Author's Note
Well here it is, after 5 YEARS of Development hell and inconsistent rewrites and editing, I give you a story about a group of friends, spending a very important anniversary together. Thanks for 10 years of Phoenix Heart 27.
Anniversaire
Zalu
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The sunlight filtered through the half open window of a semi-new looking caravan as dawn broke. The resulting action caused the owner to roll out of her hammock and land hard onto the hardwood floor of the caravan. Shaking herself off, the blanketed figure removed the pale blue blanket to reveal a tall, currently messy looking zony. The female managed to get to her hooves after a while and with very sluggish movements that come with having just woken up. Going over to her bathroom, she cautiously walked around the perch of her sleeping pet falcon. Looking at herself in the mirror of her remarkably spacious bathroom after relieving herself, Zalu yawned before brushing her teeth and quickly running a comb and brush through her mane and tail. As it is that she showered the night before and deodorized then as well, her fur looked fine and she wasn't smelling. Leaving her bathroom, she noticed that her beloved pet had woken up and was quietly cawing as was his greeting as he stretched his wings. Zalu just smiled as she approached her pet.
βGoodmorning, Neo. I trust your sleep was good and hunting was better last night?β, Zalu greeted her bird as she refilled his water dish and placed his mix of bird seed and a little hay bacon into his food dish for breakfast. Neoβs response was a small chitter while he rubbed his head underneath his mistressesβ hoof. Zalu then got up to clean her place a bit.
As she cleaned up, she caught sight of the calendar that hung on her cherry red refrigerator. With a gasp, she picked up the calendar.
βGreat Sun goddess! I completely forgot what today is! I gotta get ready! They'll be expecting me soon!β, Zalu shouted in surprise as she had forgotten what the day was and who she needed to meet. Kicking herself into high-gear, she managed to dig through her dried laundry and find a simple wrap dress with the patterns of her homeland etched into the kente cloth. Making sure her mane was in her braided high ponytail, Zalu remembered what she was missing and dug through her jewelry box and found her favorite necklace: an old, piece of pink quartz connected to the worn down leather by a wooden clasp. Tying it around her neck and grabbing her purse, she opened the window completely and made sure the curtains were opened wide for her bird companion to be able to fly if he wanted.
βBe good and don't bring back anything bigger than a Yorkie for your lunch! You won't finish it. Silly bird.β, Zalu quickly reminded her falcon good naturedly as she gave him a kiss and left the caravan.
Nature Trail
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Rolling over and making sure to not land on her very swollen stomach, a tired looking earth pony sat up in her bed and took in her surroundings. Almost comedically flopping back onto the pillows in her king sized bed, she didn't miss the way that her husband next to her shifted in his sleep.
βsorry.β, the mare whispered as she gingerly made her way off the bed and towards the ensuite bathroom. Shaking the sleep off of her, she grabbed a quick shower and brushed her teeth (only one of those things was hard due to the foal kicking). Before grabbing a comb to get her mane together, she received a reminder text message on her phone that the her to meet with her friends that day.
βSweet Celestia! I almost forgot what today was. Thank the Moon goddess for modern technology!β, Nature Trail exclaimed. Not even taking into consideration that her husband was asleep in the other room. Running the comb through her long mane and braiding both her mane and tail, she rushed to her closet.
Pushing aside various pieces of clothes, Nature Trail found the t-shirt she was looking for before slipping it on and throwing on a nice light jacket. Making sure to put her charger in her purse before gently bending over to her husband and whispering.
βIβll be back late. Breakfast is on the stove and lunch and dinner are in the fridge. If you need me, you know the numbers to call. Love you.β, Nature Trail told her husband, who offered a sleepy βLove you too, have funβ in reply before slipping off again.
Chuckling to herself, Nature Trail left the apartment. Pulling out her phone to call a taxi as she waddled.
Cherry Pie
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The sunlight was blinding as a mare tried to cover the curtains of her new bedroom with an unused bath towel. Fruitless endeavor it may have been, but she was kinda outta ideas for a temporary solution. After her 3rd failed attempt, she just shrugged and slumped back onto the temporary pillow pallet that was her bedding. Sighing, Cherry Pie glanced at her phone and taking notice of the date, she groaned before hefting herself up and shaking her mane before going to dig through her suitcase (because going through 3 cardboard boxes to find something to wear, would be a potential suicide attempt) for a old band t-shirt. Finding it, she grabbed her denim jacket and went to go shower.
