Race
While Blackcherry Lee Punch did not like to brag, she would -- if asked -- concede that she was a rather athletic mare. She was a proficient martial artist, a relatively fast runner -- she had placed seventh in last year's Running of the Leaves -- and strong enough to assist her friends when they needed her help with, say, moving a large rock out of a new farm field. Certainly several of the Elements' enemies had learned, to their misfortune, that Cheerilee was a force to be reckoned with; even the goons of the Manehattan mafia had found that out when they had tried to abduct Dinky. Yes, Cheerilee was a strong and powerful mare.
And yet she could not break away from Notary.
Cheerilee risked a glance back, and saw her angry ex-roommate -- and, apparently, current wife -- in hot pursuit. This isn’t fair! she complained to herself. Marriages shouldn’t count if you’re drunk! That’s it, I’m asking Trixie to have Luna make that a law. We can call it the 'What Happens in Neigh Orleans at Summer Sun Stays There' law.
But it was what it was, and Cheerilee had to find a place to hide from her vengeful spouse. The teacher looked around, and saw that she was coming back up on the shop-heavy portion of town. She wove around bystanders as she scooted along, silently thankful for her various youthful hijinks that had given her such accurate high-speed reflexes, and looked for a place to hole up for a short while. There was the Quill and Sofa Emporium (but the shop floor was too open), Sugar Cube Corner (but Red Onion was having a birthday party there), Bonbon's Confectionarium...
Yes! I can hide in Bonbon's!
Cheerilee banked around a corner so Notary wouldn’t be able to see her for a moment, then skidded to a stop. Ignoring the stares from a few passing ponies, she tucked the scooter under her arm and hurried into the store. “Hi!” she hissed as she entered.
Bonbon looked up from her counter, where she was busily preparing a large ice cream sundae for Boxxy Brown. “Good afternoon, Cheerilee!” called Bonbon.
“Sssh!” Cheerilee had ducked behind a tall row of shelves. “I’m hiding.”
“Hiding?” From who?”
“Nevermind. Can I hide here for a few minutes?”
“Uh, okay..."
"Great!"
Cheerilee ducked behind a display stand just as the door opened again. The magenta earth pony knelt down, making sure that her mane and tail were safely covered behind the rows of gumdrop bins. "Um, hello!" called Bonbon. "Can I help you?"
"I am just looking," said Notary.
Cheerilee crept around the display as Notary's hooves passed it on the other side. If she gets distracted or something, I can slip out...
"Would you like to try a free sample?" asked Bonbon, inducing a smile in Cheerilee. "If you come to counter, I can fix you a big chocolate sundae!"
Notary stopped pacing. "A sundae?"
"Yes! Why don't you just step up here, and I'll make you the most delicious ice cream in all of Ponyville!"
Cheerilee peaked out and saw Notary approaching the counter, looking more confused than anything else. I suppose there's not much call for ice cream up in Moscolt... still, this is my chance! Cheerilee began to slip towards the front door.
And then Notary glanced in the glass counter and froze.
She saw my reflection!
Cheerilee jumped at the door, but Notary sprang out of her seat and cut her off. Cheerilee reversed herself and dashed for the storage room, her wife right at her hooves.
I've got one chance, Cheerilee thought. I hope Bonbon keeps her caramel and taffy in the same place as the last time I was in here...
***
Bonbon opened her mouth to protest as Cheerilee dashed into her storage room, followed by the white-coated earth pony. "Be careful!" Bonbon yelled as she trotted after them. "My stock's in there, and--"
There was a massive crash, and then Cheerilee ran out of the room almost as quickly as she had run in. "I'll pay for it later gotta go bye!" and she blasted out the door.
Confused, Bonbon entered the room -- to find that the white-coated mare had somehow been covered in taffy and caramel. She looked like she was almost stuck to the floor with all the sticky sweets. "Um. Can I... help you?"
"Get," hissed the other mare. "Me. Out of here!"
***
“So, why are we doing this?” asked Silver Spoon.
Diamond Tiara sighed to herself as she picked out another good fork from her daddy’s 'For Very Important Guests' silverware cabinet. “I already told you. If we can get Miss Cheerilee back together with her marefriend, she’ll be happy with us and won’t give us homework.” She sniffed. “Mares like us have to stay pampered, beautiful and happy. We have to go to the spa, and Sugar Cube Corner, and places like that. We don’t have time for things like ‘fractions.’ Homework is for foals like Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom who couldn’t be beautiful if they tried.”
