//------------------------------// // The Kiss Book - 01 - Clapping Door // Story: Wand, rocks and balloons // by Fou //------------------------------// This one needs the help of an assistant Every breakfast I cook has to be the breakfast of your life. And that’s the same for everything I make for my friends. This morning, I had prepared a lot of waffles with strawberries, blueberries and maple syrup. And when I say a lot, I’m not joking — you can’t imagine how much Trixie was able to eat. Every time, she yelled “You made too much food!” and devoured everything to the last crumb. And, about Maud, have you ever seen she can’t help slightly licking her lips when she’s enjoying her meal? I don’t usually brag, but I sure have! When breakfast was over (it was generally when Trixie burped like Applebloom would have, hid herself from embarrassment and said it was time to go working), I said I was in hurry because the shop I had to go closed its doors at 10 am. I feared that Trixie would tell me no shop has ever done that, but she was still occupied restraining another burp and didn’t say anything. I was already in the entrance when I heard Maud talking to her. “This is going to be a long day. Please clean the table, I’ll go to the shed to bring you some tools.” “Cleaning the table?” groaned Trixie as I was discreetly closing the door. “This is supposed to be your sister’s job!” “She left.” “Trixie won’t work more for anything in exchange! What will be her reward?” My ear was pressed against the door, but I couldn’t hear anything more. I guessed my sister was doing her Maud teasing: getting closer really really slowly to Trixie until they seem to breathe the same air, and then… “I changed my mind. We’ll see if I’ll change it again when I return.” “That… That’s blackmail!!” yelled Trixie. “No. When you’re blackmailing somepony, you usually send him a little part of the hostage to make him think twice about it.” I heard a really short and soft kiss. “There. Now, that’s blackmail.” I quickly moved away from the door as Maud was stepping outside, Trixie calling her all the names under the sun. Maud closed the door, we looked at each other and, in perfect sisters’ unison, we waited a few seconds and eavesdropped from behind the door. Trixie was still cursing while she looked for the cleaning products in the chests of drawers. “You’re so stupid, Maud! What do you think I am? A slave? A toy?” She sighed. “Aw, Maudie… I wish you could hug me hard and —“ I would really like to relate to you what she said next, but Maud drew me back a little to make clear that what Trixie was saying right now was more her business than mine. She finally let me go. “… because you’re an idiot.” We could now hear the sound of a rag rubbed on the table. Maud waited a bit more, then looked at me. It was my turn. She moved away as I opened the door, the sound of the rag stopped immediately. I came in the dining room and saw a hidden disappointment on Trixie’s face. “What are you doing here?” “Silly me! I forgot my purse!” I looked at the rag she was holding with her magic. “Are you planning to clean the table?” She gave a faint scowl. “Trixie already did it!” “Really? I don’t think Maud would think you did it. See you later.” I took my purse from a drawer and left Trixie alone. Outside, Maud gave me a quick nod meaning well played and we eavesdropped again. Of course, Trixie was now insulting me, rubbing harder the table. “There!” she said. “That’s better than a well-done job, that’s a Trixie job!” She waited. “Come on, Maudie… Trixie wants her kiss… Come on… Trixie gives you three seconds… One, two…” Maud looked at me again and I pushed the door. “Hello again, Trixie!” Oh Celestia, the look she gave me! “I should take a coat, it might rain.” I turned back to the coat rack, and Trixie threw it right in my face with her magic. “I think you should hurry now!” she yelled at me. I hesitated before saying the following, but Maud had asked me to do so. “And I think you should clean the table… Before our next meal…” “What?! This table is cleaner than Celestia’s flank after a meeting with her court!” “I don’t think Maud would agree…” I ran off before Trixie could react. Maud nodded to me again, but I whispered “I’m not doing it a third time.” “You are,” she said. “She’s going to kill me!” “Business risk.” “Maud!” “Alright, I get it. Count to thirty and go.” Maud went away in the farm, leaving me alone. I didn’t have anymore to press my ear again the door to hear the rubbing, and Trixie groaning it would be the cleanest table the world had ever seen. I forgot to count. When I realized it, I quickly opened the door and went in. Maybe too early. I didn’t know Trixie eyes could be that big. I stepped back and stammered “I forgot what I… had to forgot…” In fact, I could see twice Trixie’s murderous look, as she had a perfect reflection of herself in the table. She started getting closer to me, and I honestly don’t know what would have happened next if she didn’t hear a voice saying “That’s good cleaning.” Trixie slowly turned back to Maud, her eyes filled with anger and incomprehension. “Back door,” Maud said. Trixie jumped on Maud like a tiger. I think you guess what happened next.