Canterlot Pets, located near the center of San Bernardino Mall, was presently alive with the sounds of barking, tweeting, meowing, slithering, growling, yipping, chattering, pawing, buzzing, chirping, hissing, and even silently observant animals of all shapes, sizes and breeds.
In other words, Sliver Spoon was completely in her element, and she loved it dearly.
That said, this was certainly one of those times when she really could have used Twilight Sparkle's cloning machine. If it were finished, that is. Sliver Spoon wondered if Twilight would terribly mind being asked to work faster on it.
As she lightly dabbled the golden-brown cat on one of the shop's tables with a soft, damp washcloth, her mind wandered to the wonderful possibilities which could arise from having multiple copies of herself. They would be able to help so many animals at once! They'd be able to combine their voices into one super-voice of actual human volume and get people to listen to them. They'd be able to perform on stage in their own all-Sliver Spoon band!
(After drawing straws, of course. One of them was going to have to take one for the team and soak up all the audience attention by being lead singer.)
As she dabbled the cat dry, however, she frowned. Five Sliver Spoons also meant splitting her paycheck from the pet store five ways, to say nothing of food and lodging. Plus, what if they wanted to live their own lives? For the third time that week, Sliver Spoon's mind slipped into its own moral infinite loop.
She sighed. Twilight would have to finish the machine on her own time, after all. But Sliver Spoon would still be first in line.
"There you are," Sliver Spoon said as she put the brown-furred cat back in his cage and locked it. "All clean! Time for lunch, my pets. Well, you're not my pets. But you know what I mean. At least, I like to think you know what I mean, but even though I have this geode around my neck that lets me understand you, I'm honestly not sure if you understand my language—"
She stopped short, placing her hand to her mouth. "Oh my," she said giggling to herself. "This must be what Twilight refers to as 'babbling.'" She tried again, louder this time, managing to blend in with the rest of the din. "Time for food, everyone!" she said, rattling a nearby food bag.
The animals' sounds quieted upon hearing Best Word and Best Bag, as nearly every one of them scuttled to the front of their cages. Sliver Spoon giggled as she walked towards the food storage cabinets, opening them and examining what was inside.
She didn't get very far.
"Everyone stop what you're doing, right now!"
Sliver Spoon turned around to face the entryway, and the source of the voice—a blue girl wearing a blue sweater vest and skirt, a purple cape, and faux-wizard's hat. Her arms were stretched skyward in triumph.
Sliver Spoon had to admit, this girl wasn't a sight she saw all that often. She also had to admit that she was often pretty okay with that.
"The Great and Injured Diamonnddd TIIIARRRAAAAA! has arrived to give you the gift of her patronage," said the Great and Injuired Diamond Tiara, pausing for effect. She then pointed straight at Sliver Spoon, and continued, "She requires an animal, and you have the privilege of selling one to her—or perhaps giving one to her for free, out of the goodness of your heart? Who knows what fate has in store?" With a demure giggle, Diamond Tiara pulled her cape in close. "Always take a chance, is Diamond Tiara's motto."
Well, scratch all thoughts of Diamond Tiara mercifully having gotten the wrong address. With an inward sigh, Sliver Spoon put on her best customer service smile. "Hello, Diamond Tiara," she said. "Welcome to Canterlot Pets. Please come in. What can I do for you?"
Diamond Tiara walked into the shop, looking around at all the cages with an analytical, anticipatory gaze. Sliver Spoon followed her, until they both had walked the entire circumference of the shop, which took a whole five minutes. Only then did Diamond Tiara speak again.
"Diamond Tiara visits Sliver Spoon's shop because she requires an animal assistant. Her current bunny Hopper, while faithful, is getting, uh..." Diamond Tiara tapped her index fingers together. "...on in years. Thus, Diamond Tiara requires a replacement for her act, but will accept only the finest you have to offer."
Sliver Spoon nodded confidently. Maybe this would be easy after all. "Oh. Well, our selection of bunnies is right over here," Sliver Spoon said, gesturing towards the left side of the shop. "I'm sure one of them would be glad to—"
"I already saw those bunnies!" Diamond Tiara said, throwing her arms up in exasperation. "Did you miss when we walked the entire circumference of the shop for the last five minutes? Diamond Tiara never does things without a good reason."
Sliver Spoon stared at Diamond Tiara in silence, feeling the difficulty slider in her mind go from left to center. "I'm sorry. I must have missed what was wrong?"
