Studying and Relaxing

Gallus dreamed of fluffy clouds and rainbows. His dreams weren’t normally so...soft, but he realized he wasn’t all that upset about it. It was freeing in a way. The usual tension he carried in his waking life, the constant need to prove himself, was absent here. Instead, he felt a lightness, a carefree sensation that he rarely allowed himself to experience. There was no need to be tough or guarded; he could just be.

He found himself floating effortlessly in the open sky, gliding through an endless expanse of blue as his feathered wings so easily kept him steady. Rainbows could be seen in the dozens, streaking the sky with bright colors in every direction he looked. Down below was an azure ocean that stretched far over the horizon, meeting the colored sky at its edge.

Around him the clouds were like giant cotton balls, so fluffy and inviting that he couldn’t resist the urge to fly through them. They’d put up only a tiny bit of resistance as his wing tips brushed against them, but would then pop with a soft gust and turn into cooling mist.

As he continued to drift through the serene space, a flock of albatrosses glided into view. The large white birds with their enormous wingspan floated through the skies as smoothly as he did, gently maneuvering until the group surrounded the griffin in a loose formation.

Gallus had never actually seen an albatross in real life, but he vaguely recalled a lecture about them in Ms. Fluttershy’s class. He remembered how they spent most of their lives out at sea and could glide hours over the waves without flapping their long wings once. They were such efficient fliers, in fact, that their heart rate while in flight was close to their heart rate while at rest. Gallus often wondered if that meant they could nap while flying.

Gallus followed the albatrosses as they banked and swooped towards the ocean below. They descended with breathtaking precision, their wings barely making a sound as they cut through the air. Gallus felt a surge of exhilaration as he joined their dive, the wind rushing past him and the salty sea air filling his senses as he got closer and closer to the ocean below.

Coming just short of touching the gentle waves, Gallus and the group of birds glided listlessly above the water. He watched as the large birds plunged into the water one by one, their sleek bodies slicing through the surface with barely a ripple. Each bird seemed to disappear for a moment, only to reemerge with a glistening fish clasped in its beak.

When it was finally his turn, Gallus took a deep breath and folded his wings against his sides. He plunged towards the water, expecting the usual shock of cold that came with diving into the sea. To his surprise, the water was warm, like a soothing embrace that welcomed him into the bluey depths. The sensation was oddly comforting and only intensified as he swam further below the surface.

He opened his eyes and marveled at the underwater world, surprisingly well lit and colorful even as he ventured deeper into the gradually warming layers. Schools of colorful fish darted around him as they weaved around the sunbeams that filtered through the water. The scene was mesmerizing, each fish a brilliant splash of color in the clear water.

Reaching out, he tried to see if he could catch a fish, but had little success. Every time he reached out a claw, slowed down by the water, the fish would always be just out of reach. Still, he tried a few more slow swipes, determined to catch at least one.

He reached out one last time and finally his slowed down claws made purchase, taking hold of a large blue and yellow striped fish. His clawtips sank softly into the fish’s surprisingly pliable body. Once in his hold, the life in the fish seemed to slow to a frozen state, taking on an almost toy-like appearance. The scales, once slick and slimy, smoothed to a fabric feel, fuzzy almost.

As his dreaming mind slowly registered this oddity, the world around him gradually began to melt and fade. The warmth of the water and the vivid colors of the ocean started to dissolve, replaced by the soft light of the morning sun that streamed down on him.

He drifted back to the waking moments later, the remnants of the dream lingering in his mind like a pleasant memory. He lay there for a moment, savoring the tranquility he had felt in the dream as his eyes slowly opened. His vision was dominated by the pink dolphin plushie which had found its way squeezed tightly against his face after a night’s worth of shifting around. He then felt the diaper rustle around his waist, reminding him of last night. His memories, now properly organized after a night of processing, flashed fond memories through his mind.

