In Which Cheerilee and Zecora Partake in a Party just for Them
It was practical. It was old. It was well-meant. It was humorous. Hopefully Zecora would see it that way. Cheerilee nervously paced. She eyed the wrapped gift on the edge of the coffee table. The color combination of the paper and bow wasn’t exactly the most aesthetically pleasing but something about it just seemed right. They’d exchanged gifts before but this was the first time she’d ever thought to give something like this. She took a breath and calmed herself down. “It’s okay, she won’t turn you into a newt.” And with that she put the gift in her saddlebag and left her house.
She walked through evening bustle of Ponyville. All sorts of ponies doing and saying all sorts of things regaled the cerise pony as she trotted about. She normally would have loved to stop and chat with her fellow Ponyville denizens but tonight she had a destination and a certain time by which to reach it. Of course, that didn’t stop her from smiling and waving at and engaging in light pleasantries with the ponies she passed.
A dark red strip on the horizon was all that was left of the sun’s light when Cheerilee arrived at her destination: Shadow Facts, the pub of pubs in Ponyville. The place was busy, as expected. Busier than usual, in fact – also expected. And even before she entered, she was receiving warm wishes and salutations from everypony standing about outside. After graciously receiving the flood of greetings, she stepped inside.
A wave a sound nearly overwhelmed her. It was an unorganized chorus of “Happy Birthday!” that rained down on her. A party hat was immediately placed on her head. She put on her best party face and enthusiastically greeted the horde of well-wishers and congratulators. This level of attention was still somewhat new to her but she dealt with it as maturely and gracefully as possible. It wasn’t until Zecora arrived in town that her birthday was the celebration it had become. After the crowd had dispersed enough for her to move she made her way to the bar and took the stool next to her annual bar mate. She set her saddlebags under the stool, next to the ones already down there.
“Quite loud this year. Can you still hear, my dear?” the mare at the bar said.
“I’m fine. But you? Three rhymes in a single thought? How much have you had?” She smiled mischievously.
“My rhyming is consensual. Those three were intentional.”
Cheerilee nodded. “Tip top form I see, Zecora.”
The Zebra gave a little shake of her mug. “I’ve yet to know a beverage that can lay me under. To find one, now that would be a wonder.”
The teacher giggled and ordered herself a cider, which was on the house. The minutes passed by and the two mares easily slipped from small talk into an actual conversation. This had become standard for the celebration. The other ponies would leave them alone for a while so they could have some time to themselves before the real celebration started. It was a kind gesture, certainly, but the two mares preferred something even quieter and more private. They’d just have to bide their time. In the meantime, they chatted blissfully with each other for a spell, happily tuning out the crowd. They steered clear of any heavy topics and opinions, opting for safer routes like the latest news about the Wonderbolts or Princess Luna’s failed attempt to start a new fashion trend by putting her tail in braided pig tails. The got a laugh out of that one. A little after 10:00 the party kicked into the next gear. Games were brought out and set up and there was anticipation in the air.
“Happy birthday, you two!” came a holler from behind them. Pinkie Pie bounded over through the door and pushed her way between Zecora and Cheerilee. She threw an arm around their shoulders and pulled them in for a tight hug. “I can’t wait for you two to try my new Back2BackBirthday Birthday Cake! It’s so yummy!”
“We look forward to it as well, Pinkie,” wheezed Cheerilee. She looked over at Zecora, who returned a knowing glance.
“It seems the party is in full swing, considering how tightly you cling,” Zecora contributed.
“Ahh! I just love you two so much!” Pinkie squealed, hugging tighter. She finally let go and hopped away, leaving Cheerilee and Zecora to catch their breath and rub some sore spots. “Now for the games!” Pinkie sang from somewhere in the bar.
The birthday mares smiled at each other and got off their stools to join the party. They participated in the games and cordially mingled with the assembled ponies, which included most of the town, it seemed. After nearly two hours of non-stop party games and antics, Zecora stepped next to Cheerilee and spoke into her ear.
“It’s nearly the witches’ hour, my dear; it is time for us to get away from here.”
Cheerilee looked at the clock – a few minutes to midnight. She nodded and followed the zebra back to the bar, where they took their seats. Zecora removed a small leather-bound flask from her saddlebag. Discretely, she poured a drop of silvery liquid from the flask into her and Cheerilee’s mugs. With the deed done she replaced the flask back in her bag and double checked to make sure nopony had seen the action. After she was satisfied nopony was the wiser she nodded to Cheerilee.
The teacher grabbed her mug. “Between the moon and sun we shine.”
