I floated on the pond near the shore. I drifted with the waves, letting my thoughts meander as well. I could feel myself relaxing. As the water flowed around me, my mind flowed with it.
I was calm, I was one with the waves.
My thoughts faded, the ebb and flow of the tide was all that mattered. I could feel my consciousness fade, I was one with the water around me. I was at peace. Everything seemed to get clearer to me, and if I could just reach that little bit further, I may yet reach a type of nirvana....
Reach for It....
"Oi, Leo!"
What followed was the most frantic minute of my day as I was startled out of whatever that was. I flailed my way back to dry land. I flopped down, coughed up a lungful of water, then shot a Glare up at Villhiem.
He tilted his head with a smug grin. "You done drowning?"
"Fuck, you." I coughed out. "You're a right bastard, you know that?"
"Yeah, yeah." He chuckled as he lay beside me. "You looked deep in thought. What were you thinking about? And how do you float like that?"
I smacked my tail against him. "I looked deep in thought, and you thought it would be a good idea to scare the ever lovin' shit out of me. Never mind that I was out on the water. Fuck you."
"Hey," he gave me a slight nudge, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean for that to happen. You're usually a very good swimmer..."
I fumed beside my larger friend. "I'm going to get you back for that, you know."
"Yup!" Villhiem grinned. "So what were you thinking about?"
I cast my thoughts back, and drew up blank. "I can't remember. I think it started with my plans for the day?" I thought I saw his smile slip a little.
"So, where's Rainbow Dash?"
I shrugged. "She's out doing something with Scootaloo. I figured I should give them some space, let them spend some quality time together." I glanced over to the rooted Leafeon. "Where's the other Crusaders?'
Villhiem closed his eyes and sighed contently. "Applebloom's getting things ready for a camp out with Applejack before the Social tomorrow, and Sweetie's with her sister."
Heh, wonder how Lulu's doing... I started looking around for a suitable tree to sleep in. As I started to get up, Villhiem spoke up.
"There was another reason I tracked you down." He cracked an eye open to look at me. "I would have asked Yomega this, but he's busy with Spike again. There's no easy way to ask this, so here goes.... What's Scootaloo's story?"
"Eh?" I settled back down. "What'd'ya mean?"
"I mean, what did the show say about the chicken?"
"Well, first off," I started giggling," She hates that nickname according to the fan base. Besides that, many fan theories about her go along the lines of her being an orphan or adopted. Many fans believed that was even homeless. That was until an episode in season.... Four? Yeah, four. Anyways, it showed that she had a home, but I never saw an episode that showed her with an actual family. Why you ask?"
Villhiem glanced about. "Look, until I figure things out, can this stay between us?"
"Su~re?" I cocked my head at him.
"Last night, I decided to stay with Scootaloo. Usually, I stay in the clubhouse, but I was curious. Ya know?" He gazed out over the water. "She's staying in a rundown old shack on the far side of town. Alone. And I don't know what to do."
We lapsed into silence. Eventually, I spoke up. "Why don't you bring it up with Abes? He works in the post office and has access to the older papers, and I think he can read Equestrian."
The living plant nodded. "Yeah, I'll bring it up with him later."
I nudged Villhiem before getting up. "I'm moving over to that tree over there. The sun'll be hitting the near side soonish if'n ya wanna join me."
"Give me a minute to up root-" Villhiem blinked before looking up at me. "Okay, how'd you do that?"
"Working out with Rainbow Dash has done me wonders." I chuckled as I lay onto my branch.
"Damn straight!" Villhiem said. He stood, loose dirt falling from his belly. "It really shows with your Quick Attack. I barely saw you blur."
"Barely saw who blur?"
Villhiem and I looked to the base of my tree. Lulu was standing there, her fur mussed up. "Mornin', Lulu!" I called down. "Here on a break?"
"It's the afternoon." She lower cased glared at me. "If I knew what I'd be getting into this morning, I would've ditched sooner!"
Villhiem lay down at the base of the tree. "What happened?"
I smirked. "Sisterhooves Social happened"
"Oh, don't get me started!" Lulu fumed and began to pace. "It's been one thing after another with those two! All Sweetie wanted was to help her older sister, but does Rarity see that? No~oo! And Sweetie can't take a freaking hint!" She stopped and glowered at Villhiem. "Can you believe she used up Rarity supply of Baby Blue Sapphires for an, admittedly heartwarming, arts and crafts project!"
"I take it those are rare?" Villhiem asked
"Very much so!" Lulu exploded. "In the time I've been helping Rarity, we've only found four, and that's with her tracking spell! Most of what was in the chest was synthetic! Rarity made those!"
"Oh?" I leaned off my branch a little. "How does she make gems?"