Even as he grew more and more awake, there was part of him that just wanted to keep sleeping. Or at the very least, wanted to lay in bed forever snuggling the dolphin. Every light and sluggish squeeze he gave the stuffed animal in his bleary-eyed state caused a fuzzy feeling to surge up his chest. It made him smile softly to himself, it made him want more.

Eventually though, nudged further along by the morning light that only got brighter the more he stalled, he sluggishly pulled himself up to a sitting position in the bed.

Beside him Sandbar was sitting up in bed. Judging by the bedhead and the occasional yawn, he hadn’t been up for long.

“G-good morning,” he said.

“G-good mornin’,” Gallus blushed.

“Did you...put me in a diaper?”

“Uhm...y-yeah!” Gallus replied, deciding that admitting that was much less embarrassing than explaining how he watched Sandbar’s mom put the diaper on him. He could have admitted to a lot of things that happened last night, but it was just too much to be honest about right now. Besides, it was supposed to be a secret.

“Well...you did a pretty good job,” Sandbar said, “a little risky, but...thanks...” He then nodded towards the pink dolphin, “that from Coral’s room?”

It was only now that Gallus realized he had been hugging the pink dolphin in his arms. In fact he had been cuddling the thing, practically snuggling with it. “I-I uh...” he was lost for words as he had a mild panic attack. Should he be honest now? Should he throw the toy away and pretend it just...accidently slipped in his arms? Should he... “I-I uhm...I uh...borrowed it from her room,” Gallus replied, “to help me...sleep...” Why was lying about a children’s toy so much harder than lying about anything else in his life? Although it didn’t feel like a lie...There were some nuggets of truth in there.

“You needed a plushie to help you sleep?”

“Y-yeah...”

“It...makes me so happy to hear that,” Sandbar smiled warmly before glancing down at his diaper, “okay, well, we’re gonna have to take these off.” There was hesitation and reluctance in his voice, “don’t think I’m not ready to admit to my parents that I play as a baby on my off time.”

“What should we do with them?”

“We can just roll them up and shove them in our bags for later,” Sandbar replied, “unless you want to go waddling around my parents with it on.”

He was joking, obviously, but that didn’t stop Gallus from briefly fantasizing about it. The lingering warmth of the tender diaper change from last night still glowed in his heart. Gosh if only he could stay in this diaper. He wanted to stay in it...He wanted to stay in diapers forever! He wanted to stay in them forever?

“Alright alright, it’s coming off,” he rolled his eyes as he tore off the diaper in one swift motion.

Already he was feeling more grown up, more mature. Certainly a more presentable mindset to approach the world that was outside the bedroom door. Without the constant cushion - however comforting and reassuring it might have been - he was starting to feel like his old self again...whatever that might look like anymore. As he rolled up the diaper in a loose wad and tossed it into the open bag he heard Sandbar giggling behind him.

“What’s so funny?”

“You got powder marks on your butt, dude!” Sandbar laughed.

Blushing, Gallus’s eyes snapped to the nearby full body mirror where his reflection stared back. Streaks of white could be clearly seen dusting his backside. They were a mark of a hatchling, but strangely so, Gallus didn’t mind the association. It felt oddly comforting, a reminder of the tender moments he had of last night. Without realizing it, a soft shy smile crept its way onto his beak as he continued to stare.

“Got a little carried away with the baby powder, huh?” Sandbar snirked

“Sh-shuddup!” Gallus replied, clearing his throat as he hastily wiped the powder away, “y-you're lucky I didn’t cover you in baby powder when I put you in yours!”

After the diapers were stashed away - and after Gallus returned the plush dolphin to Coral’s nursery - the pair ventured to the ground floor. The house was quiet and still this morning. Quiet enough to allow the gentle sound of crashing waves to seep in.

High Tide and Beachcomber were found in the kitchen with Coral sitting in her highchair next to the table. Judging by the messy bib around her neck, it had been a fussy morning for the toddler.

