Adorkable Love
By Einhander
Chapter 5: She Loves You
Edited by: TheLastBrunnenG
The first rays of sunshine came into Cheerilee’s house to wake and greet her, but found her already up and about. She got up early every school day, and found herself doing the same thing on the weekends. Whether it was force of habit or because she had always gotten by without sleep, her internal clock would wake her up before the dawn. She made coffee and watched Celestia raised the sun.
She didn’t mind. Her natural cheeriness meant that she was also naturally a morning person, and the sunrise was always a nice way to start the day. But if she was honest with herself, it was the darkness just before the dawn, courtesy of Luna’s final moments of the night, that really made her happy. There was a special beauty to be found as the stars made their silent, final bows. Only a few ponies really lived and understood this: the Cakes and Bon Bon with their baking, Applejack during Cider season, and Twilight when she stayed up all night to stargaze.
Twilight…. She smiled, staring at her coffee as the light continued to shine into her house. Of course, she realized now, that the night had only truly become spectacular after Luna had returned. This was another way of saying after that the night only truly became the night after Twilight defeated Nightmare Moon and freed Princess Luna. Which was, in of itself, another way of saying that after Twilight had moved to Ponyville, everything changed.
She glanced at the presents: the book, the card, the candy, the flowers. There was a part of her that feared when she would wake up, they would all be gone, just a figment of a pleasant dream. Her students often remarked of dreams where school had been cancelled due to snow, or where their homework was magically done, or their sister had woken them up to announce that the fashion show had been cancelled, so instead the whole day would be fun big sister-activities (which was actually a very specific pony’s dream). And then they would wake up and find that the weather was warm, the homework remained unfinished and the fashion show would go on. She would listen to these stories with a smile, but last night, for the first time in a long time, she was afraid that her gifts would suffer a similar fate.
Not today. She woke up before the sun, made her coffee as usual, and as she watched the night sky fade and the sun rise she saw them. They were real, just like the pony who left them. The wonderful, wonderful pony who could move the sky and the earth and, for reasons she couldn’t begin to fathom and didn’t dare to question, had taken a shine to her.
Cheerilee had always been a happy pony, but a practical one. She believed in her students and their dreams, but had always had modest hopes of her own. Her own place, a job she loved, a steady stream of good books and enough bits to get by was all she really asked for out of life. And she had gotten it, and was content to let things continue as they were.
Then Twilight moved to town.
It wasn’t love at first sight. She had always been ambivalent and even slightly skeptical of love, as it had never really came looking for her, nor had she gone off seeking it. It was very fickle when it came to her students and their schoolyard crushes, and she noticed that it only changed slightly for older ponies. Love was cruel, love was ravenous, love would tear friendships apart and beat down even the ponies who were steadfastly loyal to it. She had seen the Cakes argue now and again, and would steer clear of Bon Bon’s shop when Lyra was playing sadder music than usual. It didn’t seem to matter whether it was a stallion and a mare, a mare and a mare or a stallion and a stallion: all were subject to heartbreak. Sometimes over real things like beliefs or foals, sometimes over sad misunderstandings - when a mare brought a flower to another mare, and the other mare realized that she had been giving off the wrong signals - and sometimes over nothing at all.
No. She did not double down on love when the purple unicorn moved into the Golden Oaks Library. Instead, she found herself drawn to her out of… well…
Twilight liked books! She liked talking about stories and poetry and concepts as diverse as the history of Equestria and modern astronomical theory. And she knew things! And she was just so… nice. The old library only had an old stallion who could barely hear, working part time and spending most of that time yelling at other ponies to speak up. When he finally retired there was nopony who stepped fowrard, so the library entered a period of decline and disrepair.
Twilight changed all of that. She cleaned up the place, ordered new books and made the place a home. She was always willing to sit and chat with anypony who wanted to talk about books and ideas. Without realizing it, Cheerilee came so often that she realized that she had a friend in the princess’s private student. And that, plus her beloved students, was enough for her.
Until Hearts and Hooves day, when three little fillies slipped something into her drink and the next thing she remembered, she was in the bottom of a pit in a wedding veil. She knew they meant well, and that they had realized their mistake, and done more than enough to make up for it… but without realizing it, they had opened up a part of her heart that she had carefully locked away for most of her life.
