“I guess we’re done with the class,” Cheerilee said. “Normally the bell rings whilst I’m still talking about something, but I finished quite early and you’ve all submitted your answers with five minutes still to spare.” She paused to collect her thoughts in a wicker basket. “Class is dismissed, then.”

The class exited the class, Sweetie Belle and Diamond Tiara doing so with great class, and did boring school day termination stuff. The CMC and Group Whose Sole Purpose in Life is to Annoy Apple Bloom walked out of the building within seconds of each other.

“We challenge ya ponies ta a game ah hoofball,” Apple Bloom said.

“Who, us?” Diamond Tiara said.

“Yeah, you ponies.”

“It won’t be fair if we only have two players.”

Silver Spoon tapped Diamond Tiara’s shoulder.

“What?”

Silver Spoon pointed to Twist, who was leaving the vicinity of the school.

“Good idea, go and get her.”

Silver Spoon ran out of the frame, then dialogue ensued. It is provided here for your perusal.

“Is Twist really gonna play for you ponies?” said Apple Bloom, who had started to develop a minor leadership complex that would turn serious if untreated.

“She turned to the dark side, remember?”

“Ah yeah, ever since she got her cutie mark....”

Silver Spoon came back with Twist.

“Do we even have a hoofball?” Scootaloo said.

“No,” Apple Bloom said. “Ah’ll get one.”

Apple Bloom left, leaving silence behind her.

“So...” Scootaloo said.

“What?” Diamond said.

“...Nothing.”

“Then what did you say that for?”

“I was... um... talking to Sweetie Belle.”

Silence.

“Would you like to say something to me?” Sweetie Belle said.

“Um.... How’s your magic going?”

“It’s fine. I can do simple spells pretty well, but I’m behind the curve on levitating things.”

“That’s... good.”

“I know, for most foals levitation is the first thing they get used to, but... I’m a not a moron. I can already do some things. Specific things, though, not easy things like teleportation. Like, a learned a freakin’ combat spell and I can’t teleport two metres. What if I never figure it out? I can’t just live without... well, that turned racist.”

Apple Bloom returned, kicking the hoofball because she couldn’t hold it in her mouth. And that would be really unsanitary anyway.

“So where are the goals?” Apple Bloom said.

“How about that bush,” Sweetie Belle pointed to a bush, “And that bush?” Sweetie Belle pointed to a bush.

“I am, like, so down with that,” Diamond said. “Which goal will each team take?”

“We’ll take that one,” Sweetie Belle pointed to a bush, “And you’ll be that one,” Sweetie Belle pointed to a bush.

“Sounds good. Silver? Twist?”

Silver Spoon and Twist were already facing her.

“Huddle.”

“They’re huddling,” Scootaloo said, “Should we?”

“Prolly,” Apple Bloom said.

The CMC huddled.

After nine minutes of huddling, the teams set themselves up.

“What’s your team name?” Apple Bloom screamed across the dying brown grass of the school’s lawn. “We can just be the Cutie Mark Crusaders, but what about you ponies?”

“We’re the Cocleares Argentorum,” Diamond yelled back. “Silver Spoon came up with it, I don’t know what it means.”

“Ahkay,” Apple Bloom said in a raised voice. “When are we sta—”

Silver Spoon kicked the ball right between Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, but Apple Bloom easily saved it and kicked it back to Scootaloo. The remainder of the chapter was a text commentary of a hoofball game.

And so after one period of ninety minutes with no stoppage time, which does annoy me, a church bell signalled the end of the game. The six all congregated in a random spot on the field.

“Ah can’t believe it ended one ta one,” Apple Bloom said.

“Yeah,” Scootaloo said, “That sucked.”

“I thought it was fun,” Twist said.

“It was a fun game,” Scootaloo said, “But the outcome was just kind of anticlimactic.”

“I should go home now,” Diamond said.

“We all prolly should,” Apple Bloom said. “Should we do this again sometahme?”

“Yes,” Diamond Tiara, spokespony for the Cocleares Argentorum, said, “We should.”

“I can’t wait to explain this to Rarity,” Sweetie Belle said.

Everyone went their separate ways.

Next Chapter: Chapter 122: Journey of the Soul: Enigma Estimated time remaining: 9 Hours, 39 Minutes