Minuette’s journey to Celestia’s school was somewhat slower than usual this morning. Despite Fang’s assurances that it was fine, the fact that she was supposed to refer to him as her imaginary friend when speaking to others just did not sit right with her. Fangs wasn’t fake! He wasn’t imaginary, she knew it! He was real, he was in her mirror, and she didn’t want to lie about him.
But what choice did she really have? She gave off a heavy sigh as, for the seventh time since she left her home that morning, she realized that Fangs was probably right. Trying to prove that he was real when no adults could see him would likely only cause everypony a lot of stress.
However, just because she couldn’t show Fangs to any adults, that didn’t mean she couldn’t show him to her friends. They were still foals, only a little older than her—First Aid, Split End, Bristlestroke. Minuette’s lips curled up into a small smile at the thought of showing Fangs to them. He would have three more friends, and there’d be somepony who would believe her when she said that Fangs was real!
Although finding a good time to show them would prove to be a hassle, she knew. Bristle and Split were typically very busy when they weren’t in school. Between Split having some family matters he always had to take care of when he left school, and Bristle having a private art tutor, their time after school was out was typically swallowed up. In truth, she had only gotten to hang out with the two of them once or twice outside of Celestia’s school since First Aid introduced them.
First, though, would be a simpler matter. She didn’t have the extracurricular activities or other such obligations that those two did…
Minuette was pulled from her internal musings as Celestia’s school, and her friends came into sight. They were standing in front of the regal statue of the solar alicorn that presided over the front yard of the campus, speaking in hushed tones as a veritable river of other students walked by.
“And with a few minutes to spare before class!” she thought.
Grinning and hoping to put her plans into motion now, Minuette picked up her pace. “Hey, guys!” she called out to them as she approached, thrusting a hoof into the air to wave.
Her friends looked to her and First beamed. “Minnie! Morning!” she called over, taking a few steps to meet Minuette.
Split and Bristle exchanged glances, the latter grimacing. “...Hey, Minuette.”
Minuette paused, one of her ears drooping in a lopsided gesture of confusion. That had been a rather less cheerful greeting than she had been expecting. She tilted her head at them and frowned. “Uh… you two okay?”
Bristle nodded. “Yeah, yeah, we’re fine,” he said in an almost dismissive tone. “Just… tired.”
“Oh. Didn’t sleep well?” Minuette ventured, her confusion giving way to mild confusion.
Split shook his head. “No, no. Don’t worry about it,” he said, prompting Minuette to clam up. He shared a glance with Bristle, then turned to First. “We should probably be getting a move on… class is due to start in a few minutes.”
“Oh, uh, sure…” First replied, though she did not move even as Split and Bristle made their way inside, each of them casting a glance in Minuette’s direction.
She watched them go, an uneasy feeling setting up shop in her stomach. Something was wrong. She could feel it. She swallowed heavily and turned to First Aid, who was still staring after their departing friends with a similarly concerned frown. “...They aren’t okay, are they?” she asked in a hushed whisper.
First sighed and shrugged her shoulders. “I dunno. They’ve been acting kind of off for a little while now. I think they didn’t do very well on that last test in Celestia’s class…”
Minuette’s ears drooped. “Oh…”
If that was the case, then she knew how they felt. Her bungling of the first test had left her in a very sub-par mood. She looked back at the entrance, but Split and Bristle were already gone. Her frown deepened. “Well… I’m sure they can turn it around! I know I did!” she said, trying to force some more of her energetic optimism into her voice.
“Maybe,” First replied before taking off after them. “Just be careful about talking about it around them. I’ve known those two a lot longer than you have, Minnie… they’re good guys, but they don’t always take it well if they fail.”
Minuette hesitated, her brow furrowing. Yet again, she was being asked to hold her tongue. It didn’t sit right with her. Those two were her friends, weren’t they? And friends looked out for and supported each other!
But First Aid had a point. She had known them long before Minuette had. For the time being, it would be best to follow her guidance and not breach the subject directly.
With a small sigh, she nodded. “Okay. I’ll try not to,” she promised.
First Aid smiled. “Thanks, Minnie.”
