Comforting sent the little ponies home at the end of the evening. She walked back with the older students. "Phew!" She walked with her hands waving freely at her sides. "That was some day, but worth it."
"Yeah." Gallus had his hands behind his head, walking along with them. "Thanks for the mini-trip."
Noises of approval came from the others as they filtered into the hotel and back up to where Twilight was waiting for them.
"Ah, there you are." Twilight sat up, Applejack a bed over. "Welcome back. Are you hungry? We can order some food, then we should retire early."
The temptation of room service was far too great, and ice-skating had built up a desire for food, so they got some food with cheers and merriment.
So it ended with cheer the day, and they settled for a night of sleep.
Hi!
Having fun back there? I'll be back soon, promise...
Comforting was laying in bed, peering at the letters that only she could see. "Mmm..." She wanted to write more, but also, shouldn't she be not writing a single word?
Thinking of you,
Comforting
She pressed the send button, not entirely satisfied with a huff, but she couldn't think of what else to put there.
The next day, they headed out together towards their target, the great performance hall. The air was heavy with the scent of aged oak, and occasional whiffs of strong drinks wafted through the lively gathering of minotaurs in the open space. She scanned the crowd and noticed that nearly everyone was dressed formally in suits or dresses. The school members stood out as the most relaxed and informal group in attendance.
Comforting considered fixing that, but that felt a bit overmuch... She could dress herself, so she did, sporting a billowing dress that hadn't existed a moment before. the colors of the arms and legs were each different, matching with the parts she had underneath in a clashing, yet formal, ensemble.
Ocellus giggled at the sight. "Look at you!" With a flare of changeling magic, she was dressed like a formal changeling. "Ta da!"
Yona clapped at the two. "Not bring dress."
Sandbar shook his head. "Are you supposed to be all..."
"Stuck up?" Gallus rolled his eyes.
"Took the words out of my mouth." Smolder shared a firm high five with Gallus. "Don't know what they're all dressed up for."
A minotaur ahead of them turned with a scowl on his face. "Foreigners... This is a very important performance."
Comforting took a step forward with a big smile. "Can you tell us about it? We'd love to hear."
The minotaur was surprised, his face making no secret of it. To be brushed off or argued with felt far more likely. The foreigner had genuine interest? "You're just saying that..." His eyes went to the Responsible Adults. "Trying to look good for them?"
Comforting shook her head quickly. "We really want to know. This is the first time we got to see this. Sorry if that was ignorant, um, but we are. Tell us?"
The minotaur cracked a little smile. "Well... If you really want to know." He turned fully to face the students and their teachers. "Today is a day we celebrate the founding of the Minotaur Republic! Before it were lawless times." He pantomimed dramatically, getting into the tale quickly. "A minotaur eat minotaur world, where only the fastest, cruelest, and strongest had a chance of not being run over!"
Twilight perked, her attention grabbed by the sudden oration. "Ooo, please, do go on."
The minotaur bull waved behind himself, towards the front of the line. "I won't say the whole story, we're about to watch it, but the important part to know is that we clawed our way out of those dark times. It was a team effort! We, unlike some, don't pin all our hopes and dreams on any one lone genius." He snorted powerfully. "No offense... But you ponies have a bit of a hero complex."
Smolder cocked a brow. "Some of us aren't ponies."
"Yes, right..." His eyes wandered over the wild clash of not-ponies there. "Huh... This is quite the eclectic gathering, isn't it?"
Gallus shrugged. "If it helps, griffons aren't much better. We got our heroes."
Yona thumped her chest. "Yaks have great yaks, but all yak great yaks. No such thing as small yak." She nodded, sure in the confidence of her people. "Want see great minotaurs. Sound good story!"
"One of the best," laughed the bull. "You're in for a treat... Look, sorry. You all sound like you're actually here to listen... I assumed..." He rubbed at the back of his neck. "Sorry. I hope you enjoy the show." He turned back towards the front of the line. "At least the line's moving well this year. Last year was a mess."
Comforting inclined her head as she stepped forward with the line. "How bad was it? Did something happen?"
"A minotaur didn't do their job... Which made another behind, which... It was a chain reaction." The older bull huffed in the memory. "Everybull is important. It was a good reminder, but a painful one. Glad it doesn't seem to be happening again."
"For want of a nail," sang Comforting, remembering an ancient tale.
The minotaur's ear perked. "What? You heard of it then?"
Comforting froze. "Um, no? Lucky guess?" She laughed nervously. "I swear... Were they missing a horseshoe nail?"
"Actually, yes... An amazingly good guess." He laughed, but didn't turn back to them. "What a display... Oh, first scene. Keep an eye on the calf. They'll be important later. No spoilers, just keep an eye on them. Something you learn rewatching."
Smolder clapped. "Now there's some advice. I'll take it." She winked at her friends. "A little spoiling can help you know what to look for, I say."
Sandbar waved that off. "I'd rather go in fresh and be surprised."
Silverstream looked mystified at the both of them. "I don't get it..."
