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// A Cheesy Birthday 
// Story: CMC: The Third Generation 
// by PhoenixTDM 
//------------------------------//

Fluffball sat in her room trying to think of the best birthday gift for her crush. It was the middle of January, and Cheeseball’s birthday was coming up in a few days. He was going to turn 8, which would match her age. She was trying to plan the perfect birthday, or birthdate (as she hoped).
First, she would give him a statue of himself made out of cheese and they would eat it together. Then, they would go to the movies and see Nightmare on Pegasus Street so she could cling to his arm when she got scared, and finally they would go watch the sunset and she would give him a special gift. But the thing was, she had no idea what that special gift would be! What kinds of things did Cheeseball like? She knew he liked cheese and carrots and Sun Ray and…
Wait, Sun Ray! Cheeseball and Sun Ray were best friends, she would know the perfect gift for him! Fluffball galloped down the stairs of her cottage and opened the front door, running out.
“Fluffball, where are you going in such a hurry?” her mother, Screwball, asked.
“Oh! I was going to go to Sun Ray’s house in Cloudsdale!” Fluffball replied.
“And you didn’t think to ask me or your dad first?”
“Uhmm… Sorry, I just really wanted to ask her something.”
“Okay you can go, just make sure to ask me or your dad first, we don’t want to think you got foalnapped or something! And also put on your hat and scarf, it’s freezing out there. Especially in Cloudsdale,” Screwball said. Fluffball nodded and put on her dark green hat with a light green poof ball and her dark-and-light-green-striped scarf.
She stepped outside into the snowy forest. There wasn’t that much snow on the ground because the canopy of trees blocked it, but her house and the next-door Castle of Chaos were built in a clearing, so there was tons of snow all around.
“Snow!!!!” Fluffball yelled. She pranced through the snow and to the castle, where she saw Jany and her parents building a snowpony. 
“Fluffball! Hi!!” Jany called as Fluffball approached them.
“Hi!” she replied. Jany was wearing a blue hat and scarf. Fluffball’s Uncle Zany was wearing a red hat and scarf, and Aunt Jewel wore blue ones that matched Jany’s.
“Wait, I just realized all our hats and scarves are the colors of our eyes!!” Fluffball said.
“Woah, yeah!” Jany replied, “it does make it look good though, and it brings out our eye colors.” Fluffball nodded in agreement.
“Do you wanna help us build this snowpony?” Zany asked.
“Oh, that sounds like so much fun. But I was gonna go to Sun Ray’s house!” she remembered.
“Aww okay I’ll see you later,” Jany said. They hugged and Fluffball teleported to Sun Ray’s house. After they’d all visited her a few months back, the four friends frequently went to Sun Ray’s house and played (they were mostly trying to get their cutie marks). Fluffball was upset that she still had no mark!
Her mom was right, Cloudsdale was super cold! She walked up to Sun Ray’s cloud home and knocked on the door. After a few moments, the door opened and a sky-blue pegasus with rainbow hair stood in front of her.
“Hi Mrs. Dash, is Sun Ray home?” she asked.
“You can call me Prism, y’know. And yes, she’s in her room. C’mon in!” Fluffball trotted inside and felt a rush of warm air. She went into Sun Ray’s room. The pegasus was sitting at her desk doing homework. Fluffball looked around at the room. It was her first time in Sun Ray’s room.. The walls were painted blue and her bed had red covers. She had a few Wonderbolts posters and a bunch of Daring Do books, presumably given to her by her grandmare Rainbow Dash, the famous Wonderbolt. 
“Hi, Sun Ray!” Sun Ray jumped and turned around.
“Oh! Hi, Fluffball! What are you doing here?” she asked.
“Well… I wanted to talk to you about something…” 
Sun Ray went over to her bed and sat on it and Fluffball sat down next to her.
“What’s up?” Sun Ray asked.
“Well… It’s about Cheeseball… Don’t tell anypony this but I kinda have a crush on him,” Fluffball said.
Sun Ray laughed. “Well, obviously! Everypony knows that, even him!” she said.
“Wait, WHAT?!” 
“Yeah! You always call him a cute nickname, stare at him blushing during class, get jealous when he talks to other fillies, and you were even prince and princess for Nightmare Night!” 
“Oh… I guess it is obvious. But what I wanted to ask you is what should I get him for his birthday? You know him best. All I know is that he likes cheese and carrots,” Fluffball asked.
“Well… He doesn’t really like things that are too romantic because it makes him uncomfortable. He enjoys little trinkets and gifts because those make him know ponies care about him. He prefers savory rather than sweet, likes to bake, likes photography, and ummm I can’t think of anything else.” Fluffball noticed how Sun Ray smiled and gushed about Cheeseball’s interests. 
Fluffball got jealous again. She always knew how jealous she got of Sun Ray and Cheeseball’s friendship, but she couldn’t help it.
“Sun Ray, do you like Cheeseball?” she asked with a bitter tone. Sun Ray was caught off guard.
“What? No! He’s my best friend and he’s like a brother to me!” she replied. Fluffball eyed her suspiciously and nodded, although she still didn’t quite believe her.
“So what should I give him, then? And I guess I shouldn’t take him on a date like I was planning…”
“Wait what? You wanted to take him on a date?! But you’re only 8 years old!”
“I knew it! You do like him! Why would you not want me to take him on a date unless you wanted to first?!” Fluffball shouted.
“Huh?! No! He just isn’t ready for that kind of stuff!” Sun Ray replied.
“Yeah, because he’s too busy with you!” Fluffball yelled. Heavy hoofsteps came down the hallway and a green pegasus stallion appeared at the doorway.
“Hey, what’s all this yelling about? Are you guys okay?” Kicks asked.
“Sun Ray wants to take my crush on a date!” 
“No I don’t!”
“Yes you do!”
“No I don’t!” 
“Yes you-”
“GIRLS! Stop arguing! Let’s talk this out. So, Fluffball, can you tell me exactly why you are upset? Using kind words and without yelling?” Kicks asked, sitting in front of them.
“I want to take Cheeseball out on a date but Sun Ray has a crush on him too and also wants to!” Fluffball whined.
“No I don’t!!! Stop it!” Sun Ray yelled.
“Hey, let’s use our quiet inside voices, girls,” Kicks said, “Now Sun Ray, can you tell me why you are upset?”
“Fluffball keeps saying I like Cheeseball even though I don’t! I don’t have a crush on anypony! I’ve never even had a crush before! And I don’t like colts,” she said. 
“Oh…” Fluffball said, “I’m sorry… I should’ve been listening to you, I was just assuming things…”
“It’s okay, I forgive you!” Sun Ray replied. The two fillies hugged. Kicks smiled and left the room.
“Wow, your dad is good at that!” Fluffball said.
“Yeah, he always can resolve the fights between me and my siblings. He teaches foals how to kickbox so I guess that’s how he’s so good at it.” Fluffball nodded.
“Okay now, what do you think I should get for Cheeseball? You said he likes little gifts, what if I carved a little statue of him out of wood!” Fluffball suggested.
“Yeah, he’d love that!” Sun Ray smiled.
“Thanks, Sun Ray! And sorry again.”
“It’s fine. Do you wanna stay for dinner?” 
“No thanks, Jany wanted me to help build a snowpony with her.”
“Ooh, can I come?” Sun Ray asked
“Yeah!” Jany replied
“Okay, just let me ask my dad.” Sun Ray and Jany walked into the kitchen where Kicks was making dinner. Prism was sitting in the living room painting. Sun Ray asked their permission and they said yes, so the two fillies went to the Castle of Chaos and had the time of their lives playing in the snow.