“Well, yeah,” said Silver Spoon, helping to take down some gorgeous silver napkin rings. She smiled slightly. “What about Scootaloo? Could she be beautiful?”
Diamond Tiara’s face flushed bright red as she busied herself examining all the glasses for just the right ones. “Of -- of course not! She’s just some orange-coated speed-freak.”
“Mmm-hmm,” said Silver Spoon. “Right.”
“She is!” Diamond Tiara scowled. “Come on, Spoonie. Stop teasing me.”
“Alright,” said Silver Spoon. “I’m just kidding you anyway. I know you don’t really have a crush on that pegasus.”
“Trust me. She’s nothing more than a free carriage service to me,” said Diamond Tiara. I’m sorry Scootaloo... I’ll make it up to you later... But at least if I help you now I can see what you consider to be romantic...
Diamond Tiara noticed Silver Spoon taking down a particular goblet. “Wait! Don’t use that one.”
“But it’s really pretty.”
“This is for Cheerilee. That's too plain for a mare like her." Silver Spoon chose a different goblet, one with more jewels set in the outside. "My special talent's appraisal, remember -- I can tell this one's worth more."
"It must be better then," agreed Diamond Tiara.
They worked in silence for a few moments. Then Silver Spoon knocked her hooves together. “So! I wonder why Notary and Cheerilee broke up. Think it was another mare?”
“I don’t think Miss Cheerilee would do that,” said Diamond Tiara. “But maybe that other one, Notary.”
“Yeah, I could see her finding another pony to date. She looked shifty.” Silver Spoon grinned wickedly. “You know, if we can’t get them back together, I bet Miss Cheerilee would like it if we helped her get revenge.”
Diamond Tiara thought for a few moments. If it doesn’t work because Notary’s a bad pony who cheated on Cheerilee... then we could help Cheerilee get revenge! Oh, and I bet Scootaloo would want to help too! She likes Cheerilee! We could throw pies at Notary together!
“That sounds good!” said Diamond Tiara to Silver Spoon. “If this doesn’t work, I’ll bring it up with the others.”
Silver Spoon nodded merrily. “I wonder what their wedding was like.”
Diamond Tiara, as a foal, had only one conception of weddings. “Well, of course it was in a big room, and everypony wore white, and all the ponies of the kingdom that mattered were there...”
***
All this for a stupid eleven-bit wedding in the back room of a bingo parlor! groaned Cheerilee as she kept scooting. Except now it was hard to scoot, because her hooves were covered in taffee.
I need to get this off, she thought. What about... I know!
The spa was just a few blocks ahead. She put on a burst of speed, drawing slightly away from Notary and her party wagon, and then ducked into the spa as quickly as she possibly could.
“Hi!” she said to Aloe and Lotus as she entered, throwing several bits on the counter. “I’ll have a delux, please!” And she galloped right into the room and quickly shut the door.
A few moments later, Notary arrived and hurried in. “Where is Blackcherry?” she demanded.
“In the spa,” chirped an oblivious Lotus.
Notary began to approach the interior door, but Aloe cut her off. “I’m sorry, miss, but you must be a customer to enter the spa room.”
Notary blinked, then put a few bits on the counter. “Fine. Please get out of my--”
“Ah, wonderful! That is enough for the deluxe as well. If you’ll follow me.”
Notary nodded, mostly ignoring the spa pony's words. Now she would be able to seize Cheerilee at last! She wasn’t too familiar with spas, but she had broken through some of the finest locks in Canterlot. She was absolutely certain that nothing in this spa could possibly keep her from Cheerilee.
***
At first Notary wanted to seize her target in the mud bath, but then the spa attendant had poured something into the bath that made it feel warm and comfortable, and it felt so good that she couldn’t quite make herself get out.
And then she wanted to seize Cheerilee during the massage, but the masseuse would always do something with her hooves whenever she tried to get up, and Notary’s will to rise seemed to collapse in a little puddle, and all she could manage was to lean into the massage a little more.
She’d tried to get up during the hooficure too, but that Lotus pony had such a soft, gentle touch that she couldn’t even begin to rise from the chair.
