Chapter 6:
The town of Ponyville, decorated as the school was, even more. In every direction, one could see red and pink hearts plastered everywhere. Banners that proclaim Hearts and Hooves Day giant letters strung from City Hall, the Main Street entrance, and across the trail leading to Princess Twilights castle and the School of Friendship. Bushes throughout the town shaped like hearts, with the help of some unicorn magic. Pegasus in the sky moved the clouds into the shapes of hearts.
Ocellus and Smolder enter the city center, looking at all the decorations. It was as if the two creatures had stepped into a land of Oz. As Ocellus and Smolder look around, there were some many different things to do and chose.
"Okay," said Smolder. "It's your day, Ocellus. What's something you would like to do?" Smolder flew beside Ocellus as she walked.
"Well..." said Ocellus. She was trying to make up her mind on what could be one great thing to do. It's a hard choice to make, like asking to pick one flavor ice-cream out of a category of thirty-two. She wants to pick something, but something she and Smolder can both enjoy. The Spa seemed to be a particular idea if it were not for today being Ponyville Spa's most important day of the year.
Smolder asks Ocellus what she thought about ice skating? Unicorns in Ponyville cast a twenty-four-hour icing spell over the lake for Hearts and Hooves Day. The idea of ice skating sounded like a simple and relaxing activity though Ocellus brought up the idea of going to a Hardball Roller match.
"What is that?" asked Smolder. She scratches her head while flying above of Ocellus, who was walking.
"Hardball Roller is an extreme pony sport," said Ocellus. "It's where two teams, of two or five players, rollerblade around a ring as fast as they can. The object of the game is to push as many of the other team out of the ring. Or by barricading through a line, the other team has created." Ocellus sees Smolder giving her a funny look. "It's kind of exciting once you get into it."
"Just..." said Smolder, trying to hold back her laughter. "never took you for the type of gal to like such a sport," said Smolder with a laugh.
Up ahead was Sugar Cube Corner, run by the two earth ponies, Mr. and Mrs. Cake. The building was designed to look like a liveable gingerbread house. Outside at an open booth was professor Pinkie Pie. The booth was offering small free samples of different treats that Sugar Cube Corner could provide. All for that special, some pony in their life.
A sign on the booth asking ponies to please be considerate and only take one sample. An idea pops in Smolder's head like a lightbulb and turns to Ocellus. Hopefully, Ocellus would be up for a little miss-hap.
"Hey, Ocellus," said Smolder. "I got a fun idea we can do. That is if you think you're up for it?"
"Well, here we are," said Sandbar. "Ponyville's bowling alley." Sandbar presented Ponyville's bowling alley to Yona's yak parents. Both her parents look up the building, wondering if it's best to yak standards or not. So far, the day with Yona's parents has been, overall, better than he had hoped. Sandbar showed them every piece of Ponyville from the train station to Twilight's castle, to Apple's family ranch. There was the one incident at Sweet Apple Acres where Yona's parents wanted to test how best the apple trees where. For them to test, they smash two of Professor Apple Jack's apple trees into mush.
Sandbar is well aware that Honesty is one of the Elements of Harmony. But for now, it might be best to move along and hopefully never bring this event up to Professor Apple Jack, unless needed.
"Why don't we head inside?" suggested Sandbar. "Inside, you'll my Uncle Lewbosike, my Uncle Donny, and my Uncle Walter. Just to clarify, my Uncle Lewbosike is my actual uncle and goes by 'The Dude,' my Uncle Donny and Walter are more like great friends of the family." Sandbar starts to lead them inside when he stops and turns around. "Oh," said Sandbar. "Just as a warning, whatever you do, don't bring up the war around Walter."
Yona and her parents look at each with a confused expression on their faces. "What war?" Yona asks.
"Exactly," Said Sandbar, pointing a hoof at them.
As they enter the bowling alley, hitting them with bright lights and the sound of bowling pins crashing into each other. Bowling lanes were lit up with various sparkling lights. A group of filly ponies was surrounding several arcade machines. A long shelf line displayed many bowling balls of different size and colors.
