//------------------------------// // Silver Spoon // Story: The Surrogate // by deadpansnarker //------------------------------// "You just can't do it! It's completely out of the question! What was she thinking of, asking you a question like that completely out of the blue, the day after our landslide win? That mare has some nerve..." Silver Spoon had not given Diamond Tiara a moment's peace since discovering Apple Bloom's proposal to the new mayor of Ponyville. Watching her best friend pace up and down like one of Celestia's guards, Tiara desperately tried to get a word in edgeways, but it was proving somewhat difficult. "B-but I only said I'd think about it..." Diamond mumbled. "I-It was the least I could do for her, surely? I-If it wasn't for her... "...You wouldn't be where you are today, right?" Silver stopped her endless procession, and proceeded to grab onto both of her friend's forehooves. "Di, you know I have the highest regard for Apple Bloom, right?. All the work she does at the farm. The way she coped with her Granny's death. Her contribution to changing you for the better when we were still fillies. But, that was then..." Silver gestured to her surroundings, the luxurious office they were both talking in now. This was Diamond's new base of operations, where she could study the happenings around town in minute detail, plan for the next years budget and, most riveting of all, complete heaps and heaps of paperwork. "... And this is now." Spoon finished off her sentence, before taking a deep breath, and resuming her tirade. "Who came up with the idea of those smear posters against Snips & Snails 'Yes they are as slow as they look'? Me! Who pushed you all around town to deliver your speeches on that dirty old soapbox with wheels? Me! And, who's been your best friend for years, never let you down, is now advising you that this is a terrible idea, and will only lead to complications and heartbreak later? Guess who!" Diamond listened to each word intently, and realised her new deputy was making complete sense. Why would she want to carry out her numerous mayoral duties resembling one of Pinkie Pie's balloons? Why would she want to go through the ordeal of childbirth, which she'd been told was so agonising it was like having your guts torn out? And what would happen if she somehow desired to keep the foal? It may seem like a stupid question, but she'd heard that carrying round a growing living being for nine months inside your tummy can do strange things to your maternal drive... And yet, and yet... Despite all of Silver Spoon's good reasoning, there was a solid counter-argument to all of her claims. Namely, her underestimation of just how much Apple Bloom had done for Diamond that fateful day so long ago now, as the young pink filly trod through the town lost, forlorn and alone. If the farm dweller and her two friends hadn't taken pity on her, encouraged her to find out what her cutie mark truly stood for, helped her to stand up to her tyrannical mother and, in the process become a much more likable pony, would she be worthy of growing up to be custodian of this rustic but charming little town? The answer, of course, was 'no'. " I-I need some time to myself, I think..." Tiara pondered her options. "T-this is such a big decision. I-I want to figure out exactly what effect it would have on my time in office, the changes my body will undergo, if there are any side-effects to the procedure..." Spoon put her hoof to her temple and sighed. "I can't believe you're still giving this serious thought. Didn't you hear anything I just said? You have a town to run now, you can't waste your brain and belly on helping out an old friend, just because you feel indebted to them! It's only been a few hours since you've been sworn in, and here you are, making plans to get pregnant! Unbelievable! Wait until the papers get a hold of this story. Talk about a scandal..." At this point, Tiara suddenly snapped out of her private thoughts, and spun around on her swively chair to face her critic. "Well, perhaps it's what I deserve, for turning the whole town against the Crusaders while I was the editor of that trashy school tribune. Besides, who cares what the paparazzi think?! Whatever I decide to do, it'll be my own choice, not because of the fear of getting bad headlines, not because of a bit of personal inconvenience, and certainly not because my best friend can't see how important this is to Apple Bloom, Pip and to some extent, me. Even if I don't go through with it, I'm going to try my hardest to make their dream come true. Whether it be through extensive fertility treatment for Bloom, or locating another surrogate she could trust as much as me..." "Oh no...!" Spoon slowly backed away, and threw up her hooves in protest. "You can rule me out right now. I plan to do what you should be doing, making Ponyville a better place to live in, and studying hard to achieve that end. If you're lending this ridiculous notion any serious thought, you're by yourself, I'm afraid." "Silver, I wasn't..." Diamond sighed in annoyance. "Never mind. Look, just realise this: It's not a decision I'm going to take lightly at all. I'll flip through the brochures, study all the diagrams and even visit the hospital to talk to all the requisite ponies involved in this thing I might be doing. Then, and only then, will I be in a proper and qualified position to make my final choice. You do trust me enough, Silv, to know that it's not an activity I'm just going to rush into, don't you?" Spoon's bottom lip began to quiver as the mayor gave her impassioned plea, and right there Tiara knew she had her. "Look, I still think you're as crazy as Screwball going nuts in Pinkie's joke shop, but if it really means that much to you, I'll respect whatever choice you make in the end. After all, besties for life, right?" "Yeah. Besties for life." Diamond afforded her deputy a warm smile. "Well, if you mean it, prove it." Silver gave off a mischievous grin, as she got into the right spot. "Huh, what are you..." Tiara was momentarily confused, but soon cottoned onto what the grey mare wanted. "Oh no, you can't mean..." "You bet your sweet little coiffured mane I do!" Spoon left her friend in no doubt about what she wanted. "Now, come and stand over here. I'll even let you say the opening line!." Reluctantly, and desperately hoping there were no hidden cameras in the building, Diamond made her way over to the opposite side of her eager deputy. This is so dumb she thought to herself. Even the Princesses Twilight and Cadence gave up that silly little chant they used to do ages ago... "Are you ready?" Silver interrupted the mayor's procrastination. "Yes, yes..." Diamond sighed in defeat. "Okay then, you start off. I'm waiting..." Spoon almost sung the last word. "Here goes nothing..." Tiara murmured. She couldn't believe she'd been talked into this. Great leaders shouldn't be acting this way. It had been so many years in fact, she wasn't even sure she remembered... BUMP! BUMP! SUGAR LUMP! RUMP! And there it was. Each word perfectly in time. Every move in total synchronicity. Even the flank slap was flawless. It was like they'd been performing the same routine, every day, for the whole of their lives. Could this be... The powerful, and yet unseen psychic bond true BFFs have, forever? Who knows? What happened afterwards, is after a good two minutes of both of the newly elected officials staring at each other in amazement, they fell into spontaneous laughter. Glorious, uproarious, unrehearsed laughter. Oh, how wonderful it felt, after the heated discussion the duo had been party to, to simultaneously release all their tension, all their nerves, all their cares to the wind, and simply act like fillies again. Adulthood can be so overrated. Alas, one aspect of childhood certainly wasn't missed, and she was about to make a 'surprise' entrance into the office, balloons in one hoof, a small crown in the other. At her arrival, both mayor and deputy stopped their mindless hysteria immediately, and picked themselves up off the floor. Diamond clambered back onto the chair, while Silver straightened her glasses, before standing loyally by her side. "Oh hello, darling! Mummy's here! I just thought I'd see how my precious jewel is doing in her new role! I noticed you're really enjoying your win, but try not to laugh too hard, dear. It brings out the wrinkles. Now, I know your father told me since the break-up I had to call you first before I saw you, but I just couldn't help myself! I got these for you on the way over here... Diamond shaped, of course! Don't let them float away, they're full of a special gas, and you'll never see them again! And look at what else I've bought! Your old tiara! Why you stopped wearing it, before you moved out I'll never know, but here it is again, large as life, ready for it's new home! Whereabouts on your desk should I put it? Quickly now, tell me... We have lots of other important things to discuss."