Dear Diary,
Wow! I totally forgot I had a diary! Its been a long time, hasn’t it? I probably wouldn’t have even remembered I had a diary if I hadn’t been going through my old stuff!
I don’t have a lot of time to write. My carriage leaves in about ten minutes. Button Nose keeps yelling at me to finish packing. I would have finished a while ago, but I kept thinking I forgot something. Turns out I was right.
Guess what, Diary? I’m going to cooking school! Well, it’s actually an academy. It’s called Steel Spatula’s School for Aspiring Chefs! I don’t really know what “aspiring” means, but it sure sounds impressive!
I’m nervous. Button Nose says I’ll fit in great, but will I? I don’t think I’ve ever really fit in anywhere. I was no good at flying and I rarely got any really good grades in school.
I’m sad I have to leave Claws behind. Button Nose says she’ll take good care of him, but he looked so sad when I told him I had to go! I’m going to write him every day!
I have to go for now, Diary. I’ll write again after I get there.
Hoping for the best!
Dear Diary,
The academy is HUGE! And there are so many ponies! Some of them don’t even have Cutie Marks. All the instructors look so serious. I smiled at one of them and they just scowled at me.
I share a dorm room with three other ponies. I don’t know any of their names yet. I tried to talk to them, but they ignored me. I’m starting to think this place isn’t too friendly. Now I’m even more scared about messing up!
I’ve started wearing my mane in a ponytail. I saw the style in a magazine and decided to try it out. I don’t know if it looks good or not.
An instructor gave me a tour of the school earlier. There are a bunch of classrooms and a cafeteria that’s as big as my house back in Manehattan. I can’t wait to start classes. It’s going to be tough, but I believe in myself. If only I could master that muffin recipe! Oh well. Once I’m a world-famous chef, nopony will even care that I can’t make muffins.
I wrote a letter to Mom telling her all about the academy. I’ve been sending her a letter almost every day for years. She never replies back of course. Sometimes I just like talking to her about what’s bothering me. I’ve been feeling weird lately. Button Nose says it’s just me “growing up”. But I think it’s something else. Maybe cooking school will help me figure it out.
Sorry for another short entry, but I have to go. It’s late at night and I don’t want to go to bed too late.
See you tomorrow night, Diary!
Dear Diary,
Today was hectic! I had to wake up way earlier than I ever have before. Then me and everypony else had to go down to the cafeteria and make our own breakfast.
I made a bowl of oatmeal with apple slices. That’s Peaceful Skies’s favorite breakfast. The instructor tasted it and said it was okay, but too much cinnamon. I hope I do better next time.
Then we had to wait about an hour before our first class of the day. The instructor’s name was Butterhooves. He said this month we’re going to be learning about how to make pasta dishes. We started off making pasta salad. My first attempt was really bad. Butterhooves yelled at me a lot because I cut the peppers too thin. But he gave me some great advice about how to avoid doing that in the future. I like him!
The other classes are all about the history of certain foods and Gastroenterology and all kinds of exciting stuff. Cooking is a lot more intricate than I thought it was.
I had some time after classes ended, so I decided to visit Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns. I just wanted to see what it was like over there. It’s right down the street from the cooking school, so it didn’t take me long. It’s weird over there. All the ponies look uptight. Well, most of them. I saw a stallion who kind of reminded me of myself. He was all clumsy and other ponies were laughing at him. He kept dropping his books. I don’t think he saw me.
One of my roommates actually talked to me! Her name is Bon-Bon and she’s from Ponyville. I’ve never been to Ponyville before. She says it’s a really nice place to visit, but she kind of wishes she didn’t live there. She says it’s boring.
Bedtime, Diary! I’ll write more when something happens!
Dear Diary,
More of the same with classes. I’m getting better at making pasta salad. It turns out Bon-Bon isn’t good at it either, so we both got some extra time to work on it after class. Bon-Bon says my pasta salad is really good. I think so too, but Butterhooves keeps saying there’s no “passion”. I don’t know what that means.
One of the other students who had to stay after class is named Hot Cakes. He kept insisting the reason he wasn’t any good at cooking was because he was destined to be a member of the Royal Guard. He was kind of weird, but nice once I got him to talk about something else.
