“Alright colts, bring it in.” Pharynx called, wearing his uniform. The colts, including Thorax, gathered around. “Alright.”
“What’s this about?” Blueblood asked
“Well, you all know Thorax and I come from the Hidden Isle.” he nodded to his brother. “And things there are pretty different. Over there, there’s one thing the Isle’s got that’s better than Equus.”
“Ha!” Blueblood snorted “And what could that possibly be?”
Pharynx smirked. “If you’re strong, we want you on our side, colt or filly.”
“Hey, hold on there.” Blueblood approached him. “We don’t break rules here in Equus.”
“I know that.” Pharynx smirked, pulling a rulebook out of his jersey. He opened it and read the page aloud. “A team shall be comprised of a captain and eight colts.”
“And?” Blueblood asked
Pharynx smiled. “Well, as much as I’d rather not step down… if it’s what must be done… colts, give it up for your new team captain!”
Pharynx stepped aside as Ember strutted through the doors, chest puffed with pride. Pharynx slipped his whistle around her neck. Everyone, except Blueblood, began stomping their hooves in applause, Thorax stomping his hooves the loudest. They then politely bowed to her, but Blueblood remained up.
“Ugh… fine.” he sank into a bow.
Ember smirked and blew the whistle. “Give me ten, come on guys.”
Pharynx and Thorax immediately dropped down, followed by the others. Ember planted a foot on Blueblood’s back as he did, weighing him down so he struggled.
“Pick it up Blueblood!” she called, grinning.
Pharynx chuckled, looking at his brother, who was beside him. “How do you like that?”
“Thank you… for giving her a chance, I mean.” Thorax said
“Eh, no sweat. She really helped when you-know-who was captured.” Pharynx replied. “And I’m still MVP at Blitzball, so… losing captainship of this group ain’t that bad.”
“Nice form you two!” Ember remarked to Thorax and Pharynx as the group reached ten. “Okay, practice is over, get out of here! Go get ready for Cotillion!”
The boys all gladly headed out, but Thorax hung back. Pharynx smirked at him knowingly.
“Go get her bro.” Pharynx smiled and clapped him on the back. “If she doesn’t see how awesome you are, she’s not worth it.”
Thorax nodded, then approached Ember.
“Hey, Ember?”
“Yeah?” she looked over.
“About what I wanted to tell you…” Thorax began
“Oh, right. Go ahead, but be quick, I promised Celestia I’d help with the final preparations.”
“Uh…” Thorax blushed. “Would you, uh, wouldyougotoCotillionwithme?”
“Huh? Cotillion? We’re taking a stretch carriage at six, why?”
“No, um…” Thorax blushed harder. “Ember…”
Thorax took a leap of faith, laying his hole covered hoof on her claw.
“Would you… be my date for Cotillion?” he asked her slowly, “And maybe… if you don’t not like me by the end… would you… consider maybe being… more than friends?”
Ember stared at him, mouth open. She blushed hard, then smiled.
“R-Really?” Ember asked
“Y-Yeah…”
“Yes!” Ember hugged him. “Thank you Thorax, I just… this day is the best! First captain of the fencing team and now this…”
Ember and Thorax hugged tight, then Ember let him go.
“I, uh, have to go meet up with Celestia.”
“Heh, right…”
“But I’ll see you later.” Ember took his hoof. “Maybe we could walk out together?”
“Okay!” Thorax leaned against her.
“Heh, I can’t wait to tell my mom about all of this…” Ember said, then frowned and looked away. “Or at least… her grave…”
Thorax frowned and nuzzled her. She smiled and wrapped an arm around him.
“Come on, let’s get out of here.” Ember said, smiling
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Luna was altering Gallus’ suit, and glanced fondly over at her roommate. Tempest was taking a nap, buried under the covers. Luna expected Pharynx to come soon to check on her. Snowdrop suddenly ran into the bedroom and Luna looked over.
“Dropsy!”
“Lu, hey. How was visiting your mom?”
“My mom?” Luna asked
“Yeah, the boys said you were visiting. How could you, so close to Cotillion when you’d see her anyway, and we had customer-”
“Dropsy.” Luna put a hoof over Snowdrop’s mouth. “Sandbar was captured on the Hidden Isle, we rescued him and saved Equus.”
“O-Oh…” Snowdrop reached and hugged her, and she chuckled. “Sorry… heh, guess my only question now is why you guys didn’t take me along.”
Luna giggled, and kissed Snowdrop on the cheek. Snowdrop blushed and nuzzled her.
“Nevermind… we have dresses to deliver.” Snowdrop smiled
“Mhm! It is Cotillion, after all.” Luna turned to a rack of them. “And Dropsy?”
“Y-Yeah?”
“I would be honored if you’d come to Cotillion with me.” Luna winked at her.
“H-How did you know I-”
“You did for the coronation…” Luna murmured, fiddling with one of the dresses. “I just figured I’d save you the trouble…”
Snowdrop giggled and hugged her. Luna nuzzled her, then looked at the work table. The purse she’d brought to the Isle was sitting there, Gabby and Smolder’s jewelry spilling out. She let go of Snowdrop and went to the bag, lifting up one of the pieces of jewlery, a headband.
“And you know… I was lucky enough to be given a chance. I need to give someone else a chance too.”
Snowdrop smiled and kissed her cheek. “I like that idea.”
“Heh, come on. These dresses won’t deliver themselves.” Luna placed the headband on and grabbed one end of the rack in her magic. Snowdrop hovered and took the other end, and they wheeled it out of the room.
They passed by Pharynx as he entered the room. He nodded to them politely, before smiling at Tempest. He trotted over and laid down beside her, nuzzling the unicorn. She smiled and reached, wrapping her hooves around him in her sleep. Pharynx held her close, admiring her new manestyle.
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Blueblood, dressed in his powder blue suit with royal blue cape, lifted a crown from a 3D printer. More specifically, the 3D printer in Thorax, Pharynx, and Gallus’ room. He grinned and turned to a mirror hanging from the wall. Blueblood placed the crown on his head and smiled. He smirked and began fantasizing.
“What’s that? Why no Yona, I haven’t chosen my queen yet.” he said, smiling, then turned before whipping back to the mirror and changing his tone. “Why, no, Yona-”
The sound of his phone ringing from the table with the 3D printer interrupted him. He lifted it up in his magic.
“Who could be calli-” he gasped and dropped the phone. “Yona! It’s Yona!”
Blueblood dropped to the ground and began scrambling for the phone. Thorax entered the room. He gave an exasperated sigh.
“Blueblood-”
“Shh!”
Thorax raised his voice slightly. “This is my room, Blue, what-”
“Shh!” Blueblood scooped up the phone at last. “Yona? Yeah? Yeah? Oh, well, that’s wonderful.” He turned to Thorax, beaming idiotically. “She got a flat tire on her carriage in Whitetail Woods, and she wants me to go fix it.”
Thorax blinked. “Whitetail Woods is six hours away.”
Blueblood glanced back at him. “Really? Only six?” he turned back to his phone. “I’ll be there faster than I thought.” he then kissed the phone.
Blueblood hung up and started for the door. Thorax held up a hoof to stop him.
“My printer, my crown.” he told him
“Oh…” Blueblood chuckled sheepishly as Thorax levitated the crown off his head. “Yeah, about that, I… heheh, right… I’m coming Yona!”
With that, he left the room. Thorax rolled his eyes slightly, putting the crown down. “Wow.”