> The Silver Spoons; A Tragic Silver Spoon Story
>  by TheOneAJ
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Prologue , School project
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

A light breeze rolled through the grounds of Ponyville Elementary School. The breeze wouldn’t have normally been a problem for Apple Bloom, if Diamond Tiara, and her faithful sidekick, Silver Spoon, hadn't tripped her on her way to the schoolhouse.

“Hey,” she snapped her head towards the pair as papers flew out of her backpack, “what ya need to do that for?” She felt like she didn’t even need to ask.

“Opps,” Diamond Tiara held a hoof to her muzzle, “did my stretching cause you to trip, blank flank?”

Silver Spoon laughed with her friend. “Oh that’ a good one, Diamond. You always come up with, like, the best material.”

Diamond Tiara flipped her hair. “Like, I know.” They then went on to do their signature hoof bump.

Meanwhile, Apple Bloom was left to gather her scattered papers before they blew away to the far corners of Equestria.

She had just about collected them all when a pair of pink hooves kicked them aside. “You-ah!” Diamond Tiara cried as she face planted into the dirt.

“Diamond!” Silver Spoon rushed forward.  When she tried to help her up, Diamond Tiara batted her friend’s hoof away as she pushed herself up.

“Come on, Silver. Like, this blank flank isn’t even worth the trouble.” The pink filly held up her head and huffed.

Silver Spoon looked down on Apple Bloom for a moment, kicked another paper out of the way, and followed her friend into the schoolhouse.

“Grr!” Apple Bloom’s eyes narrowed on the two, trying to engulf them in flames with just a stare.

She didn't even notice Scootloo and Sweetie Belle walking up to her. “You’re not going to burn them that way,” Sweetie Belle said as she levitated the paper Silver Spoon kicked into the air over to Apple Bloom. “Your short a horn.”

Apple Bloom sighed to her friends. “Morning gals.”

“Morning, Apple Bloom.” Scootaloo smiled. “Those brat’s giving you a hard time again?” She asked while she cracked her knuckles.

Apple waved a hoof at her. “Its fine,” she lied, “nothing they haven’t done before. Besides, we can just rub our better grades from our test  into their faces when we get them back.” She grinned, thinking about the test that she had spent a lot of the week studying for while Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara had been on vacation.

Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle looked at each other, then back at Apple Bloom.  “If you say so, Apple Bloom.” They spent the rest of the morning listening to Apple Bloom ramble on about how Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon would look when they got their grades back, and saw hers.

*******************

“A D?” Apple Bloom couldn't believe it. She looked back to Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell, who had gotten better grades then her. It wasn’t a much, but they didn’t come as close to getting an F as she had.

They each gave her a sheepish grin.

“I’m sorry, Apple Bloom,” Cheerilee lowered her head,  “but did you or your friends even study at all for this test?”

“Of course we did, Ms. Cheerilee," Apple Bloom slammed her hoof on the desk, "whenever we could." They would have studied some more, but they were busy that whole week. A deep sea fishing cutie mark wouldn’t earn itself, as soon as they figured out how to catch a fish in the town lake.

They still found time to study though. It wasn’t a lot, but Apple Bloom had put everything she had into studying for her test when she felt like it. Okay, so she had trouble getting into schoolwork, it was a sad fact. She didn’t have any medical reasons why she couldn’t; she just couldn’t get any good grades on her test no mattered how hard she tried.

“I don’t suppose we could get some," she twirled her hooves together, "extra credit or something?” 

Ms. Cheerilee blankly looked at her. “I’m sorry, Apple Bloom,” Ms. Cheerilee moved on, “you know I can’t do that.”

Apple Bloom slumped onto her desk. she knew this would happen, but it was still worth a shot. The truth was she hadn’t been doing very well this semester. If she had gotten an F on this test, they she would have been held back a grade for sure. By getting a D, she was spared such a fate for now. However, if she didn’t get an A on the next project or test, then Celestia help her.

The only thing that kept her from banging her head into her desk was the fact that Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara would get their grades next.  Maybe the universe would be kind to her, and she would hear those two moan as they looked upon their F’s. Her grin turned to a frown when she remembered something; They were Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. The two of the riches fillies in town who always got what they wanted.

“Sliver Spoon, Diamond Tiara,” Cheerilee said to the pair, “you both did an excellent job, as always.” Even from a distance, Apple Bloom could clearly make out the bright red A’s and smiley faces on the right-hand corners of their tests.

“Thank you, Ms. Cheerilee.” They smiled back at their teacher.

“Yes, and,” she leaned in closer to Silver Spoon, “you are getting the time you need?” she tried to sound discreet, but Apple Bloom heard her loud and clear.

It wasn’t fair, she thought to herself. Not only did those two get away with everything, but they never got punished for it. In fact, they always seemed to get rewarded for it, at least in her mind. They got all the cool toys first, the best jewelry to show off whenever they felt like it, all the time they needed on homework and tests, and they got the best tutors in town to get the grades, if they didn't buy those too.

Apple’s Bloom's only tiny bit of comfort from the idea that, if not for their daddy’s money, they would have worse grades than herself. She was about to forget about it, not care about them, when she overheard Diamond Tiara whisper to Silver Spoon. “I bet they were like, trying to get their cutie marks in failing. That would explain a lot.” 

Silver Spoon snicker on command. “Good one, Diamond.” 

Apple Bloom shot around and glared at the pair. “Why you no good rotten…” 

"Apple Bloom!" Cheerilee placed her hoof down, causing the whole room to shake.

“But, Ms. Cheerilee.” Apple Bloom whined.

“No buts,” Cheerilee placed the last paper Dinky's desk. “Unless, you would like to miss out on recess?”

Apple Bloom's bow fell flat. “No,” she responded through clenched teeth.

Diamond Tiara’s and Silver Spoon’s laughter could be heard from the front of the class.

“Don’t think I won’t put you two in detention either.” Cheerilee said looked them down.

The pair’s eyes widen, as their ears lowered. “Sorry, Ms. Cheerilee.” 

"Now then,"  Ms.. Cheerilee made her way to her desk. “Today, we will be staring a group project.” The class soon erupted in a choir of chatter as students started to pick out their partners. “However, for this project, you will not decide who you get paired up with.” The class let out a united moan. “Rather, you will each randomly select your own partner from this machine.” She then placed a bingo dispenser on her desk. “Now, for this project you will be working in groups of two. So to decide who gets paired up with who I've have already put half your names in here, while the other half of you will come up here to pick out your partner.”

Twist’s hoof shot into the air. “But, Mith. Cheerilee, what ith the project?”

“An excellent question, Twist,” Cheerilee tapped her hooves together. She placed a piece of chalk into her mouth and began to write on the board. “For this project, you will be required to give an oral report on an interesting pony member, from your partner’s family. You will each be required to give information on when they lived, what they did, and most importantly, something interesting about that pony."

She wrote all this on the board for a minute before she placed the chalk down. "Now then," she then gave the bingo dispenser a spin. "Let's begin. Diamond Tiara, you’re up first.” The pink pony  walked towards the teachers desk.

Apple Bloom looked upon her as Diamond Tiara walked up to the desk to receive her bingo ball. All Apple Bloom could do to was pray to Celestia that Diamond Tiara didn’t pick her. 

She would have taken anypony else, even a colt, to not get paired up with her. Because one thing would be clear if that happened; only one pony would show up to class the following Monday.

“Ugh, Snails!” Apple Bloom looked to the heaven, thanking the Princesses.

“Diamond Tiara!” Ms. Cheerliee gave her a stern looked. Diamond Tiara stepped back, messaged received. 

While she felt sorry for Snails, she couldn't stop thanking the universe foe being a little fair. As she watched Diamond Tiara sulk back to her desk to get Silver Spoon’s comfort, she didn’t notice when Sweetie Belle race back to her desk with a bingo ball in hoof.

“I got Scootaloo!” She chirped.

Apple Bloom was snapped out of her trance. “That’s amazing!” 

“Yeah,” Scootaloo smiled with a hoof bump to Sweetie Belle, “we’ll get A’s for sure.”

“Oh…yeah,” Apple Bloom’s smile faded as it just occurred to her that she wasn’t going to get paired up with either of them.

“Apple Bloom,” Cheerilee said, “you’re up.”

She nodded, and slowly walked up to the teachers desk. 

Before she made it to the desk, she caught sight of Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon giving her a smug look. She figured that they thought Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo getting paired up was unfair, even though it was pure luck. Hey, it wasn't her fault if fate wasn't always kind. She was happy that Sweetie Bell and Scootaloo got paired up together, but that still left her worried about who she would be paired up with. Perhaps Twist? They hadn’t hung out in a while, and it would be better than somepony she didn’t know too well. While the name on her bingo ball wasn’t the worst possible name to roll out, it was a close second as her eyes widened.

Silver Spoon 

Her mouth opened and closed soundlessly a few times before she was able to articulate any words. “Um, Ms. Cheerilee,” she looked up to her teacher, wide eyed as she clicked her hooves together. “Could I perhaps, go again?”

Cheerilee gave her a stern look before she responded. “I’m sorry, Apple Bloom, and for all of you.” She addressed the whole class at the same time. “All decisions are final, and I don’t want to hear anything about trade or swap ups. If I do, all students involved get an F, have I made myself clear?”

“Yes, Ms. Cheerilee!” everypony responded.

“Alright then," Cheerilee relaxed back into he desk, "Snips, you’re up.”

Apple Bloom slumped back to her desk while a million thoughts raced through her mind. Why her, why Silver Spoon? She supposed she should have looked on the bright side, it wasn't Diamond Tiara. Yeah, that didn't help.

Scootaloo started at Apple Bloom. “So who’d you get that was so bad?”  

Apple Bloom responded with a face planted into her desk. She kept  her head on her desk, but poked out an eye to peek at Silver Spoon. The gray filly hadn’t realized who she had been paired up with yet, and Apple Bloom intended to keep it that way for as long as possible.

As more students were called up to be assigned her, Apple Bloom realized something; this was going to be a long week.

> An Uneasy Alliance
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Immediately after school let out, Apple Bloom and her friends gathered around the door to discuss the project. It had certainly been a highlight when Diamond Tiara got paired up with Snails. Then Apple Bloom told them who she got paired up with.

Now they sulked by the door way as the other fillies and colts walked off with their partners.

“Have fun girls.” Twist waved as she walked hoof-in-hoof with her partner, Pip. 

“Yeah,” the crusaders politely waved back, “enjoy”.

“Ow!” Apple Bloom winced as Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon bumped by.

“Like,” Diamond Tiara turned her muzzle, “we hope you don’t fail,” she said sarcastically, “because it would be such a shame if we didn’t share a classroom next year.”

Silver Spoon copied her friend’s motions. “Like yeah, that would be like, awful.” She leered sarcastically at them. The pair laughed to themselves, and then headed out the door into the warm springtime afternoon. Their laugher died out when Snails walked up to them.

The crusaders watched as Snails approached Diamond Tiara, goofy smile plastered on his face as always.They couldn’t hear what was being said, but Diamond Tiara’s expressions told the whole story; she wasn’t looking forward to this. After he sneezed on her-Apple Bloom didn’t hold back laughing-Diamond Tiara waved off Silver Spoon, and departed for her night with Snails. 

All alone, Silver Spoon around the playground for her partner. She lowered her rump onto the ground, and began tapping her hooves together as she waited for said pony to come forth.

“I just can’t believe you got stuck with, her.” Scootaloo gestured towards the gray filly.

Apple Bloom tilted her head towards Silver Spoon, sitting there by herself. She almost felt sorry for her. Without Diamond Tiara around, Silver Spoon looked kind of sweet and innocent, almost. Apple Bloom wasn’t going to be caught off guard that easily. This was still Silver Spoon, her second worst life-long enemy. The day she saw through any ruse of Diamond Tiara's or Silver Spoon's was the day that all of Tartarus froze over.

“You sure you’re going to be alright, Apple Bloom?” Sweetie Belle brought her out of the death glare she gave Silver Spoon. It turned out for the better, because she turned her head just as Silver Spoon glanced towards them.

“Well, no, but Ah don’t have a choice neither. It’s either find a way to get along with Silver Spoon, or fail the class.” Thinking it was one thing, saying it out loud made it sound a whole lot worse.

“Maybe her A-making ability’s will rub off on you.” Scootaloo teased. Sweetie Belle wacked her on the shoulder. “Ow!”

“No, no,” Apple waved a hoof, “Ah actually hope that happens.” It was a hopeless dream, but one she could still dream about.

"Are you sure you don't want us to tag along with you?” Sweetie Belle lowered her eyelids.

Scootloo scrapped her hoof across the ground. “We’d be more than happy to make sure she doesn’t try anything funny.”

Apple Bloom chuckled. "Nah, if Ah gott'a suffer, it don't mean you gals gott'a suffer." 

She knew that her friends plan was to go to the library to look up records of their families’ first. She, on the other hoof, had different plans. Instead of going to the library, she wanted to check the attic at home. She was sure her attic had something Silver Spoon could use for her project. It would keep Silver Spoon away from her friends, and with her big sister around to supervise, she felt sure that Silver Spoon wouldn’t try anything funny.

It was a three way win-win.

"Alright then," Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle began to walk off, "good luck." 

They waved good buy to each other, and walked out of classroom. Although Apple Bloom noticed that they hid behind a tree. She smiled at their inability to be discreet, and began to make her way towards Silver Spoon. 

Even if it was only a five meter walk, it felt like a mile long hike up a mountain. Her pace slowed, her breathing quickened, and she had a sudden feeling of sickness in her stomach. As Apple Bloom expected, the moment the gray filly saw her advance, she wrinkled her nose and turned her head away. “Uggh, what do you want, blank flank?”

Apple Bloom flinched. She wanted nothing more than to buck Silver Spoon in the face. Then she remembered that she needed the good grade. 

"Well," Apple Bloom coughed, "we're… kind’a partners.”

As the words reached her ears, Silver Spoon laughed at her. All Apple Bloom could do was let her laugh it out, because it wouldn’t be funny for very long. Sure enough, once the reality hit her, the filly’s jaw dropped, and eyes widened.

“You?” Silver Spoon pointed a hoof at her.

“Eyup,” Apple Bloom nodded, “me.” She narrowed her eyes, and advanced until she was muzzle to muzzle with Silver Spoon. “And I don’t wanna be your partner either. So let’s just make a truce to get this over with, okay?” She held her hoof up.

Silver Spoon acted reluctant, but not as reluctant as Apple Bloom might have thought. Silver Spoon took a look at her hoof like it was radioactive for only a moment before she placed her own hoof on Apple Bloom's.

“Deal.” Silver Spoon said with what looked like an honest smile. 

"Deal?" Apple Bloom tilted her head at the quick response. “I mean, deal.” The two then stood there, not saying a word, and occasionally tapping their hooves.

“So,” Apple Bloom asked after the moment of awkward silence, “you wanna come over to my place first? I think we got some records in the attic.”

“That sounds fine," Silver Spoon shrugged. "I should probably let my parents know that you’ll be coming over tomorrow anyways before you show up.” She sounded reluctant to have Apple Bloom over, but not in a way Apple Bloom would have expected her to be. She almost sounded scared, rather than annoyed. As if she didn’t want her at her fancy mansion because she didn’t want her to see something embarrassing. 

Apple Bloom shook the thought of it off. She was sure that she just read the langue wrong of something.

“Okay then.” Apple Bloom took in a deep sigh, “let’s roll.”

They walked off to the gate, and Apple Bloom couldn’t help but have a little fun. “After you, me lady." She even added a little bow as Silver Spoon passed by. 

Silver Spoon didn’t even say anything as she walked by. She just hung her head down as she seemed, offended. 

Maybe it was Apple Bloom’s imagination, but it looked like her gesture had insulted Silver Spoon. Which was impossible, she was sure of that. Silver Spoon never let anything anypony said insult her, at least when she was around Diamond Tiara. 

She slapped herself on the forehead, as she reminded herself who this was. Still, she didn’t do anything like that again around Silver Spoon.

-------------------------------------------------

The door to the Apple residence opened with a creak. It had been a long, silent walk to Sweet Apple Acres. When she walked into her house, Apple Bloom let out a relived sigh when she called out to her sister.

“Hey, Applejack, you home?” her voice echoed in the house as Silver Spoon followed her in.

A loud crash caused both fillies to jump. “Yeah, Apple Bloom,” Applejack shouted from the kitchen, “how are…” another choir of falling dished reached their ears. “I’ll be right there, Granny!” A cooking pot rolled out of the kitchen towards the pair.

“Is everything okay?” Silver Spoon tapped the pan.

“Yeah,” Apple Bloom shrugged, “Granny's probably just being random again.” She chuckled as they heard something about soup being shouted from Granny Smith.

“Are you sure?” Silver Spoon asked while a chair smashed into the hallway wall.

“Don’t you young'uns worry,” they heard Applejack shout. Something else broke. “GRANNY!” 

Silver Spoon seemed were frozen in place from all the excitement. Apple Bloom, use to this, just shook her head. For the past year, Granny Smith had been acting bizarre, more than usual. She forgot things more often, would take longer naps, and even didn’t recognize her some days.

When she asked Big Mac and Applejack, they would tell her that everything was fine. While she knew they believed that, she felt like they were hiding something from her. 

“Maybe we can do a project oh her?” 

“What?” Apple Bloom’s gaze shot towards Silver spoon.

Silver Spoon shrugged. “I mean, she is certainly an interesting pony. I could get a good grade with her backstory, no problem.”

“Um, thanks.” She was sure she had heard it wrong but, Silver Spoon sounded sincere. 

Silver Spoons eyes widened. “No, I mean it," She smiled. "Her story about how if it weren’t for her, Ponyville wouldn’t even exist, and how she escaped those timber wolves was incredible.”

“Ah shucks, ya think so?” As she thought back on that memory, she did remember that it was Silver Spoon who clapped first after Granny Smith told her story. It was a small detail, but she had completely forgotten about.