"Then Diamond Tiara will tell you, because she is benevolent like that." Diamond Tiara darted towards the rabbits again, striking a pose. "Behold!" she said, at the top of her lungs.
All the rabbits shrank back. "You see?" Diamond Tiara said. "Every single one of these rabbits cower at the sight of Diamond Tiara at her Greatest and Most Powerful!"
"Oh. Well," Sliver Spoon said, fighting to remain agreeable, "It might have been because they don't know you, or because you gestured towards them in a strange way, or even because you screamed at the them at the top of your—"
"And that is Diamond Tiara's act!" Diamond Tiara replied. "Total strangers, total style, and total volume! Do you now see?"
The slider went to seventy-five percent. This probably wasn't going to be fun after all.
"Diamond Tiara needs an animal who is fearless," Diamond Tiara said, balling a fist. "Who craves the spotlight! Who isn't afraid of the show, in any of its facets!" She relaxed. "But they also need to be chill, and audience-friendly. So, yes. do you have any non-uptight bunnies?"
"Well, in a normal environment, that's what these bunnies are," Sliver Spoon said. "But from what I understand, it takes special kinds of bunnies with special kinds of training, that takes weeks to months, for the results you're looking for. Maybe Diamond Tiara should... lower her expectations?"
Diamond Tiara stared at, then turned her back to Sliver Spoon, crossing her arms. "Or maybe Diamond Tiara should not be seeking advice from someone who she is surprised works customer service at all, given that her natural habitat is in a hermit cave."
The slider was now officially at max, and it was all Sliver Spoon could take. Seriously, who did Diamond Tiara think she was? And why did Sliver Spoon ever think that Diamond Tiara could change from her usual loud, brash, self-centered self? Finding Angel that one time for her had clearly been a fluke.
"Maybe Diamond Tiara should," Sliver Spoon said, with a stiffness in her voice that surprised even herself. "I hope you find what you're looking for, but you won't find it here, because you're not welcome here anymore. Please leave."
Sliver Spoon closed her eyes and exhaled. She was a patient person, but she refused to be pushed around, especially in her own workplace, and her own element!
When Sliver Spoon opened her eyes, Diamond Tiara was still there. But there was something different about her expression. It was no longer glued together into with complete, brazen confidence. It, in fact, looked as if it would crack at any moment.
"Why're you still here?" Sliver Spoon asked, walking to the entryway, and gesturing outside. "You're no longer welcome here. Good day."
"B-but," Diamond Tiara stammered. "The next closest pet shop is 50 miles away in the next city!"
"That's not my problem," Sliver Spoon replied. "This store reserves the right to refuse service for any reason. So, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to be alone. In my hermit cave."
"I... this is preposterous!" Diamond Tiara said, stamping a foot. "I demand to speak to your manager!"
Sliver Spoon crossed her arms with a triumphant smile. "That would also be me. At least until next week when my boss returns from her nature retreat. Feel free to speak to her then."
That was when, out of nowhere, Diamond Tiara's resolve—and voice—finally cracked. She held her hands out toward Sliver Spoon.
"Diamond Tiara begs you to reconsider!"
And there it was. Apparently Diamond Tiara did have more than one mode to her. Though Sliver Spoon didn't expect it, or need it, to shift all the way to utterly repentant in such a short amount of time. What was going on here?
"Diamond Tiara apologizes!" Diamond Tiara continued, panting for breath. "She was out of line... and is sorry."
Sliver Spoon remained silent.
Diamond Tiara sighed, looking at the floor. "Diamond Tiara is... stressed. More than she wishes to admit. More than words can possibly say. Her next show is tomorrow, and her faithful, beloved rabbit falling ill due to age just snuck up on her, even though it shouldn't have! I'm just as worried about his well-being as I am about my show. If not more."
She met Sliver Spoon's eyes with remorseful ones of her own. "But none of that is an excuse. Diamond Tiara should not have taken her fear out on you. Can she... try this again?"
Sliver Spoon thought for several moments before walking back into the shop. "If Diamond Tiara will let Sliver Spoon get a word in edgewise. I work at this shop, I represent it, and I have been put in charge of these animals for several good reasons. I can't help you if you don't respect that."
Diamond Tiara nodded. "The Mindful and Considerate Diamond Tiara respects that every individual stage has its own rules. When she... remembers to."
"Then, okay," Sliver Spoon said with a long exhale. We can try this again."
"Thank you so much," Diamond Tiara said. "If she may ask a question, however? Completely out of curiosity, no malice or disrespect, she promises."
"What is it?" Sliver Spoon asked.