The zebra grabbed her mug. “Where time will rest on an infinite tine.”
They spoke together. “Between your day of birth and mine.” They clinked the mugs together. The two mares quickly drank the contents and set the mugs on the bar. They smiled at each and waited. The noisy bar no longer bothered them. They remained patient as the last few seconds ticked away.
The clock struck midnight and the bar went silent. Nopony moved. The lighting suddenly changed – some of the lights went out, others stayed on. Sunlight streamed in from some windows, outside others the night still shrouded the world in darkness, others still revealed twilight hours. In the bar some ponies remained paused as they were. In places where light shined through the windows, the ponies that had been there were now gone.
Cheerilee placed her party hat on the bar then she and Zecora smiled at each and chuckled a bit. They got down from their stools, picked up their bags and started walking toward the door. They smirked in amusement at the state of the bar and its patrons. They got a good laugh out of Rainbow Dash, whose body straddled the line between the midnight bar and the daytime bar. Her back half was in the midnight bar but quickly dissolved into nothing in the daylight coming in the window.
As they wandered out of the bar they saw the rest of Ponyville in the same state as the bar. Some parts of the town remained in midnight and the streets were vacant or sparsely populated whilst other parts were brightly lit by the midday sun and ponies going about their daily routines were frozen in place. Just like Rainbow Dash, some ponies were only partially there, depending on whether they fully in or out of a certain time. It was all very surreal.
“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to this,” Cheerilee stated, looking around in wonder.
“It does me well that you find such awe. It’s not for anypony I’d break time’s law.”
“Thanks,” she said softly.
The pair continued through the town, staying mostly quiet and just taking in the serene weirdness of it all. A little way past the town hall they stopped and tilted theirs heads in awe and confusion when they came across Maud. Even though she was half in the night and half in the day, she was completely in one spot. She was staring at Boulder. The two mares looked at each other and shook their heads, laughing as they continued on their walk.
“She certainly adds a new dynamic to this town,” stated Cheerilee. They began chatting, mostly about the ponies they came across. As they left town they moved to idler chit-chat and gossip, covering daily occurrences and water cooler talk. Eventually, they came to Cheerilee’s favorite part of the walk.
If the trip through Ponyville was surreal then the walk through Whitetail Woods was nothing short of beautiful. There were rarely ponies in there in the first place so now it was unlikely for anypony to be there to distract from the beauty of the forest. The way the light changed in the woods always made Cheerilee’s heart pump harder. A patch of darkness here, mid-day through the leaves there. Gorgeous. Zecora smiled and kept quiet, knowing her friend’s affection for this part of the journey. She watched the teacher from the corner of her eye, finding comfort and contentment in her amazement.
Eventually, they left the woods behind and turned toward Everfree. This forest was different from Whitetail in many ways during regular times, but during the hours in between hours it was downright undefinable. Unlike everywhere else, there was no discernable differences between day and night. It was all dark. It was as though the forest ate the light. The two mares continued on, mostly ignoring the dark.
As was tradition by now, the walk through Everfree was frequently punctuated with stops to investigate the flora and fauna. With an ever-inquisitive mind, Cheerilee had always wanted to learn more about Everfree. The many dangers lurking in there did their part to dissuade her from investigating much on her own and there with little interest from the ponies in Ponyville to accompany her. With the time Zecora had given her, however, she took every opportunity to learn as much as she could. She would frequently pull out a notebook and quickly sketch out what she saw. When she asked for more information Zecora was always happy to share as Cheerilee enthusiastically jotted down notes.
This particular time, the teacher found a flower that she’d never seen before. Its petals were a glowing vanilla color with a charcoal and yellow stripe swirling to its center.
“That one is the Witch’s Kiss,” stated Zecora. “Difficult to find, impossible to miss.”
“It’s beautiful. I love the colors.” Cheerilee was almost entranced by it. “Does it have any special properties? Well, it’s glowing, so it must.”
“Its colors change to the one who stares; its implications easily ensnares. Look away soon lest it entrances; it knows only for whom the heart dances.”
Cheerilee reluctantly looked away, turning to her friend. “Whoa, I could feel myself actually not wanting to look away. That’s…dangerous.” She took out a notepad from her saddlebag and quickly scribbled some notes. “You said it’s colors change to those who look at it. What colors do you see?”
Zecora stole a quick glance at the flower and smiled. “The colors that make me happy. Now come, let’s not get too sappy.”
Reluctantly Cheerilee left the flower behind, following her guide deeper into the forest. A few minutes passed in silence when, by chance, Zecora looked up and chuckled, nudging Cheerilee. The teacher looked up and saw the front half of Rainbow Dash a hundred meters in the sky, caught in a beam of midmorning, racing to somewhere. They both laughed.
