//------------------------------//
// Chapter 2: A Matter of Trust 
// Story: Sergeant-at-Hooves 
// by Emeral Bookwise 
//------------------------------//

Early the next morning, the first glimmers of dawn began to creep over Ponyville.  Along the outskirts farmers were already setting about the start of their daily chores.  In the town proper a few shop owners were making preparations to open up, but most ponies were still peacefully fast asleep in bed.

Standing in the yard outside the Official Residency of the Representative of the Night Court of Luna, Cheerilee inhaled deeply as she raised her bugle — only to be cut short by the sudden opening of the front door and the azure mare framed within.

"Ah-ha!" shouted Trixie, standing proudly victorious. "Strike two!"

Cheerilee yawned before replying, "Good to see you bright-eyed and bushy tailed."

"Was there ever any doubt?" Trixie spoke with such an air of smug self-assurance that it was barely even a question, and yet she seemed to pause anyway as if waiting for confirmation.  The only response she received, however, was Cheeriee's flat stare. "Oh yee of such little faith… but seriously, why pick on me?  What if Raindrops sleeps in again?"

As Trixie stepped off her porch, magicly closing the front door behind her, Cheerilee merely shrugged. "Everypony makes mistakes, and when it comes to Raindrops she always makes doubly up for it.  Besides, on my way here I already passed her heading out to the practice field to get an extra early start."

"Alright, fine," Trixie pouted, "But what about Lyra?  She's just as lazy as me, if not more so."

"Oh, I don't have to worry about Lyra.  An old mutual friend has that situation well in hoof."





Lyra Heartstrings sputtered and coughed as she found herself soaking wet in bed. "BonBon! Wha… what was that for?!"

Bucket still in hoof, her cream-coated marefriend smiled with an expression equal parts warmth and sternness. "I tried getting you up the nice way, but you weren't having it."

"Couldn't you have given me just five more minutes.  I was just about to storm the evil Baron Von Giffinstein's mountaintop fortress, astride his own fearsome jabberwocky, which I tamed through a most expertly crafted melody, and umm… well, I forget the rest, but now I'll never know how that dream ends."

"Saving the kingdom, getting the girl, and living happily ever after, no doubt," BonBon droned, "Besides, I already gave you five more minutes, three times over.  Any longer and you'll be late.  As it is you're going to have to eat you breakfast on the way."

"Aww… come on, sweetie drops, so what if I'm little late?" and then flashing her most seductive bedroom-eyes Lyra added, "We could always just call in sick and get in our own personal training session."

"Don't you sweetie drops me, missy!  I've got a shop to run, not to mention Cheerilee would have me in a sling if I just let you slack off like that."

"Aren't you supposed to be on my side?"

"I am on your side, hon.  That's why I want you out there training your hardest so you can kick Corona's sorry flank all the way back to the sun… or did you forget how she held me and my sister hostage."

"Hey!  No fair playing the guilt card."

"All's fair in love and war, Lyra, and this is both.  Now, I want my brave knight of the realm out there slaying the evil queen so that we can both get our happily ever after, for real."





"Alright, ladies!" declared Cheerilee as she paced in front of the other five lined up mares, "When we started this training regimen we thought it would be enough just to improve our physical fitness.  After yesterday's atrocious performance, however—"

"We weren't that bad."

Turning sharply on the spot, Cheerilee silenced any further complaints with an unyielding schoolteacher's glare. "As I was saying, it's become clear that what we really need to be working on most of all is our teamwork!  So today we're going to be practicing a series of trust and coordination exercises.  Any questions?"

There was a pause in which nopony seemed quite sure what to do.  Belatedly, Carrot Top raised a single hoof, waiting patiently for Cheerilee to give her leave to speak.

"So umm, why exactly did you bring us all down to Sweet Apple Acres?"

"I should think that obvious.  Applejack has graciously agreed to loan us the use of her rodeo practice course.  Since this is a teamwork exercise, however, we will all be taking it in turns and trading off in mixed pairs while using these," finishing her explanation, Cheerilee held up two short lengths of rope.

"So, like a six legged race or something then?" asked Trixie. "That doesn't sound too hard."

Cheerilee smiled, well, sort of.  It might have been more of smirk or a sly grin.  Whatever her expression, it was not in anyway something that anypony else found reassuring, "Well then, if you're so confident, we'll just have to make it a bit more challenging, won't we?."





