Canterlot High's Secret Santa
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“Remember class, on Monday we will be having a quiz. Review Chapter 12 on la Révolution and be sure to practice your Français. Passe un bon weekend!” reminded Madame Jument as most of the students, impatient for the weekend, made a break for the classroom door and the freedom that lay beyond.
Flash Sentry grabbed his well-worn French textbook and shoved it into his bookbag. He stood up, slung the bag over his shoulder, and left without a word.
Everywhere the halls were filled with smiling students who were chatting with friends, making a last-minute stop at their lockers, walking off to one of the few after-school activities on a Friday, or heading out for the weekend. Meanwhile, Flash Sentry trudged down the hall by himself.
Opening the front door of Canterlot High, the wind greeted him with an icy blast that whipped his jacket and sent cold chills throughout his body as his exhale produced wisps of white haze that quickly vanished into the bitter air. He descended the stairs and stepped onto the sidewalk. His shoes crunched the semi-frozen slush and occasional patch of snow on the unforgiving concrete.
He approached the equestrian statue gracing the courtyard before the school. The horse stood proudly, recently carved and mounted to replace the one destroyed during the spring semester’s Friendship Games. Paying no heed to the actual statue, he instead stopped and stared at the marble plinth. It’s smooth, almost reflective surface lay there frozen.
Gingerly he reached out, his hand slowly approaching the stone. He cautiously touched it, then leaned in, putting more weight until his whole hand pressed against the surface. But the stone remained solid and would not yield.
Letting out a long sigh, Flash Sentry shook his head then proceeded on his journey, walking down the sidewalk and away from the statue.
Monday morning…
Under gray skies, Flash Sentry tramped down the snow-covered sidewalk toward Canterlot High. He shivered in the cold and pulled his jacket tighter around himself. Pasing the equestrian statue, he paused and glanced back at the marble plinth before continuing into the building.
A few minutes later he traipsed into the Earth Science classroom. Thankfully cranky Mr. Doodle was nowhere in sight, having apparently had stepped out before class started. Flash headed to his desk in the back row, which sat directly in front of the window that overlooked the front courtyard with a certain equestrian statue at its center.
Upon his chair lay a lumpy package wrapped in shiny green paper with a bright red bow.
“What?” asked Flash as he looked around for an explanation. The only other students in the room were busy catching up on the excitement of the Sunday night football game.
As he picked up the package something inside shifted around. Silently he read the tag,
Merry Christmas Flash!
From Amie.
“Amie?” he wondered out loud.
Who was Amie? With seven grades, there were plenty of girls at Canterlot High. Flash Sentry was friends with, or familiar with, or at least acquainted with, many of them. Even if he hadn’t met them, he was pretty sure that he would have at least come across the name, as his friend Sunset Shimmer was editor-in-chief of the school’s yearbook. And she pursued her job with a passion, ensuring that the book was flawless. There was no way a student would fall through the cracks on Sunset’s watch. But try as he might, he couldn’t come up with any girl named Amie. Perhaps this girl was a recent transfer to Canterlot High?
He quickly tore the paper to reveal a blue scarf.
Not sure what to make of the situation, he pulled his books out of his bookbag then stuffed the scarf into it.
After Earth Science ended, with a pop quiz from grumpy Mr. Doodle, Flash hurriedly raced down the hallway, weaving back-and-forth among the gaggles of teenagers and the occasional CHS staff member.
Arriving in the atrium, he took a quick left and entered the front office, where Principal Celestia’s secretary greeted him with a concerned smile. “Good morning Flash, you seem in a hurry.”
“Yeah, hello Ms. Inkwell. I’ve got to get to class, but I hoped you could answer a question for me.”
“That depends. What is the question?” she prompted.
“Well, it’s a little awkward,” he admitted. “I received a note from an ‘Amie.’ But I don’t know anyone by that name. Is there an Amie at CHS?”
“Do you know her last name?”
Rubbing the back of his neck, he confessed, “No.”
Turning to her computer, she said, “I’ll take a look and maybe we can narrow it down.”
Flash noticed her type A-M-Y. “No, it’s spelled A-M-I-E,” he explained.
Backspacing twice, Ms. Inkwell corrected her entry and scanned the results. “There’s no student here by that name.”
“You sure? Could it be a recent transfer?” he pressed.
“I’m afraid that we’ve had no transfers since the beginning of the month.”
“Is any teacher named Amie?”
Shaking her head, she replied, “No. Nor any of the other members of the staff.”
“Oh, well thanks,” he said, turning to leave.
“Best of luck,” wished Ms. Inkwell.
Flash Sentry absently tapped his notebook while lost in thought. Madame Jument had given the class the last fifteen minutes of the period to work on their upcoming French project due after the Christmas holiday. While it may have appeared that he was brainstorming a research topic, he was instead trying to solve the mystery preoccupying his mind all day. If Amie wasn’t a student, nor faculty member, perhaps they slipped into Canterlot High before school started and made their escape without being noticed? If so, then how could he possibly find them?
