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

	For the first time in what had to be ages, Silver Spoon brought her full attention to the clock in Cheerilee's class, five minutes separating now from recess. Her notebook was filled with class notes and exercises, though even during the morning hours, she'd occasionally glance at the clock or at Diamond. The pink filly's pupils glittered as she stared blankly at Rumble. Reddened cheeks were all Rumble gave in return.

The shift from Silver Spoon's class notes, then to the clock, and back to Diamond only to repeat the process grew more frequent as the fateful time approached. Twiddling her braid and pursing her lips became commonplace for today; phrases regarding how to cool any kind of conflict flying past her head.

And with four minutes remaining, Silver Spoon's chest constricted itself.

I hope Diamond doesn't do anything too stupid. Silver Spoon exhaled. Wiggling her muscles to loosen them was all she could do for some time. Yet, the tightness lingered. If she gets upset at Rumble, I-I know it won't be pretty. I just have to hope nopony gets hurt. Tears are going to be a definite.

Silver Spoon repeated her glancing ritual. Three minutes remained.

And to think I was a bully once.

"Silver Spoon?" Cheerilee called out. "Can you please answer the question?"

Silver Spoon shuddered in surprise ever so slightly. "Sorry, Miss Cheerilee, but could you please repeat the question? I missed it the first time."

"Who was the legendary King of Griffonstone?"

"King Grover," Silver Spoon answered, a slight smile across her face. How couldn't she know King Grover? "He brought the griffons together with the Idol of Boreas."

"That's correct, Silver Spoon." Cheerilee donned a smile, then wrote King Grover's name on the chalkboard. Her cursive was a work of art; at least it was better than Diamond's ineligible scribbles Silver Spoon sometimes endured. A chill coursed down her spine at the thought of deciphering those.

"I'll conclude the lesson for now." Approaching her desk, Cheerilee sat on the chair and placed her forelegs on the table. She opened a shelf and procured a stack of papers. "As always, feel free to ask me any questions during recess."

Most of the students nodded in unison; Diamond was the sole exception, her eyes still fixed to Rumble.

"Be safe and have fun, everypony!"

The bell's chiming split the air. Some of the foals leaped out of their desks as if they sprouted wings. Others, however, trotted toward the back door, Silver Spoon fitting with the latter group as usual. As laughter and gossip reached her ears, the world slowly dimmed. Visions of Diamond staring down a bawling Rumble assaulted her mind.

"Hey, Silver Spoon," Twist said as she caught up. "Is everything okay?"

Silver Spoon shook her head without hesitation. "No," she muttered. "I'm worried about Diamond Tiara and Rumble."

Twist then raised an eyebrow. "Is there something specific I should know? Or is it just that Diamond's still—" Twist pressed her hooves together "—aggressive?"

"The second one." Silver Spoon tugged her braid. "Remember how Sweetie Belle mentioned Rumble's sensitivity?"

"Gotcha." Twist quickly nodded. At least no details about Diamond's cruder behavior were needed; nopony needed to remember the wagon incident. "And you're worried Diamond Tiara is going to make a scene, right?"

"Precisely."

The two fillies stepped out of the classroom, their hooves touching the dew-covered grass. Trotting across the playground brightened Silver Spoon a tad. The crisp, fresh air and the dew cooling her hooves were almost always treats. While the leftover chill in the air from yesterday lingered, the climate was tolerable. Silver Spoon had wished for the temperature to increase, however, but tolerable wasn't even close to awful; heat waves and blizzards constituted awful. At least the sun looming above the clear skies suggested such chills would come to pass.

The plethora of games and structures across these plains eased the tension in the air; most of them were already surrounded by cheering and jumping foals. Others yearned for somepony to approach them.

But to Silver Spoon, the tightness surrounding her still crushed her bones to dust. No games would alleviate her.

"So then, do you think we should keep an eye on Diamond Tiara?" Twist suggested.

Silver Spoon gulped. She bobbed her head, a grim expression adorning her. "We shall. Do you think we should get involved if the worst happens?"

"At least wait and see. If it happens, comforting Rumble might be the best plan."

"Yeah, I can see that. Diamond Tiara's feelings are important as well."