This is absurd. I am a Moscolt pony, she thought to herself. I grew up in snow and ice. I should be able to resist some little spa treatment and... oh... oh, that feels good... Aloe had just turned on the jacuzzi, and Notary felt her cares just bubbling away.
Forty minutes later, she found herself leaving the spa. Cheerilee, ahead of her, was heading towards the door. She removed her towel, feeling slightly dazed.
“First time?” asked one of the ponies as Notary put a tip on the counter.
“Yes,” said Notary. “I have never been to a spa before.”
“Well, I hope you liked it!”
“I did,” said Notary, with complete honesty. “It was an extraordinary experience, and I hope to be back someday. Now -- it is over, correct? No other procedures?”
“Well, yes...”
“Good.” Free of their strange, enticing pleasures at last...
Cheerilee froze at the word, and the two locked eyes.
“Now -- about that marriage,” began Notary at last.
Cheerilee turned and dashed out the door. Notary bit back a curse and followed.
***
“Now, chocolate’s supposed ta be the most romantic food there is!” said Apple Bloom. “But apples are the best food there is. So what we need are chocolate apples!”
“Yay!” said Twist.
The two were gathered around a stove as Twist carefully melted chocolate and poured some other goodies -- cream, peanut butter, a little milk -- into the mix. It was soon bubbling softly and smelled absolutely delicious. Apple Bloom had to fight the urge to jump in and start drinking it.
“Now,” said Twist. “What kind of apples should we use?”
“The sweetest ones we have!” Apple Bloom went over to her bag and began to pull some apples out. “This one and this one and this one....”
The apples selected, it was the work of only a few moments to coat them with the succulent chocolate mixture. Before long, the foals were done, and were staring happily at a delicious plate of chocolate-covered apples.
“Those look real good,” said Apple Bloom.
“Uh-huh,” added Twist.
“...Ya know, Ah reckon we should taste one ta make sure. That’s what all the chefs do, Ah heard.”
Twist nodded eagerly.
The two carefully selected one of the chocolate covered apples, sliced it in half, and each bit on their slice.
Their eyes widened.
“That’s horrible!” said Apple Bloom, spitting hers out. “It’s all sour and pickley!”
“Yuck!” Twist ran to the ice box for some apple juice. “Your apples ruined my chocolate!”
“Hey, no way! Yar chocolate ruined ma apples! Ma apples are good!”
Twist went back to the apples. “Where did you get these, anyway?”
“Where did I get them?” Apple Bloom thought back. “Ah always keep a few apples in ma bag. In case of emergency. An’ Ah...”
She looked at the bag she was holding, which wasn’t hers. Notary had dropped one of her saddlebags upon leaving the school, and Apple Bloom had taken it so nothing would happen to it. The apples were from that bag.
“Oh! We must have used Miss Notary’s pickled apples by mistake!” Apple Bloom stuck out her tongue. “Ah guess those don’t go well with chocolate.”
“Yuck. Those don’t go well with anything.” Twist shook her head. “Although...”
“What?”
“We need to make food that they like, right?” said Twist. “So it’s romantic?”
“Yeah...”
“Well, if Notary likes real sour stuff, maybe we should make everything sour?”
Apple Bloom hesitated, but she couldn’t escape that logic. “Ah guess it wouldn’t hurt ta splash a little vinegar on all the vittles... what could go wrong with that?”
Twist nodded. “Sounds like a good idea!”
“An’ she said something else, that she liked... tarragon, or somethin’.” Apple Bloom frowned. “Ah know about pentagons and hexagons, but what’s a tarragon?”
“I think it’s a food. Tarragon, tarragon... oh! Maybe she said grey poupon and you just heard tarragon? Her accent’s thick.”
Apple Bloom brightened. “That must be it. We’ve got some. Ah’ll get it.”
Twist grinned as Apple Bloom began to pour mustard and vinegar over the chocolate apples. “This is going to be the best romantic dinner ever! We’re putting so much thought into this! And Miss Cheerilee always say that if we just think things through, we’ll get the right answer!”
“We should tell her that we could only make this meal thanks ta her teachin’!” said Apple Bloom. “She’ll be so proud!”
The two foals bumped hooves, laughed, and continued to cook.
***
There!
