After telling my story about Princess Luna and our latest interaction, Amy and Rose had similar expressions to the ones Tesla and Starry had when I first told them about the Princess. They didn’t seem to believe it, but Dad vouched for me.
“You lucky son of a gun!” Amy said. “How did you manage to get that kind of an audience with Princess Luna?”
“I told you, that was my dad’s doing,” I responded. “Apparently, prayer pays off!”
“No kidding,” Rose quipped.
Mom came up to me. “Sweetie, I am so impressed that you see your father and me that way. You know, you’re right— I absolutely would have stood against even the Princess if she had tried to take you away, and I’m certain your father would have done the same.” She glanced at him.
“No doubt about it,” he confirmed.
“I’m honored that Princess Luna thinks so highly of us, and it’s all because of you. Thank you.” She smiled and kissed me on the cheek.
I rolled my eyes. “Mom, come on. Don’t get all sappy on me in front of company. You’re as bad as Dad!”
Mom chuckled and looked over at Dad, who shrugged. “We can’t help it, sweetie. We love you.”
“I know that— why do you think you stood up to the Princess for me in my dreams?”
Mom tousled my mane. “True, very true.”
Then there was a knock, and High Flyer popped his head in. “Hey Crimson, I can see you’ve got friends here. Think you’re up for a few more?”
I felt like I was having a party at this point. “Sure, why not?”
“You might need to clear a path,” High Flyer said.
Huh? “Why? Who’s coming in?” I asked
“Not who— what.”
“What?”
“Exactly!” A different voice came from behind High Flyer— one I knew very well.
I saw a cart wheeling through the door with something large on it covered by a sheet. Pushing it was two blue ponies of different hues with red manes, one carrying a camera around his neck.
“Tesla! Starry! What are you guys doing here? And what in Equestria is that?”
“What, we’re not allowed to come by? We just wanted to say hi!” Tesla piped.
“Exactly. And this is my latest masterpiece, which I’m just about done with,” Starry chimed. “I figured I would finish it—” His head popped out from behind the cart as he got his first look at Amy and Rose. “—here…”
Starry’s eyes got a bit wide, then he slowly trotted over to me. He whispered, “Woah, Crimson. Who’re the fine equines?”
I popped him on the shoulder and whispered back, “Duuuude! They’re fifteen! Not cool!”
“…Shoot.” His ears flattened on his head, and I saw Amy and Rose giggle at each other. I guess they heard us…
“Psh. Colts…” Obviously Tesla had, too.
“Sooo, anyway. Starry, Tesla, this is Amethyst Wonder and Rosebud. They live in Connecticolt, so I don’t seem ‘em much. Amy, Rose, this is Starry Knight and Tesla Coil.”
Starry blushed and sheepishly waved at them as he said a weak “hi,” then he proceeded to move his big cart over to the window.
Tesla, on the other hoof, jumped up and leaned on my bedside as she addressed them. She looked a little tense. “Hi! Nice to meetcha! How do you know each other?”
Amy spoke first, “Hi there! Well, Rosebud and I have been friends for a long time— we had heart transplants, too. The two of us met Crimson when he came to the hospital for the first time.” Tesla’s eyes went wide.
“Yeah. We’ve known Crimson since he was just a little guy,” Rose added with a giggle. I rolled my eyes. “About the same size as the filly who gave me this bow!”
I heard Tesla let out a slow breath, and her eyes softened. She put her hooves back on the floor. “Wow! Starry and I are Crimson’s classmates. We’ve all known each other for a long time now, even since before his transplant.”
“Wow, that’s great! You two sound like cool friends,” Amy said. She turned and winked at Rose, who nodded and returned the gesture, then they trotted to the door. “I saw a water fountain down the hall. Rose and I are gonna go grab a drink.”
“Yeah. We’ll be back in a minute.”
The two of them trotted out, but I could hear Amy right before the door closed: “That is the cutest thing I have ever seen!” This was followed by a giggle.
Tesla looked out the door, then over to me. She looked like she was trying to force something out. “Well, they seem… nice.” I couldn’t help but smirk. Suddenly, she shook her head and her smile returned. “Oh! Crimson, before I forget, I gave Miss Turner your letter. She said to thank you, and that she would give it to her cousin today.”
