The Ideal Cozy

Invitation

No pony but her could be worth the chase.

Featherweight had galloped into the School of Friendship without a moment's notice. He darted through the chatty students that had emerged from their long lectures for a well-deserving lunch.

Feather could fathom their relief. Reviewing the stories of his rambunctious crew of journalists can feel overwhelming. Sure, the pieces brimmed with daring premises, but the content could not hold on to its spark to the finish. It makes him wonder if none of his journalists had ever taken any course in creative writing.

No matter, none that would concern him in a few moments. He was finally freed from his duties and was bent to collect his prize for his efforts.

Only a few halls away and he would return to the promised lands. But after a sharp turn to the next hall, he flinches away from a mare who suddenly appeared before him. His body derailed, teetered, and then inevitably fell to the ground with a loud thud.

"Are you alright?" Feather heard the voice of the mare. He quickly picked himself back onto his hooves. No way would he allow himself, the editor-in-chief of the Ponyville Weekly, to become the news of a silly tomfoolery in this school. How would she bear to look at him if he garnered a track record of these embarrassing antics?

After Feather regained semblances of his composure, he faced the concerned mare. "Headmare Starlight!" Feather gaped at the identity of the mare.

"You should know better than to run through the halls," Starlight lectured the stallion. "You don't want me to invite you to our school's monthly safety seminars, do I?"

"Of course not," Feather assured with a rather high voice. An added embarrassing red flush upon his checks made it evident of a successful tease from the headmare...It was a tease, right?

"I'll take your word for it," Starlight chuckled at her fine work. "For now at least."

"It won't happen again," Feather promised. Those words of hers were best to never be tested. "I was just in a rush. I don't want to keep her waiting."

"...right," a dejected sigh escaped the Headmare. It was a bizarre response that he would oddly receive from the staff when reminded of the purpose of his visits here. "Carry on then."

Featherweight watched the Headmare continue on down the hall. He could try to confront her about her behavior, but like with every creature else, they would endlessly downplay and deflect.

Whatever. It was never a big deal to him. Not as long as he was with her. And not wasting another moment, he proceeded through the hall, but in a calmer manner, and found a lone lounge room on the second floor of the school.

A small room with two tables and kitchen appliances can be found multiple times through each floor of the school. However, nothing of them could hope to compare when only here he could have her to himself.

Though, he'll probably have to wait a few more minutes given how quickly he arrived...as usual. Feather took a seat before one of the tables and pulled out his lunchbox from a saddlebag strapped to his side. What he held inside the box was nothing impressive.

He had spent most of his previous night reading through a collection of monthly journals that he subscribed to as a necessity of the Princess's royal book club. It was a circle where his princess welcomed only the most avid of readers, and Feather was determined to stand among them as her best.

To ensure the protection of his crown, Featherweight was the most proactive of the members. When journals arrive in his door in the morning, they would all be deciphered upon the night. And at his expedited delivery, his reviews would be the first to be placed in the Princess's hooves.