"Alright. Now that we've gotten all of the bad stuff out of the way, I think it's time that we get everyone together, Wallflower," said Smolder to a Wallflower who had frankly lost any form of resistance by this point. Her dog had started talking, knew no filter when it came to when it was right to speak and not to speak, and had no regards for whatever outcomes would befall her or the other people around her. Not that Smolder knew that. "I mean, we're just a talking dog and a teenage girl. We could do it ourselves, yeah, but it'd take far too much time."
"Smolder. Don't you ever think that you don't know when to stop?" Wallflower groaned, slapping her head with the tips of her fingers. "I mean, thanks to you, I've not only been sent off to Celestia's office but now I've gotta make some big project that may or may not be used by everyone in CHS..." She moaned, knowing full well how large of an undertaking it was as well as the backlog that she was going to have to fill in terms of her lessons.
"Well, sorry if I don't know how to stop, alright? I'm an ordinary dog who just got the ability to speak. Ya think I'm not gonna use that?" Smolder cocked a brow. "Look at Spike. That guy talks and talks and talks to no end and his owner seems to like it. I'm not just gonna say bark or yip or whatever other noises we dogs make because, to be honest, that isn't proper talking."
"Well, Spike has an owner that's dabbled in magic all the time. The only time I was ever involved was when I plucked some rune and used it to take everyone's memories. And even then, that made me look like the bad guy..." Wallflower thought back once again to the Memory Stone. It was an unhealthy obsession for sure, but even then, she needed to remember how bad she was before so that she wouldn't stumble down that dark path again. "Smolder, I know that you mean well. But I'm still trying to get used to the idea that you're talking. All of this added stress isn't doing me any favours either."
"And I keep telling you that you need to be more dog. I'm not saying that you have to get down on all fours, chase your tail, and eat little pellets in a bowl or something. You just need to forget about consequence and focus on the here and now." Smolder put a paw on Wallflower's cheek. "I mean, I've told you repeatedly about this. I'm half-expecting you to actually snap at me right now as a matter of fact. But it is the truth. You keep putting yourself down and choosing not to take the risk. When in truth, the risk is one of the most fun things about life. The less you know about the outcome, then the greater the feeling you get."
"But when the outcome turns out to be a bad thing, then what? What do you do when it turns out that the ending is terrible? Or that we did all of that for reasons that we didn't need to know." Wallflower turned her head to Smolder's.
"That's why the outcome's boring. You don't wanna know what's gonna happen. You just wanna live in the moment. That's what I do, at least," said Smolder in response. "No matter what you say to me, it's not gonna change jack. We've gotta do things in order to change how it ends, not say things in order to change it. And right now, I think it's time we get Twilight and her friends together."
"Like talking to a brick wall..." Wallflower scowled under her breath. The novelty of a talking dog was beginning to wear thin for her. Nothing she said or did made any difference. Smolder had completely hijacked her life. "Y'know, I'm starting to wonder if there's a cure for your ability to talk..."
"Oh, c'mon. You know you really like it, kid. How many other people apart from Twilight do you know have a talking dog?" Smolder chuckled and tipped a paw. "I'm willing to guess not a whole lot."
"Well, at least that's something we both agree on." Wallflower rolled her eyes.
"Now, if my theory—and your timetables—is correct then the bell should be ringing right about... Now." As soon as Smolder stopped talking, the bell went, and students filed out of their classrooms in lines, already abuzz with conversations as the silence around Smolder and Wallflower was shattered. A spectrum of coloured clothes and hairstyles filled the area, almost to a degree where it became harsh on the eyes. "Knew it."
Wallflower swam through the crowd of people, gently pushing and slipping through them. It was one of the more easy parts of being at CHS. Her time being invisible courtesy of the Memory Stone had helped her to slip through without disturbing anyone. Or even being noticed for that matter. Bobbing and weaving through the crowd like a snake on two legs, Wallflower was able to get from one end of the corridor and arrive at the main hall without any issue.
"Okay, now I've gotta admit that was some pretty impressive slaloming, kid. Just like a dog at the agility trials, eh?" Smolder playfully elbowed Wallflower's neck. "You've been practising for this kinda stuff, haven't you?"
"Well... not intentionally, but yeah. I'm pretty good at avoiding large crowds." Wallflower lightly blushed. "N-not that I don't enjoy other people. Just that..." She knew there was no salvaging what she had just said, so a sigh replaced her words. "Never mind. Let's just meet up with Twilight and the Rainbooms."
