//------------------------------// // Chapter 24 // Story: A Silver Summer // by Fanboy //------------------------------// Chapter 24 Through the veils of sleep, she felt a gentle hoof caressing her mane and softly tucking her into bed. There was a lullaby from long ago. A soft kiss on her forehead. A dream all too short as all nice dreams ever were. Silver Spoon felt sick when she awoke. Her throat felt sore and her eyes dry. She needed all her will to get her limbs to move. As her hooves tried to find her glasses she could feel wet stains on her pillow. Once she was able to see clearly again she slowly sat up. It was only now that she realized she held Mr. Snuffles in her other arm. For a long time she looked the plushy bunny into the little black glass stones it had for eyes. Then she clenched it to her chest, the memory of her fight with Diamond Tiara slowly crawling back into her mind. She had messed up. Not like forgetting homework or breaking a window mess up. She had failed her friends. Despite her promise to Apple Bloom, in the end, she ran away – again. And any chance for peace between them and Diamond Tiara was further away than ever. After what she had to listen to the last evening Silver Spoon doubted that there still was anything left to be called a chance. And even if it were, she wasn't sure if she actually wanted to find it. She took the carafe from the bedside table and gulped down about half of the water, not bothering with the glass standing right next to it. After setting it back down, she got out of bed, though not having any idea what to do now. A quick glance at the clock told her it was already past her usual time for breakfast. Wondering why nopony had come to wake her – yet thankful about it at the same time – she decided to catch up with that. She wasn't actually hungry, but it would give her something to do while she pondered what she would be doing next. Yet her plans got cut short as soon as she had put her hoof on the doorknob. From outside she heard her sister's voice: “What are you doing here?” While Silver Spoon peeked through the keyhole, Diamond Tiara's voice answered: “None of your business.” They were both out of view. Slowly, she pushed the door ajar, careful not to make any noise. Then she was able to see them, facing each other. “Anything you do inside this house is my business.” Marecedes looked at Diamond Tiara like she had found a rotten apple in a fruit bowl. “Especially if you're sneaking around my sister's room.” “If you say so.” Silver Spoon could only see the back of Diamond Tiara's head, but her tone made it clear that she was less than impressed with that declaration. “But it's still good we ran into each other. We need to talk.” Marecedes gave short, fake laugh. “Am I having a déjà-vu now?” “Very funny. But this is serious. I already told you what is going on. And it is getting worse. We have to work together here, as much as I don't like that. We need to do something to stop this.” Marecedes's look grew into a frown, fed by every word Diamond Tiara said. “By what I saw last evening, you already did plenty. But if you really want any help from me, I'll give you an advice: Whatever it was, don't try it again. Ever.” “Ugh, I don't get you,” Diamond Tiara groaned, seemingly oblivious to Marecedes's declining mood. “I know you don't like that Apple Family. So why won't you work together with me on this?” “Yes, you're right about that one,” Marecedes sneered. “You don't get me. Because contrary to you, I have reasons not to like them.” “I do too!” protested Diamond Tiara. “Oh, let me guess: They're poor, unstylish, low-class and don't go to fancy, upper-crust parties?” Diamond Tiara nodded. “Among other reasons.” Her sister's next answer sent chills down Silver Spoon's spine. She had no idea how frosty her voice could get. “You're just as predictable as you are despicable.” “Hey, you didn't let me finish!” “Because I already am sick enough of you as it is. If it were up to me I'd make you stay a week with them instead of us. But then again, that might rather end in a punishment for them than a lesson for you.” “A lesson? In what, how to be an uncouth loser? Like your sister now wants to be?” Marecedes closed the gap between Diamond Tiara and her. Finally the filly seemed to realize how much taller than her the young mare was. “Now listen here, Princess,” Marecedes hissed. “Stay away from Silver Spoon. I don't know what happened yesterday, but the outcome was all I need. I haven't seen her wailing like that since Mom dropped her off at daycare for the first time.” “She was wailing?” Diamond Tiara snapped like a cornered ferret. “I was the one who got slapped by her!” “Be glad it was just a