Since the formation of the town's own E.U.P., Princess Twilight's castle on the north end of town always had some kind of activity. Even if a royal event didn't go into the wee hours of the morning or wasn't being held at all, the corridors were kept watch over by at least a half dozen guards. Down in the barracks, the first shift was preparing for their day by 5:00 AM. By 6:00 the night watch was formally relieved, and by 7:00, Princess Twilight was usually up and starting her day.

In the kitchen, Chef Grubber's day began at 5:00. By 5:45, he and his two cooks had a breakfast buffet out in the dining hall for the arriving morning shift, as well as the departing night shift. An hour later, he had fresh tea service and bagels and cream cheese ready on a platter; Princess Twilight's and Guidance Counselor Starlight Glimmer's usual preferred start to the day.

Holidays were usually a bit more robust. For Hearts and Hooves Day weekend, Princess Twilight was hosting three personal guests from the Crystal Empire, as well as a "Couple's Breakfast" for any in town who wished to attend. To adequately prepare, Grubber's staff had temporarily quadrupled for the morning with a catering service, and dining had moved from the dining room to the reception hall, where most of the guests would be. But the Princess insisted on having her personal guests and E.U.P. served in the dining room away from the hustle and bustle. So while the catering staff handled the first part of the event, Grubber's cooks handled the buffet for the E.U.P., while the hedgehog put together the regular tea and bagel platter, and everything was hot and ready when Princess Twilight Sparkle and Princess Cadance, came into the dining room. A high chair was brought out for when Flurry and Shining Armor got caught up, and for now the two princesses took their seats as the two platters were set on the table in front of them. With that done, Grubber turned his attention to the guests in the reception hall.

"So, Twilight. I've been thinking about yesterday's, ah, situation at your school." Cadance said as she dropped a sugar cube into her teacup and stirred it in.

"Hm? Oh, you mean with Sandbar and Gallus. Yeah, I wonder how well that went." Twilight asked, as she stirred in her own sugar and milk.

"Oh, it went well. I have a sense about these sort of things, so no worries." Cadance said, taking her first drink.

"So what about it were you thinking about?" Twilight asked as she started to take a drink.

"I was thinking about perhaps providing them with some privacy here at the castle if they want to get as close as couples usually do on Hearts and Hooves night."

Twilight was mid-drink with her teacup at her lips, so when the tea came shooting out of her mouth and nostrils, it merely traveled down to the bottom of the tipped cup, and up the other end, effectively spraying the Princess of Friendship with lukewarm sugary tea and milk.

Cadance miraculously managed to keep her reaction down to mere giggles as Twilight coughed and righted her teacup as she wiped her face.

"Cadance!" Twilight whispered, sniffling the remnants of her tea out of her nose. "That is a school, not an escort service!"

"Exactly," Cadance replied calmly, as if the suggestion had been completely normal. "So if and when they decide to try and explore with each other and get to know each other in the way that creatures their age usually do, wouldn't it be nice for them to have an option that's away from your other students?"

Twilight couldn't bring herself to close her mouth. How her sister-in-law always talked about these sort of things so... so casually.

"No worries, Twilight. I know that would be quite awkward as the school's headmare, so just give the word, and you can leave it to me."

Regardless of the holiday weekend, the School of Friendship still retained a cafeteria staff to feed the students who didn't want or couldn't afford to eat out in Ponyville all weekend long.

Instead of just getting ready on his own like most mornings, Sandbar went over to Gallus and gently nuzzled him awake.

"Happy Hearts and Hooves, cutie." He greeted.

"Mmmph mmphmms mm mmmmphs." Was the reply he got through Gallus' pillow. The griffon raised his head up and saw that it was indeed 9:00 AM.

"Where does the time go...?" He groaned, nearly rolling out of bed as Sandbar stepped back to give him room to get up.

"Come on, gotta hurry if we want to grab breakfast." The earth pony advised him. The thought of a steaming hot breakfast did put some pep in Gallus' step, and after Sandbar got cleaned up in the bathroom, he came out to the unexpected sight of Gallus doing his best to make his bed.

"Heh, am I rubbing off on you already?" Sandbar teased.

"Yeah, kinda. Thought it'd be nice if the whole dorm looks presentable."

With that out of the way, Gallus did some quick cleaning of himself in the bathroom, then the two of them were off. When they arrived at the cafeteria, the staff had set up a nice breakfast buffet for those who weren't spending the weekend abroad. The pair got in at the end of the line of about 20 other ponies. When they had their trays of muffins, apple, and orange juice, they looked around at where to sit, not spotting their other four friends anywhere in the room yet.

