‘Hey, this lesson is soooo boring, isn’t it?’ That’s what I write onto a piece of paper that I pass over to Silver Spoon, by means of throwing it over Apple Bloom’s desk. She gives me an annoyed look, which means I killed two birds with one stone.
“And so that’s how Princess Platinum united the three tribes under…”
A piece of paper lands on my desk. I open it up and read the message inside. ‘Totally. Did you see the stallion on page 45? What a ridiculous moustache.’ Let’s see, page forty-five… Pfft! Hahahahahah! Wow, did ponies really look like that back then? He looks like such a dork!
‘Wow! Why did ponies look so stupid one thousand years ago? Did they not have any sense of style?’
“Which brings us to our next topic: the ‘Great Dragon Raid’, which took place during the eighth year of the Equestrian calendar, or minus one hundred and fifty B.C.”
“Miss Cheerilee? What does B.C. mean?” Darn it Apple Bloom! I can’t pass notes when Miss Cheerilee is looking this way!
“B.C., Apple Bloom, stands for ‘Before Chaos’. It is the region of Equestrian history before Discord appeared to rule over us in eternal chaos. That particular event was short-lived, and the years after that, from them up to now, are known as ‘A.D.’, or ‘After Diarchy’, sometimes misinterpreted as ‘After Discord’.”
There you go, you stupid blank flank. A whole bounty of meaningless information that probably won’t even be on the test. You happy now? Good, Miss Cheerilee’s looking away. Now I can pass this note.
“This time it was Commander Hurricane who took charge over the situation, but this unfortunately led to her downfall…”
The piece of paper landed in front of me again. ‘What do you want to do later? I feel like my brain is melting, and I need to do something fun!’
Hmmm… That’s a good question. It’s too cold for just taking a walk around town, and ice-skating was never my strong point. Or Silver’s. We could go home enjoy some nice, warm tea, or…
“Oh dear, we appear to have run a little over. Well then, class, I suppose this is as good a point as any to end at, and we shall continue tomorrow. Are there any questions before you all leave?” … “Alright then, you’re free to go.”
Finally. Just one more day, and then we’re off for the holiday season! Now, as for what to do today… “Hey Alula, got any bright ideas on what we could do today?”
“Oh, sorry girls, but I can’t hang out today.” … It’s strange. She’s been doing this for three days now, saying that she can’t hang out with us and not giving us any specific reason. “I’ll, uh, I’ll see you girls on Monday. See ya.”
“Bye…” I watch her as she leaves, and then turn to Silver Spoon. “Alright, something has to be up. Why is she avoiding us like that?” She’s usually the one who’s always trying to drag us into things and never leaves us alone, so why now?
“I don’t know,” Silver says, staring at the classroom door with her hoof to her chin. “I really have no clue… But then, do you really care if she’s hanging out with us or not?”
What? Of course not! In fact, I’m glad she’s finally stopped hanging off of me every few seconds! But… “Yeah, sure. I also want to hang out with Apple Bloom and buy her a new dress.”
A snort of laughter comes from Silver Spoon, and I smile. Yeah, I’m good at making other ponies laugh, I know. Seriously though, what’s with Alula suddenly not wanting to hang out with us? Did she suddenly lose her good taste in friends? Or is she really just busy?
“Oh yeah, isn’t there a new game in the arcade that came in recently?” There is? “That ‘Sugar Rush’ game? I hear it’s pretty good.”
New game, huh? Well, I guess we could check it out. I just got my allowance, too. “Sure, let’s go check it out. You got much money right now?”
“Only enough for a few games. I’m saving the rest for something else?”
“Oh? What’s that?”
“It’s a surprise.” Surprise? “You’ll see in a few days.”
“Uh, alright then… Anyway, let’s go, before all the other kids get there!” The two of us leave the classroom and walk start walking towards the arcade. Just the two of us… Well, whatever. Just give her a day or two and she’ll be back to her old self again… unfortunately.