slap,” Marecedes replied straight-faced. “It was the least you deserve.” “Has everypony gone crazy around here?” Diamond Tiara cried. For a moment, she panted heavily, then she looked back at Marecedes and locked gaze with her. “Okay, I see how it is. I'm on my own. But believe me, I will find a way to get Silver Spoon-” “No, you won't,” growled Marecedes. “Now listen good: If you should ever, and I mean ever, do anything to hurt my little sister again, you will be sorry. That's a promise. I will personally pull any string I can reach to make sure you will regret it. Got that, princess?” For another moment, they glared at each other. Then Diamond Tiara turned heel and stormed off towards the stairs. When she was gone, Silver Spoon slowly pushed the door open. The slight creak pulled Marecedes's attention away from the filly she had just driven off. Now looking at her little sister, she said: “Were you there the whole time?” “Yes,” answered Silver Spoon. “Did you just stand up for me?” “That's what big sisters do.” “But you just said you didn't want me to get hurt.” Marecedes flinched as she heard those words. With a hint of desperation in her voice she said: “Of course I don't want you to get hurt. Why would that surprise you?” “Because...” Silver Spoon hesitated, but then ultimately decided that if there had ever been a time to say this, it was now and then. “Because hurting is what you've been doing to me for years now.” She could see her sister swallow hard. Marecedes averted her gaze for a moment. Silver Spoon was taken aback at how much pain she could glimpse behind her eyes. Then her sister asked: “May I come in?” “Sure,” Silver Spoon answered and stepped aside. Marecedes walked straight up to the bed and sat down on it. She picked up Mr. Snuffles. Looking at it, she said: “I was surprised you still had this. Isn't this the one Dad gave you when you had that terrible cold?” “Yes, you still remember?” Marecedes nodded. “Of course I do. No idea how much of that day you still remember, though. But I'll never forget it. I had never seen anypony being sick like that before. I didn't even know doctors made house visits until that day. And then all I heard was that you had dangerously high fever and such things. Even worse, they all told me to stay away from you so I wouldn't catch it. I can tell you, knowing you were in such a condition and not being able to do anything for you... By now I know it had never been that serious, but back then, I was really afraid I might lose you. It drove me mad. I honestly begged anypony in the house to let me do something, anything, just so I could help you. Finally mom let me bring that bowl of soup to you. That's when I saw you clinging to this bunny here. I had never known how fragile a pony could look. And I can still see that image clear as day.” “I do remember,” Silver Spoon said. “At least you bringing me that soup. And naming my new bunny.” “Yeah, Mr. Snuffles was it, right? I just hope he gave you a little comfort last night. You instantly clung to it when I put it into your hooves.” It took some time for Silver Spoon to understand what her sister had just said. Then she asked: “Wait, you were in my room?” “After I saw you running down the hallway, yes. I had just come home. And when I saw you lying here on this bed, it was just like that time. Only that yesterday, I at least had an idea what to do. Well, to be honest, I was torn between that and just giving Diamond Tiara the beating she deserves. But there was no way I would leave you alone in a moment like that.” “Does that mean you put me to bed yesterday?” Now her sister looked up from the bunny and straight at Silver Spoon, saying: “Of course I did. That was the very least for me to do. I'm just glad memorizing that song paid off after all.” “That song? You mean the lullaby? That was you, too?” Marecedes simply smiled. “But,” said Silver Spoon, ”that was the one Nanny used to sing for me.” “You still call her 'Nanny'?” Her sister laughed. “Exactly, that was the one.” “How did you learn that? And when? And why?” “That was when you found out she wouldn't come with us on vacation. Remember how upset you were that time?” “Oh, please don't remind me. I still feel stupid about it.” Marecedes smiled. “Aw, no, that wasn't stupid. I think it was sweet. And by the way, she did too. And so she was more than willing to teach me that lullaby when I asked her.” “I still don't see why you did that.” “Really? So I could sing it for you. I thought that way you wouldn't miss her as much.” Silver Spoon scratched her chin. “But, I can't remember you ever doing that.” “No wonder, I never had to. You were so beat every evening you were usually almost asleep before you got into