"I thought she'd be the mean one?"

Silver Spoon's chest tingled; she pursed her lips for a moment. "I understand why you'd think that, but I just have this strange feeling." Staring into Twist's eyes, Silver Spoon then took a quick breath. Avoiding melodrama was what mattered most of all. "Diamond Tiara should be by the tables. If not, she'd probably be in the emptier area."

"Got it. Lead the way, please."

Raising her hoof, Silver Spoon's ears twitched. "Hold on a second."

"What is it?"

"Did you hear something?" Both fillies sealed their mouths. Faint rustling reached them. "Somepony might be spying on us."

"You think it's the one who knew about your talk?"

Surveying the area, Silver Spoon paced about for a moment. Everypony in her class was accounted for, though Tootsie Flute and Archer seemed dirtier than before. They did spend time with Diamond after Silver Spoon left her; perhaps one or both of them was the snitch. A predictable conclusion, but she'd need more evidence first.

"I'm pretty sure it is," Silver Spoon continued.

Twist shrugged. "But why would she watch us now?" she asked, her head tilted. "What good would come of it?"

With an eyebrow raised, Silver Spoon tilted her head. "Who knows what's going on?"

Rolling her shoulders, Silver Spoon trudged across the grassland, her eyes set on the series of tables. As she expected, Diamond sat at one of them with a beaming grin. Even Celestia would find it a little too bright. Sitting next to Diamond, his expression blank, was Rumble. The colt nodded at whatever Diamond blabbered about.

"And then I told my butler how awesome it is to have a swimming pool," Diamond said as her smirk widened. Nothing new escaped her mouth as far as Silver Spoon was concerned. Diamond then placed a hoof behind her head. "Like, you should totally check it out. It'd make any pool the blank flanks could come up with look totally lame."

Rumble glanced at his flank, brow sagging; he puckered his lips. "I guess so."

Silver Spoon's pupils shrunk. Was the storm brewing?

Leaning closer to Rumble, Diamond donned an incredulous expression. "You guess, or you know?"

"Know." Rumble nudged back a bit. "I know."

"Anyway, tell me about how awesome your brother is." Diamond leaned closer to Rumble, the latter shuffling away. "I hear he's a cadet in the Wonderbolts Academy!"

Rumble shrugged and cracked a soft smile. "He's a great brother. Thunderlane is his name, and we're always there for each other."

"Is he as cute as ponies say?"

"I don't get what you mean." Rumble exhaled, posture slightly slumped. "Say, maybe we should go play for a bit."

"Why?"

"Because isn't having a date—" Rumble tapped the ground with a hoof "—at least that's what you said—supposed to be fun?"

"But we are having fun." Diamond snickered, cheeks flushing a little. "Isn't that right?"

"I-I don't know." Head hung low, a sigh escaped Rumble's lips. "All you do is badmouth the Cutie Mark Crusader and gloat. We haven't played any games or gotten to know me better. The only questions you've asked are how much I fly and if my brother is cute." His eyes shimmered. "That's all."

Silver Spoon's heart tied itself into a knot as she watched from afar. Twinges formed in her chest.

"And Scootaloo isn't a bad pony," Rumble continued. "I don't know why you hate them so much."

"Hate? I don't hate them," Diamond retorted. "I just strongly dislike them."

"You hate them." Rumble blinked thrice. "But why? What have they ever done to you? They've made plenty of mistakes, I'll give you that, but they don't mean harm. They're just curious like I am, only more energetic."

"Rumble, you're nothing like them. You're as cute as a button."

"There you go again." Standing on all fours, Rumble's face twisted into a mild frown. "You've gotta answer my question. Why do you hate the Cutie Mark Crusaders? Why do you keep calling them blank flanks? And so what if they don't have their cutie mark? I don't, and I'm just fine with who I am. I'll discover my special talent one day."

"I know you will, Rumble, but they won't."

"Answer my question, Diamond Tiara!"

Rumble's command echoed throughout the playground. All motion ceased; eyes were affixed to Rumble and Diamond, nopony blinking even once. Silver Spoon glanced at Twist, then back to the scene. If she could stop it from erupting like a volcano, she would, but her limbs remained frozen. In her eyes, stepping in would make things worse. All she could do involved wishing for a peaceful resolution. Knowing Diamond, however, such a result would be impossible. Everything had to be like a dramatic play for her at times.

