Dented Silver

by Manaphy

The Test

Only a few of the fillies and colts took part in the typical ritual as the minute hand crept closer toward the time school ended. Unlike yesterday, most of the students wore tautened expressions or widened eyes as the clock ticked away. Spotting the far left side of the chalkboard, Silver Spoon knew the source of the tension in the air. Her chest tightened itself into a knot and her heart thumped as though it wanted to fly out. Shifting her eyes toward the writing in question, Silver Spoon memorized the sentence printed on the pale, green surface.

Math Test III returned after class!

With her head hung low, Silver Spoon gazed at her notebook. Words, numbers, and phrases adorned every square inch of the page she used, all listing different terms and theorems that made up today's science lecture. She'd be prepared for anything regarding the material, though holding back her intelligence required more concentration than the test itself; Diamond Tiara’s feelings needed to be considered.

When Silver Spoon spotted Diamond tapping her hind hoof and glancing over to where she sat, Silver Spoon shielded her notes as if by instinct. The pair made eye contact; a slight smirk decorated Diamond's visage.

"Like, I don't get why a silly test is making everypony so tense," Diamond scoffed. "So what if they get a low C on their test? All that matters is passing. It's nothing to spend so much time worrying about.” Diamond fiddled with her hooves; her lips were pursed. “Besides, being the best in the class isn't what I'd call amazing."

"Di, they're probably nervous because they want those high scores," Silver Spoon murmured. She ruffled her brow. "Not everypony has the same view on this as you do."

"I know that, Silvy. Geez." Rolling her eyes, Diamond let out a soft groan. "It's just something silly about the other students. I mean, we all know Twist got the highest grade in the class. Then it'll be Sweetie Belle, and then the rest of us normal ponies."

"Normal?" With a glare, Silver Spoon nudged closer to Diamond. "Di, I think you're worrying about it as much as the other ponies are here." Blinking, she then assumed a blank stare once more. "You say you don't care about the grades, but it sure sounds like you care a lot about it when it comes to everypony else. And maybe you want to get a great grade on this as well." She paused. Her cheeks turned pale at the sight of Diamond’s raised brow. "Actually, forget I said anything on the matter. Sorry, Di."

"And everything was returning to normal, too." Diamond's shoulders sagged. "Silvy, please tell me if there's anything bothering you. I’m not gonna let you slide into becoming uncool, you know."

Silver Spoon shook her head. "There's nothing bothering me, Di." Her cheeks turned pale. Lying to Diamond drove needles into her heart, Silver Spoon wincing a little, but her mind knew hiding the truth was the only way to preserve her friendship for now.

And Celestia forbid if I ever have to confess them any time soon.

"It's time to pass the tests back, everypony," Cheerilee announced from the front of the room. Whipping a yardstick against the chalkboard, an ear-splitting crack brought the class' collective gazes toward her, some students shuddering as though a blizzard blew past them. Not a word was uttered for a few seconds, silence filling the room.

"The class as a whole did well, getting around a B- average," Cheerliee continued. She grasped the stack of tests with her foreleg, passing each packet back to their owners. "We'll be going over the test tomorrow, so please look it over so we can discuss any questions you may have."

Cheerilee finished passing the tests back to the first row a minute after; Silver Spoon only heard the rapid thumping of her heart, growing louder as Cheerilee passed more tests back. As she approached the second row of seats, Twist waved her hoof in the air and asked, "Who's going to get the gold star?"

"Well, there's something I need to arrange first."

Swiveling her head back, Silver Spoon focused on where Cheerilee stood, a deep breath departing the former’s mouth. A chill coursed through her spine. "Something's not right here," she muttered to herself.

"What are you talking about, Silvy?" Diamond asked. Shrugging, she then raised her brow. "What's suspicious about it?"

“The gold star is awarded to the student who gets the highest test score, remember? Miss Cheerilee almost always gives it out first."

