Some Talent

by dumbficwriterisdumb

Forgiveness

It had been six days since Silver Spoon had been called out on her cutie mark's merit by Swan Song, and every passing day felt like a new blow to her self esteem. Not even Diamond Tiara could lift her out of this dump; no amount of name-calling the Cutie Mark Crusaders or any of the other blank flanks could cheer her up because of her rekindled uncertainty of her own cutie mark. Silver Spoon even began to question the merit of her existence: would Ponyville be a better place without her?

"Stop thinking about it, Silver Spoon," Diamond Tiara said, sensing her distress, "It's been eating you up for too long now."

"I know," Silver replied, "But I can't stop thinking about it. What is my special talent?"

"You don't need to worry about stupid Swan Song and her blank flank friends," Diamond Tiara huffed with annoyance, "She doesn't even know a special talent if it bites her in the flank!" Diamond Tiara tried to get Silver Spoon to do their special hoof-shake to cheer her up, but Silver Spoon just looked away listlessly.

"Come on, Silver Spoon!" Diamond Tiara said, now clearly annoyed, "Swan Song isn't worth thinking about and you know it!" Silver Spoon looked away, too ashamed of herself to look at her friend.

"I'm sorry," Silver Spoon said sadly, "I just want to be alone right now."

"Fine," Diamond Tiara huffed, "Let that lame-o get to you!" Diamond Tiara stormed off, and when she was gone, Silver Spoon cried for what seemed like ages.

Silver Spoon was sitting in Sugar Cube corner after the argument with Diamond Tiara. She knew that Diamond Tiara was right; after all, they had been best friends for years and they had done everything together. Why was it that one lame blank flank, whom she'd never previously met, was getting to her so much? Silver Spoon pondered this for a while. For a long time Silver Spoon could not come up with any reasonable answer; she'd always felt confident with her cutie mark until now. Then it hit her: she was NEVER confident with her cutie mark, and she had been hiding her insecurities behind Diamond Tiara for years. It was nothing new for her to be called out on her actions; she was used to being admonished for her derisive actions. What was new for her, however, was her uncertainty of the very glue that had been holding her together for the past three years: her friendship with Diamond Tiara. On one hoof she knew it was silly for her to be questioning her friendship, but as she thought about why she and Diamond continued to bully the Crusaders, there were only more questions. If she and Diamond were so special and they were not, why is it that they were able to continue to stick together while she and Diamond almost constantly fell apart over constant trivialities? The more she thought about it, the more she wanted to seek out her friend for answers. As she left Sugar Cube Corner, she sought out Diamond Tiara.

"Finally! It's about time you stopped being so lame and came back to me," Diamond Tiara said with a smirk. "Do you have any plans for today?"

"No, I'm free to hang out," Silver Spoon replied with uncertainty in her voice, "but I just want to talk to you for a minute."

"Totally! About what?" Diamond Tiara asked excitedly. Then she sensed what Silver Spoon was getting at. "For the hundredth time, I told you not to worry about those blank flanks!"

"I know you did," Silver Spoon replied hastily. "I'm not going to talk about them. I just want to know...you'd be my friend always, no matter what happens?"

"Well, duh," Diamond Tiara said. "What makes you think we're not friends?"

"It's not that I think we're not friends," Silver Spoon went on thoughtfully, "It's just that sometimes, I don't know why we're friends."

Diamond Tiara was visibly offended. "What is that supposed to mean?" Diamond Tiara asked indignantly. "We stick together because we have things in common, like having our cutie marks, for example," she said curtly, pointing to her flank.

"I guess so, but what makes us so sure that the other blank flanks aren't special?" Silver Spoon queried.

"Silver Spoon! You know the answer to this dumb question as well as I do," Diamond Tiara huffed. "It's because those blank flanks don't know what they are and we do already! Do I have to spell it out for you again?!"