“Believe me, it was certainly much more exciting than Filthy Rich’s explanation of economics.”

Apple Bloom nodded. “Well, I’m not going to lie there, his speech was boring.”

While the girls were laughing, they noticed the noise had died down, and that Applejack had limped out of the kitchen.

Mane a mess, tail band missing, and face covered in flower, she smiled at the pair. “Hey, Apple Bloom, who’s your friend?”

“Oh, hello, Ms. Apple.” Silver Spoon politely nodded. “My name is Silver Spoon.” To Apple Bloom's relief, Applejack raise an eyebrow in recognition. She recognized who Silver Spoon was, and that meant she could count on her sister if Silver Spoon showed her true colors. Although, to Apple Bloom’s surprise, Applejack held out her hoof to Silver Spoon with an inviting smile on her face. 

“Well its pleasure to meet ya. We here sure do like making new friends. So what can I do for ya?” She asked after the pair lowered their hooves.

“Well, we’re looking for interesting stories on past family members.” She emphasized, past.

“Well that sounds dandy,” she eyed towards Apple Bloom. “And I presume you can handle ithings on your own, like an adult?”

Apple Bloom’s ears shot up. “Of course I can.”

Applejack leaned in. “And behaved like one.”

Apple Bloom began to curse on the inside. Had Applejack really just done that to her? She could be an adult mare, and show her up.

More clangs erupted from the kitchen. 

“Is granny okay?” Apple Bloom titled her head towards the kitchen.

“Of course she is, sugarcube.” Applejack stepped into her line of sight. “Granny Smith is just… a little more disorganized today than usual.”

More sounds vibrated from the kitchen. “Now I know y’all hid it here somewhere!” They heard Granny Smith yell form the kitchen. “Where are those egg beaters of mine?”

“Granny, for the twelfth time, we got some new one’s over three years ago. Oh gezz!” They all screamed as a flower pot sailed over their heads. It smashed into the wall, leaving a bright dirt stain on the stripped patterned walls.

“No we ain’t,” Granny Smiths green head poked out of the kitchen, “one of y’all just moved them!” She disappeared back into the kitchen to resume her futile search. “I’ll find it yet, y’all hear?” More pans clattered.

Applejack just sighed heavily. “Ah swear, Ah don’ know what to do with her.” She looked upon on the two fillies with a crooked grin. “Well now, what’s y'alls projects anyways?”

“We're looking up info on an interesting family member. We’re required to give a speech on who they were, what they did, somethin interesting bout them.”

“I want to do a report on Granny Smith!” Silver Spoon hoof jumped into the air.

“Well, you heard Cheerilee,” Apple Bloom chuckled, “it has to be a past relative, past. Besides, Granny Smith’s already gave her backstory at family appreciation day, wouldn’t you think Ms. Cheerilee might consider that to easy.”

Silver Spoon sighed. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

Apple Bloom answer had two reasons behind it her quick response. The first was because Ms. Cheerilee had clearly said, past relatives, and Granny Smith was still very much alive. Secondly, despite Silver Spoon, surprising charm, she still didn’t trust her. She didn’t want to risk her saying any bad things about her granny to the whole class when her charade was over.

“Well now,” Applejack smirked, “I’m sure you can find something in the attic. Let me think here,” her sister scratched her head as she tried to remember, “ah yes, blue box, red lid, you can’t miss it.” They heard another crass.

“Y'all better get on that project while I do… somethin, Granny!” She called as she galloped back into the kitchen.

“She always like that, your granny?” Silver Spoon motioned towards Apple Bloom.

"Eyup,” Apple Bloom said with a raised chin, “she just has her own special way of doing things, makes her zap apple jam tasty thou.” She snapped out of it. She wasn’t going to let her guard down and fall for any of Silver Spoon’s ploys. She would act like an adult like her sitter wanted her to, but would be ready to pounce at a moment’s notice.

“Now then, why don’t we head on up in the attic to see what’s in that box.”

______________________________________

The two filly’s made their way through the house until the found a string hanging from the ceiling, the events of the hallway still fresh in their minds.

Pushing it to the side, Apple Bloom kept to her task of getting Silver Spoon out of her house as soon as possible. The less she saw of her grannies goofiness, the less she could use to tease her later on when she dropped her act. 

She lead Silver Spoon to the entrance to the attic, a lose piece of sting. She pulled the string, and was met with a flight of stairs, and a thick layer of dust.

“Guess, *cough*, we haven’t used the attic in a while.”

“You think?” Silver Spoon responded with her own cough as the dust settled.

Apple Bloom took her response as an insult, but didn’t say anything as they entered the attic. Unless she did anything wrong, Apple Bloom was going to act like an adult in her house.

“We really need to spend a spring cleaning up here.” Apple Bloom brushed away some cobwebs. “Now then, red box, blue lid.” They began to look through all the nicknacks and odd-end’s one would find in an old barn house attic. 

They saw some old seed samples, Applejack’s various ribbons over the years, and what looked like a poorly made timber wolf puppet until they finally found the box. “Alright then,” she said as her teeth unlatched the hatch, “let’s see what’s inside.”

There wasn’t a whole lot inside the box. It had a few pictures and legal documents with the occasional personal letter, but nothing more. A few were emotional at times, but none really provided what they needed for the class project, or at least enough in their minds to earn them an A. Again, she was going for the grown up angle being nice rather than lazy.

“Sure ain’t a lot.” Apple Bloom yawned an hour later. She glanced over another small hand porter of a pony she didn’t recognize. She was about to go onto the next document when she noticed something. Silver Spoon was still reading over the same document she had been on over a half hour ago. “You could read some more you know.” She narrowed her eyes.

Silver Spoon shot up. “Oh, um… sure thing” She pushed the document under her away as she pulled over another one. “Just, making sure I’m reading every line.” She leaned in close to the paper.

Apple Bloom shook her head. “Kay, but I’m starting to wonder if anypony in my family, aside from my sis and granny, would be A+ worthy material.” She chuckled. “All we seem to do is harvest apples.”

Silver Spoon chuckled. “Yeah, makes me wish your granny or sister would pass away or something so I could do my report on… Ofh!” Before Silver Spoon could finish, Apple Bloom had tackled her down. “Ap, Apple Bloom, I didn’t mean…”

“Don’t you ever say that, ever!” She pushed her hooves more firmly in place on Silver Spoon’s chest. She’d had herself on high ever since she read Silver Spoon’s name on the bingo ball. She gave her a chance, and now that she blew it, she could let it all out. 

“Do you hear me,” her voice began to rise, “ever?” She yelled even louder to make sure the wide-eyed filly underneath her understood her. “You say that again, and I’ll make sure nopony will recognize y’all, you got that?”

Silver Spoon cowered beneath her. “Alright, alright, I’m sorry. I- I forgot that your parents had died…

“LIKE THAT SHOULD HAVE MATTERED!” Apple Bloom screamed to the high heavens. The dead had probably been awake, but she didn’t care. Nopony said anything that evil about her family, and she made sure to get her point across loud and clear.

“Sugarcube?” She heard Applejack shout up after a moment of silence. “Is everything okay up there?” As her sisters word flashed through her mind, she was able to clear her mind up for a bit as she saw Silver Spoon… crying.

Apple Bloom released her grip on her and backed up to the wall. Had she really acted in such a foal way that she made sompony cry. It might have been her arch enemy, but that didn’t make it feel any better. She wasn’t going to forgive her, but she did feel like she went too far with how she acted to apologize. 

“We’re fine, sis!” Apple Bloom shouted down to deal with her sister first. “Just a, little stressed after readin, that’s all.”

“Well alright then!” If her sister suspected anything else, then she must have been too busy to come up and make sure it was. “You two just be careful up there, you hear?”

“Alright, sis,” she responded keeping her eyes locked on Silver Spoon as she got back up.

“I am really sorry,” Silver Spoon straightened her glasses. “I didn’t mean to say that, I promise not to do it again.”

Apple Bloom stood in place with a blank expression on her face. It just didn’t seem like Silver Spoon to apologize for making such an insult. She and Diamond Tiara certainly hadn’t when they teased Scootaloo about her tiny wings, so why start just because Silver Spoon was by herself? 

“Apple Bloom,” Silver Spoon said getting on her knee’s, “I do mean it, I am really sorry. I would feel awful if anypony in your family passed away, I promise.”

Despite her urge to pity her, Apple Bloom couldn’t forget what a bully Silver Spoon had been to her; bullies never change. Still, she had enough in her to assume, if only a little bit, that Silver Spoon was being legit. 

She acted like it, and she sounded like it, but did she mean it? Maybe. Besides, if her sister had found out that she didn’t accept somepony’s apology, she didn’t even want to even think about it. 

“Alright,” she swallowed deeply to, act like an adult. “Ah forgive you.”

Silver Spoon tried to express her gratitude towards Apple Bloom with a hug. Apple Bloom pushed her away. 

She was still hurt, and wasn't going to fall for the same trick twice. “Just don’t get any more ideas in y’all’s head, y’all got that?”

“Okay,” Silver Spoon shrunk

Apple Bloom began to wonder if she went just too far with how she reacted towards Silver Spoon, if only for a moment.

______________________

Another hour later, and the pair had no work to show for it. Their lack of communication after their disagreement hadn’t helped, but in large, it came down to having nothing to work with. Apple Bloom’s family was plan and simply. Not that their lives had been unhappy, they just didn’t have a lot to talk about either.

Apple Bloom made a mental note to write a journal whenever she did something amazing.

“Well,” Silver Spoon broke the silence, “I better get going.” She closed another family album and got up. As she did, she gave Apple Bloom a weak smile as Apple Bloom continued to glare. “I’ll see you in the…”

“Well howdy there, gal’s,” Applejack said as she nearly ran into Silver Spoon. “Y’alls project going well?”

“Just dandy.” Apple Bloom muttered through clenched teeth.

“Why yes,” Sliver Spoon nodded, “it is going very well, but I was just heading home so...”

“Well now,” Applejack put a hoof up, “why not stay for dinner? Where having Zap Apple cobbler, Apple Bloom’s favorite. I’m sure she wound’s mind sharing with y’all.”

“Well I…” Silver Spoon began.

“Oh no,” Apple Bloom quickly shoot up. The last thing she wanted was to spend any more time with Silver Spoon than she had to. “You don’t have to…” before she could say more, she looked at her sister as she gave her a stern gaze that made her blood run cold. “Don’t, have to worry about us running out’a food, we have plenty.”

Applejack’s face instantly lite up. “That’s right,” she hooked a leg around the two fillies. “We always have plenty to share.” She walked up to Silver Spoon with a warm smile. “So, what do you say, sugarcube?”

After a while, to Apple Bloom’s surprise, when Silver Spoon realized that she wasn’t going to get out of it, she seemed quite please. “Sure thing,” she said with a bounce in her voice, “I’d love to.”

Apple Bloom shook her head; life was so unfair. 

-------------------------------------------

“Dinner was amazing!” Silver Spoon chipped as Apple Bloom walked her home.

Normally, Applejack would never have allowed her out so late at night. Not that she was complaining, she was thrilled to have such responsibility. 

Apple Bloom didn’t want to walk Silver Spoon home, but just like dinner, she knew to protest against Applejack would be futile. Although, much like dinner, the further they went along, the more she eased to Silver Spoon’s little insult in the attic, and began to enjoy her company. She hadn’t quit forgive her, but she was able to put it in the back of her mind.

“Although,” Silver Spoon shuttered, “I still don’t see how Granny Smith could be so forgiving when I spilled that juice on her.” 

“Neither can Ah.” Apple Bloom grinned, “She won’t forget that easily, but she can never stay mad at anypony with a good heart for long. It’s just funny that way.” Both girls laughed.

“Wish it was funny that way with my... I mean, as exciting. We have lots of fun at our table, just in a different way.”

“I bet.” If her mind wasn’t on other things, she may have questioned Silver Spoon’s choice of word.

All through dinner, while her family was talked, laughed and said how great their day was. Silver Spoon seemed to fit right in. She would tell a funny story that didn’t involve somepony in pain, and everyone would laughed with her. 

Apple Bloom even found herself laughing with a little one-liner Silver Spoon had said at dinner. At one point, she begun to enjoy Silver Spoon’s company before she quickly snapped out of it. This was Silver Spoon, her arch enemy. This was the pony who’s life purpose was to make her life as miserable as possible for being a country bumkin and a blank flank, and she certainly wasn’t her friend.

“Oh and Apple Bloom?”

“What?” Apple snapped. She hadn’t meant to, it just came out of nowhere. Maybe not nowhere, but she thought she had that anger in check. 

Silver Spoon lowered her ears. “I guess you’re still upset for what I said back in the attic.”

Apple Bloom wanted to say, ‘you think,’ but held back as she noticed Silver Spoons tightened up. “Ah guess ah was a bit,” she scratched the back of her neck, “rash for how I’d acted. I’m just not us to…”

“Seeing a different side of me?” Silver Spoon said with a stern face.

“Well I…”

“Save it,” Silver Spoon put her hoof up. “I know that you’re just waiting for me to call you a blank flank or something so you can justify being mad at me. Though, I suppose I would too if I were you.” She walked ahead of her. “However, I would never go as far as to purposely suggest that anypony in your family, or anypony’s family should die.”

Apple Bloof huffed. “It didn’t stop ya and Diamond Tiara from teasing Scootaloo about her wings.”

“I know,” Silver Spoon kicked a rock, “but it was Diamond Tiara’s idea you know.”

“You could have stopped her.” 

“No I couldn’t have,” Silver Spoon lowered her ears. “It’s, complicated, just leave it at that. I don’t expect you to forgive me, I just want you to know that I’m not going to torture you, or your friends while we work on this project.” She then stopped as she looked at Apple Bloom with her enlarged eyes. “I’ve done and said some mean things to you Apple Bloom, but that doesn’t mean I like doing it. I just, I wish I could explain it to you, but I just want us to be… at peace with each other for a while.” She held up her hoof with pleading eyes. “If that’s alright with you?”

Apple Bloom just stared at the hoof for a little bit as she tried to take everything Silver Spoon had just said. She seemed sincere and honest enough, and it made Apple Bloom believe that she could give her another chance. “Alright, ah guess ah can forgive you for y’alls teasing.”

“You mean it?”

“Yeah, I mean it,” she gulped, but went on with a grin. “It was fun tonight at dinner, the family sure seemed to like ya.”

“Yeah they were like, totally fun.” Silver Spoon and Apple Bloom giggled as Silver Spoon remember what she wanted to say. “So why does Big Mac rarely say anything other than Eyup all the time?”

Apple Bloom chuckled as she remembered how Applejack told that story when she first asked. “You see, one day…”

“Yoo Hoo!” They heard a voice shout in the distant as a certain tiara wearing pony pushed past Apple Bloom. 

“Where were you?” Diamond Tiara walked up to Silver Spoon. “Like, we were supposed to get hoof’s rubs like, hours ago and I was like, worried.” She then glared at Apple Bloom. “This blank flank hold you back?”

Silver Spoon remained quiet for a moment as she looked from Diamond Tiara to Apple Bloom for a moment. The moment ended all too soon as Silver spoon put on a nasty grin.

“Yeah, they were like, a real drag. They forced me to eat with her kooky old family, and we like, got no work done.” Silver Spoon then looked at Apple Bloom with an evil grin. “Thanks a lot, blank flank.”

Both the girls chuckled at that, as Apple Bloom didn’t even seem that offended or surprise. Although she would have lied if she wasn’t a tad hurt, she simply rolled her eyes in annoyance for herself for thinking that Silver Spoon could be a decent pony.

“Don’t worry,” she said through her teeth. She wanted to say more, but she had been put in a good enough mood to act like the bigger pony. “I’ll get you somethin to work with by tomorrow,” she then trotted away, but not before she forcefully added, “goodnight.” She then walked off with what little pride she had left. It was an hour walk back to the farm, and on the way, swore ever foul word know to ponykind and beyond.

> The Silvers
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“That must have been like, so torturous.” Diamond Tiara huffed as the two fillies began their walk towards the Silver manor. “I bet they didn’t even use any Silverware to eat with either.”

“They certainly did not,” Silver Spoon forced out. “They even had their elbows on the table for the whole meal, it was like, so gross.”

“Ewe,” both girls laughed. Although for some reason, Silver Spoon was having trouble laughing at other pony’s expense. It wasn’t the only time, but this was the first time it really bit at her heart. 

When Apple Bloom had told her that they were going to be partners, she didn’t know how to feel. She was more worried that she hadn’t gotten a partner at all, and would have to go straight home. The fact that it was Apple Bloom, a filly she regularly followed diamond Tiara into bullying, made her mind do a reset.

In the end, she had chosen to be happy for the pair up. Then again, being a filly that followed instead of lead, she would have enjoyed the company of anypony. The only time she ever tried anything different or on her own was when she clapped first at Granny Smith’s family appreciation day. It had been spontaneous, exhilarating, and something she never tried again after Diamond Tiara scolded her for it.

She began to wonder why she even hung out with Diamond Tiara in the first place.

“You alright, Silver?” she felt Diamond Tiara nudge her. “That blank flank didn’t give you any trouble, did she?”

“What? No, she was decent,” she leaned into her. “It beats having to go straight home.”

Diamond Tiara ruffled her hair, then shoved her off. “Hey, it will be fine, Silver. We’ll get some hoof-rubs, how does that sound?”

Silver spoon smiled. “Yeah, that sounds just fine.”

“Good, now-Achoo!”

“Bless you.”

“Thank you,” Diamond Tiara wiped her nose. “Now then, you want to hear about how like, horrible Snails was?”

The idea soothed her. “Totally.” 

So she lost herself into Diamond tiara’s ramble about how somepony’s life was worse than her’s as they approached the Silver manor. The second largest house in Ponyville, it could be seen over the all the other houses with five blocks of the manor. Out front, and through the walkway, larger than life hedged and stone sculptors of past Silver family members looked down at them as Silver Spoon did her best not to look up at them.