Oh, I hate blowing off Diamond and Silver like this. But the deadline is fast approaching, and I can’t let either of them know what I’m up until I’m finished. I want it to be a surprise, after all. They were both complaining about how their current scarves no longer fit them well, and felt really itchy, and so that’s when I got the idea in my head. I decided that for Hearth’s Warming this year, I’d make some scarves for them!
I’m not very good at embroidery, though, so my mum is helping out, but I’m still doing most of the work! And I did the designs myself. Diamond’s is a pink and white striped scarf with red hearts in the white parts, whilst Silver’s is just a grey and blue striped one.
Ow! Okay, I’ve gotta stop monologuing while I’m sewing. These needles are sharp. Hmmm… Uh-oh. I think we’re out of pink thread. “Mum, do we have anymore pink?”
“I gave you all the thread we have. If you’re out, we’ll have to go pick up some more. Oh, but I’m expecting company soon…”
“That’s fine. I can go get it myself.” I could do with stretching my legs for a bit anyway. I get up and stretch my wings out. Mum gives me some bits and directions to the crafts shop, and I turn around to leave the house.
Brrr! It’s cold out here! And white. Very, very white. Hearth’s Warming is just a few days away now. This weekend, the class is taking a trip to Canterlot to watch a play being put on by the ponies of Ponyville. I have to finish these scarves before then, so that I can surprise them both before the play.
But this snow… is kind of hard to move through… Why does there have to be so much of it? The weather team really outdid themselves this year. All around me there are foals throwing snowballs and making snowponies, with Pinkie Pie joining in with seemingly every group. I guess she has some sort of tunnel system under the snow, because whenever she disappears under it, she pops up elsewhere.
Aah, here’s the store I want. I’ll just pop inside and pick up the thread I need real quic- … It’s warm in here. Nice and warm. I think… I might just take my time with this, actually.
“Hello there dear. Can I help you find something?” the storeowner, Ms. Hooficraft asks. She’s a blue Earth Pony with a beautiful purple mane. I haven’t ever spoken to her before, but I’ve seen her a few times before with my mother. “Oh, Alula. Out doing some shopping for your mother?”
“Actually, I’m shopping for myself. I’m making a Hearth’s Warming present for my, uh… m-my special somepony, and a friend…”
“Oh my! I had no idea you had a special somepony!” Gah! For some reason, this is so embarrassing when I talk about it to an older mare. “So, what is he like?”
“Uh, i-it’s a filly…”
“Oh, my apologies. What is she like?”
Let’s see… I don’t want to be here too long. What should I say? “Well, she’s smart, and talented, and despite being the coolest pony in school she still has a really big heart!”
“Is she cute?” W-What?! I mean, of course she is, but what kind of question is that to ask me all of a sudden? “I guess she must be, for you to blush like that.” Oh great, now she’s laughing and patting me on the head. “Anyway, I imagine you’ll want to buy your things and get on home quickly, before the snow piles up even more.”
Oh yeah, that’s right. “Uh, I’m after some pink thread.” Hmmm… I might as well make sure I don’t have to make any second trips while I’m here. “And also some grey and blue threads.” I noticed we had plenty of white and red before I left, so I don’t think I have to worry about that.
“And how much will you be needing, deary?” … Uhhh… H-How much? “You didn’t put much thought into that, did you?” she asks with a giggle.
“Um, not exactly…” Well, this is embarrassing. “Uh, I’m about halfway done, soooo… A lot?”
She giggles again. “Well, why don’t I let you pick out how much you want to buy? Make sure to take just a little more than you need, just in case.”
“Yeah, sounds good.” I follow Ms. Hooficraft into the store and we stop by the area where all the threads are kept. “Let’s see… I think… this is how much I started with?” I pull out a little more thread. “So can I get this much please?”
“Of course. And you want the same amount of white and blue, as well?”
“Yes please.”
