Second Lesson- Loneliness and Responsibility
Located at the very center of town, the Show Stable guild hall was the pride of all of Bright Valley. Although it's pink roof and whitewashed walls resembled a human farmer's barn, it was seen as appropriate to the species that dwelled in this community.
Within this structure, several earth ponies with iron gazes stared at the hapless unicorn below. They were carefully scrutinizing her every word and action... and making her feel like she was on trial.
"Honorable leaders of the guilds... I am here today to inform you that the founder's day play will go ahead as scheduled." Silver Swirl stamped her hoof. "Rest assured, the harmony bearers will be putting on a show for this town that will never forget!"
The white unicorn was facing down the eight guild masters of Bright Valley, trying to convince them that everything was going to go ahead as planned. These mares, however, were not so easily swayed by their princess's words.
"Forgive my skepticism, your highness..." Night Glider, the blue mare with the white mane, snorted, "but the Artisan Guilds want to make sure the sets we painted and the props we made are put to good use."
"The finance guilds concur with this concern!" Up, Up and Away, the pony whose Balloon cutie marks signaled upward economic growth, agreed. "The Jangles and Bits our banks have invested cannot be written off if this play does not pan out!"
"I assure both of you, Cadence and her girls will not let us down!" Silver Swirl smiled at them. "Your talents and efforts shall not go to waste!"
"What's this we hear about a miss Bow Tie is altering the costumes that were made for the play?" Bonnie Bonnets, a white maned mare with a purple coat, chimed in. "The tailor's guild is concerned about our contribution being tarnished!"
"The athletic guild would also like to inquire, why haven’t the stunt ponies we supply every year been contacted?" the mare named Sugarberry queried.
"As the culinary guilds wonder-" the yellow pony Munchie started.
"-when we'll be catering the event!" her sister Yum Yum finished.
"Ladies, ladies... please!" the unicorn princess whinnied, trying to soothe things over. "All of your contributions will be recognized and appreciated! Your sponsorship of the event will be well advertised!"
At that point, a lilac colored mare behind the others spoke up. "Princess Swirl, my guild would like to add-"
"That... that won't be necessary, Pillow Talk!" Silver Swirl replied nervously. "Your guild's contributions to Bright Valley go without saying!"
Night Glider leaned over towards Bonnie Bonnets. "Yeah, because her guild's contributions shouldn't be mentioned in polite society!" she whispered, eliciting a soft giggle from the other mare.
As the Meeting was adjourned, Silver Swirl let out an inner sigh of relief. These guild masters... these twice-as-fancy ponies who thought they were better than everybody else... could really try on her nerves sometimes.
"You do it for your subjects, girl!" she told herself as she trotted out of the guild hall, her head held high. "They need a pony like you to handle craziness like this!"
As the guild masters made their way out of the Show Stable, a lavender-colored mare called out to the pony who was waiting for her.
"Posey, where are you?" the pony with the purple mane called out. "We've finished, and it's time to go!"
The yellow filly, who had been staring at the yellow weather vane on top of the guild hall, looked down at the other pony. "Oh, coming mother!" She came galloping up to Bright Bouquet, master of the agricultural guild, and the town's master florist.
"So, how did the meeting go?" Poesy asked timidly, trotting at a brisk pace to keep up with Bright.
"Not as well as I had hoped, I'm afraid," her mother replied with a sigh. "The other guild masters seem bound and determined to rip the princess to shreds. If a single aspect of you and your friends performance doesn't go off well, I'm afraid they'll hang Silver Swirl out to dry."
"Oh how awful!" Poesy squeaked before looking up at Bright Bouquet again."I hope the princess can handle it."
"Don't worry, Posey." The older mare reassured her. "She's gotten out of worse scrapes than this."
"Oh, okay then," Posey replied before changing the subject. "So... how have things at the flower shop been going?"
"It's actually been even quieter since you left." Bright Bouquet replied. "Orders have picked up for flowers for the founders day parade by the float makers. Oh, and Rose and Lily have been a handful, as always."
"Those two little dears." The yellow filly sighed. "I've missed them so much since I've left."
"But what about you, Poesy?" Bright Bouquet asked, changing the subject. "Have you been getting along with the other harmony fillies?"
"Oh, yes! Twilight is so smart, and Firefly is so brave!" Poesy smiled. "Glory is a real lady, and Surprise... well, Surprise is... special!"
"Bow Tie seemed to speak very highly of them." her mother let out a chuckle. "That filly has been stopping by the shop every day since you went to Misty Mountain, checking up on me and your three sisters all the time."
"Just like I asked her to." Poesy smiled. "I couldn't have asked for a better best friend."
"Speaking of which, have you met any nice colts on your journey?" her mother asked, cocking an eyebrow.
"Ummmm... well... that is....." The yellow filly's face turned a bright red. "There was this one boy..."
"Well that‘s wonderful, dear! I knew getting out would be good for you!" Bright Bouquet winked at her daughter. "You'll have to tell me all about it sometime."
The two ponies rounded a corner and entered the gate-like door of the Pretty Parlor flower shop. The small blue structure with a rounded roof had been in the family for generations. As Poesy stepped through the gate and into the entrance, a wave of floral scents hit her.
"Ohhhhhh...." The little yellow pony cried. Lilacs and Daffodils.... Roses and tulips... flowers flowers flowers! The smell of her dear plants invigorated the shy little pony, making her feel alive again! Oh, how could her ancestor have possibly embraced animals so much- frightening beasts that could claw, bite, and scratch! Glorious flowers were far more beautiful, and rewarded your tender and loving care with their sweet fragrance!
As she looked around the shop, Poesy was suddenly barreled over by a little blue and a little pink blur, the two landing squarely in the middle of her chest.
"O-o-o-o-h my!" the timid filly squeaked, the air suddenly knocked out of her.
