The way you changed my life....

by MichelleTwistaloo

....and why I think you are the greatest pony I've ever met!

The letter came as a shock to her. They hadn’t particularly talked since their youth. As fillies, messing around, and having a laugh at the expense of other ponies. She had had a good time, those years, that time had long forgotten, had been some of the best of her life.

Only as she got older, and started measuring her actions, and their consequences, did she start to understand the amount of bad things she had done. Despite the guilt she knew she couldn’t change the past. And much less move back to Ponyville to try and redeem herself.

Her family, the one from where she had gotten the name Silver Spoon, was “new rich”, or so she had heard her entire life. Instead of being wealthy and noble, they had made their fortune, well, not Silver Spoon, she hadn’t, but her grandfather and father had. And she was expected to be responsible and not dig a financial burden so big it would destroy all her ancestors had worked so hard to get.

So far she had been doing great, she had rented an apartment, nothing to extravagant, but at the same time still better than average, and she had been attending several classes, improving her studies. There were the ones that she had sort of been dragged into, she hadn’t been forced, but she knew she was expected to take, such as economy, and accountability, and then there were the ones that she had allowed herself to attend, because she liked the subject....literature, arts, history....Those didn’t provide her much help in the search for something to do, the amount of liberal studies ponies jobless were proof of that, but she liked them.

But throughout all her studies, and independence, she hadn’t really thought of her childhood best friend, Diamond Tiara. As the years passed, she had been pushed further and further into the back of Silver’s mind, as other stuff happened in her life.

So, as she looked at the letter, in a neat hoof writing, adressed at her, from Diamond Tiara, she certainly had some interesting thoughts, “Why now”, and “What would she possibly want from me?”, and, more importantly “How the heck did she get my address, if it’s unlisted?”.

She first examined the hoof writing, classy, it certainly had a flare to it. She somehow doubted that it had been Diamond who had written the address. Despite her best efforts to the contrary, Diamond had always had an awful calligraphy. Barely readable.

That did raise the question if this was really a letter by her friend. If it was....and she wasn’t entirely sure of that. – She would like to read it. But if it wasn’t....She doubted it was something seriously dangerous, letters were inspected before being sent, but that too raised some questions. “Why would anyone pretend to be Diamond Tiara and go to all this effort to find my address?”

Her whole frame was shaking, she realized. She had lived in a lot of places over the years, sometimes more, sometimes less, and she had made friends most everywhere, but she hadn’t received mail from any of them. Until now, it seemed. She had to leave, and she guessed those ponies made their best efforts to forget her. She didn’t blame them, losing a friend was always hard. She couldn’t deny it.

As those thoughts went through her mind, the letter still on her grip, despite the many wrinkles that appeared, due to shaking, she let out a sigh. Whether it was a real letter from a real friend, or just a con, she couldn’t know. But she had to decide if she wanted to open it or not.

She wasn’t so sure, even if it was a real letter, she couldn’t predict what Dt (her nickname for the other filly) was going to say. Would she still be angry at her for leaving? That had been the sentient when she told her, and Silver knew Diamond could hold grudges for so, so very long.

Or she could be happy to finally find out what had happened to her. That was a possibility too, Silver somehow doubted it.
The truth was somewhere in between, mostly leering towards the later, and Silver didn’t really expect what was written there. It had taken her hours, which she could have used for plenty of other stuff, to decide to open it. And once she had she had read it all in a few minutes, used to texts much more filled with hard language, than Diamond’s prose.

As she read, she couldn’t help but to get on a little smile, this was typical Tiara, and despite the years, there was still something really genuine about the other girl. She had always thought that inside that tough, mean look, Tiara had a really great heart. If she had bothered to show it, she would have been incredibly popular. But she hadn’t, at least in her time, the letter though, revealed some interesting things, and confirmed some of her thoughts.

“Hey Silvie!

I guess I really should be more formal with the way I open up those conversations, now that we are both grown, right? But you know how I am, I always disliked school, and while I can at least write properly now, instead of filling the paper with basic errors, some part of me is still not that educated.