"No need. Looks like the news spread around pretty fast." Smolder jabbed her paw forward, pointing towards the group of seven teens approaching her. "Guess Twilight and Spike told everyone. Don't really blame 'em. Spike especially. The guy's in love with me. Calling it right now."
"Hey, girls. How's it going?" Wallflower meekly lifted a hand, quickly slapping her palm with the same fingers it was attached to as a form of waving.
"Oh, things have been going fine, all things considered. Same old lessons, same old classes, the usual. It's like an endless loop when you think about it. The only difference is that the lessons are different each time." Sunset shrugged. "How are you, Wallflower?"
"Yeah? How are you and your new super-duper incredible talking dog Smolder doing?" Pinkie slid up to Wallflower's face and pulled her into a tight hug, poking her head over to see Smolder resting Wallflower's backpack. She gave the fiery-furred dog a boop and tousled her fur. "You've gotta tell me your secret, Smolder. I wish I could have a talking pet like Wallflower and Twilight..."
"Okay, Pinkie. Let's not suffocate Wallflower." Rainbow Dash walked over and grabbed onto Pinkie's shoulders, delicately pulling her away from Wallflower and Smolder. She barely even noticed the puppy-dog eyes forming on Pinkie's face. "Still. Twilight and Fluttershy told us everything. So, you've got a talking dog too now, do ya?"
"Yep. All thanks to a certain you know who over there." Smolder pointed a paw towards Spike. "One kiss and Spike gave me the power to talk. Who knew that he was a regular Casanova?"
"Casanova? M-me?!" Spike's eyes bulged so much that they nearly popped out of his sockets. "Smolder, you went in for the kiss, I just sat there and took it! How does that make me the love expert here?"
"Ah, don't put yourself down like that, Spike. You know that we'd make a great couple." Smolder couldn't help but giggle some more at Spike's embarrassment. "Plus, I bet the puppies that we'd make would be cool too."
"I've told you already and I'll say it again: I'M NOT READY FOR PUPPIES!" Spike yelled so much that he threw his paws backwards, only to be greeted afterwards by grins from the Rainbooms, who couldn't help but beam at his plight.
"Oh, I'm sure that there's no harm in you and Smolder being in love, Spike. Even if her advances are a bit more... action-heavy than word-heavy." Rarity pushed her thumb and middle finger together at her.
"Yeah. And besides, ah bet Winona would love the puppies you and Smolder would make together."Applejack decided to give Spike a small snicker as well. "But seriously, Spike. There ain't nothing wrong with a little bit of love."
"Easy for you to say. You're not a talking dog who's been kissed by Smolder." Spike just rolled his eyes. "But, if you girls think it's puppy love, then by all means. Gush away... It's not like I get a choice in the matter, do I?"
"Oh, Spike. Lighten up a little. I'm sure that Smolder's love for you wouldn't be that erratic and rapid..." Twilight just rubbed his skull with the palm of her hand, messing up the hair on his head. "But in all seriousness. How did it go, Wallflower?"
"Well, how didn't it go?" Wallflower sarcastically chuckled to herself. "The lesson was pretty so-so. But then Smolder decided to get restless and burst out of the bag. Went on about all kinds of stuff, including dog rights as she likes to call them." She rolled her eyes at the ludicrousness of it all. "I got sent up to Celestia's office for it."
"Oh my... That didn't sound good." Fluttershy was the first to react, shivers present on her shoulders as she watched Wallflower stare back into Smolder's eyes.
"Relax, Flutters. The kid's not entirely in trouble or anything like that. Celestia's just tasked the two of us to make some kind of pet corner. Y'know, a place where animals have just as much right to talk, do their stuff and basically just be there without causing the others any hassle?" Smolder twisted her wrist in a circular motion. "Don't know exactly why this whole place doesn't think more dog and just let pets be allowed in regardless, but it is what it is. Humans are just dogs with better taste. And tougher rules..."
"A pet corner? Well, that's an... unusual thing to get out of a trip to Celestia's office." Sunset lifted her arms upward. "Usually, you'd get a talking to or some kind of slap on the wrist for disrupting class like that, not a pet corner job."
"Sunset, is it wrong to say that neither of us had any say in anything? Smolder just did all of the talking for us, saying that it was completely wrong for humans and dogs to be split up because of some kind of educational society like this or something like that. Truth be told, I kinda tuned out when she went on and on about most of it..." Wallflower took her backpack off and let Smolder down, watching as her paws touched the glossy ground of the school once again.