Carrot Top ran full speed, or at least the closest she could manage under the circumstances, toward the hurdle and as she approached it shouted, "Jump!"

She managed to clear the hurdle just fine herself, but a crack and cry of pain echoed behind.  Cheerilee's extra challenge had been that unlike a traditional six legged race where ponies ran side-by-side, they were all running tail-to-tail.  It didn't seem like a very practical exercise, but Cheerilee had dismissed any complaint, insisting that it was more about practicing timing and cooperation.

Unfortunately Carrot Top had screwed up, again, as evident by a painfully dazed Trixie who was rubbing her jaw.

"Sorry", she grimaced.

Eyes still spinning Trixies hissed back, "Save the apologies for later and just flip places before we lose any more time.  The Great & Powerful Trixie refuses to come in last place."





"It's not a competition," drolled Raindrops.

Lyra frowned. "You're only saying that because you're not dead last."

"Even if it was a competition, I'd still be second last.  Not much chance of either of us moving up the ranks, so I see even less point making any fuss about it."

"Don't you get it, that's exactly why you and I should go all out for our run together.  Just imagine the look on everypony's face when the two of us beat even Ditzy's and Cheerilee's paired time."

Raindrops cocked an eyebrow. "Alright, I'll humor you.  Just how do you plan to pull that off?"





Lyra and Raindrops stood at the starting line as Cheerilee finished tying their hind hooves together.  Stepping back, she readied her stopwatch.

"Okay, girls.  On you mark… get set… and go!"

Instead of immediately setting off at a gallop, Lyra reared up, leaned backwards entirely across Raindrops, and wrapped her fore-hooves around her partner's neck.  This was the brilliance of Lyra's scheme, as Cheerilee's rules had no prohibition against flying, probably because the awkward positioning would have made it nearly impossible unless both racers were pegasi — which fortunately neither Ditzy nor Raindrops had considered trying on their own paired run.

Of course for a pony that was as amazingly flexible as Lyra, there was an alternative solution, by simply taking a sort of reverse piggyback stance and then letting her partner handle the rest.  Granted, Raindrops was neither a particularly fast or agile flier, but she could still outpace most any landbound pony, especially those clumsy fumbling to run tail-to-tail.

Crossing the finish line in record time, Lyra was grinning ear-to-ear, and even Raindrops' stern expression betrayed a hint of smug satisfaction.

"Hey!" cried Trixie, "They can't do that.  It's cheating."

"No it's not!" retorted Lyra. "You're just jealous that you didn't think to try it."

"As if.  Just looking at you contort yourself like that gives me a hernia.  Which only makes it doubly unfair."

"Nuhuh, my flexibility is entirely natural, so it's perfectly fair for me to use it."

"She's technically right," interceded Cheerilee, "And it was actually a very clever idea to exploit the oversight in my rules."

Trixie fumed as Lyra grinned in victorious triumph.

"However," Cheerilee added, "The rules do still stipulate that you and Raindrops had to flip directions for half the course.  Since Raindrops never flew backwards I'm going to have to penalize your time by double."

Now it was Trixie's turn to be smug as Lyra stood slack jawed.

"... But I… you can't… oh, fine.  So me and Raindrops don't get to take first place any more, but even with the penalty we still beat all our other times each by a wide margin.  That's gotta bring up our overall averages."

"Hmm…" Cheerilee mused as she tallied her score sheet. "Let's see, Ditzy is still in first, and Trixie in second, so no changes so far.  Ah, but it seems congratulations are in order for Raindrops.  It looks like you just managed to beat out Carrot Top for fourth place.  Unfortunately, Lyra, you're still in sixth."





"Ouch!" cried a blindfolded and dazed Lyra who was standing in front of a tree rubbing a hoof over her painfully throbbing snout, "You did that on purpose!"

"Qui, moi?" Trixie replied, "Never.  It's not my fault if you just happen to be bad at following directions"

"You said eleven paces forward and then turn right and take three more steps."

"No, I said to turn left."

"You mumbled most of it, and when I asked if you'd said left, you told me to go right instead."

"No, I meant that left was right direction to turn."

"Then you should have said it was correct.  Using the word right in that context only makes things confusing."

"Ce ne serait pas un problème en Prançais."

"What was that?"