“Ah ha, there they are!” Beachcomber smiled, waving them over, ”morning dudes. Sleep good?”

“Yeah, pretty well,” Sandbar replied, nudging Gallus again with a grin.

Gallus nodded, feeling a bit more relaxed now. “Morning,” he added, trying to shake off the last bits of sleep.

“Gonna hit the beach after breakfast,” the older stallion went on, casually wagging a spoon of mushy food in front of Coral, “if you two dudes wanna tag along.”

“Yeah that does sound pretty fun!” Gallus nodded.

“Groovy!” Beachcomber replied before turning back to Coral who had been doing nothing but squirming and fussing this whole time. He picked up a bright orange spoon topped with a glob of mushy baby food and hovered it in front of the infant’s muzzle. Coral just scrunched her face and craned her head away from the food with a huff of disapproval. After wagging the spoon in front of the foal a little more, Beachcomber finally gave in with a sigh. “Guh, Bar, you mind tagging in?” he said, “Coral’s been fighting me all morning.”

“Wouldn’t mind at all!” Sandbar said as he pushed a chair up close to the highchair and took the spoon from his dad. “Ready for some nummy breakfast, Coral?!”

Coral was still being her usual tired, grumpy self, but fussiness was momentarily forgotten as Sandbar took his spot next to her chair. Sandbar seized the opportunity and made a game out of it, pretending the spoon was a little airplane zooming through the air.

“Here comes the airplane, open wide!” he said, making exaggerated flying noises.

Giggles started to erupt from the little foal as she opened her mouth, allowing Sandbar to sneak the spoonful of food in. She chewed happily, her mood lifting with each playful bite. Sandbar kept the game going, occasionally switching it up with different silly voices and characters for the spoon. Sometimes it was a choo choo train, sometimes a slow moving hermit crab. All of it done with theatrical delight that kept the little foal eager for more.

Taking a spot at the table, Gallus watched, impressed by how effortlessly Sandbar made the whole process seem so fun and engaging. Even this early in the morning, the stallion had such energy to his performance. He kept his little sister entertained through the whole meal. The little foal could hardly eat with all the giggling she was doing.

Gallus blushed as he tried not to stare at the feeding. But as usual, his stupid brain so stupidly and effortlessly transplanted him into the scene, casting him in the role of giggly toddler getting fed in a highchair. Lingering images of last night and the smell of baby powder still in the back of his mind allowed his imagination to easily get the better of him.

It seemed fun in a way, to put up a fuss during breakfast. It wouldn’t have mattered whether he was hungry or if he liked the food, what was important was the game of it all. To fuss and wiggle and squirm, getting his face and bib all messy and splotchy with food as his exhausted caretaker - conveniently Sandbar in this scenario - tried their best to get their fussy hatchling fed. He was never the biggest fan of mornings, but he’d reckon the fun meal time games Sandbar played for his sister would make him actually look forward to it. He couldn’t help but smile at the thought of it all...

“You must be hungry, Gallus,” High Tide chimed in.

In a snap, Gallus’s attention pulled away from the adorable scene to the motherly mare that was smiling warmly across the room. Was she...watching him the whole time?

“O-oh yeah yeah, hungry, yeah,” Gallus tried to say as leveled as possible.

“I can getcha something if you’d like.”

Gallus gave one last glance in Coral’s direction before saying, “I-I’d be fine with whatever.” But then worried that she was going to start feeding him baby food as well if he didn’t suggest anything else so he hastily added, “l-like toast or whatever.”

“Would you whip up Gallus some of your famous chocolate chip waffles, please, mom?” Sandbar asked, energetically waving the plastic spoon just out of reach of his giggling sister.

“Chocolate chip...waffles?” Gallus raised an eyebrow at this. Like they were...made of chocolate chips? He knew ponies liked their breakfasts sweet, but...wouldn’t solid bars of chocolate in the shape of waffles be a little overkill?