The school day passed by in something of a blur after that. Bristle and Split were remarkably quiet during class, only ever talking once or twice to ask questions. After that, as always, Minuette’s other classes forced her to be pulled away from them. She did her best not to worry about them, but then came lunch, and their moods seemed even lower than before when she joined them.
As a result of her growing concern and curiosity over her friends, she had a harder time than usual paying attention in class. She couldn’t help it. Her mind just kept wandering back to them, and First Aid’s request that she not bring up their lowered mood with them. It was disheartening, and she didn’t like it, not one bit.
They were her friends, after all! Friends helped each other, didn’t they? That’s what her parents had always told her, at least, and she had no reason to doubt them about that. But how could she do that without going against First’s request that she not breach the jar of spoiling beans?
Not caring about how odd that metaphor sounded in her head, she began to put some serious thought into how she could solve the problem without going against First’s request. She couldn’t speak up to them about their grumpiness directly; she knew that. But that didn’t mean she was out of options…
“I got it!” she suddenly exclaimed in the middle of her alchemy class.
The teacher glanced at her from his desk with a raised eyebrow, along with a few of the other students, who all seemed less than pleased with her sudden outburst. The teacher adjusted his glasses with a hoof. “Is that so? I assume, then, you’ve figured out exactly how to put out the glow on the nebulae moth trap plant?”
Minuette blinked. “Huh?”
The plant on the table in front of her, as if annoyed that she had forgotten about it, lurched forward to snap at her face. She leaned back from it with an alarmed squeak as she was given a very intimate view of the sharp-looking teeth of the plant, with a lure akin to an anglerfish’s dangling from its top. In fact, the whole plant was basically an anglerfish, except it was a carnivorous plant.
Gross. She didn’t like these teeth. They were slimy and smelled like honey that had gone bad.
“I will take that as a no,” The teacher deduced with a bemused shake of his head, accompanied by a few amused chuckles from the class. “Try to keep it down, Minuette, okay? I know you’re excitable, but you should keep your personal epiphanies to yourself in class.”
“Right. Sorry,” Minuette apologized sheepishly before glaring at the plant. It glared back at her, or she imagined it would be if the freaky thing had eyes.
“...Gross,” she grumbled before carrying on with the lesson, allowing her body to go on autopilot while her mind worked.
“I can’t bring their grumpiness up with them directly, but I know ponies laugh when I’m around! Maybe I can invite them over to my house today, make them laugh a bunch, and even show them Fangs and the mirror! Then they’ll have somepony cool to distract them, Fangs will have some new friends, and somepony will finally believe me when I say he’s real! It’s the perfect plan, nothing could possibly go wrong!”
With that resolution burning firmly in her heart, she carried on with far more vigor and enthusiasm until, at long last, the bell saw fit to release her. She saw herself out of her last class at a brisk pace, ducking and weaving through the ponies around her until, at last, she stepped out through the front doors and emerged onto the campus’ front yard.
However, to her surprise, Bristle and Split were nowhere to be seen. There was just First Aid, standing by the statue with a distant look in her eyes. Minuette frowned, slowing her pace to a more timid walk as she drew near. It wasn’t until she was within a few feet that First finally noticed her and looked her way. “Minuette. Hey,” she said quietly.
Minuette’s ears drooped. “Hi. Uh… where are the guys?”
First sighed and nodded down the road. “They already went home. They said they had a lot of homework to deal with,” she said, though her tone of voice implied she did not believe that excuse for a second.
And neither did Minuette. She frowned, looking in the direction First had indicated. They were nowhere to be seen. “Oh… Are they feeling better now, at least?” she asked, hoping against hope that they were being genuine.
First sighed and shrugged. “I dunno. They didn’t stay to talk. They seemed like they were in kind of a hurry, honestly.”
Minuette looked to First, her ears drooping. “Well, so much for the perfect plan…” she thought despondently, her frown turning more annoyed with herself. “Well, now what?”
First shook her head. “I dunno, Minnie… for now, I think we just need to give those two a bit of space.”
