Duocai, still tucked in her covers, was pulled up by Bi Qi. With a sleepy expression, she greeted Bi Qi, “Hello, Bi Qi, just five more minutes, hah-hoo zzzzz.”
What, you ask when Bi Qi came in?
Isn't it obvious? She just came in.
“Alright, Duocai, tomorrow is the Summer Celebration! Today, there are so many fun things waiting for us, and we can even decorate all of Ponyville! This is a super ~ big party!” Bi Qi bounced around Duocai’s bed, practically ready to pull out a party cannon.
“Alright, Bi Qi, I’m up. I’ll just wash my face, and then we can go out.” Duocai reluctantly climbed out of her comfortable covers, holding back Bi Qi, who seemed ready to pull out the party cannon.
“Okay, Duocai, I’ll wait for you downstairs.” Bi Qi bounced out the door.
“Bi Qi, what should we do first?” Duocai and Bi Qi walked along the road in Ponyville, watching Bi Qi greet other ponies along the way.
After leaving the Library, Bi Qi had greeted every single pony she saw.
How did she remember all the ponies?
“There’s so much fun to be had! First, we’ll go to Sweet Apple Acres to find Applejack and play apple bucking, and we can make apple pies! Then we’ll go find Zhen Qi to decorate for the celebration party, and then go find Fluttershy and sing with the little animals! After that, we’ll have a race with Yun Bao, then play some pranks, and finally, we’ll go to Sugarcube Corner to make cupcakes! Today, I’m going to make a super ~ big cupcake!” Bi Qi bounced around, turning to Duocai as she spoke.
“Bi Qi, look behind you! There’s a pony behind you, you’re going to crash!” Duocai listened to Bi Qi’s planned itinerary, then noticed what looked like a pony behind Bi Qi, and quickly warned her.
“What? Woah!” Bi Qi first looked at Duocai in confusion, and before she could react, she crashed into the pony behind her.
Duocai looked at the pony who had collided with Bi Qi.
With a purple body, a dark blue mane, and two streaks of purple and pink highlights, she was a Unicorn, accompanied by a small dragon.
“Ziyue, are you alright?” The small dragon beside her asked Ziyue.
“I’m fine, Sui Long. I’m sorry, are you alright? I didn’t notice you.” Ziyue stood up, replied to Sui Long, and then spoke to Bi Qi.
“Ziyue, perfect! You can make a friend with her and complete the task Princess Celestia gave you.” Sui Long looked at the pink pony in front of him and said to Ziyue.
“Oh, alright, Sui Long.” Ziyue first rolled her eyes at Sui Long, then smiled at the pink pony in front of her, who had been staring at her since standing up. “Hello, my name is Ziyue. What’s your name?”
“Ah~~” Bi Qi let out a shriek, then jumped up and dashed away.
Ziyue was startled for a moment, and after realizing what happened, she said to Sui Long, “Um, I guess I’ve said hello to her, then.”
“Alright, I guess so.” Sui Long responded to Ziyue, watching the direction the pink pony ran off in.
“Hello, Ziyue, my name is Xuanli Duocai. That was Bi Qi just now. It’s a pleasure to meet you both.” Duocai greeted Ziyue and Sui Long in front of her and introduced Bi Qi.
“Hello, Xuanli Duocai. My name is Ziyue. What was wrong with that pony just now?” Ziyue looked at the pony in front of her and asked Duocai.
“Oh, Bi Qi? Nothing, she’s always like that. You’ll get used to it.” Duocai looked at Ziyue’s confused expression but didn’t tell Ziyue that Bi Qi had gone to prepare a party for her.
“Ziyue, is this your first time in Ponyville? Are you here for the Summer Celebration?”
“Oh, yes, Princess Celestia sent me to Ponyville to inspect the preparations for the Summer Celebration. Oh, it’s getting late, and I still need to go to Sweet Apple Acres to see how the items for the celebration are coming along. I’ll be going now.” Ziyue looked at Duocai with a very anxious expression, took two steps back, and seemed ready to run off with Sui Long.
“Let’s go together, Ziyue. I was just about to go to Sweet Apple Acres anyway, so we can keep each other company on the way.” Duocai saw Ziyue’s desire to run and said to her.
After all, I was originally going with Bi Qi, even though Bi Qi has gone to prepare the party now.
However, Ziyue still doesn't want to make friends, probably still thinking about Nightmare Moon.
“Perfect, Ziyue, you can make a friend with her. Hello, Xuanli Duocai, my name is Sui Long. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Sui Long sat on Ziyue’s back, finished speaking to Ziyue, and then greeted Duocai.
“Hello, Sui Long, you can just call me Duocai.” Duocai looked at Sui Long and replied.
“Alright, then let’s go.” Ziyue said resignedly, looking at Duocai and Sui Long.