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As he gathered up his items, Flash noticed the blue scarf still in his bookbag. He pulled it out and dumped his French material into his bag. Standing up, he donned his leather jacket and, after some consideration, wrapped the scarf around his neck before leaving the classroom.
Walking down the crowded hall, he still attempted to figure out who Amie was and why they would choose him for a present.
“Flash, what a fabulous accessory!”
He turned to the source of the voice and saw Rarity coming down the side hall with Sweetie Belle in toe.
“Uh, thanks,” he responded noncommittally.
“Oh, that sapphire blue matches your hair perfectly, darling. And it’s cashmere – really high-quality fabric.”
Looking into the sparkling eyes and bright smile, Flash opened his mouth to ask –
“Come on Rarity,” tugged Sweetie Belle, “mom and dad are waiting to take us Christmas shopping.”
“Alight,” sighed Rarity. Turning back to her friend, she said, “Until we meet again, Flash.” She waved as she and her sister left.
He stood there and watched the two walk away. Then, he headed to the front door, the cold wind hitting him again, but he found it a little less harsh thanks to the scarf wrapped around his neck and tucked into his jacket.
Tuesday morning…
Flash Sentry trudged down the sidewalk toward Canterlot High. The sidewalks had been cleared of the recent storm, now glistening with snowmelt mixed with dissolved salt. But he barely noticed, lost in thought as to the identity of the mysterious Amie.
His mind kept circling around to one suspect: Rarity. She had, after all, called attention to his new scarf and complemented him the moment she saw him in the hallway. It was no secret that she was an up-and-coming fashionista, having made costumes for everything from the Rainbooms to the daily parade at Equestria Land. He could see her having bolts of cashmere lying around her house and the discerning eye to ensure the scarf was dyed the perfect color.
He paused as he passed the equestrian statue in front of the school, then made his way inside.
Upon reaching his desk, he was startled to find another package sitting at his desk. This time, it was a small tin with a silver bow. He reached down and looked at the tag, which again read:
Merry Christmas Flash!
From Amie.
He removed the lid and looked inside to see it filled with cookies. He picked one up and it looked like an ordinary chocolate chip cookie. Taking a bite, he realized that it had walnuts in it.
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Another school day over! Flash Sentry gathered his French materials and placed them in his bookbag, with the cookie-filled tin inside. Well, truth be told, a mostly empty tin of cookies. He stood up and put on his jacket and wrapped his blue scarf around his neck before grabbing his bag and heading out the door.
He walked down the hall again, lost in thought. Who could Amie be –
“Hi Flash!”
Snapped out of his rumination, he stumbled back a step and looked up into the smiling face of a pink-haired girl. “Pinkie Pie!?”
“That’s me!” she cheered, throwing her arms wide.
Still attempting to get oriented, he asked, “Is there something you want?”
She looked at him closely. “How did you like them?”
“Them?”
“The double chocolate chip cookies with bits of walnuts, of course.”
“How did you know about them?”
“My Pinkie sense. I got wiggly toes followed by a twitchy ear and then a shiver. That means that someone got their favorite cookie,” she said, as she demonstrated each sign.
“How did you know that was my favorite cookie?”
“Silly,” she giggled, “I know everyone’s favorite cookie!”
“What?”
Suddenly, she her right arm started shaking, then she blinked rapidly, then her leg twitched. “Oh, my Pinkie sense is going off again! Gotta go! Enjoy your cookies!” she said as her voice dropped an octave due to the Doppler shift, leaving Flash standing in the hallway confused.
Wednesday morning…
Who is Amie? thought Flash Sentry. If asked this time the day before, he had narrowed in on Rarity. Amie obviously had a great fashion sense and a keen eye for detail. Rarity fit that description perfectly. And then the cookies came. Double chocolate chip with walnuts. His favorite. Pinkie Pie had known instantly what kind of cookies he had been given. Granted, there were a number of things she did that were unexplainable. Perhaps she was the shadowy figure behind his Christmas presents?
Flash gazed upon the plinth as he passed through the courtyard.
Then again, Rarity had a reputation as a great cook. Unlike her sister, Sweetie Belle. How the girl managed to liquify toast would drive the chemistry teacher, Mrs. Bunsen, into the insane asylum. Nevertheless, Rarity could easily baked the cookies for him. Perhaps she had been given the suggestion by Pinkie Pie? Then again, Pinkie was known for giving great gifts that were tailored perfectly to the recipient. She could have gotten help in selecting the scarf from Rarity.
Flash turned into the classroom and reached his desk, only to find a manilla envelope with a tag upon it:
Merry Christmas Flash!
