While King Trafalgar was talking to Borodino a couple of foals were having their own interaction in my Equestria dreamscape. As part of Applebloom’s and Stone Mane’s continued growth and development Princess Luna had started giving the foals the equivalent of homework projects to do in their sleep.
Generally these assignments were fun and exciting things. Like creating a new landmark in your dream fabric repeatedly over multiple nights, or demonstrating some other form of manipulation of one’s dream home. Overall Luna was impressed with their progress. Especially Applebloom who usually exceeded Luna’s expectations.
Usually.
Even before Stone Mane had arrived in Ponyville for his summer visit her Highness had given the 2 foals a project for them. They were to create a small object that they could give each other and then take back to their own dream fabrics. Once there the idea was for them to maintain that object in their own dream fabric and make it their’s. Also they weren’t suppose to say what they were making for each other.
So the finally the big night arrived. Much to Applebloom’s dread. She’d been so excited about Stone Mane’s visit and the Summer Barn Dance that she’d never gotten around to making anything she thought the colt would like. Then she’d forgotten about. Then she couldn’t think of anything really neat to give him. She’d hemmed a hawed about it when Luna had inquired, but now time had run out.
Thus the filly found herself asleep in her own dream fabric and not looking forward to this evening meeting. There lesson was taking place in a midday, dream version of a meadow near Sweet Apple Acres. Lush green grass and dandelions rocked and swayed in the breeze. The air was full of multicolor dragonflies dashing about. Joining them were white and pink butterflies that lazily danced in the air.
Stone Mane closed his eyes and held out his front hoof. A glow slowly formed and then flared brightly when it subsided he was holding a little model of the house in Baltimare where he now lived. It was a 2 story brownstone with a slate roof, a deep green front door that had white trim around it and the windows. It sat on little base/diorama. Carefully he passed the model over to the filly.
“Here Applebloom. I think you’ve seen my home before in my dreams, but this is it. I hope some day, maybe next summer, you’ll get to visit it and I will be able to show it to you for real, and all the neat things in my town.”
Applebloom reluctantly accepted “Um, uh thanks!” The filly said sheepishly.
Luna looked at her protege. “And Applebloom do you have something to give Stone Mane?”
The filly’s ears drooped and she looked down at her hooves. After a second she spoke softly. “I, I don’t have anything ready. I couldn’t think of anything really special ta give ya Stone Mane.” she scuffed the ground with a front hoof. “ I’m sorry.” She said with a dejected tone.
The princess was started to speak when the colt interrupted her. “Can I have your bow?”
Luna suddenly had images of the time she’d tried to remove the filly’s bow.
>>2960458 “Oh now Stone Mane! It’s not polite to ask a mare to undo her–”
“Ya want the bow from my mane?” The filly spoke up with a look of confusion on her face. “Why? It’s just a plain old bow.”
Stone Mane felt his face grow warm. “Well uh, because, it looks really pretty in your mane….like you. And, I think it would be nice to have it. If you’re, uh, okay with that.” The colt mumbled the words out.
Luna stood and watched anxiously as the filly smiled and blushed a little herself. Slowly she nodded her head. “Okay if yer happy with just that then…” The filly reached behind her head with her front hooves and began removing it. As she did a strong breeze suddenly came blowing across the meadow causing Applebloom’s mane to twist and ripple around her face in a waves of deep rose red. She looked the colt in the eyes and extended the bow.
“Here ya go.” She said softly. “Here take it. Take it from me.”
As the breeze subsided Stone Mane realized his heart was pounding and he was breathing heavily. He swallowed and slowly reached forward and took the unusually warm bow. Holding it against his chest it filled his nose with the scent of cedar chips, fresh hay, moist earth, and snickerdoodles. After a few second the colt spoke in a slightly higher pitch voice.
“Thank you.”
Applebloom blushed and smiled bashfully. “Yer welcome. I’m happy ta give it ta ya.”
Luna nodded her head. “Well. Is everypony happy with each others gifts?”
“Yes yer Highness!” The 2 foals said almost in unison.
It was only then that the alicorn realized that she’d been holding her breath for the last 30 seconds. She took a long, deep one now. “Okay! With that completed! Let’s move on to your next lesson shall we!”

To be continued.