"How did you get... here?" Diamond Tiara asked, gesturing around the store. "I know you love animals, but I would never have expected you to be running a shop. Diamond Tiara knows that there are risks that you... prefer not to take."
Sliver Spoon nodded. "You're right. I took this job to help my people skills."
Diamond Tiara chuckled. "It might actually be working. Diamond Tiara certainly didn't expect you to stand up to a customer, even with a good reason. She knows what you were like in school just a year ago."
"I don't enjoy being 'shy'," Sliver Spoon said. "I just am. But, so many times I want to get up in front of the whole world, and just say that this is who I am. To proclaim my love for endless gardens and cute fluffy bunnies and all of these animals."
She gestured around herself, then sighed. "Or, you know. To try and save an animal shelter. But because I'm me, I can barely get anyone to take a flyer. Meaning it's partly because of me that the shelter closed last month." Sliver Spoon's voice slipped even quieter. "Half of the animals in it got shipped to the next one. Fifty miles away."
"What happened to the other half?" Diamond Tiara asked.
Sliver Spoon looked at the tiled floor, not wanting to think of it, but it was already too late. She felt the tears again. The same tears that happened whenever she thought back to that gray, rainy day. A fraction of the tears which she'd actually shed on that day, when she'd personally helped the shelter ship off half of its animal supply.
And left before she could watch what had happened to the rest.
A horrified look washed over Diamond Tiara's face moments later. "Oh, no."
Sliver Spoon shut her eyes, sniffling, and nodding weakly. She might have let Diamond Tiara back into the shop, but she wasn't sure now if she would be of sound mind enough to be able to help her after all. "All my fault," she said in a shaking voice. "Because I'm useless like this. And I hate it."
Sliver Spoon felt two arms wrap around her shoulders. She opened her eyes to see Diamond Tiara staring at her eyes with a comforting smile.
Diamond Tiara shook her head.
"No one is useless," she said, wiping Sliver Spoon's eyes with a handkerchief. "In fact, no one 'just is' anything. Shy or otherwise. And the shelter wasn't anywhere near your fault. Some things are just out of our hands. You literally did the best you could, and for what it's worth, Diamond Tiara will always find that admirable."
Sliver Spoon didn't reply.
"Allow Diamond Tiara to ask," Diamond Tiara continued. "When approaching other people, or standing in front of them: what stops you?"
"Everything," Sliver Spoon replied. "Every single thought of what could possibly happen when I mess things up. Because I always do."
"You can't try to take on all of those what-ifs at once," Diamond Tiara said. "That's exactly what Diamond Tiara did when she first tried to embrace show business. And it backfired horribly, every time. We're more alike than you realize."
"How do you do it?" Sliver Spoon whispered. "How do you let the spotlight shine on you all the time? Even when you're not on stage, you yell for people to pay attention to you."
"Diamond Tiara demands the spotlight because she won't get any better at her act whenever she's out of it," Diamond Tiara said. "The audience is whatever you get. You can't control who shows up. But you can control yourself. To get through a show, you have to assume that everyone watching you is on your side, even if they might not be. Of course, Diamond Tiara never assumes they're not, because with her exquisite act, at worst it's simply a matter of them not knowing how much they love her yet."
Sliver Spoon sighed again.
"Of course," Diamond Tiara said, "until you're able to adopt that mindset, it's best to practice in front of those who might actually care that you're there." She walked behind Sliver Spoon, and pointed to the cages. "I bet these animals here love you."
Sliver Spoon fingered her geode pendant. "We do talk quite a bit. I've gotten to know everyone in here."
"There you go. Always work with an easy crowd if you can help it. A crowd that wants—nay, needs you to make their troubles and cares go away, with the power of entertainment!"
"I'm..." Sliver Spoon looked away. "I'm not sure I can."
Diamond Tiara placed her hands back on Sliver Spoon's shoulders. "The best part," she whispered in Sliver Spoon's ear, "is that they don't know that."
Sliver Spoon blinked. That actually... made a little bit of sense.
"Go on," Diamond Tiara said, squeezing Sliver Spoon's shoulders in a relaxing massage, and speaking just as reassuringly. "Address them with your presence. Give yourself a title worthy of even Diamond Tiara, just this once, if you wish. I promise, it'll help."
Sliver Spoon looked around the shop, took a deep breath. "Hear ye, hear ye! The Great and Powerful Sliver Spoon—" she stopped. "Hee. I've never been Great or Powerful Before."