When the finally reached Zecora’s tree they were still snickering at the sight of half of Rainbow. They’d been joking about it the rest of the way, which helped mostly to put Cheerilee at ease – sure, it was Everfree on pause, but it was still Everfree. However, when she walked through the door, and subsequently remembered why she was there, her giggles ceased. Zecora shut the door, not noticing Cheerilee apprehensively bite her bottom lip or draw a long drawn out breath. She did hear her mutter something to herself but could make out exactly what it was. Something about a newt. She figured it was something about one of the creatures of Everfree and went to her bedroom to drop off her saddlebags.
When she came back, Zecora put some tea on, knowing that Cheerilee loved the stuff. She made some of her own special brew for herself – a splash of coffee from her homeland mixed with several herbs she gathered from Everfree. She tried to get Cheerilee to like it but the teacher’s palate was a bit too fair. It was an acquired taste, to be fair, and Cheerilee had tried numerous times, and kept trying. Zecora admired her determination. Now, however, was not the time for such things. After the drinks were ready and served the two settled in, constructing makeshift nests with pillows and blankets a few paces from the cauldron.
“I’d love to live in a place like this,” Cheerilee said, taking a delicate sip of her tea. She always said that. She always meant it. She loved the atmosphere, the dim lighting, the pleasant earthy smell. It was always cool in the summer and surprisingly warm in winter. It had never been uncomfortable to her, which is something she couldn’t say about her own home.
“A house is a house in any form; mine is your port in any storm,” Zecora replied mildly, drinking her brew.
“Thank you.”
There were a few more minutes of light chatter between the two before they delved into heavier topics. Gossip turned into hard opinions about specific ponies, events, and policies, mostly on the part of Cheerilee. Zecora listened as the teacher ranted about accreditation, parent-teacher conferences, poorly behaved students, unrealistic expectations of her job, and poorly behaved parents. She spent a good while on Twilight Sparkle not asking her to teach at the School of Friendship. Sure, she would have likely said no anyway but it was the principle of the thing. At least ask! It’s the thought that counts, darn it! The zebra stifled her smile.
She knew everything her friend was saying was a serious matter to her and she had the utmost respect for those feelings, but the way Cheerilee’s mane naturally disheveled itself when she got worked up was perpetually amusing. Also, the way she ranted caused some mirth in the zebra: erudite language splattered with thinly veiled and often pedestrian insults and idioms were such a comical juxtaposition to Zecora. She’d never admitted it but those were a few of the idiosyncrasies that made Cheerilee such a charming and inimitable pony to her.
Cheerilee finally came to the end of her rant, and she took a deep breath and a long drink of tea. She apologized – as usual – for her words. Zecora dismissed the apology – as usual – as being unnecessary. She spent a few minutes calming her friend and reassuring her of her stance and abilities.
Cheerilee, being placated, apologized again and then asked Zecora to share her own troubles. Unlike Cheerilee, Zecora didn’t have quite as many grievances and didn’t get nearly as worked up about them. Mostly she told of timberwolves howling late at night and keeping her up. She did make a point to discuss how she was upset that now that Everfree was generally tamer she was afraid it was becoming “touristy”. Despite her calm demeanor, Cheerilee could tell that Zecora was bristling inside. Zecora liked her peace and quiet and her space. The dangers of the Everfree were of great benefit to maintaining that preference. She wasn’t averse to occasional visitors or passersby, but with the frequency increasing she began to feel a little agitated.
When Zecora finished, the softly shaking cup in her hoof betrayed her serene expression. In spite of her reputation for stoic mysticism, Zecora did open up to a very select few ponies. To be counted as one of them was nothing short of a privilege. Cheerilee often felt she should offer some kind of reciprocity for that privilege. Now, she attempted to give some advice and calming words – though, what advice could she really give to somepony so wise beyond her years? Still, she attempted to sooth her friend by offering a suggestion of somehow implementing a spell of some sort that would keep ponies away. It wasn’t much but Zecora graciously accepted the suggestion.
It finally came time to exchange gifts and Cheerilee could feel the nervousness in her stomach return. Zecora retreated to her bedroom and returned with a gift while Cheerilee took an unusual amount of time fishing her gift out of her saddlebag. At last she pulled it out and faced Zecora, who was waiting stoically with a gift hugged to her chest. With one last breath Cheerilee eyed the gift in her hoof – small, book-shaped, and wrapped in a flat olive green-colored paper with a dark turquois bow – and extended her hoof, desperate to keep it steady.
