Author's Note

Hello there and welcome back to yet another chapter of my fanfic that goes beyond the typical oneshots made from before which I've given you since inception; suffice to say, the past chapter from before were by far a strong note for you all only to serve as a taste of what's to come later on.

As usual, My Little Pony, or rather Friendship Is Magic, including its settings and characters belong to Lauren Faust and Hasbro except for three: Velvet's from ShiiKra, Ocean Breeze's from Savygriffs, and Rory himself; however, this concept of my fanfic still belongs to me so I will say this one time only – please do not steal this story or I will sue.

Lastly, let me also say that I hope you can stomach this chapter now more than the others before it and still have the strength to continue onward in staying tuned though the passing times since this was a pain to finish, if at all; thankfully this should serve as a salve so I apologize for wasting so much time.

Pounds

A sky full of silver linings were soon etched about, swirling over the earth in its broken patterns as patches of some blue were breaking dawn without a care. A flock of birds in various sizes and shades soon soared so serenely, not even gravity dared to pull any of them down towards the solid plane of existence. A small civilization was beginning to carry on with its own lives and times, living and breathing around their happy little abodes topped off with so much hay. All the pedestrians were being greeted with an abundance of some calm gentle breezes currently surfing across from the grassy knolls and to parts unknown. Aside from the town itself were a nearby forestry with a road as its guide and smoky mountains raging with growth and erosion from the trying times therein. As far as any lifeform was concerned, the smells of moistures were more than enough to provide a sigh of relief and reprieve, courtesy of the brilliant green.

Speaking of which, there were at least a trio of thin females, all currently taking residence at an otherwise enormous lake whom happened to be alike in fair dignity at a passerby’s initial glance. All of the bystanders had their very commonalities pronounced by their bright integuments and many curvatures up on display as their eyes shimmered and shined thanks to the sunlight above. Currently, it’d have been more than enough to safely say their presence alone would clearly raise no eyebrows whatsoever, especially since they were all by themselves across the viridian space.

In any case, there were some significant differences between the threesome some casual observer would’ve taken note of, separating them all from each other. For starters, one of them was mostly tanned with clear skin whilst the other two were brighter by comparison; additionally, the remainders were dotted along. Secondment, all of the females had flowing hair in two different shades: the tanned lounger had cornflowers; the brighter one, violet; the brightest, a redhead. Third of all, their eyes were also different from each other: the darker one possessed amethysts; the middlemost one had chocolates; the lighter one, magenta. Fourthly were the troika’s attire: the tanned lounger, white dress with pink accents; the freckled intermediate, a red ensemble; the bright redhead, gray frock. Last, but not least, bags were found nearby: the dark female had a yellow purse; the middlemost lounger, a silver satchel; the light one, an opalescent kit bag.

They’d all made up minds about what to do with the daylight above themselves, an upward clash betwixt the silver and sapphire; after all, the picaresque placement made sure a scenario for all to enjoy the passing seconds as they were since their very dawn: the only thing that was shared amongst each other were a basket in the midst of a large checkered mat made with blue and jade. As far as the trio were concerned, there was nobody and nothing else that could move them all away from their collective area; besides, the scant amounts of debris and crumbs were proof of the time well spent as plates and napkins had also joined up here: their past performance was as plain as the present moment alone, serving as prelude to the rather uncertain futures near and far. Needless to say, all the females were the shiny happy people as of yet, common as the air being inhaled and exhaled altogether; the water nearby themselves tried its hardest to replicate that mobile scene, in spite of the fluid angling and finite space therein: the solid earth had served to overwhelm the compound at once but failed to impede their respirations above all the very same.

“So Silverstream, how was the food: pleased to find it was to your liking…?” one of the trio asked, a pleasant coloratura escaping from the bright redhead.

The titular target, none other than the tanned lounger herself, had replied ever so freely in the opposite octaves of giddiness, “sweet but not as sweet as you, Velvet…”

“It’s amazing that there exist such fruits and the plentiful way to make them into other kinds of food after all these years, gals…” their middlemost peer told them both, a balance of power and speed between themselves while biting into one of the cupcakes, “the only thing that was difficult to obtain were the apples themselves; ironically, Appleloosa’s batch is more costly…”

“They’d said it was because their family had fallen on hard times since the war; even Barnyard Bargains has been struggling to find a supplier after the end of it all: they’d even been selling their assets over the years to stay afloat, including the ones at Peachtree as far as I remember…” Velvet said somberly as she’d stared at the couple of remainders.

