Chapter 0 - Seeds of Hope

Chapter 0

Seeds of Hope

"Sow change, harvest joy..."

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If you head toward the second star on your right and fly straight on till morning, you'll come to Breezie Hollow, a magical land where seaponies play and foals never grow up. When you arrive, you might hear something like the tinkling of little bells, follow that sound and you'll find the great Breezie Dust Tree, the heart of Breezie Hollow and the source of all the magic that moves this little world.

The Breezies of Breezie Hollow all work together in order to bring the four seasons to the outside world with their harmonious magic and delicate touch. These whimsical and petite creatures, no larger than a butterfly, possess the unique ability to harness the essence of each season and transport it beyond their enchanted haven, combining their many different talents in order to create the most beautiful of landscapes.

As spring awakens, the Garden Breezies care for the flowers, infusing them with the rejuvenating energy of growth and renewal. The Water Breezies gather dewdrops and, with the help of the gentle flutters of the Gust Breezies, sprinkle this essence across fields and forest, coaxing buds to bloom and motivating nature to burst forth in vibrant colors.

When summer arrives, the Light Breezies dance through sunbeams, capturing the warmth and radiance that only this season can bring, while the Cloud Breezies make sure the skies are nice and clean. With each twirl and whirl, the Heat Breezies carry burning essences to distant lands, where it warms the earth and fills the air with a sense of joy and vitality.

As autumn leaves begin to fall, the Wind Breezies traverse mountains and valleys with their graceful flight, releasing these autumnal hues and creating landscapes that capture the beauty of change and transition. Meanwhile, the Storm and Thunder Breezies work together to release all the rain that has accumulated during summer, making sure the land is never too dry.

When winter spreads its icy embrace, the Polar Wind Breezies embrace the chill, capturing the frosty breath of the season. The Ice and Snowflake Breezies carry their frost-kissed essence to far-off places, where it blankets the world in a soft shimmering white, turning landscapes into a winter wonderland and evoking feelings of tranquility and reflection, all of this while the Frosting Breezies cover the plants with a thin layer of frost, protecting them from the harsh temperatures.

And not every Breezie has to leave Breezie Hollow in order to do their jobs, many of them have special talents that let them perform all kinds of stuff around these magical lands, like cooking, nursing, cleaning the skies, and even taking care of all sorts of animals!

Guided by their deep connection to nature, the Breezies work tirelessly to maintain the delicate balance that brings harmony to the world. Through their unwavering dedication, they remind all who encounter their magic of the cyclical beauty of life and the interconnectedness of all living things, and this is all thanks to their amazing talents...have I mentioned that ALL Breezies have their own special talent that makes them an important part of the Breezie society?

Oh...well, that is, until...

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"My team will check around Lily Meadows!"

"Alright...Gusty and I will cover west of Daisy Orchard."

"Oh my, we can't forget to look behind the mushroom patches this time..."

Many different voices could be heard coming from all around the breezies' gathering spot, their tiny wings fluttering in excitement. They were all sitting in a little cafe located inside of a giant lavender tree, small lights were hanging from the ceiling, illuminating the place. The air was filled with a sense of anticipation as the little creatures discussed their plans.

"Wait, i thought Daybloom's team was going to Lily Meadows..."

"Gusty? But Gusty said she was going to help me!"

"...Um...w-where are the mushroom patches again?"

They certainly didn't look like the most organized of folks. The gathering of breezies continued to buzz with energy as they laid out their "meticulous" search plans when, suddenly, a voice caught their attention.

"Tsk tsk...you're all hopeless...I'll let you know that we have less than FIVE MINUTES before The Search begins!"

The one who spoke was the epitome of elegance and refinement, a Breezie whose grace was as captivating as the petals of a delicate rose. She arrived at the cafe, gliding with an air of sophistication that set her apart from the ordinary, a vision of haute couture wrapped in a resplendent red dress that mirrors the beauty of the most exquisite bloom. With every flutter of her dainty wings, she left an indelible impression of opulence and charm, the very embodiment of snobbish chic. No one dared to confront her, so she continued her rant.

"Ugh, I hope we get a Spring Breezie this time...you know how hard it is to take care of ALL those flowers with such a miniscule team?"

"Aw c'mon Petunia...the Garden Breezies are, like...the biggest team in all of Spring Valley...y'know?...It won't be the end of the world..."

No one except this guy. Millpond was his name...not nearly as fashionable as Petunia (that's pretty impossible to accomplish), but was pretty charming in his on way. His grayish blue coat and moldy green mane created a lot of contrast with her pretty purples and magentas. Petunia sighed as she delicately sipped some nectar tea, her wings quivering with frustration.

"Yes Mill, I'm aware of their grandeur, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. All those petals, all that fuss... it's simply exhausting. And don't even get me started on the pollination process!"

Millpond couldn't help but chuckle at Petunia's exasperation.

"Well...we can't really choose which type of Breezie we get every year, that's for destiny to decide...all we can do is search...i'm telling you, you just gotta relaaax girl..."

"Hmph...I guess you're right..." Petunia conceded with a reluctant nod, her perfectly coiffed mane shimmering like spun gold in the gentle glow of the cafe's lights. "But if those Autumn Breezies find the seed again, I'm going to FAINT."

Every single Breezie in that room seemed to resonate with that, as the Spring Breezies didn't really get along with the Autumn Breezies...actually, they didn't get along with any other season.

"I know right!?" One of the Garden Breezies, Tulip Tips, felt the urge to agree. "I swear they get a new Breezie every other festival! That's so unfair, what do they have that we don't?"

"Um...organization skills?..."

Somebreezie said on the back of the café, the room immediately fell silent after her comment.

"...T-They're still dumb tho."

They instantly went back to their usual cheerful selfs after hearing the complete sentence, happily agreeing.

"AHEM! Maybe a little bit of focus could help." Petunia seemed annoyed by the search team's low attention span. "Maybe that's why the Autumn Breezies always find the seed! I hope none of you were slacking during the Festival Search..."

"O-Of course not, Petunia! We always give it our all during the search, it's just that..." Tulip responded, a little bit intimidated. "W-We can't really choose where the seed will appear..."

"UGH! You and your excuses..."

"B-But that's a fact-"

"Anyway, the sun's about to rise, you better be ready! Come on, get to your positions everybreezie!"

She fluttered away, leaving the search team with a sense of urgency. They quickly scattered to their designated spots, their determination outweighing the earlier frustration.

"...Sigh...Petunia may be a little...VERY bossy, but she's right..." Tulip Tips went after Petunia as the other Garden Breezies followed her. As the first rays of the morning sun began to paint the sky in hues of orange and pink, her voice rang out once more. "Remember everybreezie, we may not control where the seed appears, but we do control our effort and teamwork. Let's make this year's Festival Search our best one yet!"

With renewed motivation, the team started their meticulous search through the garden, their spirits lifted by the beauty of the sunrise and the prospect of finding the precious seed.

"I'm sure that, this time, The Search will be a..."

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"A DISASTER!" Petunia's voice rang out from across the garden, filled with frustration and disappointment. "This is absolutely terrible! Are you sure you searched all of it?!"

"Oh, I'm really sorry Petunia, but we looked around every single lake and every single river...we even checked the ponds! And no sign of the seed whatsoever..." Despite the obvious concern, the Breezie who hovered in front of Petunia spoke with a very calming voice. With her tranquil demeanor and serene beauty, her presence alone was enough to soothe a Breezie's heart...but it didn't really seem to affect Petunia, who was in the process of freaking out. "And you know how much us Water Breezies value hard work and focus!"

Petunia froze for a moment, then quickly switched her attention to the other Water Breezies who were all taking a nap at the lakeshore below her.

"Dewdrop, dear, I don't think I would call you all...focused." She tried to regain her composure. "Oh, sweet Robin...we didn't find anything around the gardens, the Gust Breezies searched the entire valley and found nothing, we even asked the General Work Breezies to help us! And now you're telling me that the Water Breezies failed as well?! M-Maybe it's underwater and you forgot to check INSIDE the lake!"

"I don't think so, I asked the little fishies if they could help us search, and as far as I know, they didn't find anything..."