After her lukewarm shower, Cherry Pie got dressed and made sure her birdsβ nest of a curly blue mane was in something resembling a bun. Speaking of βbunsβ, she suddenly had a brainwave and quickly dashed down to the bodega on the corner near her apartment to get some supplies. After picking up some flour, sugar, milk, chocolate chips, baking powder, bananas, peanut butter and powdered sugar, she popped back to her kitchen to get to work on her special peanut butter/banana beignets.
Once done whipping those fabulous treats up, Cherry levitates them into a prepared box before putting all the stuff she used for baking in the sink and cabinets/refrigerator. While cleaning up, she gets a call from one of her friends.
βHey filly!β, Cherry greets.
βCherry! Girl where are you?β, Zalu asks on the other end.
βLeaving out now. Got something special for breakfast, you guys are gonna drool over!β, Cherry said with a grin (that Zalu couldnβt see, but definitely knew was there).
βKnowing you, you donβt mess with your sweets. About how long you gonna be til you get here?β, Zalu asked as a doorbell sounded in her background.
βChill filly. Iβm literally hailing a cab now. Be there in maybe 15 minutes if traffic isnβt crap.β, Cherry responds as she balances the treat box in her magic. Hanging up, she fishes her bit purse from her mane and pays the cabbie. Before long, sheβs zooming through the streets of Neigh York City to meet her best friends.
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The hustle and bustle of Neigh York City, for a moment fell as background ASMR as the three mares spotted each other and approached the small cafe (albeit a bit more slowly in Nature Trailβs case due to being 8 months pregnant). Entering, they chose their βunofficialβ official booth and commenced in a group hug before sitting down.
βOh my! Donβt we all look great today.β, Cherry Pie gushed as she slid into the booth.
βSpeak for yourself, amici. I currently look like una balena spiaggiata. I swear this son of mine is starting to drive me up a wall and he ainβt even here yet!β, Nature Trail complained as she grimaced in pain, due to her foal once again kicking her. The others just laughed as they sat down with their menus.
30 minutes laterβ¦
After having eaten their delicious breakfast, the three friends left to sort out the rest of the day.
βOkay so, whatβs next on the agenda?β, Zalu asked.
Pulling out her ever ready notepad, Cherry Pie glanced at it for a moment before answering, βWell we have 2 options since its only 10:45 am. We could either head to the arcade for 2 hours or the wildlife sanctuary for the same amount of time. Take a voteβ.
The aforementioned vote was ultimately arcade. So, with a summoning of another cab, the trio were once again out and on their way towards some fun.
Hours Laterβ¦.
Setting up a picnic in central park sounds like a good idea in theory, however the executionβ¦.
βHEY! jonga apho ulahla khona loo frisbee, iicolts! Uphantse wabetha imazi yehashe ekhulelweyo!β, Zalu yelled angrily at a group of teenage colts playing frisbee.
βSorry miss, we donβt understand what you're saying.β, the spokespony of the colts answered in confusion.
βIβll translate what my irritated friend said. She simply asks that you watch where your frisbee is aimed as it almost hit me.β, Nature Trail responded in translation.
Looking abashed, the group of ultimate frisbee players politely apologized and moved downwind from the mares who were getting a blanket set up. After a trying time of somehow getting tangled in the blanket and almost toppling their lunch basket over, the trio finally got to sitting down to enjoy a peaceful picnic and gossip session.
βHey girls. Do you realize that todayβs been 10 years since we met?β, Cherry Pie mentioned after a brief lull in conversation.
βReally? Has it truly been a decade?β, asked Zalu.
βBy Luna, sheβs right. We were all sophomores in highschool when we literally ran into each other!β, Nature said with a nostalgic sigh.
βExactly! Thatβs so crazy. It really feels like itβs been forever.β, Cherry added.
The others agreed as they cuddled up for a group hug.
βHey! We never got to our picture this year yet!β, Zalu pipped up in realization. Swiftly rooting into her bag, she fished out her camera and got the others together for a photo that would remain a favorite for years to come.