Silver Spoon felt foolish for going to Diamond Tiara. She knew in the back of her head that she would react this way, but after years of hiding behind her, Silver Spoon tried to hold on to a small glimmer of hope that she could be more than the tough face she grew accustomed to.

"Yeah, you're right," Silver Spoon replied half-heartedly. "I guess I'll see you later, then."

"You'd better know it. And if you want to be friends with me, you'll stop talking about those stupid blank flanks, or so help me..." Diamond Tiara trailed off. As Silver Spoon watched her leave, more questions that could not be answered continued to pile up in her mind. She knew she had to do get answers from someone.

"I cannot believe I am about to do this," she thought to herself as she walked over to Sweet Apple Acres.

Later at the Cutie Mark Crusader's club house, Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle were discussing the incident about Swan Song. Swan Song was out of town to see her aunt, so they were able to freely discuss anything.

"Did you see the look on Silver Spoon's face?!" Scootaloo said excitedly, "It was priceless!"

"Yeah, I guess," Sweetie replied hesitantly, "But don't you think it was kind of mean?"

"Wasn't it kind of mean when they called us blank flanks?" Scootaloo retorted. "Wasn't it kind of mean when they made fun of my ability to fly?!"

"Look, Scootaloo, I know that you're still upset about what they did to you at the flag waving contest," Applebloom said, "But that doesn't give Swan Song the right to say what she did."

"So now you're taking their side?!" Scootaloo huffed, "I thought you wanted someone to put them in their place!"

"No! We're not taking their side! Not even a little!" Applebloom replied with slight indignation, "I just think that Swan Song went a little too far."

"Applebloom is right," Sweetie Belle added, "What if we get our cutie marks and Swan Song belittles our special talent?" Scootaloo paused; this thought had never occurred to her until now. After what seemed like forever, Scootaloo finally replied. "Okay, maybe you're right about Swan Song," she said reluctantly. No sooner had she said that than there was a knock on the door.

"Applejack, we're kind of busy right now," Applebloom replied to the knock without opening the door, but then a different familiar voice answered.

"No, it's not Applejack. It's me," replied Silver Spoon sadly.

"Silver Spoon?!" Scootaloo huffed, "What do you want?! To make fun of my stunted wings some more?! Well go ahead! Yuk it up! See if I care!"

After a long pause, Silver Spoon replied hesitantly, "No, it's not that--"

"Then what?" Applebloom interrupted curtly, "You've come to mock my family again??"

"No, I'm not going to--"

"Then what do you want from us?" Sweetie Belle said with annoyance. Silver Spoon replied after another long pause.

"I'm sorry," she said sadly, "I'm sorry for everything." The Cutie Mark Crusaders were completely shocked.

"Well, what makes you want to start apologizing now?" Applebloom asked as she finally opened the door.

Silver Spoon came into the club house, head hung low and said, "I just...I just want to join you."

This came as an even bigger shock to the Crusaders.

"Join us?!" Sweetie Belle gasped in utter shock, "What makes you want to join us?"

Silver Spoon replied quickly this time. "I want to find my special talent," she said with sad determination in her voice.

"But you already have your cutie mark," Scootaloo said in confusion.

"Yeah, and you won't stop rubbing it in," Applebloom added.

"Yeah, I know," Silver Spoon sighed, "And I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything, but...my cutie mark," Silver Spoon started to cry, "It's worthless! It's completely worthless!" The Cutie Mark Crusaders, mouth agape, continued to listen.

"I wish I was still a blank flank!" The tears were flowing down her face by this point, and Silver Spoon continued, "Because my future has already been set! And I'm a failure! A complete and utter failure!"

"Why do you think you've failed?" Sweetie Belle asked in a surprisingly gentle tone.

"My cutie mark," Silver Spoon began, "It's nothing! It's only a sign of my social status! It doesn't even represent a special talent! It's because...I...I don't have a special talent! And I still have this ugly cutie mark to show for it!" Scootaloo looked at Silver Spoon with saddened awe; she didn't even consider the fact that ponies could be insecure about their own cutie marks.