"OH, SUCH A TALE OF WOE!" Dewdrop had to quickly hold Petunia before she fainted. "Twelve festivals Dew...TWELVE FESTIVALS! How much longer before we just...just...RUN OUT OF BREEZIES?!"

"Oh I don't think that's gonna happen, we have a lot of Spring Bree-"

"And I bet those Autumn Breezies are going to find the seed again! Argh, those smug little fast-flyers...they get on my nerves!"

Petunia put her hooves in front of her as if she was holding another Breezie's neck. Dewdrop, however, seemed a tad bit uncomfortable with the comment, trying her best to ignore it.

"Ah...well...t-there's no need to be sad...see? No one raised the flag yet, so the seed is still out there!" She tried her best to calm her friend down. She put one of her hooves in front of Petunia, levitating a little tear that had just trickled down Petunia's cheek, gently wiping it away. "I'm sure we can still find it if we just try a little bit harder...we've faced many challenges before! Remember when that hawk showed up all of a sudden and we had to ask Hazel for help? Oh, and what about that time where a crazy fairy almost destroyed the entire place and we had to redo the spring preparations in only three days? And what about that time Millpond fell on that pond! Wait...that happens everyday..."

"You are right Dew! We can still find the seed and beat those fools!" Apparently, Petunia stopped listening after 'can still find it', not really getting the lesson at all. "I wish the other Water Breezies were as determined and competitive as you! We have, like, THE SAME MINDSET!"

"...Huh?" Dewdrop was wondering whether or not Millpond had fallen into a pond today, so she didn't pay much attention either. "Oh, uh...yeah!"

Petunia gave Dewdrop a big hug before flying away, hoping to catch up with the rest of the Search Team in order to give them one of her brand new 'motivational speeches'.

"...Phew, thank Robin it wasn't a question..." Dew looked around to see if anyone else was around (save for the sleeping Water Breezies of course). "Yawn...a little nap would be pretty swell right now..."

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Have you ever thought about why things happen?

Why does it rain? Why does a flower bloom? Why does the sun always come up in the morning? Have you ever asked yourself those questions? More often than not, your answer will be 'yes'...at least once in our lives, we've questioned things.

The Ponies from outside of Breezie Hollow, as expected, are no different. They are creatures who often either overthink or underthink, but rarely find a middle ground. They come up with the most creative answers too.

'Condensation and precipitation in the water cycle', 'photoperiodism, hormonal changes, and genetic factors', 'axial rotation', lots and lots of fancy words that would probably make a lot of sense in another world, but not this one of course. They try to come up with excuses in order to distract you from the destruction they cause, very arrogant creatures, if you ask me...

The Breezies however, know the truth of it, they're the ones who make everything happen after all. They don't question things, they just do as they are asked, and they care little about the ins and outs of the things they do. A long time ago, when a Blue Robin found Breezie Hollow, the little creatures were intrigued. They always existed of course, but they were much different from what they are now, they cared little about the outside world, they just stayed in their little safe haven all day, every day. The Robin, however, brought magic, and not just any magic, it was different from everything they had ever seen, it was like they could feel nature itself inside that mystical creature. In fact, her magic was so potent that, when she finally decided to lay down and rest her wing, the very tree she sat upon ended up becoming the Breezie Dust Tree.

The Robin wanted to move away from the world of Ponies...they had become cold and unkind, deciding to abandon Mother Nature in order to pursue other painfully trivial goals, ignoring any possible consequences that could've come with that, and with nature itself crumbling, so did the lands, the skies, the oceans...the seasons. But what The Robin discovered was a way to fix things, to bring back beauty to those lands...so she sprinkled her magic all around Breezie Hollow, bestowing upon those whimsical creatures the power to change the world, and in turn, they kindly agreed to bring the four seasons back to the Ponylands.

From this day on, every single Breezie is born with a connection to one of the four seasons, and eventually comes to unravel a powerful special talent. And ever since then, they work together in order to bring all four seasons to the Ponylands with the power of harmony and friendship!

Oh, who am I kidding, we all saw what happened before...

The Robin wanted them to bring back joy, beauty...but the Breezies...they just bring the seasons. After all, they don't care about the ins and outs, they just do what they're told, and they're fine with the way things are. They don't care about interacting with anyone other then their own seasonal Breezies, they still don't care about the outside world, they don't even care about the Ponies at all.

Very arrogant creatures, if you ask me...

Perhaps the Ponies and the Breezies aren't really that different.

Perhaps that's why they never ever saw the Blue Robin again.

But why am I telling you all of this? Am I some sort of Breezie hater perhaps? Not at all, I adore them, and I'm also a fierce believer of forgiveness and reconciliation, we just needed some context for this tale, that's all. And what's more than obvious now is that...there needs to be a change.

Things change, that's for sure, but how do they change? Again with the questions...maybe the Breezies just needed something to get them out of their comfort zone. Or...maybe...someone?

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Chapter 1 - Make it Blossom

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Chapter 1

Make it Blossom

"Where flowers bloom, so does hope..."

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If you head toward the second star on your right and fly straight on till morn- wait a second, I already told you that! Hmm, let's see...how about this:

In the heart of Breezie Hollow, a momentous event was about to unfold (or rather, it wasn't). At this not very extraordinary moment, representatives from Spring, Summer and Autumn had gathered beneath the leafy canopy of the mythical Breezie Dust Tree, and amidst them stood a familiar face: Petunia, the Garden Breezie...having another one of her mental breakdowns.

"You're telling me that NOBREEZIE found the seed?! HOW?!"

Another Breezie stood in front of her, clad in a meticulously tailored, deep cerulean and silver uniform, with a chest adorned by a resplendent set of medals. A specially crafted flight helmet sat proudly atop her head, concealing her mane, but leaving room for their regal antennae to protrude. That was Sky Striker, Head of the Autumn Breezies.

"My search squad investigated the entirety of Autumn Grove, but there was no sign of the seed" Her tone was deadpan, she kept staring at Petunia with an emotionless expression, which made her VERY uneasy. "And Firestorm there told me that the Summer Breezies hadn't had any luck either."

Her serious demeanor and disciplined attitude were pretty intimidating, and her military-esque posture alone was enough to demand some sort of respect from the Breezies around her (that didn't really affect the likes of Petunia, of course, she had more important stuff to worry about right now).

"And what about the Winter Breezies? We never know what's going on over there..."

"The Dust Keepers told me the Winter Flag has not been raised, so that means that they did not find anything as of now. Despite their mysterious lives, they have shown to be more than capable of finding the Seed in a short period of time, even though their region is the largest of the four."

Petunia's cheeks flushed with frustration as her flowery dress rustled in agitation. She clasped her tiny hooves together and took a deep breath, trying to regain her composure...proceeding to fail miserably.

"This is a catastrophe, an absolute calamity! How could the seed have disappeared without a trace!?" She looked like she was about to faint, except she remembered neither Tulip nor Dewdrop were around to catch her, so she decided against it this time. "Also stop staring at me like that it's starting to scare me..."

"You're very prone to overreacting, but I think you may be right this time...without the seed we can't continue with the First Moon Festival..." She then raised an eyebrow. "Or...perhaps your Spring Breezies were too sloppy to actually find it, and now you're trying to blame something else for your failure."

"EXCUSE ME?" Petunia took a step back, not believing what she just heard, HER Breezies? Sloppy? Well, actually, maybe that's true...but she had to make sure her reputation wasn't going to be affected by it. "Are you implying that the seed is in Spring Valley and we didn't find it? Nuh-uh honey, maybe YOUR Breezies were too sloppy to-"

"Improbable. At this point you should be aware that we always find the seed within minutes of it showing up, and I don't believe it would just suddenly decide not to appear this time, it's obvious either Spring or Summer did a poor job during The Search."

"Blah blah blah, yeah yeah, of course...well, sorry there Ms. Perfect at Everything She Does-"

"Apology not accepted."

"LETMEFINISH. Ahem...sorry, but you don't have the slightest idea of how hard we looked for that thing, I could even say that, _{this time}, our coordination was nothing short of IMPECCABLE!"

"Doubtful."