“Alrighty. Just bring it all to the counter and I’ll ring up your total.” I nod and start collecting the thread I need as Ms. Hooficraft moves back over to the counter. I take the thread over to her and take out the money mum gave me. Ms. Hooficraft says I can have a store discount. That’s nice of her. “You make sure to stop by and tell me how she likes it, alright deary?”
“Sure thing. Thanks again for your help!” With that I turn to leave the store. Well, I’ve got my thread now. Time to go back home and… warm my hooves by the fireplace, before I get back to making the scarves. Seriously, I know the weather schedule said to make it cold, but does it have to be this cold?
I’d like to just run to get home quicker, but the snow is too thick for me to do that. Not to mention I’d probably slip and hurt myself. And my wings can’t extend when it’s this cold. Grown-up Pegasus wings can, but not a foal’s.
“Alula?” Ah. That voice. “What are you doing here? I thought you said you couldn’t hang out today.”
Silver Spoon. And sure enough, Diamond is there, too. “Oh, hi girls! Y-Yeah, I really can’t hang out today! I’m just out, uh…” Think, think. Oh, I know! The bags! “Uh, buying groceries for my mum!”
“Groceries?” Silver Spoon asks.
“Yep!”
“From the market square that’s in the opposite direction to your house from here?” … Oh yeah. “That isn’t even open today?”
“Uh, I… D-Did I say ‘buy’? I meant that I was fetching them from, uh… o-one of my mum’s friends’ house, who was holding them for us, for… Uh, anyway, look at the time! I really gotta go, greatseeingyoubye!” Gotta get out of here before they realise that I’m lying! I’ve got to think up some stories tonight, just in case they question me tomorrow.
I just have to keep this up until Hearth’s Warming Eve, and then I can spring these surprises on them and bask in the warm love that Diamond’s sure to shower me with! Just a few more days…
“Stay close everypony!” Miss Cheerilee calls as we approach the station platform. “Does everypony have their ticket?”
“Yeeeeees!”
It’s finally Hearth’s Warming Eve. Today, Ponyville is putting on a play up in Canterlot. I don’t care much about the play itself, but there’s no way I’d turn down a free trip to Canterlot, and Miss Cheerilee said we can all have some free time wandering around before the play starts. There’s just… one little problem…
“Alula’s been really distant,” Silver Spoon says. As if I hadn’t noticed. “… It bothers you too, doesn’t it?”
“Hmph. Like I care. That filly’s unbelievable, pestering us out of the blue like that and then just ditching us whenever she decides to.”
“It is pretty rude. And I thought that we had become closer after…” Hm? After what? “Oh, never mind. If she doesn’t want anything to do with us anymore, that’s her loss.” True that. “… She could have at least said something, though…” she mumbles afterwards. Get a grip, Silver Spoon!
“She tried to talk to me this morning.”
“She did?”
“Yeah. But after the way she’s been treating us lately, I didn’t pay her any mind. My bet is she just wants to hang with us today because we have all the money, and we’re going up to Canterlot.”
“You really think so?” What’s with that look? Don’t be sad, Silver! We’re going to have fun today!
“What other reason could there be? First she avoids us all week, and now she suddenly wants to talk to us? I say we just ignore her. Give her a taste of her own medicine.”
“Yeah…” Come on Silver Spoon! Stop being such a downer!
“Just forget about her! We’re going to have fun together, just the two of us! It’s her own fault for being so distant all week, anyway!”
“… Yeah! You’re right! Today is Hearth’s Warming Eve, which means we’re going to have fun!” Silver turns around and assumes the stance for our secret hoofshake. I also turn to join her.
“Bump, bump, sugar lump rump!”
“Hey guys!” Oh great. That didn’t take long. “Diamond, I tried to talk to you earlier but I don’t think you saw me! I’ve got a-”
“Okay class, one at a time, form a single-file line and we’ll board the train!”
“Let’s go, Silver Spoon.” I begin walking.
“Right behind you, Diamond Tiara.” I hear Silver Spoon following behind me.