"Yaaaay!" the two little fillies called out, hopping around on her stomach excitedly. "Big sister home! Big sister home!"
"Rose! Lily! I'm so happy to see you two again!" Poesy stood up again, as the two foals got off of her. "You haven't been giving mom too much trouble, now have you?"
"Lily been good!" the blue filly with the pink mane added. "Me promise!"
"Rose been good, too!" the pink filly with the blue mane chimed in. "No cause trouble for mommy!"
"Hello, sister." another pony called out, trotting in from the back of the store. "It's good to see you again."
Poesy looked up... and it was like looking in a mirror. Same yellow coat, same pink mane... were it not for one having a flower cutie mark and the other a bunch of hearts, no one would have been able to tell the two apart.
"Hello, Peachy,” Poesy greeted her twin with a soft smile. "you're looking well."
"Same to you, Poesy. Hope things have been more exciting for you out there on the road." The yellow filly gave a snide laugh. "Nobody noticed you being gone here, that's for sure."
"Right..." Poesy chuckled wearily, before turning and heading for the stairs. "If you'll excuse me, I think I'll head up to my room and gather a few things I want to show the girls."
"Be sure to be down here in about an hour." Her mother called up to her, as she trotted up the stairs. "I want to take you four out to dinner tonight to celebrate your return."
"But moooom, I can't go out tonight!" Peachy pleaded. "I have a date with Score at seven!"
"Figures you'd be busy on the night I'd come back." Poesy sighed to herself. "I wouldn't expect you to go out of your way for me anyway!"
It had always been this way for Poesy, growing up in the shadow of her much more popular twin. Peachy was the outgoing and social pony, always making friends and going to all the parties and get togethers. While quiet little Poesy was ignored and neglected, the little wallflower that nobody ever noticed, while her sister got all of the attention.
That was why she preferred flowers, Poesy decided. Flowers didn't neglect you, making you feel like you weren’t worth the oxygen you were breathing in. They didn't leave you standing alone at the prom while every colt danced with your twin. No, flowers accepted your love and affection unconditionally, and accepted a quiet and shy pony for who she was.
As she trotted into her room, Poesy went over to her dresser and looked up at photograph of a lavender stallion with a purple mane who was standing beside Poesy and her sisters, smiling.
"Oh papa, if only you were still here..." The yellow filly thought sadly, staring at the picture of Daddy Bright Bouquet.
Poesy remembered a stallion who would comfort a little filly when she cried, and took her into his hooves when the other foals left her alone to go play with Peachy. The world had become a cold, dark, and frightening place since his passing, and Poesy had been afraid to trot out into it. That was why Bright Bouquet had insisted Poesy answer Princess Cadence's summons instead of Peachy, to try to get the filly to come out of her self-created shell...
...besides, it's not like any pony would miss her...
...
"I really can't thank you enough for this, Bow Tie!" Glory exclaimed as the two ponies trotted down street together, on a break from working at the theater. "Without your help with the sewing and embroidery, I never would have gotten those costumes ready in time."
"Awww, it was nothin! Sewing and ribbons are my specialty!" the spunky blue mare shook her mane. "But... weren't you working a bit too hard? I mean, when you were ironing that sundress this afternoon, it looked like you were about ready to take a nap on it."
"I know Bow Tie, you're right." the white unicorn replied with a sigh. "I really do bury myself in my work too much! But I just can't seem to get my mind off of my responsibilities."
"What you need is a hobby!" Bowtie suggested. "Let's see, I know you don't like sewing... how about bird watching? Or collecting stamps?"
"Those sound about as much fun as watching paint dry." Glory snorted. "I'd want a hobby that’s much more fast paced... one that'll take me places."
"Hmmmm...." Bow Tie thought aloud, before looking over at a nearby sporting goods store. Suddenly, a great big grin spread across her face. "Hang on a sec, I think I got it!"
"Wait..." A nervous glory asked, looking at the gleam in the earth filly's eye warily. "What exactly do you mean?"
One trip through the sporting goods store later, and Glory found herself outfitted with two pairs of silver roller skates.
"Ummm, Bow Tie? Are you sure about this?" the unicorn whinnied nervously. "I really don't think this is safe!"
"Oh, don't be a silly filly!" Bow Tie chided, giving her a hard push. "Now, off you go!"
"Aiiieeeeeee!" the white unicorn shrieked as she was sent racing down the sidewalk. As Glory rolled along, she ducked low to avoid a pony on a ladder, and jumped high to miss a sign being carried by two workers.
"Bow Tie, help me!" the unicorn shrieked. "I can't stop these crazy things!"
"Oh dear..." The blue earth filly ran after her in a panic. "Maybe we should have gone with skateboarding instead."
Over at the town square, Applejack was staring up at the Pinkie Pie statue silently, while Surprise was dancing gleefully around the fountain.
"Pinkie Pie was the light in the harmony bearer's lives." AJ said aloud, still staring at the statue. "She was always ready to make them laugh with a joke or a prank!"
"Jokes are good!" Surprise giggled, flying over to her friend. "And jokes and pranks I can do!"
"But she could also be responsible when the situation called for it, Surprise!" Applejack snorted. "And the girls and I have noticed you haven't been taking this play seriously!"
"Awww c'mon, AJ!" the white filly grinned. "The snapping gum in Butter Pop's concession stand was hilarious! Her tongue was swollen for six hours!"
"And the whoopee cushion in Firefly's seat? She didn't stop chasing you though Bright Valley's skies for over two hours!" the orange filly sighed. "Look, Surprise... this whole town looks up to you and wants you to make this performance a success! You need to stop acting like a silly filly, and-"
"Oh, stop worrying so much, Applejack!" the white filly flew away. "What harm could a little fun possibly be?"