Cheerilee scooted through the market, once again blasting past startled shoppers and salesponies. She saw, through a thick cluster of ponies, a table that was elevated high off the ground and screened with a curtain. She would be able to hide from her vengeful wife there. She made sure she was screened by a cluster of ponies, then zipped under the table and --
And bumped into a good friend of hers.
“Ditzy?” whispered Cheerilee. The two were now quite crowded under the table, and Ditzy was staring at Cheerilee with blank confusion. “What are you doing here?”
“Oh, I bought some fresh oranges for my little muffin, but one of them fell out of my saddlebag and I wanted to get it.” Ditzy smiled. “As a mailmare, I can’t just drop things. It goes against our code of honor.”
“There’s a mailmare code of honor?” Cheerilee blinked, until she saw Ditzy’s smile and realized that the Bearer of Kindness was kidding her. “Very funny. Just -- stay quiet for a few minutes.”
“Why?”
“I’m hiding.”
“I can see that.” Ditzy shifted to be a little more comfortable. “From who?”
“My, uh...” Cheerilee recalled that Ditzy didn’t know she was married. Of course, that morning, she hadn’t known that either. “An old friend with a bone to pick.”
“If she’s making you that scared, she doesn’t seem like much of a friend,” commented Ditzy.
“Well, back in the day...”
***
“Afternoon, Natalia!”
Notary nodded at Cheerilee, and even cracked a smile. Cheerilee grinned. Notary had been a lot more easygoing ever since Summer Sun Celebration. She supposed that drinking your own body weight in cider, going on a midnight run through the bayou, and fighting off an alligator with strings of beads could really bring two ponies together.
“Good afternoon,” said Notary. “How was class?”
“Awesome. Professor Algorithm said I did great on the math assignment. And now it’s the weekend, and I don’t have anything due until next Friday.” Cheerilee grinned. “Party!”
“Have a good time,” said Notary.
“Oh, you should come too.”
“I would, but I need to finish this.” Notary looked back at her book. “I’m trying to get this memorized.”
“Don’t you have a perfect memory? Can’t you just look at it?”
“That doesn’t mean I would understand it.” Notary thought. “Just because you have a record of a symphony doesn’t mean you have analyzed its themes.”
Before the discussion could continue, the door banged open and an underclasspony ran in. She immediately hugged Cheerilee. “Blackcherry! I need your help! Please!”
Cheerilee immediately took the underpony to her bed with a compassionate expression. “What’s wrong, Sunshine Grace?”
“It’s... my family crest necklace! It’s gone!” said Sunshine.
Cheerilee blinked. “Your necklace? Wait, you’re... you’re from House Littlefief, aren’t you?”
“Yes... my Mom’s the sister of Baronetess Littlefief. She's in charge of one of Hyasanguia's little sub-provinces.” Sunshine sniffed. “I know it’s not a big House, but we’ve got a few nice things, and one of them was my necklace with the family crest engraved on it. I mean, legend has it Luna presented my great-grandmom with it when she ennobled our family. And it was passed down, to my grandmom, and then my aunt, and then me, but it’s gone now!”
“What happened?” asked Cheerilee.
“Professor Hard-Nose confiscated it! He said we’re not allowed to have jewelry in the lab. But I didn’t know that! He only took over the class this week! And he could have just told me to put it away or drop it in my locker, but he took it and said he won’t give it back!” She hugged Cheerilee. “I checked with the counselor, but there’s nothing he can do; teachers can confiscate ‘contraband’, which includes inappropriate lab wear. He said he’d give it back after a parent-teacher conference, but I just can’t tell my Mom I lost Luna’s gift! And if I don’t tell her I’ll never get it back! And he knows that! He just wants that necklace for himself, and I can’t do anything to get it back without admitting I’m terrible and I lost it! I don’t know what to do, Cheerilee!” And then she hugged the magenta pony and burst into tears.
Cheerilee hugged Sunshine back. “Sunshine. Sunshine, you aren’t terrible, and you don’t need to worry. I’ll take care of it.”
“...how?”
“Let me worry about that. But I’ll get you your necklace back. I promise.” Cheerilee patted Sunshine on the head. “I still owe you for helping me study for that econ exam, so don’t worry about it.”
“If you could get it back for me, I’d... I’d owe you forever.” Sunshine looked up at her with a pleading expression. “I’d do anything.”