bed. One time you actually fell asleep during supper. Dropped your head right into the soup.” Trying her best to ignore the last memory her sister had mentioned, Silver Spoon asked: “You really did that for me? I always thought you were trying to get rid of me during our vacation.” Marecedes gave an awkward smile, like she wanted to cover up a sudden spur of pain. “That might be, well, because I wanted to get rid of you. You see, nopony is really keen on spending their summer time at the beach babysitting their little sister. But I would have never left you out of my sight if I hadn't known you were with your new friends there.” “You knew of them?” “Of course I did. That village is tiny. A lot of them are the younger siblings of my friends there. I knew you were in good hooves. And I was glad you had them, because otherwise I would have had to keep you with me, no matter how boring that might have been for you. But, speaking of friends: Whatever happened since then?” “What do you mean?” Marecedes hesitated for a moment, looking like she was searching her mind for the right words. Finally, she said: “I mean that when you were younger you never seemed to have any problems finding friends. Even in fohlengarten you made friends on the very first day. Silver Spoon tilted her head. “How would you know that?” “I saw you. When Mom brought you there for the first time I came along. And like you just heard I saw how scared you were when we left. Mom literally had to force me away so I wouldn't run back to you. That day school ended early, so I decided to see how you were doing. And you were doing great, playing happily with all those other foals there. You were so caught up, I think you never even noticed me there.” “But... They weren't really my friends.” Silver Spoon had no idea why, but she had to let her sister know this. “Sure, we played together and I liked them. But I never saw any of them after their parents had taken them home.” Marecedes shook her head. “That's not your fault. It would have been up to Mom and Dad to make sure you'd see some friends once in a while. But they needed to show us off whenever there was a business dinner or any other important guest of Dad's was over. And, well, at least during what little spare time he let himself have, he'd keep you for himself. Besides, you still were invited to each and every birthday, as far as I can remember. And they all came to yours, right?” Silver Spoon laughed. “Yeah, but that could have been because father rented Sugarcube Corner every time.” “Oh, come on. Don't put yourself down like that. They liked you. All of them, either those on vacation or here at home. It kind of made me jealous, to be honest.” “Jealous?” Silver Spoon blinked a few times. “You were jealous of me because of them?” “No. And yes. See, not because you had friends, but how easy you made friends. I had such a hard time when we came here. I didn't seem to fit in. Or, more truthfully, I didn't want to fit in.” “Wait, what do you mean, coming here? We always lived here!” Marecedes cocked an eyebrow. “Do you really not know? You always lived here. When I was a foal, we lived in Manehattan. But we moved here shortly before you were born.” “Really? Why?” “That's what I asked too at the time. Dad said it would be best for us to get away from the big city. Live somewhere ponies don't put so much emphasis on what others have but who they are. And then went on to build us this palace right here. But somehow it did turn out to be best for us after all, I guess. Or at least better than if we had stayed. By now, I think I kind of get what he meant.” Yet Silver Spoon didn't. “And that was?” “Let me put it this way: Back in Manehattan, the friends I had were the worst kind of foals the school had to offer. Even worse, I was proud to be one of them. We were big-headed, arrogant and narcissistic little brats who thought they were above everypony else because our parents happened to be rich. I really don't want to recall everything we did, but let me tell you, we acted like we owned that school – and the students going there. “Then Dad had to go and rip me apart from them. I felt like he had dethroned me, stole my realm from my very hooves. And, since that wasn't enough stupidity already, I expected things to move here at the same pace. I was the exalted one with the important family among the measly commoners this town harbored. Didn't take long for me to find out how wrong I had been...” “What happened?” Silver Spoon wanted to know. “At first, nothing. I just kept on trying to do the same as 'back home.' Acted all high and mighty, and then expected all of the others to fall in line. But they didn't, of course. Luckily, in hindsight.” “I