Minuette nodded in understanding, though her expression bespoke nothing but disappointment. “Alright…” she relented. A few seconds passed before, with a hopeful smile, she nudged First’s shoulder and got her attention. “Well… when they’re feeling better, maybe you could let them know I was thinking of inviting them over to my place sometime. Ya know, so we can hang out, play some games, that kinda thing.”
First Aid stared at Minuette for a moment, her lips curling up into an appreciative smile. “Heh. Sure, that sounds like fun! I’ll let them know next time I see them.”
“Sweet!” Minuette exclaimed perhaps a touch louder than was necessary as she was able to at least somewhat salvage her perfect plan. It was a bit rickety, but it would drive. “I’ve had something really cool since school started that I’ve been dying to show to you guys! You’ll love it!”
First Aid raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. “What is it?”
Minuette’s smile turned a touch mischievous. “It’s a surprise. Gonna hafta come and hang out to see what it is,” she said with a sly wink.
First Aid pouted. “Awww! Minnie! Can I get a hint?” she asked, leaning forward and making her eyes as big as possible.
Minuette faltered. Was this the puppy-dog look she had heard her parents complain at her for abusing so many times in the past? Because it sure as hay felt like it. Try as she might, she could not resist those giant glistening orbs and gave off a relenting sigh. “Okay, okay, just stop looking so sad!”
First Aid’s facade snapped away like someone flicked a switch. In an instant, she was all smiles and eager anticipation all over again. “Okay! Now, hint!”
Minuette rolled her eyes. “Ugh. It’s something really cool my mom and dad got me for my birthday, and I just know you guys are gonna love it, too.”
First Aid nodded energetically. “Uh-huh, uh-huh! And?”
A few seconds passed, and First Aid’s expecting look did not falter.
Minuette blinked. “And… that’s your hint.”
First Aid’s eye twitched. “Wha… but that’s not helpful at all!” she whined pathetically, lightly slapping at Minuette’s shoulder. “How can I tell the guys what you’re gonna show them if I dunno what it is?!”
“You’re not!” Minuette laughed, swatting back. “I told ya, it’s a surprise! Be surprised, dangit!”
First Aid’s pout deepened, and she looked away with a huff. “Hmph! You’re the worst.”
“Nope,” Minuette chirped with a smug grin. “I’m the beast!”
Following that exchange with First Aid, it wasn’t long before Minuette was picked up by her father and taken home. She enthused eagerly about what she had been taught, and briefly touched on the subject of Split End and Bristletroke acting upset all day long. That had been enough to warrant some minimal concern from Sunspot, but not a whole lot. He seemed confident it would be fine in the long term, though his tone implied he felt there was something else going on.
Regardless, as soon as they were back inside the house, Minuette bolted up the stairs for her room, where Fangs was waiting for her. She shut the door behind her with a large grin when she saw him, and he smiled back.
“Welcome home, little one,” Fangs greeted, his wings wavering on his back. “How was your day?”
“Mostly good,” Minuette replied while casually tossing her saddlebags onto her bed. “Though a couple of my friends were acting kinda grumpy and sad all day…”
Fangs raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”
Minuette nodded, coming forward and sitting down in front of the mirror. “Uh-huh. Split End and Bristlestroke. Have I told you about them?”
Fangs’ brow furrowed as he thought the question over. A second later, he shook his head. “No, you have not. I have heard their names in passing, but I know next to nothing other than they are your friends at school.”
Minuette nodded, adjusting herself to get comfy. “Yeah. I met them thanks to First Aid. They’re good guys, even if Split can be a bit of a dummy sometimes.”
“First Aid?”
“Oh, I met her at a daycare,” Minuette clarified. “Before I started going to school. Mom and Dad had different schedules or something than they do now, and for a few months, I had to go spend part of the day at daycare. I met First Aid there, and we became good, close friends! She knew Split End and Bristlestroke before I did, and introduced me to them a few months before we all got accepted into Celestia’s School!”
“I see. So First Aid is an older friend of yours, while Split and Bristle are newer?”
“Mhmm!”
“And what seems to be wrong with them?” Fangs pressed, laying down on his own belly to be at Minuette’s eye level.