Their collective friend took a deep breath and let out a deep sigh in turn before reaching for one, “I like the ones with the apples on top out of others: it makes all the difference in the world of cooking, especially as far as desserts are considered; the clash of textures between them bring out the same sweet flavor.”

“Don’t get too attached to the apples, Streamy; I’d heard since Sweet Apple Acres had changed, prices had gone up slightly…” the freckled intermediate had said to Silverstream after watching the latter sink some teeth into the cupcake slowly but surely already, “they’d turned it into a resting place for the people whom were taken by the war, especially for much of their family.”

“I’m sorry to hear that… I didn’t consider that connection so to speak of; it’s been a long time since we’d all left Seaquestria and it’s hard to stay up to date here and there…” the tanned lounger gasped, hesitating to finish the foodstuff off despite being ever so close to absolute oblivion.

It didn't take much at all for Velvet to intercede on their shared friend's behalf so to speak of, "well don’t get too attached to it: Equestria gets really cold during the winter and we haven’t been much used to the weather at large; even now, it hasn’t been a few months since Hearts and Hooves Day yet it’s still getting slightly cold at nighttime."

“The locals say it’s because of the windigos, spirits feeding off of the hatred and evil of others, or so we’d been told not long ago…” their middlemost peer replied as the clouds grew more numerous and darker above themselves, catching the listeners off–guard, “they were the reason Equestria became the land it is today and even then, they still have their troubles here and there.”

Soon enough, a soft plop had soon bounced up against the blades of grass making up the brilliant green underneath the threesome already, subsiding all throughout the otherwise solid earth before being absorbed into the folds without any sort of opposition whatsoever so to speak of. It didn’t even take long for more drops of the same texture to find their own way upon the surface area and the females within it as reinforcements, supersaturating them all instantaneously as the terrain became drenched in the process alongside the fabric and the refuse worn and used.

Nothing stopped any of them from scurrying to their bare feet as they’d all taken a stand, one of whom bothered to pull out a similar and more translucent bag from her silver satchel before going to gather up the otherwise clean trash around themselves with but lightning speed no less.

As the threesome all scurried away from the once dry field with the cloth and bags in tow, it was now time for them to seek shelter onward to the next destination just as the skies became darker. All winds around the females gained enough force to sway all the foliage around in spite of the silent voices they’d made as all of them were pushed and steered further from their past location. At that same passing moment in time overall, the birds and bees which had synchronized with one another also fled to safety from the gathering storm currently taking place above and around. After a few minutes had passed, kiloliters of water had increased in density as they’d fallen from the monochromatic heavens and onto the colored earth alongside its inhabitants, them included. Airstreams once fresh with both levity and crispiness were now lacerated by the heavy downpour already drenching everything and everyone caught in their collective path even without wounds.

Out of the three runners still soaking about, the bright redhead exclaimed, “Ocean Breeze, how much further are we to Ponyville…?”

“Not too far: we just need to be traveling further south from Saddle Lake, at least that's what the map had said anyway, Velvet…” their eponymous friend answered, gripping both bags tightly even as the wind had picked up some speed soon enough no less, “any other day and we would have been able to enjoy the rain all the same, with or without all of these clothes on our back.”

“Too bad we're all far away from a nude beach anyway, let alone a hot spring: most of Western Equestria has plenty more of them than the beaches themselves compared to the Eastern side; even Losadey has a few and it’s nearby Luna Bay of all places…” Silverstream had simply sighed softly as their skin and the fabrics protecting them became rather heavy with moisture.

Despite their running start, the weight of the world they were in had increased all due to their collective supersaturation no less. Nevertheless, the middlemost pedestrian held firm and maintained her lead right over the rest of her own few friends in attendance. As far as they were concerned, it was only a matter of time until some new sounds were to enter their ears swiftly as well as deeply.

The pitter–patter of precipitation had currently became more intense even as they’d all picked up the pace in turn so to speak of: Velvet was most persistent, not only due to her attempts to catch up with Ocean Breeze, but also due to keep themselves mobile; in the meantime, the former of the trio had asked the latter, “do you suppose that he wouldn’t mind that we all returned early?”

