“Mayor, what are you still doing here?” Cheerilee asked as Mayor Mare re-entered the small schoolhouse.
The Mayor’s eyes twinkled behind her glasses. “Just wanted to thank you for your service, again. Your Hearth’s Warming Foals Choir is a highlight of the season. And I wanted to make sure you had an extra hoof to straighten up.”
Cheerilee, broom and dustpan at hoof, smiled in return. “That’s very kind of you. I wouldn’t say no to an extra hoof. Although we could just leave this for tomorrow. With the winter break, I have plenty of time to come back and tidy up. I wouldn’t want to keep you out late on a holiday night.”
Mayor Mare shrugged. Gazing around, she took in the stacked-up desks and abundant decor. Even the blackboard had a chalk picture lovingly adorning its surface. “You really went all out this year. I appreciate all your effort!”
Cheerilee gazed down at the floor and let out a little laugh. “Yeah, I probably went a little too all out with the glitter, though.”
Mayor Mare looked down and laughed as well. “Well, why don’t we knock it out tonight so you can enjoy your holiday break?”
“I do appreciate the offer, but…” Cheerilee clamped her mouth shut on the word ‘but.’
Gazing at her shrewdly, Mayor Mare grinned. “But I’m the mayor? Cheerilee, I know I’ve been busy, but I’m still your friend first. Let me show you.”
Cheerilee nodded and started sweeping up the glitter. Mayor Mare rolled up her sleeves and unstacked the desks and chairs, setting them out neatly as the floor was cleared. That accomplished, she began working on the decorations, storing some and tossing others at Cheerilee’s discretion. Finally, Cheerilee picked up the chalkboard eraser and looked at the drawing once more.
“Oh, before you erase that, let me take a photo? I haven’t packed up my camera yet,” Mayor Mare.
“Oh, please do. I wouldn’t mind a copy of it when you develop the photo, too,” Cheerilee said.
Her mind flashed back to a younger mare who always seemed to be taking pictures or writing things down to remember them later. The memories warmed her, or maybe it was the proud blush she wore at having her chalk art memorialized in film.
Mayor Mare set up her camera and saved the drawing. They both admired it wordlessly for another moment before Cheerilee resumed erasing the board.
“It’s amazing what other talents are hidden in this little town. Goes to show you that cutie marks aren’t the end all be all when it comes to what makes a pony,” Mayor Mare observed. “Were you always this talented?”
Shaking her head, Cheerilee smiled. “Not always. Talent can only get you so far. I worked on my art. But I couldn’t agree more with your sentiment on marks. I try to impart that lesson on the foals, especially those who haven’t found their special talent yet.” She gestured idly with one eraser as she spoke, accidentally spilling chalk dust on the floor. At the end, they both looked down at the new mess on the floor and laughed.
“Say, that’s a lot of chalk dust. Do you want me to clap those out for you?” Mayor Mare offered.
Cheerilee laughed. “Have the mayor clap out my erasers like a naughty foal?”
“Some consider it more of a reward!” Mayor Mare rebutted. “Get out the aggression and make pretty colored clouds appear!”
Cheerilee laughed, a genuine sound with which Mayor Mare couldn’t help but to join in. “Thank you, but that’s not necessary. Besides, it looks pretty dark outside.”
“Oh my, well perhaps it is time to pack it up and head home,” Mayor Mare declared. Quickly she began taking down her camera and packing it up in its case. “My only regret is that we don’t spend more time together.”
“Well, we are both very busy ponies. But I’m sure we can find time after the holidays,” Cheerilee replied. “Some folks can just join right back up as if no time has passed, after all.”
The mayor nodded and continued packing up. There didn’t seem to be much more to say, although the silence was not awkward. Cheerilee stepped out to take stock of the weather and came back in, the schoolhouse door snapping shut behind her.
“Mayor, were we scheduled to have a blizzard tonight?” Cheerilee asked, her voice taut.
Zipping up the canvas bag, Mayor Mare glanced up with raised eyebrows. She took note of the fine coating of snow on Cheerilee’s face and mane. “No, I don’t believe so. I told Rainbow Dash and the weather team to make sure we had a good amount. I didn’t request a blizzard.”
Cheerilee brushed off the snow and went to the window. “Well, we have one.”
Joining Cheerilee at the window, Mayor Mare peered out at the snow. “Oh my! I will certainly have to have a talk with Rainbow about what ‘a good amount’ means.”
Cheerilee laughed in spite of the situation. “Well, it’s already knee-deep. I don’t think we’re going anywhere.”
“I intended to have Dr. Turner and his assistant over tomorrow morning. At this rate, we’ll have to wait until spring!” The mayor said with a sigh.
Cheerilee bumped her shoulder against the mayor’s. “It’s not all bad.”
“Oh no?” Mayor Mare replied, eyebrow raised. “Because it looks pretty bad. Wonder if I should just chance the weather?”
“Mayor, it’s cold outside!” Cheerilee protested.
“Significantly!”
“Seems like we got too caught up in the cleaning, we should have noticed earlier.” The mayor started towards the door.
Cheerilee grabbed her tail. “Where are you going?”
Mayor Mare shook her tail free. “I’m just going to take a look.”
Cheerilee stood back and watched. A moment later, the wind howled through the door, blowing the mayor and no small amount of snow in. The mayor found her hooves and Cheerilee scrabbled to the door as well. Between the two of them, they managed to get the door shut again.
Stepping away, Mayor Mare kicked the intruding snow idly. “Well, that’s definitely out of the question. What are we going to do?”