From Amie.
Opening it, he pulled out several sheets of paper. Looking over the pages, it appeared to be sheet music. Examining closer, he saw it was an awesome guitar solo. The riff looked complicated, but well within his range. He could already imagine several songs where this could be worked in.
Flash Sentry stood there even more confused than before.
At 3:15 there was the normal bell with the expected rush out the classroom door. While everyone else left, Flash carefully packed his bag with his French materials – the empty tin of cookies left at home – and donned his scarf and jacket. Slinging the bag over his shoulder, he pulled out the sheet music from the manilla folder.
As he walked down the hall, he continued scrutinizing the music. He imagined himself playing such a difficult piece. He tried to figure out what roles his bandmates of “Flash Drive” would do while he played the riff. His friend Base Rhythm would contribute on the drums. A driving beat would backup the riff. Then Base could break out into a drum solo followed by –
Uughff!
Slamming into something, Flash staggered back and fell hard onto his back. Sitting upright, he spotted a prismatic mane through the sheet music fluttering to the ground. “Rainbow Dash?” he asked.
Rubbing her head, the girl responded, “Yeah?”
He got to his knees. “Sorry about that, I wasn’t looking where I was going.” He gathered up the sheet music scattered across the floor.
Grabbing the papers as well, she said, “No, no, it’s my fault. I came around that corner way too fast. I – woah! Look at this sweet guitar riff. It’s awesome!”
“Thanks?”
Standing up, she handed the rest of the music to him. “You’re going to have to let me have a go at that. Maybe I could write an accompaniment? The two of us shred together?” She gave him an eager smile.
“Sure?”
“Got to run,” she said as she turned to head down the hall. “Rainbooms are using the music room for practice. Catch you later.”.
“Later...,” he absently waved.
Thursday morning…
Neither the howling wind nor blowing snow nor blistering cold would deny Flash Sentry getting to Canterlot High extra early this morning. If he had told his friends of the plan for an early arrival, they would have thought him mad. After all, no student wanted to get to Mr. Doodle’s classroom earlier than necessary. The mere thought of having to sit under his angry glare was enough to give students ulcers. Seriously, there had to be some depressing backstory to the man. Either that, or he just really liked inflicting misery upon his students. Regardless, Flash was determined to get to the Earth Sciences classroom and wait for Amie to arrive. At last he would figure out who they were.
At first, given her passion for fashion, he had guessed Rarity was the secret Santa. He had intended to talk to her Tuesday morning to confirm his suspicions. Receiving his favorite cookies that day had derailed his plans. While Rarity was a competent cook, baking was obviously the special talent of Pinkie Pie, leading him to suspect the Rainbooms’ drummer. But then the sheet music had made deducing Amie’s identity even more challenging. He wasn’t sure Pinkie Pie could score such a riff, who was more was more interested in banging away on the drums. And though Rarity excelled on the keytar, he was unsure whether she could have composed the guitar riff either. He could definitely see the Rainbooms’ lead guitarist writing that riff. But while he didn’t know Rainbow Dash’s baking skills, and he was pretty sure such a perfect scarf was beyond her fashion sense. Also, Rainbow had a habit of waiting until the absolute last minute to purchase gifts. But still....
He arrived at the classroom and walked in. Fortunately Mr. Doodle was busy putting notes on the board and only managed a gruff, “Hello,” then left Flash alone.
Flash arrived at his desk to find it empty. Good. Now he was in place to find out who Amie was.
He took his seat then pulled out a familiar manilla folder. In addition to the sheet music he received the day before, he had a dozen sheets that he had composed the night before. He pored himself into blending the two compositions into one memorable score.
“Flash,” came the voice he least wanted to hear. He looked up to see Mr. Doodle standing behind the desk.
“Yes?” responded Flash with a hint of fear in his voice.
“I need you to run this to Ms. Inkwell in the office,” he said, holding up a stack of papers.
“I’m kind of waiting for someone.”
Looking up at the clock, the teacher scoffed, “School doesn’t start for another half hour. There’ll be plenty of time when you get back. Most students just barely manage to get to class before the bell rings as it is.”
“But Sir – ” He stopped when he saw the scowl from the teacher. With Mr. Doodle’s class as hard as it was, he didn’t need to give the teacher a reason for going extra hard on him.
With a sigh, Flash stood and retrieved the papers, then raced down the hall, which was pretty easy given that there was only two other students who gave him strange glances as he rushed by.
He arrived at the front office only to find it locked. The lights were on, which meant Ms. Inkwell had stepped out for a moment.
Impatiently he waited, constantly looking at his watch as the minutes tick away.
7:46…
7:47…
A few students began to enter the school.
7:48…
7:49…
7:50…
7:51…
More students began arriving for the day.