"Nothing.  Just turn around and take six more steps, then turn right for seven more paces and then left for another fifteen."

"Right."

"No, Left."

"Right."

"Arg… now you're the one doing it on purpose."

"See, I told you it was confusing."





Carrot Top looked down and gulped.  The farmer was standing atop a rocky outcropping, below her Raindrops and Ditzy were steading a cloud, and even further below was a long drop down to the hard and unyielding ground. "Umm… and well… I mean, that is… you're absolutely sure this spell works?"

"Oh, c'mon!" called out Lyra. "Of course I'm sure.  Besides, everpony else has already taken their turn so you've seen it work for yourself."

"Well, umm… maybe, but are you really, really sure you have enough magic to cast it four times in a row?  Maybe we should just call it quits for today and try again tomorrow… you know, just to be safe."

"I've been casting this spell for years, every time I've visited my surro'mum up in Cloudsdale.  I'd be the first to know if it didn't work.  Trust me it's perfectly safe, and even if something did go wrong I'll just catch you with my magic."

"Unless you're too tired out."

"Hey!  It's not like I'm Trixie."

"I heard that!" snapped the other unicorn.

Lyra grinned, "Just trying to lighten the mood.  Although, even if you might be the best illusionist in all Equestria, we both know my magic has more physical oomph."

"Physical oomph?" Trixie fumed. "Well, at least I'm no brute who wastes seven pounds of force levitating a five pound melon."

"Maybe so, but I can levitate nearly half-a-dozen of them all at the same time no sweat," retorted Lyra smugly, "So clearly I've got plenty of magical poundage to spare."

"Oh, you've certainly got poundage to spare alright, in more ways than one… probably from eating all those melons yourself."

"You're one to talk, miss sweettooth!"

"Coming from somepony who lives in a candy shop!  Besides, at least I maintain a regular exercise routine, unlike a certain pony who sleeps in until noon every day."

"Not every day!  Besides, me and Bonbon get plenty of our own special exercise every night."

"Believe me, I know, half the town knows with how loud the two of get when you… when you… gah!  Now you've gone and made me actually think about it… eww!"

"Oh, stop being such prude.  You're just jealous because you're still a vir—"

"GIRLS!" shouted Carrot Top, still atop the cliff. "Listen to the two of you!  You're supposed to be friends, we're all supposed to be friends!  But it's been a long morning, and I think we're all just tired and on edge.  It's getting close to noon anyway, so how about I just walk back down there and then we can all go relax over a nice pot of tea back at my place?"

As the mare turned around, however, she found herself startled by Cheerilee's magenta-coated face filling her vision, fierce green eyes staring directly into her, and most of all an ear splitting whistle.  Stumbling backwards in alarm, Carrot Top found herself gripped by a sudden sense of vertigo as her hooves failed to find purchase and gravity took hold.

There was a long scream, a very long scream, a scream so long it made one wonder how a single pony could hold that much air in her lungs.  Carrot Top's eyes were clenched so tight in fear at her certain doom that she scarcely noticed the hoof gently nudging her.  As her breath finally abated, however, she peaked through one eye to find Ditzy's off-kilter gaze meeting her own with a reassuring smile.  Turning her head, Carrot Top could also see Raindrops, glumly laying her own head sideways against one hoof as she rolled her eyes.

Still laying on her back, Carrot Top tentatively pressed a hoof down on the fluffy white mass of cloud that had cushioned her fall.  She blushed briefly in embarrassment, rolling over to get all four hooves back under herself while the two pegasi lowered the cloud.

Breathing a sigh of relief as she was finally able to step off the precarious mass of condensed water vapor and back onto solid ground, Carrot Top turned to Lyra. "Good news… I, umm… I think your spell works."
 



 
The rest of the afternoon was filled with more of the same.  Another shrill whistle blow called all the girls to attention.  The day had been long, everypony was exhausted, and a few of them had to stumble into place, but shortly enough all five were again lined up at full attention.

Cheerilee paced once up and back down the line much as she had been between each exercise of the day.  The other girls shared a few nervous glances, wondering what more Cheerilee might have planned, although each was careful to avoid being caught by the schoolteacher's stern gaze.

Finally Cheerilee spoke, "At ease, girls, I think that should be just about enough for one day."

There was an audible sigh as everypony let out a collective breath of relief and relaxed.  Trixie in particular took the opportunity to collapse on the spot.