Ocellus nudged against her with a smile. "The more you know, the more you know to look for. The less you know, the more surprised you can be when things happen. They're both good ways to enjoy something."
Gallus squinted at Ocellus. "Well, guess we can stop arguing about it then?"
"Nuh uh." Silverstream shook her head vigorously. "Means the first time is great for being surprised, then you can watch it again and see new things every time! Wow, I never thought of it like that... I am ready to be surprised!" She clapped her palms on her cheeks. "Bring it on! I know nothing!"
Smolder elbowed the excitable hippogriff. "You know something, ya goof. You know it's about minotaurs. You know it's about them coming together. You even know to look for the calf."
"True..." Silverstream stroked over her beak with thought. "But that isn't much. Still ready to be surprised."
Applejack slid in next to Comforting. "Hey, sugarcube, just wanted to share something."
"Keep an eye on them?" Comforting tossed her head at the others.
"Nope." Applejack smiled gently. "Ya did yer part for now. Ain't fair to ask that. Yer here to enjoy this with the rest of 'em. So you sit back, and just enjoy the show. Trust us teachers to do our job. Yer officially off-duty."
Comforting smiled with a tension being released she hadn't noticed was creeping up on her. "Thanks." She threw an arm over Applejack, hugging her warmly, if briefly. "Try to enjoy it too, if you can."
"Ah'll do my best." Applejack tilted her hat. "But ah am on-duty, and keeping y'all safe is top of the list."
They presented their tickets. Rather, Twilight gave over the tickets for the whole class and teachers. "We're all seated together."
The minotaur cow looked over the tickets and ripped each in half. "You sure are. Do you need help finding the seats? It can be confusing for first-timers."
Twilight raised a hoof swiftly. "Please. Thank you."
"Enjoy the show." She looked to the next in line. "Next."
A bellhop hurried over. "Let me see that." He took one of the tickets for a quick scan. "This way, please." And so they made their way to their seats. They weren't ideal seats, but they weren't the worst either. Perfectly normal seats in the great place, on the second floor.
The show began with early minotaurs, living in towns, each an island of civility, each on their own. It was only when they fought their isolationist motions and unified that things got done. Sandbar rubbed at his cheek. "Huh... not that different from--" A chorus of shooshes got him to quiet quickly.
The Republic of Minotaurs formed when they had decided, as a people, that their power was mightiest together. A congress was formed, forged of those their people had duly elected from each province that made up their nation. The follies of the past would be set aside.
"What threatens the joy of any of us, threatens the joy of all of us," called one minotaur, the words echoed by others with a stomp of their hooves and a thunderous applaud from the audience. It had taken great trials for them to reach that point, but they had arrived. The Republic of Minotaurs would stride towards the future, together.
Twilight emerged from the darkness, giggling faintly. "That was great!" She whirled on her students. "I hope you all enjoyed that. I expect a writeup on your thoughts, to be shared when we get back."
Groans echoed through the students, but some smiles were mixed in there.
"Twilight." Cheerilee was fighting through the crowd with her foals behind her. "There you are. I didn't see you coming in. A fascinating tale, hm?"
"Indeed!" Twilight smiled at the little ponies. "Did you learn anything?"
Snips waved a hoof wildly. "You're better off making plans with other creatures that are on the same page."
Twilight let a hoof fall. "Uh, hm. Yes, technically valid..."
Featherweight lifted his camera. "They do not appreciate flash photography."
Twilight cringed at that idea. "I imagine not... But!" She pointed the way. "They have a souvenir stand right here. I see some excellent pictures waiting to be had."
Cheerilee chuckled at her students' answers. "We'll go over the story when we get back... But I think it was worth it."
"It was." Spoiled emerged from the crowd, nudging students ahead while she was at it. "An interesting story. We ponies had to learn many similar lessons, didn't we?"
Twilight bobbed her head. "Yes! That was the part that jumped out at me the most. It's fascinating to imagine other creatures having the same challenges we faced, from their own unique lens."
Spoiled prodded Comforting. "We need to talk."
Comforting went stiff as a board a moment. "Um... what about?"
"You know what about." Spoiled leaned in. "I leave it in your... hands... if that is before or after we return."
Comforting swallowed audibly. "After. Let's get everyone home first."
"Everycreature," corrected Spoiled with a mild shake of her head. "Now where did, ah, there." She went off to speak to Diamond and Silver.
Twilight waved towards the exit. "Well, that was some show, and long enough... Why don't we, since we're all together, go out and celebrate, together. We can exchange notes on the show and... also enjoy ourselves?"
Cheerilee brightened at the idea. "That sounds like a lovely idea." She coiled on herself and drew out her return trip tickets. "We're heading back tomorrow, you?"
"Same." Twilight paused. "Oh, how lovely. We're probably on the same boat. That will be nice. But--"
"--But," cut in Applejack. "First let's get all these fine foals some quality grub!"
The crowd of students, young and old, cheered at the idea and they all moved for the exit, chatting animatedly about the show they had just finished watching.
The Student Six closed round Comforting, gabbing about the specifics of how the minotaur show was similar and different. Each of them had a different part that stood out to them.