Sandbar’s eyes lit up at his friend’s response. “You mean you haven’t had chocolate chip waffles before?”

“Well...no, guess not,” the griffin shrugged.

“Okay, well usually I save those for special occasions,” High Tide smiled, ”but just for you Gallus.”

“I’ll help get ya started,” Beachcomber chirped as he hopped up and started digging through a cabinet of pots and pans.

Weaving around the kitchen, the couple gathered the needed supplies. High Tide expertly mixed the batter, adding just the right amount of chocolate chips, while Beachcomber heated up the waffle iron. The two ponies worked in seamless harmony, passing ingredients and utensils with practiced ease. High Tide poured the batter into the waffle iron, and Beachcomber carefully timed each waffle to perfection, ensuring they were golden brown and crispy on the outside while gooey and sweet on the inside. In moments the kitchen filled with the mouth-watering aroma of melting chocolate and cooking batter.

“Here ya go, Gallus. You get first batch!” Beachcomber said as he slid down a plate of light and fluffy looking speckled waffles smelling sweetly of chocolate.

Gallus’s eyes widened at the sight of the waffles. They looked absolutely delicious, with melted chocolate oozing out from the pockets and a generous dollop of whipped cream on top. He took a bite and let out an involuntary hum of delight. “These are amazing!” he exclaimed, his mouth full of waffle.

“Told ya,” Sandbar grinned, finally finishing up feeding Coral and joining Gallus at the table. “Mom’s waffles are the best.”

High Tide and Beachcomber beamed at the compliment, clearly pleased with their work. They set about making more waffles for the rest of the family, ensuring that everyone got a taste of their special creation. Even Coral got a small piece which she gladly scarfed down without any syrup or fuss at all.

After finishing their delicious breakfast, the family started preparing for a day at the beach. The house was all abuzz with the sounds of clinking dishes and chatter as they gathered their beach gear. Drinks and snacks were packed in a cooler, neatly folded towels and toys packed in bags, and even a diaper bag - which Gallus was unfortunately acutely aware of - was packed for the trip. Lastly a pair of brightly painted surfboards were pulled down from the deck and carried off. The anticipation of a relaxing day by the ocean filled the air, and soon, they were ready to head out.

It was a beautiful summer day on the beach, with the sun shining brightly in a clear, blue sky. The gentle sea breeze carried the soothing scent of salt and the rhythmic sound of waves crashing against the shore. Seagulls called out as they soared overhead, and the soft, golden sand felt warm underhoof. The ocean sparkled like a vast, inviting sapphire, its surface dotted with the occasional boat or swimmer. It was the perfect day for a beach outing, and the family couldn't wait to make the most of it.

The family settled on a prime spot on the beach, spreading out a collection of large homemade beach towels. Each one boasted vibrant, handwoven patterns that added a burst of color to the golden sand. In the center, a large sun umbrella adorned with a cheerful sea turtle design stood tall, casting a generous shade over them.

“Groovy!” Beachcomber exclaimed with a sigh as he unfolded a well worn beach chair and plopped down in a cold patch of shade, “diggin’ the energy today.” The fatherly stallion yawned and stretched sluggishly at the relaxing atmosphere.

High Tide busied herself with prepping one of the surfboards, this one vibrantly colored with bright sun beams and stylistically rendered waves, with a puck of wax. Meanwhile Coral toddled over to a patch of beach and sat her swim diaper clad bottom down before she started digging into the golden sands with her little hooves. Her eyes sparkled with excitement as she pushed the sand around, tiny giggles escaping her muzzle. Sandbar enthusiastically joined her, armed with a yellow plastic shovel and bucket. He started scooping sand into the bucket, showing Coral how to make little mounds and castles. The foal watched her big brother with wide, curious eyes, mimicking his movements with adorable determination.