"Are you okay?" asked a concerned Carrot Top.

"Nothing a week long nap won't fix."

"Is that so?" chided Lyra, "So which one of us is lazier again now?"

Lifting her head, Trixie retorted, "Ha, as if!  The Great & Powerful Trixie never admits defeat.  For you see as future Duchess of Ponyville, and in commemoration of our first official knights of the realm training weekend, I hereby declare the rest of the week Fête de la Sieste!"

"Only a dutchess?" scoffed Raindrops, "Surprised your ego would settle for anything less than vicereine."

"Well, I do have to be realistic now, don't I?  And besides, we've defeated an evil duke, seems only fair I should get to reap his old title as the spoils of war."

"Why stop there?" interjected Carrot Top, "By that logic, after we defeat Corona you could be Queen of all Equestria!"

Laughter was shared all around at that and even Trixie herself joined in on it, despite being the obvious butt of the joke.

"Mad mares, all of you," Trixie added in mocking objection, "Trying to deny me the glory of instituting a festival dedicated to the wonders of slacking off.  Bah… I'm still going to enjoy the rest of the evening curled up in my bed, and there's nothing any of you can do to stop me."

"Actually..." Cheerilee added, "Not to be a kill joy, but before we officially end the day's training, I had something of a homework assignment in mind."

A low collective groan was shared by the other assembled mares.

"Don't worry, this last one will be easy.  It's called trading places.  Like I said when we started today, what we really need to improve is our teamwork, so instead of going to your own homes tonight I want you to switch off in pairs.  As the old saying goes, you never really know a pony unless you walk a mile in their shoes, or in this case sleep in their bed."

Lyra snickered causing Cheerilee to belatedly add, "Yes, I suppose I walked right into that one, but let's all try to be mature adults here."

"Right," replied Lyra with a hard cough, trying her best to suppress another bout of giggles, "Mature... gotcha."

Cheerilee shook her head, but otherwise ignored the forced implication, "Anyway, Lyra, I want you to switch off with Raindrops, and Trixie, you switch with Carrot Top."

As everypony else said their farewells for the evening, Cheerilee went to pack up her supplies alone.  That is until she was unexpectedly interrupted.

"So, I guess that just leaves you and me?" Asked Ditzy.

"What?  No!" Cheerilee replied with surprising alarm, "That is, I meant to say... well, it's not really necessary for you.  After all, you've had the best overall performance today, so your teamwork seems impeccable already.  And besides, you need to take care of your daughter and all…"

Ditzy shrugged, "You're her teacher, I'm sure Dinky will be just fine with you looking after her for the night."

"I suppose… but there's also all my fish to take care of too.  I wouldn't want to impose."

"It's no more imposition than when you had me look after them during your trip to Oaton."

"Yes, but that was just feeding.  I made sure to take care of all the hard work before I left.  Tonight is my monthly cleaning day, but unfortunately my usual spare tank is getting fixed, and so that means rotating every fish into different tanks, which isn't as simple as it sounds since they all have different environmental requirements, not to mention some of them might try to fight with or even eat each other if grouped incorrectly.  It all requires a very complex diagram—"

"Which I'm sure you already have written out in full, right?"

"Well… yes, but…"

"Then it's as easy as following the instructions."

"Are you sure?  I mean if anything went wrong…"

"I promise it won't.  Besides, isn't the whole point of this to be a trust exercise?  You do trust me, don't you?"





Raindrops' mother, Shutter Bug, hummed absently as she flitted about her cozy little kitchen like a yellow and blue hummingbird.  As always, she was a whirlwind of perpetual motion, scarcely taking the time to finish one task before starting the next.  Having just put a batch of brownies in the oven, she hopped over to the opposite counter where she tossed the salad, before whisking her way back over to the stove to stir the stew with one hoof while reaching for her a pen and paper to write down some more notes for her next exposay.

Hearing a knock at the front door coming from the living room, she was just about to check and see who might be calling at this hour before she heard her son.

"I'll get it!" and then another moment or two later Snails called out again, "Mom, it's Miss Heartstrings, and she says she's having diner with us!"

As she dropped some more butter into the creamed corn, Shutter Bug poked her head out the kitchen doorway. "Always a pleasure to have one of Raindrops' friends over; just give me a few minutes to add some extra food to tonight's menu."