I visited the gifted unicorn school again. I saw that stallion again. This time he was sitting on the lawn reading. He was wearing glasses this time. He looked smart. I wonder if I would look smarter if I wore glasses. Bon-Bon says glasses are really popular nowadays. I might get myself a pair if I have time.
I should be in bed right now, but I can’t sleep. I’m thinking of sneaking into the kitchens so I can work on my pasta salad. I really want Butterhooves to be impressed. I don’t want to fail my first ever big challenge at this school.
I wrote a letter to Mom again. I also wrote a letter to Fly High. I asked him to ask Mom if she’s proud of me. If she doesn’t want to talk to me, maybe she’ll talk to him.
Goodnight (or maybe not) Diary!
Dear Diary,
I snuck into the kitchens last night and made three pasta salads for Butterhooves to try. He didn’t like any of them, so I still had to stay after class. Which was extra bad for me, because I was sleepy! I barely even touched the breakfast I made for myself. Maybe I shouldn’t have stayed up late.
Hot Cakes talked more about how he wanted to be a Royal Guard. He said Royal Guards are the most important ponies next to the princesses. If it wasn’t for them, all of Equestria would fall into chaos. I think he’s exaggerating. If he’s not, maybe I can become a Royal Guard. Protecting the princesses is starting to look more fun than being a chef. I still love cooking, but this pasta salad thing is getting to me. What am I doing wrong?
Button Nose sent me a care package, even though I’ve only been gone less than a week. It was filled with homemade cookies. There was a Good Luck card signed by Rainflower with Claws’s pawprint on it. I miss all of them so much.
Peaceful Skies sent me a letter asking how I was. I sent one back telling him I’m fine. That was kind of a lie. I’m very stressed right now, but I don’t want anypony to worry.
I went for a walk after classes ended because I wanted to see more of Canterlot. The city is so big! There are so many shops that sell clothes. There’s also about a hundred restaurants.
That’s pretty much all that happened today, Diary. Good night!
Dear Diary,
Still no luck with the pasta salad! It’s only me and Hot Cakes now. Butterhooves says that if we don’t get it by the end of the week, we’ll have to keep going while the rest of the class goes ahead. I don’t want that. I’m sure I can get it if I just work harder. How hard can it be? I swear I’m doing everything right, but Butterhooves keeps saying it’s wrong. I only have one more day!
Hot Cakes showed me a cool replica of a Royal Guard helmet he made. It’s cool-looking. He even let me hold it. I dropped it, but it didn’t break. Hot Cakes said he carries it around with him because he’s afraid somepony might take it.
Everypony at this school seems way more serious about cooking than I am. All of them are constantly in the kitchens or reading cookbooks or studying recipes. I don’t think any of them even go outside! Should I be more like that? Maybe I’m not cut out for this school. But if I’m not a chef, what else can I be?
I feel like that stallion I keep seeing at the unicorns school might be able to answer that. He looks as lost as I do, but also really smart. I don’t think I’ve ever met a pony like that. If only I could talk to him. But I’ve never seen him outside of the school and I don’t want to disturb him.
Fly High sent me a reply faster than normal. He said my mom was extremely proud of me for getting into cooking school. I’m so happy! I wasn’t sure how she would react. It’s kinda weird that she didn’t send me a letter. I guess she doesn’t like letters. But who cares about that? If Mom’s proud of me, I have to do good!
I’m going to ask Butterhooves how I can get better. I’ve been putting it off, but I have to do it sometime! I’m heading over to his office as soon as I finish writing this. Hopefully his advice will help me improve.
I’m going to get help (I hope), Diary!
Dear Diary,
It’s really late at night. I should be asleep, but I need to write this down. Butterhooves said some things to me and I’m not sure how to take them.
He asked me why I came to this school in the first place. I said it was because I wanted to be a chef. He asked me why and I said it was because cooking was something I was good at. Then he asked me how passionate I was. I didn’t know how to answer that. I’d never thought about it before. But before I could say anything, he asked me a whole bunch of other questions about how determined I was.
Am I really cut out to be a chef? I thought I was, but everypony else just seems so dedicated compared to me. While I’m taking walks and reading Hairy Trotter, they’re studying like their lives depend on it. My other two roommates even snap at me for breathing too loud when they’re trying to read their textbooks. I’m doing good in almost all of my classes, but I’m doing so badly with the actual cooking part. Am I missing something?