“...don’t worry about it. Just go take a nap... get some ice cream or something.” Cheerilee helped Sunshine get up. “Take a shower and listen to some good music. Blackcherry’s got this.”
When Sunshine was gone, Notary looked up. “Exactly what is Blackcherry going to do? I don’t think Hard-Nose will return that necklace if you just ask nicely.”
“I’ll figure something out.” Cheerilee nodded. “I won’t let a friend down!”
***
Cheerilee woke up as the magic alarm buzzed under her pillow, softly vibrating it without making enough sound to wake her roommate. She didn’t want Notary to get in trouble in case something went wrong. She didn’t want to do something like this at all, in fact, but she could see no other way to help her distraught friend. So she would just leave quietly, take care of business, and be back before her roommate awoke. This in mind, she got up.
“Where are you going?”
Cheerilee looked at the desk. Notary was still sitting there, with a book open. In the dark.
“How are you reading in the dark?” asked Cheerilee.
Notary tapped her glasses. “I know a unicorn who is very good at ocular magics. Where are you going, Blackcherry?”
“Er...”
“Please tell me you are not going to burgle Hard-Nose.”
Cheerilee frowned. “I’m getting the necklace back. Whatever it takes.”
Even in the dark, she could feel Notary staring at her in disapproval. “...setting aside that you’re risking years in prison for a mare you barely know--”
“Hey! Sunshine’s a really good friend. She’s always helping anypony that needs it. And she put in all the hours to make sure that big dance still happened even after the Blueblood's canceled the college's dance hall reservation so they could take it instead for their annual 'Which Blueblood Is The Prettiest' contest.”
“...do you even have a plan?”
Cheerilee frowned. “Yes. I’m going to go to Hard-Nose’s house. I walked by there earlier; there’s a tree with a branch that passes over the exterior wall, so I’ll climb it and hop inside. I’ll find an open window, or if there isn’t one, I’ll pry one open.” She took a small crowbar out of her desk; she had picked it up earlier that day. “Then I’ll just search the house until I find it.”
Notary stared. “That... is the worst plan I’ve ever heard.”
“Well, it doesn’t affect you, right?” Cheerilee sniffed. “She’s my friend. I’m going to try to help her. If I don’t get arrested, I’ll see you in the morning.”
And so she strode towards the door.
“Wait.”
Cheerilee turned.
Notary sighed, then flicked her desk lamp on. “Okay, look. First, you aren’t even doing this at the right time. The Guard unit nearest Hard-Nose’s house is on patrol now. They’ll see you climbing a tree in seconds. You’ll be arrested without even a chase. Second, there’s an alarm spell on that tree -- Hard-Nose's cousin is in the Guards, and he gets a discount on security wards. And third, that house has seven rooms, and almost fifty drawers and cabinets. It would take an amateur hours to search.”
Now it was Cheerilee’s turn to stare.
“If you really want to just get the necklace, and nothing else, you need to find out where he’s keeping it. Here.” Notary began sketching out a diagram of Hard-Nose’s house on a big sheet of parchment. “You’ll need an accomplice. Have them quietly break in through the front gate, here, and the front door, here, and hide here,” she circled a small closet, “At a reasonable time -- try 4 AM, that’s when that Guard patrol usually takes a quick meal. The front gate is just locked with a wooden bar and an alarm spell; use a ten-ounce amethyst crystal to block the spell -- Runny Nose, down the hall, has one -- and a metal bar to lever the gate bar up. The front door, any competent thief can pick that lock in fifteen seconds. When your partner is in, wait fifteen minutes, then knock at the gate, dressed like a messenger or something. Look official and imply to the doorguards or majordomo that you’re there about some sort of missing political gift that's been returned to your office. Hard-Nose will have to check on the necklace to see if it’s disturbed -- that could indicate somepony found it and told you about it. Your accomplice can follow him. It’s probably here,” she circled another room, “Close to the bedroom, only one door, center of the house, just big enough for a few treasures -- but your accomplice should follow him to make sure. If Hard-Nose uses a key to get at it, your accomplice can see it and can pick it from his pocket when he returns to the front hall. Then just distract him with hard questions while your accomplice takes the necklace and leaves the back way.”
There was silence for a few moments.
“And you know this... how?” asked Cheerilee.
