Comforting walked through the floor she had created, a smile worn for the world. She could hear unicorns practicing their spells, pegasi were flapping, and even the earth ponies were doing their own thing, making plants grow and change at their will. It was a nice thing to be a part of.

And then there was one elderly unicorn just perched on a small chair.

"Hello there." Comforting stopped by her, peering down with a smile. "You enjoying yourself?"

"Well, yes, of course I am." The elder mare looked around. "I get to listen to them all doing so well." She pressed her forehooves together. "And it reminds me."

Comforting looked around. "Oh, what does it remind you of?"

"My school days, of course." She smiled fondly. "My friends. My teachers, most of whom were awful. The good memories, too. Flying a kite, working on my own magic." She frowned with new thoughts. "Went so long without it, I've forgotten more than I know at this point, but seeing it come back? It's a wonderful thing. Thank you for giving us our magic back."

Comforting reached down and rubbed her hoof gently, making the unicorn look back up. "Now Now, I didn't bring magic back. I think that was Sunny and her friends. I just worked with Amber to teach it to anypony ready to try it."

The mare grinned at her. "Still, you're helping so many ponies do something new and wonderful. I don't care if you don't think you deserve praise, but I'm giving it anyway." She slid to her hooves, shaking lightly with the effort of holding herself up. "Funny thing. I can't remember what day I had just given up. I just pushed magic to the side and figured it wasn't ever going to come back." She gestured to the other unicorns practicing. "Seeing it back brings joy to this old mare's heart. I hope they don't make the same mistake I did. I put my horn away, because I thought I didn't need it."

The temptation to pluck the elder's horn from her head was there, but Comforting fought it off. "You're not alone. I bet a lot of ponies did exactly the same in their own ways. A lot of pegasi just figured they wouldn't fly again, and made the best of what they had." She raised her head, gazing around with a soft smile. "They're flying now. Every pony in here is doing what they thought was impossible. They're using their magic, they are using their wings." She wriggled her fingers. "They're even using their hooves, new magic or not."

The unicorn blinked at that. "Well, I suppose that's earth ponies for you. Always the quiet ones, and the hardest workers. Good ponies, though."

"I agree." Comforting stood up with a stretch. "Now, I should leave you be. Enjoy yourself."

The unicorn beamed at her. "Thank you for talking to me, Comforting." She paused a moment. "You know, I read a book with you in it, a long time ago." She gestured to her. "I didn't think you'd be so big. Or colorful."

Comforting giggled at the idea. "Maybe that me was a different me. I change sometimes, just for fun, and I am pretty colorful. Maybe I was feeling gloomy that time, because the book writer wasn't cheerful?"

The unicorn pondered the very idea. "The thought tickles a little. But I think it's just seeing you in person is just, hm, more than reading about you, as wonderful as the words were."

Comforting continued giggling at that. "If I'm ever written down again, I hope the writer finds me just as nice. Have fun, I'm going to see if I can't make a few more smiles."

The two shared a wave, each going their own way.

***

With a near-silent pounce, she landed atop a shard and came down to the ground looking almost surprised. "I didn't expect that to work." She looked under herself where the shard glittered impotently, caught under one of her paws. She picked it up between her claws. "There you are, a piece of my way home." With the shard between her teeth, she began to stalk towards the exit of the boardtrot.

She nearly bumped into the same unicorn that sent her sprawling previously. "Oh, it's you again."

Allura regarded the pony with narrowed eyes, speaking with the shard in her teeth, "Yes, it is." She shooed Posey away. "I'm in the middle of something."

Posey huffed at the large feline. "You and everycreature else! Really, acting like you're the only thing here that's trying to do something. I'm here to enjoy myself!" She paused. "Well, not here specifically." She shook herself. "But I'm here to have fun. You know? Fun?"

Allura nodded, already walking around the pony. "Yes, yes, very important, I'm sure."

Posey scampered in front of Allura. "You hold it right there!" She gestured at Allura's face. "Do you think you can just walk over me?" She cleared her throat. "Besides, I actually need you to do something."

The feline froze, her hackles rising with annoyance. "Ugh, what do you need me for? Do I even know you?" Not that she memorized a great many of the little ponies, but that one wasn't reminding her of anything, other than being a pain.

The pony gave her own annoyed sigh. "No, you don't know me, I don't think." She waved at Allura. "I know that you seem like a creature that could actually help a little filly, and I know the others might not." She huffed softly. "If you have a moment? Then we'll both get out of each other's manes and get on with the day."

Allura considered swatting Posey aside, but getting attention drawn towards her while she had that shard in her mouth seemed a poor idea. "What does this foal need then?"

"She's lost." Posey gestured behind Allura. "You're big enough to see over most of the boardtrot." The mare rolled her eyes. "Which I guess is just being able to see over a crowd? She's this big." She held up her hooves. "Light blue fur, blue and purple mane. Oh! Goes grey towards her hooves if that helps." Posey sighed, "I just wish I had seen where she went."

Allura blinked slowly. "I am not going to search for your missing child, I'm afraid." She stepped around the mare, but Posey got right back in her way. "You really won't let me go, will you?"

"Not until I get her back." Posey huffed. "Look, I said I'd keep an eye on her, and she vanished one moment to the next. Help me out."