Butterhooves said that if I don’t show at least a little improvement tomorrow, he’ll consider having me sent home. He doesn’t think I’m cut out to be a chef. But I am! I think. I don’t know anymore. I came here because I thought this was what I wanted to do. But if this is really my destiny, why am I so bad at it?
I’m so lost. I want to write everypony I know about this, but their replies probably won’t arrive in time. I’m on my own. Is this where it all ends? Am I going to get sent home? Who do I turn to for help now?
I don’t know what Butterhooves wants from me anymore. I guess I’m not going to be a chef. That makes me sad, but I’m sure my new destiny will be even better.
Hopefully tomorrow will be better, Diary.
Dear Diary,
I’m not sure what happened today. I suppose I should be happy, but I’m just baffled.
I woke up earlier than anypony else and just laid in bed for the longest time. I thought about Button Nose and Peaceful Skies and everypony else I cared about. I thought about how disappointed they were going to be.
And then I remembered something from when I was really young. I don’t know how young I was. I just remember I was sitting on a stool to reach the counter. Mom was chopping vegetables and singing a song I don’t remember the lyrics to. Sometimes she would pause and pat me on the head. Mom was always a good cook when she wanted to be.
When I finally got out of bed, I was a little happier, but I didn’t have an appetite. So I just set in the cafeteria reading a book about Gastroenterology while everypony else ate.
This time, Butterhooves asked me and Hot Cakes to stay behind after class. We each had to prepare the pasta salad while he supervised. I was so nervous! I was afraid I was going to mess up and he would yell at me. But he just watched me. Even when I dropped an olive, he didn’t say anything.
Butterhooves tasted Hot Cakes’s first. He said it was “acceptable”, which was enough for Hot Cakes to pass. I’m happy for him. He looked even more nervous than me. Later, he told me he was disappointed that Butterhooves didn’t say his dish was awful. Then he could have gone home.
I told Butterhooves that I worked extremely hard on it, but I didn’t expect it to matter. I just made it the same way I always did.
But for some reason, Butterhooves liked it! He said it was great and that I finally understood what being a chef was all about. I don’t know what he means. I didn’t do anything differently! I’m starting to think Butterhooves is kind of strange. But the important thing is that I passed! And so did Hot Cakes! Bon-Bon is happy for the two of us.
Bon-Bon planned a little party for me and Hot Cakes. We snuck into the kitchens after everypony was asleep and made a cake. It didn’t come out too well because we did it in a hurry, but we ate it anyway so it wouldn’t go to waste. It was so fun! I’ve never made a cake with friends before.
All in all, today was strange. But I think I’m going to take my studying more seriously. I don’t want anypony to think I’m not actually trying my best. And now I feel like I have a chance!
Wish me all the luck in Equestria, Diary!
Dear Diary,
This week we’re learning about different types of pasta. I’ve been studying extra hard so I can answer all the questions Butterhooves asks. So far I’ve gotten five out of twenty answers right.
Bon-Bon took me to a cafe today. She said the best way to learn about food is to eat it. I haven’t eaten outside of school since I got here, so I decided it would be fun. But guess who I saw? It was that stallion from the unicorns school again! Except I realized he isn’t a unicorn. He’s a regular old Earth pony.
I couldn’t help watching him while I ate. He kept dropping his biscuit into his tea.
I bumped into him on my way out. He turned all red and tried to apologize. I kept saying it was my fault, so we just ended up trotting all over each others’ words. That made us both start laughing. He told me his name is Time Turner. Everyone calls him “Doc” because he’s so smart.
I let Bon-Bon leave without me. Me and Time Turner found a table and started talking again. He said he got into the school with a scholarship. Apparently he’s exceedingly smart when it comes to magic and science, even though he’s an Earth pony. I like him. He’s nothing like most of the other ponies I’ve met in my life.
I think me and Time Turner are going to be good friends. He spent most of the conversation explaining things to me that I didn’t get. I might be in cooking school, but I still get stumped sometimes when I’m reading about gastronomy. Time Turner gave me the definition of a lot of words I was struggling with. He’s better than a dictionary!
Night night, Diary!
Dear Diary,
Nothing much happened in class today. Same old stuff. I think I’m getting better at a lot of things when it comes to my cooking. Is that Time Turner’s influence?