Diamond nodded. "Duh." Spreading her forelegs out, she then locked gazes with Silver Spoon. "What about that?"

"She's not awarding it for some reason, saying there's something she needs to take care of." Silver Spoon tapped her muzzle. "She'd still award it if she had to disqualify somepony for cheating, but not here. This time, she's holding onto it for some reason."

"How is that weird?" Diamond shrugged. "She must have forgotten to—"

"Miss Cheerilee always has her gold stars ready to give to other students." Edging closer to Diamond, Silver Spoon then pursed her lips. "There must have been something off with one or more of the tests."

The rustling of paper reached Silver Spoon's ears. Bringing her attention toward her desk, she gazed at the circled fraction written in a bright red stationary. It read 25/30, the score Silver Spoon expected to obtain. Peeking over to where Diamond sat, she noticed a mark reading 20/30 on her test. Silver Spoon forcibly restrained herself from sighing, knowing this was due to Diamond not studying so much. There was also the matter of her having to help out with her homework. Memories of jotting down answers and formulas while Diamond sprayed perfume and pranced around the mansion consumed her mind. With reddened cheeks, Silver Spoon took another deep breath, restraining herself to remind Diamond of the importance of studying. She just lacked the courage to nag Diamond.

Shifting her eyes back to her exam, Silver Spoon noticed another set of markings below the fraction. Upon reading them, her blood froze. The world swirled like a vortex around her; a lightheaded feeling consumed Silver Spoon as she reread the sentence Cheerilee added to her score.

See me after class. Do not worry. You are not in trouble, but I must speak with you.

"Why would Miss Cheerliee want to speak with me?" Silver Spoon asked herself. With quickened breaths, she shivered as though a snowstorm swirled around her. "There's no way she knew I purposefully—"

"What was that, Silvy?" Diamond questioned, her hoof raised. "Didn't quite hear you there."

"It’s nothing important." A faint chuckle left Silver Spoon's throat, trailing off seconds later. "Just surprised I missed one of the questions."

"Oh." Diamond blinked. "Well, I guess it happens. At least you weren't all nerdy about it, but I wouldn’t worry about something so—trivial."

Rubbing the back of her neck, Silver Spoon then nodded. "Good point." A soft, nervous chuckle left her lips.

"Wait." Diamond's eyes shifted about for a second. She then resumed making eye contact with Silver Spoon. "You look so pale, Silvy. Are you not feeling well?"

Quivering, Silver Spoon then shook her head. "I'm fine." Her muscles tensed up, her face losing color as though leeches sucked the blood out of her. "I'm just tired again, Di."

Diamond arched an eyebrow. She quipped, "Tired? Yeah, and I'm the winner of the next Best Young Fliers Competition." Ruffling her brow, Diamond then leaned toward Silver Spoon. Their noses almost touched at their tips, Silver Spoon nudging back a little to give herself some space. "Silvy, something is bothering you. I can see it in your eyes. Don’t lie to a friend."

Blinking, Silver Spoon scuttled farther away from Diamond and to the edge of her seat. "Look, I'm tired today like you said I was yesterday. Honest." With a deep breath, she then straightened her seating posture. "Di, not everything dealing with popularity and looks has to be taken seriously. Maybe things will be better if you just relax for once."

Diamond pouted; her muzzle scrunched up like an accordion. "All I do is relax, Silvy."

"Well, it looks like you're upset about something."

"I'm not upset. Like, I'm just pouting to show my disagreement."

Silver Spoon cocked her head to the left, then shrugged. "You're the boss, Di."

Swiveling her head away from Diamond, Silver Spoon let out a sigh. With sagging shoulders, she examined the additional marking on her test. It looked like any other test the students got back to her knowledge. Why Miss Cheerilee wanted to see her after class and not a troublemaker like one of the blank flanks eluded her. She didn't cheat; nor did she do anything unethical in the world of test taking. But those red scribbles inscribed on the paper suggested otherwise. With another sigh, she then raised her head and gazed at Cheerilee.