It seemed to happen in slow motion, and Cheerilee almost wanted to retract. Zecora took the gift as Cheerilee grabbed the one meant for her. There was a brief pause before either started opening the presents. Cheerilee inspected the gift from Zecora – it was much larger and heavier than the one she gave Zecora but the same shape and wrapped in maroon paper with silver ribbons and bow. She heard rustling from her friend and decided she’d better get to it as well. It didn’t take long to unwrap either gift even though both mares were careful not to damage the wrappings too much.
There was a silence that hung in the room. An uneasy silence. Cheerilee looked at the gift she just unwrapped: On the Obedience of Wild Animals by Dr. Wilda Nes. It was arguably the most complete compendium on the calming, taming, and keeping of feral creatures. She couldn’t believe it. She’d wanted this book for so long. And it was the first edition to boot. Dark green canvas cover with white and gold lettering. In a word: gorgeous. There was a note sticking out of the pages. She pulled it out and read it. “For school use only”. She was puzzled. Sure, she had a natural affinity for knowledge but what would she need with a guidebook on how to control wild animals in school? And why only for school use? There weren’t any wild animals there. Only students. “Oh.”
She looked up at Zecora, who was inspecting the gift she received. It was a small book with a red leather cover with gold letters. The zebra held it up and flipped through the pages, stopping briefly on a few along the way. She blinked a few times and then looked stoically at Cheerilee. She held up the little book and arched an eyebrow. Cheerilee read the title, just to make sure it was what she had given: Rhyming Dictionary.
They exchanged glances between each other and their respective gifts. Zecora cracked first, her laughter nearly roaring out of her. Relieved, Cheerilee followed suit, failing to control her own laugh. She accidentally let out a few cute little snorts, which caused Zecora to laugh harder. It was several minutes before either regained enough composure to speak.
“I…I was so worried you wouldn’t like it,” Cheerilee sputtered between laughs.
“There is no reason to fret,” Zecora giggled. “A gift from you is as good as it gets.”
Cheerilee really hoped that the dim light hid her blush. Zecora was notoriously pragmatic and genuine complements from her were sparse. Tonight, she was only genuine. To illustrate her point, she decided to try out a few rhymes.
“First off all let me concede I’m glad this in not made of tweed.” She tapped the cover. Cheerilee giggled. “Now why don’t you ruminate while I illuminate.” Cheerilee laughed. “Lest I mitigate a paperweight.” Cheerilee fell over. Zecora turned to a random page. “I hope you take these without exception, as I am expecting a warm reception.” She turned to another page. “These words are not easy to inscribe, as they have had much to imbibe.” Cheerilee wiped a tear away in approval. Zecora continued her rhyming assault. “For Rarity it would take a garrison to remove her from her caparison. Let’s not speak of the hairy mare, save for talk of her derriere.”
Five minutes of testing out rhymes had Cheerilee cheering and rolling with laughter, gasping for air. Each rhyme became progressively more absurd and esoteric. Zecora seemed to take glee in her ability to utilize her new weapon against her friend, never giving Cheerilee a moment to recover. At last, she felt the poor mare had enough.
“If you so desire me to concede, I wish to hear you plead,” she said haughtily, closing the book.
“Please…ahahaha!...please, oh Mistress of Rhymes…” She broke down again, sending Zecora into her own fit of laughter. Finally, she was able to control herself enough for Zecora to again thank her for the gift. Cheerilee, eager to show off her own excitement over her gift, quickly dove into the pages of her new book. It didn’t take her long to find something of interest.
“Oh! Look at this! The Equestrian Tuft Weasel can be frightened and even hypnotized by shaking or swaying a leafy branch in front of them.” She stood on her hind legs and cleared her throat. “Diamond Tiara, shut your mouth and go sit in the corner for the next two weeks!” she commanded, shaking an imaginary branch. Zecora giggled. Cheerilee slowly swayed the branch in a different direction. “Apple Bloom, stop talking about apples.” Zecora burst with laughter. Cheerilee found something on another page. “The Tunneling Silk Snake is easily warded off by aggressive stomping.” She began stomping. “Get back, Snails, get back!” Zecora held her stomach.
After another few minutes of uncontrollable laughter Zecora composed herself and scooted over to Cheerilee and embraced her. Cheerilee eagerly returned the action, holding the zebra perhaps a tad too tightly for the occasion. It didn’t matter – to her, a Zecora hug was the best kind of hug. It was simultaneously comfort, affirmation, and protection. If Cheerilee was honest with herself, it was times like these she was glad she wasn’t a cat, lest her purr give her away.
