried.
“Then maybe I am blind after all,” Silver Spoon snarled. It was getting harder and harder for her to keep her composure.
“Anyway, let's get back to the losers.”
“Stop calling them that,” snapped Silver Spoon. This was so typical for Diamond Tiara; just changing the subject and ignore what wouldn't suit her.
And in that fashion Diamond Tiara simply moved on. “The worst of them is Apple Bloom. I mean, her family is the definition of poor right there.”
“No, they're not.”
Diamond Tiara rolled her eyes. “Oh, please, why else do you think their granny still lives with them? They obviously can't afford a retirement home for her. And have you seen that house of theirs? You can't even call it a house, it's an overgrown shack!”
“Yes, I have seen it.” Silver Spoon could hear her own voice starting to shake. “When I visited them and they invited me to stay for dinner.”
“Really, you had dinner with them?” Diamond Tiara laughed. “Did they have to cut their rations so there would be anything left for you?”
“No, there was more than enough for all of us. And it was one of the best meals I ever had. They had no problem accepting me as a friend and guest. Despite knowing what has been going on between Apple Bloom and me. Believe me, from that evening alone I can honestly say they are richer than both of us together.”
“Has the definition of rich changed while I was gone?” Diamond Tiara jeered.
Now it was Silver Spoon's turn to ignore her friend's comment. “And I don't think having your grandma staying with you is poor. I'd love to have mine living here. Do you really think she lives with them because they are poor?”
Diamond Tiara, still grinning, shrugged. “Either that, or it's because they wanted somepony to replace their parents around the house.”
“Replace? How can you...” Mid-sentence, Silver Spoon's mind caught up to what Diamond Tiara had just revealed. “Wait, you know her parents are gone?”
“Yeah,” she confirmed indifferently. “Everypony does.”
Silver Spoon's head started to swirl. “And you still did all that to her?”
“Still?” asked Diamond Tiara. “That's just another thing that makes her so weird. They aren't even a real family.”
Silver Spoon desperately tried to force out a reply, yet her mind went blank. She felt her mouth falling open but was unable to form any noise at all.
Diamond Tiara on the other hand couldn't keep herself from snickering even harder. “I mean, get this: They are so poor, they don't even have parents.”
Now she openly broke into laughter. Just knowing that only a few weeks ago, she might have mindlessly joined her friend made Silver Spoon's stomach revolt. The once so pleasant sound of joy was now a cacophony of malice attacking her conscience. She wished for her friend to stop this assault, silently begging her to unsay these words. But that horrible ringing in her ears only grew louder and louder, while her vision went blurry from tears. She felt an anger rising from deep inside she had never felt before. The next moment, something hit the back of her hoof.
Then the world stopped.
The laughter had died. Everything was silence. There was only darkness.
After a split moment of eternity she realized somepony was breathing. Heavily breathing, almost panting. Then she became aware that it was herself. Slowly, reality crawled back upon her. The birds started to sing again. Her nostrils told her that the lawn outside had been recently mowed.
And then she was finally able to open her eyes again.
In front of her was still Diamond Tiara., eyes were filled with nothing but shock. She held her right cheek where Silver Spoon could see a growing red spot. It took the gray filly another moment to become aware that she still had her hoof outstretched.
The only thing that hadn't come back to her was the ability to speak. She desperately wanted to say that she was sorry. That she shouldn't have done this. That she hadn't meant to do this. But even more than that, on top of everything that had happened – not just today – she didn't want to start lying to her best friend.
The next moment she felt her hooves moving. She was running down the hallway towards her room, feeling tears running from her eyes. Seconds later she threw herself onto her bed. There, her last bit of resistance gave way. Everything was wrong. She was helpless and all that was left to her was crying.