"Now then, are there any questions you'd like to ask?" Cheerilee inquired.

Not a murmur filled the room. Only the faint rustling of leaves outside echoed within the classroom.

"Okay then. Now remember, if you do have any questions that come up later, feel free to write them down somewhere and ask them tomorrow. We'll set some time aside to go over the questions you may have." Cheerilee paused, her ears twitching. "Also, I need to talk to one of you after class."

"Uh oh," a nasally voice uttered. "Who did what this time?"

Such a voice belonged to the plump colt in the back of the room known as Truffle Shuffle. Few knew much about the portly pony, though he carried some sort of food item with him without fail. To nopony's surprise, it tended to be something sugary or sweet. The other common quality he bore was how everypony not named Twist always felt sorry for whoever was paired up with Truffle Shuffle in group assignments. Something about him churned Silver Spoon's stomach at the thought.

"I bet it was Featherweight," Shady Daze blurted out. “He's a master at messing up the printers for the Foal Free Press, you know."

"Oh, blame the printer on me," Featherweight retorted. He crossed his forelegs. "I guess I should also mention how you were the one who filled the playground with confetti cannons that one time. And you messed with the printer so much one day it shot ink everywhere!"

"But it was totally funny, right?" Shady chuckled, a smirk adorning his face. "Everypony thought whoever did that was a genius."

Featherweight raised an eyebrow. His lips curled into a slight grin. "More like a clown. Where’s the nose that does the honking sound, Shady." Biting his lip, he held in a fit of laughter.

"Hey!"

"Everypony!" Cheerilee whacked a yardstick against the chalkboard as before. "Do you two want to go to detention or not?"

The class fell silent, all eyes glued to Cheerilee. Even Silver Spoon was a part of the collective, her chest tightening into a knot at the mere thought of detention. Not much was worse for any student to spend half an hour sitting and listening to the clock tick away the seconds. It sounded more akin to time teasing those trapped in detention than anything. Everypony knew of the tales and the tears which went alongside it, a tingling sensation coursing through Silver Spoon's mind at the mere thought.

"Now that I have your attention, let me explain," Cheerilee continued. "I'm going to talk about the test to this particular student, but let me say that this student is not in trouble."

"Then why did you scare us half to death, Miss Cheerilee?" Featherweight asked. He breathed a sigh of relief. "I thought we were gonna be toast."

"Or charred toast," Shady added.

"Well, if you didn't interrupt me while I was talking, then none of these concerns would have happened." Cheerilee ruffled her brow. "Now then, I'm going to give you two a warning."

"Sorry, Miss Cheerilee," the two colts muttered in unison.

"Now then, as for the pony I'll be speaking to, I've made a note on their test in order to keep things as private as possible." Trotting toward her desk, Cheerilee then placed a hoof on top of its oak surface. "As for everypony else, well—"

A chime filled the classroom and reached Silver Spoon's ears. At the drop of a pen, her classmates all sprang from their desks and dashed across the floor. Clacks polluted the air as the swarm of fillies and colts burst through the door, some pressing against each other as they wiggled and squeezed through the doorway. Silver Spoon adjusted her glasses, baffled at how quick the class forced themselves out this time around. Once a minute had flown past, all of her classmates had departed the room, only she and Miss Cheerilee stayed put. After a few seconds of silence, Cheerilee trotted toward her.

Okay, she said I wasn't in trouble, right? Silver Spoon exhaled. The hairs of her coat stood up. She probably just wants to make sure I understand a quick concept. Like, there's no way she'd ever figure out what I did. Studying Cheerilee's stern expression and twinkling eyes sank Silver Spoon’s heart. The lack of any smile decorating her visage and her slow, heavy steps thinned the air. She knows, doesn't she?

The moment Cheerilee sat at a desk adjacent to Silver Spoon, the latter averted her gaze. She couldn't bear to see her teacher donning a twisted, sagging scowl. Silver Spoon rubbed her muzzle with her eyes closed shut. An itch at the back of her mind wished she would plop back into her bed upon opening them again. Clenching her teeth, Silver Spoon opened her eyes once more.