Speaking of Time Turner, I saw him again today. I walked past the unicorn school and he rushed up to greet me. We talked for about ten minutes, then he had to get back to class. He promised to help me memorize pasta names. For some reason I just can’t remember them all.
Hot Cakes dragged me and Bon-Bon to an exhibit at the local museum about the history of the Royal Guards. Sounds boring, right? It kind of was, but there were some cool things. Bon-Bon took a picture of me next to a suit of armor two times the size of a normal pony. I guess ponies used to be bulkier in the past. I should probably know more about this stuff because I’m a pegasus. That makes me a natural-born warrior! Well, not an actual warrior. I’ve never fought anypony.
I’ve started thinking about what I’m going to do after school. I’m going to open up my own bakery! But where? Ponyville? Manehattan? Canterlot? No, I don’t think I’ll open one here. Canterlot already has way too many places to eat.
I feel a little jealous whenever I see all the ponies dressed in fancy clothes. I don’t think I’ve ever worn anything fancy in my life. Pegasi don’t really care about fashion, unless they happen to be a Wonderbolt. Bon-Bon has worn a lot of fancy stuff. I hope I can too.
Goodnight, Diary.
Dear Diary,
I’m saving up the money Button Nose is sending me. It’s not much, but eventually I might be able to buy something special! You see, today I saw the most beautiful dress I’ve ever seen in my whole life. It was bright blue with ruffled sleeves and a trim of the most beautiful gemstones I’ve ever seen. Bon-Bon laughed and said it was ugly, but I thought it was gorgeous. But it costs so many bits!
It’s Mom’s birthday soon. Every year I send her a hoof-made card and a box of her favorite chocolates or a cake. She never replies of course, but I know she loves everything I send her. This year I want to send her something different. Maybe a pasta dish? Yeah, she’ll love that! Then she’ll get to see just how amazing I’ve gotten at cooking.
It’s weird. I haven’t seen Mom in years and I’ve barely heard from her. In fact, most of the stuff I know about her comes from Fly High. It almost feels like she doesn’t exist anymore. But that’s rude of me, isn’t it? Of course Mom exists. Even if she doesn’t contact or visit me, she’s real. I know she reads my letters and eats any food I send to her. She just doesn’t know what to say, so she doesn’t write back or visit. Mom’s not complicated like Peaceful Skies said to me once. I understand her perfectly.
You know what’s also weird? Every time I brought up visiting Mom, Button Nose said no. The same goes for Peaceful Skies. Everypony seemed to be trying to keep me away from her. Maybe that’s why she doesn’t write. Maybe everypony keeps telling her not to. But why? Why won’t they let Mom write?
No, I’m just being silly! Mom’s too busy to write to me. That’s all there is to it. I shouldn’t get all worked up over nothing. Mom would be mad if she knew I was so upset over something so dumb.
Goodnight and sweet dreams, Diary.
Dear Diary,
Time Turner and me have started eating together every day. We meet at the same cafe during our free time, sometimes for dinner and sometimes for lunch. I kept telling Time Turner I would pay, but once I let it slip that I was saving for a dress he wouldn’t allow it.
Time Turner has been a huge help to me. Thanks to him, I’ve memorized all the different types of pasta and can recite them anytime I want. He has all these amazing study tricks I’d have never thought of. I’m so glad I met him. He feels more like a professor than a friend sometimes. But we still laugh and joke about things like normal friends.
It’s strange how I seem to have two different types of friends. I listen to Time Turner talk for hours about all kinds of things I barely understand. I’ve never been any good with science, but he’s fine with me just listening. But me, Bon-Bon, and Hot Cakes have completely different conversations. We usually don’t talk about cooking. We talk about our lives and our dreams and things like that. Hot Cakes loves to show off how great he is at combat. He’s actually pretty terrible, but I’m not going to say that to his face. Bon-Bon always manages to win when he challenges her to a fight because he’s so clumsy. Where did Bon-Bon learn to fight?
We’ve finished learning about the names of different pasta. Butterhooves wants us all to choose a random pasta dish we’ve never prepared before and memorize the instructions. Then we’re supposed to prepare the dish at the end of the week without looking at the recipe! I don’t know if I can do it. I’m still not good at memorizing stuff. Even with Doc’s help, I might fail. But Butterhooves says it’ll teach us an important lesson about being chefs.
Wish me luck (again), Diary!
