I never saw Silver Spoon again after that day. I don't think the Factory got her though, she was no doubt too young. Well, that's what I told myself every night from that day on to stop myself going insane with guilt.
Silver Spoon's parents never did commit suicide together. They were both murdered, no doubt horrifyingly and painfully. I can't help wondering if I hadn't held her back for that talk that they wouldn't of got her. The Police would turn up at my door and I'd of told them she hadn't been at school that day, or that she had and now she was down at the lake getting water.
Then I'd of ran to her, taken her and hidden her until they were gone, she'd be safe, I know she would...no, no, it would have been useless. There was no escaping it. It got us all in the end.
Snail's family moved away after the incident. Snips died, apparently. They told us he ran whilst holding scissors.
Ha.
Only Scootloo and Applebloom remained. I got a new door after the Police Colts knocked the old one down. It bolted and was made of metal. But they could still get in if they truly wanted to, we all knew that.
It was no longer a class. We didn't read or write or do work, and it was never just me, Apple Jack and Rainbow Dash and the others would always be there, just to talk and hang out.
Rainbow Dash lived with Rarity now, nobody lived in the skies, they were now owned and ruled by Celestia. Cloudsdale seised exist and prier to this all Pegasus's wings were removed. Not by the Factory, luckily. By 'doctors' in the street. All Pegasus had to queue up and have them removed publicly, with no pain killers whatsoever. I held Fluttershy's hooves as hers were ripped clean off with pliers.
Ironically, all of these so called 'doctors' were past Pegasuses, the stumps from their past wings still remained, pussy and festering, occasionally showing bone through the blood. I heard it was to reassure the Pegasus, the doctors could joke and say 'don't worry, it won't hurt a bit, if I can survive it, you can too!'.
Too bad nearly half of the Pegasus died whilst having their wings removed, mostly the younger ones. Some especially sick rumours going around were that if a baby Pegasus was born it would be slaughtered instantly in front of the mother, their wings too small to be removed without death following anyway.
It was a wonder Unicorn's horns weren't also removed, but they didn't think we had the guts to try and retaliate with magic. I suppose they were right.
Ha.
Apple Jack looked up at my clock on the wall. "Oh gee, c'mon Bloom, it's time for your dentist's appointment!"
All five of us (Dash, Pinkie, Rarity, Fluttershy, me) gasped.
"D-dentist!" I stuttered, eyes wide with fear. "W-what do you mean?"
Apple Jack laughed loudly like it was the funniest joke she'd heard in years. "Oh Twi, don't get your horn in a twist, the Dentist is an old friend 'a mine, he made Granny Smith her dentures and fitted Big Mac' with a new gold tooth! He's mighty fine and trustworthy." she smiled at us happily.
Apple Bloom was looking pale and nervous however, sweat running down her face and dripping onto the carpet below.
"M-my tooth hurts, that's why." she said to no-one in particular.
"Yeah, we know sweetie, it's 'cus you haven't been keeping up your brushing silly!" Apple Jack giggled.
We all wondered weather or not Apple Jack had gone insane or not, but if she claimed to know him then maybe it could be trusted. These days one small problem like a sore tooth was easily blown out of proportion by the 'authorities' and no doubt Bloom would be ordered to be put down for it if it wasn't treated.
"Alright." I nodded bravely, eyes locked on Apple Jacks.
Apple Jack looked away quickly.
"M-Miss Twilight?" Bloom said hoarsly, still keeping to calling me that. "W-would it be okay if you came too?" she looked up at me hopefully.
I burst into a smile and laughed slightly. "Oh Apple Bloom! Of course I'll come!" I figured it was safest if I came too, my horn could come in useful if this 'dentist' tried anything funny with her.
Apple Jack frowned slightly, brow furrowed. "I'm certainly a'hoping you ain't thinking I'm outta my mind taking 'lil Bloom to this here Dentist!" she said suddenly, eyes locked on mine.
"Oh no, of...of course not Jack, honestly, if Bloom wants me to come and hold her hoof or whatever, it's fine with me!"
"Get back soon Bloom!" Scootaloo whacked Bloom on the back hard. "CMC forever!" she grinned, and the two did a complicated hand shake before the three of us were off.
"Stay here, we'll be back soon!" I called to the others before my heavy metal door slammed shut, closing them in and closing us out.
The three of us walked in silence to the small shack further up Ponyville then I'd expected.
"Are you sure we're going the right way?" I asked, looking around meekly.
"Yup, it's right here!" Jack looked up and grinned at a dirty, run-down shack with blood stains on the windows and other disgusting things in puddles around the door.
A sign above the door said something in a language I'd never seen before, but Jack looked confident and Bloom didn't look as worried as she did before, so I figured A.J must have been telling the truth about going there before. Places just ended up looking a billion times worse after Celestia's rule apparently ended.
We walked in and an old, rusty bell rang above us.
