//------------------------------// // 28 - The Bloom of Lazuli // Story: New Moon // by AzuraKeres //------------------------------// When night came, the field lights lit upon a track field outside of Baltimare. The bleachers were filled with excited ponies cheering for their home teams as the flight team from Baltimare and Cloudsdale assembled to face off. You probably already know this, but matches between flight teams are commonly settled in three categories: the synergy event, the cloud event, and the speed event. The matches have a point system that depends upon how fast a team or athlete accomplishes the goal of the event. I happened to have confidence in my team’s skills to get the job done. I had a role in their training after all. Yup, even in my younger years, I had a keen eye on the potential of pegasi and had ideas on how to make them better than what they already were. You could say I was like the assistant coach. Though it wasn’t something I really thought much about at the time. The only reason I bothered to help was to increase our odds of victory. All so I can pave my way to become the perfect wonderbolt and make my father proud. ...what? You don’t know about the events? C’mon Leaf, don’t you watch sports? Fine, I’ll just give you the short version then. In the synergy event, a pair of pegasi are to complete an obstacle course together as quickly as possible, emphasis on the part together. The pair loses points for the team if there is a lack of teamwork or if they get too far separated from each other. The cloud event is basically eliminating a bunch of clouds that are placed all over the field. Usually, the event would have a team of three pegasi to rid of them. And again, the event is meant to end as quickly as possible. The speed event happens to consist of the most points since that is the only one that isn't based on time. Those events usually go to the ace of the team like myself, where the best flyers of each team race across pathways designed by the host of the match and finish first to attain the biggest point for the team. When my time came, the chanting of my name was electrified the entire field. It didn’t really matter to me though since the most important voice wasn't there to see me. My attention was solely upon the ace of Cloudsdale, a mare that I knew would prove troublesome to beat if I played my cards wrong. The announcer called her Windy Whistles. This mare also happened to be a prodigy like myself. Determined, focused, and relentless to prove herself to everypony. It honestly shook me how similar the two of us were. It made me wonder if she was trying to prove herself to somepony just like me. I did find it kind of weird the way she glanced at me though. It seemed like something bothered her because she looked a bit saddened. I didn’t think too much about it however, my most important goal right now was to bet her. So, since you’re apparently a dunderhead when it comes to flight matches, I’ll give you more deets on how the speed event works. There’s basically a line of hoops that a flyer must go through. The hoops continue on to make a loop that we had to trek. You know, like laps. Do three and you're finished. Finish it first and you get the points. In my match with Windy Whistles, the hoops were set from the field to Fillydelphia. A pretty long distance, but nothing an ace can’t manage in a span of a few minutes. The two of us were ready to make a strong start when the announcer finished his countdown. We blasted the winds out of the field when we made a strong start to the air. Windy’s happened to be on the stronger side since she ended up ahead of me by a few yards. But it was all according to my plan. You see, weeks before this race, I visited Cloudsdale to study Windy’s flying skills by observing her matches with other teams. Any pony that is given the title of prodigy is quick to be under my radar, so I had to find out how she earned it. To my surprise, she had a unique skill that we Pegasi don’t normally use. Remember the strong start that the two of us did? Well, Windy happens to be able to repeat that on the constant. With it, she is able to easily accelerate to her top speed and even frequently exceed it for brief moments. Doing something like that would cause a serious strain on a pegasi’s wings, but I think she trained her wing muscles to bear with the pressure. That isn’t to say that she could keep doing it over and over. Everypony has their limits. I just had to bide time to see when she wore herself out. All the aces that she raced before struggled to push past her and ended up expending too much energy to hold out against her near the end. Their mistake was trying past her so early instead of waiting for her to wear herself out. I gave her the false impression that I was trying to pass her as I lagged from her behind. Each time I got close, she would burst her wings and slap me with a thick mass of air as she distanced herself from me. But I was able to creep closer to her often enough to get her to spam that truck of hers constantly. It was only near the end of the second lap