"ARGH, you know what? I'M DONE TALKING WITH YOU! HMPH." She turned her attention to Firestorm, Head of Summer. He was just...lying on the floor. "And what do YOU have to say for yourself?! Maybe it's Summer's fault that we didn't find the seed! What were your Breezies doing during the search? Slacking off, I bet!"

"..." He was looking at the beautiful sunset that was happening, with a big dumb smile on his face. Took a while for him to notice someone was talking to him, but he eventually turned his head to Petunia, his long red mane covering his left eye. "...Huh?...Sorry, I didn't hear anything ya'll just said..."

"I swear i'm going to kill both of y-"

"P-Petunia! Y-You gotta hear this!"

After being interrupted for the third time in the short span of 5 minutes, Petunia was about to let out the loudest scream of her life, but stopped when she noticed the one who had cut her out this time was no other than her personal slav- her good friend Tulip Tips, rushing towards her with a flabbergasted look on her face.

"Tulip? Ugh, sweetheart, this room is exclusive for important people, you're not supposed to barge in like that...also I'm pretty sure I told you to prepare the red carpet for my marvelous entrance, don't tell me you forgot already..."

"H-Hum, actually, I-I have to tell you something..."

"Oh I hope it's VERY important, because we were having a VERY important reunion...about VERY important things, I don't know if you noticed my dear, but we're having the greatest, most terrible crisis that Breezie Hollow has ever-"

Tulip quickly whispered something in Petunia's ear.

"...Honey...YOU WHAT?!"

For a moment, it was like Petunia forgot she was a Garden Breezie, because she zipped out of that room so fast that she started to look like a Gust Breezie, maybe even one of Autumn's Wind Breezies. Tulip tried to keep up the pace, but her boss was already shifting into maximum overdrive, quickly arriving at The Hub, the part of the Breezie Dust Tree where the most important events were hosted, events that required all- well, MOST of the Seasons to come together. And at the center of The Hub, a magnificent fountain took center stage, brimming with an abundance of Breezie Dust – the wellspring from which every Breezie draws their magical prowess. All the Breezies from Spring, Autumn and Summer were gathered there, either talking with their friends or exchanging resentful gazes with the Breezies from regions different from their own, but the mood of the room suddenly changed when the Head of Spring arrived, approaching the Dust Fountain at mach speed.

"GERONIMO!"

Petunia dived head first into the Breezie Dust, sending a lot of it flying around the room, and before anybreezie could process what just happened, she emerged, holding a shiny golden seed on her hooves.

"HA...HAHA..." she could barely express her excitement with how exhausted she was, Garden Breezies never fly that fast. "IN. YOUR. FACES! WE FOUND IT! SPRING IS THE WINNER!"

She fluttered out of the fountain and landed next to the Breezies of Spring, who were all celebrating so hard they didn't even notice that Petunia's magic was overflowing, unconsciously creating lots of beautiful flowers everywhere she stepped. Sky Striker arrived to the scene, carrying both Firestorm (who was fast asleep) and Tulip (who passed out in the middle of her flight...I told you Garden Breezies weren't used to this fast-flying stuff).

"Heeeey there, Ms. Perfect! Came to see the A-MA-ZING Festival for the new SPRING BREEZIE?!"

"What in the Robin's name happened here?"

"Oooh, y'know, nothing much...except for the fact that I FOUND THE SEED! HAHA! AND ALL BY MYSELF!" Fortunately, Tulip wasn't awake to hear this. "Who would've guessed the Seed was inside the Dust Fountain all along...ME OF COURSE!"

It was almost unnatural to see a Breezie as dainty as Petunia acting so ravenously, but if there's anything she hated more than getting dirty...was losing. She was also covered with 20 times more Breezie Dust than the average daily recommendation, so that's probably one of the reasons also.

"Inside the Fountain?" Sky seemed doubtful. "If it was inside a literal pool of Breezie Dust, why exactly didn't it blossom?"

"WELL THAT'S-" She froze for a moment, coming back to her senses as the excessive Breezie Dust quickly dissipated as if it was also trying to escape Sky's gaze. The cheers from the Spring Breezies also died out after a short while. "Uh...well...you see...er...ask Tulip, she's the one who found it."

Sky tried her best to maintain her professional mannerism but couldn't help but to roll her eyes a bit, she then shook Tulip Tips, trying to wake her up, but her eyes still remained closed.

"Here, let me help you...ahem, TULIP WAKE UP IT'S TIME TO WORK."

"EEEEP! I-I SWEAR I WASN'T TAKING A BREAK, I WAS JUST RESTING MY EYES SO I COULD-" She looked around in panic, until she noticed the situation she was in. "...Huh? Where am I?...Ugh, my head hurts..."

"The Seed. In the fountain. Why didn't it blossom?"

"H-Huh?! W-What?!" She only just noticed she was being held by the Head of Autumn. Struggling as hard as she could, she eventually managed to break free from Sky's powerful grasp (she was actually barely holding her). "W-Why would I know?! I-I just saw a different, rainbow-colored spark coming from the Fountain, t-that's all! M-Maybe it's, like, defective or something?..."

"Excuse me?!" Petunia grabbed Tulip and began shaking her. "What do you mean 'defective' girl?! That's not even a real thing! Never in our lives have we seen a seed being 'defective'!"

"Neither have we seen a Seed appearing in The Hub, let alone inside of the Fountain."

"Well...um...I guess that's true..."

"Also, since you didn't really find it in Spring Valley, it may not even be a Spring Breezie."

"Huh?! But that's...actually t-that makes sense too...oh sweet Robin..."

Noticing that Petunia was probably going to faint once again, Tulip tried her best to calm everyone down.

"Well, we shouldn't be speculating like this, r-right? We should just c-carry on with the festival, y'know? T-Then we'll know the truth! B-But I have a good feeling about this! I'm sure this Seed is no defective, right Petunia?!"

She looked at her boss with a clumsy but determined smile, Petunia had a terrified expression on her face and was sweating like crazy.

"Yes."

Tulip then looked at the sparkling Seed. For a moment, she began wondering...huh, if that Seed really belonged to Spring, that was going to be her first time seeing a Spring Breezie be born. Perhaps, if she wasn't the youngest anymore, Petunia would even consider increasing her lunch break to 10 minutes instead of 5! She couldn't help but smile.

"This isn't a moment to be fighting or asking those silly questions, this is a moment to celebrate life! And i'm sure that, no matter what type of Breezie comes out of that seed, they'll see that Breezie Hollow is a wonderf-"

"Everybreezie! The first moon's already coming out!"

One of the Summer Breezies shouted. Oh my, everybreezie was just so concentrated on the discussion that they even forgot that they barely had any time left before the festival started, and now, they finally had The Seed on hoof. Petunia took a very deep breath, and then approached Tulip, who was kinda sad that she didn't get to finish her speech.

"Tulip, dear...are you feeling alright?..."

"Huh?" Maybe her previous attitude was already starting to pay off, maybe her words actually managed to reach Petunia's heart. "Uh, yeah! I'm fine...t-thank you for askin-"

"Good, then go grab the red carpet, the festival's about to start! I swear, sometimes you're just SO distracted..."

"...Oh...sighs..."

Nope, she was already back to her usual self.

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"Attention, Breezies of Breezie Hollow...the First Moon Festival is about to begin."

A Breezie wearing a fancy gold and brown robe was floating on top of the Dust Fountain, he had the characteristics of a Summer Breezie, but his wings were very different, they weren't as detailed, but shined as bright as the Breezie Dust beneath. As the moon started to rise, he pulled out a scroll and began to read it.

"By the blessings of the Blue Robin, we were given the power of nature...and by her generosity, we were given the gift of life..." Every Breezie remained silent, lowering their heads in respect. "And today, we celebrate the life that has been given to us...step forth, bearer of The Seed!"

...

"...Ahem...step forth, bearer of The Seed!"

...

"I said STEP FOR-"

BAM!

Suddenly, party cannons erupted from everywhere, shooting out bursts of confetti as a catchy little song started playing. A red carpet extended through the room, and none other then Petunia started approaching the Dust Fountain, carrying The Seed on her hooves. The Breezies of Spring started cheering, while the rest of the room was just staring in disbelief.