As the family settled in, Gallus simply stood at a distance, leaning against the sun umbrella. He watched Sandbar and Coral playing in the sand, a mix of curiosity and hesitation tugging at him. The carefree laughter and genuine enjoyment they shared made him smile, but he still felt a bit out of place.

“Come on, Gallus!” Sandbar called out, waving a plastic shovel in his direction. “Play for a bit!”

Gallus hesitated, shifting his weight from one paw to the other before giving the enthusiastic pair his best apathetic shrug. "Nah, I'm good," he replied, his voice uncertain.

"Oh, come on," Sandbar encouraged, "It'll be fun! Coral would love it if you helped us build a big sandcastle."

“Sancassle!” the little foal beside him exclaimed, mirroring her older brother’s beckoning gestures.

With a sigh, Gallus finally relented. "Alright, alright," he said, plopping down beside them.

At first, he just idly pawed at the sand in front of him, passively watching Sandbar and Coral continue their sandcastle project. He watched as the brother and sister construction crew worked together piling up a big pile of moist sand in the center of their build area which served as the castle’s central building as the material was patted down and smoothed out. Sandbar would run off to grab buckets of water as Coral tirelessly shoved sand into the pile, digging quite the hole beside her in the process.

Before long, Gallus picked up a plastic shovel and started digging. If anything it was to help the little Coral collect sand. But after a while he started contributing to the construction project, building outlying towers and walls.

"See? Not so bad," Sandbar grinned, nudging Gallus playfully.

Gallus chuckled, feeling more at ease. He began to contribute more actively, helping to shape the walls around the perimeter and adding intricate details with his claws. Coral giggled and clapped her hooves whenever Gallus made a particularly good addition. And that, sillily enough, actually encouraged him to keep helping. As the castle grew taller and more elaborate, he found himself genuinely enjoying the activity.

“Oh!” Coral suddenly exclaimed, clambering to her feet.

“What is it, Coral?” Sandbar asked.

“Poddy!” the little foal exclaimed, squirming and dancing from hoof to hoof. Her back legs squeezed tightly together with shaky success.

“You gotta potty?” High Tide asked as she stood up, “alright, let’s go back inside and you can go potty.”

The little foal just nodded, a look of dire desperation growing on her face as she squirmed. High Tide quickly took Coral’s hoof and began to lead her back toward the house, moving as swiftly as the little foal could manage.

“Think she’ll make it?” Gallus found himself saying, looking up towards the house as the two shapes slowly got smaller.

“She’s been getting better,” Sandbar answered automatically, not even looking up from their sand building project, ”but sometimes it’s a close call.” He then paused and looked up at Gallus. “Why?” he smirked, “afraid she’ll graduate diapers before you?”

“N-no!” Gallus snapped back, cheeks blushing as he slumped back down and busied himself with digging, “j-just asking...”

Minutes later, High Tide returned, carrying a slumped Coral in her arms. The toddler’s pout and teary eyes told the story before High Tide even spoke.

“Well that was fast!” Sandbar exclaimed.

Coral slumped with a pouting lip. Her little face was scrunched up in frustration, and she was clearly trying to hold back tears.

“We had a little trouble making it all the way,” High Tide commented softly, “did your father happen to pack a just-in-case bag for the little lady?”

“Yeah, right over here,” Sandbar said as he handed off the nearby pink bag.

With diaper bag in hand, High Tide set Coral down on a beach towel and pulled out a clean diaper, wipes, and powder. Coral’s lip trembled and she sniffled as she looked up at her mom. “It’s okay, sweetie,” High Tide cooed, gently wiping away her tears. “Accidents happen.”

Suddenly Sandbar gasped, “Oh hey! Mom could show you how to surf!”

“Surf?” Gallus said, ”I only just learned how to swim yesterday.”

“Oh it’s SUPER easy! She teaches greenhorns all the time!” Sandbar beamed, “hey mom, do you think you could teach Gallus how to surf?”