Dear Diary,
I know where I’m going to wear my dress if I manage to buy it! I can’t believe I forgot about the Grand Galloping Gala! Bon-Bon has an extra ticket. Hopefully I’ll be able to save up and buy the dress in time. The gala is about two months away and I haven’t saved up half as many bits as I need.
Mom’s birthday came and went. I sent her a big bowl of that pasta dish I learned to cook. Luckily Bon-Bon advised me to wrap it up before I put it in the box. Hopefully it makes it there in one piece. Its been a day and no letter or anything from Mom. I hope she’s having a good birthday.
I want to write more about Button Nose and Peaceful Skies, but neither of them have sent me anything interesting. I feel like I’m moving further and further away from them. Is this what it’s like to get older? Kinda scary.
I’m close to memorizing the recipe I need, but it’s so hard. I’m pretty sure I won’t fail, but I feel like I’m definitely going to make a mistake. I wish I didn’t pick something so complicated! But I promised Butterhooves I would do it, so there’s no turning back. The dish I’m making is called puttanesca. Bon-Bon keeps saying it’s not that hard, but that’s easy for her to say!
I’m thinking more and more about my life after school these days. I know I said I wanted to open my own bakery, but maybe that’s not in the cards for me. I don’t know. I like cooking school and all, but I’m so uncertain right now. Do I even want to be a chef or a baker? Maybe that’s not my destiny. I wish my Cutie Mark was a little clearer. Everypony else seems to know what they want to be based solely on their Cutie Mark. Why am I struggling?
I hope whatever comes next is good, Diary.
Dear Diary,
I passed the test, but just barely! I was so nervous I thought I was going to faint. Butterhooves called me last, so everypony else was staring at me. I tripped at least five times and kept dropping everything. It was so embarrassing! The worst part is that I accidentally cooked the pasta for one minute longer than I should have. I think Butterhooves noticed, but the dish itself was fine. He said he was impressed with my memorization skills. If only he knew how bad I still am at memorizing stuff!
Time Turner bought me a coffee and a doughnut to celebrate. I don’t really like coffee. I only drank it make Time Turner happy. The doughnut was good, though. Time Turner let me talk instead of hogging the conversation like he usually does. I don’t mind him talking non-stop, but it was nice to have him just listen for once.
Bon-Bon and Hot Cakes passed as well. Bon-Bon did everything perfectly. I asked her how she managed to do it so easily. She said she has a “photographic memory”. Useful!
I’m too exhausted to write anymore. Today was more stressful than I could handle. Cooking school is intense!
I’m tired but happy, Diary!
Dear Diary,
I know its been nearly a month since I wrote last, but that’s because things have been intense. Every time I think the workload is going to slow down, it speeds up. I haven’t had a full night’s sleep in a while. I think I’m even clumsier than usual. Butterhooves keeps piling on the assignments. The actual cooking stuff isn’t to bad. Once I get in the recipe zone I feel much more confident. It’s the studying and memorization stuff that’s getting to me. Right now we’re learning about different types of cheese and all the different ways to utilize cheese in cooking. It’s fascinating, but stressful at the same time.
I’ve barely been able to see Time Turner. His workload’s just as big as mine. He’s writing a bunch of essays about complicated subjects I can’t even begin to understand. Plus he has a bunch of side projects. He’s working on some weird machine. He won’t let me see it, but he says it will change the world we live in forever.
I’m exhausted again, but I have a good feeling.
Dear Diary,
I got something in the mail I didn’t expect. It was a letter from Mom! Well, it was more of a note. I almost forgot what Mom’s hoofwriting looked like. Anyway, the letter said she loved the birthday gift I sent her. She said I was the world’s best daughter. Wow! I can’t remember the last time Mom complimented me so much. She even apologized for not writing more often. I’m so happy!
There’s one bad part though. At the end of the letter, Mom asked for a favor. Normally I’d be happy to do anything she asks me, but this one’s a little tough. She said she needs a hundred bits to pay off her bar tab. She said to send it as soon as possible. I definitely don’t want Mom to be unhappy, but what about my dress? I almost have enough saved up. I guess I could send Mom the bits and buy something cheaper though. It’s such a hard decision! It doesn’t help that the gala is getting close.