"Thank you! Thank you all very much! Oh, you're all so sweet! Mwah!" After her bombastic entrance, she positioned herself right in front of the Fountain. "Tulip, dear, you can stop playing now."

The music came to a stop, and only the heavy breathing of a Breezie could be heard in the distance. The Dust Keeper Breezie was as confused as everyone else, but quickly regained his composure.

"Ehrm...t-tonight we celebrate the birth of a new Breezie! Bearer, lay down The Seed!"

"Oh please work, please please please..."

Petunia proceeded to gently position The Seed on the ground. The Dust Keeper approached, dipping his hoof inside the Breezie Dust of the Fountain.

"May the Blue Robin's blessing be with you..."

He sprinkled the dust on top of The Seed as Petunia took a step back, sweating and trembling.

At first, nothing happened. Everyone stayed silent. Petunia was already on the verge of panicking, but before anybreezie could say anything, a burst of light came out of The Seed, blinding everyone inside the room. The Dust Keeper could not believe what he was seeing, it was like a giant rainbow was forming around it.

"What...what is this?..."

"I-I don't remember them glowing like that!" Tulip was starting to get really excited. "Maybe...all that Breezie Dust made it super special!"

In a breathtaking display of enchantment...the transformation began. A delicate tendril emerged, reaching out to the world. The room seemed to hold its breath as leaves unfurled, their vibrant green hues unfading. Petals started forming, with colors so vivid they were almost otherworldly. The newborn flower kept expanding, until it reached an almost completed state. Now, all that was left...was for the flower to bloom.

Every single Breezie was completely focused on that incredible performance of nature's amazing magic, mesmerized by its beauty. For a moment, the Breezies inside that room completely forgot about their rivalry, they couldn't care less about the type of Breezie who was gonna come out of that flower, not after witnessing such an amazing sight. Now, all that was left...was for the flower to bloom.

Tulip's eyes were glowing with anticipation, Petunia's mouth was wide open, Sky Striker's expressionless face turned to a look of awe, even Firestorm was paying close attention to all the colors that were floating around The Hub. Now, all that was left...was for the flower to bloom.

The minutes passed.

...

But the flower didn't bloom.

Slowly, the excitement turned into confusion.

"...What the...?" Petunia came closer to the flower. The glow was gone. The flower was completely still. Its petals were still closed shut. Tulip approached, floating right besides her. "B-B-But all that glow! All those pretty, colorful lights! Ugh, is that the 'good feeling' you were having Tulip?!"

"H-Hey! D-Don't say it like it's my fault!..._please..."

The entire room fell silent, the other Breezies were still trying to process everything that just happened, they probably just experienced the greatest roller coaster of emotions of their lives.

But the ride was still far from over.

Someone decided to break that awful silence.

"Uh...hello?"

"...Wha?" Petunia's eyes widened, she heard a faint voice coming from up above, but there was no Breezie there. "Tulip Tips...honey...am I hallucinating?"

"I-I don't think so."

Another short moment of silence, eventually broken again.

"Hellooo? Can anyone hear me?" Petunia wasn't hearing things, a voice was coming from inside the flower's tightly closed petals. "Um, it's kinda dark in here, also a little bit cramped, is there, like, a door in here or something?"

"P-Petunia, is this normal?"

"I have absolutely no idea" After staring at the flower's stem for the next ten seconds or so, Petunia eventually snapped out of her catatonic state, flying to the top where she could touch the petals. She tried using her special talent to bloom the flower open, but for some reason, the awfully colorful petals didn't budge. "Huh? What's wrong with this flower? Ugh, whatever, I guess I'll have to open it...by force!"

She stood still for a moment.

"...What are you all waiting for? HELP THEM GET OUT! Don't expect me to do all the work..."

Following the words of their leader, the Breezies of Spring all flew towards the closed flower, pulling the petals in whatever way they could, they shook it, kicked it, some of them even tried to bite it. The one stuck inside didn't seem to like it very much.

"H-Hey! Careful out there! All that shaking is making me dizzy..."

Eventually, they managed to rip out one of the petals with such force that the Breezie that was stuck inside was launched away from their prison, falling next to the Breezies of Autumn and Summer. A loud, collective gasp could be heard.

"Finally...took you guys long enough..." Petunia started looking for the new Breezie, actually managing to catch a glimpse of them after looking around for long enough "Oh! There you- WHAAAAT?!"

"Ouch...oh, I'm free!" The new Breezie stood up, her pale white mane was almost as eye-catching as her bright pink coat. "Whoa, this place is HUGE!"

While she was occupied curiously scanning her surroundings, the Breezies all started approaching her with shocked looks on their faces.

"Oh, hello there! Do y'all live in here?...What are you looking at?"

She was confused as to why everybreezie was staring directly at her back, was something stuck there? After a quick check, she was 100% sure there was absolutely nothing there. Nothing at all. Not even a pair of wings. Both Tulip and Petunia were staggered, trying to understand what the fey was going on.

"P-Petunia, is this normal?"

"Of course not!" Petunia quickly dashed to the new girl, inspecting her from head to hoof. "Darling, where are your wings?! Oh sweet Robin, don't tell me those brutes pulled you out too hard..."

"Um, last time I checked, which was around 20 seconds ago, I didn't really have anything on my back either."

"Oh, that's a relief...wait, no it's not! You're wingless! How?!"

"I'm...not sure? Am I supposed to have those?"

"Of course you are! Everybreezie has wings!"

"Oh, does that mean I'm not gonna be able to fly around? Aw man..."

"That is not the only problem, child. Our wings are not just for flying..." The Dust Keeper spoke up once again. "They're a symbol of our connection to nature, a gift from the Blue Robin herself! If you don't have wings...that means you don't have any magic. And if you don't have magic..."

"T-That means you're not connected to any region..."

Tulip tiny wings started fluttering with agitation. The other Breezies gathered around, whispering among themselves, their astonishment evident. But the new girl didn't seem sad about the information at all.

"Cool!" The new Breezie smiled. "That means I can be anything I want!"

"Um, n-no, that's not what I meant-"

"Dibs for Spring!"

"P-PETUNIA!"

"What?"

"Actually..." The Keeper thought for a moment. "In her current state, I doubt she would be able to resist the scorching heat of Summer, nor the freezing cold of Winter."

"And without wings, Autumn Grove will be too dangerous for her," Sky Striker added. "Perhaps it is best the new Breezie stays at Spring Valley for her own safety, since nothing happens in that place at all."

"What did you just say about Spring Valley?-"

"AHEM- In that case..." The Keeper approached the wingless Breezie, placing his hoof on her head. "By the powers bestowed upon me...I, Dust Keeper Oakthorn, declare you to be an honorary Spring Breezie!"

The inhabitants of Spring Valley all celebrated, cheering in unison as they formed a circle around their new member, while the Breezies of Summer and Autumn had already begun to leave back to their respective regions. Petunia almost jumped in, but refrained from doing so as to not look unprofessional. She cleared her throat.

"Alright alright, saddle down, that's enough everybreezie..." She said...professionally. "We have much to prepare back in Spring Valley, so make haste! You all have A LOT of work to do!"

With their festivity cut short, they also began heading back home, until only Petunia, Tulip, and the new girl remained.

"And so do you, little miss."

Petunia stared at the new girl with a malicious smile.

"Me?"

"But of course!"

"But I was born like, five minutes ago! I still have so many questions to ask..."

"You see, the Spring Breezies have a MARVELOUS reputation to uphold, and now that you're one of us, you don't have time for silly questions...you will work hard to make sure Spring is always number 1...For the rest of your life!"

"Um, not gonna lie, that doesn't sound very good."

"Oh don't be silly darling, that's what everybreezie does...but before that, we must find out what yours special talent is!"

"My special talent?"

"We all have one, take me as an example...as a Garden Breezie, I can create the most exquisite sights in all of Breezie Hollow by helping the flowers of spring mature, my magic makes the ground fertile, helps seeds blossom, highlights the colors of the petals...and Tulip Tips here, she...like, does some stuff too, I guess. And who knows? Maybe your wings will even pop out when we find your special talent! Oh I can't wait to see the look on Sky Striker's face when we show her that we gave wings to a wingless Breezie!"