"Only if it gets much worse," Silver Spoon murmured to herself. She gulped, cheeks paler than ever. "I'll stop them then."

"Okay, calm down," Diamond said; she stepped back, eyes widened. "Like, there's no need to get all loud."

Blushing, Rumble shrugged. "Sorry."

"If you really wanna know why I can't stand the blank flanks—it's kinda obvious." With a groan, Diamond then pouted, her muzzle scrunched. "They're just—like—so obnoxious. They always have things work out for them in the end and they never shut up about cutie marks. You'd think they'd learn by now, but the blank flanks refuse to learn."

"Hey, Sweetie Belle's smart. She gets good grades." Rumble's wings buzzed; he hovered a few inches above the ground. "Scootaloo is a pro when she rides around and does tricks on her scooter. Also, Apple Bloom is quite crafty when she needs to be. Diamond, you're wrong about the Cutie Mark Crusaders." Another deep breath escaped Rumble's lips. He furrowed his brow. "Just because they don't get along with you doesn't make them dumb."

"It does!" Diamond's cheeks reddened. "Don't tell me you're falling for their little game."

Freezing in place was all Rumble could do; his pupils shrunk as he landed on all four hooves.

"You honestly don't know?" Diamond placed a hoof on the table and rolled her eyes. "They might be all cute and fun at first glance, but they're not. Remember the Foal Free Press?"

Rumble quickly nodded.

"They helped make it become the monster it was."

"But they learned their lesson."

"Brats don't learn lessons, Rumble!" Snarling, Diamond slammed her hoof against the table. The resulting clack filled the air, Rumble flinching and scuttling an inch away. "Honestly, you don't want to become a brat like them, right?"

Silver Spoon gulped. Her heart thrashed about trying to escape. And with a deep breath, she then shuffled closer to Diamond and Rumble, the tension in her legs crushing her bones. Perhaps breaking the two up now would be for the best. Somepony was bound to leave the playground with a few scars, likely emotional ones. As Silver Spoon learned over the past week, healing such scars made pushing a boulder up a mountain look simple.

However, as Silver Spoon raised her foreleg in the hopes of calming the situation, Diamond shot a glare at her. Silver Spoon turned colorless.

"Oh, this is just perfect," Diamond quipped. She planted a hoof to her face and sighed, eyes rolling. "Silver Spoon, now's not the time."

Silver Spoon cocked her head. "I don't want anypony getting hurt. Could you—"

"Nopony's getting hurt. Just stay out of it and don't betray me, okay?"

"Di, I'd never betray you like that," Silver Spoon replied unconsciously. Approaching Diamond, the world around Silver Spoon slowed to a crawl, her body seemingly sinking into the earth. It'd gobble her up at some point, the world of the unconscious pulling the lightheaded Silver Spoon toward it. The beating of her heart filled her ears; even Rumble heard it if his twitching ears had anything to say, though everypony probably noticed it. "We've had our differences, but I never said I hated you or anything."

"You had fun with a blank flank, Silver Spoon."

Twinges coursed through Silver Spoon's veins. Diamond's words were like poisoned arrows, all of them colliding with her coat. "So what if I did? And why do you care?" She paused, teeth clenched for a moment. "Also, how did you find out I spent time with Sweetie Belle and Twist yesterday? You weren't even outside."

"I have my contacts." Diamond pressed her hooves together. "You know that."

"You spy on your friends?" Rumble's jaw dropped; he rubbed his eyes. "That's not what friends do."

In a flash, Diamond assumed eye contact with Rumble, the former's pupils lit aflame. "Well, what do you know about friends? Do you even know anything? Are you just that gullible?"

Faint glows swelled within Rumble's eyes. A second later, two streams of liquid dripped down his cheeks.

The shimmering tears were like sucker punches to Silver Spoon; a brooding expression was painted across her face. Passing out would've been preferable to witnessing the disaster before her.

"Oh, so you do cry." Another groan left Diamond's mouth, Silver Spoon's throat tightening on instinct. "Why does somepony who looks like you have to be so lame?"