Next came the pathway, crisp and clean, shone as it always did. Rumor was that the path was actually made of silver, when in fact, it was just a type of cheaper shining granite rock made to glint like Silver. It still wasn’t cheap to purchase or maintain thou, so it still stood out as the beacon of her family’s’ wealth to all who gazed on it. 

After about a five minute walk, they finally made it to the steps to the front door, which took another minute to climb until at long last, Silver Spoon was home. It was a very light gray, lighter than Silver Spoon’s own coat, five story, with 40 rooms, and with twelve bathrooms. As always, it stood tall as it graced itself to anypony who approached it for the first time. 

Too Silver Spoon, it was just a home she didn’t always look forward to returning to each evening.

“Mom, dad, I’m home!” Silver Spoon shouted out as they walked into the mansion as her voice simply echoed in the large entrance way as it always did. After she looked around waiting for a response for a bit, one of the servants finally approached her with information on her parents locations that evening. 

“Good evening ladies,” he bowed. “Silver Spoon, I am here to tell you that your mother is currently in Canterlot, while your father was worried about you young lady. It’s a good thing you have such a lovely friend here.” He nodded towards Diamond Tiara.

Diamond Tiara grinned. “Thank you sir.”

“Yeah,” Silver Spoon quickly sighed, not sure what to make of the news that her parents were busy. It was better than when they were mad at each other, but not by much. “Is my father free tonight to help with my studies?” While it didn’t happen as often as she would have liked, she did find her study times to pass by more smoothly when one of her parents were around to asset her.

“Your father is currently busy with Filthy Rich, but Bookworm is currently awaits your request for him. Speaking off, Miss Tiara, would you like to me to give your father any messages?”

“Just tell him I’m going to get my hooves rubbed.” Diamond Tiara lifted up one of her spot-free hooves.

“Very well,” he nodded, “I’ll leave you girls be.” He turned to Silver Spoon one last time. “Oh, and your mother wanted me to remind you that you’ll have to put in a second piano session with Mrs. String this week, and that you’ll be expected to pick out a dress for your sisters concerts next month by tomorrow, and that you father wants you to show up at one of his business finalizations with an important client.”

Silver Spoon wrinkled her nose. “Is that all?”

“There’s a bit more,” he nodded.

Luckily, she had Diamond tiara as a friend. “Enough of this,” she put her hoof down “we want my hooves rubbed now!”

The servant rolled his eyes back. “Yes of course. I’ll make sure that your list of this mouths events are posted in your room, Ms. Silver.”

“Thank you sure,” she closed her eyes while nodding, “you may be excused.”

“Thank you, madam,” he bowed and walked out of the room.

Once he was gone, silver spoon rubbed her eyes out, and gave her friend a smile. “Thanks for that.”

“Puff,” she blew on her bangs, “like, you just need to know how to talk to them. Now come on, I want those hooves rubbed.”

Even though it sounded like it wasn’t going to be as busy a month as it could have been, a good hoof-rub sounded like something she needed.

The Filly’s then made their way to the spa room where a pair of unicorns awaited. They levitated out their scratch pads and various lotions to get to work, leaving the fillies to get ready.  They took off their jewelry, Silver spoon carefully placed her glasses on a table, and laid down on her private spa beds.

“Oh I swear Sliver,” Diamond Tiara spoke up once the unicorns got started, “forget about what a country runt your parent is, mine is unbearable! Snails is like, the worst partner in the world. He keep’s spelling words wrong and mixing up the important date. Worst of all, he’s got like, the most boring family in Equestria, and he wouldn’t stop smelling, and sneezing on me! Oh and if you think that’s gross…”

Silver Spoon didn’t hear a word Diamond Tiara said after she said, Apple Bloom. Once she did, she began to fantasize about her dinner at the Apple’s. 

It was certainly a different type of meal from whenever her family at alone together. Not just with the type of food, but with how everypony acted. There was no awkward silence, or loud shouting after somepony said something. Everypony seemed to get along, any drams they might have had from the day were replaced with times of laughter and joy.  Even Apple Bloom, who she knew was still mad about her, treated her with kindness. 

Silver Spoon shook her head furiously. Why should she even be thinking this? She was rich, and that blank flank was middle class at best, so why did she care? Did she really care that much how different Apple Bloom’s life was compared to her own? She shouldn’t have been beating herself up for how poorly mannered she acted at the Apple’s at dinner. She was a Silver, she could have any material thing she wanted. So then why did the Apple family seem happier?

“Hello, like, Silver Spoon!” Diamond Tiara waved a hoof in front of her face

“Hun, what?” Silver Spoon shook her head.

“I was saying, do you think Snips and Snails are getting dumb and dumber by the day?”

“Oh, oh like yeah,” Silver Spoon sighed as the massager hit her most sensitive part of her hoof. It went on as such until Silver Spoon’s private tutor, Bookworm, walked into the spa. 

“I’m sorry madam,” Bookworm said to Diamond Tiara, “but your father said he wants you home now. It is time for Silver Spoon’s study session”

Diamond Tiara’s ears perked up when Silver Spoon moaned. “Tell daddy I’ll head home in like, a minute.” She sank herself deeper into the spa chair.

“He said that if you said that, to go home, like now.” Silver Spoon couldn’t keep her laugh in. It was a pretty good imitation of Diamond Tiara. She coughed into her hoof when Diamond Tiara glared at her. “Besides, Miss Silver has a lot of work to do before her bedtime. She needs to get her mathematics, piano, then table manners, followed by reading, as well as…”

“Um hum,” Silver Spoon nodded, “I get it.”

Bookworm’s lip twitched. “It’s not much tonight, we’’ get it done in no time.”

“Whatever.” Diamond Tiara leapt off the chair as she nearly shoved a spa pony out of the way. “Don’t stress too much about the homework, social events, or that blank flank, okay? I’ll see- see… ACHOO!” She wiped her nose. “See you tomorrow, Silver Spoon.

“Goodnight,” she waved back. She then looked back at her tutor.

“Ready to go?”

Silver Spoon struggled to lift her hooves. “Yeah, let’s get this over with.”

**********************

For the next hour, all Silver Spoon did was study, nothing but studied, and read, study and read. Every night it was the same old thing, learn something new, make sure she knew about her family history, live up to her family history. It was more than she ever needed to know to get the highest grades in her class, but not enough to consider herself a proper Silver yet.

Some day’s she wondered how she handled all of the exception her family placed on her. It made her think back to her jealously of Apple Bloom, and after all the work, she began to justify those feelings. She might not have had it big and rich, but she had it easy compared to her life.

“Madam,” a butler interrupted sometime late. “Your mother has returned, and wishes to see you.”

Her head bolted up. “Really?” 

“Yes, she says she has something special for you.”

Silver Spoon looked up to Bookworm. The unicorn closed all of their books. “I suppose that is enough for one night. Now go ahead, and enjoy some family time.” 

That would be nice if that happened. Still, whatever her mother wanted had to be better than another hour of pointless lessons. She bowed to her tutor, and gracefully headed downstairs.

“Mom?” She called from the top of the stairs as a group of Pony’s carried in a bunch of bags. He mother, a light bright tan earth pony with a silver platter and lid cutie mark named, silver Platter, looked up with a tired, but pleasant smile at her daughter.

“Hello darling." She addressed Silver Spoon like a lady. "What a day I had. I am going to tell you, it doesn’t easier when you get older.” She would keep that in mind. “I presume your lessons went well?"

"It was fine mother." She muttered. She snapped herself out of it. She didn’t get to spend a lot of time alone with her, and she was going to enjoy it. "We have a class project at school today,” she beamed. “It is a group project. We got paired up-"

"Oh, there you are, darling." A dark gray stallion with a complete set of dinning utensils for a cutie mark entered the room.

So much for mother time, Silver Spoon thought to herself.

Silver Spoons father, Silverware, had a baggy eyed and gray composition the reeks from his skin. His friend, Filthy Rich, looked much the same way they always did after doing, big business. 

Filthy Rich took one look at Silverware and his wife, all the stuff she had bought and began to chuckle nervously. "Well now," he tapped his front hooves together. “I see you don’t need me, so I’ll just be going, buy!" He the galloped off, leaving Silver Spoon to wish she could follow for once.

“I see you had a good time.” Silverware glanced down the servants carried up a box of fine jewelry.

“More then I bet you had with your little cider buddy there.” She turned her head away. “At least got some work done that contributes to society.”

“Hey,” Silverwares voice began to rise, “I’m the one who pays for your little shopping sprees.”

“I earn my own money you know!” 

“Yeah, well my bank account would tell you differently!”

Head held down, Silver Spoon took their momentary distraction to drag herself back to her room. She knew that they would most likely go into this argument well past her bed time if they could help it, and she wasn’t going to just stand around to wait. It was getting worse, and she could only imagine where it would go from here. She hope they wouldn’t end up like Diamond Tiara’s parents, at least until she graduated in two more years. It would have been the least they could do for what they made her put up with.

She made her way to her room, where Bookworm was still packing up all of his supplies. “I hear your parents are home.” Silver Spoon ignored him as she crawled under the covers of her bed. “You know it’s not lady-like to not answer a question.” She threw her head out of the covers to glare at him.

“Alright,” he closed up his case and levitated it onto his back. “You are doing very well you know, Silver Spoon? I’m sure if most colt lived with those two constant bickering every night as they except the world from their foal,” he chuckled, “well, you are a very mature foal for how you turned out.” He walked out the door. “Goodnight.” He waited a moment for a reply, and when he got none, he gently closed the door.

Left alone, with nothing but her covers and parents shouting from below, she began to feel the need to release. She threw off the covers, and walked up to her room’s two-way wall speaker.

“Hello down there?” She shouted into the speaker.

“Yes, Miss Silver?” One of the maids shouted up.

“Fetch me a glass of warm milk, and a hot fudge Sunday, extra nuts and two cherries with no seeds in them, and while you at it, I want some hot socks to sleep in.”

“As you wish Miss Silver.” She threw the cover back on and proceed to her closet.

Truth be told, she would likely not even touch the sundae. She only ordered it up in the most complex way simply because she could. It was what she was good at, so why let her special talent go to waste?

With her parents voices still echoing loudly from below, she opened closet and pulled out a giant plush book with a picture of a gray unicorn with a music note cutie make on the cover.

It was a gift from her older sister, Octavia, the pride of the family, many years ago. It was meant to be gag gift, one Hearth Warming, and she had original every intention to throw it away the following day. When she didn’t, she found another way to put it to good use. 

She positioned it against the wall. The years had not been kind to the poor plush, as it was readily stitched and mended at her command. It also looked like the current picture of Octavia would have to be replaced, but that could wait for another day.

She turned her rear to it, and went to work beating and bucking the stuffing out of the book. Each strike took released a wave of hatred she had bottled up, each kick made up for the fillies and colts she had to pick on to feel better about herself, and each buck made her parents screams and pressure they put on her more bearable.

Sometime later, a knock on the door made her realize something, her parents weren’t arguing anymore. She raced towards the door, thinking for a moment that it might be either one of them to apologize. She only let herself dream of that for moment. She opened the door, and as expected, it was only one of the servants with her requests.

“Your dessert madam.” The maid wheeled the cart in.

“Huff,” she sighed, “thank you.” 

“I hope you have a good night.” He said as Silver Spoon closed the door on her. The poor thing didn’t deserve the rude treatment, and she could hear her displeasure on the outside the door. She didn’t care, she just wanted her sunday.

With no one looking she slipped on the warm pair of socks as she downed the glass of milk and took a few bits out of her sunday. She then went right back to her book, and began to beat and buck at it even harder for a good hour. By then, her sunday had long melted as the milk had finally done its job as Silver Spoon only had enough energy left to claw into bed.

When she woke up, she saw several new sets of shoes from Canterlot. She threw her head back into her pillow, finding no satisfaction in any of them.

> Crusader Friends
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Apple Bloom walked into a surreal classroom the next morning. Nothing seemed different, yet the classroom felt different. It wasn’t until Cheerilee said good morning did Apple Bloom and the rest of the class realize that Diamond Tiara and Snails were absent. Turned out, Snails came down with a case of the pony flu the previous day and had passed it onto Diamond Tiara while they were working on their project. 

Apple Bloom felt bad for Snails, but she couldn’t help but grin at the thought that Diamond Tiara would be out sick for at least a day. She hopped Silver Spoon had caught it too, but sighed when she saw her sitting by herself in class. Guess Apple Bloom could only hope to be so lucky for one day. However, as soon as Silver Spoon looked her way, she lowered her head.

Perhaps it was because of the lecture Applejack had given her the previous evening about leaving Silver Spoon before she got all the way home that still bugged her. During their conversation Apple Bloom had stormed off afterwards, with every right to be mad in her opinion. Then again, her sister deserved it. Turns out Applejack knew all along who Silver Spoon was, and how she and Diamond Tiara often bullied her and her friends. It also turned out that the whole reason Applejack had even asked Silver Spoon to join them for dinner was because she wanted her and Silver Spoon to learn to get around. She felt joining them for dinner was the best way to do so. 

‘Element of honesty her rear.’ She had snapped at Applejacks right after her sister’s confession.

Before she was sent to her room, Applejack had dared to suggest that if she got to know Silver Spoon, walk a mile in her horseshoes, maybe they could end their hatred towards each other. While Applejack wouldn’t expect her sister and Silver Spoon to become friends, they could at least get along in school. It was halfway through that conversation that Apple Bloom told Applejack what Silver Spoon said about her and Granny Smith dying. Of course, she made it out to sound worse than it actually was, and that Silver Spoon had said it on purpose just to spite and make her angry. She then just walked up to her room as she left Applejack to absorb what she just said.

Apple Bloom was still a little steamed at her sister when she woke up the next morning, but after sleeping on it, she had at least apologized to Applejack at breakfast. She even admitted that Silver Spoon hadn’t purposely wished her dead, which her sister seemed to have already figured out anyways. Still, it made Apple Bloom feel better when her sister a warm smile before she nuzzled her face before and said how proud she was for telling the truth. Then with a final noggie and a smile, Applejack sent Apple Bloom off to school with one last suggestion that Apple Bloom should give Silver Spoon, and maybe even Diamond Tiara, the benefit of the doubt again. Apple Bloom merely shrugged that she would at least think about it, and then headed out to school.

What could she say? Even if an Apple was stubborn at times, they never stayed mad at each other for very long, even if they were wrong.

With a smile, Apple Bloom got her pen out. She was ready to take notes on one of the best school day of her life. She then glanced over towards Diamond Tiara's empty desk to admire its vacancy, but instead stop on Silver Spoon’s.

It was actually pretty sad to see her without her partner in crime. What made it hurt more for Apple Bloom, was when she realized that Diamond Tiara was Silver Spoons only friend. It was a sight that made Apple Bloom sick to her stomach. She began to cruse her beat herself up for how she was thought as she imagined how she would feel if somepony felt good if both Sweetie Bell and Scootaloo were out sick, leaving her all alone for the day. Worst of all, she actually started to feel bad for how she treated Silver Spoon last night.

As Cheerilee began to ask how their projects were coming along, Apple Bloom realized that she wouldn't be able to any attention in class at all that day. Her mind kept drifting from what her sister had said, to how she was feeling towards silver Spoon. All she could do throughout the class was roll her pencil across the desk as she pretend to listen to Cheerilee’s lesson.

She was so deeply lost in thought, that she almost didn’t hear the recess bell, almost. As soon as the bell range, Apple Bloom made a dash for fresh air with her friends.

“Relief!” Sweetie Belle chirped as they all raced outside.

“Yay!” Scootaloo said with a grin, only to frown when she saw both Apple Bloom’s hair and bow sagging. “You okay, Apple Bloom?”

“Oh, oh yeah,” Apple Bloom said as they all watched Silver Spoon walk by them, head lowered, not even noticing them. In a moment of guilt (that’s what she told herself) she decided to believe that maybe, just maybe, Silver Spoon wasn’t all that bad. Maybe it was just Diamond Tiara that made her mean, and all she really needed was a better group of friends to be nice.

Before she could think twice, she shouted out to Silver Spoon. “Hey, Silver Spoon!” 

Silver Spoon looked in confusion. “What?” She cocked an eyebrow.

“Would you… like to play with us for recces?”

Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Silver Spoon’s mouths dropped to the floor.

“Really?” Silver Spoon said with a bright smile.

“Really?” Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo said simultaneously.

Really? Apple Bloom thought to herself

“Really.” Apple Bloom said out loud. She glanced at her friends. “I mean, it would be the right thing to do, right girls?” She glared at them.

“Yeah,” Sweetie Belle said with a weak chuckle.

“Let’s… all go play four square together!” Scootaloo gritted her teeth and waved her hoof out.

Looking much better than she had when she walked into class that morning, Silver Spoon made her way to the four square court with Sweetie Belle right behind her, as Scootaloo held back to get a word in with Apple Bloom.

“This project going to your head or something?”

“Maybe,” Apple Bloom admitted, “but, Scoot, when she wasn’t around Diamond Tiara yesterday, I know how this is going to sound, but she actually seemed… nice.”

“Nice?” 

“Just give her a chance," she stomped her hoof into the ground, "she may surprise ya’ll or somethin. Besides, I think it was one of Twilight’s and Applejack’s friendship lessons on don’t judge a book by its cover, or giving somepony’s a chance or, something…look all I know is that we need to be nice to Silver Spoon!”

Scootaloo huffed. “Fine, but the moment she calls us a blank flank…”

“She won’t.” Apple Bloom forced herself to say.

**************************

In the end, the four fillies did have a fun recess that day. They didn’t talk much, but they didn’t have to. 
They played, they smiled, they bounded. For the most part, Silver Spoon seemed satisfied as she passed the ball in their game of for square. It didn’t bother Apple Bloom as much as she thought it would, but it still troubled her somewhat.

By the end of the day, while they were still skeptical of Silver Spoon, particularly Apple Bloom, they were at least willing to keep their feelings to themselves as they continued to show Silver Spoon the only kindness she had even had aside from Diamond Tiara.