“Summer Celebration Event, Official Inspection Checklist, Item One: Banquet Preparation Status, Location: Sweet Apple Acres.” At the entrance of Sweet Apple Acres, Sui Long, on Ziyue’s back, looked at the celebration list in his paw, reading the first inspection item.
Just then, a “yee-haw” and the sound of an apple tree being bucked came from inside.
Ziyue and Sui Long looked towards the sound. A pony was bucking an apple tree, and the apples on the tree were precisely falling into the apple baskets below the tree.
“Good morning, Applejack.” Duocai walked towards Applejack, who had just finished picking apples.
“Oh, hello, Duocai. How did you rest last night?” Applejack looked behind her upon hearing the voice and replied to Duocai.
“Oh, alright, let’s go meet her first.” Ziyue sighed and followed Duocai over.
“I rested very well.” Duocai replied to Applejack.
“Good afternoon, I am Ziyue the pony…” Ziyue hadn’t even finished speaking when Applejack grasped Ziyue’s hoof and rapidly shook it up and down.
“Howdy, Miss Ziyue! I’m mighty pleased to make your acquaintance. My name is Applejack, and this here is Sweet Apple Acres. Do you like making new friends?” Applejack rapidly shook Ziyue’s hoof while quickly greeting Ziyue.
“Mak…ing… frien…ds… Well… actually… I…” Ziyue was being bounced up and down, struggling to reply.
“How can I be of assistance?” Applejack released Ziyue’s hoof and said to Ziyue, then winked at her.
Ziyue’s released hoof was still shaking up and down. Sui Long stepped forward, held Ziyue’s hoof down, and covered his mouth with a small paw, laughing.
Duocai also chuckled at the sight. She found it funny when she watched the anime, but now that she was experiencing it firsthand, it felt even funnier.
Ziyue looked down at Sui Long, then looked at Applejack next to Duocai, coughed twice, and said, “I’m here to inspect the preparations for the Summer Celebration. Are you in charge of the banquet?”
“That’s right, you’ve found the right pony! Would you like to try some? How about you, Duocai?” Applejack looked at Ziyue and Duocai as she spoke.
“Sure, as long as it doesn’t take too much time.” Ziyue nodded in reply.
“Sounds good.” Duocai also nodded in agreement.
Then Applejack shouted loudly, “Dinner time, ponies!” And then Duocai, Ziyue, and Sui Long were directly led to a dining table by a group of running ponies.
“Alright, first, let me introduce you to our Apple Family.” Applejack suddenly emerged from under the dining table, pointing at the ponies surrounding them as she spoke.
And then, without waiting for Ziyue to speak.
As Applejack rattled off the ponies’ names, the ponies placed pastries on the dining table.
Soon, a small mountain of pastries was piled up.
As Applejack stuffed green apples into Ziyue’s and Duocai’s mouths.
“Wake up, Granny Smith, we have guests!” Applejack shouted loudly at Granny Smith, who was sitting in a lounge chair.
The mountain-high pile of pastries was finished.
“What’s going on? I’m coming, I’m coming!” Granny Smith opened her eyes and shakily walked to Applejack’s side.
“I think we’re already family.” Applejack said, resting her hoof on Ziyue’s and Duocai’s backs.
“Mmm, the apples are really good, Applejack! I was hungry, too.” Duocai finished the apple in her mouth and said to Applejack.
“Of course! Our apples from Sweet Apple Acres are the best!” Applejack tilted her head back proudly and replied to Duocai.
Ziyue originally wanted to spit out the apple in her mouth, but after hearing Duocai’s words, she tried to eat it.
It was indeed delicious.
“Alright, it seems the banquet preparations are going very well. Sui Long and I will take our leave now.” Ziyue finished the apple in her mouth and said to Applejack and the surrounding ponies.
“Aren’t you staying for some morning tea?”
Ziyue heard this and looked down in the direction of the voice.
Then she saw Apple Bloom looking at Ziyue with cute, pitiful, blinking big eyes.
“Sorry, we still have a lot to do.” Ziyue said helplessly, looking at Apple Bloom’s big eyes.
Upon hearing this, all the surrounding ponies lowered their heads and made very disappointed sounds.
“Ziyue, the apple pie here is really delicious. Are you really not going to stay and try some?” Duocai also tried to look at Ziyue with a pitiful expression.
Ziyue looked at Duocai and the surrounding ponies and could only say helplessly, “Alright.”
The surrounding ponies instantly burst into joyful cheers.
At this moment, Applejack leaned close to Duocai’s ear and whispered mysteriously, “No pony can resist our Apple Family’s guest-retaining trick.”
“Impressive!” Duocai said to Applejack, eating apple pie.
It had to be said, the apple pie Applejack made was indeed delicious.
This was already the third one he had eaten.
