Main Characters: Del, Silver Spoon
Cameos: Ruby Pinch, Inkie
Original Start Date: September 22, 2013

Del gets herself a treat from Twist’s shop to celebrate: her class was well-behaved, and they did well on their exam today. Nothing can ruin her day, she thinks as she happily trots home.

A sudden, sharp pain stings Del in the head. The changeling holds her temple as she looks around. Everypony is in a good mood as they go about their business. Then she spots the local cafe. She shakes off a bad feeling and approaches.

‘Is everything okay?’ Del asks.

‘I’m fine,’ Silver Spoon grumbles, not looking up from her books and tablet. She taps a saucer. ‘I could use a refill though.’

Del rolls her eyes. ‘Guess again. Silver, what is wrong?’

Silver glances up. ‘Oh, uh, hi, Del. I thought you were the waiter.’

‘Are you okay? You seem stressed.’

‘I’m fine. Just needed a change of scenery from the office.’

‘Doesn’t seem to be doing much. Want to talk about?’

‘I’m fine! What makes you think that anything is wrong?’

Del taps her horn. ‘Changelings have a way of sensing these things.’ She sits. ‘Is everything okay?’

Silver looks around. She lets out a big sigh. ‘I guess there is no hiding it from you.’ She leans back. ‘I’ve been feeling really lonely lately. It is making me really irritated, and I can’t focus at work anymore.’

‘Is there anything you have done before to help you feel better?’

Silver blushes and looks away. ‘Y-yes, but if I do it as much as I need to now, I might need to get my couch reupholstered.’

Del thinks for a moment then gasps. ‘Oh! I, uh, didn’t mean that. I’m sorry I brought it up.’ She tries driving the thought away. ‘It only does so much, doesn’t it?’

Silver coughs politely. ‘Since you meant other means, I can’t go to my friends as much as I like. Diamond is always doing something with Scootaloo.’

‘Or doing Scootaloo.’

Silver winces at the thought. ‘And I still feel bad for interfering with Apple Bloom and Starlight, so I don’t see them often. My neighbors… Twist and Snails. Dinky and Pip. Featherweight running out all the time.’ She groans, ‘Without Sweetie Belle, I don’t have as many friends to go to as I used to.’

Del thinks for a moment. She uses her magic to pack Silver’s bag and lifts it to her back. ‘Come on over. I’m making you dinner tonight.’

‘Del, you really don’t have to. I’m fine on my...’

‘If you don’t come with me, I’ll call for my sister and she’ll never let you go.’

Silver adjusts her glasses. ‘Compared to the alternative, I would love to have dinner with you, Del.’ She gets up and follows Del away. ‘Your sister can be a little overprotective sometimes.’

‘Rei just wants to prove she would be a good mother, but it does get a little much.’

The young mares laugh and trot off together.

Silver sits at the table while Del makes them dinner. She looks around Del’s lightly furnished house.

‘Nice little place you have here,’ Silver compliments.

‘Thank you,’ Del replies. ‘Though, “little” is a bit much. Still pretty big and empty for my tastes.’

‘I’m surprised you got a place like this for yourself.’

‘I’ve been living with others my whole life. This is my first time living completely on my own. I would have gotten something smaller, but this also makes me feel at home.’

‘I think I know what you mean.’ Silver nods. ‘Even though I was lonely without my dad in Trottingham, I felt like everything I did was my own. It was… I want to say liberating, but most of my time there was hell.’

Del nods in agreement.

After a moment of silence, Silver sniffs the air. ‘Smells good. What are you making?’

‘Rice, spicy curry for me, mild for you, fried tofu, vegetable tempura and potato croquettes.’

‘All with extra love, of course,’ Silver jokes.

‘Just for that, I’m making yours extra spicy,’ Del growls.

‘You learn all those from Rei?’

‘Yep! I had to teach them to Chrysalis’ chefs when I lived with her. You would think all the time spent in Neighpon that they would learn some vegetarian dishes...’

‘Del, the vegetarian changeling. I take it the fangs are for piercing the hard candy shells you have a fondness for.’

‘Would you rather I use them on the thin candy shell around your brain?’

The mares growl at each other, then laugh. Del returns to her cooking. Silver smiles and checks her mobile.

Del and Silver sit in front of a small television after dinner. Del does not have much in the way of entertainment, but she is putting on the best show she can. Silver has her tablet out as she lays on the only chair in the room while Del is on the floor.

‘You really should have held a housewarming party,’ Silver mentions. ‘I am sure everypony, especially Diamond, would have given you plenty of gifts.’