Notary paused. “Let’s just say that, when I heard Sunshine, I thought you might do something stupid, so I cased his house myself. I obtained the architectural plans from his architect’s office... the lock there was a joke.”
“And the Guard schedules? And picking locks?”
Notary frowned. “I might need that knowledge someday. I want to learn everything I can, to be useful.”
Cheerilee froze -- and then hugged her. “You should have told me you were into stuff like this! Have you broken into anywhere else?”
“Ack!” Notary struggled out of the hug. “Maybe, but I haven’t taken anything. I just needed to see if I could.”
“No, this is perfect! You can help! You do the accomplice thing, and--”
“What? No! I do not even know Sunshine. I am not risking getting arrested!”
“Oh, I thought it was a perfect plan,” teased Cheerilee. “Come on. What better test of your skills than this?”
Notary sighed. “Blackcherry, I really don’t...”
“Please?” Cheerilee paused. “Look. I don’t ask for your help often. In fact, I can usually beat you in school without trying.”
Notary frowned. “Gee. Thanks.”
“But I need help. A friend needs me, and if I go alone, I’m probably going to screw it up.” Cheerilee gently put a hoof on Notary’s shoulder. “Come on. It’ll be fun, and we’ll be doing a good deed. Besides... you’re always telling me how much you want to make a difference. Just think what a difference this will make in Sunshine’s life.”
Notary was silent for a few moments. And then, with a sigh, she rose. “Fine.”
“YAY!”
Notary winced as Cheerilee hugged her again. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to check my lockpicks.” And she withdrew a large set of them from her desk.
Cheerilee’s eyes widened. “You should have told me you were this awesome months ago, Natalia.”
“...I'll keep that in mind.”
***
“We went through a lot together,” said Cheerilee. “And... I mean, we did some good too. Helped out our other friends. She was pretty fun, once you got to know her.”
“So why’s she mad now?” asked Ditzy.
“Well... I screwed up.” Cheerilee sighed. “I made her a promise that I didn’t keep... she just found out, and I hadn’t thought about it in years. Now she’s mad.”
“Well, if you were such good friends, I’m sure she’ll forgive you!” said Ditzy. “If you just--”
The tablecloth in front of the two was pulled back, revealing Notary’s triumphant face. “Aha! Now I’ve got you, Cheerilee!”
Cheerilee squeaked and dove out the back of the table. Notary dove after her, but somehow wound up in Ditzy’s lap. “Get back here!”
“Nice talking to you Ditzy bye!” And Cheerilee grabbed the scooter and dashed away again.
***
Alula carefully looked at her row of fired pots and plates. “Let’s see... this one can be good for jellies,” she decided, choosing a pretty pot with a pinkish-red glazing and a few hearts painted on. “And these plates would be perfect!”
“Hi Alula!”
Alula turned to see Sweetie Belle trotting into her room, looking merry. She had a bundle of cloths tucked into one bulging saddlebag. “Hi, Sweetie!”
“This is going to be so great!” said Sweetie Belle, mouth turned up in a big smile. “We’re going to do a great deed! We’ll make sure Miss Cheerilee and Miss Notary love each other forever!”
Alula smiled. “What do you think of these plates?”
They were all heart shaped. Sweetie Belle examined them with a critical eye. “Hmm... I like them! But...”
“But what?”
“Wouldn’t it be better if they had little hearts inside the hearts?” Sweetie Belle gestured to the paints. “That paint dries real fast, right? I bet if we worked together, we could get the plates even heart-ier in time!”
Alula frowned. “I don’t know... if the paint doesn't dry in time, won't it get into the food?"
Sweetie Belle shrugged. "But it'll be prettier!"
Alula thought for a few more moments. “Good point,” she said at last. “Let’s do it!”
And they got to painting with gusto.
***
“So... what exactly did you do?” asked Mayor Ivory Scrolls, looking down the hallway in the middle of City Hall.
Trixie Lulamoon beamed. “So, remember how a few days ago it rained really heavily and nopony wanted to go outside?”
“Yes...”
“I've been working with Twilight -- and on my own -- and I came up with a spell that would let me connect doors to each other, so going through a door over here puts you out a door over there!” Trixie waved down the hall and beamed, her horn glowing brightly. “Try it!”
Mayor Scrolls frowned, but opened a door at random and walked through -- and came out several doors down, on the other side of the hall. “Oh!”
