Saturday, January 16, 2016
Saturday, January 16, 2016
Today's Horoscope (Virgo): You and those close to you will have exceedingly bad luck today.
Early Morning
My alarm wakes me up at four. I'm still tired, but I need to get ready...
By the time I've gotten cleaned up, gotten my stuff together, and eaten a small breakfast, it's time to head to the train station. Cadance got up early too so she could drive me over.
"Good luck today," she says.
"Thanks," I mumble. "I hope I can get an extra nap on the train..."
I also hope we'll be back from Baltimare in time for Trixie's concert...
The entire team meets up at the train station a few minutes after six. We board the first express train to Baltimare.
Daytime
During the train ride, I get a text from Trixie.
We have to push the concert back to next Saturday because the venue's having electrical problems and won't be ready in time. Posting it to Canterbook. Let your friends know. Good luck today!
Well, that sucks...
When we arrive in Baltimare, Coach puts us through an hour of warm-ups. The competition is more intense than anything we've faced so far...
We try our best, and while we don't exactly embarrass ourselves...a lot of the other teams are just way better than we are. The last slot for Nationals comes down to us and the Crystal Prep Shadowbolts...
Despite giving it everything we've got, we don't qualify for Nationals.
After the matches, Coach gathers us together. She looks glum. "You all did a good job today," she says. "You won Regionals, and that's nothing to be ashamed of. You made it this far...you're all winners in my book. Don't think you can slack off in practice just because we're out for the season. We've got next year to think about..." She frowns. "Well, except for the seniors. If you guys wanna quit after this...I don't blame you."
The four seniors on the team look at one another and shake their heads. "We've gotta help the girls get ready for their run," one of them says. The others agree.
"Yeah, just because we didn't go all the way..."
"Hey, the girls are gonna take it all!" a third senior shouts. "They've got Coco!"
We all applaud that statement.
Coach smiles. "Good. Alright, let's...let's go home."
Evening
It's very late when I get back to the dorm. I texted Twilight before we even left Baltimare, so the whole dorm knows; it turns out Pinkie had planned two different parties in advance, one for if we qualified, the other for if we didn't.
"We're all terribly sorry you won't be going to Nationals, darling," Rarity says.
"But hey, considering you'd never even picked up a tennis racket until four months ago, even getting this far is amazing," Rainbow adds.
Twilight and Pinkie are both determined to fuss over me. Seeing as I've been up since four this morning, played the hardest I've played ever, and spent over eight hours on trains today, I decide to let them. I'm too exhausted to do much more than sit and eat...
As the party's winding down, Rarity's phone rings. She pulls it out, looks at the screen, and answers it. "Good evening, Mother!" After a moment, her expression shifts to confusion. "What? But..." Then, to worry. "Mother, what are you..." Then, to abject horror. "WHAT?!" she shrieks. "Oh, no no no no NO! Mother, please! That's simply—!" She frowns, chewing at her lip. "Well, yes, but..." Her eyes start to water. "But, Mooooootheeeeeer!" she whines. After another long minute, she sighs. "Very well, if you insist," she says petulantly. "Goodnight, Mother."
Everyone's staring at her. "What was that all about?" Rainbow wonders.
Rarity sniffs daintily and flips her hair. "Ahem. My little sister Sweetie Belle...is moving into the dorm tomorrow."
Apple Bloom gasps. "Sweetie Belle's moving here an' she didn't tell me?" She pulls out her phone and runs upstairs.
"Aww man, we're gonna have another munchkin runnin' around?" Rainbow groans.
"Rainbow Dash!" Twilight snaps. "I've met Sweetie Belle and she's a very nice girl!"
"Where are we gonna put her?" Pinkie wonders. "It's...not exactly kid-friendly up on the third floor..."
No kidding. Even the shower isn't safe anymore.
Everybody stares at Sonata's tablet, then at me and Twilight. "EWWW," Rainbow says, pulling an exaggerated grossed-out face.
Applejack frowns. "Ah did not need t' know that," she mutters.
Rarity shakes her head. "You two lovebirds...honestly!"
Twilight turns furiously red. I would too...if I had the energy to care.
Rarity coughs. "I'm certain Apple Bloom won't mind sharing a room with Sweetie Belle. In any case...we'll sort it all out tomorrow." She stands up. "Now, if you'll excuse me..."
"Are you gonna go throw a tantrum?" Rainbow asks.
"I am most certainly not going to throw a tantrum!" Rarity declares snootily, turning her nose up and stalking stiffly toward the stairs.
Once she's gone, Rainbow smirks. "Yeah, she's gonna throw a tantrum."
My eyelids are growing heavy...
The easy chair I'm sitting in is comfortable enough to spend the night in...
