//------------------------------//
// Preparations 
// Story: The Pony: An Unexpected Journey 
// by AdrianJNovelle 
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	"Hooves off!" I barked at the youthful stallion hovering over me, who was glaring at my manuscript.
"What are you writing?" he asked.
"That's none of your business," I replied, closing my materials up and putting my writing utencils away. "And it's not ready yet. And it'll never be done with you breathing down my neck. What do you want?"
"I just got back from getting the mail," he said, dismissing our previous conversation. He held out a hooful of letters. "The party invitations. Almost everypony's replied and is excited about tonight!"
"The party!?" I gasped, rising to my hooves. "Was it tonight?"
"Indeed it is, Auntie!"
"By gosh, then! We've got work to do!" 
I began prowling my home: a cottage in a hillside, not much to the eyes. But it had all the comforts of home. I was happy here, and as was my newphew, Podo. I scrambled through the knickknacks and trinkets, hiding all of my silver and other shiny metals in cermaic jars and pots: out of sight, and out of mind for the guests.
"What are you doing?" Podo inquired, lazily following behind me.
"Hiding my silverware," I answered. "From those nasty peasants who think what's mine is there's, and that when they come over for a party, they will ransack my home and nab me of my jewels, as a part of 'being a good hostess', as if that weren't the biggest pile of rubbish I ever heard."
"I-is there anything I can do?"
"Yes, my boy," I said, bending over and picking up a sign and a hammer. "Be a lad and nail this to the gate, will you?"
"Oh, yes, right away, Auntie!" Podo took the objects from my grasp, hurrying outside, with excitement in his bones.