How are you doing? I am being most careful with the writing on this letter. It's very hard when you are so overcome with emotion, like I am right now. The things you see written here? Those are my words, but you know how letters come out of my hoof, blurry and shaken, hard to understand, anyway, I truly do hope you can read this squiggles, you were always good at it.

Anyway, I wanted to talk to you about something, you see, It’s been years since we last talked, I know that. Your family moved around pretty often, or so I’ve heard. And I wanted to tell you...
.
I missed you. Yes, I did. Look, kids will be kids and all that, right? I know, I know, we weren’t exactly little angels, as we grew up, but I still thought of you as a friend, in fact, my only friend.

I still remember when we met, I had already been having an attitude, for years, and every foal around had learned to avoid me. I was lonely, it was true, but then you came around. I thought that maybe you were a new victim, someone to tease. But at the end of the day, we became friends.

It’s funny how this kind of stuff works sometimes, isn’t it? I mean, all that stuff I told you, you replied back, 10 times worse. It got pretty silly, right? With jokes about everything, offensive to the highest degree, but we had a lot of fun. Remember when you called me a....well, I guess I shouldn’t say it, or let it be written down, it is pretty offensive. My response was even worse! Haha, remember? You got all red, and it looked like you were about to have an aneurysm.

So we became friends, pretty soon actually, and you taught me so much!

Not just pretty useful things, like how to tie my mane, and stuff, you know how it went, with my.....I never had a female mentor or guide to teach me that stuff. You also taught me the value of friendship.

Yes I know, I should have learned it a long time ago, with how our world is geared towards it. You’d think it would have been hammered in a long time ago.

Well it wasn’t! You taught it to me. My dad didn’t have the backbone to deal with me, strong as he was on business ventures, he had a soft spot for me, and I took advantage of that pretty badly. He always had hoped I would get better, that my attitude problems would somehow disappear, unlikely as it was. That’s why he pushed me into going out in public and playing with other foals. Of course, my concept of playing was teasing them.

But when you left, after all that anger disappeared, which, by the way, took a while, something else replaced it. Loneliness, I think. I spent months angry at you, being nastier than usual and shouting to whoever was in earshot how much of a traitor you were. And, when
I finally calmed down I realized I missed you, I missed having friends.

That really dented my ego and self pride. Which was a good thing.

I had to make some adjustements to my method of making friends, it turns out most ponies don’t like it when you insult them, even if joking. I know! Shocking! But I eventually did make some friends.

They were slow to trust me, but I think none of them thinks of me as faking it now, we feel a real feeling of closeness and friendship. It’s great! And that wouldn’t have happened if not for you not hiding away, scared, and instead replying back.

I think....I think we could have had such an intense relationship....Oh don’t give me that look I know you're doing! I mean, a strong friendship, at the time we were kids, not yet interested in love. You turned me, someone who had never apologized, and was a spoiled brat, into a filly who, misguided as it was, still had friends.

It took a lot of digging around to find your address, I have my methods....mainly speaking spending a lot of money and time to get school regi stries. Let me tell you Silver Spoon is a common name. I found hundreds with the same name, and I felt very tempted to mass produce and send this to all of Silver Spoons. I didn't. Impulses are a thing of the past, mostly. I looked over, carefully looking over files and files , until I was pretty sure I had the correct you.

You were well worth the effort.

I suppose I wanted you to know how much you meant to me....I mean, I tracked you from all over. The amount of places you have been! It’s...actually very possible that you have forgotten about me....I find that idea simply tear inducing, and I do hope that that isn’t the case...but it’s possible.

Those years were the best of my life, and they opened up the doors for so many more great ones. I wanted to thank you, you were, and still are, my first and best friend.

So I guess that’s all. Honestly I didn't expect this to be so long, I normally don't write as much, because....well, nobody understands it anyway, and It's tiring. But for you? Of course I will do this.

Oh! Some more things, I had almost forgotten....I may need more paper....

I could stay here and talk for days upon days, I could cause a shortage of ink, just to talk to you .... but I guess I should stop, don’t need to make myelf to look pathetic....heh.