The tears cascaded down at a faster rate. Silver Spoon inched closer to Rumble, wrapping a foreleg around the distraught colt. Warmth enveloped her, the environment around Silver Spoon turning into a blur. Even a wetness tickled her cheeks, though such tears felt different than the ones from before. They weren't sour or depressing.

These tears stung. An empathetic taste dripped on her lips, if a taste could be defined as such.

"It's going to be okay, Rumble," Silver Spoon muttered. She massaged his back for a second. "It's going to be okay."

While she wasn't familiar with supporting somepony crying, the action something Silver Spoon would never do a week ago, something about trying to comfort Rumble just felt right. Any reason as to why this was the case eluded Silver Spoon. Maybe this was the kindness Silverspeed, Cheerilee, and others knew she was capable of.

Rumble needs me. I'm sorry, Di, but he needs me more right now.

"Don't worry. I'll be here if you need somepony," Silver Spoon continued. "I promise."

Rumble sniffled. "I wish Diamond learned how to be nice," Rumble murmured. "You did it, so she can as well." Seconds passed by, his face slowly twisting into a scowl. "But right now, Diamond Tiara isn't like you." Rumble took a deep breath, eyes glued to Diamond.

"Diamond Tiara, you are the worst, most despicable pony I've ever had the displeasure of meeting!" he snarled. "How dare you act like this!"

Speechless, Diamond stepped back. She blinked.

"You never cared about friendship! This was all an act!"

While Silver Spoon disagreed, Diamond's concern for her before splitting up ringing in her mind, she knew where Rumble came from. Anypony would understand when placed in his horseshoes. Yet, while Silver Spoon wished she could chime in and let Rumble know of Diamond's redeeming qualities, saying them would be too out of place. Defusing the crisis was more important. Any time she thought of an idea about easing tensions, however, only produced blanks.

"You just want to look cool and be popular, and you're going to break the backs of anypony who gets in your way! Backstabbing your one best friend is just the worst! How dare you!"

Diamond's brow rose; her eyes widened. "But I—"

"I'm sorry, but you need an attitude adjustment. All that bullying got to your head, and don't tell me it's innocent teasing or something your cutie mark is telling you." Rumble glanced over toward Silver Spoon, then back to Diamond. "Your former friend is proof of this."

Then, Diamond's pupils shrunk to the size of pinpricks. No response left her.

"You know what, I'm done with you. If you leave me alone, I promise I won't tell Miss Cheerilee." Nudging away from Silver Spoon, Rumble turned around in a huff, shoulders sagged and head hung low. "I just want time to myself, okay?"

Diamond slowly nodded; her visage was colorless. Not even a ghost could've managed such a reaction.

"I'm sorry I had to unload on you, but it's for the best." Rumble sighed. "I hope you learn from this." And with one last flick of his tail, Rumble trotted toward the playground's corner, never bothering to raise his head during the brief journey.

Not a peep left anypony's mouth. Even the air and the animals silenced themselves. A second later, the crowd all stared into Diamond's eyes, none of the gazes focusing on them wearing smiles or glowing expressions. They all donned grim, bleak frowns. Silver Spoon, on the other hoof, merely sat down on the grass and kept her attention on Diamond. As for the pink filly, she became a concrete statue, not a single muscle budging or an eyelid closing.

Time screeched to a halt in the middle of Ponyville Elementary.

Silver Spoon desired for the day to end. Suddenly waking up in her bed with a headache was all she wanted.

This wasn't a dream.

The searing wounds within Silver Spoon's chest were too real.

Her attempt at kindness lit the fuse.

And the storm was likely to return later.



Silence ruled the rest of the day. Aside from a few moments where a student raised their hoof to answer a question, all gossip froze. Rumble's eyes were still reddened; he sniffled on occasion. On the other hoof, an eerie stillness defined Diamond, her coat pale and eyes wider than they've ever been. No words or grunts left her. She just sat there.

Even Cheerilee had a quietness to her. She rarely raised her voice, the lessons more melancholic than they should've been. Of course, math was a subject most foals found dreary at best, Silver Spoon only having a passive interest in the myriad numbers and symbols which decorated the chalkboard. Yet, everything was darker and slower as if the world approached absolute zero.