"If you hate your cutie mark so much, then why do you rub it in our faces?" Scootaloo asked curiously, "And why do you hang around Diamond Tiara?"

"Diamond Tiara made me feel better about not having a special talent because we're both rich," Silver Spoon explained, "And she convinced me that even having a lame cutie mark was better than having nothing at all, but when Swan Song started to question the merit of my cutie mark, it made me realize how worthless I am." Silver Spoon was sobbing as she said this, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders listened for a while.

"But everypony has a special talent," Sweetie Belle interjected, "And it doesn't matter what kind of cutie mark you have!"

"But I couldn't prove it," Silver Spoon cried. "I can't prove anything."

"Don't be like that," Applebloom said, "I know you have a special talent that is worth something!"

"Why do you say that?" Silver Spoon asked as she cried, "What makes my cutie mark worth something?"

"Because everypony is destined to do something great someday," Scootaloo said, "And everypony can contribute something special! Look at me! I can't fly, but I know I can do great things in spite of that!"

"I know you can," Silver Spoon replied sadly, "And I've seen you ride your scooter. I'm so sorry for making fun of your wings, Scootaloo."

"And if you're still having trouble knowing what your special talent is, you know where to find us," Sweetie Belle chimed in. Silver Spoon looked at the Crusaders and smiled.

"Thank you. Thank you for everything." She left the club house, tears still streaming down her face, but this time they were tears of joy.

The next day after school, Diamond Tiara was looking for Silver Spoon. When she found Silver Spoon, she found her hanging out with the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

"What do you think you're doing?" Diamond Tiara said indignantly, "You know we don't associate ourselves with lame-o blank flanks!"

"Maybe you don't," Scootaloo retorted, "But she does!"

"Hey! Let her speak for herself!" Diamond Tiara shouted angrily. Shortly after she said that, Swan Song strutted down the school stairs to find the Crusaders, and was angry to find Silver Spoon among them.

"I thought I told you to leave, you ugly wannabe," Swan Song said cruelly to Silver Spoon, "Everypony knows your talent is worthless, IF you even have a talent at all."

Silver Spoon looked down with shame, but Sweetie Belle interjected, "Hey! That is not true! Everypony has a special talent."

Swan Song scoffed, "Oh really? Then why is her cutie mark a lame old spoon?"

"And why are you a worthless blank flank?!" Diamond Tiara shouted. Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, Diamond Tiara, and Swan Song continued to argue with each other, creating a loud wall of sound.

After what seemed like several excruciating minutes of this, Applebloom shouted, "Enough! Everypony stop talking!"

They all fell silent, and Applebloom continued, "Diamond Tiara, Swan Song, we can't let you make fun of our friends!"

"Silver Spoon is your friend now?!" Diamond Tiara and Swan Song said at the same time in disbelief.

"As if!" Diamond Tiara huffed, "Come on Silver Spoon, let's leave these blank flanks behind!" As Diamond Tiara started to walk away, Silver Spoon remained motionless, with a look of anger growing on her face.

"Silver Spoon! I said we are leaving!" Silver Spoon stood her ground and said nothing.

"Well, if you're not leaving, I sure am," Swan Song said with annoyance at Silver Spoon and the Crusaders, "Unlike you losers, I don't associate myself with talentless morons." As Swan Song and Diamond Tiara began to storm off, Silver Spoon walked away with her three new, true friends.

Author's Note:

Do you guys think that Silver Spoon, as a character, has the potential to reform in the show?

Comments

[Tennis Match Fan]

Plot twist!

[Parasprite Polka]

"So now you're taking their side?!" Scootaloo huffed, "I thought you wanted someone to put them in their place!"

No, Scootaloo, that was you.

You know my comment on last chapter? I take it back. Swan Song is a COMPLETE JERK! Diamond Tiara has some competition!