Ponies speculated that she was a little less cheery after the incident because, in the end, Big Mac had not repeated his promise made under the magic spell. These ponies were wrong, for Big Mac had in fact asked her to lunch on more than one occasion, and with a little prodding from Applejack along with some dedicated follow up of her own... who knows? She could have been “Mrs. Mac,” living on Sweet Apple Acres. Probably would have her own filly or colt right now. And she wouldn’t be teaching. She might not even be reading anymore.
Big Mac was a good pony. He’d make some mare very happy. But not her. Her lunches had been long stretches of awkward smiles and one-word answers to simple questions. And more than that, she realized that while he was, objectively, a handsome stallion…
It had hit her like a thunderbolt. When she saw and thought of stallions, all she saw was prose. Good? Bad? Rich? Poor? Tall? Short? These were the terms that came to mind.
But when she saw and thought of mares, certain mares at least… it was poetry. All poetry. Words like starlight, gossamer, beauty, shine, majesty, grace, it went on and on. And while this had always been true, she hadn’t realized it as her own truth until her second ‘date’ with Big Mac, when she saw Twilight walking by in the distance, along with a bickering Applejack and Rarity.
Three ponies, all who could not be more different. But they were all mares, and she realized they were all beautiful in their own way. Especially Twilight.
It is quite a thing to know yourself. It is another to suddenly know yourself while on a date that you realize has no chance of going anywhere, ever. The gossip in town was that she had just failed to seal the deal. She did nothing to discourage it. To her, it was easier to be the schoolteacher who almost landed the most eligible bachelor in town than…
There was a term for what she was, a term that ponies no longer used in mixed company, but it survived all the same. In muttered breaths, schoolyard taunts, barroom brawls and the mouths of little fillies parroting their bigoted parents, it survived.
She blinked and shook her head, trying to clear her mind. She hadn’t gone into this part of her mind and heart for a long time. Once she had figured out why she wasn’t falling for Big Mac like everypony thought she should, she simply had willed herself not to think about it. And that had worked.
She had her students, her books, her house and her sunrise. And she had her visits to the library, where she would return a book and check out a new one and spend a few moments with Twilight talking about this book or that book. And that had worked, even though she found herself ordering the books anyway so that she could keep reading when the library ran out.
Then Spike had left the library for some reason yesterday and Twilight asked her to spend a few minutes talking about the book they had both read.
Then she had spent the entire afternoon talking with Twilight, and she couldn’t remember the last time she had been so happy.
Then she had forgotten about her class (her class!) and had to run back and restore order.
Then she could have sworn that in the chaos, she had seen Silver Spoon kiss Diamond Tiara, and Diamond Tiara freaked out and she had to separate the two ponies, which basically derailed the entire afternoon.
Then she had called in the parents to try and resolve the issue calmly and gently, only to be yelled at by three out of four the adults for daring to shower their little fillies with anything but praise.
Then she had retreated home, punishing herself in her mind for letting her guard down, both with her job and her heart. Twilight had said friends were always welcome, and that would have to be enough. Of course it was. She had her students, her books, her house and her sunrise, and now her weekly trip to the library. She was not a greedy pony.
It would have to be enough. She had no idea if Twilight even liked mares, and even if she did, what in Equestria would a pony like Twilight Sparkle be doing with a little schoolteacher like her?
And yet, here was the answer staring her in the face. She sipped her coffee and looked at the freshly picked Purple Night Flowers. Where did Twilight even get them this time of year? Their scent was elusive and addictive at the same time, there and not there, even as their color boldly stated Gaze Upon Me, Ye Mighty, And Ooh and Aah. She leaned in and took a deep whiff.
With that knock on the door, everything was upside down. Any of the individual items, and it would be just a gesture by a good friend. Taken together, on the other hoof…
She then reached over and bit one of the flowers off of its stem, walked over to the mirror, and put it in her hair. Twilight’s flower in her mane complimented her coat perfectly.
Cheerilee took a deep breath, smiled and for the first time in a very long time, let hope into her heart.
The most wonderful pony in the whole world had sent her flowers. The least she could do was let that pony know that she had gotten them. And then she finished her coffee and walked out into the morning air.
She didn’t have a plan or an ulterior motive. Happy ponies rarely do. She just decided to let all of Ponyville see that today, on her day off, she had flowers in her hair.
And if anypony asked, yes, they were a present from somepony special.
