The Victory

Cookies stared at the pink glasses that lay perched on a table before him.

"The magical rose colored glasses!"he whispered in awe. "We found them! And before Pumble and Hairy did!" He grinned smugly. The seals scowled and barked disapprovingly.

"Yes, yes, I know it's not nice," Cookies said impatiently. "You're right, we should quit dawdling and go get the glasses." Cookies began to walk towards the giant chair that sat in front of the table, but suddenly a large shadow crossed his path.

"Who goes there?" a loud voice boomed.

"I do," Cookies said in irritation. "Now get out of my way, you over sized pony!" A large stick horse wearing a golden crown stood in front of Cookies and the seals. The seals stared at him adoringly while Cookies glared and poked a wing into his long nose.

"Listen, pony," Cookies said, oblivious to the stick horse's growing irritation. "I need those rose-colored glasses, and I need them now. Now move."

"No," the stick horse said simply.

"Why not?" Cookies sighed heavily. He began to peek around the stick horse, hoping to find alternate routes to the desk. Unfortunately, the barren room left him with little options. He would simply have to convince the stick horse to let him through.

"Because I am the owner of the Rose Colored Glasses," the stick horse said, his voice full of importance. "They have been in my family for hundreds of years. Why should I give them to you, a total stranger?"

Cookies opened his mouth, then closed it. He turned and snapped at the excitedly chatting seals. "Shut up! I do too have a good reason!" He tapped a feather on his head as he tried to think.

"You jerk!" Hearing Pumble's squeal, Cookies sighed and turned around. "Won't you supposed to meet us in the middle of the hallway?"

"Well, we ran into a few unfriendly folks and decided to head this way," Pumble said, popping cereal into his mouth.

"Pumble made a bunch of the residents of the Other Side mad," Hairy said. "They tried to attack us, so we had to lock them in."

"They are friendly!" the stick horse protested. "We only attack if provoked. You must have frightened them."

Hairy looked at Pumble pointedly, who rolled his eyes. He turned to Cookies and said, "So what's going on?"

"This over-sized pony won't let me pass and get the glasses," Cookies scowled. Hairy turned and looked over his shoulder. "The glasses!" he cried. "They really exist!"

"All this for a pair of sunglasses?" Pumble muttered, rolling his eyes and popping more cereal in his mouth.

"These aren't just any sunglasses," the stick horse said. "These are ancient sunglasses that have been in my family for 10 generations. Why do you want the Rose glasses?"

"That's a lot of over sized ponies," Cookies muttered before saying loudly, "We are on a quest and we need these glasses."

"A quest? Really?" the stick horse looked impressed. "No one has gone on a quest in awhile."

"Well, we did," Pumble mumbled. "Can you give him the glasses now so we can go home? I'm starving."

The stick horse thought a moment, and then he smiled. "I tell you what," he said, grinning broadly. "I will let you"--he pointed to Cookies, "look through the glasses. If you like what you see, you can take them with you."

"Finally," Cookies huffed, flapping his wings and flying up to the table. He picked up the sacred Rose glasses and peered through them.

"Why does he get to wear the glasses?" Pumble griped. Ignoring him, Hairy and the seals watched Cookies eagerly. "What do you see?" Hairy called. After a few moments, Cookies sat the glasses down on the table and floated down to the ground. He walked up to the stick horse and stood before him. Instead of being snide, he shook patted him on the neck gravely.

"Thank you," he said. The stick horse nodded majestically and watched as Cookies began to walk out of the room. The others looked at each other, shrugged and followed.

"Wait!" Pumble panted, running after him in such a frenzy his cereal scattered all over the floor. "Why didn't you take the glasses?" Cookies shrugged and looked a bit embarrassed.

"What did you see?" Hairy asked him as he caught up to him. The seals listened eagerly.

"I saw"-- Cookies bit his lip before continuing. "I saw generations of elves, fairies, stick horses and enchanted toys of all kinds growing up. I saw them playing, eating, laughing. I saw words that floated through the air and music that made flowers appear out of nowhere. And I saw the stick horse, and how his life was dedicated to protecting those glasses. After that, it seemed like no quest was important enough to take that kind of magic from the Other Side."

Pumble looked impressed, and Hairy beamed with pride. "Cookies, I'm so"--

"But I could've if I wanted to," Cookies snapped, irritation back in his voice. "And that's what's important. Get the ducks and lets go home." Hairy rolled his eyes in amusement, exchanging knowing looks with the seals. Cookies wasn't as tough as he let on.

"Where are the ducks?" Cookies asked again. Hairy and Pumble looked around. "There!" Pumble shouted. They walked to the edge of the bathroom to see the three ducks from the spa arguing with three new ducks.

"Mine!" the first duck from the spa cried.
"Go away!" the second duck from the spa cried.
"Can't we all just get along?" the third duck from the spa asked tiredly.

"Mine! Mine! Mine!" the three new ducks quacked over and over again. As the quacks echoed in the bathroom, Hairy grinned.

"There's no place like home," he said, laughing.