“Girls, wait! I’ve got-”
“Do you hear something, Silver Spoon?”
“Must just be the wind.”
“You must be right. Thankfully there’ll be no wind inside the train.”
I give the train conductor my ticket and board the train. Silver Spoon follows behind me. “Girls? Hey, what’s going on?” Just ignore her, Diamond. “Di! Silver! Why are you ignoring me?”
We make it to the Rich car, a private car owned by my daddy on this train. Inside, it is spacious, it is cozy, it is warm, it is clean and elegant, and the chefs there serve the best food on the train. But most importantly right now, it has bodyguards to stop unwanted company from entering. Including Alula.
“Girls!” Ignore her. The soundproof doors will shut her up soon enough. “Girls, I ha-”
“Thank goodness that’s over,” I say as I take a seat. “Now we can enjoy our train ride in peace.”
“Totally.” A moment of silence passes over us. “Hey, you don’t think she’s still out there, do you?”
“Not a chance,” I scoff. “I bet she’s realised by now that we’re on to her little game, and has completely given up by now. Chances are she’s already off trying to find other ponies to hang out with.” Like I care. I knew there was something weird about that filly. I can’t believe she would ever do that to us…
And I can’t believe I’m letting it get to me so much…
I just don’t get it. Why are Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon avoiding me? Why won’t they pay any attention to me when I try to speak to them? Are they mad at me? Did I do something to upset them? It couldn’t be that I’ve been turning down their offers to hang out, could it? I came up with perfectly believable excuses… Unless, could it be that they saw through them?!
Oh no… I have to speak to them, but I can’t get anywhere near their private car without being turned away by those stupid bodyguards of theirs! I have to let them know what I was doing! If they knew I was making up excuses to not hang out with them, they must have been so hurt. I have to apologise right away!
“We’re here!” Dinky shouts as the train slows to a stop. “Are you feeling any better?”
I shake my head. “That’s not good!” Archer grabs my hoof and pulls me out of my seat. “C’mon girls! We’ve got an emergency situation here! We have a pony in desperate need of cheering up!”
“Hold on, I need to-”
“And we all know the best way to do that!” Berry Pinch says, sharing a grin with her friends.
“SHOPPING SPREE!” The three fillies shout in unison as they pull me down the train car with them.
“W-Wait! Hold on! I need to talk to- WAH! S-Slow dowwwwwn!”
“See? I told you.” Though some part of me can hardly believe it myself. Alula, you just went and got new friends, just like that. Those stupid fillies you’re walking around with… Whatever. I really couldn’t care less anymore.
“I… I guess you were right…”
… I hate this. We’re supposed to be having fun today. “Come on, let’s go check out the stores.”
“… Okay…”
We make our first stop at a nearby jewellery store. This place makes the one in Ponyville look pathetic in comparison, and there’re even more just like this all over Canterlot! “I am so moving here when I grow up.”
“Hey Diamond, isn’t this the broach you wanted for your birthday last year?” Hm? Oh, it is! This is the broach I pestered daddy into buying for me, but it was already sold to Miss Rarity before he could get to it. And then she gave it to Sweetie Belle. Who used it as a makeshift coin and almost broke it.
“Yeah, that’s it alright. A lot more expensive than it was in Ponyville though.” Oops! … Phew, that was close. Nopony important was around to hear me say that. In a place like this, you can’t let on that you’re from a place like Ponyville. Otherwise nopony will respect you at all.
“Still affordable though. I’m getting it.”
“Huh?” Since when did Silver Spoon like broaches?
“Remember that thing I was saving up for?” I nod. “It’s a Hearth’s Warming present for you. I just didn’t know what yet, but now I do. I’m gonna buy this broach for you.” Are you serious? This broach is, like, more expensive than the dress I wore to my cute ceañera!
“Your dad would have a fit if he knew you spent so much on a broach!”
“Just leave it to me,” she says with a wink, before calling over the store clerk.