"I just think that dogs have just as much right to do anything and everything that humans can. If the rules say that dogs shouldn't be allowed in because they're dogs, then that's totally prejudiced and biased. I mean, have dogs ever done anything bad at CHS before?" Smolder scampered up to the Rainbooms and craned her head upwards. "Think about it. When, if ever, have dogs or any other pet here ever caused humans any issues?"
"Not... anything that I can think of." Fluttershy brought her hand to her chin and scratched it. "But then again, I can't really give you a good answer, Smolder. The rule's been there ever since me and all of the others were freshmen..." She squatted down to Smolder and gave her a scratch under the chin. "But I get what you're saying. I really do. If I could, I'd bring all of my favourite pets and animals into Canterlot High and let them play around. Sadly, rules are rules at the end of the day."
"Me too. I'd totally bring in Gummy if that was the case, but I'm pretty sure that alligators fall under the 'no pets allowed' rule too, whether they're stuffed or not. Actually, how do you think I'd look with a real pet alligator? Not counting the biting things all the time and everything. Bet it'd be a combination of weird, fun, and slightly strange at the same time. Funsteired? Nah, doesn't really work..." said Pinkie Pie.
"Anyways... If you need some help with that pet corner, as much as I'd love to help, it's all a little bit sudden. I mean, you both just sprung it upon us out of the blue like that." Twilight lifted a finger. "Don't get me wrong, it's a very good idea for everyone who has a pet. It would alleviate some of the guilt they feel for leaving them at home all day without a sense of love, but there's so much stuff that we'd need to go through. The proper materials, who'd look after all those pets, all the supplies you'd need for them, it's an ambitious goal, but the timeframe may or may not be too much for you."
"I don't think I've got any choice in the matter. If I don't get this thing done, then Celestia's not gonna be happy with the fact that Smolder crashed my lessons for nothing." Wallflower folded her arms. "And if it ends like that, Smolder's gonna get a lot more snippy. She'll practically be parading outside of Canterlot High with a protest sign saying 'Dog Rights Matter' if this project falls through."
"That's an... oddly specific thing to think about, kid. But she's right. I'd be very upset if this project ends up failing. Which is why we've just gotta buckle down and do it." Smolder paced back and forth in front of the Rainbooms. "And, I mean, it's much better to have a group of humans doing this kinda stuff than one human and her talking dog."
"Look, I get that you have lessons and stuff. That much I can agree with. But... if you want, perhaps at the end of the day when everyone goes home, we can work on it then?" Wallflower shrugged. "When everyone goes home, there won't be anyone around to distract us, and we could get a whole lot more done when we're not constrained by any schedules. That being said, if you've got your own stuff to do back at your homes, I can't really tear you away from it if it's all that important to you, can I?"
"Eh, I didn't really have anything on my schedule anyways. CHS's sports teams are already as awesome as they could possibly be and the rest of my stuff's just simple things like getting the groceries. So, I think I could lend you a hand at the end of the day, girls." Rainbow Dash tipped her hand casually. "Plus, some hard work does a radical body like mine some wonders."
"Sure. There's nothing really that special going on tonight. So I'm free as well." Sunset lifted her hand. "What about the rest of you, girls?"
"Harvest time ain't here yet, so I'm down for some work on this pet corner." Applejack was the next to raise her hand. "Rarity? Y'all got any projects you've yet to finish?"
"Nothing really, Applejack. My latest line in Summer Sequins is yet to be launched and there's still plenty of time left for me to make some alterations. However, I could have some kind of surprise order later down the line, so I could come along, but whether or not I can stay around is another story..." Rarity rubbed her chin with her fingers. "One of these days I really should teach Sweetie Belle how to properly make some dresses, that way she could cover for me whenever I need to do something important."
"Count me in too!" Both Pinkie and Fluttershy spoke together, then put their hands to their mouths and turned to one another before letting out small chuckles.
"Well, if you're all down for this, then I suppose I am as well. It always helps to have a little bit of magic in your corner, doesn't it?" Twilight remarked, looking down at the geode hanging around her neck. "Don't worry, Wallflower. By the end of the day, this little idea you've got planned is going to come true, I just know it will."
"Thanks, girls. I really mean that. You've totally saved our bacon." Wallflower's smile finally re-emerged as she scooped Smolder back up into the backpack.
"There's bacon? Where?" Both Smolder and Spike reacted in unison with each other, panting excitedly as their eyes darted around the room for the heavenly slabs of meat that had been spoken of.
To this, the Rainbooms and Wallflower couldn't help but share a laugh together.