"Venture"
It was late afternoon on the fifth day.
Cheerilee sat on her living room sofa, mugs scattered around her coffee table with a few bowls she hadn't bothered to clean up yet. There were a few leftover stains of dried coco and ice cream, but with a little work they'd come right out. She had an opened book, but wasn't exactly reading... rather spacing on the words. She wanted so badly to lay down, shut her eyes and drift off... but every time she did she'd want to sit right back up and put her mind back to work again. Having an idle mind felt... weird. This, of course, had already lead to a couple restless nights.
She thought she heard something, faint and delayed by the door. It sounded like... of all things, knocking. Cheerilee's eyes shifted towards her door and she waited, only to hear it again. Knock-knock! ...knock. Somepony wanted to see her.
Swear I'd recognize that knocking anywhere, she thought, slowly getting up and stretching, feeling her back and shoulders crack. That can't be Derpy.
It had become somewhat amusing. Each time Miss Hooves visited the school after class -- despite the building being open to the public after three PM -- she'd always knock. Derpy had the strangest pattern when it came to knocking, same with hoof steps... sporadic, uneven. Cheerilee could always identify her by these sounds well before seeing her.
It took Cheerilee a moment to answer the door. Her apartment was small and, at the moment, slightly untidy. Getting there was awkward... she hopped around a couple trash bags and unfolded articles of clothing. Cheerilee had forgotten the day before was garbage day, the day before that laundry day. If it wasn't for her shouting "coming!" the pony knocking probably would have thought she wasn't home. Depressed or not the teacher still tried to make herself look presentable, tying her mane back with an old rubber band... one that would definitely hurt coming out.
Cheerilee's door swung open. She winced as Celestia's sun peeked in, not bothering to fake a smile when she saw Derpy standing there.
"Oh, hi Miss Cheerilee!" Derpy exclaimed with a nervous grin, eyeballing the trash bags by the entrance. "Oh, wow... you look, um, really tired today."
"I'm not feeling all that well, Derpy," Cheerilee replied, matter-of-factly. "What do you need?"
"Well..." Derpy went through her satchel. "I've got a couple letters for you... Mr. Mollusk wanted me to give this one to you personally. Don't worry, it's nothing bad! I, uh... got one, too."
She passed a couple small letter to Cheerilee, one of them inscribed with gold. She opened the fancy one first with Derpy still standing there. Cheerilee was pretty sure she knew what it was, and she was right -- an invitation to Snails's Memorial Service. The second was for an evaluation in three days... Doctor Stable wanted to see her. The teacher made an effort to keep a straight face, not that Derpy would have judged her if she looked half as grumpy or tired as she felt.
"Thanks."
The pegasus smiled awkwardly, putting a hoof to the back of her head.
"Um... Hope you can make it."
"Oh, I'll be there," Cheerilee replied. "It's only right."
Derpy nodded rapidly.
"Okee. Guess I'll see ya then. Um, later."
"I'll see you there, Derpy. Promise."
The pegasus nodded slowly. Turning around she began to trot away... but Cheerilee stopped her.
"Hey... Derpy?"
She spun around quickly.
"Yeah?"
Cheerilee smiled genuinely, taking a breath.
"Please tell Dinky I said hi. After all that's happened... I just hope she's doing alright."
Derpy's awkward expression turn into grin. Her voice grew warmer as she spoke:
"She's doing much better, thanks for asking! I'll let her know you asked about her first thing when I get home! Promise!"
"I'm glad to hear that."
Derpy turned around and began to trot away again, this time with a noticeable spring in her step. Seeing this made Cheerilee smile... knowing that Dinky was safe and well, but also that her mother was the type of pony who could put such things aside and just do her job. Cheerilee had to admit that Derpy was a lot stronger than she looked... but so was Cheerilee.
For now Cheerilee shut the door... it was back to resting. In the morning she would have to leave the comfort of her home. It was only fitting that she get the proper attire for Snails's service, however... she would forgo a veil. Hiding her face might suggest to other ponies that she felt guilty... which she didn't, not for a few days at least had she felt anything other than empathy for everypony involved, but she knew how silly adult ponies could be over even the most trivial of things... and death of a foal would be much, much worse. Truth be told, even in the privacy of her home... Cheerilee wanted to be invisible.
* * *
The next day the teacher left early... having hardly slept the night before. She felt groggy and listless, but still focused on her goal.
There were no ponies on the street, the sky a shade of orange as Celestia's sun barely peeked over the horizon. Ponyville was silent, just as it had been the night she took the long walk home.
I just have to get to Rarity's... that shouldn't be too hard.
She kept her eyes forward and trotted along. Clip-clop, clip-clop, clip-clop... Soon she'd made it all the way to the fountain. The only sound that could be heard was running water. Normally it would calmed her nerves, focusing on something else... something soothing, gentle, but Cheerilee's problems were on the inside. No amount of ice cream, books or white noise could help her.
Almost there...
She trotted on. Just another two blocks and she would be looking at Rarity's shop, at a time she was sure (from what Sweetie Belle had once said) Rarity had little business. It also helped that it wasn't the weekend quite yet. It would just be two old friends discussing a special order, and that's it. She would be back home within the hour... hopefully.
Off in the distance there was a motion in front of Cheerilee... at first she didn't see it. She unconciously tuned it out, but the more she focused elsewhere, the more exaggerated it became.
Rose Luck was out watering her garden. She saw Cheerilee and was waving hello. When the teacher didn't see her, she simply waved harder.
You know Rose Luck, Cheerilee thought, extending her hoof out for a small wave. She's always been so nice. She hesitated... but she does like to gossip a bit.