“May I help you, Miss?”
“Yes, I would like this broach please.” She points to the broach in question.
“A fine choice, but perhaps a tad more affordable than a child’s allowance. Are you certain this is the one you desire?” I guess he can tell just by looking at us, even if we’re from rich families, there’s no way kids like us will have enough pocket money to buy something like this.
“Actually, I was hoping I could get a discount. After all, my father is Silver Platter.”
The clerk gasps. “M-My apologies, Miss Silver Spoon. I did not recognise you. You have simply grown up so much. Yes, I would be more than happy to lower the price for you. Say, seventy-five percent off?” What?! A seventy-five percent discount?! Now it’s even cheaper than it was in Ponyville.
“Hey,” I whisper. “What’s that about? Is he indebted to your dad or something?”
“No, he’s just a childhood friend of father’s. It was thanks to father’s backing that this store was opened in the first place, so our family gets a discount on all his wares.”
“That’s so cool…” I watch as the broach is placed into a bag and offered to Silver Spoon. She motions towards me and the clerk gives me the bag, whilst Silver pays him for the item. “You could have said something, you know.”
“But then I wouldn’t get to see the look on your face when I got such a huge discount,” she says with a giggle. Oh gosh, I hope I didn’t look like a fool then. “Happy Hearth’s Warming, Diamond.”
I take out the box inside the bag and open it up. There it is. The broach that Silver Spoon just bought with her own money. I think it’s more beautiful than the one that was in Ponyville. “Thanks. And I guess now would be a good time to give you your present.”
“You got something for me?” she asks in a confused voice. Of course I did, why wouldn’t I?
“Well, it’s nothing big…” You’re my best friend, of course I’d get you something for Hearth’s Warming. “I just noticed your glasses keep slipping, so I got you a new frame…” I pull out a small, wrapped-up case from my bag and give it to her. She examines it for a second from all sides.
“Uh, how do I open it?” What? “Diamond, how much sellotape did you use? I can’t see any way to get this thing open.”
Uh… Maybe a whole roll was too much.
“May I be of assistance?” the clerk asks, his horn lighting up for a moment. The sellotape is cut loose, and Silver unwraps the case and looks inside at the blue frame within.
“It’s got your prescription. And also, look on the inside.” She takes out the glasses and gasps as she sees what’s engraved on the inside of the frame. Our two Cutie Marks side-by-side, followed by the text: ‘DT & SS – BFFs’. “I was gonna put some diamonds in, but daddy said that may have been pushing it…”
“It’s fine,” she says, taking off her old pair of glasses and placing the new ones on. “Yep, I can see just fine with these! Thanks, Diamond. They’re great.”
…
…
…
The clerk clears his throat, signalling that we’ve stood in awkward silence long enough. “Right, enough lame-o mushy business! Let’s head to the next store!”
“I quite liked the look of that clothing store just across the street from here. Is that where we’re going next?”
“Nope. Even better!” We step outside of the jewellery store, and I take Silver’s hoof to lead her to our next stop, just around the corner. “Ta-da!” We don’t get shops like this in Ponyville. Usually I have to buy these things online, so to actually be here at a ‘Gamestable’, and during a holiday sale at that, is just too cool to be for real!
“Oh. Of course.” Silver Spoon doesn’t sound too excited, but that’s probably just because she hasn’t seen what’s inside.
“Come on! Let’s go, before all the big titles are sold out!” Gasp! Speak of Tirek! There’s only one copy of the new Mario Kart game left! GET!
“Gotcha!”
“You’re mine!”
… Oh no. Ohhhh no no no no. I’m not giving this up to the likes of Blanky Belle and her two dumb friends. “Let go.”
“I saw it first. You let go.”
… Well, it seems that we are at an impasse. Not to worry, I’m sure she will give up and leave soon, if I just stand here and refuse to let go long enough. I can certainly wait this out.