I just wanted to add, one more thing, It would mean the world to me if you would write back, unlike you, I’m pretty easy to find. Not many ponies named "Diamond Tiara". Maybe we could even do a “girl’s night out”, or, if you’re not into that kind of stuff, a sleep-over. I still have those decorative paintings you liked so much....I kept them just in case I ever met you again, despite how child-like they seem now.

Best regards (and tons and tons of kisses)

Diamond Tiara. “

---

She devoured the words, reading it all in a few minutes, it wasn't particularly difficult, what with her being used to texts much more filled with a much harder language, from classics. Despite that, she found out she much preferred Diamond’s prose.

As she read, she couldn’t help but to get on a little smile, this was typical Tiara, and despite the years, there was still something really genuine about the other girl. She had always thought that inside that tough, mean look, Tiara had a really great heart. If she had bothered to show it, she would have been incredibly popular. But she hadn’t, at least in her time, the letter though, revealed some interesting things, and confirmed some of her thoughts.

She was sure this was the most valuable piece of written work she would even own. She carefully unfolded it, taking slow calculated movements. This task was on of precision. She gently folded the paper in two, she intended to re read it. But she was, truly, at a loss for words.

A slow thought inched into her mind, slowly at first, but then taking over the entirety of her thoughts.....She knew exactly what to say....

Comments

[FiM Fact]

Not a bad little story, though it could use a once-over by a proofreader.

[Michael Hudson]

Okay, I skipped DT's letter. First piece of advice would come with an editor, both to check grammar and structure, and perhaps one to check you on over description and flow. As for the story as a whole, it is a good concept, with decent execution. As I stated, it needs an editor. Like, REALLY, needs an editor. It has plenty of mistakes, but never to such a fault that it really annoyed em. However, I still skipped a part. Why? Dia (as her nickname actually is in cannon). I understand how she might not be the next Einstein, but we have to assume to some degree that Filthy would make sure she was taught, and taught well, since she still has to make sure her own wealth is not squandered. With how childlike and stupid you made Diamond Tiara, it really has you question how this filly was a bully, an editor, and the heir to a massive fortune. So yeah, you need to get an editor, make DT kind, without making her an idiot, and make sure to check yourself on the descriptions. The perfume to be precise just felt long winded. ANyways, it wasn't bad, but it also wasn't worth finishing.

[MichelleTwistaloo]

4930973 Oh well, could you please specify where exactly I made her stupid and childlike? My thoughts while writing this were "They haven't talked in 10 to 15 years, so, probably, the last time they saw each other they were dumb children." From there I assumed that Diamond wasn't the best student (she was probably more interested in playing aroudn than learning, which I find is true for most kids), the bit about calligraphy? Well, that doesn't make her dumb, per say, she just has sloppy hoof writing, if we were to judge intelligence by calligraphy , every single doctor in the world wouldn't be able to graduate.

The letter is the whole emotional support of the story, without it, I don't think the story makes much sense. But I understand that I didn't give you motivation to read that part of the story...Well...

The thing is, the description of Diamond in the first part of the story, is how Silver Spoon, as an adult, perceives her. And she was a child then, she doesn't really know how she evolved.

That middle part reveals a little more of Dia (by the way, I always used Tia as her nickname, until someone mentioned it was already used for Celestia) as an adult, she still has a short fuse, a temper and all that, but all those words, they reveal just how much Silver Spoon changed her life. And it's by far the most important part. The beggining is just to create some sort of antecipation, and briefly make Silver look back at her memories of DT, the end part? It's just a conclusion, that leaves an open final. The middle? The middle is everything about the story that matters. I would have much rather no one read the beginning and end, and just read that.

But thank you, despite that.

I really appreciate all the advise you've given me. And I will look into getting an editor.