**************************

As the school bell range, Silver Spoon was defiantly in a much better mood. She had gone into class with Diamond Tiara to fallow, and had expected it to be the most depressing day ever. Then Apple Bloom had shown her kindness, even after being so mean to her last night. She certainly hadn’t seen it coming, but Apple Bloom’s kind gesture had meant more to Silver at that moment than Apple Bloom could have ever known.

Then, just as she was willing to have a good day, her mind realized what she had to look forward to when she got home. She stop by Diamond tiara’s to see how she was doing, but then she have to head straight home. She had high hope that her parent’s latest fight was over, thou that didn’t mean there wouldn’t be another one eventually. Then again, maybe her parents wouldn’t even be home, which made her happy, but lonely without them. She also had more lessons to get done, and with what she missed out on the previous evening….

“Hey, Silver Spoon!” She heard Scootaloo shout as Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle climbed into their wagon attached to Scootaloo’s scooter.

“We’re going to the Golden Oaks Library to look up some more info for our project, want a ride?”

A ride in that shabby looing thing, she thought? Old habits and thoughts do die hard. Still, what else did she have to do? Go home and do more work she hated only to be interrupted by another one of her parents fight? She would certainly get scolded for this, but at that moment, she didn’t care.

“Like, sure.” She tried shrugged like it was no big deal. They may not have been Diamond Tiara, but it was better than being alone. “You sure you can pull with me in it?” She asked skeptically, while she sort of wished Scootaloo said no, leaving her with no choice but to head home and avoid more trouble.

“Trust me,” Scootaloo said as she flexed her tiny wings, “I’ve carried much more, much faster.” With that, they were off.

“Wahh!” Silver Spoon screamed as the scooter took off like a wonderbolt throughout the town.

After a minute of speeding through town, Silver Spoon was finally able to get use to the wagon as she began to enjoy the ride as the zipped through town, leaving ponies in the dust as the hurried out of the way. It was as exciting as it was scary, an exhilarated feeling that she didn’t want to end.

“So, did you find any pony ancestor for your project?” She heard Apple Bloom asked Sweetie Bell halfway through the ride.

“Boy did we,” Sweetie Belle said, “Scootaloo has this greatest uncle twice removed who won in the Equestria games 300 meter could hurdles.” After Luna and Celestia ruled Equestria for over 500 year, they had it passed that when you referred to any grandparent as a great for more than four times, you would just referred to them as greatest grandparents to save time energy, and to save paper space in genealogy reports.

“Yeah,” Scootaloo said, “and Sweetie Belles got this greatest grandmother on her mother’s side who designed dresses for the princesses themselves when they first came to rule.”

“Oh yeah,” Sweetie Bell smiled with a grin towards Silver Spoon as well, “what about you two? Did you find anything?”

“Well, we…”

“Hang on girls!” Scootaloo shouted up front as they found themselves going on a ramp as they flew into the air. The girls in the wagon screamed in terror as Scootaloo screamed in excitement as she even did a hoof stand on the handled with a flip before they all safely landed on the ground at the library.

“We're here.” Scootaloo said all cool and relaxed after nearly facing possible death.

After Silver Spoon realized that she wasn’t going to die, she let out a wide cheer. “That was amazing!”

“That’s nothing,” Sweetie Belle grinned, “you should see what she does on a regular basis.”

Silver Spoon was just too tempted. “Really,” she asked, “would you care to show me what you can do?”

Scootaloo didn’t nod her head. “Sure.” She said as she unhooked her scooter from the wagon as her tiny wings took off. She circled around the library a few times before she got enough speed to do a couple of flips, as she finished off by actually jumping off and landed on the handles with just one hoof as she gently came to a stop as she fluttered down to the ground.

“What do you think?”

“That was-,” Silver Spoon tried to compose herself. In the end, she gave in. “That was awesome. She couldn’t believe she was using such street language. “You should totally try to get your cutie mark in scooter riding!”

“Well, thanks.” Scootaloo said skeptically she expected a mean punch line to come afterwards.

Silver Spoon’s ear perked up. “No, I mean it. You ever try to get your cutie mark in scooter riding?”

The thought must have never crossed her mind, or any of their mind before. Then Scootaloo smiled as Sweetie Bell sang. “Well, no but I don't see why we can't try that out." She the addressed Sweetie Bell and Apple Bloom. "What do say girls?"

Then all three of them sang, “CUTTIE MARK CRUSADERS SOOCTER RIDERS, YAY!”

“But first we need to be cutie mark crusaders research… project completers?” Apple Bloom pointed out. 

Silver Spoon remained quiet. She kind of felt bad for her. She knew Apple Bloom worked hard (if not her hardest at times) to get descent grades. Besides, nopony wanted to be held back. “Oh well,” she said, “you can get back to your crusading once we get an A on this project.”

“Um, thanks,” Apple Bloom said.

Silver Spoon scratched the back of her neck. After a moment of awkward silence, Silver Spoon decied to try something that she had been thinking about since recces, and even before then. Ever since Diamond Tiara cutesineta-when Apple Bloom formed the cutie mark crusaders- she always wanted to be a cutie mark crusader. 

She liked hanging out with Diamond Tiara, even if she didn’t like what they did to relive stress. However, after spending a day with Apple Bloom and her friends, and with no fear of retaliation from Diamond Tiara, she felt confident. In her heart, she never had wanted to follow and be like Diamond Tiara. She wanted to be like the crusaders. Fun, carefree, and always smiling without having to hurt anypony. While she couldn’t change her cutie mark, she secretly wanted to change who she was.

So, with a heavy breath, and no Diamond Tiara around to stop her from asking. “Can I perhaps…come along on your crusading? I mean, I always wanted to ride a scooter but like, never had the time to.”

The three fillies, most of all Apple Bloom, looked on in disbelief. It was a long silence, one which made Silver Spoon wonder if they were about to laugh at her. 

“That sound fine.” Though Apple Bloom didn’t say it in the most optimistic way, she said it with enough enthusiasm to convince her.

She blinked. “Really?

“Yeah,” Sweetie Belle placed a hoof around her, “you can even sing the crusaders song with us!” She then went into the song.


“We are the Cutie Mark Crusaders,

on a quest to find out who we are.

And we will never stop the journey,

not until we have our cutie marks!” 


“That was pretty good, Sweetie Belle.” Silver Spoon said. “Actually,” she corrected, “it was great!”

“You sure?” Sweetie Belle headed titled to the right. “I mean, I’m not that great a singer.”

“I’m sure my sister would say otherwise.” Silver Spoon immediately wished she hadn’t mentioned that. She was saved from more questions when Owllicious flew in with three books.

“Whoo.”

“No one!” Silver Spoon said.

“Whoo.” Owlicious said as he dropped three of the four suggested books down below Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell, as he handed a smaller book to Silver Spoon.

“Where’s mine?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Whoo.” The owl replied.

“Mine.” She said as the owl flew off, and came back with a very large book that nearly crushed Apple Bloom as it feel to the floor.

The Silver Encyclopedia, by Silver Ink.

“Looks like I gotta lot to work with.” Apple Bloom said sarcastically as she glance at Silver Spoons book of her family, which was very small in comparison, landed by her feet..

“Oh um, yeah,” Silver Spoon looked drastically between the two books.

“Come on,” Scootaloo nudged as she pushed the girl out the door. “I want my cutie mark now!”

So they scooted out as Apple Bloom struggled to carry her book to the wagon as Silver Spoon put some more encouragement to Sweetie Belle.

“I really do mean it, I know a thing or two about music, and hey, your name is Sweetie, Bell after all. Maybe you should at least try to get your cutie mark in singing. I can’t hurt anyways, right?” She suggested.

“Well,” Sweetie Belle rubbed the back of her head, “aren’t we going to try to get our cutie marks in scooter ridding today?” She asked as an excuse. “Besides, wouldn’t I have already gotten it if it was my special talent?”

“Maybe it just takes time,” Silver Spoon shrugged as she looked at her own cutie mark, “and it’s better than getting it too soon.”

She was so excited, that she didn’t notice, Apple Bloom nasty glare from under her enormous book on her family history.

> Served on a silver spoon
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"That’s it, you got it!” Scootaloo said as Silver Spoon, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom, failed to keep balance on their scooters. 

It wasn’t anything that Apple Bloom couldn’t handle, but it still hurt to fail. For the past hour, the trio had been taking lessons from Scootaloo on how to ride a scooter, with less than ideal results. 

Apple Bloom knew that, while Scootaloo had her personal scooter she rode around anywhere she went, she also had a few backups in her parents shed that she had built herself. When the others said they wanted to get their cutie marks in scooter riding, Scootaloo was all too willing to lend them a scooter in hopes of them all getting scooter riding cutie marks. She didn’t even mind that Silver Spoon had suggested the idea, nor that she was tagging along. In time, she even began to enjoy Silver Spoon’s company. 

As time went on, Scootaloo seemed to realize that none of them were going to get their scooter riding cutie marks anytime soon. Sweetie Bell couldn’t ride straight, she just fell over when she even moved, even Silver Spoon, who was making the most progress, was only able to travel in a straight line before she feel over again. Then when they tried to jump in the air as she just did, they would end up on top of the others.

Apple Bloom stomped her hoof on the ground. “I can’t take it anymore. I never thought Ah say it, but bring on the homework!”

“Yeah,” Sweetie Belle said, “you never said it would be this hard Scootaloo!”

“I guess it is.” Scootaloo said as she checked her flank, blank as always. “Otherwise, I would have my cutie mark already.”

Silver Spoon rolled over on her borrowed scooter. “Or, maybe you just need to try harder, and practice more. I’m sure it will show up given time.”

“Yeah,” Sweetie Belle said, “that dose sound like a good idea, Silver Spoon.” Apple Bloom’s eyes narrow, worried about how easily Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were being won over. “Besides, when I get my paper done, Rarity said she would actually let me try her sowing machine.”

“That sounds… wait, what?” 

“Well, ever since Scootaloo found out how many of my greatest grandparents made dresses, I figured I’d give it a try too. Maybe I’ll get my cutie mark in fashion!”

“Now, just because your family…”

“And,” Scootaloo said, “instead of scooter riding, I want to follow in my greatest uncles hoof steps. I’m going to be a flyer and competing in the equestrian games cloud hurdles!” She demonstrated by flapping her wings hard. She only got a few feet off the ground before falling back down. “I just need some more practice,” she said as she grabbed her scooter, “and Rainbow Dash.”

Silver Spoon tried to protest, and Apple Bloom just watched on. 

“Hey, wait for me!” Sweetie Belle said as she ran off, leaving Apple Bloom alone with her.

“I guess we better take a look at the books we got now.” Apple Bloom opened the table of content, only to make the horrifying discover of how small and crammed in the words were. “You sure got one big family.”

“Tell me about it.” Silver Spoon sighed as she flipped through her book about the Apple family. 

Apple Bloom shook her head when noticed how close to the book Silver Spoon was leaning into her book. “You okay?”

“Oh, um…”

“There you are young lady!” An older brown stallion said as he approached the girls. “Your father has been worried sick; you missed you piano, edacities, and dinning lessons.”

“That’s a first.” She said with a sarcastic voice.

“Either way, we were told to bring you home as soon as you were found.”

“Oh well,” Apple Bloom said as she attempted to lift up her heavy book as she began to think of something. While she never been to Silver Spoon’s house before (why would she) she had always assumed Silver Spoon lived in some sort of mansion. Mansions-she assumed- often had libraries on family history on individual family members.

“Hold up, Silver!” Apple Bloom motioned. “Don’t suppose you got a library at your place?”

Silver Spoon tensed up. “Of course we do, dear.” The servant answered.

“Great, then can I come over and read a smaller family history book?”

Silver Spoon looked all over the place “I don’t…” she paused to think of something. “Yeah, that sounds like a great idea!” Apple Bloom worried about her response, but was more relived that she wouldn’t have to carry that book around. “Mr. Rake,” she referred to the pony, “would you please return Ms. Apple Bloom’s book to the golden oaks library, we will be returning home, immediately.”

“Of course, Ms. Silver.” Mr. Rake obeyed as he went to return the book. Apple Bloom later learned that he had to take the next day off for back pain.

-----------------------------------------------------------

“This is your place?” Apple Bloom said as they walked into the front gate. She couldn’t lie to herself, it impressed her.

“Sure is.” Silver Spoon grinned, but dropped it when she remembered that she didn’t want to act like a brat around Apple Bloom. She knew Apple Bloom was still skeptical of her, even if Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell had practically been won over. Wheatear she truly believed it or not herself yet, she truly wanted to be friends with the crusaders, but still had one stubborn crusader to go to reach that goal. “I mean, it’s not all that grand, for instance…”

“Silver Spoon!” She heard a very concerned mother race towards them, an angry look on her face. “Where have you been all day?”

It only just now crossed Apple Bloom’s mind that Silver Spoon hadn’t even told her parents where she was. But most of all, how upset, she presumed her mother was at this. Yeah, she never usually told Applejack where she and the crusaders went at times, but that was never that big a deal as long as it wasn’t somewhere dangerous (then she be grounded).

“Well,” Apple Bloom deiced to defend Silver Spoon, “we were busy on a project, Miss Silver.”

Silver Platter looked down at her. “And who might this be?”

“This is my friend, Apple Bloom.” Apple Bloom was sure she heard Silver Spoon wrong.

“Well then,” her mother nodded as she glanced at Apple Bloom like dirt. “Wipe both of your hooves before heading inside.” She then turned to Silver Spoon, a look of worry and dread in her eyes like she hadn’t slept in a while. “You better go get your homework and studies done, we’ll have a lot to talk about when I get back.”

“Yes, mother.” Silver Spoon said with a nod.

Without another word, Silver Platter headed towards the gate, leaving a very poor heartbroken daughter behind. To Silver Spoon, it didn’t matter where her mother was going, it just wasn’t at home right now. As usually, it left a sad feeling in her heart as she felt relived in the pit of her stomach. She then gave Apple Bloom a sympathetic smile as she apologized for her mother’s actions.

“I’m sorry about that.” Silver Spoon said. “She does means well.”

Apple Bloom could hardly believe it. It was one thing that Silver Spoon had wanted to hang out with her and her friends, or even being called a friend. Now, she was apologizing for somepony’s in her family, her own mother’s, actions. Apple Bloom was starting to wonder if this Silver Spoon had perhaps been replaced by a changeling. If that was true, she hoped the real Silver Spoon never came back.

“So,” she deiced to ask, “are we friends? I mean, no offense, but I always thought you’d be the last pony to call me a friend.”

Silver Spoon lifted her head up and kept it forward. “Well, yeah. I mean, if don’t want me to…”

“No no,” she said as she patted Silver Spoon on the back, “if you want to be friends, then that cool with me.” She wanted to say something nicer, but she still didn’t fully trust her just yet. She was still suspicious and, perhaps a little jealous of her suggesting crusading idea, but until she called her a blank flank again, she was willing give her another chance.

“Like, cool,” Silver Spoon tried to act like it was no big deal, while her heart exploded.

The pair then made their way into the mansion, and immediately Silver Spoon led her way to the family library. Neither of them had never been in the library before, but it looked like Silver Spoon at least knew where it was easy enough. She could read the large sign saying Silver Ink Library, along with the sculpture of him standing between him.

“Who’s this fellow?” She said as she looked at the statue of a gray earth pony with an ink quill cutie mark.

“My greatest uncle, Silver Ink,” Silver Spoon responded as she opened the door as she spoke like a record. “He created a cheap method for making red ink, as well as writing several family history books, including my family.”

It was a small library, probably containing just fewer than 40 books with a few hundred scrolls, but it at least had an individual book and scroll on each past Silver. “You sure have a lot of well-known family members.”

“Yeah," Silver Spoon groaned as she went to pull out a scroll titled; Silver Stone, “tell me about it.” She spoke with a large scroll in her mouth as she placed it down in front of Apple Bloom.

“This will do.” She said as Apple Bloom just stared at the scroll for a bit. 

Silver Stone.

Apple Bloom was about to open the book when silver Spoon placed a hoof on the book.

“Allow me, it’s a boring read anyway.”

Fine by Apple Bloom.

“Greatest granddaddy Sliver Stone, was son to an unsuccessful silver prospector named Silver Mine who gave up everything he owned to join the treasure rush when silver and gem’s where discovered in the outskirts of what just the earth pony town of Ponyville. While he never found any large amounts of Silver, shortly after his passing his son, Silver Stone, struck a good size vein of Silver. However, instead of just spending the money he had earned, he invested it in an idea he had. Instead of looking for the silver, he would let the silver come to him. Using the money he made off the silver he found, he invested in replacement tools and other things prospectors needed to search for more silver and gems. Though, when he came up with the idea of turning the silver into eating utensils, later renamed silverware, and sold them to rich customers, in which he made his first million bits. Soon after, he built this mansion, and thus my family is as it is now.”

Silver Spoon closed the book and took a deep breath. “And that’s all you’ll need to know.” She said with a touch of uninterested.

“Wow, that was good story,” Apple Bloom said, “I’ll get an A for sure.” 

“Yeah,” Silver Spoon lowered her head.

“I mean it. It looks like you got quite the family.”

“Oh believe me, I’d happily take your family any day.” Silver Spoon began as she trot off to the exit.

The caught Apple Bloom off guard. “Wait, what? Why would you want to do a silly thing like that?” 

Silver Spoon just sighed. “You don’t know anything.” However, it wasn’t enough to detour Apple Bloom.

“Come on, Silver,” she nudged her, “tell me.” “Aren’t we friends or something?”

Silver Spoon tensed at that word only one other pony had ever called her. She really didn’t want to tell anypony else about her tragic cutie mark story, it hurt too much for her just to think about it. However, she knew that Apple Bloom was still skeptical about her, and for good reasons. While Apple Bloom hadn’t said anything since the day started, Silver Spoons educate lessons in body langue had truly paid off. She knew that Apple Bloom despised her, and wouldn’t trust her unless she was truly honest with the yellow filly and told her more about herself, her real self. 