that I began to see the fruits of my efforts. Her stamina was honestly making me anxious, but when I saw her wingspan slowing, I knew she was reaching her limit. So, near the end of the second lap, I adopted that technique she happened to take pride in and gave her a taste of my wind. The crowds cheered at my sudden hurdle and jumped from their bleachers. I can't lie and say I didn't soak in their praise. Nothing that compared from a prideful grin from my dad, but it was a nice feeling regardless. But then my eyes dawned upon the corner of one of the bleachers and I noticed her. A blue plush of a foal was wrung in her hoof as she gazed at me in awe. My eyes were transfixed on her lips, reminded of that moment we had at the greenhouse. It was so enticing, so warm in my heart, and so confusing. I shook my head to snap that funk out of my head. I had a race to win. Not for my teammates. Not even for myself. But for my dad. I needed that hoof up from him. But that memory continued to pester me as it became harder and harder to shake the image out of my head. Why couldn't I get her out of my head? I think I asked myself that question so many times at the moment and even afterward. I was near the end of the final lap when I hit the side of a hoop. I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going. At one moment, I was overwhelmed by a single image. The next, I was overwhelmed by the dizzying motion of me whirling down to the ground. At the velocity I was going, it took a terrible amount of strength to find balance. I nearly cracked my head into the ground before purging the motions to a halt. I had recovered from my accident, but it still cost me everything at that moment. I frantically rose back to the sky, but once I had my sights at the field, Windy Whistles was already at the finish line. I couldn’t believe my eyes. I couldn’t believe the cheers the crowds sang to her. That was supposed to be me over there. I was the one that plotted my tactic to perfection. I was the one that studied hard to overcome the strengths of my opponent. I was the one that was clearly going to win...and yet I floated there in a daze, numb to the thick winds that we created. I couldn’t go back there. I did something I believed that no pony, that no fan, that not my father would approve of. I lost. I never felt so out of place at that moment. I couldn’t bear to stay there. So, I left. I flew off to who knows where, but I didn’t want it to be there. I didn’t go too far, but I found myself underneath a tall hill where no pony would find me within the distance. My coach would probably look for me, but I didn’t want anyone to see me right now. A lot of emotions festered inside me that night. I was angry, confused, anxious, and...crying. I don’t think I’ve ever done that in a long time. Before that, the last time I cried was when my mom… I had no way of processing the pain I felt. It just appeared to have gotten worse as the floodgates within eyes opened more and more. I was so scared of what my father would think of me when he heard of my failure. I had scary thoughts that he would disown me and discard me to the streets. Yeah, yeah, I know, that’s a bit excessive, but I really thought my world was ending before me. And as I became paranoid, the last pony I expected to find me had approached me. She gave herself away when she tripped and twirled down the hill. I did mention she was a bit of a klutz, didn’t I? The mare picked herself up and that Celestia-forsaken plush she lugged around herself. I blankly looked at her, completely in a daze of her presence. “Oh,” Loving Bud faltered a step. But then she took a step forward. “Please don’t be sad. You gave it everything you had. You were wonderful.” “You!” I pointed at her. I felt a fit of rising anger overcome me. It felt right to me, so I stuck with it. I mean, it was only when she came to my mind when everything went wrong. If it wasn’t for her, I would’ve been getting praises for my obvious victory. I had it all in the bag, and I really believed that it was all her fault. “This is all your fault!” “Me?” Bud looked so confused at my accusation. And the lack of understanding from her face only infuriated me more. “Yes, you!” I stomped my hooves before her. I didn’t even care about the tears I sported before her. I just lashed out my anger at her, blaming her for every feeling I had surging inside me. I’m surprised she didn’t run away; I always thought of her as a timid mare. Well, she is shy, but she has that wonderful habit of staying strong when it really counts. A shame I only saw it as an insult to my pride. “If wasn’t for your dumb little mix-up at the garden,” I continued to lash at her, prodding my hoof upon her pectoral. “I wouldn’t have gotten so distracted. I bet you did that on purpose, didn’t you? You must have some petty beef with me because I’m so liked by ponies. You wanted to take me down a peg; is that it?” “What?” Bud widened her eyes. “N-no. I just wanted to cheer for you. I wanted to be supportive of my friend.” “Will you just shut up!?” I flapped my wings hard before her. I blew a