Trixie beamed. “See? Now, right now the spell can only reach about twenty meters. And it’s still a little fuzzy on which other door is right; at the moment, it could have put you through any of the other doors in this hallway. But I’m going to study ways to make it more accurate and power it up. Why, someday, you could walk right from your home to your office! Maybe even one could walk from here to Canterlot!” Trixie grinned. "And do you know what that means?"
"You could sleep in later when you need to be somewhere early in the morning?"
Trixie nodded eagerly.
“I like the idea, but it seems... dangerous,” said Mayor Scrolls. "I--"
The door banged open, and Cheerilee darted in. “Hi Mayor Scrolls! I’m hiding.” She ran through a door at random.
Trixie blinked. “Wait! Those doors--”
A white coated pony blasted into the hall and dove through the same door.
And then Cheerilee came out through a different door, looked puzzled, and ran through a third.
And then Notary came out through a different one, and the two began chasing each other through an increasingly labyrinthine series of doors.
“Trixie!” yelled Mayor Scrolls as the ponies chased each other all over the hall. “Do something!”
Trixie blinked. "Hey! Stop that! Abracascooby's textbook didn't say anything about this!"
The teacher and the Rushian both poked their heads out through the same door, Notary on top of Cheerilee. They glanced left and right before Cheerilee looked up, squeaked, and darted back into... whatever was behind the doors. Notary sprang at a different door to follow.
Trixie levitated a tome from her saddlebag. “I’ll find the counterspell!”
“Hurry -- they’re making me nauseous!” said Mayor Scrolls.
Trixie managed to find the counter and began to cast.
And then Cheerilee leapt out from a door, knocking into Mayor Scrolls and sending her through another one as she took off down the hall. A moment later, Notary followed her.
Trixie horn flashed, and the door spell vanished. “There!” she said. “See? A simple counter, and...”
She looked around.
“Uh, Mayor? Where did you go?”
***
“Let’s go!” said Scootaloo, standing on top of a stump. “Make sure we don’t lose track of them!”
Featherweight ran up. “Just spotted them by City Hall, Scootaloo!”
“Good work. Stay on them!” And Featherweight ran off.
Scootaloo looked around, pleased that she’d managed to corral most of the Ponyville foals into helping her out on this crucial, absolute vital mission for Cheerilee’s happiness. This, she thought, must be what Dinky felt like during that whole cider mess a short while back. She felt big and strong -- like a leader!
“Hey, uh, Scootaloo?”
Scootaloo turned. “Snips! Snails! Why aren’t you at your posts?”
Snails paused. “We... we don’t think this is going to work.”
“What?!”
“We have a much better way to get Cheerilee and Notary back together!” said Snips. “So we’re goign to go do that, okay?”
“What way?” demanded Scootaloo. “Wait -- who cares? This is a mutiny! This is insubordination! I ought to... to...”
She tried to figure out what her mother would do in this situation.
“I ought to reassign you to the griffon kingdoms!” She paused. “Er... maybe that’s a little far. I’m going to reassign you to Sweet Apple Acres! You’ll be fifteen minutes away from the candy shop! And Applejack will make you play with her pig!”
“No!” said Snips, tears springing to his eyes. “That’s horrible!”
“Hmph! We’re willing to put up with a little candy shortage to help Miss Cheerilee! And ponies tell us we’re practically pigs anyway!” said Snails. “Come on, Snips. Let’s go.”
“But... but candy!”
“Later,” instructed Snails.
As the two walked away from a still-yelling Scootaloo, Snips turned to Snails. “I don’t know. Are you sure this will work?”
“We need to get those two back together,” said Snails, in a sage tone. “Now, what’s the absolute, best way to get two things together that don’t want to be?”
Snips paused, and then grinned. "Oh! I know!"
And they said at once:
"GLUE!"
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I'm not sure what's more threatening to Cheerilee: Notary, or the foal's attempts at setting up the perfect date.
Cheerilee: "Well, the food's awfully sour, a lot of it's covered in paint, Filthy Rich is mad at us for using his fine silverware, and Snips glued us here so we can't leave." *beat* "Actually, for the foals, this is pretty low-key."
Notary: "Compared to what?!"
Cheerilee: "Well, this one time they wandered off in Canterlot castle..."
AbracaSCOOBY?!?!