‘It is okay. I don’t really like too much attention.’ Del sighs, ‘My part-time modeling gives me more than my fill.’

Silver taps a button. ‘I am sure more than one stallion bought a magazine with you in it with that thought in mind...’ She looks up and gasps. ‘I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to say something like that!’

‘What makes you think you were the first to say that? I do visit my sister’s store, and Diamond is constantly in there with her fillyfriend.’

‘That is something Diamond would say...’ Silver looks at the television. ‘Do you have anything else we can watch? Movies or something?’

Del frowns. ‘I haven’t gotten any of that stuff yet. I was waiting for my next paycheque. The only other things I have is a laptop Starlight got me for work and a mobile like my dad’s.’

‘Hmm. I think I can help you out. Do you have the cables for you mobile?’

Del nods and stands. ‘They’re in my room. Follow me.’

Del leads her guest through the house. They reach a stairway with a closet at the bottom. Silver starts heading upstairs but stops when she sees Del go to the closet.

‘Where are you going?’ Del asks.

‘Upstairs, to the bedrooms.’

The changeling laughs. ‘I don’t use those. My room is down here.’

‘You don’t use your bedrooms?’

‘Those aren’t my bedroom.’ Del opens the door, revealing a bedroom. ‘This is my bedroom.’

Del shows Silver into her room. The grey pony is shocked to see a pink-walled room with pink carpeting. Pink pillows sit on pink bedding. A frilly pink dress hangs in a closet next to a skin (or carapace)-tight black dress. Del goes to a pink desk with a pink-framed laptop and starts digging through the drawers.

‘This room is...’ Silver stammers.

‘This room has been my home for a long time,’ Del replies. She frowns. ‘Though my sister thinks all the pink is a bit much.’

‘I am sure Diamond would approve if Rei does not.’

‘I meant my other sister.’

Silver thinks. ‘Fluttershy’s kid?’

‘Chrysalis.’

‘Oh, right! Diamond told me about that. You look so much alike.’

‘Thank you.’

‘Can I meet her someday?’

Del groans and keeps looking for the cable. Silver sighs and explores the room. She stops in front of a wall of shelves. Each has a pony’s name and one or more items on them. She examines each of the shelves and items. She stops and smiles.

‘I see you like doll I got you for your birthday.’

Del glances back. ‘I know Diamond made you get me something, but I really did appreciate it.’ She takes in her collection. ‘That is every non-food gift that anypony ever gave me.’ She smiles. ‘My sister says I found a way to get indirect love from everypony without them offering it. She is very impressed with me.’

‘I would be too. You’re a very bright pony, Del.’

Del shakes her head. ‘I’m not a pony. I’m a changeling.’

Silver lifts a pink monkey doll from the ‘Diamond Tiara’ shelf. ‘I forget that sometimes. You’re more of a pony than some ponies I have met in my life.’ She plays with the doll a moment. ‘Do you know why Diamond likes you so much?’

‘Not really. All I know is her attitude changed when we had that project together.’

Silver returns the doll to its shelf. ‘Diamond was always fascinated by changelings. When we first learned about them in school, we were told they are mean, nasty creatures that had to change their forms and hurt ponies in order to get what they want, especially love. We were told they were evil manipulative creatures.’ -- Del snarls -- ‘Then you came along. You were instantly loved by everypony. You were kind and generous. Honest and loyal. Fun and friendly. And you had a lot of friends. When Diamond found out you were a changeling, she was overjoyed. She was so happy to know that these creatures that we were taught to hate could be loved by so many. I think in that moment, you became her favorite pony just by showing what she could become.’

‘I remember introducing her to my sister.’ Del shudders. ‘They got along so well.’ She takes a deep breath. ‘Diamond just needed friends like us to show her that she wasn’t an evil changeling.’ She frowns. ‘I have met evil changelings. Diamond at her worst is far nicer than them at their best.’ She stands. ‘Anyway. I found the cable. We can watch movies now.’

The mares head back to the living room.

‘Del… Thank you for always being a good friend. We are lucky to have you.’

The changeling laughs. ‘I’m the only friend I know how to be. I am lucky to have friends like you too.’

Silver smiles and sets up her tablet so they can watch movies.

Del rummages through her refrigerator in the middle of the night. She exits the kitchen with a juice box impaled on each of her fangs. As she crosses the living room, she sees Silver curled up in the chair. Del smiles and pulls a blanket over her guest before returning to her room.

After school, Del trots through town. She heads to a small building near the center of town. Ruby Pinch works at a desk. She looks up at the vistor.

‘Hello, Del,’ Ruby greets. ‘How can I help you?’