strong gust that backed her a few feets away from me. She looked so shocked by my action, but she picked herself back up again and tread carefully toward me. “You’re not my friend!” I yelled at her. “I don’t need any! The only thing that matters is my dad, nothing else.” That concerned face Bud had on her made me feel uncomfortable. She kept inching her way to me, bit by bit. I could have easily gotten physical with her, but something about her touch made me anxious. And so, I rose to the sky and flew off. But, I swore that I would get payback for what she did. I was determined to get even with her. I took my chance the very next day before Bud entered her greenhouse. I watched her from the clouds as she let out her horror of the field she worked so hard to grow. All of her flowers and vegetables were dragged out from the dirt and squashed on the stone tiles. She mourned them as if they were real creatures, collecting their seeds and dropping them in a wagon. She grabbed a match from a shed in the greenhouse and lit them on fire. She just idly sat there with her plush foal, watching the fire turn her children to ash. This wasn’t what I was going for. I wanted her to feel the same pain as I did. I was so sure that those plants meant a lot to her since they came from her seniors that were apparently her only friends in this city. I got irritated at how easy she took the loss. And you know, when I get mad, I get really confrontational. I burst into the greenhouse and dashed before her to leer at her surprised face. “The heck was that!?” “Oh, hi Lazuli. Are you feeling better—” “Ugh, you’re so annoying! How can you take this so easily? Did those plants mean nothing to you?” “Huh...Lazuli, you didn’t…” “You bet I did,” I admitted. “I told you that I would get even with you. I’m going to make you feel the same pain as I did.” “...I’m sorry.” “Huh?” “You looked like you were in a lot of pain,” Bud started rubbing the foal in her hoof. “I wondered if I should have followed after you, but since you’re fast, I thought it’d be best I talk to you the next day.” “—” “I am upset that you took your anger on my plants. But, if they helped ease your pain in any way, then I can at least take solace in that.” Could you believe it? I snuck into her garden and destroyed everything she worked for months to grow. She should’ve hated me, but instead, she apologized to me and still held that same care for me. Either she was the kindest mare in all of Equestria or she was just so naive and stupid. Either way, it made me feel small. Like I was now not only a failure but now a brat that was being consoled by an adult. My pride couldn’t take it. “Shut up,” I leered at her. “What do you even know about me? You’re just some weirdo without any friends. All you have is that stupid toy you carry around you…” A thought came to mind at that moment and my body proceeded to go through with it before I could think it through. I pushed Bud to the ground, snatching the plush toy from her as she gazed at me in appall. “Wait,” Bud hurriedly raised back to her hoof to reach for the plush, but I used my wings to ascend beyond her reach. “Please, don’t hurt him.” “So this is what you really care about,” I dawned upon the plush toy. It was so strange to me how something so meaningless as a toy could mean so much to a pony. But if destroying could make her feel the same pain that I believed she brought to me, I thought I could find some sort of peace in it. To be honest, I was just looking for anything to swing my anger at just as Bud said. Ever since my dad put me in this path to become a wonderbolt, I never failed a competition before. I trained so hard for each one under his guidance and even going beyond to find ways to improve myself on my own. I achieved a perfect streak of victories through my school years up to that point because of that drive. With my perfect streak, becoming a wonderbolt would’ve become a breeze. But then that one loss changed everything for me. The perfection I created for my dad was stolen, crumbled, gone. I truly believed that I was ruined and felt the need for Loving Bud in some way to feel that same pain. My hoof wrung on the neck of the plush toy. In just a span of a second, I would unleash my wrath on the feeble mare I blamed for causing me a great shame. It would be justice, I believed. I was in the right to do this, I believed. She brought this on herself, I believed. Loving Bud cried and begged for me to stop. The raw pain on her face should have been delectable, but it only made me sick. Something about it felt so wrong like it shouldn’t belong there. I hated it. And I hated that it was me that was causing it. ...I couldn't do it. I was about to get exactly what I wanted and I couldn’t go through with it. I smacked my lips as I dropped the plush toy. Bud caressed that toy so strongly as if it had nearly died. I didn’t want to be around it. I didn’t want to be around her. So I did the one thing I was apparently really good at, running away. “I see,” Leaf nodded. “So this plush was a very meaningful object to Loving Bud. Why is that?” “That plush