Without further warning, Petunia zipped out of The Hub, heading towards Spring Valley and leaving Tulip and the new girl behind. It didn't take long for her to come back though.

"Oh, yeah, no wings, completely forgot...Tulip, carry her."

"H-Huh?!"

━━━━━━━━[...]━━━━━━━━

"Whoa, I can see the whole place from up here! Everything's so pretty!"

Petunia and Tulip Tips were flying slowly, while the latter was carrying the wingless Breezie, looking exhausted already.

"I know, right? Wait until you see it during the day, you'll be absolutely stunned! Also, can you go a little faster, Tulip? We don't exactly have time to spare, y'know..."

"I-I'm...t-trying..."

The new girl kept looking around, which didn't exactly make it easier for the one who was carrying her.

"Oh yeah, Petunia, I was wondering..."

"What did I tell you about silly questions, darling?"

"Sorry, but I can't stop thinking about something...back there at that tree place, you told me my wings were gonna...'pop out'?"

"Oh, that...you see darling, when a Breezie is born, they come out with those bland, boring and completely unfashionable wings...it's only after they find their special talent that their wings finally transform, revealing their true, beautiful shape! Oh my, and the colors...absolutely breathtaking!" Petunia couldn't hide her excitement when talking about pretty things. "Of course, not everybreezie can have wings as pretty as us Spring Breezies, and definitely not as pretty as mine, but...eh, I suppose the Summer Breezies have some okay wings...not so sure about the Autumn Breezies though...yuck..."

"So you think that my wings will appear if I manage to find my talent?"

"That's what I'm hoping for, yes."

Petunia then stopped mid flight after noticing some sleeping Water Breezies next to a lake.

"Wait a second...what is THAT?! We only have 3 days before springtime, this is no time to be slacking! Ugh, Tulip, show the new girl around, I have to teach those airheads a lesson about RESPONSIBILITY!"

Petunia left in order to perform her 'leader duties', so Tulip took the opportunity to perform a panic landing, finally being able to catch her breath.

"Huff...huff...I think...I'm gonna...pass out..."

The wingless Breezie quickly held Tulip before she could faint, helping her lay down for a bit.

"There you go..."

"Oh...um...thanks!..."

"Tulip Tips, right? Thanks for the ride, I hope I can repay you one of these days," She smiled warmly towards her. "You're gonna have to choose something other than air travel, though! I don't really have the wings for that, hehe."

Tulip let out a little giggle. She then looked around trying to identify where she had landed. She knew exactly where she was when she gazed upon many colorful flowers, each one different from the other.

"Oh it's this place!"

"Whoa, what is this garden? It's very different from the ones I saw when we were flying around."

"That's because this is actually a VERY special garden! We call it the 'Blossom Haven'...see the weird flowers? Don't they remind you of anything?

"Well...they remind me of..." After thinking for a short while, the realization made her eyes widen. "They remind of the flower I came from!"

"Yep! Every single one of those flowers represent a Spring Breezie that was born during the First Moon Festival! We always replant them here so we can forever remember the day we were born...see that orange tulip over there? That one's mine!"

"Oooh, is that where you got your name from?"

"Probably, but we don't really choose our own names, it's the Dust Keeper's job to name the newborn Breezies..." After saying this, Tulip remembered an important detail. "Wait a second...Keeper Oakthorn didn't name you at all!"

"Oh yeah, that's true...I don't really wanna be called 'New Girl' for the rest of my life...oh, I have an idea!" She pointed her hoof to Tulip. "You're gonna choose my name!"

"W-What?! Me?! But I'm not a Dust Keeper!"

"Well, as you said, I can't really name myself, and it's not like anyone is going to care about where the name came from, y'know?"

"Hmm, we only really see the Dust Keepers once a year, and I guess it would be pretty sad to stay nameless for all that time...alright then, I-I'll give you a name!"

"Thanks! Now, make sure to think of something nice!"

"Uh, maybe I could name you after your flower?"

"Well, if you can figure out what that thing was..."

"H-How about something related to the color pink! Since you're, um, pink?"

"Well, if we're going for literal, you might as well call me Walks, since I'll be doing that a lot for the next few days...why don't you try to think outside the box and come up with something new? Completely unheard of...like a wingless Breezie, haha!"

"Something new?..." Tulip once again gazed upon the many different flowers in front of them, they were all so different in both shape and color, but they all had something in common, something they had to do before they could show their beautiful petals to the world outside. "...Blossom..."

"Blossom?"

"Y-Yeah...every single one of those flowers were seeds before turning into what they are now...and before they blossomed, no one knew what any of them was gonna look like!" She finally stood up. "Your flower might've not fully blossomed, but that just means that you have endless possibilities in front of you! Like a seed before it becomes a flower..."

"...Wow..."

"S-Sorry, I think I went TOO outside the box...I'm not really good at this kind of stuff..."

"I think it's perfect..."

"You...you do?"

"Yeah...thanks Tulip..."

Blossom gave Tulip a big hug, which caught her off guard, but not in a bad way, mind you. It's just that...Tulip wasn't really used to love and care.

"N-No problem..."

It feels nice to be appreciated sometimes.

"...Oh! Let me show you some other places! Lotus Meadows is right over there, it's where the Water Breezies spend most of their time! A-And then we can go to Daisy Orchard, it's everybreezie's favorite gathering spot, you're gonna love it!"

"Lead the way, my friend!"

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Chapter 2 - Threads of Talent

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Chapter 2

Threads of Talent

"Where the curious go, a trail will follow..."

━━━━━━━━❰･ ✿ ･❱━━━━━━━━

The land of Breezie Hollow was hustling and bustling with many of the Spring Breezies performing their duties while little Blossom was asleep in her new home in Lotus Meadows. The mare was deep in her slumber when a sudden, loud tapping was heard coming from her bedroom door.

"Yawn...huh?...Who is it?..."

A familiar voice rang with a high cadence and pitch, nearly piercing Blossom’s little ears.

“Good MORRRNNNINGGGG DARLING!~"

Petunia squealed as she burst open the door, dragging a half-asleep Tulip Tips alongside her.

"WAAAH-" Petunia's sudden entrance was so...sudden, that little Blossom ended up falling out of bed. "...Ouch..."

"Now this should get that sleepy head rolling out of bed...remember honey, you need to be up bright and early if your going to be the best Spring Breezie that you can be!~”

"If you say so..."

She eventually got up while dusting herself off.

"That goes for you as well, Tulip..." Petunia bonked Tulip in the head in order to wake her up. "Now...I want you to take Blossom to her first Spring Breezie task, right past here in Lily Pond!”

Tulip saluted Petunia while replying to her command, still a bit drowsy.

“Y-Yes madam! Right away!”

"Ugh, what's with that lack of energy? It even sounds like you didn't sleep last night..."

Petunia turns and zips away flying towards the Daisies as Tulip lets out an audible sigh, going over to the door once more and speaking in a deflated voice.

"...I didn't..." She rubbed her eyes, trying her best to stay awake. "Come on Blossom...we got much to do today and-"

“READY!”

Blossom suddenly appeared in front of Tulip, jumpscaring her yellow coat right off of her.

"W-WHAT THE-" Tulip almost fell back, Blossom had already made her bed, cleaned her house, fixed the door, and was now fully prepared for what the day had to offer...how could a single Breezie be THIS hyperactive? Her pale face slowly regained its color...well, at least Blossom managed to scare away whatever was left of Tulip's sleepiness. “W-Well that was easier than I thought! S-Shall we head down the road and make it to your first talent-seeking location?”

"Yep!" Blossom nodded, she looked really excited. "I wonder what my talent's going to be..."

"First on the list is Water! follow me, I'll introduce you to someone who's always willing to help others."

"Alrighty!"

Tulip fluttered her wings, flying just a little bit above the ground so that Blossom could follow her easily.

"Say...you don't look so good, Tips. Are you feeling alright?"

"Oh, d-don't about me, I'm fine, I just...didn't get enough sleep yesterday..."

"I thought you were going back to your house after you showed me mine."