Taking a deep breath, Silver Spoon told her story. “Alright, you want to know the truth about me? “Yes, everything’s about my life has been served to me on a, well, this,” she pointed to her silver spoon cutie mark. “Anything I want, I can have it. Food, jewelry, cloths, private tutors, anything, and I don’t have to do hard labor for it. Yet, despite all I have, the part that makes it all horrible is that everypony expects me to do anything and everything, all while I’m expected to be some sort of famous pony who does something amazing one day.”  

Apple Bloom curled her lips and looked the other way.

“Because I’m a Silver. I have very high expectations to live up too. You heard about my greatest granddaddy’s story, but it doesn’t end there. My dad owns Silver’s and Ink’s, third largest supplier of silverware and red ink in world, largest in equestrian. My mom’s a fashion judge, going up to Canterlot on a regular basis, and then there’s my sister, Octavia…”

“Wait,” Apple Bloom said, “your sisters Octavia? As in, the famous violinist Octavia?”

Silver Spoon rolled her eyes.  “Case and point.” Apple Bloom blushed and gave a toothy smile. “Darn sister’s the whole reason I even have this stupid cutie mark in the first place.” Silver Spoon looked at her cutie mark as if it was a scab.

Apple Bloom's eyes widened “Wow, really?” She looked back unto to Silver Spoon, and realized that this wasn’t going to be a happy story. “How she do that?”

Silver Spoon lowered her head. “It’s, kind of a long and tragic story.”

“What?” How could getting a cutie mark be such a bad thing? Wasn’t that supposed to be the greatest moments in a young filly’s life? Yet, as she let herself calm down, she noticed how difficult it was for Silver Spoon to say all of this.

“I mean, you really don’t have to tell me if it’s that bad.”

"No no," Silver Spoon shook her head, "you deserve to know."

Inhaling deeply, she went on. “Alright, I was five, my sister Octavia was in town just after working the Gala, again. Diamond Tiara and I were just in the background as everypony was praising and congratulating her. After a while of just sitting in the back and doing nothing, Diamond Tiara had an idea, or rather, a demand. There weren’t any hayfires on the buffet, so she demanded to have some served to us. Five minutes later, we had our hayfries despite no one else having hayfries. So, I figured I try it as well. It looked like fun, and I enjoyed it. So I asked for a milkshake, and boom, a milkshake.”

Apple Bloom struggled to see how this was supposed to be a tragic story.

“Then I demanded for my parents to give me the same attention Octavia was getting, believing I could have anything I wanted. That was all I really wanted that night, but I never got it. So, I just trotted off to my bedroom while the party was still going, angry and depressed, and nopony stopped me. It might not have been so bad, if I didn’t have to past through so many portraits and pictures you see everywhere. I looked at all those pony’s, how they looked down at me, and I felt like I would never be able to do anything half as great as them, as anyone, my sister, father, mother, grandfather, greatest grandparents, anypony. I felt like a failure in their eyes, so I went into my room, and I felt like, wanting stuff. So I asked for toys, more desserts then I could have ate that night, jewelry,” she tapped her pearl necklace, “and other things. Then, the next thing I knew, I was looking in a mirror when this appeared.” She nodded towards her cutie mark. 

“I was excited at first that I finally got my cutie mark, don’t get me wrong. I finally had something to get my parents and everypony attention in my life. I raced downstairs to show my cutie mark off, only to find the party had ended. My sister was long gone, and my parents were already asleep, and all I got for attention was the occasional congratulations from the staff.”

"When I showed it to my parents in the morning, yeah, the smiled and were happy, and where already planning my cuteceaneras, but, after that came and went, things felt even wore for me. I found myself having more extra thing to do, more music and proper mare lessons, more expectations from everyone, and even more grief.”

“The only thing afterwards that ever made me feel good was picking on other fillies, especially ones who didn’t have their cutie marks.” She snuffed a little bit as tear rolled down her eye. “So yeah, that’s why I pick on you guys and fallow Diamond around, because I can never escape my stupid cutie mark. I was told it’s meant to represent me being a Silver, when I know all it really just stands for what a tragic and spoiled brat I am, so there!”

After a moment of stunned silence, Silver Spoon said, “I think were done for the night.” She then turned to walk back inside.

“Hang on!” Apple Bloom held up her hoof. “Now, just because your cutie mark is saying one thing, doesn’t mean you have to follow it or what not.”

“Thanks, Apple Bloom, but cutie marks don’t work that way, you can’t change them." She motioned to her mark of destiny. "They represent who you are, and what mine says is that I’m a brat who picks on fillies to feel better about herself.”

“I’m not saying that,” Apple Bloom said quickly. “I’m just saying, there are a lot of pony’s who don’t always fallow their cutie marks.”

“Like who?” 

“Um, well…” Apple Bloom thought on that for a moment. “Oh yeah, Pinkie Pie’s talent is throwing parties, yet she training to be a baker, and I know Sweetie Bell’ sister Rarity likes to makes dresses even though her cutie mark is about finding rare gems.”

“Yeah, so? Those are just things that help with their talents.” Silver Spoon protested.

“Okay,” she thought for another moment, “but I know Fluttershy likes to knit. She even made some of my bows for me. Then there’s my Granny Smith. Granny told me that when she was a filly, she use to make pies, thus how she got her cutie mark. Yet, she didn’t even know zap apple existed until after she got her cutie mark, and yet she’s now known for making the best zap apple jam in the world.”

Silver Spoon didn’t smile. “So, what is that supposed to mean for me?”

“I um, um, not really sure.” Apple Bloom said. “I guess what I’m saying is, be who you want to be, not what your family or cutie mark wants you to be.” Silver Spoon was lost for words, and so was Apple Bloom.

Apple Bloom had just brought comfort to her former enemy. She had given her words of encouragement, and Silver Spoon seemed to be taking it in. Apple Bloom let lose an honest smile, the first one she had ever truly given Silver Spoon. It made all old feelings towards Silver Spoon melt away as she stared and smiled not at an enemy, but a close friend.

"Silver Spoon!" There moment of happiness was interrupted by the shout of an older stallion, who revealed himself to be Silverware. It looked like he hasn't slept in a while with his bloodshot eyes, messy hair, and he just looked worn out and tired.

"Have you seen your mother?" He asked before he noticed the yellow filly standing beside his daughter. "Who is this?" He glared at her much like Silver Platter had, even more so which made Apple Bloom feel awfully uncomfortable.

"My name is..."

"Either way,” he was too exhausted to be polite. “You’re going to have to leave. We have some important, family business to discuss when your mother gets home."

"I'll show her out." Silver Spoon said as she pushed Apple Bloom out before anything else could be said. She just couldn’t believe how her parents could act at times. Sometimes, she just wish they would break up or something.

-----------------------------------------------------------

"I'm sorry about that, with both my parents." Silver Spoon said as she kicked some rocks.

“Oh it's no big deal." Apple Bloom lied. While she had no clue what happened, she did feel that it would be wise to obey.

As they walked to the gate, Apple Blooms mind began to form a thought. 

She still wasn't 100% sure about Silver Spoon, even after all she had just confessed and opened up about. Even after all that, it still wouldn't have surprised her if Silver Spoon would suddenly turn back to her old nasty ways in an instant. However, if everything Apple Bloom believed was just because of her world, then maybe what Silver Spoon needed was a change?

"Well, I…" Apple Bloom began as she took a deep breath, "how bout, you me and our friends meet up at our clubhouse tomorrow?"

"To finish our reports?"

"Well, yes, but also just to hang out with us. In fact, I think it would be wonderful if you came and helped us with our crusading missions, even after this project is over."

"You mean it?" Silver Spoon smiled before she gazed on her flank. "But, I already have my cutie mark."

"Oh I'm sure that's no big deal.” Apple Bloom said. “It wasn’t like the crusaders had any real rules about recruiting, recruiting Babe Seed made the obvious. “Maybe you can find a second special talent. Something else your good at even if you don’t get the cutie mark to show for it."

"Maybe," Silver Spoon said as she stopped staring at her flank. "I guess it would be better than what I usually do."

"What's that?" 

"Like I told you, my family just, expects, a lot of me. One of the great joys of being a Silver."

Apple Bloom rubbed her head for a few moments before she said what she said to Silver Spoon next. It was a deep dark secret she never told nopony before, not Sweetie Bell, not Scootaloo, or even her own sister what she was about to tell silver Spoon. Yet, Silver Spoon had opened up about herself to Apple Bloom, and Apple Bloom knew that she couldn’t let such courage to tell her tragic cutie mark story go unrewarded.

Apple Bloom took a deep sigh before she went on. “Hey, Silver Spoon, you want to know something? You see,” she looked around to make sure nopony was listening, “I don’t want to be an Apple.”

Silver Spoon lifted her head. “Um, come again?”

“Well, I mean, I don’t want to spend my whole life on the farm just harvesting apples. Yeah, I’d help out with the harvest and cider season, and take over making the zap apple jam making when… Anyways, what I really want to do,” she paused and glanced around. “I want to build thing.”

“You mean like a barn?” 

Apple Bloom laughed it off. “I suppose a barn, but I mean things like, toys, and tools, and anything else you can think of. I actually use to make a whole bunch of neat little things when I was younger, but then I grew out of it for a while. Guess I got more worried about getting my cutie mark then I was about creating things. Also, I was afraid that if I didn’t get a cutie mark in anything that wasn’t apple related, I’d end up being a huge disappointment to my family, especially my sister. Then, of course, I get obsessed with getting a cutie mark, so I forum a team to try everything to get a cutie mark, in everything except what I loved doing.” She chuckled. “You won’t, tell anypony about this, right?”

“Cross my heart, hope to fly,” Silver Spoon gestured to her heart. “When you tell everypony else is up to you. Although, perhaps the sooner the better?”

Apple Bloom shrugged. “I know. Though if you like, I could bring in one of my toys tomorrow to show you what I can do.”

Silver Spoon nodded. “That would be wonderful, I can’t wait to see it.”

“Silver Spoon!” They heard Silverware call out from the manor.

Silver Spoon gave another apologetic grin. “Well, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow, friend.”

The word itself caught Apple Bloom off guard, but what really got her was how pleased she was to hear Silver Spoon say it. “Friend?”

“Yeah, we are friends now… aren’t we?”

For a moment, Apple Bloom said nothing as she processed the thought. Then after a while, her hesitation turned into a wide smile as her face lite. “Yeah, I guess we are friends now.” She said as she placed a hoof up, which Silver Spoon eagerly bumped back.

To top it off, Silver spoon went in for a hug. To which, Apple Bloom returned without hesitation. “Thank you, for everything.”

Apple Bloom just took a moment to let all of the happy and positive emotions she was feeling right now sink in. She never reached the point of crying, but she felt good, she had let a very deep secret off her chest, and had made a new friend.

“Silver Spoon!” Silverware called out again.

“Well um, goodnight, friend!” Apple Bloom said as she waved her off as they both headed different directions for the night.

All the while, both fillies had a wide bounce in their steps on their walk home.

> A Vorce and Lexia
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Apple Bloom hummed one of Pinie Pie’s many songs on her way to school the next morning. While the night before hadn't gone as well as she might have hoped, it still turned out better than she could have hoped for. It was quite possible, after all, that she had just lost an enemy and had gained a friend. 

For the rest of the previous night, and throughout all of the morning, Apple Bloom's mind could only daydream about all that she, Sweetie Bell, Scootaloo, and now Silver Spoon, would do at their clubhouse after school. Maybe they could paint together, ride bikes, play chess, sing a song, catch frogs (with Fluttershy's permission), pillow fight, the possibilities where endless.

"Hey, Apple Bloom." Scootaloo greeted as she and Sweetie Belle walked over up to her.

Apple Bloom snapped out of her daydream to address her friends with a smile. "Morning, gals, how'd yall’s night go?"

Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle glanced at each other, then back at her before they said anything.

"Oh, well it," Sweetie Belle sighed, "oh it was a disaster."

"Yeah," Scootaloo said, "I actually think I made Rainbow Dash disappointed in me."

"What happened?" 

"Well,” Sweetie Belle went first, “I asked Rarity if she could teach me how to make dresses like my greatest grandma use to and become a dress maker like Rarity. She was excited at first, but then I only ended up breaking three oh her sowing machines, and losing some of her favorite needles."

"Yeah,” Scootaloo said, “and when I told Rainbow Dash I wanted to fly to be a cloud hurdler like my greatest grandpa, she was thrilled. She asked me to show her what I could do, and then she said she would see what she could do to help me get off the ground. So we practice all night, but by the end," Scootaloo then fluttered her wings hard, but was only able to get a few inches off the ground before she fell to the ground. "She then said I should just stick to my scooter and then, then… then I just couldn't stick around afterwards, so I ran off."

"Me too." Sweetie Belle moaned. "I just couldn't face Rarity. I didn't just let down my sister, but I let my whole family as well."

"Yeah," Scootaloo sighed, "now I've got a greatest grandparent who's rolling in their grave as well as a sister who hates me."

"Aow y’all stop that!" Apple Bloom snapped. Her friends looked up at her in surprise.

"Now, just because y’all can't live up to what somepony in your family has done, don't mean y’all’s a failure." She was going to show and tell them her secret later with Silver Spoon around, but now felt like a good enough time as any. "If you girls want to know something, I don't want to buck or do anything with apples."

Her friends stared at her dumbfounded. "Come again?" 

"I mean it girls." She said as they walked into the classroom. "I mean, I know my family is probably expecting me to one day work the farm or something. But, truth be told, that's not wait I wanna do with my life. Sure, I'd still help out at harvest time, cider season, and with making zap apple jam, but I want to do more than that. I wanna," she pulled out something from her saddle bag. "I wanna build things."

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo looked in with growing eyes at what Apple Bloom had made. It was a wooden bird that flapped its wings and nodded its head all by itself as it just stood on her hoof.

"That's amazing." Scootaloo gasped.

Sweetie Belle gave it a little tap to make it go again. "When you make that?"

"Had it for a while. In fact, Ah use to make lots of neat things like this, but I never thought Ah was that good at um. So I just stopped making these things for a while. Ah also stopped because I thought I would end up doing something apple related with my life instead of this, but then after I went over to Silver's last night when I got inspired to build again."

"Wait, how'd going over to Silver Spoons house inspire you?"

"Well you see..." As she began, Apple Bloom was rear ended by Diamond Tiara. Her toy flew out of her hoof.

"What do you know, a blank flank’s flank dose feel gross." Diamond Tiara laughed.

The bird slid across the room, unbroken, as Apple Bloom just sighed. She should have known the peace of Diamond Tiara's absence wouldn't last long. As more fillies began to make their way into the class, one particular pair of gray hooves stopped in front of the bird. 

"Silver." Apple Bloom looked up at her new best friend. Her expression changed in an instant with what happened next.

As soon as Silver Spoon saw that the bird was made by Apple Bloom, she immediately proceeded to crush it with her left hoof. As it scattered into several pieces, Silver Spoon looked down upon Apple Bloom with a glare of pure hatred. 

"What's the matter, blank flank,” she sneered, “you going to cry now?" Nopony, not even Diamond Tiara, had ever seen Silver Spoon so Tartarus bent before. Her eyes were dark, her muzzle tightened, and her hair looked like she just got out of bed even though it was braided.

After getting over her shock, Diamond Tiara resumed her grin as she walked over to her partner in crime. "Yeah, that toy was like, so lame. You should like get your cutie mark in lame toy making."

"You tell them, Diamond." Silver Spoon laughed on as they began to do their signature bump bump suger rump bump.”

As they were laughed, Apple Bloom looked upon at her destroyed toy in a series of emotional stages. At first, she couldn't believe Silver Spoon would deliberately do that. Perhaps she just accidentally stepped on it, and hadn't apologized yet. Then when she called her a blank flank, she was filled with confusion. Why would she do that? Weren't they friends? Didn’t they bond and have fun yesterday? Why would Silver Spoon be so mean now? Then finally, she became angry, very, very angry. She had trusted Silver Spoon, told her own secrets she hadn't even told her sister or friends yet, and now she was turning on her.

"GAH!" In a fit of blind rage, she rammed into Diamond Tiara. She went flying to the far end of the room, and before anypony could react, Apple Bloom went straight for Silver Spoon. She pinned her down to the ground.

"Ah thought we were friends. Whoa!" She cried as Silver Spoon flipped and pinned her down.

"That's what I thought too, blank flank!" Silver Spoon was stronger than Apple Bloom had expected, but she had enough practice wrestling animals to get out of the pin as she bucked Silver Spoon right between the glasses. It wasn’t as strong as she would have liked, and Silver Spoon took the opportunity to deliver a strong punch to Apple Bloom’s shoulder that left her limp, but not defeated. Soon the two fillies where at it as they processed to beat the snot out of each other as the whole class gathered around them to watch.


As they class began to chant, Cheerilee walked into to a full on the riot.

“What’s going on in here?" She shouted as she made her way towards the center to find Silver Spoon mouth locked on Apple Bloom's bow as Apple Bloom jabbed Silver Spoons in the guts. She was trying to put in a last good buck instead. 

"That’s enough, break it up!" Cheerilee demanded as she push herself between the two fillies.

"She started it." Silver Spoon huffed all bruised up, hair starting to unbraid as the left eyeglass dangled from her ear.

"Only after she destroyed my toy!" Apple Bloom said as her bow feel on her left eye.

"Alright!" She hated raising her voice, but when it was called for, it did its job. "Now, I want everypony to go to their desk right now, you too Apple Bloom. I want a word with Silver Spoon, in my office, alone. The rest of you, I want quite studying until I get back." She didn't even bother to tell them to actually be quite, for she knew none of them would, and to enforce it would just do more harm than good. Still, everypony did so, but not before Silver Spoon and Apple Bloom could give each other one last death glare before she could usher Silver Spoon into her office.