"Over there look good?" Gallus asked, pointing to a small open table for two towards the center of the concourse. The two of them took their seats, and started into their muffins, smiling at each other.

"So," Gallus began, crumbs of muffin falling out of his mouth. "What would you like to do today?"

"Well, honestly, most of my thoughts have been gravitating towards tonight." Sandbar began with a tint in his cheeks. "But it doesn't really matter what we do, as long as it's with you, that's good enough for me."

"Well, I'm sure we can find something to keep ourselves busy." Gallus replied.

As they made their way through their breakfast, they finally saw Smolder, Silverstream, Yona, and Ocellus join the buffet line. But they lost track of them as a mailpony came up and dug out a letter from his bag.

"Sandbar and Gallus?" He asked, reading the writing on the envelope then looking at the two of them.

"That's us." Gallus said, and the mailpony set the envelope on the table between their two trays.

"Royal delivery. Happy Hearts and Hooves day!" He said before continuing his rounds, delivering letters to students from beyond Ponyville as they got treats and letters from home.

Sandbar and Gallus looked down at the envelope. It was plain white, with the wax stamp seal in the shape of the crystal heart. Gallus took the envelope, took the knife next to his plate to open it, and pulled out the letter and unfolded it, laying it on the table so both of them could read it.

Dear Sandbar and Gallus,

Happy Hearts and Hooves Day! I certainly hope both of you have gotten a great start to your day, and that you both have fun together in whatever you have planned.

In case you had anything in mind for tonight that called for a little bit more privacy than you get in your dorms, then I'd like to invite you to the East Wing Guest Suite in the castle tonight.

If that sounds like something you two would like, please see Major Fizzlepop Berrytwist at the front steps anytime after 7:00 PM, and she'll show you in.

Sincerely,
Princess Cadance

The breakfast buffet had a sample of things for all the creatures attending the School of Friendship. Yona took a bowl of hot minestrone soup with a sprinkling of fresh grass, Smolder helped herself to pancakes with gems baked in, and Silverstream and Ocellus each took a fruit cocktail.

"So what do we all want to do today?" Ocellus asked as they sat down at one of the longer tables that were available.

"Not sure. I'm actually wondering what those two are up to." Smolder said, pointing a claw across the room to the griffon and pony sitting together, looking like they were reading a letter of some kind.

"When have those two ever been the first down here for breakfast? Usually they're the last and they have to take whatever's left on the carts." Ocellus commented, always being the most punctual of the six of them.

"Oh, Yona knows! Princess Cadance said that today Hearts and Hooves Day! Holiday of love! Maybe Gallus and Sandbar find feelings for each other! Hearts and Hooves miracle!" The young yak said excitedly.

"Well... Yeah, actually that makes sense." Silverstream agreed.

"Yeah. I'm sure we've all noticed how much Sandbar has been staring at Gallus these last few weeks." Smolder added.

"Huh? So staring means love? What about staring contests? Are those dates now?" Yona asked.

"No no," Ocellus told her. "Each species has their own culture, and their own way of courting a mate. Courting means ways of letting someone else know you're interested. Some have scents, some of dances, others have sophisticated rituals. But interspecies, now that's not as common."

"Ah yes, yaks have stomping rituals. Yak brings best wood to other yak to stomp! If the yak stomps on it, yak accept courtship!"

Laughs were had around the table at Yona's short culture lesson.

The four friends shared their own culture's method of courting over breakfast, and when they were done, decided to visit Fluttershy's animal sanctuary.

"Hey, Silverstream!" Gallus called out to the hippogriff, as she was the last out of the cafeteria to meet her friends outside before heading south through town.

"Oh hey Gallus. We're going to visit Fluttershy's sanctuary. You two want to tag along?" She asked, motioning to Sandbar, who was currently taking the pair of trays up to the dish station.

"No, we're doing our own thing today. I was actually wondering if I could ask you a favor. A... A really big favor." Gallus asked, getting a little nervous.

"Anything for a friend, Gallus. What can I do for you?" Silverstream asked.

"Well... your necklace is what allows you to transform, right? C-Could I... borrow that tonight?"

Author's Note

Another one down! Thanks for all the feedback, fillies and colts. This has been very fun to write so far.

Thanks for reading!