Deryll went faster walking back to Clove's house. He had seen Celestia's royal guards on the way back, and they were at SparkBeat's house. He knew why. They were checking the bags for the military camp departure in 30 minutes. They had already stopped by Clove's house, and he knew because they were going down the list in alphabetical order. SparkBeat had told Deryll that he thought about joining the military a while back, but he never told Deryll that he had actually joined it. Now he thought about Clove again. How was she faring now that they had taken her bags? Did she leave her house? Was she in her house and if so, where was she in her house? Deryll thought up so many questions and got carried away with them, that he almost skipped over this last question he asked himself without thought.
Why do I like Clove? He realized what he thought to himself and color flooded into his cheeks.
"I like Clove," he thought to himself. "I like her," he whispered. Deryll turned the thought over in his mind. He realized he now thought of her differently than before.
Clove started to go outside when Deryll came in the door. She accidentally ran into him. Deryll's cheeks felt hot, but he attempted, successfully, to push the thought away for now.
"Hi, Deryll," said Clove.
"Hi," Deryll said back.
"I was just coming to look for you, but here you are." Deryll nodded.
"Yep."
There was an awkward moment of silence. Finally, Deryll said,
"So, thirty minutes, huh?" Clove nodded.
"Have you figured out how you're going to come with me?" she asked.
"Not yet. I'll figure something out. Trust me." he replied. Clove nodded and turned back towards the stairs and started walking. Deryll followed Clove to the stairs and walked up them behind her. The thought came back.
"Gosh, she's cute," he thought again.
Clove was walking in front of Deryll up the stairs when she thought of something she never had thought of before. The thought just appeared in her head, Deryll is cute. She knew the color of rose petals had come to her cheeks.
"Um, Deryll?" she said.
"What?" he replied.
"I need to go do something alone for a sec. Ok?"
Deryll suddenly stopped. She knew because she heard the stairs creak under his hooves. "Uh, sure, I guess?" he said.
"Thanks," she said and darted off around a corner at the top of the stairway. She went down a hall and touched what looked like the wall with her horn. It turned out it be a door that opened inwards to a small room, decorated with posters all over the walls and ceiling. She walked in and shut the door behind her.
"Goodness, Clove. You need to come in here more often," a small voice piped up.
"Shut up, Bianca," said Clove. A small, mechanical spider appeared on the edge of a small desk in the corner of the room. "I didn't come in here to chat. It was meant for me to think," said Clove.
"Oh," said Bianca quietly. "What are you thinking about? A book? That camp you're going to later? That I need a new adjustment?"
Clove looked at Bianca. "You need an adjustment? And no, I wasn't thinking about any of those things." Bianca looked puzzled.
"What were you thinking about, then?" she asked.
"None of your business. Go back to your web or something. Don't bother me."
"Oh, come on, Clove. Tell me! Pleeeaaasseee??" Bianca started getting on Clove's nerves.
"No."
"Please?"
"No."
"Pleaase?"
"NO!" Clove's shout startled Bianca into silence. Clove sighed. "Your questions got me off my train of thought. What was it you needed an adjustment on?" Clove said.
"Oh," said Bianca. "I'm out of web, and my back leg is twisted." Clove levitated a pair of pliers.
"I'll fix your leg first," she said. Bianca cooperatively stood still. Clove walked over to Bianca and looked for the leg the small metal spider was talking about. She found it, and used the pliers to twist it back into place. "There," said Clove.
Bianca Moved the leg that Clove had fixed and said, "Thanks." Clove set the pliers down and walked over to a little cabinet. She pulled out a spool of thread, and sent it floating over to Bianca. "You are taking me with you, right?" she said.
"Yes, I am. You'll come with me. You can sit on this necklace," said Clove as she held out the gold necklace Deryll had given her.
"Ok!" said Bianca. She jumped lightly into the air and floated back down slowly.
"I'll tell you what I came up here for, Bianca," said Clove. "I had a, weird, thought.. I like Deryll." Bianca jumped up in the air, excited this time.
"Ooh! Ooh!" she said. Then she started chanting, "You like Deryll! You like Deryll!" Clove glared at her and Bianca suddenly quieted down.
"I made you, I can just as easily crumble you to pieces," said Clove.
Deryll watched Clove disappear around the corner. Then he heard a small creak, and he knew it was a door opening. He waited for the quiet thunk of he door shutting, and after it shut, sank to the floor in relief. Now he was free to think all the thoughts in the world.
"I like Clove." he said it out loud that time, but not too loud, for he was worried that Clove might hear. The thought of it bounced around in his mind. "I like Clove," he muttered.
Bianca was squealing quietly.
"You like Deryll!"
"Shut up!" Clove said, a little louder than she meant to. Color flooded Clove's cheeks. Bianca jumped off the desk and slowly glided to Clove's nose.
"You like Deryll!" she squealed.