"There they are" Said Sandbar, pointing to one of the bowling alleys where three ponies sat. One pony had a long mane and a lot of facial hair around his muzzle. The primary eye-catcher was the pony's choice of wear, which conceded of a pair of avatar shades, hoof flops for his feet, and what can only describe as some bathrobe. The second pony seemed scrawny but presentable with kaki pants and a poll. The third pony was big with a buzz cut mane and wore a vest with different compartments and a pair of yellow shades. Sandbar approaches the three ponies, leading Yona and her parents behind him.
"I would like to introduce my two uncles and my biological uncle. Donny, Walter, and 'The Dude'" said Sandbar. He points at the three ponies sitting around the bowling alley.
"Little nephew dude," said the long-haired pony in the bathrobe. "Who are these fine creatures tagging along behind you?"
"Well," said Sandbar. "This is Yona, a friend from school and my very special some creature," said Sandbar, blushing at his own words. "And these are her parents" pointing to the two bigger yaks beside Yona.
"Right on man," said the rob wearing pony, tipping his drink towards the yaks.
"It's a pleasure to meet the lot of you," said the pony named Donny. "And let me say how-"
"Shut the Fuck up Donny," the pony named Walter said, cutting Donny off. "Nice to meet you sweetheart," said Walter. "Sandbar here is a heck of a pony and- OVER THE LINE! OVER THE GODDAMN LINE!" Walter starts screaming at some pony bowling in the lane next to them.
"What?" asks the random pony who had just bowled.
"It was over the line, so it doesn't count."
"You're kidding me?" said random pony with disbelief. "I wasn't over the line. If anything I was on the line."
"Still doesn't count. On the line or over the line, it's an unearned point."
"Whatever," said the random. "I say its good, and I'm giving my self the points."
Walter gives a disgruntled look at the random pony. Digging through his duffle bag, Walter pulls out a crossbow. The crossbow's strings pulled back, and an arrow bolt was in place, ready to be fired. "Am I the only one around here that has respect for the rules of the game!?!"
Seeing the crossbow in Walter's hoofs makes every-pony in the proximity take a step back. Sandbar takes a step in front of Yona and her parents as a way to shield such ginormous creatures.
"I go to war. GODDAMN WAR, to come back to such arrogance!" said Walter.
"Walter," The Dude pony said in a calming voice. "Put away the crossbow, man. I'm starting to see little fillies cry. Put it away."
"Alright, alright" the random pony Walter was aggressive towards them complying. "I'm taking off the point."
"See," Walter says, lowering the crossbow. "was that so hard?" Walter puts the crossbow back into his duffle bag.
"Yak, like him," said Yona's father, raising a yak hoof at Walter.
"So, you understand the plan?" Smolder asks Ocellus.
"What if we get caught?" Asks Ocellus.
"Trust me. We'll be fine."
Ocellus takes a deep breath before walking over to where Pinkie Pie was giving out free samples of sweets for Hearts and Hooves Day. Smolder watches as Occellus makes small chat with Professor Pinkie and walks away.
Now was for Smolder's part. Smolder flys over to Professor Pinkie. Smolder's goal was to get Pinkie's attention and keep distracted. She starts up a conversation, glancing behind Professor Pinkie to see if Ocellus was following through with the plan. Smolder sees her come around Sugar Cube Corner where, with a bright blue light, changes herself into Headmare's assistant, Spike. Ocellus, as Spike, flys around, says a quick hello to Professor Pinkie and takes one of the treats. Ocellus hurries around Sugar Cube Corner to transform again, but into Professor Rarity. Each time she grabs at one of the free sweets and saying hello to Professor Pinkie who said hello right back. Ocellus continued rounding the corner, turning into some other creature or pony. Each time, able to trick Professor Pinkie into getting more than one free sample, and each time Pinkie greeting her.
They did this several times, in this order. "Hi, Spike. Hi, Rarity. Hi, Starlight. Hi, Twilight. Hi, Princess Celestia. Hi, Pinkie Pie." It was the last one, where Occellus changed to look like Professor Pinkie that Pinkie Pie started catching on to the trick. Smolder gave her thanks for the chat, grabs one of the treats, and heads off.