The classroom environment she found herself in from before, complete with empty desks and a chalkboard with not a word jotted on it, was where she found herself. Silver Spoon's cheeks turned a light green, her stomach considering unleashing its contents.

"Silver Spoon," Cheerilee said, her calm voice surprising Silver Spoon. "Remember, you're not in trouble."

"I am," Silver Spoon replied. "Why else would I be sent here without warning?"

"Because the matter I need to talk to you about is important."

Silver Spoon brought her attention back to where Cheerilee sat. The latter placed her left hoof on her chest, her face now wearing a sagging brow and shimmering eyes. Cocking her head, Silver Spoon blinked thrice. However, the concerned stare Cheerilee bore still remained.

"Silver Spoon, is your friendship with Diamond Tiara healthy?" Cheerilee questioned. Pausing for a second, she then adjusted her seating posture though maintained eye contact. "Are you having fun with her?"

"Of course I'm having fun with Di," Silver Spoon answered. "Why wouldn't I have fun with my one best friend?"

"I had a feeling you'd answer that way."

"How so?"

Cheerilee clasped her hooves together. A soft sigh left her lips. "I'm sorry I have to ask this, but have you ever done something that would hinder your performance at school to please Diamond Tiara? Have you ever done something you didn't want to do to make her happy? I ask this because of what I found on your test."

Silver Spoon flinched for a brief moment. "N-no! I have a spine! I can think on my own! Everypony knows that, right?" She froze; not a word escaped Cheerilee's lips. "Right?"

"Did you miss any of the test questions on purpose?"

"No!" Silver Spoon recoiled a bit, aware the words she shrieked lacked standing. Cheerilee was right in guessing she intentionally missed questions to avoid Diamond's ire. The idea of Diamond comparing her to Twist drove a blade through her chest, Silver Spoon's body feeling numb. "Why would I ever do that?"

Cheerilee took a deep breath. "Silver Spoon, let me say two things. First, I don't know much about what your fellow classmates think of you. I know Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo don't get along with you for some reason."

"I'm not surprised the blank—" Shielding her lips with the tips of her hooves, Silver Spoon blushed. "Sorry, Miss Cheerilee." A forced smile ran across her strained face. "I'll keep quiet until you're done."

"Apology accepted." Cheerilee nodded. "Now then, the second thing I want to mention is that you should tell the truth to your teacher."

"B-but—"

"Silver Spoon, please tell me what's going on."

Silver Spoon gnashed her teeth; a cold sweat poured down her forehead. There was little doubt in her mind Cheerilee would fail to notice a lie. Her sulked posture opened much of her brain to any astute observers. The thought of Diamond getting a similar talk related to this crossed Silver Spoon's mind. If she ever suffered a similar fate to this or even got wind of Silver Spoon’s true identity, their friendship may as well be a sheet of glass careening toward a jagged stone.

There was no escape.

To think the tale of having a friend would reach its climax because of a stupid test.

Silver Spoon had to confess, even if the truth shredded her body to pieces. She gulped.

"You want to know what happened?" Silver Spoon asked.

"Yes, Silver Spoon," Cheerilee said as a matter of fact. "That's what I asked you before. Please let me know what's going on. I want to help you do better in school. You'll be happier in the long run." She clasped her hooves together. "I promise."

Silver Spoon took a deep breath. She quivered to release some of the anxiety flowing through her. "Okay then, you got me." Turning away from Cheerilee for a moment, Silver Spoon winced. The aches forming within her chest intensified. "I missed those questions on purpose. However, how did you—" Silver Spoon brought her gaze back to Cheerilee, the former's vision somewhat blurred. Clearing her throat, she then murmured, "How did you know I did that?"

