Before Twilight got back on the beach, the Shadowbolts decided to take time off from the princess, to allow her time with the others. As they surfed, Twilight met up with Juniper and Wallflower on their spot of the beach.
After the pleasantries were exchanged between the three, they all went up to the pier, where the concessions and games were at.
“Again, I’m really sorry I got here so late. We got kind of sidetracked,” Twilight apologized.
“That’s alright. Things tend to not go as planned with the Shadowbolts,” Juniper said. “Bunch of jerks,” she muttered.
“Sorry? Is there a problem with the Shadowbolts?” Twilight asked.
“No. They just like to mess with us, because we hang out with the Rainbooms more than they do,” Wallflower replied.
“That’s probably just them acting out from frustration. Maybe, if you spent a little more time with them, they’d be nicer to you both,” Twilight suggested.
“Doubtful. Those guys are ruthless,” Wallflower said.
Twilight sighed. She knew that when it came to friendship, hard truths were sometimes a reality. In this case, some people just don’t become such close friends in the end.
“In any case: let’s do something fun,” Twilight said, taking everyone’s mind off of the unpleasant mood.
Juniper’s mind lit up with an idea. Something she had wanted to share with someone else, but didn’t know anyone who wanted to partake with her. Now that she knew somebody new, she had a chance to make it so.
“How about we go see the new Daring Do movie?” Juniper said.
“I think our activities should stay limited to the beach,” Twilight said.
“Ah...Right,” Juniper said.
Wallflower hadn’t said anything for awhile at this point. She thought she had just the thing to make their time together worthwhile.
“I know what,” Wallflower chimed in, “There’s a spot that I’ve been going to swim since I was little. It’s kind of far, but it’s a really nice place.”
“Alright. Let’s go there,” Twilight agreed.
The three of them walked down the beach. It seemed like miles that they had walked, until they reached a small lagoon in the far reaches of the sandy shore.
Here in this place, green plants grew on the sandy ground and the rocky walls. In a ring of rocks, there presented itself a pool of perfectly clear water.
“This looks like a nice enough place,” Juniper said, having quite forgotten about being passed up on her activity.
“It is,” Wallflower said, “This is where I came when I was a little girl, when I felt really bummed about being ignored.”
“Enough of this gloomy stuff. Let’s have fun,” Twilight said.
The three of them spent their time playing in the water, splashing and swimming about like a group of children. For many minutes, the fun lasted, until the girls noticed that their skin was starting to turn a shade of red.
“Hey, I’m starting to get a little burned over here. Can I borrow someone’s sunscreen?” Twilight asked.
“Um...I left mine behind,” Juniper said.
“Me too,” Wallflower added.
“Oh, great,” Twilight sighed. “Well, no use complaining about what’s happened. Let’s go back before we get any worse.”
The three girls all headed back to where they were originally. Partway there, Juniper stopped the others.
“Wait!” she said, and pointed to the ocean, “Look.”
Out there in the water, a group of baby sea turtles were paddling onward. Their little flippers bobbed them up and down in the waves, making them appear one moment, and disappear in another.
“Look at them, they’re so adorable,” Wallflower said.
An idea occurred to Twilight in that moment.
“Let’s name them,” she said.
“Name them? Why? Are we keeping them as pets?” Juniper asked.
“No. Of course not. We can’t keep a wild animal as a pet. I just think that we should name them before they go away,” Twilight explained.
“But, if they’re going away, why would we name them?” Juniper asked.
“Because, even if we only saw them for just a second, we can still remember them. If we know their names, meeting them becomes all the more precious,” Twilight said.
The others could see the logic in the princess’s words. Never before did they realize the importance of knowing the name of someone.
“Alright. Since it was your idea: I say you get the ball rolling,” Wallflower said.
“Okay,” Twilight said, she started from the left, and pointed to the turtle on the far outer edge, “I think that one looks like...Seafoam.”
“Seafoam?” Wallflower wondered.
“Because it keeps going under all that foam.”
“Oh.”
“My turn,” Juniper said. She picked on in the middle. “That one. The one with spots on its back that look like pizza toppings. He’s Pepperoni.”
“A food?” Wallflower asked, getting a shrug in response from Juniper. “Alright. That one with the little tooth. He’s Splinter.”
“What tooth? I don’t see it,” Twilight said.
“That one, with the little white thing in its mouth,” Wallflower indicated.
The others looked, and saw what she was talking about.
“I think that’s a piece of its own egg,” Twilight said, “you whatever is, he’s still Splinter.”
“Alright,” Twi said, before she took her next turn. “Okay. That one’s Leatherhead.”
“Now you're just being ridiculous,” Juniper said.
“It’s just because that these are leatherback sea turtles, and that one has a head the same color as its shell,” Twilight explained.
“I get it,” Wallflower said.
“That one’s Gator,” Juniper said, pointing to a turtle with a row of ridges on its shell.
“And there’s Ninja,” Wallflower said, pointing to a pitch black turtle that appeared as a shadow every time it dove underwater.
“And Nunchucks!” Juniper said excitedly.
“Hey! It was my turn next!” Twilight laughed. She pointed to another turtle. “April Shower.”
“King Rat,” Wallflower said, point to a small turtle that was nipping the others.
“Hobble!” Twilight called out to one that wobbled as it swam.
“Now you’re taking an extra turn!” Juniper said.
“I’m just catching up to you guys,” Twilight said.
On and on, the girls named each of the turtles. Some of them were given two names, but the girls didn’t care. They weren’t even keeping track of which turtles had already been named. Before they even had the chance to start tracking which turtle belonged to which name, they were all far away and out of sight.
The three girls on the beach stood staring out into the water, silently wishing the tiny turtles the best of luck on their lifelong journey. And perhaps someday return to that very beach one day to lay their own eggs.
They all started walking back to their beach towels in silence.
“Twilight? Do you think the turtles will remember us? They didn’t even know our names,” Juniper said.
“Um...Well, sometimes you don’t need a name to remember someone. Sometimes, all it takes is just one really great experience to keep someone in your life forever,” Twilight said.
“I know I’d remember you two after what we just did. Even if I never knew your names,” Wallflower answered.
“Maybe one day, we’ll be here when those turtles come back to lay their own eggs. And I’m sure they’ll remember us for just naming them,” Twilight said. Though she didn’t know what she was talking about at all, she had a feeling that it was so.
Back at the beach, the girls returned to their beach towels and generously applied their sunscreen. After the detour that diverted their attention, they felt as if they were going to whither and burn on the spot.
“So, how about we go to the mall after this?” Juniper suggested.
“Sure. I’ve never actually been to any mall before,” Twilight said.
“Want some help with that?” asked a new voice behind Twilight. A voice that made a smile spread across her face.
Twilight turned around, and was met face to face with Flash Sentry.