always thought you were the popular one. How did you find so many friends after that start?” “In a way I had neither planned nor expected. Once, I had to stay at the hospital for a week. During that time, our class rep brought me homework and handouts from school. And she decided to befriend me. Treated me like we had known each other for years and wouldn't shut up about everything I never wanted to hear at that point. But nowadays, I'm thankful that I hadn't been able to tell her to stop and leave me alone.” “Who stopped you from that?” “That frame keeping my jaw in place. Two of my teeth had to be replaced and after that, I wasn't allowed to move it.” “Your teeth got replaced?”Silver Spoon could hear her voice crack. “Yeah, you never noticed this?” asked Marecedes and pulled her right corner of her mouth back. There, Silver Spoon could see that, indeed, two of her back teeth were made of some kind of metal. “No, I didn't,” Silver Spoon admitted. “What happened to you?” “Well... Applejack happened.” “What did she have to do with this?” “She kicked me straight in the face,” Marecedes said, looking like just remembering that moment still hurt. “That's the whole reason I had to stay at the hospital.” “She did what? Why?” “Um...” Marecedes hesitated. “It's kind of... You see, I may have said something I hadn't completely thought through. A stupid joke.” “That must have been very stupid if she sent you to the hospital.” Marecedes sighed. “Like I said, it wasn't the nicest thing to say. And no, I'm not going to tell you what it was. Even if she overreacted, it's not one of my proudest moments.” Silver Spoon had a hard time seeing Applejack overreacting to anything. Yet at the same time she didn't want to ruin the first normal conversation with her sister she had since she did not know when. So instead of pressing the matter, she said: “Well, all in all it turned out as a good thing, right? With you finding friends after that?” Marecedes gave a pained smile. “I guess you can say that. Though I still wish somepony could have taught me that lesson without kicking my teeth in. And breaking my nose. And giving me a concussion. The doctor even said it was close to miraculous I didn't get my jaw broken.” Her own jaw started aching as Silver Spoon heard that. For a moment she imagined what it would be like getting kicked by Applejack like she had seen her kicking those trees. But she quickly decided not to pursue that thought any further. “Still, yes, I finally found friends,” Marecedes continued. “Or friends found me. Anyways, that's when things started to look up for me.” “But, then why are you still angry at Applejack?” “What?” Silver Spoon had trouble keeping eye contact with her sister. “I get that all that happened was horrible for you. But if it turned out so good for you and you do admit it was in part your fault, can't you forgive her?” “If it had been just that, I guess I could. But there's more. For one, she had made my life there like tartarus from the very first time she talked to me. I had been used to foals sometimes mocking me because my name was the same as the carriages dad sells back in Manehattan. So, one of the few things – maybe the only one – I actually enjoyed here at first was most ponies hadn't heard about them yet. But for some reason, she knew. She asked me about it and I told her that they are actually named after me. But she just laughed like it was a joke to her. And when she told the others, they all started to call me 'Carriage Filly.' Or even more clever, 'Little Miss Carriage.' Oh, and for the record, I never kicked her for creating that stupid joke about me.” A silence fell between them. Silver Spoon had watched uncomfortably how her sister's mood had degraded with every sentence she said. The filly had no idea what she could say or do. Silently, she wished for a way to make the hurt she saw dwelling in her sister's eyes go away. Finally, she decided to sit down on the bed right next her sister, still not really sure what she wanted to do there. But as soon as she had, Marecedes looked at her and smiled slightly. “Anyways,” the young mare continued, “there was one last ordeal for me to endure until I finally left my old self behind me. My old so-called friends from Manehattan. We had kept contact as penfriends, even though I never really told them how things were going at school. Partly because they didn't care. At least, they had never asked in their letters. It had always been about who had bought what and how expensive and exclusive it had been. But after my week at the hospital, I saw more and more how superficial that was. “I had finally found real friends here. I knew what having friends meant. What Dad had