"Well, I was planning on doing that, yes...but Petunia asked me to help with an infestation that was happening at our snapdragon garden...and then she asked me to take care of the daffodils...and then...she asked me to help you with the talent-seeking..."

"Oh, s-sorry about that, you can rest if you want, I'm not in a rush or anything, the last thing I wanna do is abuse your kindness..."

"There's no need to worry about that Blossom…to be quite honest, if Petunia didn't choose me to help you, I would've probably volunteered anyway."

"Aww, thanks Tulip!"

As they traveled past Lotus Meadows, they could see towering cattails and Breezies flying all over the place, each adorned with a similar wing pattern. The Water Breezies flew above them, performing various tasks like collecting water droplets from the grass blades and decorating them on spider webs' threads, teaching newborn fishies how to swim, making little ripples in the stream, and many other things. As they finally made their way to the pond, they were greeted by the sight of even more cattails and various other flowers lining the edge of a gigantic pond: Cardinal flowers, Blue Irises, Water Hyacinths with floating petals, and lily pads, all adorned with flowers on top of them. Curiously, Blossom pointed to the lily pads.

“Hey, what kind of plants are those?”

“Oh, those are Lotu-”

“Water Lilies!”

Another voice emerged, interrupting Tulip. It didn't come from a Garden Breezie however, but from a Water Breezie. It was a soothing voice that was very familiar to Blossom, as it was one of the voices she heard when she was trying to get out of the flower from the day prior. She let out a little giggle.

“Tehee, those are Water Lilies you silly. They have Lily pads beneath them, and this pond is called Lily Pond for a reason.”

Tulip, feeling a bit embarrassed, corrected herself.

“Y-Yes, my bad Dewdrop, I’m not used to the layout of this pond. Petunia usually puts me to work in Daisy Orchard, mostly helping the other Garden Breezies...”

Dewdrop stands there blinking for a moment, finally noticing the new girl after a few seconds. She went up to her, tapping her on the muzzle.

“Why hello there.”

"Um...hi?" Blossom, both confused and intrigued, replied to the curious Water Breezie “Dewdrop, right?”

“Ah yes, that is my name, remind me of yours?”

“Her name is Blossom, She's the new Spring Breezie on our team." Tulip piped in, feeling the awkwardness of the moment "I was wondering if we can have her look around and see if she wants to work on some water Breezie stuff for today?”

Dewdrop's eyes widened as she smiled, grabbing both of Blossom’s front hooves.

"Oh, of course! Here, let me show you around!"

With little time to react, she proceeded to zoom up and over the pond, practically dangling her off of an edge. With all her excitement, she had forgotten about Blossom's lack of wings.

"W-WHOA! H-HOLD ON A MINUTE!"

"There we go...it's much better to show you everything from up here! Why are you walking around anyway? Flying's sooo much easier..."

"That's because I don't have win-"

Dewdrop, not paying attention, proceeded to let go of Blossom's hooves, accidentally dropping her. Tulip panicked, flying as fast as she could in order to catch her, barely succeeding in doing so. She then brought her down, laying her on top of one of the lily pads. The poor yellow Breezie was breathing heavily due to the impact and weight put onto her, but she still had some energy to yell.

“Dewdrop! You know better than to just yank Breezies like that, please watch what you're doing! Y-You could have seriously hurt our new friend!”

The blue Breezie, seeing what had happened, folded her ears back saddened.

“Oh...I'm truly sorry for that Blossom...”

While everyone around her was getting worried and anxious, Blossom, on the other hand, was just laughing, cheerfully cutting through the tension.

“Haha! It's ok, you don't have to yell at her like that, Tips! I’m sure it was an accident. Although I do, however, very much appreciate the catch..." Tulip was dumbfounded by how positive Blossom could be sometimes, even in situations like that. "Now...Dewdrop, what’s going to be my first task?”

Dewdrop, relieved by Blossom's forgiving nature, couldn't help but smile. She fluttered down to join Blossom and Tulip on the lily pad, her wings creating ripples in the clear water beneath.

"Oh my, there's just so many things that I could show you...what about helping the little tadpoles swim? No, wait, what about...decorating spider webs? Oh oh, I got it!" Her voice bubbled with enthusiasm...well, with as much enthusiasm as she could express with her relaxed voice. "The first thing I'll show you, dear Blossom, is one of the most important duties of a Water Breezie: watering the flowers!"

"The flowers? But...isn't taking care of flowers a Garden Breezie's job?"

"Um, actually..." Tulip responded, this was her area of expertise after all. "Even though the Garden Breezies plant them and help them grow strong and beautiful, they still need water and sunlight in order to survive...so, basically, everybreezie helps everybreezie, we need each other's talents in order to bring springtime to the Ponylands!"

"Oh wow...did anybreezie ever tell you you're really good with words, Tips?"

"H-Huh? Me?" Blossom's compliment made Tulip blush a shade of pale yellow. She fiddled with her wings, feeling a bit bashful. "Haha, well, not really, Blossom. I guess I just got used to explaining things when I work with the other Garden Breezies. But thank you!"

Dewdrop, who had been quietly enjoying the exchange, chimed in with her own words of encouragement.

"Blossom's right! The Garden Breezies always tell me how much they look up to you, Tulip..."

"R-Really? I-I don't know...if anything, they should look up to Petunia, she's the most talented Breezie around..."

"From what I've seen so far, she seems a bit rude..."

"Oh, t-that's just how Petunia is! She might come off a bit strong, but deep down, I know she genuinely cares about Spring Valley and everybreezie here..." Tulip defended her mentor, much to Blossom's surprise, especially considering how Petunia has been treating her. "She has a tough exterior, but she taught me so much about being a Breezie. I owe a lot of what I know to her..."

"Well, if you say so!" Blossom suddenly remembered why they were there in the first place. "Oh, yeah, watering the flowers! Sorry, got a bit distracted, hehe..."

"It's okay, friend. I get distracted all the time!"

Right after Dewdrop said that, her attention shifted to a group of fireflies dancing above the water's surface.

"So, um...y'know?"

"...What?...Oh, yeah, watering the flowers!" She fluttered towards a big rock next to the lakeshore, where many Water Breezies were taking a nap, while Blossom rushed after her before Tulip could even offer her a ride. "Okay everybreezie, wakey wakey! Our new friend here is talent-seeking, and we gotta help her in every way we can! Are you ready to show her the amazing talent of the Water Breezies?..."

The Water Breezies remained in their peaceful slumber, not even stirring at Dewdrop's 'energetic' appeal.

"I think you gotta say it louder!"

"Oh, okay!"

Dewdrop cleared her throat. She inhaled deeply and prepared to project her voice and then, with all the Breezie strength she could muster, released her voice!

"Wake up everybreezie!" And it sounded the exact same as before. "Aw, it didn't work..."

"Um, y-yeah, looks like they're, um, REALLY dedicated to their beauty rest...we might have to find another way to learn this flower watering stuff."

"Well, you see, watering flowers requires tons of teamwork and coordination, so we need the whole gang!...We just gotta find a way to wake them up..."

"Hm, I dunno...they look pretty cozy, it might be pretty hard to-"

"WAKE UP YOU LAZYBONES!" Blossom was suddenly interrupted by loud shouting coming from another Breezie, which was kinda what she was expecting when she asked Dewdrop to speak up. "SPRINGTIME IS IN 3 DAYS, WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR SLACKING!"

The sudden outburst jolted the sleepy Water Breezies to full attention. They fluttered into the air, gathering around the Breezie that had just arrived, who appeared to be the one responsible for the wake-up call. Her coat was pale blue and her mane was a blend of various shades of blue and silver.

"Woah, who's that?"

"That's Meadows Mist!" Tulip Tips finally managed to reach the other two, Blossom sure was fast for a Breezie without wings. "Petunia recently put her in charge of the Water Breezies, so she keeps everybreezie in check...she's, um, a bit scary, but she's very focused and determined...huh, kinda like Petunia...y'know, I'm starting to see a pattern with the leadership around here..."

"Dewdrop! Come on, we gotta go through our daily training routine!" Meadows Mist waved her hoof. "We gotta make sure we're ready for Springtime, remember what happened last Spring?"