Nopony spoke a word while Cheerilee and Silver Spoon where gone. In part, because everypony wanted to hear what was going on in Cheerilee's office, and another was just not sure what to say or think about the whole thing. Every filly knew Apple Bloom and Silver Spoon were enemy’s, but they never seen them so hell bent before.

Eventually, somepony's broke the silence with whispers, while Apple Bloom just choice to sit quietly at her desk. She would often looked around the class room, wondering what everypony was saying, but she wouldn’t stare for long thou. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo looked worried, as if they could have done more during the fight. While they hadn't bounded as much with Silver Spoon as she had, she could still tell that they felt just as hurt, if not surprised, about what had happened.  Then when she happened to glance at Diamond Tiara, the filly just gave her a look of pure evil that said, ‘I’ll get you for this blank flank.’ Not that she cared that much as she just hoofed her broken toy the whole time, wondering, craving, to find out what was going on in Ms. Cheerilee’s office.

After a while, Ms. Cheerilee and Silver Spoon came out of the office, not looking better, but not looking worse from their conversation. Silver Spoons hair looked better, but her glasses where duck tapped up, and she didn’t look angry anymore, just depressed. As the class looked up in silence as Silver Spoon walked back to her desk, Silver Spoon didn't even bothering to look up to acknowledged any of them as she just struggled to hold her duck tapped glasses together as she quietly made her way back to her desk next to Diamond Tiara.

Apple Bloom wasn’t going to fall for her innocents anymore.

"Alright, class." Ms. Cheerilee broke through Apple Bloom’s train of thought. "Now I want to hear no more about this, or see any more fights today. As for you, young lady." She said glancing at Apple Bloom. "I will see you after this lesion is over during recess."

Apple Bloom shoot up in disgust at her teacher. "But, that ain't fair!"

"Apple Bloom..."

"She broke my hoof made toy, and I have to miss recess?"

"Apple Bloom."

"No, you let her get away with everything! Give extra time in homework, good grades when she doesn’t deserved them. It ain't..."

"Apple Bloom!" Cheerilee said as she asserting her position as teacher over the class. Apple Bloom tense and back down into her seat. "I will hear no more of this, or you'll have recess detention for the rest of the week!” Cheerliee took a deep breath for a moment, apparently just as surprised at her raised voice as Apple Bloom and the whole class had been. After a moment, she collected herself and took a deep breath before she brought her voice down to normal. “Do I make myself clear young lady?" She said with a serious on the edge tone.

Apple Bloom’s whole body fell flat. "Yes, mam."

"Good," Cheerilee huffed, "now, turn you books to page twelve. Today, we will look at the important roll cows played in the defeat of Discord, and why they don't have cutie marks because of it."

******************

With no disrespect to any cows, Apple Bloom couldn't pay any attention in class that day. She had so much going on in her mind that she couldn't have paid attention if her life depended it: how unfair things where, how cruel Silver Spoon was, how could Silver Spoon have done this, how could she have been so dumb to be surprised by it, and just how unfair everything was for her. Why did good ponies like herself get treated unfairly, while rich a spoiled ponies like Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara got everything, and not have anything bad happen to them in return?

The only good thing to come out of her distracting thought was that the class period was able to come and go much faster for her as the bell suddenly range. As everypony else made their way out to recess, they either just quietly made their way past Apple Bloom, or where at least polite enough to give her a sympathetic smile, she even got a piece of Dinky’s muffin. Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara on the other hoof, just readjusted her glass as she gave Apple Bloom and her fiends a hump with Diamond Tiara as the pair held their heads high and headed out to recess.

"You going to be ok?" Scootaloo gave her a pat on the back as Apple Bloom looked on at an impatient looking Ms. Cheerilee.

"We can stay if you want." Sweetie Belle said. “This isn’t fair, and if we have to, well, we’ll do something.”

"No girls,” she said as she shook her head, happy her friends wanted to be there for her, but she wasn’t willing drag them down with her. “I can't expect that of you gal’s. Just go on and try to have fun without me, and I'll tell you how it went later, okay?"

"Ok." Both girls said as they patted her on the back. "But don't be afraid to call if you need us."

Apple Bloom smiled at her great friends. "I won't." 

With that being said, both girls gave Apple Bloom a hug as they made their way outside. Once they were outside, they rushed over to the window. Scootaloo climbed up on Sweetie Bell, as Scootaloo glanced into the classroom.

********************

Cheerilee had remained calm and pose throughout that morning after her words with Silver Spoon. She had been able to teach today's lesson, as well as pounder what she was going to say to Apple Bloom. She knew that there was a chance things might get out of control, but she hadn’t expected things to go south so quickly thou. Still, as the miserable yellow filly she called her student made her way up to her desk, she knew just what she had to say, for the sake of both her students.

"Have a seat." She calmly told Apple Bloom. Apple Bloom did so.

The pair remained silent for a moment, neither one sure if they should say something first. After a moment, Cheerilee spoke.

"Now, I understand you might think things to be unfair..."

"Unfair, unfair?!" Apple Bloom said like it was the understatement of the millennium. "She broke my toy first, and I have to miss recess because of it, and you think it’s just unfair?"

"Apple Bloom," Cheerilee sighed, "I didn't let Silver Spoon off the hook as much as you think. She will be missing the next recess, but I just needed a moment alone with you to talk."

"About what?" Apple Bloom spat. "About how unfair it is that she gets everything she wants, including extra time on homework and test’s just because she's rich?"

It would have been a lie if she had said that wasn't true, but there was more to it than Apple Bloom could understand. So, she told her what she could about Silver Spoon’s situation with a heavy heart. 

"Apple Bloom, what I'm going to tell you must stay between you and me. If you tell anypony else, or use this information to hurt Silver Spoon, then I will have no choice but to suspended you.” She made sure to make herself loud and clear, for she would have no trouble carrying her promise out, and it looked like Apple Bloom got the message, mostly. 

"Oh what could be oh so tragic about her that makes it ok for her to pick on me?" She wined as she crossed her hooves.

"It doesn't give her a right to," she agreed, "but it's because she has dyslexic."

Apple Bloom gave her a confused glance as she titled. "A lex what now?" 

Cheerilee wasn't that surprise that Apple Bloom didn’t know what Dyslexia was. Such disorders like dyslexia, ADHD and autism, were fairly new to Equestira. Or at least, newly known to the common pony. She herself hadn't even heard of any such conditions until Silver Spoon parents told her about it when she enrolled. It was a day she hadn't easily forgotten as she remembered her parent’s looks of hope that Cheerilee might have some magical cure for their daughter as the very young Silver Spoon acted embarrassed that her parents were talking about her disorder out loud.

"Well,"  she began, carefully placing her words, "it's this handicap, much like your friends Scootaloo's short wings, or your other friends Twist's poor eye vision without her glasses. Only, it affects her in a different way. Basically, she can't read or write, or rather, she can, but she can’t do it in the same way we can. Words can get mixed up in her brain, as if somepony's rearranging them like a cruel joke.  She could see the letter b, and think it's a d, or a g and think it's a q, or she can read the word star, and think it says rats, or think the word dog says god. Her case isn't as bad as I've heard somepony's could be, but as I've said, it does make learning more difficult for her, so she need’s extra time to study and get ready for a test."

While it looked like her student had understood her explanation, it hadn’t satisfied her angry. "It still don't explain why she broke my toy." 

"Well, Apple Bloom," she decided nothing else mattered more anymore. It wasn't that big a secret in town anymore, and if telling Apple Bloom could help Silver Spoon through it, all the better. "I think she was just upset because, when I talked to her, she told me her parents are getting a divorce, and she was blaming you for it because she though your presence at her house last night caused it."

"A, vorce?" Apple Bloom asked even more confused than before, and with quilt to add if it had been her fault.

"Divorce, dear." Cheerilee corrected with a deep breath before she went on. "First of all, it was nothing you, or Silver Spoon did. They were going to tell her Silver Spoon last night anyways, and you just happened to leave before they told her. Secondly, a divorce is, it means," how could she best explain it to a filly, one who lived in a pleasant town where such thing almost never happened? "It means that Silver Spoons parents are not going to be living together anymore, and are getting unmarried."

"But, but why would they do that?” She asked in a very confused and concerned way. “Do they not love each other anymore?"

"I'm afraid that's just it." She said right to the point on that one. “I wish I had a better reason to explain why, I do, but it’s, a complicated matter.”

What Apple Bloom said next nearly broke her heart. "Does… does that mean they don't love Silver Spoon anymore either?"

Cheerilee sighed, knowing that it might have been easier for Silver Spoon if that was true for at least one of the parents. "No, no, they both still love her, but now try want her to choose who she wants to live with from now on."

"But," Apple Bloom shock her head, "it just don’t seem right. Why would her parents even get married then if they would just get unmarried? They would they make her make a choice like that? Why… just why?" 

"Oh, Apple Bloom, come here," Cheerilee nodded as Apple Bloom just walked up as she sat down beside her as Cheerilee conferred the crying little filly as she expressed her own opinions about this whole matter. "I know it doesn't sound right, and believe me, I think so to. Even if the Silvers love life isn't my business, I still think it’s selfish of them that they divorce now instead of waiting for their daughter to graduate. But, if just talking about it for us is painful, then imagine what Silver Spoon is going through right now? We adults of this town heard that it might be happening, so that's why I partnered you up with Silver Spoon in the first place."

Apple Bloom’s head shoot up. "You did what now?"  

"Oh um, yeah,” it was out of the bag, so she just confessed. “I…purposely rigged that bingo machine so you and Silver Spoon would team up.” She could feel Apple Bloom getting angry. “Despite everything, I honestly believe that she, and even Diamond Tiara, can become good ponies under the right influence. So, I chose you, and ultimately your friends, to spend time with her away from Diamond Tiara so she could be that pony. "

"Some partner I've been then." Apple Bloom grumbled. 

"Hey, the project's not over yet." She wrapped a hoof around her. "Tell you what, why don't you go outside, and fill those two friends of yours out that window, on any parts they didn't catch!" She shouted towards the window as they heard of pair of fillies could be heard falling on one another. "Also, don't give up on your other friend either. She’ll need good friends now more than ever. It might be a good idea to give Silver Spoon some space for today, but you should apologize soon. Even if it’s not what you think is fare, I belive you know it’s right.” Apple Bloom didn’t say a word. “I’m sure that once you apologize for attacking her, she’ll apologize for what she did to you. This is going to be a very difficult and rocky experience for Silver Spoon, but with a friend like you, who knows what positive changes she might have?"

Apple Bloom happily nodded. Cheerilee could tell that she was still a bit emotionally, but much better now that she had this talk with her.

"Thanks, Ms. Cheerilee,” Apple Bloom smiled as she wiped a tear away, “you really are the best teacher ever."

"Why thank you, Apple Bloom." Cheerilee nodded, gleeful whenever a student gave her that title. She even kept that giant heart Apple Bloom and her friends made for her on hearts and hooves. Which reminded her of something important "Oh, and tell your brother while I won't be free on Saturday, I'll have all of Sunday afternoon free." What could she say, even if it started out as a way to tease Apple Bloom and her friends for poisoning them, she had fallen for the fine stallion. He was a man of few words, with a macho singing voice to go with him, and he had a gentle soul, and she could even want in a guy.

"Yes, Ms. Cheerilee." Apple Bloom said as her ears and bows dropped, clearly still uneasy about their relationship. "But don't you be thinking about marrying my brother only to unmarry him later you hear?”

Cheerilee tried to hide her blush. "Oh um, well I…I, won't, I promise I won't." She said not really sure how better to address that as Apple Bloom left the classroom. She could tell that she had a lot on her mind, but was confident everything would turn out fine, she hopped.

> The Silver Spoons
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Wow that is… something." Scootaloo confessed after Apple Bloom filled her friends in on everything they hadn’t overheard.

“I know,” Apple Bloom frowned, "and now I feel awful ‘bout how I treated her.” All of them were feeling bad for Silver Spoon, each of them having their own type of guilt.

Scootaloo felt that even if she couldn't fly at the moment, she still had a chance that her wings could grow in one day while Silver Spoon’s dyslexia would probably never go away. Sweetie Belle, on the other hoof was thinking about how Silver Spoon got her cutie mark and how she was felt glad that she didn’t have hers yet. If she got her cutie mark while being jealous of Rarity, she just might have died of shame.

However, none were more distressed than Apple Bloom. While her parents were dead, at least they didn’t get unmarried. Applejack would always talk about how much they loved her, and each other, and every moment they were together. It made her feel sick that there would actually be a pair of parents who would put their daughter though everything Silver Spoon was going through. She was almost willing to let Silver Spoon call her a blank flank just to feel better.

“So, what do we do now?” Scootaloo asked as they looked over towards Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara. While Diamond Tiara ran off to get their ball, Silver Spoon had lowered her head as if she was very tired. When Diamond Tiara came back, she resumed her fake posture as she glared at the crusaders when she noticed them. They quickly looked away, and when they glanced over, they saw that Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon had walked to the other end of the playground.

“Should we talk to her?”

“I don’t think so.” Apple Bloom said with Cheerilee’s words fresh in her mind. “I think for now we should just…”

“There you are, Scootaloo.” They heard a pony say as a rainbow trail landed right in front of them.

“Sweetie Belle?” They heard another pony shout out.

“They’re over here, Rarity!” The blue rainbow mane pegasus Rainbow Dash shouted as a white unicorn came into view.

"Oh, Sweetie Belle, darling,” a white violet mane unicorn said as she galloped over to her sister, “are you okay?” Rarity asked with a reassuring grin.

“Yeah.” Sweetie Bell answered as she lowered her ears, the shame of last night still lingered.

“Darling, I’ve come to say I’m sorry I yelled at you last night. I would have earlier, but I was afraid you would still be upset with me."

"Me too." Rainbow nodded as she walked up to Scootaloo. "You alright, squirt? I didn't mean to make you upset, but I just want to know you’re okay."

It made the pair glad their idols weren’t mad, but it didn’t make them feel any less shameful about not being able to live up to their expectations.

"I'm sorry," Scootaloo winced, "I'll work much harder to fly."

"And I'll pay to fix your sowing machines." Sweetie Belle spoke with her head down. "I'll work really hard, and then I’ll get better at sowing and..."

"That's awfully nice of you, darling." Rarity said holding her hoof up. "But that's not why I'm here. I just wanted to make sure you are okay."

"Yeah," Rainbow Dash said placing a hoof on Scootaloo. "Like Rarity said, I would have followed after you ran off, but I didn't want to upset you after what I said."

"And I shouldn't have yelled at you." Rarity assured happy to see her sister again, very shameful of how she acted as she didn’t want a repeat of the first time she nearly lost her sister.

"But I broke your machines," Sweetie Bell said with guilt, "and I couldn't live up to yours or our greatest grandmother’s expectation."

"Neither could I." Scootaloo said with a year. "I mean, what if I could never be a cloud hurdler, or fly like everyone in my family, or like you, Rainbow Dash?"

"Hey," Rainbow said as she gave Scootaloo a noggie. "Look, kid, when I said you should just stick to your scooter, I didn't mean you should give up trying to fly. I meant to say that I think you would be an even more awesome scooter rider. I was only suggesting you should spend some more time on that rather than on flying because well, you’re awesome that way."

Scootaloo fought back tears. “Do… do you really mean that.”

“Hey, I may have flown out here even if it wasn’t true, but I wouldn’t be saying it unless I really meant it.”

Scootaloo stood their nervously for a bit, really not wanting to look a wimp by crying. “You... you mean, you would still think I’m cool? And you’ll keep me under your wing even if I can’t live up to yours or my families or yours greatness?”

“You don’t need to, because you are already great, and I’m proud to hang out and train a filly as awesome as you.”

It was just too much for Scootaloo, she then jumped up and buried herself into Rainbow Dash’s mane. Rainbow Dash then wrapped her own hoof around her to return the embraces.

As that was going on, Sweetie Belle looked nervously up at her sister as Rarity just gave her a warm smile.

"So, are you not upset about what I did either?"

"Oh I am furious about that," Sweetie Belle lowered her ears, "but, I'm not disappointed in you." Rarity then placed a hoof on her sister.

"But I," Sweetie Belle sniffed, "but I want to be like you."

"Now, sweetie," Rarity said, “be honest, what is it you really want to do? What is your real dream?"

"What do you mean," Sweetie Belle insisted, "I want to sow and make dresses like you and our greatest grandma."

"Sweetie Belle," Rarity said firm but soft, "be honest with me."

"But I am."

"Sweetie Belle."

"I do."

"Do you really?"

“I do, all I want to do is sow, make dresses…”

“Sweetie Belle, come now, be honest with me. No matter what it is I won't laugh, or be disappointed in you."

Sweetie Belle looked up to her sister nervously. "Do you promise?"

"Cross my heart, hope to fly… no,” Rarity corrected herself, a regular Pinkie promise wouldn’t do it. “Hope to die, stick a cu… sowing needle in my eye. Does that sound more reassuring, Sweetie Belle?"

Sweetie Bell just sighed. "Okay, I, I... I want to sing!" She said as she lowered her head, sure Rarity would think it was a silly idea. No one in her family ever had a singing career before, so how could she?

Instead, Sweetie Belle was pulled in a warm embrace by Rarity. "Oh that is wonderful!"

Rarity's joy threw Sweetie Belle off. "But, what if I'm not good or..."

“Sweetie, do you know why our parents named you Sweetie, Belle?” The filly shook her head. “After you were born, instead of crying like most foals would when you needed something, you would let out this adorable little squeal that would melt any heart nearby. To us, it sounded like a sweet little bell, so, they named you as such." She then patted her sister on her head.

"So, you really think I should give singing a try?" Sweetie said with a hopeful look in her eye.

"I do, but it's what you want to do that really matters, not what anypony else thinks. But I'll be proud of you regardless."

"Are, are you sure mom and dad will too?"

"I know it."

"And our uncles and aunts?"

"Every single one of them."