was just something her mother bought her when she was a little foal,” Lazuli said. “It was just an object that Bud asserted her desires to. Doubt it means much now since she has the real thing.” “I guess that makes sense. So then, how is it that the two of you became friends when you bore such unjust toxicity for her.” “It wasn’t on purpose,” Lazuli countered. “I was dealing with emotions I couldn't understand.” “Call it what you will; it doesn’t change the fact that you harassed Bud for a poor cause.” “I already know that.” Lazuli sighed. “Much more than I like to.” “Care to explain how the two of you made up?” Well, after what happened at the greenhouse, word of it got out to the school officials. I guess a ransacked field can’t go ignored. The officials met together and came to the conclusion that I should be reprimanded for my actions. The punishment was that I had to temporarily join the gardening club and help Bud grow back all the plants she lost before I could have the freedom to leave. Not only that, but the officials decided that it was best that a pony with a nasty behavior such as myself should be suspended for the team. That pretty much meant that I was dropped for the entire season. My father was livid after hearing what happened to me. He had stopped waking me each morning and even stopped speaking to me. It was like I was a ghost to him like I didn’t matter to him anymore. And at school, ponies distanced themselves from me. Some were scared that I might get violent with them. Others didn’t want to associate with an ex-ace that was dishonorably dropped from the team. In a span of two days, my entire world crumbled. I lost my popularity, my honor, and respect from dad. Everything I had worked to build for him was gone and now he had little care for me. I was a failure. That realization broke me. I felt all my dreams were impossible now. I couldn’t find any point to continue on. What was even the point of existing if my dad won’t acknowledge me? Days and months went by as I worked as the quiet helper of Loving Bud. She tried to talk to me every now and then, but I didn’t care. I didn’t care for anything anymore. Not if my dad doesn’t care for me. I was just a broken shell that Bud could marionette as she pleased. It seemed like the only thing I was good for now. It was only when the night of prom arrived when my world had changed again. Every year I would always get asked by pretty colts to go to the prom with them. Obviously, I declined them, and it also happened to boost my popularity as some unattainable mare that stallions wished to have. This year though, no pony came to me. I was sickened how my old entourage didn’t bother to want me around as they spoke excitedly for their dates. Goes to show what fake friends they were. No, that’s not fair. I was using them as much as they were using me. I was planning to stay in for the night, but then I got a letter in my locker room about an invitation. It was from Loving Bud. I wanted to rip that letter, but then I had to consider the fact that she was the only pony that acknowledged my existence now. We were pretty much the same now. A bunch of outcasts. I didn’t want to feel alone, so I went along with her to prom. The event was to take place at the auditorium, but Bud chose to lead me elsewhere. Instead, we sat together at the greenhouse that night. The full moon shone upon the field that the two of us worked to grow those past months. She talked to me. She shared moments about her mundane time at the daycare center her mother ran and stories about her time at Ponyville with her two sisters. I just listened to her. I never could understand why she was trying so hard to befriend me. A pony that made her cry and showed nothing but contempt. But she made me feel less lonely, and so I clung to that. Through her stories, she finally came to the reason why she brought me to the greenhouse. ...Hey Leaf, have you ever heard her sing before?... Yeah, I figured as much. She has a beautiful voice, but she’s always so nervous to share it with other ponies. But she felt that she needed to share it with me. She voiced how lonely I looked at those past months and how I appeared to have given up in myself. So, she hoped a song would somehow raise my spirit. At first, I didn’t care. I was just her quiet listener, plainly open to anything she was willing to share with me. But when she sang, I felt a strong beat in my heart. That lovely voice of hers that was directed only towards me sparked those old emotions from that moment months ago. Those I couldn’t understand. But when I looked at her and heard her, I became reminded of my mother. She was always so attentive to me, open to all of my wants and assuring to all of my sadness. She was like an angel that made me feel safe and belonged. That’s what Bud made me feel. And that’s when I realized that I wanted to stay with her. This sense of security she gave me was something that I didn’t want to lose. I needed to hold on to it. That’s when I realized I was in love with her. “From then on,” Lazuli continued. “I tried to be a better friend to