Cheerilee giggled and put a hoof on the mayor’s shoulder reassuringly. “Well, I have cider, there’s still some embers in the furnace to rekindle a nice fire, and we can always escape through the school bell tower if it gets that bad. I have snowshoes!”
Mayor Mare turned to Cheerilee and laughed softly. “You would find a way to look on the bright side. Well, let’s have that cider and gossip like fillies.”
Cheerilee rebuilt the fire in the furnace. Thankfully they hadn’t put it out, there wasn’t much left to kindle it besides the decorations in the trash. She opened her special closet where she hid her strong Apple Family Farms cider and checked the keg. It was almost full, Cheerilee very rarely drank except on holidays. Balancing it on her back, she took two glasses and returned to the classroom.
The mayor pulled some of the foals reading cushions together near the heat vent. She even managed to find a few blankets in the classroom storage closet. As Cheerilee joined her, Mayor Mare helped her set the keg down and fill the glasses. Taking a sip, Mayor Mare sighed blissfully.
“Almost like home,” she joked.
Cheerilee laughed and settled under her blanket. “I’ve been to your home, I know that’s a lie.”
The mayor shrugged as she grinned. “I’m not a liar; I’m a politician! And you can ask Filthy Rich what the difference is between the two!”
Cheerilee snorted into her cider. Wiping her snout with a blanket corner, she poked the mayor’s side. “Aren’t you supposed to be more diplomatic? He is on the school board, you know?”
“Considering I have to watch him and the board re-write my education budget to fit their own agenda, yes I do. And I don’t mind telling you that if I had my way, there would be more money in this schoolhouse than in pet projects under the guise of education!” The mayor took a strong pull from her glass.
Cheerilee watched in amazement and humor. “I always wondered what happened to the pink-haired, opinionated filly I knew.”
“Believe me, behind closed doors she still exists!” Mayor Mare said, removing her glasses and letting them hang from the chain. “Now what’s going on with the romantic young mare I knew?”
“She is still on the lookout,” Cheerilee protested. “There’s not a lot of extra time in my life for a partner just now.”
Mayor Mare glanced around. “Considering how much of yourself you put into this place, I can see what you mean.”
Cheerilee tossed her mane and shrugged. “I love my work. Even if my budget gets slashed every year.”
Mayor Mare snorted. “Take that up with the board. I make sure the education budget increases year to year. It’s up to them what they spend it on.” Taking a sip, Mayor Mare crossed her hooves and tapped one on the floor.
Cheerilee sighed. “Tell me about it! I do what I can to save money and they reward me by giving me less money. Then I ask for something relatively minor and they say that they’re working on building repairs or upgrades or curriculum research. Bunch of horsefeathers.”
Mayor Mare shook her head. “I regret even agreeing to a school board in the first place.”
“Oh, piffle. Enough ponies know we’re friends. Some even know we’re schoolmates, in spite of your, uh, ‘premature’ aging.” Cheerilee poked at Mayor Mare’s gray coiffure.
“It makes me look more dignified,” the mayor argued.
Cheerilee poked the mane again. “Between that and the glasses, it makes you look somewhere between Spoiled Rich and Granny Smith.”
Mayor Mare’s mouth dropped open. “I take offense to that!”
“So? What’re you gonna do about it?” Cheerilee taunted.
Mayor Mare seized Cheerilee’s glass and stole a sip before Cheerilee could get it back. “I think you’ve either had too much or you’ve been around the foals too much! Let the adult have the drink.”
“Screw you, as the foals say!” Cheerilee said cheerily as she downed the rest of her retrieved glass before the mayor could steal it again. “Don’t forget who you’re messing with, Fair Mare!”
Mayor Mare snorted into her glass. “Haven’t had anypony call me that in a while.”
“Madam Mayor Mare, mmm? That’s all you hear?” Cheerilee asked as she leaned over to refill her glass.
The fair Mayor Fair Mare took a disapproving glare, but couldn’t hold it there. She dissolved into laughter. “Oh, it’s good to hang out with you again. We should make this more of a habit!”
“Agreed! But we haven’t gotten to the gossip! So, what is the deal? Are you seeing anypony?” Cheerilee asked.
“I’m married to Ponyville,” Mayor Mare replied before refilling her own glass. She held herself in a very dignified pose until her eyes met with Cheerilee’s. They both dissolved into a fit of giggles.
“How very Elizabethooven of you,” Cheerilee observed.
Still smiling, Mayor Mare sighed. “Truth be told, there aren’t many ponies here, stallion or mare, who interest me. Then again, I’ve never really been interested in another pony that way.”
“Really? What about Smartie Pants?” Cheerilee asked cheekily.
The mayor groaned and buried her head in her hooves. “Hey, no fair! I didn’t bring up Big Apple Macintosh!”
“Oof, fair point. Question retracted!” Cheerilee said.
The touchy subject of romance and infatuation spells and potions behind them, they finished their second drinks in companionable silence. As Mayor Mare stood up shakily, Cheerilee looked up from where her head was in her hooves.
“Where you going?” Cheerilee asked
“I’m going to set the fire for the night. Be back in a moment.” The Mayor took a moment to make sure her hooves would carry her before heading to the furnace and setting it for the night.
When she came back, the makeshift beds were together and both blankets were piled on each other. Shaking her head, Mayor Mare slid beneath the covers with Miss Cheerilee.
“This might be the cider talking, but...” Cheerilee said sleepily.
Mayor Mare snorted. “It’s the cider talking. But thanks for the compliment.”
Before she fell asleep, Mayor Mare snuggled beside Cheerilee anyway, telling herself it was just to make sure they stayed warm.