meant. Ponies who cared about me, not my dresses, jewelry and mane style. Still, I tried to convince myself they, too, were still my friends. Until one weekend when I was finally able to visit them. But the whole time we spent together, they wouldn't shut up about how terrible and low-class everypony else was. About every other pony that walked passed us became a new target for them. It didn't take long for me to get sick of it. I asked them to stop, told them that there was more to a pony than what they could afford.” “And what did they do?” Silver Spoon asked. “Laugh at me and ask if I had already turned into a backwater hobo like those I was now living with. When I told them to stop calling my friends that, they laughed some more, told me I was clearly a lost cause and left me standing where I was. And I never saw any of them again ever since. Until you started school.” Marecedes shook her head. “Everything seemed to finally go well. Until that Diamond Tiara had to enter our lives. The moment I saw her I knew she was bad news. The way she looked at all those other foals on your first day of school told me everything I needed about her. And then you started hanging out with her. Only her. From that day forward, every time I saw you two, I saw the worst I had ever been prancing around and drawing you in. You were gone before I knew it. With all the friends I had seen you with before, I'd never expected you to turn to someone like her. And everything I tried to get you away from her only made it worse.” “But,” Silver Spoon interrupted, “why did you treat me so badly, then? All I can remember from you are mean things you said about me or Diamond Tiara.” Marecedes didn't look at her. She sighed deeply and buried her face in her hooves. “Yes, I know. I'm so sorry about everything I said about you. I never really meant them. Well, in some way, maybe I did. I don't know anymore. It's just that I had no idea what to do. Whenever I tried to tell you what kind of 'friend' you had there, you wouldn't listen. Whenever I tried to get out of you why you only hung out with her and no other foals, you got angry. And before long, you wouldn't talk to me at all. It seemed that the only way for me to reach you in any way was through things I didn't want to say to you. I somehow convinced myself that maybe if I teased you enough about what a bad choice of friend Diamond Tiara was, you'd someday start seeing I was right. And then, more and more, this terrible idea turned into a terrible habit. Please, believe me, all of that came from anger and frustration. I was angry at you for not seeing the obvious. And even more at myself for not being able to reach you. I felt helpless. Even Mom and Dad wouldn't listen to me. I tried to warn them, told them you needed other friends than that one. But after all those times they told me I had to look out for you because you're my little sister, all they said was that you just needed time to adjust to your new environment. I guess you being friends with the daughter of the only stallion in this town Dad could have his big time business-talks with did the rest.” With every sentence, Silver Spoon had inched a bit closer to her sister. She could hear her voice tremble more and more. Listening to how the monument of resolve that Marecedes had been started to break apart. Seeing how she had to fight harder and harder to hold back her tears made the filly want to cry herself. With a shaking voice, Marecedes went on: “And there I was, left alone to watch you slowly getting dragged away. And every time I tried to get you back it only pushed you a bit further. This time, I was certain I had truly lost you. If I hadn't had some good friends to help me keep my hopes and sanity, I think I might have... given up for good by now.” At that moment Silver Spoon put her arms around her sister. Kneeling on the bed, her face buried in Marecedes's shoulder, she said: “Thank you. For not giving up on me.” Not a second later, her sister had embraced Silver Spoon. “No, thank you for coming back to me.” She heard how Marecedes lost the fight. Warm tears dripped from her cheeks into Silver Spoon's mane. The filly closed her eyes and only felt the warmth of her big sister around her. She didn't dare opening her eyes again in fear this would turn out to be a dream. But when she felt her sister's lips against her forehead, she knew for certain neither now nor last evening had been one. Silver Spoon waited until Marecedes loosened the hug a little, then she finally looked up to her sister again and asked: “But there's one thing I don't understand: Why did you try to get me away from Apple Bloom when I had finally found other friends? Just because she's