“Ridiculous!” Silver Spoon scoffed. The offer was too good to be true. If her father were here, he'd sit her down, fetch his pipe, adjust his spectacles, then start one of his overly long lectures. 

"[i]Daughter dear,[/i]" he'd say taking a puff from his pipe, pausing for effect. "[i]What you've been presented is a third rate scam. No pony in their right mind would allow you to have your birthday in Princess Twilight's castle for a hundred bits. Why, even assuming the place could be rented out, the price tag would be in the tens of thousands. No, you are simply the victim of a silly school prank.[/i]"

[i]School prank,[/i] Silver thought. The had to be the explanation. And yet she so much wished it to be true.

"Are you sure?" Her ears moved back, afraid of the answer. As far as she could remember her birthdays had been boring: a stuffy dinner with her parents, a small, expensive gift—most often jewelry—wrapped meticulously in a silver box, and a long speech regarding her future. She would consider herself lucky to have Diamond Tiara over. 

"Absolutely!" Sweetie Belle smiled. "I asked my sister, who asked Spike, who spoke with Twilight, and it's perfectly fine! We get to spend the whole [i]night[/i] there!"

Silver Spoon squinted behind her glasses. Belle seemed a little too cheerful. Yes, her sister was close to the Princess, but did she have such sway? Princesses didn't just allow fillies to have parties in their castles. It takes tremendous amounts of planning, money, and effort to set this up. 

"So, my birthday at Twilight's castle?" Silver Spoon tapped her chin,considering. [i]Why am I hesitating? It's just bits. My weekly allowance is twice as much.[/i] "And you'll organize everything?"

"Oh please say yes!" Sweetie Belle hopped around the desk, making Silver Spoon already regret her decision. "You don't have to worry, we’ll take care of everything!"

"Marvelous." Silver Spoon sighed, then took a grey purse from her saddlebag. [i]Money wasted, I'm certain. Father will be furious if he finds out.[/i] This was the worst investment she'd ever made. The risk factor was off the charts, there was no written contract, and the ponies involved were—

"This will be so great!" The filly snatched the purse and rushed off before Silver could say another word. 

[i]Of course Diamond would pick today to be absent.[/i] The filly sighed, then tried to think of other things. 

She arranged her books neatly on her desk, took out her quill case, adjusted her seat and waited. [i]Just a day as any other.[/i] Her father had warned Silver about getting her hopes up. High hopes always led to disappointment. The more down to earth she was, the less chance she would end up upset. Although, maybe, just maybe, tonight will to be different?

[hr]

"What do you mean, Princess Twilight isn't here?" Silver Spoon asked, staring blankly at the castle entrance.

"Weeeell, she had to go to the Crystal Empire to see her niece." Sweetie Belle smiled sheepishly. "But she let us have your birthday there!"

"Princess Twilight's castle..." she said weakly. [i]Princess Twilight not included. I should have seen it. Father was right all along![/i] Her ears drooped.

"[i]Remember, Daughter dear.[/i]" Silver could hear her father's voice. "[i]Stupid is what stupid gets. It's not the swindler who's to blame, it's those who let themselves be cheated. You knew this could never be true, and still, yet you chose to believe nonetheless. You and you alone bear the responsibility for your own failure.[/i]"

"So, umm, do you like it?" Sweetie Belle moved a step closer.

"Well," Silver Spoon took a deep breath. "When you said I'd have my birthday in Princess Twilight's castle, I thought I'd actually be spending it [i]with[/i] the Princess." She raised her head, looking down on her friend. "Not trot around an empty building with ponies I see at school all day! Honestly, I was an idiot to think this could be anything by a sc—" Silver stopped. It finally dawned upon her. [i]I see how it is. Leave it to you to ruin the best laid plans.[/i] The bits weren't intended for the castle, they were to get her father’s attention. And since he believed in life lessons, he would willingly let her have her party there, princessless, just to see experience the consequences.

[i]Well, Father, I guess you showed me.[/i] Silver smiled. "Come on, Belle." She trotted into the castle. "Everypony’s waiting."