"I love the idea, but." Toots tensed, rejection scenarios playing feverishly. "Keeping that much water cold enough to be ice? That'd be a big undertaking! And outside, in our weather? You like to think big!" For her declining words, Sunny sounded chipper about it all. "But! Why don't we try the next best thing?"

"N-next best?" Toots put his phone down on speaker phone. "What's the next best?"

Sunny kept on, though she did something that sounded like metal touching down on something else, "A roller skating rink! It's like ice skating, but you can do it on a nice sunny day, outside, which we have a lot of. Sunny days, I mean. Right next to the boardtrot, they could have fun rolling around and still hear the ponies having a grand time. It could be really fun!"

Toots considered, his hoof going to his chin. "Roller skates? That sounds pretty awesome, actually." He tilted his head to the side. "Can't believe I didn't think of that myself, actually."

"You had the first idea, Toots. I just tweaked it a little." Unseen, she waved it away. "Still your idea. I give you all the credit."

Toots perked up with a smile at that, his eyes looking away from the phone to bounce ideas off Comforting.

Comforting took the hint and spoke up. "So, roller rink next to the boardtrot?" She zipped in, floating over the phone. "That could be a fun addition. I bet some ponies already have skates, or skate boards."

"Skateboards are a thing? That's neat! I never thought of them." Sunny giggled at herself. "Well, I don't skateboard, so maybe that's no shock."

"I prefer skates on my hooves." She paused, doing something. A wrinkling sound? "But some ponies love a board. So long as you have rules for the road, so to speak, both kinds of ponies could have fun there!"

Toots chimed in with his two bits. "If you agree to the rink, Sunny, I'll go over it with the city. See if they're interested in putting up some bits for the project."

Comforting clapped her hands eagerly. "I love a project with two of my friends involved. A roller skate rink should be a lot simpler. What do you need besides some smooth pavement?"

"Not so fast!" Sunny laughed as a fwoosh of fire dimly came through the speakers. "A good skating place is more than flat pavement. You want some irregularities to do tricks with. Toots? I'll text you some pictures of some great parks I've seen, so you can get an idea of what you want."

Comforting bobbed her head. "I'm not the builder, but that sounds like it'd be fun. A good ramp is one of the better things to do tricks off of."

Toots smiled. "So, we're in agreement it's a good idea. I'll talk to the city about building the thing." He picked up the phone. "Thank you so much, Sunny! Hope to see you there when we open."

"Wouldn't miss it for the world, Toots! Have a great day!"

Toots returned her farewell with a similar warmth, and ended the call.

Comforting clapped her hands excitedly. "Looks like you have a project. Hm, exciting." She went in to hug Toots from above. "If you need help, you know I'm a step away, but I think you can do this all on your own, and I'll be so dang proud."

Toots blushed, rubbing his neck. "Well, uh, thanks. I appreciate the confidence."

Comforting booped his nose, getting a laugh out of the stallion. "That's just what friends are for, Toots. And we're married, so basically super friends." She shook a pom pom she didn't have a moment before. "I'll be cheering you on!"

Toots beamed and wrapped his friend up in a tight hug. "Thank you. That means a lot to me, Comforting. You've always been so nice to me."

Comforting held him close, rubbing his shoulders. "If your wife isn't nice to you, it may be time to consider your life choices, Toots." She pressed her nose to his, gazing into his eyes. "You know who to talk to?"

Toots nodded quickly. "The city hall is a quick trot. I'll get to that now. I don't want to miss them. I want this done while the weather is good!"

Comforting gave the stallion a gentle pat on his back. "Off you go then. Oh! If you're aiming for their bits, be sure they know it'll be a public space. Nopony's trying to get bits from it. That'll get their attention."

Toots nodded quickly. "It'll get lots of ponies out and about, and doing something active!" He patted his ample belly, "And I think some of us need that."

Comforting laughed at his self-depreciating tone. "I'm fairly sure most of that is your natural shape, which I happen to like. If you want to get moving, I certainly won't stop you. Shoot, we can do it together. But don't feel bad for being you."

Toots blushed and rubbed at his neck. "I know, I know. I am just teasing myself." He walked over, poking his stomach with a hoof. "But it's hard to be motivated to move, sometimes."

"Keeping up with your wife on the pavement is one motivator." She made skating motions in the air, doing a twirl at the end. "Like I said, if you want to move, I'm there with you. It's not a contest, so don't feel like you have to 'win', just have fun with ponies you happen to like."

Toots beamed. "Thanks for that. Now, I think I have to get to city hall, don't I?" He grabbed up his notes and books. "I'm going to make a case to them, and I'm not leaving until they give me an answer, one way or the other." With determination in his eyes, he marched from the house.

Comforting sighed gently. "What a stallion." She made a square gesture in the air, summoning a viewscreen to watch him go across town. "What luck, my favorite show is on."

***

Allura paused in her approach of the boardtrot. "What is this?"

Twitch had no idea, and was happy to express as much, shrugging expressively.

Allura leveled a paw at the construction happening near the boardtrot. "Are they expanding it? Isn't the boardtrot large enough?"

Twitch bounced down and rapidly over to a sign. He pointed at it, calling to Allura.

She considered it with a hum. "A skate park? Ponies, I don't understand them."

"It'll be fun." A griffon landed near her. "I've seen ponies skating around. I'd love to try it myself."