“Teach him how to surf? Far out!” High Tide smiled at the idea as she popped open a tub of wipes, “let me finish changing this diaper and I’ll be right with you dudes.”

Sandbar simply nodded and turned back to building while Gallus hesitated for a moment. His stupid cheeks were blushing again.

‘Finish changing this diaper’. She said the phrase so casually. It made Gallus’s stupid brain start to fantasize again, putting him in the little foal’s place again. Fantasizing about being laid on the towel to be changed out in the open. He envisioned High Tide’s practiced hooves changing his diaper with the same casual efficiency she showed Coral. The thought of being laid bare out in the open, where anyone could see, made his cheeks flush with a mix of embarrassment and excitement.

Gallus’s mind wandered further, imagining what it would actually be like to be in Coral’s place, to have someone take charge so openly and without shame. The thought of being treated like a little foal, with someone else deciding when he needed a change, was both humiliating and thrilling. He could feel his face burning as he imagined High Tide’s hooves on him, the feeling of the fresh diaper being snugly fastened around him in front of everyone.

A shiver ran down his spine as he let his mind go even further. What if he was the one who couldn't make it to the potty in time? The idea of trying to use the big boy potty, only to end up using his diaper instead, filled him with a mix of shame and strange excitement. He pictured himself squirming in desperation, his back legs squeezed tightly together just like Coral's, but ultimately failing to hold it in. The warmth spreading around him, the unmistakable bulge, and then the realization that he had wet himself. The thought of High Tide noticing, casually commenting on it, and then changing him out in the open added a forbidden thrill that he couldn’t ignore.

“Gallus?...Gallus!” High Tide’s voice came into focus from the back of his mind, tugging him out of his daydream.

“What!? What?” Gallus exclaimed, shaking his head.

“We’re ready when you are,” High Tide said, balancing two surfboards in front of her. One of them was the sunbeam and wave design from earlier and the second had the big smiling face of Splash the mosaic turtle on its face. She was standing in waiting now, having finished with Coral, who was happily toddling off to join Sandbar in their sandcastle building. “...to surf?”

“Oh right! Surf! Right!” Gallus exclaimed, scrambling to his feet, momentarily resembling the panicked Coral from not too long ago. As he brushed the sand off his feathers, he tried his best to shake the blush from his cheeks. He took a deep breath, trying to push away the lingering thoughts. “Let’s go and s-surf!”

Gallus knew very little about surfing. He knew it was a sport of some kind and that somehow involved surfboards and water. But beyond that all he knew about it was what he saw since he came to Turtle Beach. All throughout the morning he could see the surfers further out at sea performing an array of impressive tricks, their movements fluid and controlled as they rode across the tall waves that rolled in the distance. If swimming was a lot like flying, then it looked like surfing was closer to the aerial feats that The Wonderbolts performed for crowds of thousands.

“Alright, Gallus,” High Tide began, plopping the two surfboard on a patch of beach in front of them, “we’re gonna start things off with paddling and then working on popping up. That’s when you stand up after catching a wave.”

“Standing up? We’re gonna practice standing up?” Gallus rolled his eyes, “sounds hard.”

“It’s good to start with the basics,” High Tide replied with a patient smile. “A solid foundation is important. Just like anything else, you need to crawl before you can fly. Watch me first.”

Gallus watched as High Tide hopped onto her board and laid flat. After paddling the air a couple times she smoothly transitioned from lying flat to standing upright on the board in one fluid motion. Gallus rolled his eyes at the simplistic display, but mimicked the mare all the same, tucking his wings in as he paddled the air with his claws before hopping to his feet on the board.

After a few more practice runs on dry sand, more paddling and more pop ups, High Tide nodded affirmatively, “great! Now we’re ready for some white water!”

They carried their surfboards closer to the shoreline, the sound of waves growing louder with each step. As they waded into the cold ocean, the waves swirled around their calves, the gentle tug of the current nudging them this way and that. They waded out into the salty water until it was just deep enough to lap at their underbellies.