"Oh, not really, no. But if you're mentioning it, it was probably something really bad!"

"...Ugh, c'mon, join the others, we're going to clean the lakes today..."

"Speaking of training...I was actually about to show Blossom here how to water the flowers, she's talent-seeking, you see!"

"Blossom?" Meadows Mist approached the trio, her annoyed look quickly turning into a friendly smile. "Oh, the new girl! I was actually wondering what her name was. I thought Dust Keeper Oakthorn forgot to name the poor thing...so, you're here to discover if water-talent is your calling, huh?"

"Yep! Plus, Petunia thinks that finding my talent might help with, y'know, the 'wingless problem'."

"Oh yeah, that...very well then, we're about to start our training. We can do some watering today so you can see how it's done, so stay close...well, as close as you can. And watch for falling water droplets."

"Roger that!"

She once again flew close to the rest of the Water Breezies, who were all already in a line.

"Okay...Sea Skipper!"

"Here."

"...Ocean Wave!"

"H-Here..."

"...Rainmaker!"

"Yawn, here..."

"...Dewdrop!"

"Here!"

"...Millpond!"

...

"...MILLPOND!"

No response at all.

"UGH, LATE AGAIN?! I SWEAR I'M GONNA KILL THAT MOSS HEAD!"

"Heeeere!..."

Meadows Mist's stern gaze fell upon Millpond, who was hastily trying to catch up with the others. She sighed, a mixture of frustration and exasperation was evident in her voice.

"Millpond, this is the third time this week! You need to be more punctual...spring is approaching, and we can't afford any delays!"

"S-Sorry, Misty..." Millpond, clearly flustered, stammered out an apology. "I, uh, overslept... won't happen again, I promise!"

"Tch, yeah sure, just catch up quickly. We have a lot to cover, especially for our new friend here, we're doing something different than what was scheduled."

"Ooooh, hey there! You're the new girl right? I'm Millpond, but a pretty Breezie like you can call me Mill!"

"Hey there! I'm Bloss- Wait, what was that?"

Millpond kept grinning as he flirtatiously complimented Blossom, but before he could continue, Mist bonked him right in the head with her hoof.

"YOUCH! HEY, WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!"

"ARE YOU DEAF OR SOMETHING?!" Meadows Mist was unyielding in her authority. "GET INTO POSITION BEFORE I THROW YOU INSIDE A POND!"

"Alright, alright!...Sheesh..."

Mill grumbled, rubbing his head where Mist had given him a stern reminder. He then finally joined the other Water Breezies in their formation up above. Blossom was still somewhat bewildered by the sudden exchange.

"Ugh, I'm really sorry for that..." Meadows Mist was visibly embarrassed by Mill's attitude. "He's an idiot, just ignore him."

Blossom tried to suppress a giggle. Millpond's flirtatious antics had caused quite a distraction, but Blossom couldn't help but find the whole thing amusing. She whispered to Tulip.

“He’s quite the charmer, isn’t he?”

"Yeah, and from what Petunia tells me, he always tries that when there's a new Breezie...I-I wasn't an exception. Better get used to it, he's gonna try again..."

"Heh, I wish him the best of luck then!"

The Water Breezies were already lined up in formation, ready for their training to continue. A loud whistle could be heard from up above, It was Meadows Mist, signaling that it was time to refocus on the task at hand.

"Alright everybreezie, today we're doing something different, Blossom there is talent-seeking, and Dewdrop suggested we should water the flowers today...we were gonna do it tomorrow, but we can switch things up since it's a special occasion..." Meadows Mist quickly fluttered towards the center of Lily Pond "We'll start from here, and then we'll move south, when we reach the mushroom patches, we'll head east. The rest of the gardens don't need watering, not now at least, so we're gonna skip them today. Were my orders clear?"

They all let out a synchronized 'Yes ma'am!' before zipping towards their leader, forming a circle around her.

"Oh they're starting already!" Blossom squinted, she couldn't quite see the training session now that they were distant. "Aw man, I can't see anything from here...how am I supposed to help with the task?"

"Task? N-No Blossom, I think you misunderstood, what they're doing now is part of a very specific training routine...since you're still new, you won't be doing that right away, they're just doing it to show you an example" Tulip responded. "If you end up becoming a Water Breezie, you'll start participating in those trainings once you get the basics, but as of now, you just gotta observe...after they're finished, they will probably give you a smaller version of this task as your actual talent-seeking task"

"Oh! Alright then, so...just observe?"

"Yep, just observe...if you can't see them very well from here, you can always...always...Blossom?..."

Tulip Tips looked around; she could've sworn Blossom was staying right beside her...perhaps she moved to a place that had a better field of view? She looked towards the Water Breezies, who were already starting to sprinkle their dust. She then noticed something unusual, a pink dot swimming towards the middle of the pond.

"...B-BLOSSOM?! WHAT ARE YOU DOING OVER THERE?!"

"Huh? Well, you said I had to observe, and Meadows Mist over there told me to stay as close as I could!"

"BUT NOT INSIDE THE POND, THEY'RE GONNA-"

Blossom suddenly vanished as a gigantic pillar of water rose from the pond, snatching her in the process.

"...Oh sweet Robin..."

"Excellent! Remember to get as much water as you possibly can, so we can do it in just one go!"

Meadows Mist guided the Water Breezies as they began circling around the growing pillar, which started to form a great water sphere above everybreezie. Tulip tried dashing towards them, but a big water droplet fell right on top of her, sending her crashing inside the pond.

"Oh no...my wings! E-EVERYBREEZIE, WAIT! BLOSSOM'S IN THERE!"

No matter how much she tried, not even a Water Breezie could fly with wet wings, she watched as the group slowly went away, carrying not only the great ball of water, but also Blossom inside of it.

"...Petunia's gonna kill me..."

[...]

"Don't go too fast now everybreezie..." Dewdrop asked. "Or else Blossom won't be able to keep up with us from down there."

"Focus, Dew!" Mist was staying up front, leading the team, while the rest of the Water Breezies were responsible for taking small amounts of water from the ball and releasing them in the form of rain. "Hm...is she even following us? I don't see anyone...anyway, keep up that flow, it's perfect! Remember, we want calm and gentle rain, not a flying waterfall!"

"Um...a little help here?..." Suddenly, the watering team heard a voice coming from their water source. After closer inspection, they could all see a little head peeking out of the giant sphere. "It's hard to swim when the water's moving..."

"BLOSSOM?! WHAT THE- WHAT IN THE ROBIN'S NAME ARE YOU DOING IN THERE?!"

"So, remember when you asked me to stay as close as I could?..."

"NOT INSIDE THE POND- Okay, okay, gotta stay calm...breath in...breath out..." Meadows Mist's frustration was evident, but she tried to regain her composure and not let panic take over. "Don't move a muscle now, you hear me?! It is very easy to brush off Breezie Dust when it's on water, ONE wrong move and this thing's going down!"

"O-Okay!"

Blossom, still somewhat in shock, nodded vigorously. She understood the gravity of the situation, and remained perfectly still within the water sphere, careful not to make any sudden movements that could jeopardize the delicate balance. Meadows Mist and the other Water Breezies focused on maintaining the water sphere's stability, but Dewdrop had an idea.

"Wait! What if Blossom helps us?"

"What?!" Meadows Mist looked skeptical at Dewdrop's suggestion. "Dewdrop, this is advanced training, a talent-seeking Breezie is not fit for something like this yet, especially a wingless one!"

"But...if she just, y'know, do it REALLY carefully...she might be able to grab a droplet from the inside of the sphere!"

"Are you kidding me?"

"C'mon, what's the worst that could happen?"

Meadows Mist hesitated for a moment, weighing the pros and cons of Dewdrop's suggestion. She finally sighed, realizing that they had little to lose at this point.

"...Ugh, alright. Worst case scenario she won't be able to hold the droplet and it will break up on her hooves..." Mist approached Blossom's peeking head "Okay, here's what you gotta do, slowly, and I repeat, SLOWLY stick your hooves out of the water source as if you were holding something."

"Alrighty!"