"No need for that.  Raindrops is having dinner over at my place, so I'll just—"

"Oh, sorry, I must have misheard; I thought Snails said you were the one who was eating with us."

"I am.  See, it's like—"

"So my daughter isn't eating with you and BonBon then?"

"No, Raindrops is eating with BonBon and I'm eating here.  It's all part of this crazy—"

"Oh dear, you and BonBon aren't having a lover's spat, now are you?"

"What?  No, nothing like that.  If you'd just let me finish, I—"

"You know it's perfectly okay to admit to these kind of things; I mean, even Dewy and myself had our fair share of fights back when we were young and impetuous; we still do actually, but these things always pass in time; why, I bet you and BonBon will have everything patched up again by day's end tomorrow."

"BonBon and me AREN'T fighting.  I was just trying to explain that Cheerilee—"

"Cheerilee; is she eating here too, or with BonBon and Raindrops?"

"Neither." Lyra attempted to clarify, "She's… well, I guess she's probably spending the night at Ditzy's place.  Though now that I think about it I'm not sure where Dinky—"

"So Dinky and her mom are the ones fighting then; she's normally such a sweet little girl, but I guess she is getting to that age where all young mares start getting more moody; I still remember how hard it was dealing with Raindrops the first time she went into, well, you know…"

Snails looked from one adult to the other in youthful curiosity, "Know what?"

Alright, things were officially getting out of hoof now.  Lyra could almost hear a tiny little Trixie laugh in the back of her head, Not so funny is it, when the shoe is on the other hoof.

It wasn't like that, not really.  It's just that when it came to foals these things were best handled with, well… not with herself in anyway involved, that was for sure.  Lyra just needed to try steering the conversation back on track. "No, that's not what's going on either.  And besides, I don't even think Dinky is quite that old yet.  I mean, she doesn't even have her cutie mark yet and—"

Unfortunately, the young colt seemed entirely undeterred. "Hey, I'm older than Dinky, and I've got my cutie mark, so I should be able to know these things."

Before an exasperated Lyra could stop the escalation, the boy's mother answered, "I suppose you are getting just about old enough; oh, but how the time flies; I can still remember when you were just a wee little thing I could hold in one hoof; now look just how big you've grown; what do you think, Dewy; is it time for the talk?"

Still standing at the doorway and silently cursing the mess she'd somehow found herself in, Lyra craned her neck to peer inside the cramped living room.  As if this whole debacle weren't already embarrassing enough, she confirmed that indeed Raindrops' father had apparently been listening from an old worn-down reclining armchair this whole time.

Slowly the blue-coated and yellow-maned pegasus stallion leaned forward as he set his pipe down.  Then in his typical measured and drawn out pace began to explain, "Well, you see, son, when a mare and a stallion love each other very, very much…"

No.  Lyra already had to go through this once before with her own fathers and that had been awkward enough.  She was not —absolutely not— going to sit through it a second time, least of all in slow motion.  Desperate times called for desperate measures, and so with a flash of golden light from her horn the whole room fell deafly silent.

The three other ponies looked around in confusion, their mouths still moving, but unable to make any sound, finally giving Lyra the chance to speak uninterrupted. "Sorry about that, but I really needed to finish explaining.  Cheerilee thought that as part of our hero training we should all trade places for the evening, just to, well, get a feel for what it's like to walk a mile in each other's hoofsteps and such.  So I'm spending the night here,  Raindrops is sleeping over at my place, Carrot Top is staying at the representative's residence, Trixie is sleeping at the farm, and I guess Cheerilee and Ditzy probably traded too.  No pony is fighting with each other and most importantly, nopony, and I repeat, nopony is going into their first… well, you know what."

Still unable to speak, Snails looked from his father to his mother and then to Lyra.

"Umm… right, sorry kiddo.  Maybe it'd be best if I just went out and ate at the Punch Bowl or something… give you three a chance to discuss all that private family stuff privately," she finished with added emphasis.  Everything sorted out, Lyra cast a counterspell, but barely had time to turn around before Shutter Bug called after her.

"Nonsense; if you and my daughter are trading places for the night then that makes you family, and no daughter of mine, not even a temporary one, is going to eat out alone when there's a hot meal waiting for her here; our home is your home," then turning aside to her son, she added, "Snails, my little, err… rather that is, my big snugglebug, you won't mind if your father and you wait until tomorrow to have that talk, will you?"

