Cressida turned around to see Breeze and Firefly galloping toward them.
For several seconds, Breeze and Firefly stared at the circle of rocks and mud. Then Breeze asked, “Where’s the ballroom?”
“What happened?” Firefly asked.
Moon told Breeze and Firefly the story of how they had come to finish decorating the ballroom, only to find a giant circle of mud and rocks. “But look what Cressida found in the middle of all the mud,” Moon said, pointing her horn toward Cressida.
Breeze and Firefly noticed Cressida’s crown and wand and grinned.
“I call her Magic Princess Cressida,” Moon said. “Especially because she says she has a plan to save the Starlight Ball.”
“If anyone can save the Starlight Ball, it’s Magic Princess Cressida,” Breeze said.
“Definitely,” Firefly added.
Cressida blushed. “It’s true that I have an idea,” she said. “But I’ll need your help.”
“Of course,” Breeze and Firefly said at once.
But then Breeze paused and looked at Moon. “Did you make a decision about the music?” she asked.
Moon grinned. “Yes,” she said. “Cressida and I visited the raccoons during their practice session, and we had an amazing time dancing to their new music. It turns out it’s even easier to dance to than the traditional unicorn music! I’ve decided that if Cressida can find a way to save the ball, I’m going to ask them to only play their new music. And then Cressida and I will teach everyone to dance to it.”
Cressida felt surprised, but she had to admit she wasn’t disappointed. The most fun she had ever had dancing had been in the hollow tree.
Firefly frowned.
Breeze sighed and shook her head. “Please, Moon,” she said. “Let’s not risk ruining the ball. Let’s ask the raccoons to stick to the traditional music.”
Firefly nodded. “I’ve been practicing my traditional unicorn dances all week. I don’t want to spend the entire ball standing by the wall watching everyone else dance or feeling awkward and silly on the dance floor.”
“But—” Moon began. She looked down at her hooves. “I really think we could all learn to dance to the new music together. It will be fun.”
Breeze sighed and shook her head. “I don’t really feel like helping to build a new ballroom knowing that I probably won’t even want to stay at the ball.”
“Me neither,” Firefly said, frowning.
Suddenly, Moon, Breeze, and Firefly all looked like they might start crying.
Cressida took a deep breath. “I have an idea,” she said. “I can completely understand that Breeze and Firefly want to have a great time at the ball, and that they’re worried the wrong music will ruin it. And I can also see why Moon wants the raccoons to play the new music. She and I had a fantastic time dancing to it together just a few minutes ago.” The unicorns all nodded. “So,” Cressida continued, “why don’t we compromise?”
“What does ‘compromise’ mean?” Firefly asked.
“Is that the name of the dance you made up to the new music?” Breeze asked, turning up her nose.
Cressida laughed. “ ‘Compromise’ means we make an agreement with each other where we all get some of the things we want, but not everything,” she explained. “Instead of one of you getting your way, we could come up with a solution that takes all of you into consideration. My brother and I have to compromise all the time when we don’t agree on what games we want to play.”
“That sounds good,” Moon said.
“Let’s try it,” Firefly said.
Breeze nodded.
“How about,” Cressida said, “we ask the raccoons to alternate between old songs and new songs at the ball? That way, if there’s a song one of you doesn’t want to dance to, it won’t be so bad because you know you’ll like the next one.”
Moon thought for a few seconds and said, “I’d be willing to do that.”
Firefly shrugged and nodded. “I’d agree to that.”
Breeze paused and sighed. “I guess that would be okay,” she finally said, still sounding unsure. “But I’m still worried I’ll have a miserable time. I’m not very good at dancing to the traditional unicorn music, and I’ve been doing that my whole life. I’d hate to have to sit out for half the ball if I just can’t learn to dance to the new music.”
Just as Cressida tried to think of another suggestion, Moon said, “I have an idea for another compromise.” She turned to Breeze. “How about if you agree to try your hardest to dance to the new music? And in exchange, I’ll promise that if you try your hardest, and you still can’t do it, I’ll ask the raccoons to stick to the traditional music for the rest of the dance. What do you think?”
Breeze thought for a moment. And then she grinned and nodded. “Yes,” she said. “I can agree to that.”
Cressida smiled at her unicorn friends. “Do we have a plan that’s okay with all of you?”
“Yes!” Moon, Breeze, and Firefly all said at once.
“Well done!” said Cressida. “It usually takes my brother Corey and me a lot longer to reach a compromise. I’m impressed.”
The unicorns grinned.
Moon looked at Cressida. “Magic Princess Cressida, I think we’re ready to build a brand new ballroom.”
Cressida smiled and gripped her magic wand.
Cressida walked to the edge of the circle of mud and rocks and waved her wand at the ground. The star-shaped sapphire at the end sparkled, and light poured out. Instantly, a thick, pink vine sprouted. This time, Cressida held the wand over the vine and lifted upward as far as she could, until the vine was nearly as tall as her mother. Then, still holding up the wand, Cressida took a step to her right. To her relief and delight, more vines instantly grew from the ground.
Cressida slowly walked around the edge of the muddy circle, growing a longer and longer circular wall of vines with each step. When she was only a few feet away from the place where she had begun, she made an arcing motion with her wand