Allura blinked in surprise at the sudden presence of the gruff older griffon. "Oh, hello. Who are you?" She gestured at him with a claw, "You look familiar."

"Don't think I've seen you before. I'd remember a huge, oh wait! You were mixed up in that little spat with the cats, right? Huh, guess the ponies let that slide. They are nice things, ain't they?" He rubbed over his beak with thought. "But, yeah, I wanna try this place out when they open."

Allura stared at him. "Fancy yourself an athletic thing, then?" She waved her paw about. "The boardtrot, it does draw the athletic sorts. I suppose you'll find it fun." She snorted softly. "More active than that teacup ride you like too much, Twitch."

Twitch stuck out his tongue, the raspberry he blew not having any language barriers.

The gruff griffon gave a booming laugh at that. "I remember you. You like that teacup ride, huh?"

Twitch nodded vigorously.

Allura rolled her eyes. "He's such a child sometimes." She gently picked up Twitch and put him on her back. "Why I have to keep an eye on him."

The griffon shrugged. "Nothing wrong with liking childish things. I remember being young like yesterday, it feels like." He gave a sigh, "Then my back reminds me it wasn't, in fact, yesterday."

Allura snuffed at the griffon. "Changing the subject, what are you, exactly? Lately, I've been seeing a lot of you, whatever you are."

"We're griffons. Not from around here, obviously. We're just visiting. Going home soon, in fact." He gave a wave to a trio of griffons he knew well. "But we like visiting. It's a nice place, the ponies have. Full of stuff we don't have. Not a crime, last I checked."

Allura nodded along. "No, it's no crime. Yet. But you all are such odd things. I can't figure you all out." She tapped at her chin. "I'd like to learn more, I suppose." She pointed at his face. "Bird." She lowered that paw. "Feline." She lashed her own feline tail. "An interesting mix."

He laughed at that, a cackle a bird could give. "And you're a bird cat yourself, unless you think cats normally have wings. Not the ones I've seen. Fine by me. Wings are nice to have."

Allura fluttered her wings at that, landing next to him to peer up. "They certainly are. What are you called?"

"Name's Gus, if it matters." The griffon gestured to the construction. "Anyhow, if you'll excuse me, I want to see them build this. Might take notes for the trip back."

"Enjoy yourself." Allura shook her head and smoothly returned on her path towards the boardtrot. "Are you going to want to visit that, Twitch?"

Twitch jumped up and down, nodding energetically.

"Of course you will. Well, I'll humor you once, if we haven't already found those blasted shards by then." She pressed into the boardtrot proper, full of ponies laughing and playing. "For now, focus on those shards. I'll let you have a try at the teacup on our way out."

Twitch cheered at the idea of later rides.

"But that's later." She stalked over and past the ponies with a low growl. Most just stayed out of her way, and none dared to try and stop her. As if they'd have much of a chance. "Now where are they hiding?"

A glint caught her eye. There was one of them, hovering and sparkling with whatever strange magic ponies were using them for. "There you are." She hunched low, shaking her back a moment before launching up at it, claws extended in her predatory pounce.

"Woah!" Izzy bumped into her, which was surprising for both of them. "Wow, I did not expect to run into you on the way down."

Allura wiped her face clear of the pony in it, sending Izzy to the ground. "Why exactly were you plummeting from the sky, pony?"

Izzy grinned at her. "I was testing a new spell I learned. Something Misty showed me, actually." She bounced lightly in place. "It took so much begging for her to open up and show me one! It's like they don't trust me or something. I happen to be very responsible with my magic."

Allura considered the bouncing pony before her. "You do realize you're currently acting like an excitable child, yes?"

Izzy smiled at that. "I know, and it's amazing!" She clapped her hooves together. "Well, that's why I was in the sky. Why were you? I don't see you flying around very often. Was sure not expecting a kitty along the way, not that I mind."

Allura coughed into her paw, looking away. "Well, I don't know why I was in the sky. Just felt like it, I suppose." With her true intentions covered, she hoped, she turned away from the shard. "Say, since you're here, perhaps you could tell me something."

Izzy tilted her head curiously. "What's that?"

"Why is this place so popular?" Allura gestured widely to everything around her. "What's so special about this place?"

"Oh, that's easy!" Izzy sat so she could wave around easily. "It's got yummy food you can eat while you move. It's got tons of games and rides. You can get wet, or stay dry. It's full of fun!"

Twitch eagerly nodded.

"Yes, well." Allura looked around, unimpressed. "Not my sort of entertainment." She flicked her paw dismissively. "Though there is that teacup ride."

"Tea cups?" Izzy turned, rising to her hooves as she did it. "Oh, that one! You know, I never actually tried that one. But, now I want to. Want to join me?"

Allura gazed at her flatly. "I am larger than any of those teacups. I think I'll pass. Twitch?"

She didn't need to have asked, Twitch already rushing to join Izzy. "Figures. Bring him back after you have a go."

Izzy laughed brightly. "Oh, I will. Promise."

Allura watched them go.

Twitch chattered away, pointing to himself and waving his arms.

"Oh, you've ridden it a lot? You can show me how it's done then, little rabbit dude!" Izzy joined the line of others waiting their turn.

Author's Note

Good thing I like kitties, so having Allura around is fine by me.

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