Applejacks sister?” Marecedes let go of her and sighed. “That was one reason, yes. The other was, well, things I've heard about that family.” Hearing the hesitation in her sister's voice, Silver Spoon asked: “What kind of things?” “Rumors. Some silly, some scary, and some truly disgusting. Even if only half of that stuff were partially true, I wouldn't want you close to them.” “What exactly did you hear?” Silver Spoon asked. Again, her sister hesitated. “Let's... not get into that. Like I told you before, what you said about siblings got me thinking. Even if anything of all that is true, it can't be that filly's fault. And if she really is as good a friend as she seems, then maybe none of those things were ever true. I just don't know anymore what to think of them. However, if Apple Bloom managed to do in days what I couldn't do in years, I ought to give her a chance, don't you think?” “Of course!” Silver Spoon agreed. “But it wasn't only her. The whole Apple Family helped me.” “All of them?” Silver Spoon nodded. “Yes, all of them. Even Applejack. They told me I should give you a chance. And try not to blow up in your face the moment you started talking.” Silver Spoon waited for her sister to answer, but she remained silent. So the filly added: “You know, Applejack told me she wasn't proud of what happened between the two of you. She was more ashamed than anything. I guess if you were to give her a chance to apologize, she would gladly take it.” Marecedes closed her eyes. Another moment passed, then a smile of resignation spread on her face. “I guess I'll have to take your word for that, hm?” “Only if you don't try to find out for yourself if I'm right.” Marecedes shook her head, still smiling. Then she gave her sister another quick hug and said: “How could I say no to you at this moment. Not that I can promise you anything, but I will give her a chance. I honestly don't know how and when, but if the chance comes up...” Her sister didn't seem to know how to finish that sentence, but Silver Spoon had heard more than she needed. “Great! Then you'll be glad to hear that they will be over for dinner when our parents are back!” Yet strangely enough, Marecedes didn't look as excited as Silver Spoon was about this. “They are? Do our parents know that?” “Of course. It was father's idea to invite them. And they accepted. Isn't that a perfect chance?” “Yes,” her sister said mechanically. “Perfect.” “Now that that's settled, there is just one thing...” Marecedes raised an eyebrow. “And that would be?” Silver Spoon took a deep breath. Then she said: “How can I help Diamond Tiara?” “With what? Moving out?” “No, I'm serious. How can I get her to change?” Marecedes shook her head. “You can't. Fillies like her don't change.” “You did,” Silver Spoon insisted. Marecedes opened her mouth for a moment, like she was ready to object her sister. But she didn't say anything. Instead, all that came from her was an annoyed sigh. Silver Spoon continued: “And I don't want to have to break her jaw to finally get her to see that she is wrong.” “Too bad,” Marecedes said dryly. “I would have helped you with that.” “Come on, please stop that.” “That's what I'd like to tell you, Silver Spoon. After last evening, how can you still talk about helping her?” “Because friends help each other. And even if she was wrong about a lot of things, she never abandoned me when I needed her. Even if for the wrong reasons, she always was my best friend. And now that she needs me, I can't let her down. I will help her, even if she doesn't want me to.” Marecedes stared at her blankly. Then she shook her head and laughed. “I really don't know if this is crazy or if I should write to Princess Celestia and ask her to declare you a Saint.” Silver Spoon grinned. “Do you really think the Princess would do that?” Her sister shrugged. “I guess she wouldn't even read my letter. She has a country to run, after all. I don't think these are the kind of stories she has time for.” “Well then, even if I'm not a Saint, do you have any idea how I can help Diamond Tiara?” Again, Marecedes shook her head. “No. To be honest, I still don't think you can. But I heard you've recently found friends who know more about these things than I.” “Wait, are you really telling me to ask Apple Bloom for help?” “As if you wouldn't have done that anyway,” her sister laughed. “And I promise if there is any way I can help you, I'll try my best.” Silver Spoon jumped from the bed. “Okay, I better go find her then. Please tell Stickler where I am. And that I may be gone till evening, I don't know yet.” “Don't worry, I will.” With a last look at her sister, smiling happier than she had ever seen her before, Silver Spoon ran out of her room.