I asked Bon-Bon, Hot Cakes, and Time Turner for help. Time Turner said I should definitely buy the dress. He also told me I shouldn’t even consider sending Mom the bits. I don’t think he understands Mom like I do. She wouldn’t ask me to send bits if it wasn’t important, right? Time Turner just doesn’t get it. Bon-Bon and Hot Cakes are the same way.
Since my friends didn’t seem to understand, I decided to ask Butterhooves. I thought he’d tell me the same thing. Instead he said he understood what I was going through. Butterhooves said it’s up to me, but I have to think really hard about what I want. The problem is that I’ve been doing that for a while. Not just about Mom, but about my whole life. Do I really want to be a chef? Do I really want to go to the gala with Bon-Bon? Do I really want to send Mom the bits?
I still have a good feeling, but it’s not as strong anymore.
Dear Diary,
I sent Mom the bits. It was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made, but I did it. I kind of regret it though. Mostly every time I hear somepony talking about the gala. Bon-Bon said she’ll give the extra ticket to Hot Cakes since I decided not to go. I know I can afford a cheaper dress, but I don’t think I want one. Why did I want to go to the gala anyway? It’s not like I’ll know anypony there.
I went to Butterhooves about the whole “Do I want to be a chef?” thing. He said it’s ultimately up to me, but he totally understands if I don’t want to be a chef. Apparently a lot of ponies come here thinking they want to be a chef, but then they end up changing their minds. So I’m not alone at all! I still don’t really know what I want to do, but at least I know I’m not alone.
I’m kind of sad I’m not going to the gala, but I feel much better than I did before.
Dear Diary,
I went to a pawn shop today. We had a day off to study for an exam that’s coming soon after the gala. I know that’s irresponsible, but I think I’ll be fine anyway. I’m going to get right back to studying right after I finish this entry. Hot Cakes says I have my muzzle in a book so much these days that I could probably take my exam right now and get a perfect score. I’m also spending a lot of time in the kitchens perfecting my cooking.
Bon-Bon dragged me to the pawn shop because she wanted to find some vintage jewelry to go with her dress for the gala. Did I mention that’s only a week away? Bon-Bon won’t stop talking about it. In fact, nopony will stop talking about it, even if they didn’t get tickets. I’m happy everypony seems so optimistic thanks to the gala.
I found an old tape recorder at the pawn shop. I was surprised it still works because it looked like it hadn’t been used in years. There was already a blank tape in it and everything. I wasn’t going to buy it, but Bon-Bon said it might be good for memorizing recipes. So I spent the last of my bits on it.
The tape recorder has really helped so far in all kinds of ways. I spent most of the day reading recipes aloud with it on and then playing them back. Listening to my own voice repeating them makes it easier for me to memorize them. Plus sometimes I get random ideas for alterations and recipes of my own, so I just blurt them out while recording. So far I’ve come up with two brand new recipes all on my own.
I’ve been in cooking school for a while, but I still miss Peaceful Skies and Button Nose. Every night I think about how Peaceful Skies used to read me a bedtime story. I know I’m too old for that stuff, but it’s a nice memory. I kind of miss his voice. I hope Avalon is doing well. Peaceful Skies always says she is in his letters, but I’d like to hear it from her.
There’s going to be a week-long break after the exams. A lot of students are going to go home over the break. Bon-Bon asked if I’d like to stay in Ponyville with her over the break. I said yes immediately. I wonder what Ponyville is like. It’s probably a lot less busy than Manehattan or Canterlot. I’m glad. I’m kind of getting tired of busy places. It’ll be nice to be somewhere where nothing really happens.
I’d better get back to studying.
Dear Diary,
My friends did something amazing for me and I’m not sure what to think. On the one hoof, I should be thankful. This was a big gesture I never would have expected from them. But on the other hoof, it was a lot of bits.
Remember I said I didn’t have enough bits to get a dress for the gala? Well, my friends decided to pool their bits and buy me one! It was mostly Bon-Bon, but Hot Cakes pitched in as well. The dress isn’t exactly like the one I saw before. It’s a much lighter shade of blue and it has a longer trail and a lot more gemstones. But I think it’s even prettier than the one I was going to buy.