"It's rather simple, Silver Spoon. I know you're aware that this test required students to show how they got to the answer. I added that rule so I could see who understood the concepts and if I needed to spend more time on a topic for the benefit of the class."

"That makes sense." Silver Spoon twiddled her braid. "I'm guessing you were able to see how I covered my tracks."

Cheerilee nodded. "That's correct, Silver Spoon. However, what tipped me off first was how you had everything correct in your work on the test. You even got the right answer, but you ended up circling a slightly different number instead. This made me suspicious at the time." She stroked her muzzle for a second. "You're probably wondering why it did."

"Yeah. I don't know how something like that caught your eye."

"Let me explain, Silver Spoon." Taking a deep breath, Cheerilee placed her hooves on the desk before her. "Now, I understand why some might make such a mistake. But the way everything was so clearly written and how the correct answer was written inches away from what you claimed to be your answer, I knew I had to investigate. I examined your test once more, focusing on what you got wrong and the work you showed. That's when I noticed something peculiar."

Silver Spoon hung her head low, gazing at the wooden planks below. "W-what do you mean?" Her cheeks burned a hot pink. "Yeah, I know I confessed and everything, but I feel like I'm missing something about how you discovered it. Did somepony tell you a rumor or something?"

"No." Cheerilee shook her head. "I don't listen to such gossip."

"Oh."

A ticklish sensation ran down both of Silver Spoon's cheeks; they were warm, wet raindrops. Blinking for a moment, she noticed her vision becoming hazier by the second. Dust must have invaded her eyes, irritating and reddening them. Silver Spoon always considered herself to not be the crying type. Maybe those blank flanks wept, but nopony like her did.

However, as her chest tightened into a corkscrew, the doubt within her mind spread. The twangs throughout her body became tighter than ever; the teardrops cascaded at a faster rate. Even some audible sobs left her mouth from time to time, increasing in frequency as time marched forward.

Silver Spoon was caught by the truth, unable to wiggle or break free from its tight grip.

Silver Spoon was crying.

Silver Spoon was nopony.

"Silver Spoon," Cheerilee murmured. "It's going to be okay." Stretching her foreleg out, she then placed a hoof on Silver Spoon's shoulder. The massage was soft, loosening Silver Spoon's muscles. However, the tears and sobs refused to cease. "There's nothing wrong with getting a good grade. Everypony wants one. You would have gotten the only perfect score in the class if you used the answers you got. Something like that is an achievement to be proud of, Silver Spoon. It's nothing to be ashamed about."

"N-not to Diamond Tiara," Silver Spoon whispered through sobs. "She thinks getting really high grades is for losers."

With an arched eyebrow, Cheerilee cocked her head. She sighed. "Is that so?"

Silver Spoon nodded. "Y-yes."

"Perhaps I'm going to have to talk to—"

"Please don't!"

Cheerilee's eyes widened. "Why wouldn't I talk to her about it? It's something I should look into, you know."

"I don't want to break my friendship with Di." Silver Spoon's sobs grew louder and tears kept flowing down her cheeks like a waterfall, dripping onto the floor. "She's my only friend. If—if she found out I mentioned that, she'd leave me in an instant. I don't want to be alone."

"Silver Spoon, you won't be alone. Somepony out there will be your friend, even if it isn't Diamond Tiara."

"No. Di is all I'll ever have."

"How come? You haven't wronged everypony here as far as I know." Cheerilee paused. "Can you share with me why you believe that, please?"

"I can't."

Wincing, Silver Spoon knew such a confession would also double as admitting she bullied a number of classmates alongside Diamond Tiara. While most of the fillies and colts saw her as the lesser of two evils, the label of villainess remained attached to her. Silver Spoon knew such a fact was obvious, and even mentioning such actions to Miss Cheerilee would earn a scowl or even detention.

"I can tell the reason disturbs you," Cheerilee said. Such a statement couldn't be more obvious. "I promise I won't tell anypony about it. Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye."

Silver Spoon froze for a second, then raised her brow. "H-huh? What was that?" she asked.