her. I wanted to do everything I can to keep that bond we had.” “So that need of approval you had for your father was shifted to Bud?” Leaf asked. “Pretty much," Lazuli nodded. "But Bud didn’t want that from me. She wanted me to be comfortable with who I was. But that’s when I realized that I didn’t know who I was. Who am I if I’m not an ace? What is it that I want for myself?” “So she opened you to a whole other conundrum then, huh?” Leaf chuckled. "It seems you can't catch a break, huh?" “Yeah, but she was really helpful in getting me to figure it out. It was when she decided to invite me to the daycare center. Teaching those foals how to play sports made me realize how much of a knack I had in coaching. That’s when I came to decide to become a coach, to bring the best out of ponies. It was one of the best things to happen to me. Also one of the most traumatic.” "Huh? Why traumatic?" "I met Bud's mother. And I'll tell ya that she wasn't all that excited to meet her daughter's bully." “Well, it seems that your relationship with Hope is okay now. So at least this tale has a happy ending." “I guess,” Lazuli blankly looked at her coffee on the table. “I mean, I didn’t deserve all the kindness that Bud gave to me, but she did so anyway. But after having her deal with all of that hurdle, do you think it's right for me to feel this way about her? Do I even deserve her?” “Are you sure you’re not just overthinking this?” “I don’t know. But I can’t find it in me to just tell her how I feel. But I also don’t want to lose her. When Bud had those foals, I was really supportive of her like the good friend I wanted her to see me as. But was also terrified that some creature had stolen her away from me. Heck, I’m still scared now.” “Love is so chaotic,” Leaf sighed. “But if it means anything, I do believe you may have a chance with her.” “Really?” Lazuli awed at Leaf. “What makes you say that?” “Well, as we know, Bud has made no effort to involve this mysterious thestral with the foals. Chances are that it was a “one-time” thing for this creature.” “You better not be calling Bud easy,” Lazuli glared at the stallion. “Of course not,” Leaf refuted. “My point is that there is no other pony that is involved with the foals with Bud as much as you. You are practically the closest thing she relies on to help her. Going by her strong desire for motherhood, that would mean a lot to her, wouldn’t it?” “I don’t follow. Where are you going with this?” “Ask. Her. Out.” Leaf spelled it out for her. “If there’s any pony she would have an affinity for, it would most likely be you.” “But she only sees me as a friend Leaf,” Lazuli countered. “And that won’t change unless you make your feelings known to her.” “You say it like it’s an easy thing to do.” “I wouldn’t know,” Leaf admitted. “But I do know that this is your only option for a future with her.” “...I’ll...try, but not unless you make your feelings known to Passion.” “By Celestia, why are you trying to drag me into this nonsense!? I’ve already told you that I have no intention of participating.” “Those are my terms Leaf,” Lazuli crossed his hoof. “Either that or nothing.” “You do realize I have nothing to gain from this, right?” “—” “...” Leaf Clip let out a sigh. “Fine, if this is the only way then I will make things clear to Passion.” “We’re….we’re really going to do this?” “I think it’s for the best that we don’t prolong our problems. We all need our closure, don’t we?” “—” Lazuli dawned her eyes upon the sleeping colt. His head craned back upon Lazuli’s pectoral as a trail of slobber trailed down his chin. Lazuli grabbed for a napkin and wiped the mess off of him. The colt’s snout then wiggled as his mouth suddenly suckled upon Lazuli’s hoof. “Mama,” the colt mumbled. Lazuli widened her eyes at the word of the colt. Were those words meant towards her or was it from whatever was going in his mind? Either way... “I’ll get mine. But I’m going for a happy ending.” Tenure Grace did her best to hide her fear when she entered a fancy hotel at Manehattan. It was during the middle of the night when her warden snuck into her room. The warden woke her straight from her sleep and informed Grace that he asked for her presence. Her lonesome in the elevator trembled the mare. What wouldn't she love more than to just leave? To just run away from it all. But that was impossible. He held all the leverage over her. Her crimes and her life. Grace reached a door through a hallway. The sign on it indicated that this was indeed the place he decided to take shelter in. Grace took a deep breath. She wanted to slow the fast beating in her heart. She can't show fear before him. Grace inevitably knocked on the door. "Hello," she voiced. "It's me, Tenure Grace." A moment passed before the door eventually opened. Behind that door stood the stallion that held everything over her. Ever since they were foals, Grace could barely recall any fond memories she had with him. He always tormented her with his selfish request, being the object for all of his curiosity. And she would always have to endure it because she was raised to be his loyal