The play will start soon. Everypony’s already gone inside to find some good spots, but I can’t yet. I managed to get away from Archer and the others and am now waiting outside for Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon to show up. I have to talk to them. I’m going to talk to them, no matter what!
Ah, here they come now! Carrying quite a few bags, as is expected. “Di! Silver!” They turn to face me, and frown. I won’t let that discourage me though! “Just wait! Please just give me a chance to explain!”
“… Alright, go ahead,” Silver says. Diamond doesn’t say anything, but she at least stays to listen.
“I-I’m sorry for the way I’ve been avoiding you these past few days. I guess you must have figured out I was just making excuses, huh?”
“Look, if you don’t want to hang with us anymore-”
“That’s not it!” I shout, cutting off Diamond’s accusation. “Listen, I was working on something the past week. Something I couldn’t let you see because…” I open up my saddlebag and remove the two scarves from within. “… I was making these. For Hearth’s Warming.”
…
W-What’s with the silence? Why aren’t they saying anything?
“You made these? For us?” Silver asks. I nod. “… Oh. S-So that’s why…”
“Yeah. I-I’m sorry about all this. I-”
“No. We should apologise. We shouldn’t have jumped the gun like that…”
… That’s Silver’s response. But what about Diamond? She hasn’t said anything, she’s just staring at the scarf I made for her. Ah, she’s putting it on.
“… It’s warm, and it doesn’t itch… Good job.”
“So, you like them?” They both nod.
“They’re great,” Silver says. “And we’re sorry for the way we treated you today. I guess we just took it kinda hard…”
“… Yeah, what she said…” So, they’re not mad anymore… right? “Uh, I think we’d better head inside. Before all the good seats are taken.”
I smile and nod. “But first,” Silver says, “We were about to head to the little filly’s room to freshen up. Would you mind going ahead and securing some seats for us?”
“Sure thing!” I reach forward and pull my best friend and my fillyfriend into a big group hug! I’m so glad that things have turned out okay between us! “I’ll get us the best spots, right at the front! Don’t take too long now!”
“I can’t believe she beat me!” This is just outrageous! Since when did that blank flank have the patience to stand in one spot doing nothing for prolonged periods of ti- Oh, wait. That’s all they ever do, anyway. “That stupid little… I bet she doesn’t even know how to play that game!”
“Look on the bright side: you managed to place an order for the game when it’s in stock again, and for the same price as it was today.”
“But I don’t get it today! I have to wait, and I hate waiting!”
“I’m sure you can pass the time with one of those other one million games you bought.” Don’t be ridiculous, I didn’t buy a million games… Did I? Nah, only about twenty or so. “And hey, at least we managed to get the last of those scarves in time. Now we won’t have to be uncomfortable when we’re outside in the snow.”
True. Those two scarves that we saw in that clothing outlet were pretty nice, and incredibly soft. And they were on discount due to the holiday season, and further discount because the shopkeeper said we were the ‘most adorable little things’ she had ever seen. Normally we would have had to pay so much more for them.
“Di! Silver!” What the? Alula? She’s calling to us?
“What do you think she wants?” Silver asks.
“I don’t know. And I don’t care.”
“Just wait! Please just give me a chance to explain!”
“… Alright, go ahead,” Silver says. Are you mad? Why should we give her a chance to say anything? … Well, whatever. It’s not like we’re going to be late.
“I-I’m sorry for the way I’ve been avoiding you these past few days. I guess you must have figured out I was just making excuses, huh?”
“Look, if you don’t want to hang with us anymore-”
“That’s not it!” she shouts, cutting me off. It’s not? L-Like I believe that. “Listen, I was working on something the past week. Something I couldn’t let you see because…” Because what? What could possibly have been so important that you couldn’t- “… I was making these. For Hearth’s Warming.”
…
These scarves… She was making these for us? Now that I think about it, she first started acting weird (weirder than usual, that is) when Silver and I mentioned how uncomfortable our old scarves were.