Applejack was a morning pony. Not because of any natural sunny disposition phooey, but because when she woke, it was time to get to work. A weekend was just two days out of the week when certain stores were closed and the mail didn't arrive. She'd heard of this 'day off' myth from other ponies, but she'd never seen one on Sweet Apple Acres.There were seeds to plant, trees to buck, barns to raise, apples to sell; there was just so much to do.
She didn't mind. If she was completely honest with herself, she was only happy when she had a task in hoof. And she could only rest, really rest without guilt or fidgeting, when her bones were too weary to go any further. The cider tasted the sweetest when she had worked all day to make it. And cider season was close...
So when the sun came in through her window, she hopped out of bed and blitzed through her morning checklist. Hat and work plan for the day? Check. Face washed and teeth brushed? Check. Gently kiss her sister on the forehead without waking her? Check.
Big Mac was already downstairs, and after some coffee and their usual, seven word day-to-day morning repartee ("Mornin'." "Eeyup." "Sleep okay?" "Eeyup." "Ready?" "Eeyup.") they set out to work. Big Mac was in the west fields, Applejack in the south fields. With a nod, they parted ways and Applejack pulled her cart south, empty baskets ready to be filled.
The sun was already coming in hot, but the breeze was constant and cool. She smiled as the windy path became populated with apple trees in full bloom, ready for harvest. Then she saw it: the second tree on the right, straight on after the last marking post. The tree that grew crooked after getting a direct hit from a certain rainbow-maned pegasus. The tree that afterwards, said mare paid special attention and made sure it always had enough sunlight and its branches were pruned properly. The tree that, while it only produced scrawny apples, had an especially comfortable set of branches on the crooked side, where somepony could nap for hours. Rainbow Dash's tree.
Applejack's eyes lit up with mischief. It was Saturday, wasn't it? It was! Rainbow Dash always was sleeping in her tree on Saturday morning. Which meant that on any given Saturday, Applejack would always take the southern fields, and should a certain tree always get bucked and a certain pegasus fall out of it, well... stuff happens.
Applejack shook her head, rolling her eyes at herself. She was an honest pony, a hard working pony, a pony who didn't loaf about or pull pranks or mean tricks. But she was also flesh and blood, and it was just so easy, one solid buck and BAM, the pegasus would hit the ground. And Rainbow Dash was always a bad liar: she sounded upset, but you could tell from her face that it wasn't real. And besides, for someone who claimed to hate being pranked, she was there every Saturday, falling for it everytime.
She primed herself to kick the tree, then hesitated. Her brain and heart were in deep argument.
You should really stop, you know, Applejack's brain told her heart. You're too old for little filly games like this.
Oh hush now, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie do stuff like this all the darn time, replied her heart.
Exactly, snorted her brain.
Just one good buck, then it's right back to the harvest, said the heart.
You wouldn't have to settle for kickin' her out of a tree week after week if you'd just tell-
You shut up! You shut up right now! her heart raged. I told you. That's not in the cards.
Why? Give me a good reason, other than, you know, she gets disgusted and never wants to speak to you again.
'
Just give me this, alright? pleaded the heart. I didn't sign up for this today.
Her brain sighed. Fine. Kick the tree, then. We've got work to do.
With the argument tabled for now, she reared up and gave Rainbow Dash's tree a kick to kick all kicks.
And other than some leaves falling and a branch knocked loose, nothing happened.
Maybe Rainbow found a way to hang on? She waited, hoping that a string of curses would soon come raining down at her from above. Nothing.
Well. That was dissapointn', said her heart.
Ah know, right?
For once, her heart and brain were in agreement. Deflated, she gave the tree another half-hearted buck, but nothing came out but a few more leaves. She then slowly moved on, taking her cart and trudging down the path towards the back end of the orchard. Start at the end and work backwards, so you end up closer to the house, that was the plan...
Maybe she just got tired of ya'll kickin' her out of the tree, mused her brain.
Nah, she would'a said somethin'. Remember that time she came over to remind you that she was staying in the tree? She was sad you hadn't kicked her out of it! said her heart.
Still, ponies move on, ah guess.
She got to the end of the orchard, and got the buckets ready with the tree.
Maybe she's sick? asked her heart.Maybe we should go see her...
Hush now. You got your prank, even if it didn't work, and now we got work to do. She's probably off playin' with her new toy and-
Everything stopped. Those goggles. Rainbow Dash's new goggles that allowed her to see at night. Where had they come from? Who sent them? Not to mention the ducks, that box of baby ducks that, thank goodness, Fluttershy was willing to take. Heck, she was practically falling over herself to take. And the trampolines. What was goin' on with that?
