New Moon (My Little Pony)

32 Gathering Winds (2/4)

Bud had joined her friends and family at the field, where sun rays beamed through the glass canopy, glistening the pristine grass that they set an array of blankets atop of. Principal Daffy had permitted the group to set their blankets on the side field, where it would be unlikely to intervene with the upcoming events.

Just as Hope had declared, they gathered their blankets together to cover a large space on the field, but enough to fit everypony. A sigh relief came over Bud as she dropped her stocky saddlebag onto the blanket, detaching the basket she had hooked alongside it.

"Oh Arty," Hope sang as she hoisted the cheerleading colt into the air. The colt giggled loudly at his grandmother's goofy smile. "♪Huuu—♪," Hope sang, holding her note for that wondrous cheer that overwhelmed her with pleasure. However, that grand moment never came as Artemis only gaped his mouth wide.

Hope then stopped and pursed her lips. "What's wrong, Arty? You don't want to show Nana your adoring cheer?"

"He only does that with Bud," Lazuli voiced as she joined with the group on the blankets after meditating with the workers propping the main field.

"I presume this comes from experience," Grace grinned.

"You have it out for me today, don't you?" Lazuli complained. "I'd like to see you try."

"Enough you two," Hope scolded them. "I want my daughters to get along, so no fighting."

"Daughters?" Windy raised brow.

"Just go with it," Bud voiced. Seeing them in constant antics brought a smile to Bud's face. And her joy would surely broaden when the others arrive as well. But Nebula...

Bud's daughter had been uncomfortably silent ever since they took their place on the blanket. The filly quietly sat beside her mother, eyes brooding towards the ground as if she was deep in thought. Bud had an idea of what it was.

"Lazuli," Bud voiced out, earning her friend's attention.

"Yeah," Lazuli responded, bumping her forehead to Grace's.

"We only have an hour left before the others are to arrive, right? Would you mind giving Nebula more of your flying lessons?"

"Well, I do have some time to spare. It might be a good idea to get it out of her system too before she does something stupid." Lazuli raised from the blanket and strode to Bud's side to pick up the distracted filly.

Nebula blinked wildly when she ascended from the ground, "What the—" Nebula then finally noted Lazuli's presence. "—who gave your permission to touch me!?"

Nebula then snapped her head to the side when she felt a pat on her back. It was her mother, smiling and whispering to her ear, "Try to enjoy yourself today. We can think of everything else later."

"Is this your sorry attempt to raise my morale?" Nebula questioned with a scorn. Bud only responded with a smile and rub on the filly's cheek. "Ugh, will you stop that! Fine, I'll go if it saves me from your fanatic need to coddle others."

"You're going to help her with flying?" Windy joined the conversation. "I don't mind giving a hoof, if you don't mind?"

"I don't know if that's necess—" Lazuli spoke before being interrupted.

"I think that's a wonderful idea," Bud clapped her hooves. "I'm sure Nebby will gain a lot of experience if she's taught by two aces."

"Oh, sure..." Lazuli said. "How about it, Neb? You're interested?"

"Hmph," Nebula turned her face from Lazuli and then flapped her wings to escape her grasp. She began to draw some distance as she entered into the main field.

"That's not cute!" Lazuli voiced as she gave chase to the filly.

"I thought that was," Windy said as she followed behind Lazuli.

"I just remember that I didn't get to see a smile from my little rebel," Hope voiced as she finally descended Artemis between her hindlegs. "She really likes to give me a chase."

"I don't know about that," Grace mumbled. "Her smiles are always so ominous. Lauding off the misery of others."

"I presume you speak from experience," Hope quipped.

"...I should've seen that coming," Grace sighed. Bud tried to stifle her giggle with a hoof, but Grace's vexation was evident towards her.

"I never imagined Lazuli's family to be so lively," Bow voiced. If not for his large figure, he would have been invisible to mares from his long silence. "It's actually a big relief."

"Oh no," Grace waved a hoof. "Please don't let our behavior confuse you. We're not actually related to her by blood."

"You don't need blood to be a family. Besides, I would like to think of it that way instead of Lazuli having a certain pony as her only one." Bow nodded towards Wind Rider, who was seated at the bleacher seats idly watching the field.

"Wind Rider," Hope started. "Is very picky about where he has his conversations. It's something I've tried to urge him to change that attitude of his, but the only one that can make that change is himself."

"I don't know how Windy plans to break through his mind, but I'll do everything I can to make that happen for her."

"You sound like a dashing prince," Hope chuckled. "Windy is so fortunate to have a stallion like yourself by her side."

"Thank you," Bow rubbed the back of his neck. "But Windy has mentioned that there are moments where I'm kind of overbearing. I am a bit too passionate with my encouragement after all."

"Well I think it's nice how much you would go so far for her," Bud said. "It's what helped her come here after all, right?"

"I kind of get the same vibe from you as well," Bow said.

"You do?"

"Oh yes," Hope voiced. "Do tell."

"Well, I don't think it would exaggeration to say that those two are the most ambitious mares I have ever met. And those ambitions of theirs come with a tendency to push themselves too far. I'm guessing Lazuli has done something in the light, right?"

"Mmhm," Hope confirmed with a nod.

"When ponies like them are too focused on what's ahead instead of what they have now, they don't ever think of what happens when the fall. When something like that happens, their whole world changes and they don't know how to react. They must've been so lost and hurt when it happened to them."

"I know that quite well," Bud admitted. "Back when Lazuli was still an ace, every achievement she had made was for the sake of one pony rather than herself." Bud briefly glanced at Wind before returning eyes to Bow. "But now she's put a lot more consideration into herself. And I think that makes it more meaningful."

"You're quite insightful," Bow commented. "It's good to know that my niece-in-law has a pony like you to lean on."

"Thank you," Bud stammered from the stallion's sudden compliment. "But I'm not all that special. I just try the best I can for a friend."

"Are you sure that's all there is to it?" Bow wondered.

"What do you mean?"

"It's okay Bud," Hope voiced as she played with Artemis's hooves by patty caking with them. "It'll come to you naturally. No need to rush things."

"And what does that mean?" Bud scratched her cheek, now at loss where their conversation has gone.

"Never mind," Bow anxiously smiled while waving a hoof. "It's not that important right now. For now, we should be wishing the two good luck."

"Of course," Hope concurred. "But while we're waiting, how about we have my other daughter a chance to get those magic words out of little Arty?"

Grace blinked when all eyes were set on her. Her confusion then turned to anxiety as she spoke, "Wait, you don't mean me, do you?"