Amber uses her magic to grip the tweezers gently as she holds a small piece of a fire ruby over a necklace thatś covered with other small pieces of fire rubies. Aurora and Crystal Rose stand next to her, watching in suspense. The three Mares sweat profusely as they await the outcome. “Come on, Amber. You’ve placed 19 Fire ruby Pieces already. This’ll be a piece of cake. This piece is only 15% larger than the others.” Amber thinks to herself as she gently places the gem within the cavity of the necklace. Amber’s face shifts to a smile of pure joy. “I did it!”
“You did it!” Aurora says.
Crystal Rose smiles, “Great job, Amber!”
Amber looks up with her eyes closed, “Thank you, Crystal. All that’s left is to get this safely in the display case and then we can-”
Suddenly, something smashes into the front door of the shop. The necklace goes flying off the table, crashing into the ground and causing all the fire rubies to spill out. “NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!” Amber yells out as she falls to her knees and looks upon her lost work, “All my work. GONE!”
“Oh no!” Aurora says.
Crystal Rose gives a nervous smile, “It’s okay, we can just do it again…right?”
“We were here for hours! I can’t just redo it like that!” Amber says, tears streaming down her cheeks that are stained with mascara.
Aurora turns to the wall and takes a look at the clock, “Amber, it’s been 15 Minutes since you started.”
Amber immediately stops crying and gets up, “Oh, I could have sworn it was longer.”
Knocking is heard at the door as Amber quickly trots to it and opens the door. “Yes?’ Amber says.
Standing there is Ditzy Doo with a package, “Hi, Ambor! I have a package for you.”
Amber smiles, “Oh! These must be the bracelets I ordered! Thank you, Ditzy.”
Ditzy Doo salutes her hoof, “No problem.”
“Say, how’s Berryshine been?” Amber asks as she uses her horn to move the box into her shop.
Ditzy places her hoof on her chin as she thinks, “I don’t know. I haven’t talked to her in a while.”
Amber’s eyebrows curve, “What do you mean you haven’t talked to her in a while?”
Ditzy shrugs, “She has been avoiding me.”
Amber goes wide-eyed, “Avoiding you?”
Ditzy smiles, “Yeah, but that’s okay. She must really be busy.”
“Oh, of course.” Amber says with a smile, “Well when did you two last talk?”
Ditzy places her hoof on her chin, “I think that was about a week ago.”
“A WEEK AGO?!?!” Amber yells out.
Ditzy’s eyebrows curve in concern, “Is that bad?”
“That’s very bad, Ditzy. She isn’t supposed to be ignoring you like this.” Amber says as she trots out the door, “Come with me. I’ll have a talk with her.” Amber turns around to the door, “Crystal! You’re in charge of the shop.”
“Yes ma’am.” Crystal Rose says.
“I can’t go with you. I have deliveries to do.” Ditzy says.
“Nonsense! Packages can wait! Love comes first!” Amber says as she uses her horn to grab and drag Ditzy by the tail.
Ditzy curves her eyebrows in objection but concedes anyway, “Well, if you say so, Ambor.”
“I do say so, Ditzy. And I say we’re going right to Berryshine!” Amber says as she trots along the ground with Ditzy Doo literally in tail.
“I don’t know, Ambor. I don’ wanna bother her.” Ditzy says as she flaps her wings a bit.
“Bother her? Of course not! If she truly loves you, she wouldn’t be bothered. But she will have a lot to say for herself.” Amber says, slightly scowling.
The two ponies made their way down to the Marketplace, where Berryshine is commonly found throughout the day. Amber quickly spots the mare as she’s shopping for Asparagus. “Berryshine!” Amber shouts out as she approaches the shopping pony.
Berryshine flinches and drops her asparagus as she turns around, her gaze locking on Amber and Ditzy.
Amber approaches Berryshine with a stern look, “Why have you been avoiding Ditzy?”
Berryshine’s eyes widen in shock before she sighs, “I’m sorry, it’s just that….Ditzy really annoys me.”
Ditzy goes wide-eyed, “A-Annoy you?”
“Yeah, and I tried to break up with you. But you just wouldn’t get the hint.” Berryshine says as she turns her head, “And after Lyra said she’s gonna be honest with herself, I decided to as well.”
Amber raises an eyebrow, “Lyra? What do you mean she said she’s gonna be honest with herself?”
“Hold on, did Lyra not tell you about her and Bon Bon?” Berryshine asks.
Amber goes wide-eyed, “Her and Bon Bon? What do you mean?”
“That’s they’re dating. Wait…did she not break up with you?” Berryshine says in shock.
“Wh-What? Dating?” Amber says in shock as she backs up a bit.
Berryshine slowly walks away as she feels embarrassed, “I guess I should go.” Berryshine quickly gallops away.
Amber just continues to stare, in shock and disbelief. Ditzy looks at Amber, concerned. “Ambor?”