"I have nothing to say for you. I have places to be, and things to do." Allura glanced off. "Things I need to finish. I cannot help you, I'm afraid." But she did see the filly, by accident really. The small pony was reaching for a candy apple, eyes looking between the sweet and the pony making more of them. The filly had no money to spend, but she wanted that apple very badly.

The mare huffed at that. "I guess I shouldn't have expected you to be different."

"Hold on." Allura made a downward gesture with a paw. "I think your little nuisance is about to start a career in petty theft." She chuckled darkly at the thought. "Wicked thing."

Posey gasped at the idea. "She wouldn't dare! She knows better than that." She stomped a hoof. "If she even thinks about it, I'll make sure she learns not too. Where is she?!"

Allura gestured. "Over there. About to make a grab for it. You can see the sweet from here."

Posey grunted with the exertion of trying to see. "I'm afraid I'm not gifted with your size, or height. Can yo—Woah!" She flailed her hooves as Allura casually picked her up and sent her flying towards the filly.

"Also, you could have mentioned they were a pegasus." Allura rolled her eyes, able to proceed without Posey in the way. "There, I did a good deed. Not like me at all."

Twitch appeared from around the corner of a building and leapt to her back.

"Ah, my little friend returns." Allura turned to look at him. "Did you enjoy your little ride with the crazy mare?"

He nodded eagerly.

"Good. I found us one of those shards, and now we are one step closer to getting home. Let's get this safely tucked away so I can find the others." She glanced at the various games going on around her. "These ponies never rest, it seems. Such energy for games."

Twitch pointed at a game that involved tossing rings on a peg.

"No, we aren't doing any of that." Allura waved at the games. "First step, get this put away." She jumped easily over a knot of ponies, coming down far closer to the exit. "Focus, Twitch. It's just a few more shards to find and then we're on our way home." Her eyes gleamed. "I'm not stopping until we're out of here, so get some good rides in today." She gestured at the teacups. "But if you go back, you're walking yourself back to the cave. My patience can only be stretched so far."

Twitch gave her a thumbs up, eager to do his own thing.

Allura rolled her eyes at her own annoyance. "Fine. If it makes you happy, I'll let you do your silly thing."

She stalked home without her rabbit friend. In her icy cave, she put the shard under a rock. "You wait patiently here, little jewel. I'll have your other friends back in no time at all. Just you wait and see."

She prowled out of the cave and returned to the boardtrot, eyes on the prizes of any number of games. "Where are they hiding?"

Her gaze fell on a ring toss game. It was the same one Twitch had pointed to. She could see ponies trying, and largely failing, to toss the rings into place. That was all pedestrian and boring, but one of the prizes caught her eye. "Oh. There you are."

She stalked over to the stall. The pony running the stall leaned over to her. "Welcome to the ring toss! For three bits, you get five rings to toss. If you get one on a peg, you can pick a prize from that row!" He gestured behind him with a grand wave of a hoof.

"Is that so?" She sank to her haunches. "What about the prizes not on a row?"

He gestured to the larger items hanging. "Those are the best, and require the most rings to win. Even then, you only get to try for one. They're very special!"

Allura's eyes followed a shard that was hanging there, used as a hairpin for a plushie. "I see." She studied the sign a moment. "Three on the center ring is it? Kitten's play. Give me the rings."

"Three bits." He put out his hoof expectantly.

Allura rolled her eyes and dug out some bits for him, trading for the rings.

"Five rings, one on the center peg wins!" The stall owner twirled in place. "You look like you have the spirit for the game, show us what you have!"

Allura stared flatly at the pony. "One moment." She bounced one ring up and down. Each time it came down, it dangled at the end of an extended claw as she got a feel for its weight and general flight. "I have to get this right."

The stall owner chuckled. "If you get it wrong, you can always pay for another game!"

Allura snorted at him, but didn't bother replying. She flicked her claw and the ring flew out, clanging against the peg before bouncing off. She snarled with the fury only a feline could muster. "Blast it. I meant to do that, just a trial run." She switched to the next ring. "I have a better grasp of it." With a clatter, that ring also missed. She flexed her claws. "Third time's the charm." She launched the ring at the peg with a swish and miss. She flicked the final two rings, both of which missed.

She threw up her paws, rearing onto her haunches a moment. "Blast it all! I will not be defeated by some pony's child game!" She slammed down a few bits. "Again!"

Time passed. The stall owner was left laughing at her efforts. "I've never seen a creature get so worked up over not getting a plushie."

Allura flicked her final ring. It clattered around the edge, nearly slipping on before falling away. She slumped miserably, drained of her bits. She felt a presence coming up on her and turned warily, just to find Twitch. "Oh, done your distractions? Come to find me trying to find those shards."

Twitch nodded rapidly.

Allura waved the bunny over. "I have an idea. I need you to help me, however. If you're willing?" She casually picked him up between her paws. "If I launch him at the peg, does that count?"

The stall keep shook his head, fighting a snicker. "Afraid it doesn't. Has to be a ring, and the bunny ain't a ring, Miss."

Twitch shook his head at Allura.

Allura gave an annoyed grunt. "Of course, you'd tell on me." She set him down before pointing at him. "We're going to talk about your attitude."

Author's Note

Allura is a fun character, fite me. She inched a little closer to her prize, and even saved a filly, technically?

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