“You made these? For us?” Silver asks. “… Oh. S-So that’s why…”
“Yeah. I-I’m sorry about all this. I-”
“No. We should apologise. We shouldn’t have jumped the gun like that…”
… I… What should I say? I guess, she did have a good reason for not telling us what she was up to after all, but I… I don’t know what to do in this situation…
I reach out and grab the scarf, and wrap it around my neck. It feels nice. “… It’s warm, and it doesn’t itch.” I leave it at that for a second, before receiving a nudge from my side. From Silver Spoon. “… Good job.”
“So, you like them?” I nod.
“They’re great,” Silver says, and I agree. These are actually really nice. “And we’re sorry for the way we treated you today. I guess we just took it kinda hard…”
“… Yeah, what she said…” … I’d better say something else to break the silence. “Uh, I think we’d better head inside. Before all the good seats are taken.”
“But first,” Silver says, “We were about to head to the little filly’s room to freshen up. Would you mind going ahead and securing some seats for us?”
“Sure thing!” Alula reaches out and does something she hasn’t done all weak. Crushes us with that stupid death-hug of hers! I certainly didn’t miss this! “I’ll get us the best spots, right at the front! Don’t take too long now!”
I watch Alula run into the theatre, tripping over herself on the way, before turning to Silver Spoon. “What was that about? We already stopped at a restroom on the way here.”
“Alula gave us these nice scarves… and we haven’t got anything for her.” … Oh. Y-Yeah, that’s right. “What should we do? We also have these other scarves we bought. Won’t Alula be like, hurt, if she sees them?”
“…”
“Is there something wrong, my little ponies?” We turn around and see Miss Cheerilee standing behind us. “I heard that the two of you had a falling out with Alula. I know that it isn’t my place to interfere, but this close to Hearth’s Warming, it’s a little unsettling.”
“We just spoke to Alula,” Silver tells her. “We made up with her, but…”
“Yes? If you would like to discuss it, you know I am always here for you.”
Silver and I exchange a glance, and then turn back to Miss Cheerilee. “Well, you see…” I explain to Miss Cheerilee how Alula had been rudely blowing us off for the past week, and making obviously made-up excuses as to why she couldn’t hang out with us. Like, ‘I’m helping my mother foalsit’, when her mother was seen later that day at the spa.
I then tell her how we learned the truth just now, and patched things up with Alula, but now we have this situation where she’s given us a present and they have nothing for her.
“Well… I must say, that is quite the predicament you have on your hooves.” Yeah, as if we hadn’t noticed. “Tell me, have you learned anything from all of this?”
“… Not to jump to conclusions?” Silver Spoon asks.
“To, uh… That we should’ve talked to Alula, instead of just ignoring her?”
Miss Cheerilee smiles. I guess we got it right. “You two said that you have patched everything up with Alula, correct?” We both nod. “Then, I don’t think that there is anything to worry about. Surely you know that Alula isn’t the type of filly who would hold a grudge over something like this.”
“You think so?” I ask, and she nods. “But… what about the present?”
“That’s not something I can help you with?” What? But, you’re our teacher! Isn’t that, like, your job or something? “It’s up to your two what you decide to get her. Just have a think, I’m sure you both know what she’ll like.”
“… And, what about the scarves?”
“Oh!” I turn to Silver Spoon, who’s got that ‘I have an idea!’ look on her face. “I’ve got it! I know what we can do! We can go back to the store and exchange these two scarves for something else! Something that Alula would really love!”
“That’s a great idea!” Though I’ll miss the scarf that I bought from that store, I guess the one from Alula is fine. It’s not like I’ll wear it outside of winter anyway. “Miss Cheerilee, can you hold our bags for us while we watch the play?”
“What? I-”
“Thanks!” I unload my bags onto Miss Cheerilee, followed by Silver Spoon.
“Keep them safe for us!” Silver Spoon and I turn around and run into the theatre.
“G-Girls, wait, I- N-No running!”