//------------------------------//
// Prompt #160: Not So Subtle 
// Story: Ponywatching 
// by ThunderTempest 
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“Quick, before she comes back!”

“Alright, alright, I’m in.”

“Pinkie, are you sure that you want to do this? I mean, it is her house.”

“Yeah, but she keeps the encyclopaedia in there.”

“Oh. Well, that’s a little different. I’m in. Should just be relyin’ on her memory.”

“Quite so, darling.”

“I don’t know, what if she really is just going to check on the snacks?”

“Haven’t you noticed that she always does that right when she gets a difficult question though?”

“Well, I’m sure that, um, I don’t know. It seems kind of wrong.”

“It ain’t wrong to make sure we’re on a level playin’ field, sugarcube.”

“Come on, Fluttershy! We’re only using our memory. She shouldn’t be allowed to use a book!”

“Okay then.”

“Shh! Here she comes!”

*******

Twilight Sparkle trotted back from the kitchen, holding the box for the game they were going to play that night. Predictably, it was the same trivia game that they always played.

“Ready for game night, girls?” she asked, “the snacks are in the oven, so we’re all ready.”

“Yeah, about that,” said Rainbow Dash, “we don’t think that you should be allowed in there alone anymore. Or at all.”

“What? Why?” asked Twilight, placing the game board down, and facing her friends.

“No offense, but you sort of take a while in there,” mumbled Fluttershy, “and, um, we think you’re looking up the answers in the encyclopaedia in there.”

“What? I’d never do that!” said Twilight.

“So why is the Book of Everything lying open with marked tabs, Twilight?” said Pinkie Pie, climbing out from a bookshelf.

“I was looking up temperatures for the snacks!”

“But the tabs are for things like music and art and stuff,” said Pinkie, and Twilight managed a nervous giggle. She got flat stares in response.

“Fine, then. Let’s have a vote!” said Twilight, “all in favour of me being able to check on the snacks in the most efficient manner?”

Twilight rose her hoof. She looked around, and caught sight of Fluttershy’s half-raised hoof.

“There, two votes! Now, all in favour of me not being able to check on the snacks?”

Every pony other than Twilight raised their hoof.

“Fluttershy, you voted for me!”

“I’m sorry, I just didn’t want you to feel left out.”

“Ugh, fine. Have it your way,” grumbled Twilight, “Now they’ll probably burn.”

“Darling, you do know that you can get Spike to bring them out when they’re ready?” said Rarity. Twilight raised a hoof in objection, and then lowered it without saying anything.

“Now that that business is settled, shall we play?” said Rarity, and they settled down to play, Twilight pouting the entire time.