"Sure thing mom," he replied energetically, before hesitantly adding, "But... well, that is… if it's okay with you, I still like it when you call me your little snugglebug, no matter how big I get."

For once Shutterbug seemed speechless, only holding a hoof over her heart.  That is before she began to sniff, "Oops, that's the potatoes burning!"

As the elder mare rushed back into the kitchen, Snails tugged at Lyra. "Well, c'mon… you heard mom.  It's almost dinner time.  You can help me set the table."

"Umm… yeah, sure thing kiddo.  Oh, and sorry about all that.  I was your age once too, and I can remember how frustrating it seemed having to wait to have things explained.  No hard feelings?"

"It's okay," he said smiling, "I bet it just has to do with that weird stuff in those books my sister keeps hidden under her bed."

"Guess you're a smarter kid than I—" Lyra blinked, questioning if she'd really just heard what she thought she had, "Wait… what books Raindrops keeps hidden where now?"





Carrot Top sat twiddling her hooves in the foyer of Trixie's house, not really knowing what she should do.

She consider going into the main office and seeing if Trixie had any books or magazines she could read, but she already felt guilty enough having raided her friend's fridge for dinner and didn't want to further invade the other mare's privacy.  Not to mention that as the official representative of the Night Court, Trixie could have who knows what kind of classified government documents in there which could get them both in serious trouble if Carrot Top went rummaging around carelessly.

It was still far too early to go to bed, a bath maybe?  Yes, Carrot Top supposed that wouldn't be a problem, and washing out her mane after a long hard day was always her favorite way to relax.

Resolved, Carrot Top slowly began making her way upstairs… cautiously… one step at a time… careful not to make any noise in case… in case what?  Halfway to the second floor, she stopped and gave herself a smack.

"Get a hold of yourself.  You're not some burglar creeping through the night.  You're a houseguest… albeit a houseguest when the owner's away, so more of a house-sitter or something.  Either way, it's not like Trixie would be this nervous if the situation was reversed, which it also is, but that's beside the point."

Unfortunately now that she'd thought about it, instead of calming her anxieties, Carrot Top only found herself with one more thing to worry about. "Ooh, I hope she doesn't make too much of a mess.  No, Trixie wouldn't do that that.  She's a good friend, and so am I.  I just need stop worrying over nothing, and also while I'm at it stop talking to myself, only crazy ponies do that."

Now at a normal pace, she resumed her trek to the second floor, and despite her own self-admonishment resumed monologuing too, "Well… crazy ponies and Trixie… and still me too for some reason.  I wonder if maybe it's just something about this house.  Maybe one of the previous representatives put a curse on it, or maybe it was Zecora trying to get revenge."

Carrot Top had to stop short and shake her head at that. "No, now you're just being silly, Carrot Top.  Besides, Trixie's been an egocentric self-absorbed showoff since the day you met her.  She probably just likes hearing the sound of her own voice, and you really shouldn't be so judgemental.  Everypony is entitled to their eccentricities after all… … … Oh, and didn't I already tell you to stop talking to myself."

The absurdity of that last spoken thought caused Carrot Top to laugh aloud.  It had to just be her nerves getting to her, unless the house really was cursed.  No, it was definitely just nerves, but she'd feel better after a good clean rinse in a hot bath.

Entering the small room, Carrot Top started the tap, checking it with her hoof until she was sure the temperature was just right.  She looked around to see what she had to work with, and that was when she noticed the real horror, far more frightening than any curse.

There on the side of tub was a single bottle that read All-In-One: Coat & Mane Shampoo.

Her left eye twitched as she mouthed out the words silently — All-In-One — then a second time in barely more than an incoherent mumble — All-In-One — over and over again — All-In-One — until It became almost like a chant — All-In-One — and with each repetition she only grew louder and more incensed until she was shouting at the top of her lungs.

"All-In-One… ALL-IN-ONE!"

It's not like she expected Trixie to splurge on the best top of the line products, but All-In-One.  "Is Trixie really such a lazy cheapskate that she can't at least be bothered to have separate mane and coat formulas?  I could make due without a pre-rinse and after-wash, but… wait… conditioner, where's the conditioner?  Moon and stars above, what kind of uncivilized heathen doesn't have conditioner?"