“Why wouldn’t he…?” the middlemost pedestrian answered whilst still in the lead, too focused to turn her gaze upon either friend abaft, “anyone else caught in the rain wouldn’t mind taking shelter at home no matter the intensity; after all, they’re nothing like our kind back at home: we don’t just live off the sea but also under it too…”

“I miss home, not just Seaquestria alone but also our real home too; I’d wanted to have some adventures beyond it: travel the world and the seven seas…” the tanned traveler talked tersely as the moist sky fell above herself and the other two compeers, now showing signs of slowing down despite running around.

The bright redhead stopped in place to face Silverstream and reply, “it’s not like you’re the only one; besides, your cousin’s friends were also commenting on it too: Haven Bay and Salina Blue wanted to see the surface world as well as the next individual, let alone from Seaquestria like all of us especially. As far as the grownups were concerned, Princess Luna wanted to make an effort in reaching out to your folks on her sister's behalf: they'd agreed to letting a few of their subjects take refuge in Equestria and help them rebuild some of their homes in exchange; I'd believed it was the same deal they'd offered to their other allies ever since the war had ended years ago. Nevertheless, your parents were reluctant in letting you go there since you, your brother, Terramar, and so many of your cousins including Skystar herself are royalty: some of them are even younger than him and he’s already going to be getting his secondary education soon enough as far as his tutors are concerned.”

“Only because my aunty’s hedging her bets: it’s clear she’s not even the only one talking about renewing ties with the Princesses…” the tanned traveler told Velvet as the heavy deluge above themselves had still raged onward rather tranquilly in the meantime, "she's been having some conversation with another royal figure: according to Princess Celestia, he's from some forest. At the very least, their king has been reluctant having others trying to expand into their home in the Everfree Forest lately no less: the only thing I'd recalled them saying was that compared to White Tail Woods, their home had taken up less time to regrow then; apparently, one of the kids in the forest was rumored to have been also in the woods the following several days afterwards. King Aspen still is holding a grudge about the events that had unfolded prior as far as I’d recalled my cousin writing back: his son Bramble had been having nightmares as to what he’d seen ever since that fateful day and frankly, it’d have been no better; come to think of it, what if he’d encountered that boy before the whole thing and he’s now walking among us just like me? Likewise, what if it’d happened to us instead, dare I even say it, someone comes by and attacks us in this manner for no reason: I remember when my parents had avoided talking about the details around me and my brother so they wouldn’t have us worrying; still, would it be any different, especially considering this was the reason why I’d came to Equestria of all places? Even the thought of it was more than enough to leave my skin crawling, all the more reason not to even think about it so to speak; besides, it’s all in the past and I didn’t see either of it happening anyway, but I’m not going to go ahead and forget about them both: if anything, I’m just glad it’s over as is along with the war too, scary enough as is with all the nastiness entailed. You two are the closest to me in our circle of friends a princess could’ve ever wanted and nothing could ever change it: even in this world gone mad, I can’t fathom living without either of you of all gals to distract me from the fact I’m her cousin; none of you had an idea what it was like to be related to a ruler by blood alone before that day, something my cousin can relate to.”

“You don’t need to remind us of that, Silverstream: you’re just scared like us and that’s okay to feel this way; let’s just find us all some shelter from the rainstorm already…” the bright redhead intoned while wiping away the water gathering around the aforementioned compeer’s face gently before turning back around to face the town like so.

It didn’t take much for the tanned traveler to go back ahead and move in the same direction as both Velvet and Ocean Breeze were walking in while saying softly, “yeah, great idea: to be honest, I’ve not been this scared of the rain since my first spring in Equestria long ago; at this rate, we don’t want to keep our friends waiting…”

“You’re not the only one who has friends waiting for us: a bunch of boys are going to be here as well looking forward to us here…” the middlemost leader interceded while still in the forefront, low and husky yet still affable as Silverstream’s giggle from prior, “besides, the sun will be going down soon enough and then the party will begin; this picnic was a time waster to distract us all.”

“Indeed…” the tanned traveler tersely thrummed.

The sauntering movement the trio of females had engaged in not long ago now paid off as their eyes found shared viewpoints entering a neighborhood. They’d seen a number of people currently decreasing in density while walking upon the dirt road between themselves as their feet became caked about. Though there were more eyes belonging to scant passersby here and there, none of them were interested in the particular threesome entering the area. To put it simply, the only commonality shared amongst both the locals and visitors alike is the need for shelter from the elements delivered by storm.