"How about our grandparents?"

“I can assure you they'll be most delighted."

"Even our great and greatest grandparents?"

"Yes, Sweetie Belle." Rarity said getting a little tired.

"What about our third cousins twice remov..."

"Sweetie Belle!" Rarity began to raise her voice, only to lower it and chuckle. "Oh, just get over here!" She offered her sister a warm smile and a promise of a hug.

"Oh thank you, Rarity." Sweetie Belle cried as she dug her head into her sister chest as the pair resumed their hug.

Meanwhile, Apple Bloom just stood there, analyzing the whole exchange. She hung on everything that was said, and every emotion that was passed. She always feared that Applejack and her family would be ashamed of her if she didn't get an apple related cutie mark. She would have never told them before, but now, seeing how these sisters were acting, she knew she could tell her own sister the truth. She was still scared about what would happen, but now Apple Bloom knew she could do it.

Despite this revelation, Apple Bloom immediately flashed her thoughts back to Silver Spoon. Perhaps that was her biggest problem, no one was proud of her for what she did. Heck, Apple Bloom was willing to bet Silver Spoon wanted to do something her parents wouldn’t have approved of, but held back because for that reason. While Apple Bloom was scared of what her family would say if she didn’t get an apple cutie mark, she was sure in her heart even before she had the never to tell them that they would still lover her. While Silver Spoon probably could have never felt safe even if she wanted to, because of her family’s ridiculous expectations for her. Maybe what Silver Spoon needed was support from a pony she cared about, and could be comfortable with. If her parents weren’t going to, perhaps she could.

Apple Bloom eye’s widened as she began to form an idea. "Hey, Sweetie Bell, do you still know how to make those crusader capes?"

"Oh no!" Rarity said staring down at Apple Bloom. "You are not getting any more of my gold silk."

“That's good," Apple Bloom said, "because I don't need it to be gold. I just need it to be done before school gets out." She then glanced toward Sweetie Bell and Scootaloo. "Come on, girls, we have work to do!"

They just shrugged as they fallowed Apple Bloom towards the gate when Rainbow Dash and Rarity blocked their path.

"Whoa whoa whoa, where do you girls think you’re going?" Rainbow Dash asked as the school bell rang.

"You ladies are marching back to your classroom right now."

"But," Apple Bloom pulled puppy dog eyes, "we need to help a friend who really needs our help. Her parents are getting unmarried, and we need to let her know that were here for her. We'll only ditch for one day."

"Please!" Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo joined in.

Rainbow Dash and Rarity gave each other a look as they tried to fight the pleading eyes. When Apple Bloom said unmarried parents, they realized that she was probably talking about the Silvers, and Silver Spoon. They knew she was in their class, and they were aware that Silver Spoon was a bully, but they could tell that these girls were sincere.

"Oh," Rarity sighed, knowing Applejack would be furious if she let her little sister ditch. Then again, 'oh heck with it.' Rarity shrugged knowing how important a good friend could be in times of need. "Fine, said she stepped aside, “but don't do this again."

Rainbow Dash stepped aside. "Well, for the loyalty of a friend..." 

"Oh thank you." The girls cheered as they raced towards Scootaloo's scooter as Apple Bloom and Sweetie Bell jumped into the wagon. “CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS FRIEND- friend… friend something...FOR SILVER SPOON, YAY!” They all cheered.

"Where to?" Scootaloo said as she placed her helmet on her head.

"The club house." Apple Bloom said.

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo looked at her, puzzled. "I thought we were going to make Silver Spoon a crusaders cape?"

"We are, but I’ve gotta make else something first."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When the crusaders didn't come back from recess, Silver Spoon immediately felt a ping of guilt. It didn’t take long for everypony to assume that she had run Apple Bloom off or something, and was not a pony you didn’t mess with. While no one said anything out loud, Diamond Tiara was more than happy to whisper to Silver Spoon in class.

"I guess those blank flanks are finally too ashamed to show up for class, like, right, Silver Spoon? Silver Spoon?"

"I'm not in the mood, Diamond." Silver Spoon confessed as she lay her head on her desk. Without Apple Bloom in the room to be mad at, she didn't have the strength to care anymore.

"Oh come now, don't be such a foal." In Diamond Tiara’s defense, she was actually trying to cheer Silver Spoon up. They had been friends forever, each of them able to comfort each other when the other felt bullying wasn’t enough to de-stress them. However, the years of naturally being mean made even her kindness sound rotten. "I mean, a divorce sucks at first, but now you get to have two Hearths Warming days, and two visits from Santa."

It didn't cheer Silver Spoon up. "Diamond..."

"I know, how about after school we egg Dinky's place? Then we can call her mom a retard and get some ice-cream? After all, now that your parents are breaking up, they'll be too busy fighting over who's going to punish you instead of actually punishing you." 

Silver Spoons eyes narrowed, and she once again had somepony to be mad at. Even though she had let off a lot of steam at Apple Bloom, she still had a lot of angry bottled up.

"BE QUIET!" She screamed the loudest anypony had ever shouted in a classroom.

All eyes turned to her as every mouth remained silent, even Ms. Cheerilee was lost for words.

Before anypony could say or do anything, Silver Spoon grabbed her saddle bag and bolted for the door. She didn’t care what anypony thought about her anymore, she just had to get away.

____________________________


"Gah!" Silver Spoon screamed as she was finally able to let out a groan on the empty streets of Ponyville. She would have gone straight home to her punch book, but didn't because she knew that would be the first place Diamond Tiara and Apple Bloom would look for her. Also, she didn't want to face her parents at the moment either.

She just ran for what felt like hours until she found a secluded corner of Ponyville to breakdown and cry. It had just been too much for her, how Apple Bloom had caused her parents to break up, but how she felt bad for hurting her, how now her parents wanted her to choose who she was going to live with, and now she wasn't even sure if she had Diamond Tiara on her side anymore.

"Stupid App.. .Apple Bloom! W-why did she have to make my parents mad?" Deep down thou, she knew that it was really all her own fault. Everypony, her parents, Ms. Cheerilee, even Diamond Tiara, tried to convince her that it wasn't her fault. She knew better. She knew it was a lie. She knew that her parents where breaking up because she was a disappointment to them. They were getting divorced so only one of them had to stand the sight of her at a time.

After a while of crying and blaming herself Silver Spoon finally calmed down enough to just feel depressed as she pounders just how foalish she just sounded. She knew it wasn't Apple Bloom's, or even that much her own faults this was happening. She was supposed to be a smart girl, she should have seen the signs, she should have done something, anything...

"Like what?" She said out loud. What could she have done different? Practice more/ Study more? Not be a failure.

Out of nowhere, she felt like taking a walk. It certainly seemed better than crying like a foal in a dark ally. She wasn't sure where she was going, only that she didn't want to sit still any longer. 

As she walked, she thought more about how she could have prevented this divorce from happening. Maybe if she had just spent more practicing the piano, or maybe if she had gotten better grades or... or what? What could she have honestly done or said differently to keep her parents together? Also, her mind rebelled; did she really want to try to live up to their expectations?  What did she want out of life? Did she really want to be the pony everypony wanted her to be; a rich sophisticated snob who did something big? She knew what she really wanted, but she knew she would never be able to do it.

Even after walking for what felt like an hour, no one said a word to her. She half expected everypony in town was just giving her space or didn't care when she heard a pair of buzzing wings and three voices as she tried to cross a bridge.

"Silver Spoon!" Apple Bloom and the crusaders shouted as they caught Silver Spoon on the bridge. 

"What do you blank flanks want?" She huffed at them, not wanting to see or face them. She wasn't as mad, but she was too emotional to risk making Apple Bloom or anypony else upset.

At first, Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell wanted to back off, but Apple Bloom held up a hoof as se advanced forward. "For one, to say sorry." Silver Spoon rolled her eyes as she to walk off the bridge. "I'm sorry that y'all's parents are getting unmarried, that your, lexic, and well, for attacking you. I didn't realize all that you were going through."

Silver Spoon stopped dead in her tracks and started hard at Apple Bloom, not sure if she should feel angry or what. "How did you hear about that?" 

"Um, I figured it out all on my own." A lie, but Apple Bloom didn't want to get Cheerilee in trouble.

"So what," Silver Spoon tried to sound upset, "now you’re going to make fun of me now to get even?" She looked at them and just lowered her head. “Go ahead, give me your worst.”

"Never!" Apple Bloom said putting her hoof down. Although she did feel a ting of guilt knowing she would have if she knew all about this last week she stood firm.

"We came to make sure you’re okay." Said Scootaloo.

"And to give you this," Sweetie Belle said as she took out a cape with the cutie mark crusader symbol on it. What made it stand out though, was that instead of the usually gold silk lining theirs had, this one’s silk was made of silver. To Silver Spoon, it was the best looking crusader cape they had ever made.

“Sweetie Belle,” she said quite touched, “did you make this?”

“Nope, Apple Bloom did.” She mentions to the yellow earth pony as she just kicked a rock. “I’ve decided to give up on sowing; maybe instead I can get a cutie mark elsewhere, like singing perhaps.”

Silver Spoon looked up impressed. “You’re going to take my suggestion then?”

“Well, Rarity’s too, but you were right. I do love singing.”

“And I love scooter riding more than the idea of flying.” Scootaloo confess as well as she gave her fateful scooter a pat. “Good old reliable. I could never fly, but as long as I can ride I’ll be in good shape.”

"Yeah," Apple Bloom finally nodded with a warm smile, "and we'd be happy if you joined us in our quest to get those cutie marks."

"But what about your toy, I'm really sorry I..."

"It’s no biggie." Apple Bloom pulled an even better made bird then the one before it. “I can always make more whenever I want, and that old one was just a prototype.”

Silver Spoon looked at the marvels toy dumbfounded. "How did you..?"

"Oh this is nothing, I have lots more at the clubhouse, you want to come over and see them?" She said holding the silver cape in her hands.

Silver Spoon smile, and was about to take it when she glanced at Apple Blooms flank, and then back at her own. "I can't."

Apple Bloom gave her a stern look. "Silver!"

"That's just it, you can all be who you want to be, while I'm stuck with the mark of a spoiled brat who has to live up to impossible expectations."

"And we were making good progress." Scootaloo muttered as Sweetie Belle gave re a jab in her wing. "Ow!"

"Well," Apple Bloom said, "if you could change your cutie mark and be somepony else, who would you want to be?"

"Apple Bloom-"

"How about, if you tell me, I'll pinkie promise I'll tell my family about my creations tonight." She gave her little bird a tap as it began to wobble, “and not wanting an apple cutie mark.” Silver Spoon remained silent as Apple Bloom walked up closer to her friend. “I’m sorry about all that happened, but… I still want to be your friend. You’re not what your cutie mark says, if you ask me.”

Silver Spoon glanced at her pitiful cutie mark, chuckled, but then sighed, and then confessed. "Well, I, I…” she never told anypony this before, certainly not her parents but, if her so called friends didn’t laugh, then maybe she would give it a chance. “I've always wanted to be, a teacher."

"A teacher?” Apple Bloom and the girls titled their heads.

“I knew you would think it was stupid.” She was about to turn away and walk off the bridge.

“Why would we think that?” Apple Bloom said s she stood in her path.

“Then I guess you didn’t hear Ms. Cheerilee.” Silver Spoon said putting her hoof down. “I’m dyslexic, and that means I can’t read. A teacher has to read papers, so I can’t be a teacher. And don’t tell me I can just overcome it, because I can’t.” She glanced towards Scootaloo. “I can’t just, grow my brain one day and read like magic, I’m going to be stuck with this- this handicap forever.”

The girls were quite for a moment’s silver Spoon began to tear up, but only for a moment. Thinking quickly, Apple Bloom found the right words to say. “Well, if you can’t read, how can you get all those A’s?” Before silver Spoon could answer, Apple Bloom did so. “Don’t give me a, your daddy pays for it or a, you have extra time, Silver Spoon. It all comes down to you just having to work harder to read, you’re A’s are proof that you can read. So if you can get those A’s with the right effort, so why can’t you be a teacher with the right effort?”

“Also,” Sweetie Bell suggested, “you don’t have to be a classroom teacher, and I’ve heard there are plenty of things that pony are in need of teaching.”

“Yeah,” Scootaloo pointed out, “there are couches who teach sports, dance teachers who teach dance, I bet there are even teachers who teach how to get cutie marks.”

While Scootaloo meant it as a joke, Apple Bloom took it to heart. “Yeah, why, you could be a cutie mark teacher, teaching little fillies what their cutie marks can be.”

Silver Spoon wiped a tear. “You think so?”

“You got us to admit what we want out cutie marks to be, even though we don’t seem to have them yet.” Apple Bloom looked at her bare flank. “But, you can just help us get them.” She held out the silver cape. “What do you say, friend?”

Silver Spoon no longer felt angry but, happy, and without having to tease somepony. Maybe there was another way. As she reached out her hoof, a loud voice made her realize that changing her ways wasn’t going to come that easy.

“Silver Spoon!?” All four heads towards the other side of the bridge as pink filly with a pink with a diamond tiara, looking disgusted at the scene on the bridge.

“What are you doing here with these losers?"

After school let out, Diamond Tiara immediately went off to find Silver Spoon, right after she said some mean words to Featherweight. She was then going to go straight to her place in hope to cheer her up but going shopping and by calling some blank flanks, well blank flanks. Before she reach the mansion thou, she saw Silver Spoon on that bridge with Apple Bloom and friends as Silver Spoon was about to accept a crusaders cape.

"Just what do you think you’re doing?" Diamond Tiara asked again looking shocked and disgusted at what she saw. 

Silver Spoon put her hoof down as she turned around, and began to walk towards Diamond Tiara. As Silver Spoon got up to Diamond Tiara, the tiara wearing let out a sigh and an evil laugh. 

"You had me like, worried there that you were going to join those blank flanks lame..."

"Those lame blank flanks are my friends." Silver Spoon said with no hesitation right to Diamond Tiara’s face.

"What?!" Diamond Tiara screamed as the crusaders on the bridge let out a wide smile. “Now look, just because your parents spilt, doesn’t mean you have to lose your head and pick them over me."

"I'm not." Silver Spoon said as she walked back towards the center of the bridge, took the cape, and placed in on her back, all while wearing the widest smile she ever held.

"You better take that off, or I’ll... I'll tell you parents!" Diamond Tiara said a little tongue tied. "They'll be like so disappointed in you."

"You know," Silver Spoon said proudly, "I don't care, I mean, I still want them to be proud of me, but I want to do what I want to do to make them proud of me, not what I think they expect of me to do. And I'm not choosing you over these friends," the crusaders smiled at their new friend, "I want you to be our friend too." Their smiles quickly vanished.

"What?" Apple Bloom said.

"What?" Diamond Tiara said just as horrified.

Silver Spoon addressed Apple Bloom and the other crusaders first. "I don't want to hurt pony anymore, I want to help ponies, and be their friend." Apple Bloom looked at Diamond Tiara, but then back to Silver Spoon as she just nodded her head. “And, I don’t want to hurt this one, if she wants to change and be our friend, we should let her, just like you did for me.”

"Your right." Apple Bloom sighed. "What kind of ponies would we be?"

"If Diamond Tiara wants to be a crusader," Sweetie Belle said, "so be it."

"Guess a fourth pony in the wagon will make my wings strong." Scootaloo let in as they all have an approving smile. “She can join.”

Silver Spoon then turned to Diamond Tiara, only to see the filly walk away. Thinking quickly, Silver Spoon took off her new cape and Rae toward her.

"Diamond, wait!" As Diamond Tiara turned around one last time Silver Spoon held out the cape to her friend. "Please, we don't have to be bitter pony's just because of what our do ad expect of us. I know you can be good so please, Diamond Tiara, would you join me on helping them on their crusade?"

For a moment, it looked like Diamond Tiara was going to take the cape in fact, she even reached for it a held it, until she threw it in the ground.

"Have fun with your foal friends." She said as walked off the bridge trying to look like she had won some big battle.

Disappointed, but not sad, Silver Spoon put her cap back on as she made her way towards the center of the bridge with her friends.

"I'm-" Silver Spoon began.

Apple Bloom just gave her a pat and a reassuring smile. "Hey, we didn't give up on you, and if you want, we won’t give up on her if you want her to be our friend as well."

"Thanks girls." Silver Spoon whipped a tear away. "So, let’s go get you those cutie marks!"

"Yeah," Sweetie Belle cheered, "in singing!"

"Scooter riding!"

"And creating things!" Apple Bloom said the loudest as they stepped off the bridge.

Silver Spoon was going to say something else as well, until she noticed her three friend’s flanks glow.

"I don't think that will be necessary." She said as her friends noticed the glow on their flanks as well.

Looking upon their once bare flanks, the crusaders cheered as Scootaloo saw her scooter, Sweetie Bell a bell with a music notes around it, and Apple Bloom with a chisel and hammer on their flanks.

"OUR CUTTIE MARKS!" They all cheered as they explode in a riot of cheers and hugs as Silver Spoon went to join them.

"Oh congratulations!" Silver Spoon sang alone as they all began to bounced around and hug each other.

"We couldn't have done it without you." Apple Bloom pointed out.

"Oh," Silver Spoon blushed, "you would have eventually."

"Maybe, but it would have taken is longer to admit what we wanted to you. You taught us that, even if no pony in our family likes what we do with our lives, we should still do it because we want to anyways. You know what, Silver Spoon; you may just make a great teacher after all."

"Silver Spoon whipped a tear from her eyes as she gave Apple Bloom a hug. “Oh that means so much.” She smiled. “From now on, I’m not going to be some spoiled brat. I’m going to be a nice pony who help’s ponies."

"Whoa!" Apple Bloom screamed as she reeled back.

"What's wrong?" Silver Spoon asked concerned.

"Your flank!" Sweetie Bell said as she noticed the glow beneath her cape.

Lifting her cape, Silver Spoon was blinded by a bright light as she took a moment to realize what was going on. When she could see again she saw not one, but three silver spoons on her flank with smiley faced on them.