Minuette frowned, her chirpy tone turning a touch somber. “Well… when I first got to school, they were kinda tired and grumpy looking. They’ve been acting kinda grumpy for a few days, actually, now that I think about it… I just didn’t notice until today.”
Fangs hummed in thought, his lips curling into a frown. “Hmmm… tell me about them. I am afraid I know very little.”
Minuette nodded. “Okay! So, Split End and Bristle are both really fun, and both of them live way up in the upper districts of Canterlot, where all of the stuffy nobles live. They’re the kids of some minor noble houses themselves or something. Split End likes hair a lot, and I think he’s gonna be a barber when he grows up. Bristlestroke’s probably the artsiest pony I know and can do these really cool sketches all the time. They’re both really good with magic, and everypony really looks up to them!”
Fangs’ frown turned concerned. “Nobility? Those two are from the nobility?”
Minuette nodded, tilting her head. “Uh, yeah. Why?”
Fangs hummed for a moment before shrugging. “Forgive me. I believe I have told you this already, but I had a less than pleasant introduction to pony nobility when the mirror was purchased by some in the upper city before your parents bought me. They were not kind to their foal and had unrealistically high expectations and strict rules. I do not see that foal developing well under their care…”
Minuette nodded, her ears drooping slightly as she recalled the story. “Right… that kid called you a monster, didn’t he?” she asked in a hushed voice.
“With a scream and eyes more fearful than I am comfortable admitting,” Fangs confirmed with a slow nod. He shook his head a moment later. “...A-anyways, back on track. Tell me, do you know much about their parents? Are they strict, perhaps?”
Minuette shrugged. “I dunno. I’ve never met them, and Bristle and Split never talk about them. Why? Is that important?”
“I am not sure,” Fangs replied, glancing sideways. “...When about did you say this behavior of theirs began? And do you have any idea at all what caused it?”
Minuette blinked, briefly taken off guard. “Oh. Uh, well, they started acting a little tired and grumpy a few days ago, back when I went and passed that test with flying colors like I said I would. And First Aid thinks they’re kinda upset because they didn’t do too well on that test themselves...”
Fangs’ frown deepened. “Hmm… Concerning.”
Minuette tilted her head. “Huh?”
A few seconds passed before Fangs shook his head. “Oh. Forgive me. I lost myself in my speculation for a minute, there,” he clarified before meeting her gaze. “Alas, I can’t claim to know the truth of this situation, and my own theories are based on very little information. The most reasonable assumption I can make is that First Aid, who has known them far longer than you or I, is right, and they are simply upset about not doing well on that test. Hearing about how you were lightly picked on and teased after you failed yours, I can only imagine it might be worse for them, especially considering the fact that they are of the nobility, while you are not. The natural expectation is for them to excel where others fail, but if they come up short…”
Minuette gasped, her eyes flying wide. “Oh my gosh! Do you think they’re being bullied?!”
“I am considering it as one of many possibilities,” Fangs answered in a level tone. “Again, little one, I am not very well informed about your friends. What little you have shared with me does not paint a perfect picture. Take what I’m saying here with a grain of salt.”
Minuette blinked, tilting her head. “A… a grain of salt? What does that mean?”
“It means to be skeptical,” Fangs replied with a smile. “To not take me at my word on this. I may very well be wrong, so do not treat my word as the truth. Treat it as one possibility among many.”
Minuette stared at him for a moment, her muzzle scrunching up. She then smiled up at him and began to laugh openly.
Fangs frowned. “What? What’s so funny?”
Minuette pointed a hoof at him. “You talk kinda funny, you know that? You use a lotta big words!”
Fangs blinked at her a few times before sharing in her amusement, letting off a few chuckles of his own. “Hardly. This is how ponies spoke before I was put under the tarp. From my point of view, you are the ones with strange speech patterns.”
“Nuh-uh,” Minuette shook her head with a large, cheeky grin. “You’re totally the weird one. You’re the bug in my mirror, after all! You’re always the weird one!”
Fangs opened his mouth to protest, shut it, and puffed up his cheeks at her. This only drove Minuette on to laugh even more, eventually drawing a sigh and roll of Fangs’ eyes.
“Fair enough. I can’t exactly argue with that.”