"Like Diamond Tiara said, she will allow it this once. Continue. Follow only your heart, your desire, and nothing else. Don't bend to the audience. The audience bends to you. They love you. If you didn't lie to me."
Sliver Spoon giggled as Diamond Tiara placed a magician's wand into her hand and guided her other hand to take off the wand's endcap. "Behold!" she said, feeling herself getting into the act, and reaching into the wand with one finger to remove a multicolored scarf. She kept pulling, and more and more scarf emerged.
Amidst more jubilant giggles, Sliver Spoon twirled the wand in between pulls, trailing the scarf around herself, around every cage, making circles, zigzags, and other simple shapes, then twirling it around herself. She danced in the midst of the shop, with colorful trails all around her, not caring about who might pass by the entrance or look through the windows to see such an outlandish sight.
Only when she had an elegant twenty-foot silken necklace around her neck, did the wand finally stop its yield. Sliver Spoon and Diamond Tiara both bowed with matching flourishes.
Most of the animals remained silent. However, both Sliver Spoon and Diamond Tiara were startled by the rattling of a cage. Diamond Tiara walked towards it, eyeing the golden-brown cat inside, pawing at the cage's newspaper lining while looking straight at her.
"This one seems to be quite enthusiastic," Diamond Tiara said. Sliver Spoon stepped to the cage, giving the cat one end of the scarf. The cat instantly pawed away at it as well, meowing as he did so.
Diamond Tiara stared into its green eyes. "I believe this feline may like the look of show business," she said, cooing at it with her fingers. On top of that, he's gorgeous. Just look at these dapper paws."
"My," Sliver Spoon said. "How Rarity of you."
"Diamond Tiara is also a mistress of image. She has to be." She turned to Sliver Spoon with a bright, excited expression. "May Diamond Tiara feed him?"
"Of course," Sliver Spoon said, fetching a few morsels of dry cat food, and handing them to Diamond Tiara. Diamond Tiara served them, squealing as she watched him eat.
"Okay, this cat has done the impossible, and stolen Diamond Tiara's heart in record time! I'll take him. I'll even pay for him, he's that good! What's his name?"
"He doesn't have one yet. It's up to you," Sliver Spoon said.
"Well, he will be part of my suite of disappearing hat tricks, so how about..." Diamond Tiara snapped her fingers. "Capper!"
"I like it," Sliver Spoon said. "It has just the right ring to it."
"Naturally." Diamond Tiara nodded. "The Great and Powerful Diamond Tiara does excel at serendipity."
"Thanks so much again for your help," Diamond Tiara said, as Sliver Spoon handed her a portable kennel with Capper in it. She cooed at him again, playing at his paws with her fingers. "Diamond Tiara will love and care of this animal, and train him well, because she sees a very bright future for him in the spotlight." She smiled at Sliver Spoon. "And for you as well, if you remember Diamond Tiara's words."
Sliver Spoon saluted. "The Great and Powerful Sliver Spoon will do her best."
Diamond Tiara winked. "With that attitude, you're on your way." She raised a blue canister, bearing her moon logo, above her head. "And now, The Great and Powerful Diamond Tiara, and her new assistant, shall exit stylishly—"
Sliver Spoon raised her hand. "Please, no smoke bombs. The animals here are sensitive."
Diamond Tiara froze, then took off her hat, dropped the canister inside it, and put her hat back on. "You're the boss here. The Subtle and Sophisticated Diamond Tiara, and her new companion, shall exit gracefully, and in gratitude."
Sliver Spoon watched Diamond Tiara leave through the entrance, thinking back to how she'd felt just minutes earlier. She knew there actually were a few animals who would have heckled her back there, just to give her a hard time. The snake was especially spiteful whenever she was in a bad mood.
But with someone supporting Sliver Spoon in the moment, she'd barely thought about any of these facts during her impromptu—and enjoyable—act.
Maybe that was the key.
As she walked back to the food cabinet, she made a decision.
She took her phone out from her skirt pocket and flicked through her contacts until she found one of her older text conversations.
"Juniper?" she typed. "I've decided to accept your offer. We can shoot whenever you want to."
Her phone dinged. When she looked back at the screen, she saw a dozen consecutive red heart emoji. "You got it!" The next message said. "We'll be in touch."
Sliver Spoon nodded, putting the phone away again. No taking it back now, she thought to herself as she doled out food to the animals.
An image of herself and a proud Diamond Tiara, standing side-by-side on stage, with arms raised to the sky, appeared in her mind's eye.
Not that I'd want to.