[Michael Hudson]

4931010 Part of the problem is that she doesn't write it herself. That, and DT has just never been a very stupid character to me. She knows when to strike, knows when she has been bested, and especially when to make friends. Penmanship wasn't the only thing. For such a drastic thought on how dumb your best friend is, they have to be REALLY dumb. It just came off as weird, and again, some of the choices made, such as long descriptions and stating her reaction to the letter before showing it, jsut make you lose all interest, hence what happened to me.

[Kanske_2099]

While Silver's reaction was a little paranoic .. well .. i wasn't fun to read that part, .. but that is the only complain.

I loved the story! I love Silver Spoon. And you made a great concept with her. Favorited.

Also you should check out a group named "Editors R us"

[MichelleTwistaloo]

4931144
4931020

I did some Editing, I believe it's better now.

[Divine Path]

This is an awfully realistic portrayal of Diamond Tiara and it's very easy to sympathize

Leaving this noble shade,
you wander still
through another dream.
How wonderfully foolish!
Such a friendship's bliss,
this dream still so sweet and dear;
your love will surely live.

Excellent work, dear Author!
We'll enjoy your future works.

[Telaros]

That was a pretty good read. Gotta love that creepy yet determination to seek out an old friend like that just to check up on them, Silver's reactions and thoughts really made this one work.

Not a fan of Rich/Bully = Bad at school trope, but in this case it was very endearing reading just how much effort and care, overall how serious, Diamond was with making her letter for Silver Spoon. Every word had to be just right in fear Silver would not understand nor the feelings she was trying to convey.

Not sure what this fic was like over 4 day ago, as I only managed to get to it little over a couple and a half ago, but I thought you conveyed your thoughts well in my read. Seeing Silver reading it, likely reading it in DT's voice, I just found the whole story really appealing.

---

By the way, you have a wild period out there doing nothing. Of all the things to bug my OCD, it ends up being the period. xD

Was that supposed to be a "turn page over" signal? In fact, it could make the fic look more adorable if you did add something like that. Might want to find a neat way to signal Spoon being let known there is more written on the back of the letter.

Nice story. I felt a bit short changed due to the end scene there, since there was much imply she was happy and all that. Who knows. Still room for her to reject in some readers' minds I guess. I would of loved to see Silver's short and sweet reply to all that, or maybe a small epilogue to this. Still, it works fine as is, Silver's mind still reeling after all that, a friend of so long ago suddenly trying to reconnect. First to do so apparently. Poor Silver, I bet she expected DT to simply forget about her too.

Never underestimate a rich girl and her love of Spoons. :P

[MichelleTwistaloo]

4952821 That is the basis for my fanfic "Diamond is secretely the Tick" idea, but I don't know who would be Arthur, so, it's not been written yet

[Telaros]

4954744 Come on. Silver is a natural born Arthur. She's not the greatest, but she's smart. Diamond Tiara is passionate but easily gets thrown off track when distracted.

And the thought of DT holding up Silver in front of other villains in a threatening manner, with Spoon wearing a Spoon outfit other than a moth, could help make it more a silly adaptation than a crossover. CMC could be the bumbling bad guys who are really good guys but can't get a proper summer job due to all the mess they caused at all the places they did managed to get hired at. So only place they COULD get a summer job was at the Villains R' Us.

Or something.

Alula is always a joy to have around. She'd be the filly pegasus in the John Madden meme helmet (since she's like a popular glitch character on the show) as seen in this picture:
fc04.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2014/026/6/b/foalish_difficulties_by_telaros-d73vjqs.png

I wish someone would add to that, maybe more Ruby Pinch, Archer, that mean looking filly at the arcades behind Button and Archer in Hearts and Hooves Day, and whatever!

People are totally encouraged to use that as a coverart btw! We need more Foalish Difficulties type stories, a "The hayfeathers I put up with each day" sort of thing through Diamond's perspective. I've long since wanted to write something like it. xD

But yeah, Alula could make a good Arthur. Tick having a talking Spoon could be hilarious in its own right!

[MichelleTwistaloo]

4954923 I was working on a "Button is freakazoid" story, but now you've inspired me! Thank you

[MoveAlongMoveAlong]

How do you suppose Silver Spoon would look as a senior citizen?