"It's a special kind of promise a friend of mine told me about. It's something you never break."

"Oh. Well, I still don't know if I should tell you."

"Silver Spoon, you do want to feel better, right?"

Silver Spoon rubbed her muzzle for a moment. After five seconds passed, she nodded. "Yes, Miss Cheerilee. I want to feel better."

Cheerilee's lips curled into the slightest of smiles, the first Silver Spoon noticed in what felt like ages. The rate of tears dripping down her eyes like a leaking faucet lessened at last.

"I'm glad to hear that, Silver Spoon," Cheerilee continued. "Do you know what the best way of feeling better in this situation is?"

Silver Spoon knew the answer from the start. Providing the answer, however, was something else. The words were there, but they refused to escape her clogged throat. However, when she cleared her throat, Silver Spoon then murmured, "I bullied others."

"Did you just say you bullied others?" Cheerilee tilted her head. A tautened expression adorned her face. "Silver Spoon, such behavior is inexcusable."

"I-I know." Lifting her glasses up for a second, Silver Spoon wiped the tears in her eyes. A deep sigh left her lips. "I bullied others with Diamond Tiara." Upon uttering those words, she couldn't help herself from cringing. Perhaps getting punched in the face would be a less painful alternative as Silver Spoon's body ached throughout. "We did that to the bl—I mean, Diamond Tiara and I did it to Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo for the most part."

"Silver Spoon." Cheerilee crossed her forelegs, her visage now donning a frown.

"I know." Silver Spoon sniffled. "I'm ready for detention, Miss Cheerilee."

"You're not getting detention, Silver Spoon."

Silver Spoon’s pupils shrunk to the size of pinpricks. She gasped. "I'm not?"

"No. However, I want you to apologize to anypony you've bullied in the past."

Silver Spoon raised her head and shuddered for a moment. "But if Diamond Tiara finds out, what will she think of me then?"

"I should tell you another thing." Cheerilee tapped a hoof against the floor. "It's not healthy to have everything you do dictated by what somepony else might want. Sometimes, you're going to have to do something they may not like. That's okay, because it helps you discover who you are and can make you happier in the long run."

"I-I guess so." Silver Spoon defogged her glasses. The world cleared up in a flash. Tiny details her tear-filled eyes or misty glasses couldn't spot were visible once more. At least she could make out Miss Cheerilee's faint grin and glowing eyes again, an expression which cheered her up once more. Silver Spoon couldn't help but realize how meaningful Cheerilee's name was. "Anyway, I'm sorry for what I did."

"Apology accepted, Silver Spoon." Cheerilee paused for a second. "However, you still need to apologize to those you've hurt. Understood?"

Silver Spoon remained static, her face wearing a blank expression.

"Remember my advice."

Flinching as though a bug zipped past her, Silver Spoon then bobbed her head. "Okay, I'll apologize as soon as possible. I'll try to do the best I can."

"That's the spirit, Silver Spoon!"

Cheerilee stood up on all four hooves, a radiant smile across her face. Striding over toward her desk, she opened one of the shelves and procured a gold-like object. Silver Spoon's eyes locked onto the pointed object, its bright sheen twinkling under the light. It was one of the gold stars Cheerilee awarded the student or students the highest test score with. And as Cheerilee trotted back toward Silver Spoon with her foreleg extended, the latter knew where this was all headed.

"Silver Spoon, while your current grade will remain the same, I'm still awarding you the gold star due to these circumstances," Cheerilee continued. "It's quite an honor to receive one, you know." Placing the gold star before Silver Spoon, Cheerilee then withdrew her hoof. "I know it must be hard for you to feel happy right now." A sigh left Cheerilee's mouth, her shoulders sagging somewhat. "Believe me. I've dealt with tough moments in my life as well. It's impossible to be cheery all the time, after all."