A sound, quiet but high pitched, was coming out of the east. It was like a train whistle, but there were no tracks. She turned and squinted.
"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-"
Was that a pink dot on the horizon?
"Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-"
In a rush of leaves and streamers and swirling confetti, a pink blur flew past her, knocking her off her feet and onto her flank. There was also a spike in volume, and a corresponding dwindling "Wheee" as the pink dot faded into the west. She could have sworn she also heard a 'quack' in there somewhere.
Applejack grunted, got up and dusted herself off, and put her hat on with renewed determination. Crazy presents with mystery names sent by ponies unknown? Some fool giving Pinkie Pie 20 trampolines, and a gadget that allowed Rainbow Dash to fly at top speeds at night? 19 and a half ducklings for Fluttershy? Somethin' funny was going on, and it was happening to her friends, and she wasn't gonna stand for it. She also knew she had no idea what was going on or how to solve it, but she knew the pony that could solve it.
Minutes later, she ran up to Big Mac. "Brother, I gotta take the day off."
Big Mac stared at her, shocked. He couldn't remember his sister ever saying those words. "Eeyup?" he ventured.
"Somethin's goin on with Pinkie and Fluttershy and packages bein' delivered around town. I think they may be in trouble. And Dash too."
Big Mac arched an eyebrow. Applejack looked away and said, "She, uh... she wasn't in her tree today."
A knowing smile spread over Big Mac's face. "Eeyup."
Applejack sputtered, "Don't get the wrong idea now! I just... I'm worried. It always starts with somethin' small, and next thing ya know it's rainin' chocolate milk or little fuzzballs are devourin' the entire county. Can you cover without me today?"
Big Mac laughed, "Sis, you ain't ever taken a day off, never, not once unless you're sick. I got ya, go on now."
Applejack smiled, "Thanks Big Mac. I gotta hurry, see if I can catch her!"
Big Mac blinked as his sister started galloping off, "Her? Her who? Who you gonna call?"
Applejack yelled over her shoulder, "Twilight Sparkle!"
Spike was not a morning pony. He was also not a pony, but regardless of species, he was a creature that did not greet the morning's light with a warm embrace. Even when he got enough sleep, he treated the new day like Opalescence treated everypony: with a hiss and a claw to the face.
Today was different. It's not that Spike didn't get enough sleep. Spike barely slept at all last night. He knew Twilight must have gone to visit Cheerilee because she was gone by the time he got home, along with one of the copies of Pony and Prejudice.
But he had fallen asleep waiting for Twilight to get back, only to awake in his bed at 3am to the sound of Twilight's gentle snoring.
The next three hours ticked by at a crawl for Spike. How had it gone? Did she like the book? Did Twilight chicken out? Had they kissed? Had they agreed to be friends?
The suspense was killing Spike.
So once daylight broke, Spike gave up and got up. He tried to make coffee, but they were out, so he decided to go wander. He always remembered to leave a note for Twilight when he left before she got up, but that was after a decent night's sleep and/or coffee.
So today, he forgot to leave a note for Twilight.
Spike walked along the streets of Ponyville, yawning and contemplating who he could visit. Zero chance that Rainbow Dash was up. Rarity had specifically told him not to come before 11. Pinkie didn't work at Sugarcube Corner on the weekends, so who knows what she was up to.
"Spike?"
Fluttershy... Well, even if Fluttershy was awake, he's not really sure what they would talk about other than his Phoenix. Applejack was most likely up, but was just as likely busy...
"Spike? Yoo-hoo!"
Spike grumbled, forcing his sluggish mind to work. Zecora MIGHT be up but... and even if the cutie mark crusaders were awake and assembled, he didn't really feel like zip lining or whatever madness they were doing today. Maybe he should have just-
"SPIKE!"
He blinked, looked around and found Cheerilee smiling at him from a cafe table. She had a purple flower in her mane and was glowing with positive energy.
"Good morning, sleepy head," she chirped.
I definitely should have stayed in bed, he thought.
But what he SAID was: "Cheerilee! How... Are you?"
"I'm good! And you? How is that project with Rarity coming along?"
Spike paused, and leaned to his side in thought. There's no way she could be talking about what he dreaded she was talking about.
Maybe.