Once there High Tide helped Gallus get into position, giving the griffin helpful pointers as he climbed up onto the floating board. Advice that, a sarcastic Gallus might have rudely pointed out was obvious. OBVIOUSLY he had to position himself just right so his weight was distributed evenly across the board. OBVIOUSLY he could use his wings as added balance if he wanted. OBVIOUSLY he should always be mindful of the ocean so a wave doesn’t sneak up on him.

But when he finally found his footing, balanced just right on top of the large board, none of those sarcastic comments materialized. It would have been unfair to High Tide anyway, she was only trying to help. And so, like a good student, he stayed quiet, nodded, and heeded her advice.

And then when a small wave approached, she gave him a gentle push.

“Paddle, paddle, paddle! Now pop up!” she called out.

Gallus did as he was instructed, paddling with all his might and then scrambling to his feet just as the wave caught his board. For a brief, exhilarating moment, he was riding the wave, feeling the power of the ocean beneath him. For that brief moment he felt like he was floating, riding out the ocean’s energies like a cloud.

He was so caught up in this moment, that he failed to notice when the wave ran out of power and became nothing more than still ocean water. Ocean water that could no longer keep him afloat. He came tumbling off the board shortly after, plunging into the shallow water.

High Tide laughed and clapped as he surfaced, a wide grin on her face. “That was awesome, Gallus! You’re a natural!”

Gallus smiled at the praise, but then his old self started to shine through. “Yeah, but I fell.”

“You’ll get better with practice!”

Gallus’s first instinct, as with many things that seemed difficult, was to call it stupid and give up. Something in him reasoned that he was somehow supposed to magically be good at it despite never surfing before. That something argued that if it was supposed to be fun, then why was it hard? Why oh why, that something said, would he willingly hop on the board just so he could be thrown off by the ocean?

And so, he turned back towards the ocean and waded back into position to try again.

Every wave he managed to catch went more or less the same way. He wobbled as he hopped back on his feet, but there was visible improvement each time. He started to hesitate less, balance was recovered quicker, and before too long he was popping up as naturally as ever.

Between waves, the pair had some time to just float there. For those few minutes there was a calm where the pair could just float on their boards, side by side.

High Tide glanced out toward the horizon. “You know, this is one of my favorite places to just...be. No noise, no rush. Just you and the waves. It’s a good spot to clear your head.”

Gallus looked at her thoughtfully. “Yeah, I can see that. It’s...different out here. Peaceful. A lot like flying. I feel the most at ease when I’m flying.”

“Groovy,” High Tide said, "I'm glad Bar found you. He seems happier hanging with you," she gave the griffin a smile, "and I can tell you're happier with him too!"

“Oh well,” Gallus replied, his stupid cheeks blushing, “summer wouldn’t be the same without him.” He glanced down at the water, idly trailing a claw through its surface, “I’m just glad he puts up with me. I can be a lot sometimes.”

“Yeah, well, so can he,” High Tide replied, her smile never faltering. “But that’s the point, isn’t it? You don’t just ‘put up’ with each other. You make each other better. You give him that spark, and he gives you...a place to land, maybe?”

Gallus blinked, caught off guard by the insight. He looked out at the horizon, the waves stretching endlessly before them. “I guess he does,” he said quietly, his voice almost lost to the rhythmic crashing of the surf.

“Alright, heads up, here comes another good wave. You’re doing good so far!”

By mid day, Gallus’s muscles were sore. All this paddling and balancing was exhausting work. But no matter how much he paddled back and forth, wobbled, and occasionally fell off, High Tide was there encouraging him every step of the way.

“You getting tired there, Gallus?” High Tide appeared at his side after a rather enthusiastic fumble.

“Yeah, guess I just...lost focus...” Gallus replied, shaking the sea water off his head feathers.