"Ahh!" Silver Spoon said in a wave of confusion but some joy as she jumped into the air and landed on her stomach. 

"Her cutie mark has changed! How’s that possible?" Scootaloo said a little horrified.

While it was a huge shock to all of them, Apple Bloom remained levelheaded. "Hey, it doesn’t matter how it happened," although she had her theories and fears, "what dose matters, is that we're all still friends, and no matter what happens now, we'll stay best friends forever, got it?" She then placed out her hoof.

At first Sweetie Bell and Scootaloo looked towards each other, but in the end placed their hoofs in. “Got it!”

"Come on Silver Spoon." Apple Bloom encouraged as the stunned filly got up. She had no idea what was going to happen now, how she would explain her new cutie mark to everypony, what it even meant, how she was going to decide which parent she was going to live with a deal with it, how to get Diamond Tiara back on her side, or anything. Yet as she looked upon her crusading friends, their new cutie marks still glowing, she was able to put those fears aside and just enjoy the moment as she got up and placed her hoof in.

"Crusaders forever?"

"Cutie mark crusaders forever." They correct as all four of them, in their loudest cheer ever shouted, "CUTTIR MARK CRUSADERS FOREVER, YAY!"

> Epilogue 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"You’re what?" Apple Bloom asked.

It had been mouths after the family project had been due, but all four of them got their A’s in the end. Now it was the beginning of summer as the four crusaders were unwinding in their clubhouse as Silver Spoon delivered the dreaded news.

After she had gotten her new cutie mark, reporters, scientist, and even the princess, would grace her with relentless visits to try and understand what had happened. While there were many different in depth details about what happened to Silver Spoon, the only Pony in history to ever have a cutie mark change, there was always in the end one simple explanation; Silver Spoon had wanted to change, so she did so

After the media frenzy died down, Silver Spoon was free to resume her normal life with her friends. However, thing would never be normal for her again in Ponyville. For one thing, aside from Apple Bloom and the crusaders, most other ponies tended to avoid her, especially her classmate and other fillies. She wasn’t sure if it was because they feared she had the cutie poxes or something, or if it was just because of some other reasons she didn’t understand. Either way, she was getting pretty feed up with their stares.

However, her last straw came from her parents. When Silver Spoon finally opened up to them, told them how she felt, and she how what she wanted to do with her life, she dared for a moment to dream that they wouldn’t get a divorce anymore and that she wouldn’t have to put up with their high expectations from them or her family. Yet, only a few hours after she came clean, her parents had another huge fight, and continued to treat her like a foal despite everything that had happened. They even straight up tried to comfort up, only to hint about her to give up on her teaching dream because it would be very difficult for her because of her Dyslexia, it wasn’t what Silver’s did, and their finally argument was that were not a lot of teaching opportunities in Ponyville. 

In the end, she still had to choose who she was going to live with. She could either spend the school year with her father in Ponyville, or her mother in Manehatten while she spent the summer with the other, and one Hearths Warming with each parent until she graduated in two years.

So while she hadn’t been much too pleased with her mother’s actions either, she chose to move to Manhattan with her at the end of the summer.

"I'm sorry girls,” she sighed after she told them her decision, “it was my choice and, and..."

"But," Sweetie Belle said as held back a tear, "Mainhatten is so far away. You sure you want to live with your mother?"

"Yes girls," she said with a heavy heart, "but it's nothing you did, it’s what I feel I have to do."

"Is it because you and Diamond Tiara haven't made up yet, or because of those scientist who won't leave you alone?" Scootaloo said, ready to do some bucking for her friend.

"Kind of." As she explained everything about her choice, how she wanted to get anyway from the weary ponies of Ponyvile, as well as live in a place where there might be opportunities for her to be a teacher.

“Where are you going to stay?” Sweetie Bell asked, the first to accept the terrible news.

“In one of the high rise apartments in upper Manhatten, right next door to my aunt and younger cousin.” She said as she gave them a reassuring smile. “Look, I promise I’ll invite you all over sometime to see the city.”

“But,” Scootaloo cried out, “it’s not far, you shouldn’t have to it’s… it’s not far!”

“You said it,” she nodded, “but, we still have the whole summer together, I just have to move before school begins.”

"But then you have to leave us all,” Apple Bloom protested the hardest, “y’all have to make new friends, you won’t know anypony, and wouldn’t it be easier to stay in Ponyville with us?"

"It would, but I guess I just want a new start. You’ve seen how pony’s look at me. This is the end of our friendship, I'll come back every summer and this year’s Hearth Warming, girls.” She said as she forced her crying friends into a group hug. “You don’t know how, happy I am right now. I am so glad I have friend like you.” After a while, she broke from her embrace as they four filly’s went from crying to laughing, with no good reason to. 

“So how about we have the best summer ever,” she insisted with a hoof raised into the air, “alright?”

“O-okay.” Apple Bloom sniffled as all four of them let out a loud, but teary, “CUTTIE MARK CRUSADERS FOREVER, YAY!”

*****

So the summer came and went much faster than any of them would have liked. While they would do random things as they had done since getting their cutie marks, they mostly spent the summer doing things that involved their cutie marks. They would spend one day watching Scootaloo scooter ride as they tried to ride on a scooter themselves, while the next day they would watch and help as best they could with one of Apple Bloom’s projects. The further the summer went along, the more Silver Spoon began to notice how here friends where spending too much time on their special talents rather than with each other. One day Apple Bloom would have overslept from working on a project, while the next day she caught Sweetie Belle daydreaming about a worldwide tour right in the middle of one of their adventures.

Yet for their last night together, she went out of her way just to make sure they were all in the club house for their end of summer slumber party.

While they didn't do as much as they had done over the summer, it felt like it was the best night of their lives. They sang, played games, and star gazed as they slowly began to drift off to sleep.

As the night went on thou, Silver Spoon found that she just couldn't sleep. She had a thought on her mind that she just couldn’t stop thinking about as it ate and grew in her mind like a parasprite. When she noticed that Apple Bloom hadn't fallen asleep either, she decided to confess her fear to her.

"Hey, Apple Bloom?"

"Oh," her friend muttered, "you awake too, Silver?"

"Yeah,” she nodded, eye’s locked on the sky, “I’ve got a lot on my mind."

Apple Bloom chuckled. "I'd imagine you would. Ah got somethin on my mind as well, but it sounds stupid."

"I'm sure it's not," she assured, "why don't you tell me first?"

Apple Bloom sighed. "Alright, I'm… I’m worried about all of us." She waved a hood in the air.

Silver Spoon just nodded, knowing where she was going from already feeling those same fears.

"I mean, yeah, we've hung out and had fun all summer, but, Ah don't know. Dose it sound crazy to worry about us all drifting apart? I mean, y'all's moving away, Scootaloo has already made plans to build a park just for scooter with some extreme scooter games to go with it, Sweetie Belle is still talking about finding a music agent in Canterlot, and as for me..." She sighed deeply, "Well, you've seen how late I can be at time after buildin my toys all night. You don't think this is the end of our friendship, do you?"

Silver Spoon remained quiet for a moment as she though more on it. She had an answer, but as Apple Bloom spoke, it remained her of how she a Diamond Tiara where no longer friends. Even thou their friendship was built on their rich families and picking on other fillies, they had always considered themselves best friends. It reminded Silver Spoon of when Diamond Tiara’s parents spilt up before either of them got a cutie marks. How Diamond cried all day, how she had tried to comfort her, but to no avail as Diamond Tiara’s heart had hardened after that day. Truth be told, Silver Spoon probably had kept Diamond Tiara in check from doing anything really regrettable through their fillyhood, but she was sure Diamond Tiara wouldn’t do anything rash while she was gone. Even with that, it still broke her heart that she wasn’t able to make sure that her friend wouldn’t be alone either. Yeah, Apple Bloom and the crusaders would try to help her and accept her as a friend when she was ready, but she hatted leaving Diamond Tiara on the ground they were on now.

So, what made her friendship with the crusaders different, aside from them being nicer? After a moment of deep thought, as she thought about all the hardship her friendships had been through, she had her answer for Apple Bloom. "Well, yes, I can't promise that we all won't drift apart and go spate ways now that we got our cutie marks. We may go mouths, even years without seeing one another as we chase our dreams. However, through it all, no matter what happens to us, we will always be friends because our bounds are strong. I mean, you've girls have survived Diamond Tiara's and mine constant name calling and far worse as your crusaded for your cutie marks. On top of that, we all got our cutie marks together, I think, no, I know a friendship like this can survive even a few years being apart."

The words brought comfort to Apple Bloom, but not enough for her to fall back asleep. "Yeah, but it's still a scary thought."

"I suppose it is," Silver Spoon admitted, "but wasn't it one of your sister friendship lessons with Twilight that friendship isn't always easy, but that it’s well worth fighting for?" Apple Bloom toke a deep sigh before she went on. "Apple Bloom, you’re a great friend, the whole reason the cutie mark crusaders even exist, so promise me that, no matter what happens, no matter how busy you three may be, you will always find time to spend time with each other, even if it’s only once a year, deal?"

"As often as I can.” Apple Bloom said. “Oh, and Silver Spoon?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't y'all give up hope on Diamond Tiara. Best friends always come through in the end," she yawned, "even if it takes years. She still cares about you, I know it as well as Pinkie Pie knows when somthin is go’na fall out’a the sky."

The words brought a smile to Silver Spoon tired face. "Thanks, Apple Bloom, for everything."

If Apple Bloom heard she didn't acknowledge it as a series of snores soon fallowed Silver Spoons last words. Within moment of feeling relief, she was quickly feel asleep.

__________________________________________________


"You sure you want to bring that?" Her mother asked again as she pointed to one of Silver Spoon’s large packages. It was moving day for her and all that was left was to load the luggage they had brought with them to be loaded onto the train.

“Yes mother, I’ll defiantly need it.” She said as she continued to stare around the station, eagerly awaiting for four different pony’s to arrive and say their goodbyes. Her friend’s had to take care of few things that day, but they all promised to show up to say goodbye before the train left. 

“Alright then, no, not like that, gah!” Her mother shouted as some handyman where carrying a wardrobe the wrong way. She walked off, but Silver Spoon hadn’t even noticed as she reflect back on how her father had said goodbye. 

He gave her a very beautiful diamond necklace, which she was wearing now to be polite, and then just patted her on the head and said that he would miss her. She chose to believe that his lack of emotion was just a result of being happy that he didn’t have to fight with her mother anymore. He did give her a big hug before she left, not that she would have been to forgiving even if he broke down and begged her to stay with him. She didn’t want to hate her parents, but she didn’t like them with how little the seemed to care about her, even after everything that had happened.

She was in deep thought when a dark gray mare walking up beside her as her large box was being loaded onto the train. “Why hello their sister, you seem well today." Octavia said as the content of the package feel out. 

“Epp!” She shouted, forgetting that her sister had been in town, and was going to accompany them on their train ride to Manehatten. As she jumped into the air, she knocked over the stallion carrying her box as it feel over and revealed the large plush box within.

"Oh, sorry sis, I didn’t mean to, hey, what is that?" Octavia said intrigued by the object that feel out.

"Don't!" She raced toward the plush book, but it was too late.

Octavia’s eye’s widened as she saw a worn out picture of her on the front and recognized what it was. "You've kept this?" Octavia asked as she tilted her at the worn out plush with a very torn picture of herself on the cover. "All this time?"

Silver Spoon just lowered her head in shame. “Well, I…” she felt a little ashamed to admit that she used her sister’s present to de-stress herself each day.

Octavia just held her hoof up to her trembling sister. “Its fine, I just though you would have thrown it away because, you know.” She stopped talking when she saw how distressed her sister was. “I didn’t mean anything mean by it, I just thought it would be a good laugh. I didn’t think you would keep it.”

“Well, I did.” she said with a deep breath as she dared to smile at her sister.

“I’m sorry if I upset you, but why’d you keep it all this time?”

She didn’t feel comfortable to admit that she kept it as a way to spite Octavia, and to relive stress, but luckly her sister just held a hoof up. “Its fine, you don’t have to tell me now, but you doing alright there, all thing considered?”

“All things considered,” she answered truthfully, “I’m doing better than expected.” All throughout the summer, her older sister had come down to Ponyville after she had heard about all that had happened. At first, she was reluctant of her popularity, which turned into a blessing after a while as it took negative attention away from her. Then after a while, Octavia began to spent time with Silver as she tried to comfort her through this rough time. She spoke with her as an adult, admitted that she though their parents’ divorce was selfish, and most importantly, she strongly believed and supported Silver Spoon’s teaching dreams.

Octavia gave her sister and honest grin and comforting pat on the back as she just pushed the book aside for the moment. "Well, if you want to talk more about it on the train or whenever you want to we will. For right now, it looks like you got some friends who want to see you.” She nodded towards the steps of the station where her friends were racing towards her.

“Oh thank Celestia we made it.” Scootaloo huffed as they four fillies embraced as Octavia picked up the plush book to allow her sister to say goodbye.

“We wouldn’t miss this for the world.” Sweetie Bell assured as tears began to form in her eyes.

“You sure you have to go?” Apple Bloom asked one last time as she fought back her tears harder than Scootaloo was.

“Oh, Apple Bloom,” Silver Spoon trying not to cry herself, “girls, don’t forget to write to me every month, at minimum. I want up to date info on what’s going on in Ponyville, got it?”

“We got it, we’ll send you one every week.” Sweetie Belle promised as they heard the whistle to the train blow.

“I’ll send one every day.” Apple Bloom assured as they broke apart. As they did so, Silver Spoon began to desperately look around for one last pony to see her off.

“Hey,” Silver Spoon asked nervously, “have you girls, by chance, on your way here seen…”

Apple Bloom just shook her head. “I’m sorry Silver Spoon; I even talked to her face to face. I’m sure she’ll be here.” She said as they heard the train beginning to power up.

“Silver Spoon!” They heard her mother call to her as she and Octavia boarded the train.

“In a minute,” she shouted as she turned to her friends.

“It will be okay.” Apple hugged her. "We promise we'll look after her."

“Thanks girls.” She then took the time to say goodbye to each of them. “Hey,” she went up to Sweetie Belle first. “When you go worldwide, you better make sure I get some backstage passes, okay?”

“I’ll… I’ll make them VIP’s.” She said as she wrapped her hooves around her. Silver Spoon just patted her on the back.

She then parted as they both wiped back a tear and moved on to Scootaloo, who was trying her hardest not to look like a crybaby. It wasn’t working or fooling anypony thou as she wrapped a hoof around her.

“Yeah like, you take care up there in the big mean city.” Scootloo said as scrunched her nose. “I mean, if any of those mean Manhatenites try to pick on you, you tell me, and I’ll come running.” she began to tear up. “You hear me?”

“I do, Scootaloo.” She said tightening the hug, which broke Scootaloo’s emotional dam. “Don’t worry, I’ll miss you to.”

“Ye…yeah.” Scootaloo nodded as she wiped back her tears, trying to act like she hadn’t cried. “Just take care of yourself.

“Okay.” She nodded with happy tears as she moved over to Apple Bloom.

“So,” Apple Bloom sighed. “I mean, who would have thought, I’d be crying over you leaving ponyville over a year ago, and look at me now.”

“Trust me,” she said as she wiped a tear away, “this wasn’t how I’d planned saying goodbye to you would be like either.”

This time, Apple Bloom went into the hug first, as the two fillies just held each other for a moment. “Thank you. For not only giving me the courage to tell my family my secret desire, but for being my friend.”

“Oh believe me,” she said as she tightened her grip, “I have more to thank you for.”

There embraced ended as the conductor shouted, “Five minutes!” The conductor shouted as her mother and sister shouted for her to hurry up.

“Thank you all so much. I’ll see you girls this hearth warming.” She said as they began to walk towards the loading platform. Just as she was about to board the train, she noticed a gleam of a tiara out of the corner of the station glisten.

“Diamond Tiara!” She said relived as she raced towards her friend as she threw her arms around her friend.

“Ugh.” Diamond Tiara tried to protest as she pushed Silver Spoon away, but not before she felt a hug from her. “Like, what are you doing? I like, only came out here because my daddy made me.” 

Silver spoon just sighed, while she could tell Diamond Tiara was half lying, but lying all the same. “Is this really how were going to say goodbye?” Diamond Tiara remained silent as she looked out in a warm and hopeful smile. “Come on Diamond, we’ve been through too much to end it like this.” Diamond Tiara turned her back on her friend. “Diamond Tiara!” While she tried to hide it, she could see tears rolling down her friends. Hey, no matter what you say, or what you do, you are still my friend. That’s not going to change. You got that?”

With one last glance Silver Spoon would never forget from Diamond Tiara, the pink filly merely huffed and said, "Goodbye," and walked off the station platform without another word.

As she watched Diamond Tiara walk off the platform, she felt Apple Bloom place a hoof on her shoulder. “It will be okay.”

“Yeah.” Silver Spoon said as Apple Bloom and the girls forced one last group hug while the train whistled in the background. “I got to go!” Silver Spoon said as she broke her embraces and jumped on the train just as it began to leave. "Goodbye, everypony!"

“Goodbye, we’ll miss you, take care!” The crusader shouted out at their friend, all the while Silver Spoon rushed to the caboose to wave for as long as she could to her friends, tear’s pouring as fast as a mighty stream the whole time. Then, just before they left the station, Silver Spoon caught one last glance at Diamond Tiara sulking in the road as she glance towards the train.

The two fillies then caught one last glance at each other before the train left Ponyville. At first, she had expected Diamond Tiara to shout out at her, chase the train, and cry out how sorry she was for abandoned her, and scream to the heavens that she wouldn’t go. Instead, Diamond Tiara just huffed as she held her head up as she walked away.

“Goodbye, I’ll miss you, friend!” She shouted out towards Diamond Tiara before she got out of view. Long after the train was gone, Diamond Tiara looked back. 
> Sequel 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------