"It's good. It's GOING to be good. We're- er, she's- waiting for the universe to give her a sign as to what to do next."
Cheerilee laughed. "I never understand her process, but the clothes are always amazing, so whatever works, right?"
Spike laughed with relief, "Yes, her clothes, which is what of course we are talking about, are darn beautiful, am I right? Right?"
Cheerilee tilted her head, "not a morning pony, huh?"
Spike ran a claw over his face. "You have no idea. I didn't sleep at all last night."
"Oh no! Poor guy." She nodded at the empty chair next to her. "Join me for some coffee?"
Spike hesitated. He wanted to know how last night went, but he had also agreed to not make any moves until he and Rarity could meet with Pinkie. The last time he had a cup of coffee he ended up at Donut Joe's at 3 in the morning arguing that Mr. Joe didn't understand how beautiful Rarity really was. He racked his brain for a plausible excuse.
"C'mon, I'll buy you a donut. My treat?"
Spike folded. A donut was a donut. He hopped up on the chair next Cheerilee, and she called over the waiter. "Another cup of coffee please? And my friend here would like..."
"One triple chocolate with extra sprinkles. And ice cream."
"One cuppa joe, one donut ala mode'," said the waiter, writing it down, "Comin' out right now, don't you have a cow."
Spike watched him go and blinked. "Was he rhyming?" He then focused further. "Was he a Zebra??"
"I think that's Zecora's nephew, visiting for the summer." Cheerilee sipped her coffee and stretched her neck. "I can't WAIT for the school year to end."
"Colts and fillies are getting to you, huh?"
"The colts and fillies I love, for the most part. The parents, on the other hoof..." She trailed off, then smiled and shook her head, "But it's the weekend, I don't want think about that now."
When she shook her head, Spike noticed the purple flower in Cheerilee's mane. He did a quick mental inquiry of the times Cheerilee has previously had a flower in her hair, and his brain came back with:
You've never consciously looked at her mane before, you idiot. said his brain.
Thanks a lot, brain.
Look, just find a way to ask her without being obvious. Be subtle, smooth.
"You've got a flower in your hair!" blurted Spike.
That's it, I'm outta here. He felt his brain going leaving his skull, and he realized he was on his own.
"Oh, did you notice?" asked Cheerilee in an attempt at coyness that quickly dissolved into an embarrassed giant grin. She then hid behind her coffee, but her smile was bigger than the cup.
Spike was instantly reminded why he embarked on this quest. What a smile, and all because of Twilight! Spike found himself smiling back at Cheerilee, who was outright giggling.
C'mon Spike. You don't need no stinking brain. You can do this!
His coffee was delivered, and he poured a little cream in as Cheerilee calmed down and took a deep sip of her cup. Spike decided to gamble. Stirring his coffee, his face a mask of nonchalance, he casually asked "Twilight gave the flower to ya, huh?"
PFFFFBBBTTTTT
Cheerilee stared at him with bugged out eyes and a mouth no longer full of coffee.
Spike then realized, dripping with hot coffee, that he had forgotten the fundamental rule of the universe: if there can be a spit take...
"I'm so sorry!" said Cheerilee, offering her napkin to the dragon, who waved her off.
"My fault, my fault," said Spike, who was doing his best to clear his vision with the tablecloth. He blinked his eyes until the sting wore off. "Coffee comes out of scales, right?"
"So she, uh. She told you?" asked Cheerilee, her voice almost a whisper. Her smile had vanished, replaced by something Spike has never seen on her face before: fear.
He wanted to handle this delicately, since he had crossed Rarity's don't do anything without me line long ago. How could get information without revealing that he didnt have any? He had to think.
Well well well., snarked his brain, Look who's come crawling back.
Rarity stared at her stuffed pony model in despair. Despite her early progress in locating the book, she had found no Foalish Follies-era inspiration in its pages when it came to the actual design. Scrunched up papers decorated the floor as her failed attempts had piled up.The sun had risen an hour ago, and had found her at her desk.
She stared at the book, then back at the model. The model, then the book. Nothing. No spark, no ideas. Instead she found herself wondering how the Great Book Handoff Of Cheerilee/Twilight went; and also what on earth Sweetie Belle had been up to so late, and if Spike was sticking to the plan, and...
*YAWN*
And she wondered if her lack of focus was because she hadn't slept a wink. After a few hours of staring at the ceiling, she willed herself out of bed, into the shower and back to the design desk. She made a fresh cup of tea, wrapped her mane in a towel, put on her most comfortable robe and made herself sit in her design chair until inspiration struck.