“Thank you,” Zecora said softly, releasing the teacher.
Cheerilee’s heart skipped a beat. There were many rare things in this world, and one of the rarest was Zecora failing to rhyme. It only happened in the most serious or genuine moments. To witness it was an awesome experience. To be the recipient of it was either absolutely terrifying or like apotheosis. Right now, Cheerilee felt beyond royalty.
The two settled back down into their nests and sat comfortably for another half hour or so, drinking their respective brews and chatting lightly. Eventually, Zecora decided it was time for them to get back to the bar. Cheerilee was visibly disappointed but agreed, nonetheless.
“I know – it does feel wrong, but time will only wait for so long.” Zecora patted Cheerilee’s shoulder then went to collect her saddlebags. Cheerilee placed her new book in her bags and put them on and took one last look around the hut.
The walk back to Ponyville was slow and hesitant. They made frequent stops and admired things they’d stopped at on the way out. While they still took some amusement in the ponies split in time, their laughs seemed a bit hollow and forced. It took twice as long to get back the Shadow Facts as it did to get to Zecora’s on the trip out. As they entered the bar there was a distinct tension between them, an air of disappointment, mostly emitted by Cheerilee. Neither addressed it but instead examined their surroundings. Everything was as they’d left it. They softly stepped into the bar and took their places on the stools, making sure to place their saddlebags in the spots they began. Cheerilee placed the party hat back on her head. Zecora straightened it a bit, eliciting a blush from the teacher.
Zecora took her mug in her hoof and turned to Cheerilee, who was hesitating. She wore a solemn look. If it hadn’t been for the time constraint, Zecora would have asked what was wrong. Instead, she looked to the clock on the wall, then to Cheerilee, then to Cheerilee’s mug. The teacher nodded and picked up the mug. They positioned themselves as they were when time stopped. Cheerilee stared into Zecora’s eyes. Zecora stared back. Cheerilee opened her mouth to speak.
“HEY, you two!” squealed Pinkie Pie, “You having a staring contest or what?! C’mon, there’s more cake! Yummy!” She shook Cheerilee enthusiastically and hugged Zecora before bouncing off. The party was still in full swing and nopony was the wiser to their absence. It was fully dark outside and nopony was in two places at once anymore. Cheerilee smiled weakly before sliding off the stool. Zecora put a hoof and her shoulder.
“What was it you wished to say, my dear? Something you wanted made clear?”
“It’s nothing. Just had a thought. Can’t remember now. But there’s still cake.” She disappeared into the crowd, chatting happily with the guests as she went for more cake. Zecora scrunched her face, not convinced of Cheerilee’s lie. She shook her head and went to get some cake as well.
The party continued for another hour or so, the crowd gradually thinning out until it was just a half dozen ponies milling about, unwilling to let the celebration die. Eventually, Cheerilee and Zecora made it clear that they both intended to call it a night, effectively ending the party. With a few final goodbyes and the traditional fight to break free from Pinkie’s patented Birthday Party Goodbye Hug, the two mares finally left Shadow Facts, wandering into the early morning darkness.
Very little moved, save for the few remaining ponies still ambling on home after the party. Overall, the town was silent. The two mares were silent as well. Shortly, they came to the point where they would separate, Cheerilee going one way, Zecora another. They stopped.
After a moment, Cheerilee spoke. “Zecora, I was wondering…Would you be…If you’re okay with it…Would it be alright…I know you only use that potion for special occasions…” She sheepishly kicked a pebble.
“I know what it is you want, my dear. Yes, we can do this more than once a year.” She pulled Cheerilee in for a hug, which was eagerly returned. Again, Cheerilee held on longer than she probably should have but Zecora gave no indication that anything was wrong with it. In fact, she held the hug until Cheerilee finally decided to let go. They looked at each other, both expecting the other to break the silence. Finally, Zecora spoke.
“This night holds much I shall cherish, minus the pink one so loud and garish.”
Cheerilee nodded. “Yes. I don’t think I could ever forget these birthdays.” She smiled hopefully.
Zecora smiled cordially. “At last, the night comes to an end. It is time to part ways, my friend.” With that, she bowed slightly and turned to head back to Everfree.
Cheerilee deflated a bit as she watched the zebra walk away. With a sigh she too turned toward home. After only a few steps something gave her pause. She stopped and looked over her shoulder, happy to see Zecora had done the same. Zecora smiled, she smiled. Zecora waved, she waved. Zecora winked, she felt all warm and fuzzy inside.