Amber shakes her head and rolls her eyes, “Pft, why am I so worried? Lyra wouldn’t be cheating on me. It’s all a simple misunderstanding.” Amber begins trotting away.
“Ambor?” Ditzy says as she flies next to Amber.
“Oh! Right, I’m sorry about Berryshine. But I need to go check on Lyra and have her clear this up.” Amber says as she trots away, leaving Ditzy on her own.
Ditzy’s eyebrows curve as she makes her way back to Amber’s shop.
Amber walks through town and finally comes to see Lyra and Bon Bon. They’re both sitting at a table, seemingly on a date. The two stare into each other’s eyes in a seductive manner. Amber goes wide-eyed as she witnesses this, staying far away as to not be seen, but close enough to see what’s going on. Bon Bon and Lyra rub their muzzles together, a common sign of attraction and intimacy in ponies. Amber’s jaw drops as she trots forward with eyes of betrayal, “LYRA!”
Bon Bon and Lyra go wide-eyed as they turn to see Amber standing there, heartbroken. “A-Amber!?” Lyra says in confusion and guilt.
“How could you?” Amber asks as tears begin to form in her eyes.
“Amber, w-wait! It’s not what it looks like-” Lyra says before Amber quickly gallops away in more tears.
Aurora and Crystal Rose sit at the table as Aurora tries her best to fix Amber’s necklace. Their heads dart to the door as Amber bursts in quickly, mascara streaked tears streaming down her cheeks. Amber bawls loudly as she runs into the shop and towards her room. “Amber! Is everything alright?”
Amber stops before getting to her room and turns to Aurora, “No, Aurora! I’m not okay! Lyra is cheating on me!”
Aurora’s mouth opens and her eyes go wide as she hears this news from her friend, “Cheating on you? Lyra?”
“Yes! With…Bon Bon!” Amber says, opening the door to her room and collapsing into her bed.
Aurora curves her eyebrows, unsure of how to respond. Ditzy flies up to the door, clearly concerned for Amber. She reaches into her bag and pulls out a muffin. She flies over to the bed with muffin in hoof, “Muffin?”
Amber immediately stops crying and looks up at Ditzy with a bewildered look. She was unable to make any other expression. In this moment of great sorrow, Ditzy was offering a muffin. It was incredibly absurd. In a way that made Amber start to chuckle. Ditzy makes a nervous grin as she sits up and grabs the muffin, “Thank you, Ditzy.”
Ditzy gives a smile, “Whenever I’m feeling down. I always eat a muffin. It always makes me feel better.”
Amber chuckles, “You’re a sweetheart.”
Ditzy gives a blushing smile as she descends and sits next to Amber.
Amber takes a bite of the muffin, “Where’d you get this muffin, anyway?”
Ditzy reaches into her bag and pulls out more, “Delivering packages is very exhausting. So I make sure to pack a lot for the journey.”
“How clever.” Amber says.
Aurora gives a smile as she walks away from the room.
Amber looks down as her smile fades into a frown, “Honestly, I shouldn’t be surprised. I’m nothing special. Why would Lyra want me? Why would anypony want me? I’m eccentric and annoying.”
Ditzy curves her eyebrows, “I don’t think that. I think you’re really neat.”
Amber gives a passionate smile as she hears this, “That’s sweet, Ditzy.”
“Like my muffins?” Ditzy asks.
“Yes, Ditzy, like your muffins.” Amber chuckles. She quickly pets Ditzy’s head, prompting a blush from Ditzy. Amber blushes as she looks away, “Y’know, Ditzy. Why don’t we hang out sometime? I’d like to get to know you some more.”
Ditzy goes wide-eyed as she looks at Amber with her usual cross eyes. She then gives a smile as she nods, “Sure, I’d love to.”
Amber smiles and looks passionately at Ditzy before quickly leaning forward and planting a quick kiss on Ditzy’s cheek.
Ditzy blushes a deep red as she’s unable to react, “Wh-What was that for?”
Amber giggles, “For making me feel so much better.”
Aurora stays camped out next to the door frame, having heard everything, “Looks like someone learned a pretty valuable lesson about Love. Myself included.” Aurora leaves the shop and makes her way back to her house. Grabbing a Pen, Quill, and her Journal. She quickly scribbles her pen on the pages as she writes her next entry.
Dear Princess Celestia,
Today I learned that sometimes, relationships don’t work out. Sometimes someone you love may lose feelings for you which may cause them to seek companionship with somepony else without telling you. Sometimes they may try to avoid or ignore you. A relationship should be built on both parties being passionate about each other. And if feelings are lost, it’s better to tell your special somepony rather than hurting them.
Even if some relationships don’t work out, there will come a time when you may find somepony who will always be passionate about being in a relationship with you. It only takes a little time and the right pony.
Signed,
Your Faithful Student, Aurora Shimmer