"Ah! You must be Apple Jack and Apple Bloom. And you are...?" a tall, skinny colt who's teeth were black and mane greasy and blood crusted looked at my with one eye, the other appearing lazy and falling to the floor disturbingly.
"She's Twilight Sparkle, but we could ask you the same question. How do you know our names anyhow?" Apple Bloom looked assertive but I noticed a flash of fear in her honest eyes.
"The name's Dentist Derralmond and you're down in my book. Well, I say my book but it's actually Old Smithy's. The guy retired a couple of weeks ago, but he told me you were a close friend ah' his so I'm to treat you and your 'lil sister extra nice." he flashed the two a grin but when they looked away he gave me such a stare that if looks could kill, I'd be dead.
"Jack..." I said in no more than a whisper, mouth barely moving as I tugged on her tail. "Let's go, the guys a freak, we can't trust him."
I almost wet myself as Derralmond grinned at the three of us and spoke. "Ah, honey, you can trust me. Though I may appear freakish and butt-ugly, isn't is skill that counts in this job?"
He didn't just appear freakish, he obviously had freakishly good hearing too.
"Ah shucks Mr Derralmond, you ain't freakish at all, don't mind Twilight, she'd just a weird type herself." Apple Jack didn't give me any sign to show she was joking, or improvising at all.
"You wait here Twi, we'll be done in a jiffy." Apple Jack winked at me and began walking in, pratically dragging Apple Bloom with her.
"No!" Apple Bloom mouthed.
"Yes, good idea Miss Apple. You wait right out here...Twi." he flashed his mouldering black teeth at me once more.
"NO!" I found myself shouting. "Bloom wants me in, so in I shall be!" and I confidently followed the raging Dentist and Apple Jack into the room.
I must admit, I was surprised. The inside seemed clean, welcoming, and just like any normal dentist should look. Plastic skulls showing teeth sat neatly on shelves, silly posters about teeth brushing and not eating junk food plastered the walls like wallpaper. Framed and hanging proudly above the door was a certificate claiming that 'Dentist Derralmon' was a qualified Dental Surgeon.
I must of looked impressed because Derralmon smiled at me for what must have been the fifth hundred time that day and signalled that I sat beside Apple Jack on the small wicker chairs in the corner of the room.
"Hop on little Apple bunny!" Derralmon said sweetly, patting his dentist's chair lined with plastic. Hygienic, wow.
Apple Bloom smiled and leapt on happily.
"Put these on." he handed her a pair of large sunglasses. "So the light won't hurt your pretty little eyes too much."
Bloom placed them on and giggled when she saw herself reflected in the mirror.
"I look funny!" she giggled.
"Not as funny as you'll look after this..." I could of sworn I heard Derralmon mutter as it suddenly become far, far too late.
Suddenly he was tying her arms and legs to the chair.
"Uuum...is that really necessary?" now Apple Jack had become unsure.
Derralmon just laughed and threw back his head. "Relax, relax, as torturous as this looks, I assure you, it's only so I'm assured one hundred percent precision whilst using my tools, you know what little fillies are like these days."
Apple Jack laughed heartily whilst I tittered uncomfortably
Derralmon started prodding random tools and object into Bloom's mouth, muttering stuff that I had to admit sounded pretty scientific and dentist-like. After inspecting every tooth individually he'd type something into his computer and soon a full diagram of Bloom's teeth structure was appearing on the screen.
Bloom looked at it and smiled, but her smile faded as he zoomed in on one of the back teeth, in which a large and painful-looking crack ran through. I saw, Bloom saw, he saw.
But Apple Jack did not.
"Braces! The girl needs braces!" Derralmon practically sang. "Oh it's been so long since I've ever met a pony needing braces! But it's not a first, so that is good!"
"Mmmph, maaamph, mwilight! Mwamphle Mlack!" Bloom started wailing, pulling on her ankle and wrist restricted in a struggle.
Her mouth was secured open so her words came out meaningless at the time.
"Hush, hush little fillie, it's alright, this won't hurt a bit!" Derralmon began rooting around in his cabinet for something.
"Ah, here, sign this so precious angel Bloom may get the braces put on her!" Derralmon smiled slyly.
"Sure thing Dentist!" Apple Jack pretty much sang back.
"Are you sure Apple Jack?" I hissed, but he heard.
"IT'S NOT UP TO YOU! Twilight..." he screeched the first part but softened after seeing Bloom and Jack's reactions.
"I-I mean...don't you want the best for Bloom? She'll be so lucky to get them, especially in these hard times." Derralmon nodded sincerely, eyes closed slightly.
"He's right Twi, it's time I stopped think 'bout maself and more of others like Bloom. My element is honesty and if I'm being honest, I know Bloom needs these braces!"
I looked at Apple Jack and back to the Dentist and for that one single moment I wasn't sure who I hated more.