Clove said, "Yes, I do and you need to be quiet because he's outside in the hall."
"Ooh! I'm going to go tell him!" said Bianca.
"NO!" shouted Clove. "You can't do that! I don't want him to know and I'm not sure if he likes me back."
Bianca thought for a moment.
"Well, let's go find out!" Before Bianca jumped of the desk and went out of the room, Clove caught her in her magic and said,
"No! We can't do that! I don't want him to know!"
Deryll heard Clove shouting.
"No! You can't do that!"
"What..?" he said. She had been in there for a long time and he had glanced at the clock a second ago. She had 15 minutes before she had to leave. But who was she talking to?
"Clove!" he called. "You've been in there forever and you have fifteen minutes before you have to go!"
Clove heard Deryll.
"Clove!"
She perked up her ears and Bianca was quiet. She heard him say she had fifteen minuets.
"Oh no!" Clove said. She dropped Bianca and started for the door.
"Eep!" Bianca said.
Clove looked over her shoulder, saw Bianca, said, "Oh, sorry," and caught Bianca before she hit the floor. Bianca had an annoyed expression on her face. Clove smiled slightly and pushed the door open. She shut the door silently behind her and walked back out into view with Bianca on her back.
"Ok, Deryll. I'm done." Deryll looked at her back and saw the little metal spider.
"Are you aware there's a spider on your back, Clove?" he asked.
"Oh, yeah," said Clove. "This is Bianca."
"Hi," the little voice piped up.
Deryll furrowed his brow and said, "Hi.." back.
Bianca jumped up, and using the tiny engine that gave her the impression she was flying, floated over to Deryll and landed on the floor in front of him. She then jumped, and disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Clove rolled her eyes at the sight, for she knew all of the tricks Bianca could do. Deryll stared at the spot Bianca had disappeared from, but Clove looked up to the ceiling.
"Bianca," she said, "stop showing off."
"Ooohhhh! I'm a ghost!" said Bianca and she giggled as Deryll looked around, trying to find her.
"Where'd she go?" he asked. Clove rolled her eyes again.
"She's on the ceiling, Deryll." He looked up. Right above him was Bianca, and she was laughing her tiny mechanical head off.
"Hahaha! You thought I disappeared!" she said. Deryll looked embarrased because he had fallen for such an obvious trick.
Clove got Bianca to calm down, but she was still laughing. Deryll stood up, and looked at Clove. Bianca poked Clove in the leg. She understood what Bianca was trying to say.
"Um," she started to say.
"Clove, I have to tell you something," said Deryll. Clove's eyes lit up.
"You need to go," he said. "It's almost six."
"Oh," Clove said. Her spirits drooped. "Will you walk with me to the train?"
"Yes," said Deryll. They started walking toward the door.
Bianca jumped onto Clove's back and said, "Don't forget the necklace!" Clove remembered, and ran back up the stairs to get it.
She came back down a minute later and put the necklace on. Bianca jumped up onto the necklace and curled into a ball where the pendant was. They walked out the door and towards the train station.
They arrived at the train station, and Clove said goodbye to Deryll and started walking towards the train.
"Clove," Deryll said. She turned around.
"What?"
"Come here, I need to tell you something."
Clove walked back towards Deryll and they stood facing each other.
"I, um.." Deryll started to say.
Color flooded both their cheeks, though neither Seemed to notice.
"I... I, um.. Dang it I can't put it into words."
Deryll looked at the ground.
Clove stood, waiting for what Deryll was going to say. Her cheeks were hot, and she knew he was blushing also.
"I, I, ...,"
Deryll couldn't say what he wanted to.
"I can't say it. Here's the best way to explain it," he said.
Deryll leaned forward, and kissed Clove.
For Clove, everything slowed at that moment. She couldn't believe it. Deryll liked her back! He had kissed her, and to Clove, that was proof he liked her. The kiss only lasted for a moment, but it seemed like more than Clove could ever imagine. When the kiss was over, Deryll stood back. Both of them were blushing, and it was noticeable.
"I..," said Clove.
Deryll looked at the ground.
"Sorry."
"No, it's.. I like you too." Deryll looked up.
"Really?"
As an answer, Clove kissed him. She then stepped back and both smiled at each other.
They gave each other a hug, and Deryll said, "I love you Clove."
"I love you too, Deryll."
The train whistled. They stopped hugging and Clove turned towards the train again. Deryll walked with her as far as he was allowed, then watched her get on the train. She stepped on, and disappeared for a moment, then poked her head out a window. She waved at Deryll, and he waves back with a smile. The train was about to depart.
"Bye, Deryll!"
"Bye!" Deryll shouted back. The train started down the tracks. It was very misty out, but not too misty that one couldn't see.
As the train went down the track, Deryll shouted, "I'LL FIND A WAY!" hoping Clove knew what it meant.
And the train disappeared into the fog.