Ditzy sighed in a mixture of contented exhaustion.  Cheerilee hadn't been kidding about how much effort it took getting everything cleaned without a spare tank.  Although it did briefly make Ditzy wonder for a moment why a mare like Cheerilee, who was normally so good at staying prepared, hadn't just rented an extra tank.  Then again, everypony could be a little forgetful from time to time, and it wasn't like Ditzy herself had thought to do so either until afterwards.  Who knows, maybe Cheerilee intentionally made up that a rotation diagram just as some kind of personal challenge.

Checking the decorative wall clock —resembling a smiling fish with its fins flapping to each tick— she yawned at how late it was getting… or she would have if her own grumbling stomach hadn't interrupted her.  She hadn't realized how long this project would take when she started, or else she would have eaten dinner first.  Unfortunately, she'd never been the type of pony who could sleep on a full stomach.  She'd be up half the night if she ate anything now, and so no matter how much her rebellious stomach might complained she'd just need to call this evening a fast and make up for it in the morning.

Making her way to Cheerilee's bedroom, Ditzy opened the door, or rather she tried.  It wasn't locked, as the knob turned just fine, but rather something seemed to be blocking it.  Ditzy almost considered just sleeping on the couch back out into the living room instead.  If only out of curiosity as to what might be blocking the door, not to mention the thought of all those dozens upon dozens of watchful fish-eyes staring at her throughout the night being just a tad creepy, she decided to try one last push.

It actually took three hard shoves, the last of which she had to lean into with all her weight while flapping her wings for extra thrust, but finally the door yielded enough for Ditzy to squeeze her way in, only to immediately trip in the unfamiliar darkness.  Reaching back out into the hall, Ditzy grabbed the firefly lantern she'd been carrying.

Looking around the shadows, she saw what looked like it had to be nearly half the contents of the town library scattered about.  It was hard to say for sure in the mess, but it appeared to be the reason she'd had so much trouble getting the door open is that one of the precariously looming stacks of thick bound tomes had toppled over in front of it.

The sight was rather surreal, as if she'd stumbled into another world.  Ditzy certainly couldn't recall Cheerilee ever having this many books before.  Curiosity gave way to weariness, however, and Ditzy yawned again.  There'd be time to figure out what was going on in the morning.

Unfortunately it seemed she was to be yet again deterred, finding Cheerilee's bed also covered with more books as well as assorted papers.  Was this all part of some major school project?  As she stacked up the books, however, Ditzy began doubting that, or at least she hoped this wasn't the kind of material Cheerilee would be teaching children.  Just a few of the titles included…

• Tyrant's Madness: The Rise and Fall of Corona

• Monsters From the Depths of Tartarus and Beyond

• Commander Hurricane: Victories of a Mighty Tribe

...all of them stuffed full with color-coded note-cards.

The assorted papers were no more reassuring.  It wasn't Ditzy's intent to pry into her friend's privacy, but as she stacked them together she couldn't help but notice words like contingency or phrases like worst case scenario, especially when Cheerilee herself had triple-underlined them.  Looking about the room again she could only presume all of the other stacks were more of the same.  It seemed that Cheerilee was certainly taking her new duties as a champion of the realm to heart — if perhaps to a somewhat worrying extreme.

This newfound concern wasn't in any way alleviated as Ditzy took the stack over to set on Cheerilee's desk, which was covered in yet even more books and notes, not to mention the coffee maker on the corner which she knew had previously been on the kitchen counter.

Ditzy looked around the room once again, at the stacks of books surrounding her.  Not just books she realized, more so there seemed to be binders full of what could only be volumes upon volumes of Cheerilee's own hoof-written notes.  Ditzy suddenly felt very self-conscious, as if she were trespassing inside a giant journal.  Even more so, however, she felt worried.  Was this really what their new lives as knights of Equestria meant?

It wasn't really ever something she thought about much herself.  She didn't like remembering how dangerous their past adventures had been, and she certainly didn't even want to imagine what further perils they might have to face in the future.  Staring all around herself, however, she could see that Cheerilee was if anything the exact opposite.

This begged a question.  Was her friend worrying too much, or was Ditzy herself not worrying enough?  It was something she probably should have left until morning when she could discuss the matter with Cheerilee in person.

Instead, and against all better judgement, Ditzy picked up one of the note binders and began reading.