Silver Spoon wore a glum expression through it all, eyes glued to the chalkboard and blinking less and less. On occasion, she'd glance at her notebook and jot something down, usually exercises and miscellaneous notes.

Other than those activities, nothing major happened as the clock approached the end of school.

Nopony even bothered glancing at the clock. They just sat there like emotionless dolls.

Soon enough, a chime split the air, everypony slowly packing their school supplies and pushing themselves away from their desks. Cheerilee feigned a smile, cheeks taut.

"Goodbye, everypony," Cheerilee said. She waved at the trotting students, most returning a wave of their own. "I wish you all the best!"

"Same here," some replied.

Sitting was all Silver Spoon did for the following minute. Her eyes scanned the perimeter of the classroom, waiting for the initial crowd to clear up. With the clacking sound of hooves quietened, she hoisted her saddlebag and approached the doorway; Silver Spoon then waved at Cheerilee.

"Goodbye, Silver Spoon."

"Goodbye, Miss Cheerilee."

Rolling her shoulders, Silver Spoon then stepped outside. Knowing home awaited her warmed her heart. Another minute of being confined in such a gloomy room would siphon the joy from her after some point. She'd inform her parents and Silverspeed of what went down and her involvement in the mess soon enough. Withholding such information tended to result in emotional outbursts; she knew this well. Anything else needed a thick blanket and some tea.

But first, she needed to rest.

Silver Spoon made a beeline toward a wooden bench; she sat down on it without a second thought, plopping her saddlebag to her left. The violet cloth bulged like a overfilled balloon and the stitches clung for dear life, though they luckily didn't budge enough to tear a hole in the bag. At least some of the books and assignments resting inside could take her mind off of today's events. Anything which could do so would've been welcome.

I hope Rumble and Di aren't hurt. A sigh escaped Silver Spoon's mouth. She scanned the world around her, everypony minding their business and trotting about. At least nothing too outlandish or horrifying leaped out of the bushes. Further incidents were the last thing she needed. Maybe things will be better tomorrow.

"Silver Spoon!" a squeaky voice called out. "Silver Spoon! Are you there?"

Swiveling her head to the right, Silver Spoon noticed a trio of fillies approaching her. Sweetie Belle was the one hollering her name, eyes widened and unblinking, while both Apple Bloom and Scootaloo trudged behind with anxious expressions and drooped shoulders. If Sweetie was doing what she thought, wanting to talk to her with her fellow crusaders in tow, she knew she couldn't blame them for being nervous.

She was Silver Spoon, after all.

"Is something wrong, Sweetie Belle?" Silver Spoon replied, her tone soft. "How can I help?"

Sweetie skipped toward Silver Spoon with a bright smile. "Nothing's wrong. I just wanted to talk to you."

"What's on your mind?"

"Hold on!" Scootaloo blurted out. "Sweetie Belle, are you sure we can trust—" Scootaloo pointed a hoof at Silver Spoon "—her?"

"Of course we can, Scoot. She's a better pony now." Sweetie turned to face Scootaloo, their eyes gazing at each other. "Haven't you noticed?"

"She hasn't gotten into trouble for a while, but you shouldn't just trust her so quickly."

Apple Bloom raised a hoof. "Well, Sweetie's right," she said. "Silver Spoon is nicer—from what I've noticed."

Silver Spoon's lips curled into a soft smile. "Thanks, Apple Bloom."

"No problem." Pausing, Apple Bloom's pupils then shrunk. She rubbed the back of her neck and blushed. "And come to think of it, I should apologize to ya in pony for embarrassin' ya at the dinner like that."

"It's okay." Silver Spoon exhaled; her muscles loosened a little. Hearing the apology from Apple Bloom's mouth did warm her a bit, even if the embarrassing event seemed like ages ago. Despite this, such events did have a habit of clinging onto ponies like her, though at least it wasn't gnawing at her. "It's in the past now."

With puckered lips, Scootaloo then rubbed her muzzle. "Well, if both of ya think Silver Spoon is okay, I guess I can talk with ya." A fierce scowl twisted enough to make a manticore's hair stand up adorned Scootaloo. "But I'm watching you." She leaned closer to Silver Spoon, their noses inches apart. "Got it?"