7:52…
7:53…
He heard the distinct sound of high heels upon the tile floor and looked to see Ms. Inkwell coming down the hall. He dashed over to her. “Here,” he said, thrusting the papers into her unsuspecting hands. “Sorry, got to go!” he said as he sprinted down the corridor.
“Flash?” he heard her call as he was halfway down the hall.
He burst into the Earth Sciences classroom and raced to his desk. There, he found a small cardboard box with a green bow attached. The tag had a familiar message:
Merry Christmas Flash!
From Amie.
He looked over to Mr. Doodle at his desk. “Sir, did you see who dropped off this box?”
The teacher looked up. “See someone? I’ve been too busy grading these tests. Your class’s scores are beyond dismal. I’ve been bleeding red ink all over them.”
“Oh.” Flash looked back to his present and opened the box. He pulled out a bottle of fizzy apple cider.
Flash Sentry walked home deep in thought. His list of suspects had grown to four. Earlier in the day, he had speculated that Amie was either Rarity, Pinkie Pie, or Rainbow Dash. Now he had one more: Applejack. The fizzy apple cider had clearly come from Sweet Apple Acres, her family farm. She played the electric base, so she could have composed the riff. And even though Pinkie Pie was recognized as the premier pastry baker, Applejack’s baking skills were well known, though being mostly apple related. The scarf was an issue. Fashion was not something usually associated with the farm girl. But she was extremely practical, and giving a scarf in winter made perfect sense.
He had planned to talk to Applejack, but the two didn’t share any classes. He tried to catch her between classes or at lunch, but somehow had missed her then as well. He could call her, but he preferred to talk to her in person. And until his car was out of the shop, he wasn’t willing to hike out all the way out to Sweet Apple Acres.
With the next day being the Friday before Christmas break, it was his last chance to catch Amie in the act. He would see what the morrow would bring....
Friday morning…
Once again, Flash sprinted up the front steps and down the hallways of Canterlot High early in the morning. Skidding to a stop at his desk in the Earth Sciences classroom, he was shocked to find a simple piece of paper with a handwritten note that read:
Flash,
Over the past few months, we’ve noticed that you’ve been feeling down. Know that you are surrounded by friends at Canterlot High who care about you. We are here to support you through the dark days of winter. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Amie
Flash stood there, with a bemused smile upon his face.
The Friday afternoon before Christmas break was supposed to be a time for relaxation and frivolity. It was not a good time to have a French test, let alone any test. Yet here he was, the last class before break, trying desperately to remember when to add accents and to which letters. Seriously, couldn’t the French learn from the English language and omit those damnable little marks?
Moving on to the reading comprhension section, he read:
…
Jacques marchait dans la rue, impatient de manger. Il n'avait pas mangé depuis le petit-déjeuner.
"Bonjour, Jacques", fit une voix.
Il se tourna : "Bonjour, mon amie.”
Mon amie. Mon amie! AMIE!!!
How could he have been so stupid? “Amie”, French for “friend.” The answer had been in front of his face the whole time!
Amie was a friend. A caring friend. A dear friend.
In the end, he supposed that Amie’s identity was irrelevant. He was surrounded by a school full of Amies – caring friends who wanted to see him happy.
“Il reste quinze minutes,” called Madame Jument.
Flash turned back to hurry through the rest of the test.
The sun had burned through the grey clouds, revealing a stunning winter wonderland in all its glory. A beautiful white blanket of snow covered the ground and coated rooftops and Christmas decorations. Shimmering icecicles hung from eaves and trees. A few snowman stood silent sentry across the land with crooked smiles underneath carrot noses. All seemed to sparkle in the bright sunshine.
The doors of Canterlot High burst open and a torrent of students made their exodus to start Christmas break. Some chatted with friends or gave parting hugs while a few started an impromptu snowball fight, led by a certain pink-haired party animal.
A blue-haired boy with a matching scarf exited the school with three other guys. They walked down the steps and across the courtyard, talking the whole time. He paused for a brief moment, looking again to the plinth supporting the equestrian statue.
“Come on Flash! I want to hear that awesome guitar riff you were showing me earlier.”
Flash turned back to his friend with a smile across his face. “Coming.” He hurried to catch up with the other members of the band.
As Flash Sentry walked towards his garage / band studio, he had little idea that he was being watched. A figure silently observed him from a second floor window of Canterlot High.
“You still have feelings for him.”
Sunset Shimmer turned from the window to address a well-known voice. “No, not really.”
Rarity, donned in one of her fur-lined coats, returned a skeptical look before saying, “Well, if nothing else, you certainly made his holiday.”
Turning back to the window, Sunset smiled, “Flash is a great guy with a lot of friends who care about him... he deserves to know that.”
She watched the Flash pass down the street and out of sight.
Author's Note
Merry Christmas to all and a Happy New Year!