“Great! Thanks. Good to know that’s taken care of.” I turned to the window where Starry had positioned himself. “What exactly are you working on, Starry?”
“Extra credit for art class.” He had set himself up right after he made a foal of himself in front of Amy and Rose. He hadn’t stopped painting since.
Figures. “Why am I not surprised? But, why did you bring it here? It looks like it was a hassle to transport it.”
Starry stopped painting, then poked his head out from behind the cart. “Actually, it’s something for you.”
“Wha— really? Why’d you say it was extra credit?”
“‘Cause it’s that, too. I started it at school on Friday and told Miss Turner what I was doing. She said it was a thoughtful gesture, and that she would give me extra credit for it. I just have to take a picture so I can show her the final result.” He lifted the camera around his neck.
“I was wondering what that was for— I know you’re an artist, but I didn’t think you were into photography,” I chuckled.
“Yeah, no. Not my thing, even though it is the least messy form of art that I know of.”
I shifted over in my bed. “True. Hey, can I get a peek—”
“NO! Er, not yet. Not until it’s finished.”
I glanced at Tesla, who shrugged and said, “He won’t let me see it, either. Must be serious.”
“You bet your flank it is. I was working on this most of the day yesterday. It’s definitely my best piece, by far. I told you, I’m almost done. So just bear with me, okay?”
“Alright, alright. I know better than to argue with an artist,” I quipped.
“Geez, Starry,” Tesla said. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were the one with the cru—” *gasp* Tesla’s hooves shot to her mouth and her face went bright red. She stifled a scream. “You didn’t hear that!” Then she went galloping out the door.
Through all of this, my parents had been quietly standing in the corner. At Tesla’s outburst, I saw my mom put her own hoof to her mouth and smile. “Oops! Looks like the cat just let itself out of the bag!” She sighed, “I’ll go talk to her.”
“Thanks, Mom. I think Amy and Rose figured it out, too.”
Mom nodded. “After how protective Tesla was of you when she introduced herself, they probably did. I have a feeling that’s why they ‘went to the water fountain’.” She wagged a hoof in a quoting motion as she said that. “I’ll go find them after I talk to Tess.”
I sighed, “Thanks, Ma. I don’t need any more drama.”
She stopped and arched a brow. “What other drama has there been?”
“I just told you about it before.”
“Oh, right— your dream. Sorry!”
After Mom trotted out and shut the door, Dad came up to me. “I seem to have missed something. What’s going on with Tesla?”
Before I could answer, Starry said rather bluntly, “She’s got a massive crush on Crimson. Has for a while now.” He kept on painting as if this was nothing special.
“And you knew?”
I sighed, “Yeah. Both of us have for a while. I just wasn’t sure what to make of it at first. Mom figured it out the other day. I felt like Tess was gonna explode if she didn’t get it off her chest at some point, especially with that display in front of Amy and Rose; looks like she finally did. And Starry, you didn’t exactly help the matter with your little comment.”
Starry shrugged. “Hey, dude, what can I say? You’ve got some cute friends!”
“Yeah, who have coltfriends.”
“Hey, I didn’t know that! You could’ve told me.”
“I didn’t think I needed to!”
Starry laughed, “Well, now you know for next time!” I put my hoof to my head and shook it with a smile.
Dad chuckled as he pointed his own hoof at Starry. “Watch it, kiddo. You just might get yourself in trouble that way.” He came over next to my bed and tousled my mane before he settled himself on the floor. “You better keep an eye on him, buddy.”
“Don’t worry, I will.”
We just sat there for a few minutes, listening to the sounds of brush on canvas. It was quiet for a little too long, so I decided to break the silence.
“How’s it going over there, Casanova?” It was a name I’d heard my mom call my dad before, but I didn’t really know what it meant. When Dad broke out laughing, I assumed I’d used it right and started laughing with him. I figured I’d ask him what it meant later.
No response from behind the canvas. Either Starry didn’t get it, was ignoring me to keep his focus, or both. Whatever— I had a good moment with Dad. After a few more minutes of chatting, I heard a strained grunt from behind the sheet, then the light clatter of a falling paintbrush.
“Finally! DONE!”