I’m flattered that they would do this for me, but I also feel kinda bad. It was my decision to give all of my bits to Mom instead of buying a dress. They had nothing to do with it, so why should they feel the need to throw away their own bits? Luckily, Bon-Bon already bought her own dress and Hot Cakes bought his suit, so that makes it a little better. I’m so torn! I said “thank you” when they gave it to me though. I don’t want them to feel like I’m ungrateful. It’d be even worse if I decided not to go to the gala, which is what I planned.
Truthfully, I kind of wanted to spend the night of the gala hanging out with Time Turner at the local doughnut place. We had it all planned out. Since Time Turner doesn’t want to go the gala, it sounded perfect. How am I going to break the news to him? I’m sure he’ll understand, but I don’t want to leave him all alone.
I’m so conflicted. Maybe things will become clearer on the night of the gala. Then I’ll be sure if I want to go or not, right?
I hope so.
Dear Diary,
Well, the night didn’t go the way I expected at all. It went a hundred times better!
I decided to go to the gala. I decided that since my friends went to the trouble of buying me a dress, the least I could do was wear it to the gala. I was sad about leaving Time Turner alone, but I knew we could hang out any night. The gala’s only once a year.
Bon-Bon got the three of us a carriage and everything. I felt so fancy. I don’t think I’ve ever been in a real pony-drawn carriage before. It was like something out of a fairytale. Hot Cakes said he doesn’t like the gala too much, but I could tell he was as excited as I was. He’s never been either.
There were so many ponies! Most of them looked much fancier than me and my friends. I smiled at a lot of them and some of them smiled back. I kept thinking I saw ponies I recognized. Maybe I did. I never wrote Fly High and asked if he was going to the gala. I never wrote Mom about it either, now that I think about it. Maybe she was at the gala and saw me in my pretty dress, but didn’t have time to talk to me. She hasn’t sent me anything since she asked for the bits.
I was so nervous. I stuck close to Bon-Bon because she’s more used to these things. But I think she was as nervous as me, if not more! Every time somepony spoke to her, she started talking faster than normal. I had to calm her down more than once.
Hot Cakes kept pestering any Royal Guards he could find. He wandered off over and over again, but he always found his way back to me and Bon-Bon. I think he enjoyed hanging out with me and Bon-Bon more than talking to the guards.
I saw Princess Celestia once or twice. She was always greeting or talking to somepony. I was afraid to get close. I mean, what am I supposed to say to a princess? I asked Bon-Bon that very question. She just stammered and stuttered like the very thought was enough to freak her out. I had to get her a glass of punch and pat her head to get her to calm down.
It was starting to get late when I realized something horrible. I hadn’t told Time Turner I wouldn’t be coming to the doughnut place! I meant to, but we hadn’t seen each other for a while so I didn’t have the chance. I decided to leave without a second thought. I ended up knocking a few ponies over as I galloped to the exit. I had to stop short and apologize. Everypony in the room was staring at me. So embarrassing!
But Bon-Bon came to my rescue. She’s such a good friend! Everypony was looking at me, then suddenly they turned their attention to her. I think she accidentally knocked out somepony. She said they came up behind her and tapped her side, so she instinctively retaliated because she was surprised. She got swarmed by Royal Guards and I think Princess Celestia might have intervened. I don’t really know. I thanked her later, even though she said it wasn’t on purpose.
I got to the doughnut shop late, but Time Turner was still there. He had a whole plate of doughnuts and a book. He was on his third cup of hot chocolate. He’d ordered a cup for me as well, with extra sprinkles and two big marshmallows just how I like it! It was cold by the time I got there, but I drank it anyway. Fortunately, Time Turner accepted my apology and my explanation. He said I’m not the type to lie.
You know what? I don’t really care about the gala. Bon-Bon and Hot Cakes might like it, but it’s not my thing. I had more fun talking to Time Turner than I did with all those fancy ponies. We talked for hours. It was way past midnight when we finally left. The doughnut place was supposed to close before then, but the stallion behind the counter kept it open. He even gave me and Time Turner a free doughnut and cup of hot chocolate each.
I still have no idea if I’m on the right path with this chef thing. Whenever me and Time Turner talk, I feel like it was the right choice. I mean, if he knows what he’s doing, shouldn’t I know too? But then I think about everypony I left in Cloudsdale and suddenly I feel like I should just go back there and become a Wonderbolt. Everypony in Canterlot seems to know exactly what they want and where they’re going.
Maybe I’ll find the answer in Ponyville.