With great care, Blossom extended her hooves out of the water source. While making sure her movements were steady and gentle, she successfully managed to scoop up a small amount of water, holding it in her tiny hooves. The droplet trembled slightly, but she kept her composure, focusing on Meadows Mist's guidance.

"That's it, Blossom, nice and easy!...Now you just gotta release-"

The water droplet suddenly began to vibrate. Blossom struggled to maintain control as the once-stable droplet grew increasingly wobbly in her hooves.

"M-Miss Mist, is this supposed to happen?..."

Mist's eyes widened, realizing the perilous situation.

"I-I've never seen this happen before, but I think it's safe to assume that...no, that's not supposed to happen-"

Instead of breaking up on her hooves, the droplet exploded like a firework, sending both Blossom and Meadows Mist flying away. This, of course, created a giant ripple on the surface of the water sphere, causing it to tremble and shudder. Its structure began to waver as the ripple brushed off the Breezie Dust that was gently floating on top of the liquid. In less than a second, the entire sphere broke up, and it was now crashing down towards the garden below.

"BLOSSOM, NO!"

Meadows Mist regained her aerial control and dashed in the direction of the 'flying waterfall'. At this point, trying to reshape it was impossible, since the concentrated sphere of water had already broken into a giant curtain. She still had time, however, to save Blossom from falling straight into the ground, so she quickly threw a hoofful of Breezie Dust towards some of the descending water in order to create a water slide bellow her, ensuring a gentle landing. Blossom gracefully glided down the watery slope, landing safely on the ground below. Mist landed beside her, her voice a mixture of relief and frustration.

"Are you okay? Ugh, what was I thinking?! I shouldn't have let a talent-seeking Breezie try something like that!"

Blossom, soaked and shivering, looked up at Meadows Mist, her eyes wide with regret.

"I-I'm so sorry for this! I didn't mean to cause all this trouble, I-I just wanted to help!"

"It's...it's okay, Blossom...I should've-"

"Oh Sweet Robin, I'm so sorry!" Dewdrop quickly approached the two, the other Water Breezies arrived shortly after. "I really really thought that would help Blossom discover her talent, I didn't mean to-"

Considering Meadows Mist's stern attitude during their training sessions, everyone was waiting for the scold of their lives, but instead, Mist just helped Blossom stand up, and started flying towards the flooded garden.

"No one could've expected something like this to happen, Dew...let's just focus on cleaning up this mess for now, okay?" Mist reassured her, before turning to Blossom again. "And...I'm sorry to say this Blossom, but...I don't think water's you calling..."

"I understand, Miss Mist...and I'm really sorry for everything..."

Mist and the rest of the Water Breezies left, while Blossom sat there, speechless. For the first time ever since she was born, her face showed sadness.

"...Man...I messed up pretty bad..."

"B-Blossom! Are you alright?!" Tulip Tips finally managed to catch up, her wings were still not in flying condition, so she had to traverse all that land by hoof. "Oh thank Robin you're safe! W-What happened here?..."

"It's...I-I just wanted to help the Water Breezies but...everything went wrong..." She looked at Petunia with a downhearted expression. "Meadows Mist told me that I'm not fit for being a Water Breezie...and I completely agree..."

Noticing how upset she looked, Tulip smiled towards her and tried to rekindle Blossom's optimism.

"Don't worry Blossom, t-there are still lots of different talents for you to check! Just because you failed this one, doesn't mean your journey's over!"

Blossom's eyes brightened as she looked at her friend.

"Yeah...you're right, Tips! I still have so much to learn...and my talent is still somewhere to be found!" She then surprised Tulip with a big hug. "Thanks Tulip!"

"My, it doesn't take much to cheer you up, huh? Hehe..." She returned the hug. "...Though I gotta admit, y-you did quite a number here...oh my..."

"Oh, yeah, sorry about that..."

"WHAT IN TARNATION HAPPENED IN HERE?!"

A familiar scream was heard. That aggressiveness...that high pitch...it could only mean one thing...they both squealed in sync:

"Oh no...Petunia's here!"

The leader of the Spring Breezies descended gracefully, landing next to Blossom and Tulip. A chill went down their spines, as her piercing gaze almost tore through their very essences.

"Blossom, darling, my dear, honey, sweetheart...would you kindly explain to me why was one of my beautiful gardens turned into a discount water park?..."

Blossom gulped, trying to find the right words as she faced Petunia's stern expression.

"Erm, w-well, you see, Petunia…I was just trying to watch the Water Breezies' training session, and we thought maybe I could assist in watering the flowers like they do. But, um, but then, things got a little out of hoof, and I-”

“It’s my fault, Petunia...” Tulip cut blossom short, “I-I didn’t explain everything properly, a-and Blossom ended up getting confused about the task and accidentally joined the Water Breezies advanced training routine...”

"Huh? N-No, it wasn't-"

“Ugh, I swear, you can be such a disappointment sometimes Tulip...”

Tulip, aware of Petunia's disdain for her, tried to maintain her composure.

"Actually, it was me..." Dewdrop's voice chimed in, and the three Breezies turned to see her stepping forward. Blossom thought she had already left with the other Water Breezies, but apparently she was still nearby, "I was the one who gave the idea that caused all of this..."

"What?! I expected little from Petunia, but you, Dew?! Ugh, and I thought we had the same mindset..."

"I-I'm truly sorry…I-I'll make sure to be more responsible in the future..."

“Yeah, you BETTER! Now go clean up this mess already, both of you! We need all these flowers ready before the next Garden Breezie training…” Petunia huffed, “And as for you, little walking disaster…stay out of trouble! Cause any more damage and I’ll have to halt your talent-seeking for an undetermined period of time…got it?...”

Petunia quickly took off before any of the three could even say anything.

“...Sigh…I’m terribly sorry Blossom, but you heard her…" Tulip began fluttering towards the garden, "We’ll get back to your talent-seeking when I’m done…”

As Tulip left, Dewdrop approached Blossom.

"I feel terrible that this happened during your first day of talent-seeking, friend..."

"Don't worry about it, Dew. Honestly, I'm glad you believed I could've done that task, even if I failed in the end..."

Dewdrop's eyes glistened with appreciation and a hint of sadness. She had a big heart and often trusted in the potential of others, but today's events had reminded her that sometimes things don't go as planned.

"Thanks, Blossom..." Dewdrop responded with a sincere smile, "And don't worry, we'll make it up to you. Maybe I can find some other way to help you discover your talent. For now, I should go help the others-"

"W-Wait!"

"Huh?"

"Can you...say 'thank you' to Meadows Mist for me? Y'know, for saving my life and all..."

"Oh, sure thing!"

As Tulip, Dewdrop, and the other Water Breezies began the daunting task of cleaning up the flooded garden, Blossom watched her friends go, feeling a mixture of guilt and frustration. Tulip was used to being the one to lift everyone's spirits, but today had been particularly challenging. The weight of Petunia's constant criticism had taken a toll on her. The same could be said for poor Dewdrop, whose kindness ended up causing her so much trouble. Blossom wanted to help, but she also knew that Petunia's threat was a serious one. She didn't want to jeopardize her own journey to discover her talent, and certainly didn't want to cause more headaches for her friends. She decided to take a walk to clear her head. She trotted through the garden, observing the other Breezies as they continued with their tasks. Her optimism had taken a bit of a hit, but she was determined not to let this setback discourage her.

"Hey there!" Blossom suddenly heard a voice coming from behind her. "Are ye lost, lassie?"

"Oh, hey there- WAAAAAH!"

Blossom slowly turned on her heel, her heart quickening as she came face to face with an enormous, majestic creature with powerful wings and sharp talons - a hawk, a formidable predator that struck fear into the heart of every Breezie. The abrupt jolt of surprise sent Blossom tumbling backward as she landed unceremoniously on her petite, delicate posterior. Despite her naivety, instinct swiftly took over as the beast slowly approached her, and it was only sending one signal to her brain: danger.

━━━━━━━━❰･ ✿ ･❱━━━━━━━━

Blossoming Breezies

by Matsu

Chapter 0 - Seeds of Hope

Chapter 1 - Make it Blossom

Chapter 2 - Threads of Talent