High Tide nodded understandably then looked out towards the shoreline. “Looks like everyone’s settling down for lunch. I don’t know about you but I’m starving!” she said, “good work out there!”

“But I didn’t even do any surfing,” Gallus said as they waded to shore, “not like...”surfing” surfing.”

“Practice makes perfect,” High Tide replied, “once you master riding white water, riding waves will be child’s play! Besides, did you have fun?”

“Yeah, I guess so,” Gallus shrugged.

“Then that’s all that matters,” the mare smiled then winked, “would have been cute to see you when you were first learning to swim though, hatchy.”

The pair carried their boards out of the water, and back to the rest of the group. Sandbar, Coral, and Beachcomber had put a pause on their beach playing and gathered near the center of the beach spot where snacks and sandwiches were being gathered and coolers were used as makeshift tables.

Gallus noticed that the sandcastle had expanded to a large castle town. Beyond what started out as a large sandy fortress surrounded by expertly carved walls, the territory of the kingdom had expanded to several feet of beach around it. A smaller perimeter wall encircled small houses made of mounds of sand topped with little seashells and loosely gridded off by roads carved into the sand. There was even what appeared to be farmland nearby, decorated with little sandy farmhouses and cattle made of driftwood.

“Gallus! We saw you out there surfing!” Sandbar exclaimed, “you were great!”

“Heh, yeah, thanks,” Gallus couldn’t help but smirk.

“He’s a natural,” High Tide added, “we’ll be having you riding double-ups in no time!”

“Who’s hungry!” Beachcomber called out, holding up sandwiches neatly wrapped in folded brown paper.

“Starved!” Gallus called out, grabbing his meal and chowing down. “By the way,” he started to ask with a mouthful of sandwich, “where did you learn how to surf, High Tide?”

“Self taught! Been surfing for years!” High Tide replied, “and don’t talk with your mouthful, sweetie.”

“It's how her and dad met. Right, dad?” Sandbar added.

“Oh yeah sure, happiest day of my life,” Beachcomber laughed, “at least once the bruising went down.”

“...Bruising?” Gallus repeated.

“I ran into him with my surfboard,” High Tide replied,

Lunch was casual and eaten at a leisurely pace as the group hid from the sun during the hottest part of the day. As they ate, they chatted and shared stories. High Tide entertained the group with some of her favorite surfing adventures along the Equestrian coast while Beachcomber had his fair share of humorous tales from the small store he ran on Main Street. Even Coral joined in with her babbling, her giggles filling the air whenever Sandbar or Gallus made a funny face at her. The whole meal went by uneventfully save for the very minor pause in the festivities when Beachcomber had to excuse himself to take Coral back to the house for a quick potty break, but returned a few minutes later with the foal giggling in his arms.

By the end of it, the group was ready to set out again. The first one to break away from the group, albeit in an unchoreographed waddle, was Coral who made her way over to the bag of toys that sat near the now empty coolers. Her big brother Sandbar joined shortly after to help the little foal pick out the most fun toy.

Gallus meanwhile flopped onto a beach towel, his limbs sprawled out as he sank into the warm embrace of the soft fabric. His muscles throbbed with the satisfying ache of a full morning spent catching waves. The shade from the umbrella above offered a welcome respite from the midday sun, and the cool ocean breeze whispered across his fur and feathers.

He watched Sandbar and Coral scamper off with their toys, their laughter blending with the rhythmic sound of the waves. The steady crash and retreat of the tide seemed to lull his tired body further into relaxation, each breath coming slower and deeper.

The world around him softened. His eyes stung with salt water and fluttered shut. He just needed to close them and rest them for a bit. His beak tilted slightly to one side as he surrendered to the quiet pull of sleep. His chest rose and fell steadily, his thoughts giving way to a pleasant haze. For the first time in what felt like hours, everything stilled, leaving only the gentle hum of the ocean and the warmth of the sand beneath him.