Any connection between him and Ditzy DOO?
3520165: I didn't think of that, but... sure! Ditzy's very distant ancestor was a great magician of some kind. I love it!
3520166 With a name like that, thinking of meddling kids is pretty much a given.
I think the best part of this was the stop at the spa. It reminds me of those old Loony Toons Ralph Wolf and Sam Sheepdog, how they'd stop in the middle for lunch breaks.
3520196: I was thinking of those scenes when I wrote this bit too. Loony Toons were fun!
I also love the image myself of this cold, brusque Russian mare chasing after Cheerile... and being stopped because Aloe and Lotus know how to give an awesome mudbath.
Spatial distortion spells are tricky, possibly require quite a bit of energy to maintain and potentially dangerous even at the best of times. So not alot of practical application for that one.
Then again you never know. To paraphrase the Father Ted quote from here:
"What sort of situation would require the use of a faulty Door Linking spell? Only a completely ludicrous one".
I'm not sure if this is a clear demonstration that Trixie and Twilight should or should not work on magic together. I'm thinking should, but the Mayor may have a differing opinion.
Loved the spa scene, that was just fantastic.
The extended flash back seemed a little long and maybe out of place but it did give me a bit of a Harry Potter vibe.
I loved the lead up to the Scooby Doo doors, I saw where that was going and wasn't disappointed.
I like Trixie being perfectly happy to bend the space time continuum just so she can get an extra ten minutes in bed in the morning.
You know, with the foals of Ponyville on the case, who needs Discord?
When the Mayor first Stepped through the Door I said to myself he wouldn't dare, but it appears I was wrong. This chapter Was hallarious. Can't Wait to see the reactions to the Foals.
I want to see the full pony Leverage team. I really do.
Also-
Making the food sour because Notary likes the taste: Good Idea
How they go about doing it: Bad Idea
Decorating the plates to be romantic: Good Idea
Decorating so heavily paint will probably get in the food: Bad Idea
Getting fancy cups and utensils: Good Idea
Basing it solely on monetary clue instead of aesthetic principals: Potentially a Bad Idea, but if there is a high priced paired set it works.
Getting ponies back together via glue: .....Snips and Snails Idea.
This is not going to end well, but the result will probably be hilarious.
During the door scene I was listening to benny hill music
the scooby door gag, hard to pull off, very hilarious
3524211images4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20130210022941/glee/images/e/e1/THis.gif
Nice continuity. I forgot that DiamondTiara had a crush on Scootaloo. About the hoofacure, I wonder whether the RainBowDash of this universe has sensitive hooves too.
3527349
The piece is Yakety Sax. William Anderson, who does the score for MLP:FIM, humorously uses Yakety Sax in the chase sequences with many musical instruments, but lacking the Saxophone, which makes it more funny to those in the know —— ¡Yakety Sax without Saxophone!
Minor nitpick but Trixie usually refers to Twilight as 'Sparkle', not 'Twilight', it's a habit she picked up in Crisis.
And didn't Cheerilee have trouble to remember Notary? And yet now she's having extended flashback about their superawesomespecial adventures together??
Of course, the moment Trixie's sepll apeared I knew Scooby Doo doors would be involved.
Ok, I'm going to ask the obvious question: Why doesn't Cheerilee just go with Notary to town hall (preferably after Trixie rescues the Mayor from door gag limbo) and get a divorce or whatever they need to do to dissolve the marriage? This just seems like a rather ridiculous series of events for Cheerilee to get into considering you spent the first chapter reminding us how reasonable she could be.
Fun Fact: You actually can't get married if you're drunk. It has to do with consent laws. You have to consent to get married, and you legally can't give consent while intoxicated. It's also why having sex with someone who's drunk is legally rape. My point is that if this were the real world, they wouldn't have gotten married on the account of intoxication.
Fun Fact #2: You also can't get married that quickly. Even in Las Vegas, you still have to plan a wedding at least a day in advance. So no walking into a random chapel and walking out married. Or in this case, walking into an all-you-can-eat buffet and walking out married.
9703309
I remember seeing this (in a Travis Mcgee novel?)
The Captain of a ship at sea CAN perform a marriage
Said marriage is good until the ship makes port
Travis who lived on a houseboat thought that was funny enough to consider putting it on a plaque near the steering wheel.