This was pretty good, and I think Silver Spoon does have the potential to reform. It would be great. LIKE!

[Magthere]

SIlver Spoon's cutie mark actually offers a few possibilities for where her talent wise. Some hypothesize it might be a talent for fine cooking, others for catering, others still a talent for silver smithing, another possibility I haven't seen considered is maybe a talent for nursing (using a spoon to dispense medicine rather than cuisine). There are undoubtedly other hypotheses out their as to what it means. It's quite possible Silver Spoon pre DT contact decided to make her parents breakfast, or was helping them when they were sick and didn't put to much thought into having gotten her cutie mark and thus having forgotten.

Of course this is all speculation and hypotheses.

[Xanderfox]

5367335
Cutie marks can be very literal or very abstract in my observation, and how a pony applies their special talent is a choice they themselves make. I can't recall it but one fic I read and a bit where Rarity explain this. Her talent is Gem Dousing, and she chooses to use that talent in the field of fashion, finding valuable and beautiful gems to be the core of accessories or to add to outfits. Gem Dousing however could easily be used in other fields, such as mining. Rarity could haven opened gem mines by fining huge deposits and dig them up, or dug for diamonds to make cutting tools and drills. She could have become an archaeologist, finding gem laden treasure hoards and artifacts. The idea that Silver Spoon might have such and abstract cutie mark that she isn't really sure what it represents doesn't seem too far fetched to me, the cutie mark shows the talent but recognizing that talent and deciding what you want to do with it are a different beast.

[Emma Anarchy]

I like this it is well thought out and something I might want to see in the show. Thanks for this, I like a short piece that gives me something to think about.

[deadpansnarker]

Hmm... Years of friendship between SS and DT... Ruined by one little speech made by a filly nopony had met before? AND SS never spoke to DT to get her feelings on the matter that she felt guilty for bullying the CMC? I also find it amazing how quickly the CMC caved in, and let SS join their little group after her years of bullying of them. Why, they decided in five minutes flat!! I DID appreciate the twist at the end when Swan Song turned out to be as much an antagonist as DT, but for being a rushed story with unconvincing character development I have to mark this down. Still, I've read a LOT worse...

PS I wish you'd have come up with a different name for Swan Song, as it was annoying that she had the same initials as Silver Spoon when you're too lazy to write everypony's full name down now....

[dumbficwriterisdumb]

5367675

That's some really good feedback. I just edited the "Forgiveness" chapter to address some of your complaints. I know I can't please everyone, but your complaints made a lot of sense and I hope I can improve as a general writer.

[Frankie2]

I see you got rid of the epilogue. The story seems better without it. The only thing I'm curious about now, is if Diamond Tiara's and Silver Spoon's three year friendship totally down the drain? Anyway, here is that like and fav I wanted to give you.

[dumbficwriterisdumb]

5374001

I didn't get rid of the "epilogue", I just moved it to the first chapter. And as for their friendship? I don't know, but it might be.

[BubbleBerryBlitz]

I hope that something like this happens in season 5 now with Silver Spoon and the Crusaders.

[Locks key]

So ss could be a silver smith but

Ewwwwww! Why do I have to do all the hard work?!? Its not fair

[DualKitsune]

Well, that was unexpected. Looks like Swan Song is just as bratty as DT. One is elite because she could still get a "worthwhile" cutie mark and the other believes that simply being rich is a talent and having a cutie mark at all makes you better. Both are wrong.

However....it feels like I've seen this behavior before. Now where could I have seen both sides being entitled, putting down the other, and genreally being mean... Oh right...almost everywhere. *sigh*

[TerraZeal]

I always assumed Silver's talent was in catering or the restaurant business. She's wealthy, so she would make a perfect caterer for parties that the rich ponies throw, or she could possibly develop (or already actually have) a great talent for cooking and open and own her own bakery or something, maybe with Pinkie Pie's help.