"Yeah, I guess so," Silver Spoon replied. Pushing herself off of the chair, she then exhaled. "Still, I'm nervous if I'll ever be happy again." Silver Spoon placed a hoof on her chest. A bleak frown adorned her face a second later. "I'm sorry if I'm acting all mopey and all, but I don't know if—"

"Silver Spoon, you have nothing to apologize for in that regard." Silver Spoon raised her head and made eye contact with Cheerilee. "You're going through a time where it may feel hard to avoid such behaviors. However, I see something inside of you."

"You do?"

"I do." Cheerilee's eyes glowed like the sun. "You may not see it now. You may not even believe what I say. However, I know there's a wonderful pony standing before me. She has a gray coat, stylish glasses, and a cute braid. Her name is Silver Spoon, and one day, she's going to grow up to be an amazing pony."

"E-even though I bullied others because of the lack of a cutie mark?"

"Silver Spoon, once you apologize, things will become easier for you. Believe in yourself. Keep on doing the best you can." Cheerilee shuffled her hooves to the left. Stretching a foreleg out, she pointed at the doorway. "You're free to go whenever you please. I hope that tomorrow works out well for you. I’m always willing to lend a helping hoof if you ever need me."

Silver Spoon donned her saddlebag, filling it with her school supplies and gold star. With a nod, she muttered, "I guess that makes sense. Thanks, Cheerilee. I'm glad to have you as a teacher."

"You're welcome, Silver Spoon." Cheerilee waved her hoof in the air. "Take care."

"Will do."

And as Silver Spoon made her way out of the classroom and into the open fields, she made sure to keep her chin held up high. Nevertheless, a tingling sensation coursed through her spine.

The sounds of rustling leaves reached her ears. Twisting her head to the right, Silver Spoon noticed a lone bush shaking as though it were caught in a whirlwind. She shrugged, unsure of what to make of the phenomenon.

Then, her eyes widened. Silver Spoon felt the breath taken out of her.

The shaking bush in question was the only one moving and just happened to be next to one of the classroom's windows.

Sensing her body lightening by the second, Silver Spoon clenched her teeth. She surveyed the bush for a minute, holding her breath and not making a peep, but not another instance of shaking occurred. Maybe it was just an animal scavenging for food, though why one would end up in a bush eluded her. Then there was the other possibility which chilled her to the bone.

Somepony was spying on her to spread gossip.

Silver Spoon's throat tightened, hoping to all of Equestria's princesses the first instance was the correct one.

Comments

[Elric of Melnipony]

While most of the fillies and colts saw her as the lesser of two evils, there was still the label of vileness attached to her.

Quick question -- was that meant to be "villainess"? Either word works, really, but "villainess" fits a little bit better.

[Manaphy]

6110859 That's a nice suggestion. I'll go make that change. Thank you for the suggestion and for looking at the chapter! I appreciate it!

[Elric of Melnipony]

6110869
As a Silver Spoon fan, I've been reading this from the beginning -- and I'm enjoying it.

I'm also a Twist fan, so I hope it's true that we'll see more of an expanded role for her later on.

[Manaphy]

6110902 I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far. And Twist will definitely be getting a bigger role later in the story.

[Quiba]

Someone give this poor child a hug. I have a feeling it's only gonna get worse before it gets better for her...

[Manaphy]

6110968 Thanks for reading the chapter. And yeah, Silver Spoon could use a hug. As for her future, the upcoming chapters will provide more details. I can't reveal what will happen just yet, but I do have a number of ideas planned.

[Peachy Keen]

I'm really enjoying the story so far! The interactions between characters are really well done, as well as conveying Silver's feelings. I mean, wow, I almost feel like I'm feeling them right along side her! No Miss Cheerilee, I'm a good pony! I don't want detention, please!

[Manaphy]

6111745 Thanks for the compliments. I'm glad you're enjoying the story.

[Magthere]

Question is if someone was listening that bush who was it? Someone who will spread the news like wildfire, or will it be someone willing to give her that second chance? Or is it some third option I haven't considered...