“Watch out, Teacup!” Lumiere cried. He hurried by with flowers for Simone’s room.

“Make way!” Cogsworth called. He directed several maids to the bedrooms.

“Has anyone seen the sugar?” Mrs. Potts asked. “My goodness, I remember ordering two sacks.”

Teacup danced out of the path of a broom. The grand hall was busier than the village square on market day! Teacup usually practiced her show there. But that wasn’t going to happen today.

“Pssst, Teacup. Over here!” a voice called.

At first Teacup didn’t see who had spoken. Then she noticed four white hoofs sticking out from the bottom of the drapes across the hall. The drapes moved, and a white nose poked out. It was Petit!

To get to her friend, Teacup dodged a delivery boy carrying a crate of apples. She narrowly missed a kitchen maid dashing past with a bucket of ice. She ducked between the legs of a burly butcher. Finally, she was safe on the other side of the hall.

Teacup pushed aside the drapes with her nose. “Petit, what are you doing?”

“Trying not to get run over!” the pony said. “Last time I started across, the prince stepped on my tail.” Petit snorted. “Belle even put him to work! He’s moving her dresses to the spare room.”

Teacup laughed. She pictured the prince’s face. He was kind, but definitely grumpy at times.

“Let’s run for it,” Teacup told Petit.

“Do you think we can make it?” Petit asked. She and Teacup watched a farm boy slip on a puddle of water. The chicken in his arms squawked and flew to the banister.

“We can’t stay here,” Teacup said. “It’s dangerous!”

Teacup raced across the marble. She leaped over the puddle of water. She skidded around a stack of buckets and scooted out the castle door.

Petit was seconds behind her. They collapsed together in a heap on the lawn.

“I’ve never seen the castle so crazy!” Teacup exclaimed.

“I’ll be glad when it’s normal again,” Petit said. “After Simone’s visit.”

“Simone!” Teacup jumped to her paws. “I have to practice! Okay, Petit. I’ll put on my show for you.”

Teacup ran through the whole show, from the rolls to the balanced cup. When she was finished, she asked, “Well, what do you think?”

Petit nodded. “It was amazing, as always! And perfect! I don’t know how you do it—all that rolling and tumbling.” She stopped for a moment. “But—”

Teacup cocked her head. “But what?” she asked.

“But…is it special enough for Simone? It’s the same show you did the other day. Maybe you can add something new?”

Teacup sat up on her back legs. Yes! Petit was right. She was so worried about being perfect that she hadn’t thought about being special.

“Petit, you’re so smart!” she said. “I’ll add a new trick, one nobody has ever seen before!”