"She finds or makes a seed," Lulu began, "usually by shattering an existing gem. Then she casts a spell that..... Um, it, ah." She sat down. "Well, shit. I think I stopped paying attention at that point. I think she said something about injecting love into the gem seeds. All I know is that each gem is not truly synthetic, they are real crystals. But they were made from magic, so they're considered cheaper on the markets. You can tell if the gem you're holding is a grown one by the warmth it gives off. Natural gems always feel slightly cool to the touch, unless it was pulled straight from a fire."
Villhiem stared at Lulu. "How the hell can you possibly know all that?"
"She talks to Opal and I while she works." Lulu blushed. "I really think she needs to get laid. She's one cat away from being a crazy cat lady. Or an accident away from a creepypasta..."
"Don't worry." I yawned. "The two will kiss and make up tomorrow. It'll still be a little rocky, but the Belle sisters really do love each other. Although, I'd stay in the Crusaders' Clubhouse for the weekend."
"Does it get worse?" Villhiem asked.
"I dunno." I shrugged, settling back onto my branch. "But they should have things figured out after the Social tomorrow."
"Weirdest thing about those sapphires," Lulu said as I drifted off. "I swear, when I'm near them, I can hear the ocean..."
[Lulu]
The weekend passed as I stayed away from the Boutique. I stayed at the Library in the meantime and Yomega filled me in on the events that happened in the show. The sun was nearing the horizon, and Spike was already on his way back home. I crept in through the tunnel Conner dug for me. I came up in the kitchen cupboards, face to face with a young white filly.
"Rarity?" She called out. "There's one of those Eevee's in the kitchen!"
The elder Belle's voice drifted in from the main room. "Oh, that's just Lulu. She tends to disappear every now and then. Then she pops out in the kitchen somewhere."
Sweetie looked behind me at the tunnel. "Disappears. Right...."
I leaned in and nuzzled Sweetie, then swept past her out the cupboard. I walked into the main room. Rarity stood by the coffee table, the gem encrusted poster of Sweetie's floating in her magic. I started to make my way over to the white mare, but found I had been lifted off my feet.
Rarity brought me over to her side with her magic. "Oh, doesn't this look wonderful?" She gushed. "Where should we hang it, I'm thinking in the Inspiration Room."
<<Why are you asking me, you barely understand the cat!>>
"I knew you'd agree with me!" She set Sweetie's drawing and I down. "Now wait here, Sweetie and I need to find some tape, or tacks. Something to hold her picture up."
I looked over the drawing, the gems catching my eye. Reach for it... <<There are tacks in the workroom, third drawer on the left.>>
"Sweetie Belle, I think there's tape in the Inspiration Room." Rarity called, making her way to the stairs in the back.
I barely noticed her leave. All I could focus on, was waves, lapping onto the shore, and the unconditional love of a sister....
I shuddered. Get a hold of yourself. I looked over the gems. These were the last of Rarity's Baby Blues. Does she have more seeds? I'd better take a smaller one off, just to be sure....
"Alright, Rarity, I'll go get it." Sweetie shouted up the stairs. She ran into the room, yanked the picture out from under me, then took off, yelling a quick sorry as she booked back up the stairs.
I picked myself off the ground. I made my way into the workroom and peeked into the wardrobe there. I made my way to the back. There, lay a chest. I carefully nudged it open. Inside, were gems of every shade and cut, nestled into their own cushioned spot in the softest of foams. Embedded in the lid was a rune stone, inscribed with Rarity's gem growing spell. I lifted the sheets of foam out one at a time, until there was only one left inside. Slotted neatly in place lay three Baby Blue Sapphires. The synthetic one nestled in my tail would find no home here.
Of course, I'd have to shatter it first before I could slot it in. Could I even break it? I pondered as I replaced the foam sheets. I'm not that strong. After putting the chest back, I made my way out from the wardrobe.
The rest of the night passed with little of note. Rarity made her usual dinner for me (kelp wrapped raw fish-bits), showing Sweetie how it was done. The two Sweetie made didn't actually taste that bad. A little charred, but not that bad.
That night, as I lay on the custom made, Rarity special dog bed, my thoughts turned to the younger of the two Belle sisters. Her voice seems so gentle, so calm, like the still waters of a pond. If only her thoughts and emotions could still, and match that calm, she could make a great singer. Still, she's nice enough as she is.
Now Rarity, she seems to appear as calm, but her emotions skip across her still waters like a stone. And, like that stone, they send ripples out, causing her undue stress and worry. If only she could keep her mercurial emotions in check, she could go so far in her chosen career.
As my eyes closed and I slipped into slumber, my last thoughts were of the twin lakes of the Belle sisters.
Reach for it...