‘Is Silver free? I wanted to ask her something.’

‘Oh...’ Ruby looks to the back. ‘She’s in a meeting right now.’

‘Will she be done soon?’

‘Well...’ The unicorn sighs. ‘Can you come back tomorrow? Her schedule is virtually free.’

‘Is something wrong?’

‘Silver showed up late this morning and insisted that we move all the displaced meetings up so she can still keep on schedule. Everypony was willing to delay or put off their meetings until tomorrow, but Silver made them meet anyway. Even now, her meeting with Inkie could have waited another day or two.’

Del frowns. ‘That is my fault. She looked so peaceful that I didn’t want to wake her.’

‘She did seem more rested...’

Del looks at the back office. ‘Ruby, I’m really sorry, but I’m going to have to break a few rules. Please forgive me.’

‘Forgive you for what?’

Del changes her appearance to match Ruby. She heads to the office. Silver and Inkie are going over a map.

‘Hi, Ruby,’ Silver greets, without looking up.

‘Isn’t it about time for a break?’ ‘Ruby’ asks.

‘That’s a good idea,’ Inkie agrees. ‘We can finish this tomorrow.’

‘No, no. We were scheduled to work on this today,’ Silver insists. ‘We can finish it now.’

‘I’m so sorry,’ ‘Ruby’ mumbles.

Del places her horn on Silver’s head as she transforms back to normal. The earth pony sways and falls over. Del lifts the sleeping pony to her back. Her shocked sister-in-law stares at her.

‘Sorry for tricking you, Inkie,’ Del apologizes. ‘I needed a way to get to her.’

‘It is fine,’ Inkie replies. ‘She needed a break anyway. Don’t worry. I won’t tell your sister.’

‘Thank you.’

Del bows slightly and leaves carrying her friend.

Silver wakes to a loud retching sound. She adjusts her glasses and finds she is in Del’s living room. She looks around and sees Del leaning over her kitchen sink, heaving.

‘Del, are you okay?’

The changeling nods. ‘I’m fine.’ She coughs up a green blob. ‘Just working something out.’ She coughs again then goes to the refrigerator. She gets out a juice box, puts the whole thing in her mouth and bites down. She gargles with the juice then spits it into the sink. She gets another juice box before return to the living room. ‘Ah! Much better.’

‘Are you sure you’re fine?’

Del nods, drinking. ‘Changelings can drain other emotions other than love, but negative emotions are very disgusting and nearly impossible to digest. That was just a mild reaction to all the stress you had bottled up.’

Silver blushes. ‘What stress? I’m fine.’

‘Yeah. Now.’ Del sits by her friend. ‘You really need to relax more. If not for you, for your friends and coworkers.’

‘S-sorry. I couldn’t do my usual stress relief techniques.’

‘I noticed. You said some pretty lewd things about my big brother in your sleep while I was carrying you here.’ She blushes. ‘Things I might agree with.’

Silver turns brighter red. ‘W-w-why did you bring me here in the first place?’

‘I wanted to talk to you, but you were at work.’ She glares at the other mare. ‘You could have put off working with Inkie until tomorrow.’

‘I-I know, but we had scheduled it for today, and we need to get it done sooner or later, and...’

‘You’re stressed. I get it but if a chance to relax a bit opens up, take it. You have friends to support you.’

‘I know...’

‘That is why I want you to move in with me.’

‘What?’

‘I’m lonely here. You’re lonely at your place. Last night was probably the most fun either of us have had in a long time. I know both of us want to make it on our own, but it is just making us miserable and adding to our stress.’ She sighs and looks at her friend. ‘You just have to pay your share of the utilities and do your own shopping, and either room upstairs is yours.’ She smiles. ‘I can even have Starlight teleport all your stuff over tonight.’

‘Just have to pay… What about rent?’

‘Don’t worry. The house is fully paid for, and I make enough to handle the taxes.’

‘You fully paid for the house? How?’

‘You know how your daddy left you lots of money?’ Del gets a nod in reply. ‘Our daddy left Rei and me a lot of money too.’

‘Enough to buy a house with?’

‘According to what Diamond has told me, I can easily buy four or five houses and still have more than enough left over to eclipse what you two have. Combined.’

Silver gapes. ‘Damn. And you didn’t invest in furniture, why?’

Del laughs sheepishly. ‘Anyway... Do you want to be my roommate?’

The other mare thinks for a moment. ‘Well, the first thing we have to do is get a bigger TV.’

The friends laugh and start making plans.

Author's Notes:

Del Timeline: She has a new house! Her birthday was recently.

Silver Spoon Timeline: Moves in with Del.