It wasn’t long until a spiral building had entered their lines of eyesight, stuck in the middle of it all with the land and water adjacent to them as its sweet blue flag fluttered against the wind above the brown tile. To say another had resembled a certain food from the not too distant past was an understatement: its frosted chocolate roofing topped off with its towering cupola had bore the familiar shape which reminded them. Unlike the cupcakes the trio of females had been eating, the residential purpose alone was at the forefront directly; as a matter of fact, two objects stood onto the rooftop’s ends: a purple chimney and a straw nest too. Some sturdy walls where its windows had remained adorned had been all clothed in a uniform species of star platinum accented by the wood and glass plastered in many different shades of pink imaginably wet. Holding things together were two stripey pillars colored in a pattern of pink and white as they were standing nearby a purple egress with a small stairwell sharing the very same color with a garden and mailbox.

As appealing it was to its observers, the past consumers already turned their orbs onto another building on the very opposite side: it was much smaller in size with roofing composed of hard tiles of silver chariot as all the walls were matching due to the concrete; though different to a fault, the one indicator as to how apart it was happened to be a wooden sign hung over the door.

Standing underneath was a tall, brighter man with a high yellow umbrella in his grip, already out into the spacious atmosphere the three females were still in. Like them, his hair was long but it was kept in a magician’s red bind, brown as Ocean Breeze’s eyes; in addition, he’d possessed a tiny yet trimmed goatee. Another commonality, this time regarding only the middlemost pedestrian’s friends, shared was the man’s eyes, balanced by cerulean but otherwise friendly. In regards to his attire, he was more elaborate: a monochromatic jacket, belt, and sneaker combo, white shirt with mismatched technicolor letters, and blue jeans.

As soon as the trio were all within range, the brighter man had made eye contact with themselves instantaneously, brimming with confidence as he’d started off with a greeting, “‘ello gals, lovely weather we’d been ‘aving lately: shame ‘bout the rain that ‘appened not long ago; anyways, ‘ow was the picnic y’all were ‘aving…?”

“Hi, Rory…!” Silverstream spoke soundfully as she’d soon sauntered over to his side in so little time for the rest of her compeers to see, “you’re off from work already: I’d thought that the arcade was going to be up and running for at least until sundown as far as I’d remembered earlier ago; what happened…?”

“It’s still running; I’m just taking some time off early right now so we can catch up with the party tonight: all of our friends are going to be there…” articulated the titular attendant while starting to hold his objective frame over the tanned traveler immediately, the latter stealing away a kiss and glance from the former immediately.

The brighter man wasted no time returning the favor as Silverstream snickered, “I know, right…? A whole bunch of people are gonna be showing up from here and not just my friends and I: there’s going to be lots of invitees from Griffonstone of all places; I wonder if any of them have gone and visited Ponyville before in their lives…”

“I’m pretty sure they ‘ave; I know for a fact they’re looking to see us there too: Smudge Proof and Silver Wing did invite them…” he’d answered instantaneously while walking the tanned traveler back over to her friends still out in the collective pathway of the rain, “tonight’s party is going to be more than a great piece of crumpet if I do say so myself; wouldn’t you agree…?”

“Who wouldn’t…?” Silverstream chirped as Rory had joined her small company of friends in a matter of seconds so to speak of.

It didn’t take much for the quartet to be completely shielded from the rain as the brighter man asked the females present and accounted for, “so, you wanna wait for the rain to stop at the Sugarcube Corner? That can ‘elp us pass the time until the party starts; after all, we got plenty of it to think over what to do until the evening begins: besides, those two will have it ready by then.”

“Only if they can handle us bringing in the cupcakes we’d bought earlier ago; I still have some more left over if you want any…” the bright redhead had interceded steadily as they’d all taken aim at the colorful structure abaft themselves from not too long ago, “we haven’t been able to finish since the rainstorm had begun…”

“Of course he’s gonna want some: the Sugarcube Corner makes great cupcakes; there’s even going to be more of them at the party anyway, all for anyone who’s going to show up tonight…!” the tanned traveler tweeted while walking towards the doorway soon enough, further away from the other building he’d recently exited at once.

Irregardless of whatever was to be said about the whole thing, not even the pouring rain and driving winds could deter either Silverstream, Velvet, Ocean Breeze, or Rory as far as they were all concerned, thanks to keeping each other company just as soon as they were brought altogether so to speak of in the now.