Smolder met up with Occellus behind Sugar Cube Corner. Occelluses back was packed with as many free samples as she could get. They laugh with glee at their haul.
"You almost got us caught with that last change," said Smolder to Ocellus
"Probably," confesses Ocellus. "I should've gone with this new character change I've been working on." With a swirl of blue light, Ocellus changes her appearance into that of a beautiful white unicorn, with golden streaks in her. "Pretty convincing, right?" asks Ocellus.
"It's pretty convincing to me, and you changed right in front of me."
They laugh as they both walk. Ocellus, still in her new unicorn deugies changed form. They laugh and smile, not paying any attention to what was in front of them, not till Ocellus runs smack into another pony. Ocellus and the new pony topple over each other and fall to the ground. Ocellus gets up and immediately starts apologizing, still in pony form.
"Well, you should be sorry," said the other pony in a harsh tone. The other pony was a male her age and height. He was a unicorn in sickly green color. He gets up, wiping whatever beverage he had been drinking off his chest. He looks at Ocellus in her unicorn form. He suddenly becomes smitten by her. "Then again, I suppose that it's hard for a pony as beautiful as you to see where they're going." Ocellus could not help but blush and give sheepish giggle at the pony's complement. "My name is Highbar."
"I'm... ah..." Ocellus panicked. She didn't want to use her real name. She wasn't Ocellus, while in this unicorn form she wanted to be...? Ocellus looks around to try and think of a name. Her eyes scan in every direction and land on a golden cutout heart plastered on a shop window. "Golden Heart," said Ocellus.
"Well, Golden Heart," said Highbar. "I know this is very sudden considering we've only just met. But, would you like to come with me for the rest of the day as my Special Somepony?"
"Yes," said an excited Ocellus.
"Uh, Golden Heart," Smolder chimes their attention. "I thought we were going to be spending the day together?"
Smolder had watched the whole situation unfold before her. The two ponies, or rather the one pony and the one changeling, acted as if she wasn't there.
"Oh, that's right," said Ocellus.
"And who is this, creature?" said Highbar with a scroll on the word 'creature.'
"This is my friend, Smolder," said Ocellus. "We go to school together."
"Friends with a dragon? A dragon seeking education? How bizarre." said Highbar, gleaming at Smolder.
"Yes," said Smolder. "And Occel-, I mean Golden Heart, and I had a whole fun day planned. And if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were trying to insult me."
"Well, look at that," said Highbar. "Looks like that education is helping you catch on," said Highbar with an awful sneer.
Before Smolder could fire back with an insult, Ocellus grabs her and pulls her aside. Ocellus wants to talk to Smolder at a distance that Highbar could not hear them.
"Smolder," said Ocellus in a high whisper. "I know I said we would spend the day together and do lots of different things, but I've been asked to be his special some-pony. I couldn't help but jump at the opportunity. I mean, it's something I've wanted to be. A special Somepony to someone. Sandbar didn't ask me, but he did?"
"But, Ocellus," said Smolder. "He didn't ask you. He asked, whatever character you're playing right now, Golden Whatever. And you don't even know who this pony is? You're just going to leap at his command. All because he might be able to provide you with what you hoped to be with what you hoped for Sandbar? I've known him as long as you have. And honestly, I think he's nothing but a small-minded pony that likes to believe he's better than any-pony else."
"Well," said Ocellus. "We don't know that for sure."
"You know what," said Smolder in a huff. "Go then. Go spend your day fantasying over this pony you just met. I can't wait to see how wrong you are about him."
"But..." said Ocellus, in a low sad voice. "Don't you want me to be happy?"
"Of course I do," said Smolder. She let out a deep sigh and rubbed her own forehead. "But I also care about you. And 'he' doesn't."
"Well," said Ocellus. "I guess we'll find out."
Ocellus turned her back on Smolder and trotted as Golden Heart towards Highbar. Smolder only watches as they exchange laughter and walk off together. Smolder lets out a big sigh. She felt sad, alone, and abanded. Smolder flaps her dragon wings and takes to the sky, were everything, her problems included, will appear smaller and smaller.