Silver Spoon nudged away from Scootaloo; her coat turned pale. "Got it."

"Don't scare her like that, Scoot," Sweetie berated. She rolled her eyes, brow ruffled. "Sorry, Silver Spoon. Scootaloo is—kinda like that."

"It's okay. Given what I did, I understand." This was the same filly she teased with Diamond about her inability to fly, after all. Brief pictures of that day appeared in Silver Spoon's eyes. She cringed. "I'm sorry for teasing the three of you."

"Apology accepted." Sweetie trotted up to Silver Spoon, taking the empty seat next to her. "Isn't that right?"

Apple Bloom nodded and bore a smile. On the other hoof, Scootaloo froze in place. Tapping her hoof for a few seconds, silence filling the air, Scootaloo then slowly nodded as the other crusaders did before her.

Not a speck of doubt swirled in Silver Spoon; she knew Scootaloo hadn't truly forgiven her. At least a nonverbal acceptance was a start.

"Anyway, where was I?" Sweetie continued. Incoherent mumbling left her lips. Silver Spoon's ears twitched, but even leaning an inch closer to Sweetie failed to decipher what left her mouth. Just then, she said, "I remember now."

"It's about Rumble and Diamond Tiara, isn't it?"

"Bingo!" Sweetie turned toward Silver Spoon; the pair made eye contact. "Silver Spoon, what happened to Diamond Tiara? She looked so—different."

Silver Spoon shrugged. "I wish I knew. Getting a lashing from Rumble must've cut deep. Looking back, I wished I could've helped both of them."

"I bet," Apple Bloom said. "I've never seen her like that."

"Neither have I—and that's what worries me."

"You don't think she'll never be happy again, right?"

"She'll be okay." Silver Spoon pressed her hooves together. Looking back at how Diamond appeared, something about her paleness and lack of light in her eyes sent a chill down her spine. The tightness in her muscles returned without warning. "I hope. As you said, this isn't the usual Diamond Tiara. She'd been called out before, and she'd always leave in a huff."

Everypony knew this. Silver Spoon was there for some of these instances, such as when they both landed in a muddy pigpen, and without fail Diamond would groan and mumble. Some curse words coupled with mentions of the Cutie Mark Crusaders may have left her mouth. From the moment she met Diamond, any encounter would end this way if it fell apart for her.

Until today. A piece of Diamond vanished today.

"And now she's lost her bite, right?" Scootaloo asked.

"I guess you could call it that." Silver Spoon twiddled her braid. "Oh, I'm also concerned about Rumble. Is he okay?"

Sweetie bobbed her head. "He'll be fine. I saw him chatting with his big brother after school. I saw him chuckle a bit when his brother made silly faces."

Silver Spoon wiped her brow and breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness."

"That's part of why I wanted to see you for a bit."

Cocking her head, Silver Spoon shrugged. "To ask about Rumble? I don't know him as well as other ponies do. He seems nice."

"Not exactly." A mild giggle escaped Sweetie's lips. "I just wanted to say how proud I am of you. Ya stuck up for Rumble. Even though the pony being mean to him was your former friend, you did the right thing."

"Even I had to admit that took a lot of guts," Apple Bloom added. "I'd still be shakin' if I was in your spot."

"Well, thanks for the kind words," Silver Spoon murmured, her cheeks warm. As she thought about what transpired, the back of her head couldn't stop itching. A sort of unconscious sensation took hold of her during the situation. Comforting Rumble and interacting with Diamond was clear in her mind. Yet, at the same time, she didn't feel in complete control. It was as though destiny guided her along a fork in the road and urged Silver Spoon to take one path. "I appreciate it."

How did I become that empathetic? Was I always like this?

It prodded her coat the more she thought about it.

"No problem," Sweetie replied. "You've earned some praise."

"Though I can't help but wonder what Diamond Tiara's up to," Scootaloo added. She tapped her hoof on the ground. "Ya think she's plotting some revenge?"

"Scootaloo, she's not in the right frame of mind to do anything that complex," Silver Spoon said. She brought her attention to the pegasus. "I've been around Di before, and I know that she tends to keep to herself whenever she's upset."