Today was the day of Cheeseball’s birthday. Fluffball had spent the last few days carving a tiny statue of her crush out of wood from her favorite tree, and it ended up looking pretty good. Fluffball had carved things before, and it was one of her favorite hobbies. Ever since she was a little foal, she loved creating little figurines out of wood. It was a fun and challenging task to do without her magic, but she did use a tiny bit of magic for refinements. 
Fluffball decided that she would ask him out to the movies in a non-romantic way, and give him the wooden figurine afterwards. She didn’t want him to be uncomfortable with too much romance stuff.
It was too cold to fly to school, especially with her tiny bug-wings. Fluffball and Jany teleported to school and Fluffball looked for Cheeseball. She knew where to go, of course. He was with Sun Ray under the tree, which now had no leaves and was covered in snow. Fluffball looked up at the tree and smiled. It was a nice-looking tree, especially with snow on it, but her favorite tree in the recess yard was better. Fluffball remembered what she was going to do and shook her head to clear it.
“Happy birthday, Cheeseball!” Fluffball and Jany yelled. Jany used her magic to make party hats appear on all their heads and Fluffball made confetti fly through the air.
“Thanks!!!” Cheeseball said. Fluffball hugged him and he blushed. Sun Ray and Jany gave knowing looks at each other.
“Hey Cheesy, do you wanna go to the movies with me tonight?” Cheeseball frowned.
“I’m sorry, Fluffy, but my family is having a birthday dinner with me tonight. And my parents wouldn’t let me, anyway…”
“Aww…” Fluffball said. Her whole hopes and dreams for the day felt like they were  thrown into a dumpster and her sunny mood became rainy.
“We can still celebrate at school! We’re gonna have a class party, remember?” Cheeseball smiled.
“Yeah…” Fluffball forced a smile and then the bell rang. All the fillies and colts galloped and trotted inside. 



After lunch, it was time for the class party. The foals all sang Happy Birthday to Cheeseball and he handed everypony party favors with candy. He also brought carrot-cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.
“Yum, these cupcakes are so good, Cheesy!” Fluffball complimented.
“Yeah, they’re delicious!” Sun Ray agreed.
“Thanks! I made them myself! I love to cook,” Cheeseball replied, “it’s my special talent.”
“Wait, really?!” the three fillies asked. Cheeseball chuckled and nodded.
“I forgot you got your cutie mark before you met us,” Jany said.
“Yeah. I can’t believe we haven’t asked you how you got it!” Sun Ray marveled.
“I discovered it last year on my birthday when I was making snacks for my party. We were making cheeseballs! Just like my name! Once I tasted how delicious they were, I got my cutie mark!” he explained.
“Wowww, that’s so cool! I want to try some!” Fluffball gushed. 
Cheeseball smiled, “Yeah, I should make them sometime and bring them to school!” Fluffball grinned and hugged him. His eyes widened but then he hugged her back.
“Oooooh!” Sun Ray teased, as Jany sang, “Fluffball and Cheeseball sitting in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G!” The two quickly pulled away with red faces.
Jany continued singing and Sun Ray joined in, “First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a foal in a foal carriage!”
“Stooopppppp!” Cheeseball said. Sun Ray and Jany both laughed, and they enjoyed the rest of the party.