Cheerilee pressed on slowly, peering at Rose Luck... who was just watering her garden atop a hill by her home. She didn't notice Cheerilee staring at her for the longest time, but when she did she looked right into the teacher's eyes. Cheerilee didn't realize it, but she was scowling... not only that, she wasn't blinking. The two ponies locked eyes, Rose Luck's expression turning to one of confusion and concern. Cheerilee crossed the street and continued on.
"What's gotten into that mare?" Rose Luck wondered out loud, going back to her garden.
Rose Luck knew what had happened, but wasn't the type of pony to butt into another pony's business. A faux pas? Absolutely, she'd gossip about that with everypony to no end, but the loss of a colt was nothing to spread around town with glee. Cheerilee didn't know this because Rose Luck's only source of joy was her garden... everything else was, unfortunately, quite barren.
The way Rose Luck looked me, I know she had to have said something, Cheerilee thought, stepping out into the intersection before Rarity's shop. It figures... you think you know somepony, then you see that look of unquestionable guilt. She let out a sigh. "Wait... do I actually know her?"
Cheerilee shrugged. It didn't change how she felt about the situation, but for right now she was going to go into more familiar territory... Rarity's shop.
* * *
The door swung open and she stepped inside. Cheerilee saw Rarity approach well before she saw her... she even noticed the smell of Darjeeling, which meant Rarity was just waking up.
"Welcome to the Carousel Boutique! Where every garment is chic, unique, and magni-"
"Um, hi Rarity," Cheerilee said, just loud enough to be heard over the ivory mare's schpeel.
"Oh!" Rarity blinked twice in surprise. "Cheerilee! It's so good to see you! We were beginning to worry. I was getting ready to stop by tomorrow." Rarity smiled. "Care for some tea? I've a fresh pot in back. That is, assuming you can spare a few minutes... if not, how may I assist you today?"
Rarity was seldom awkward, always smooth at transitioning into salespony... Cheerilee knew her well. She smiled back.
"It's good to see you, too," the teacher said, taking a breath. "I really could use your help... and I think I will take that tea."
"Of course!" Rarity began to trot behind the counter, motioning for the teacher to come along. She opened the counter and invited Cheerilee inside with her, levitating a tea pot between the two mares while filling a cup. "What I can help you with?"
"Well, I'm going to need a dress for Snails's memorial service," Cheerilee said, taking the tea.
Rarity's smile faded, a more serious expression took it's place. She motioned for her friend and customer to sit at the stool behind the counter.
"Understood, dear. I take it you would like something more conservative?"
Cheerilee sat while sipping the tea:
"That's exactly what I'm thinking."
Rarity pulled a book from behind the counter, drinking down her entire cup in one gulp. It was time to get serious.
"We can go though this and pick out the most appropriate attire." Rarity winked. "Shouldn't take long."
Rarity pulled the book beside Cheerilee and opened it up. The ivory mare flipped a few pages up to the wedding and funeral section, and opened her mouth to speak when she was cut short:
"Rarity!" a shrill filly's voice shouted from upstairs. "You promised to let me make pancakes this morning!"
Cheerilee instantly recognized the voice as Sweetie Belle's.
"I'll be right up to help you, Sweetie," Rarity replied in the direction of the stairs. "Not too long."
"How long?" Sweetie Belle asked.
Rarity looked at Cheerilee.
"Oh, I can only guess, since I am with a client, after all... maybe twenty minutes?"
Cheerilee grinned.
"That sounds about right."
"I'll be up in twenty minutes, Sweetie Belle. Please help yourself to some juice in the meantime!"
Rarity turned back to the book and regained a professional composure.
"Sorry about that, Cheerilee." The teacher casually sipped her tea. "There'll be no more delays, I can assure you of that."
"It's quite alright." Cheerilee smiled. "But isn't Sweetie Belle going to be late for school?"
Rarity put a hoof to the back of her head, her face contorting awkwardly.
"Well, you see... um, Sweetie and a couple of her classmates were given the rest of the week off."
Cheerilee's smiled instantly faded. She knew why this had happened, but still wanted to be sure:
"Is it because of Snails?"
Rarity nodded slowly.
"She really hasn't been sleeping too well lately, and... well, uh," Rarity shook her head. "Let us not focus on that! We've got an order to fill and a lengthy book of options to go through!"
Cheerilee nodded.
"Okay then!"
Cheerilee was ready. She knew the order wouldn't be take long, Rarity knew her measurements and could tell by looking at her that it would be best laid out as nothing more than a series of yes or no questions. Rarity also had received a card from Mollusk, but she never would have dreamed of leading one of her oldest Ponyville friends into a sale first thing. Now that they both were settled on this idea, Rarity was in the proper mindset:
"Are you sure you want no veil?" she asked Cheerilee. "It's traditional! Makes sense for this occasion."
"I'm positive, Rarity. I thought about this all last night. I don't want anypony to think I'm hiding... as much as I want to."
"Very well!" Rarity checked an item off on her form. "That is completely understandable."
Having something going on involving a friend felt rather refreshing... even if it did concern an awful thing that happened less than a week before. The teacher took note that she probably needed to get out soon to shake this feeling, but knew in the back of her mind that once she got back on the road she would probably want to head right back home and be alone. This order would take a lot longer than it needed to, but not so long that Rarity would begin to realize that just having her attention right now felt good to Cheerilee.
Still, soon Cheerilee was back on the road, a slip in her possession that would go on her bulletin board. By the time of the service her black dress would be ready. She sighed, finally feeling tired despite having drank most of a cup of Darjeeling. Typical.