servant as his father had intended. A shame now that she's just a simple slave that he can flaunt as he pleased. Even without the collar strapped to her neck, she would still be his personal slave "It's about time you showed up," Gold said. The yellow stallion garnered a black silk robe and a glass cup of red wine in his hoof. "In. Now." Grace adhered to the stallion's command and stepped inside the hotel room. He guided her to his bedroom where he laid the glass cup atop a dresser. Grace glanced at the bed that appeared ruffled. There was a kirin sleeping quietly inside those sheets. It looked so still that she thought that it died. Probably on the inside it did. "Tell me Grace," Gold started. "How far have you progressed in your task?" Grace would have told him to refer to her daily reports that she wrote to her warden, but she knew better than to say that. If Gold asks a question, then you must give him the immediate answer he needs to know. "I have gained the trust of the mother," Grace answered. "She now feels more comfortable leaving the foals under my care." "I never knew you to have setbacks," Gold commented. "I advise to not let that happen again." "Yes Master Gold, of course." "And have you thought of a way to separate the foals from her?" "None so far, I'm afraid." To be honest, Grace wasn't really looking. There wasn't much time to think of such strategies when caught under the winds of such a lively family. Something Grace wished she had. "My setback required a week of effort to correct." "You should make better use of your head then. Else you'll start to look useless in my eyes." "Yes, Master Gold." "Moving on, I'm sure you're aware that the foals are your main target. But I did put more emphasis on the filly, didn't I?" "Yes, because she is of a different breed, correct?" "Yes, and it also shows, unlike her brother. But, there may be some incredible value in him after all." "... There is?" "I happened to discover it last night when I saw him at the nightclub." "Artemis was at a nightclub!?" Grace was appalled. "But he's just a colt. How could he-" "Quiet," Gold prodded his hoof to Grace's snout. "There is only one time when I like to hear your voice rang." Grace paused as the stallion removed his hoof from her snout. He then continued, "that other mare that the mother lives with, Summer Lazuli, had him. She works as a security guard of the nightclub." "Lazuli…" "I have to thank her, I never would've seen the true value in that colt if not for her stupidity." "Are you asking me to report this?" The thought worried Grace. She knew she had to make her advances at some point, but she didn't think it would be so soon. "That would be so easy, wouldn't it? Expose the failure of mother that this Bud is and remove her custody of the foals because of it. Then, I can swoop as the generous stallion and claim the parentless foals. Except, you forget one thing." "..." "Our dear Princess appears to have an attachment to those foals. What is there to stop her from adopting them when they are ripe from the taking? No, Grace, we can't use legal matters to claim them. You will have to use other means." "Other…" "Don't act so innocent with me." Gold raised a brow. "I've gotten your hooves dirty countless times. I'm sure you're numb to it all at this point. So, use that brain of yours and find a way to get those foals with no pony growing suspicious of you." "Yes, Master Gold." "Good. I will expect to have those foals in the coming months. Don't disappoint me. Unless you don't care about having your freedom." "I want that more than anything…" "Then we are in agreement." Sensing the end of their conversation Grace proceeded to excuse herself and make her way out of the hotel. However, before reaching for the door, Gold grabbed her hind hoof. "It's dangerous at this time of night," Gold grinned. "You should stay here for a bit." "I-It's no trouble," Grace stuttered. "I know how to defend myself." "That won't do," Gold spoke into Grace's ear. "I insist that you stay for that night, for old times sake. You won't refuse me, will you?" He held all the leverage over her. All the crimes he led her to commit would forever plague her innocence. She would never have a normal life if word got out about her affiliation with that group. And that debt he chose to place on her after the passing of his father. All those years of care she received from the Jaegar family to prop her as the perfect assistant to Gold was fined in full to her. It was a ridiculous number of bits that Gold knew for certain that she couldn't pay under normal means. And that accursed collar he placed around her neck. At any moment, he could end her life with just a single spell. And so, he made her his pet. His tool that he can use to harm the lives of any creature he wished. An object that he can force all of his desires towards. And he knew that Grace couldn't refuse her. There was never a choice in this matter. The voice of the kirin and Grace rang that night. And Grace remembered that she was just as dead inside as that creature. What were they without their freedom after all?