So there she had sat for hours, with nothing to show for it that was worth keeping out of the trash.
"Come now, Darling," she muttered to herself, "you've pulled off fashion miracles harder than this in less time."
Truly, once she managed to pluck five dresses out of thin air for her best friends, and then did it AGAIN in a very short amount of time. This was nothing! This was a straight up commission! Take the design and add the Rarity touch!
Now... Go!
After a few minutes of silence, she was jostled by a strange clicking sound. She turned her head and saw two crickets in her window, staring back at her and continuing to chirp.
Her mouth curled into an unladylike snarl, and she magically picked up the book and flung it at the crickets.
Fortunately for the crickets, Rarity's many talents did not include athletics. The book sailed harmlessly over them and through the window. However the two bugs got the message and quickly followed the book out into the flower beds.
Rarity ran up to the window, towel flying off her head and robe flapping in the breeze, shaking her hoof and screaming, "That's right, run, you little musical cowards!"
"Uh... You okay sis?"
Rarity turned her head and saw Sweetie Belle standing at the foot of the stairs. The little filly was rubbing one eye sleepily, and the other eye was looking at her with concern. Rarity then looked at herself and the room: the now cold tea, the discarded towel, the crumpled up paper and, oh yes, the recent screaming at insects.
The little white lie she was preparing died in her throat. "I've been better, Sweetie Belle," said Rarity.
"What's wrong?"
The older unicorn shrugged. "Design trouble. And some other things." She then glared at her sibling, "Your late night adventures certainly didn't help my stress levels."
"I said I was sorry! We were just trying to cheer a pony up; you'd do the same!"
"Mmm..." Rarity wanted to continue giving her little sister a hard time, but her heart wasn't into it. Her heart wasn't into anything the past 24 hours that wasn't Twilight/Cheerilee related. She slunk back to her design desk, and stared at the now blank table. Great. Where was the stupid book she was basing her stupid design job on?
You threw it out the window, dear, said her brain.
Ah yes.
"Do you want me to go get the book?" asked Sweetie Belle.
"No, that's alright Sweetie Belle," said Rarity.
"Do you want me to make you breakfast?"
"NO!" yelped Rarity, who quickly recovered, "Er, that is, I already ate, my dear."
Sweetie Belle looked at the ground, sadly. "Is there anything I CAN do for you?"
Rarity sighed. "Give me some good news about Operation: Adorkable, I suppose."
The little unicorn wrinkled her nose. "Operation what?"
"It's a little game Spike and I are trying to play, but failing at miserably."
"Is the game better than it sounds? Because that name is terrible."
"Your critical feedback is always welcome, dear," deadpanned Rarity.
"How do you play?"
Rarity realized now that perhaps she had said too much.
"Well, it involves Twilight and... a certain somepony."
Sweetie Belle hummed, her interest piqued. "Who's the somepony?"
"That's a game secret, dear."
Sweetie Belle frowned, then her eyes lit up. "I bet I can guess who it is!"
Rarity laughed, "I bet you don't."
Sweetie Belle grinned. "Cheerilee!"
Rarity was suddenly eye to eye with Sweetie Belle. "WHO TOLD YOU?!"
The little filly got very nervous very fast, and backed up under her sister's gaze. "Er... no one... I just told you, I guessed... and I guess I guessed right?"
Rarity, once again, realized she had revealed her cards all at once. She coughed and said, "Lucky guess."
Sweetie Belle jumped up and down, "So I got it right?! That's amazing!"
Rarity facehoofed. "Yes, yes I suppose it is. Anyway-"
"Can I play your game? Can I can I? I did guess the pony right!" said Sweetie Belle, who had kept jumping, but then stopped and asked, "Wait, I still don't know how you play..."
"Tell you what, dear, if you tell me how you came to your 'lucky' guess, I'll tell you how to play. Deal?"
Sweetie Belle grinned, "Deal! That's easy, Scootaloo told me."
"Scootaloo!? How many ponies know about this, er.... game??"
"Hmmm... Apple Bloom, me, Scootaloo, you, Spike I guess, Twilight..."
Rarity gasped, "Twilight?! Twilight knows?? What does Twilight know? Talk!"
Sweetie Belle had to back up again, grimacing in the face of Rarity's jabbering. "You're scaring me, Rarity."