"It's just a thought." Scootaloo gently kicked the air; she then crossed her forelegs. "Like, I wouldn't put it past her."

"Diamond Tiara is probably wondering what went wrong. Yet, even when she was upset, I've never seen her take something so hard."

"Maybe she needs somepony to talk to?" Sweetie pointed out. "Just a hunch."

"Somepony to talk to," Silver Spoon whispered to herself. She gazed at the grass below and then back to Sweetie. "I don't know if it'd work, but maybe I need to go visit her."

"Didn't she call ya a traitor or somethin'?" Apple Bloom asked.

"She did. Yet, I think I'm the one who needs to see her." Silver Spoon paused and caught her breath. "I was her closest friend once. If anypony is able to get to her, I think it'd be me. You understand, right?"

The three fillies nodded in unison.

"I just need to think about how to phrase it." Placing her hooves behind her back, Silver Spoon closed her eyes. "Hmm. I can't throw difficult questions at her to start out. Maybe easing into it is the best option."

"That's a start," Sweetie said. "But how would you know when to ask the bigger questions?"

"That's the thing. It depends on how Di responds to my words. I might not even get through to her."

"That would be a problem." Sweetie rubbed her muzzle. "Maybe you should wait a day or two."

"I could, but now is the best time if I'm going to cheer her up."

"But is she going to even listen to you?" Adjusting her posture, Sweetie then crossed her forelegs, muzzle scrunched. "I know you were once friends with her, but I don't think she'd listen to anypony right now."

Silver Spoon's shoulders sagged; she sighed. "I know where you're coming from. Yet, I'm going to have to try." Perking up, she then pushed herself off the bench and stood straight, head held up high. "I'm going to have to try for Di's sake. She needs somepony right now."

"That's pretty kind of ya," Apple Bloom said. "Do ya wanna have us come along?"

Turning toward Apple Bloom, Silver Spoon locked eyes with her. She then shook her head. "I appreciate the offer, but this is something I'm going to have to do on my own. Sorry."

"It's fine," Scootaloo replied, gently waving her hoof. "Diamond Tiara's kinda b—" the other fillies all shot glares at her "—she'd probably trust you much more than us." Her cheeks became a rosy red. Scootaloo snickered for a second. "That's what I was gonna say."

"That's why I'm the only one who can go."

Silver Spoon glanced to her right, a white speck on the horizon none other than Diamond's mansion. Memories flooded into the crevices of her brain. Admiring the art and sculptures her family collected over the years was always a part of visiting the mansion. The games and the outdoors swimming pool also warmed her heart at the thought, Diamond's giggles echoing in her head.

For as much trouble as Diamond got herself in at times, she truly was charming once one got to know her better.

It was just like how others saw Silver Spoon.

A flash of light appeared.

"I got it!" Silver Spoon blurted out. "I know how I can help Di!"

"That's awesome!" Sweetie cheered. "What is it?"

"It's just a little application of what I learned." Silver Spoon donned a sheepish smile. "I have a feeling this might work."

"I hope it does."

Silver Spoon turned around. "Same here." She exhaled. "Well, I better get going. It was nice talking to you."

"Yeah, it was nice," Apple Bloom said. "Well, I guess we'll see ya tomorrow."

Nodding, Silver Spoon's smile widened. "Goodbye, Cutie Mark Crusaders." She grabbed her saddlebag; the weight on her back pushed Silver Spoon into the soil a little. "I wish you the best."

The trio waved in unison, grins painted across their faces. "Goodbye, Silver Spoon," they all shouted in unison.

With a comforting sensation bundled in her chest, Silver Spoon strode toward where Diamond's abode resided. Within the marble walls would be her former friend, the twinges of her wounded soul palpable from miles away. As she continued pressing on, Silver Spoon's smile slowly vanished like a mirage, a blank expression replacing it.

There was no telling whether her plan would work or not. Diamond was always tough to persuade, even when they were still friends. There was a reason why some saw her as more of a follower than a partner in crime, after all. Yet, Silver Spoon needed to try her best. Diamond Tiara needed somepony by her side. She needed help.

Diamond Tiara needed Silver Spoon.