"Answer the question!"
"Okay, jeez. So we were all there to give Cheerilee some presents last night, and then Twilight showed up with a book-"
"She showed?! Sweetie Belle, that's wonderful news!"
"Yeah, I guess. So then Scootaloo got her to sign our card, and then we left all her presents on her doorstop, and knocked and ran away, and she answered the door and got all her presents and she was real happy, or at least it seemed that way." There was a pause. "The end?"
"Presents? What presents?"
"Well we got her some flowers, some candy, and a card to cheer her up cause she had a rough day. We didn't know Twilight got her the book, but that seemed to make her more happy than anything."
Rarity calmed down, and her excitement was replaced by tired sadness. "Ah. So she thought it was a present from all of you. I'm guessing they didn't speak at all?"
Sweetie Belle shook her head, "Nope."
"Ah," Rarity sighed, "Well. At least she knew the book was from Twilight, even if the other gifts were from you all. Flowers and candy, we should have thought of that."
"Uh," Sweetie Belle said, "Not exactly."
Rarity felt a cold drop of dread enter her heart. "What do you mean, not exactly?"
Sweetie Belle hesitated, but Rarity started giving her the crazy eyes, so she stammered, "It was Scootaloo's idea..."
"What was her idea?"
"She said it just popped in there!"
"What? WHAT just popped in there? What did you do, Sweetie Belle?"
"She said... she said it would make Cheerilee happier if we just left the card signed by Twilight!" confessed Sweetie Belle, "And then she was happy! She was super happy!"
"...she thinks Twilight gave her the flowers and the cards and the candy AND the book?"
"I guess so?"
"Sweetie Belle," said Rarity, who had gone past panic into the dangerously calm, eye twitching stage, "Despite your good intentions. Out of all the things you and your crusaders have ever done. This. Is. The. Worst. Possible. THING."
"We made her happy!" shouted Sweetie Belle, who was crying now, "She had a bad day and we made her happy! When she saw it was from Twilight, she was jumping up and down she was so happy!" Sweetie Belle collapsed onto the bottom of the stairs, shaking, and sniffed, "What did we do wrong?"
All the anger drained out of Rarity like a deflating balloon as did a slow collapse to the ground next to the steps. She gently ran her hoof through Sweetie Belle's hair, realizing once again that for all their differences, generosity ran through their blood. She gently cooed, "I know you meant well, darling. I'm sorry I yelled."
Sweetie Belle was still upset, but had stopped shaking. She was leaning into Rarity's touch, drying her tears, and she repeated, "I still don't understand. What did we do wrong?"
"Sweetie Belle... you said Cheerilee was happy because she thought Twilight gave her those things, right?" Her sister nodded. "What happens when she finds out that Twilight didn't give those gifts?"
The little unicorn looked up at Rarity, mouth agape.
"And... Sweetie Belle, what happens when Twilight finds out you gave all those things to Cheerilee in her name?"
"So THAT's what Scootaloo meant," whispered Sweetie Belle.
There was a knock at the door. "Rarity?" asked a familiar (if hoarse) voice from a certain purple unicorn. "Are you home?"
The two sisters looked at each other.
"Why is the library's copy of The Great Gallopsy in the bushes?"
Sweetie Belle stammered. "Uh I think I have homework to-" and then she ran up the stairs, excuse unfinished.
"Sweetie Belle, you come back- oh nevermind," groaned Rarity, who then summoned every bit of reserve charm she had left and announced, "Coming, dear!"
Rarity opened the door, realizing this was breaking the agreement she had with Spike, trying to conjure up some reason as to why the book was in the shrubbery. "Twilight darling, I must apologize for- Twilight?
Twilight had dried tears on her cheeks and bloodshot, watery eyes. She had that crazed, about-to-travel-through-time look on her face, but this time mixed with extra sadness. "I couldn't sleep... can I come in?"
Rarity beckoned her, "Of course, of course! Are you crying? What's wrong, dear?"
Twilight's lips quivered, "I've made a huge mistake."
Rarity was baffled. "Whatever do you mean, darling?"
"Spike's gone and he didn't leave a note and I didn't sleep at all because..." and then the waterworks started, "Because I think I might have gotten Cheerilee fired and she hates me!"
There was a pause.
What Rarity said was, without affect or undertone, "What."
What she meant was, Are you bucking kidding me? COME ON!