The light of Sollothus beamed upon a luxurious cafe. Its outdoor tables brimmed with customers, they relished in the sight of the public garden planted with radiant florae across the street.
An umbrella propped on their table secured them from the heat of the sun. Although, the umbrella was enchanted with runes that radiated its shade to neon light for its guest.
They dined with class and etiquette. No matter where they went on their leisure, they would always be sure to preserve the look of their status. However, there was a rowdy bunch among this fine setting that couldn’t care less.
A pink mare raised from her seat at a table with a large cup in her hoof. A pale blue mare sat idly next to her with a small cup of hibiscus tea. If not for their distinct color, nobody may tell which were who off at first glance.
“Three, two, one,” the pink mare counted. “Go!”
All at once the pink mare and her friends, Star, Ratty, and Chip chugged their large cup of strawberry açaí. Each took large gulps from their drinks. A few splashes fell from Ratty’s, staining his brown fur a darkish pink.
Chip was the first to. Lay his cup on the table with a refreshing sigh. “Guess I’m the winner.”
Star and the pink mare were the next to finish their cup. Star gasped for air and then glowered at the victorious stallion.
“This is clearly not a fair match,” she complained. “Your body has a bigger build than all of us combined.”
Ratty dropped his cup, though half of his açaí remained in his cup. “Nuh—uh,” Ratty breathed. “You can’t make that excuse. You’re like five or six times my size.”
“Honestly,” Chip started, “did not imagine your treat to be drinking contests. At least the refreshment is good.”
“Did you know Dwarven ponies do this as a hobby?” the pink mare said. “They would start a merry crowd cheering the drinkers who can hold their head in the game. I’ve always wanted to try it myself.”
“Then you’re doing it all wrong, Yori,” the pale blue mare said. “A Dwarven drinking contest culturally involves the consumption of alcohol, not fruit drinks. And since none of you have had that poison in your life, I doubt any of you would last long.”
The pale blue mare took a sip from her small cup of hibiscus tea as she flipped the page of a book she was reading.
“I’d never agree to this if that was the case, Yuki,” Chip remarked. “I can’t be drinking on the job.”
“I find it odd that you would mark Star as a part of your job,” Yuki said with a raised eyebrow.
“It’s not that surprising. Keeping an eye on her protects the wallets of countless Sollotheans she would have gone through.”
Yori laughed. “Oh please. You can’t fool us. We know you just like to be around her.”
“I’m being serious!” Chip argued. Despite the firmness in his voice, the apple blush on his face worked against his stance. “Who else is going to stop her if I’m not around?”
“Not that you did, I expect,” Yuki said. “I presume she’s already pilfered a few of your bits already, hasn’t she?”
“Of course not,” Chip said. “The only bits she has taken are the ones I spent to buy her an odd cube she wanted to get.”
Yuki gave a disappointed glance at Chip. “She talked you into buying it, didn’t she?”
“I...” Chip started, but lost his train of thought. Or better yet, he didn’t have a clear refute. “She didn’t give me much of a choice!”
“You should know better than to feed into her bad behavior.” Yuki sighed.
“You guys want to see it?” Star asked, but did not bother to wait for a response. She gleefully withdrew the obsidian cube from her purse and laid it on the table for her friends to bear witness. She wore a smug grin at her friends’ marveled reactions. “Pretty cool, huh?”
“Ooh,” Yori said, leaning over for a closer look. “It looks so ominous.”
“I guess so,” Star admitted. “But get this. The cube is mentioned capable of producing a towering force field so tall that it can plunge a hole into the sea of Eklaria.”
“According to Gilfred,” Chip added.
“Gilfred,” Yuki said. “You mean the scammer.”
“He’s not a scammer!” Star retorted. “Gilfred is an adventurer that’s been on many journeys across the realms. I won’t let you guys talk badly of him.”
“It’s better to not argue with her,” Ratty advised. “We’d be stuck here all day.”
Yori rubbed her hoof on the cube, noting the smeared sap. “It looks to be in pretty awful shape. I don’t think you will be taking this trinket for a spin anytime soon.”
“All I need to do is fix the markings,” Star said. “Then I can replicate it to make my own.”
Yuki shook her head dismissively. “If you plan to repair it, then you may want to hurry to the restoration lab before they close in a few hours.”
Star groaned in response. “I can’t take it there. They’ll have me wait months or even a few years before they put it back together.”
“Oh, I agree," Yuki concurred. "But unfortunately the restoration lab possesses the only known method to repair damaged rune tools. Scholars to this day are still looking for new headways to speed up the process, but all have so far come empty-hoofed.”
“Then I’ll just have to figure out my own way then,” Star concluded. “If you want something done right, then you have to do it yourself.”
“You missed my point, but I’m sure that doesn’t matter to you,” Yuki deadpanned.
“That’s the spirit,” Yori cheered. “I just know that beautiful, diabolical mind of yours will find a way.”
“Please don’t encourage her,” Chip said.
Yuki took another sip of her hibiscus tea before she spoke, “You know, I’ve been hearing an odd rumor going around Illuma.”
Star perked to this. “Hm? Like what?”
“Well, folks have been talking about a mysterious spirit in Sollothus that is can grant predictions of one’s future.”
“You mean like a Norn?” Chip wondered.
Yuki shrugged. “Possibly. Norn are the only breed known to have a close connection with the Cosmic Tree. A bond so close that it granted them the ability to peer years or even decades into the future.”
“Something as rare as that would definitely be guarded by the royalties of the eight realms,” Star argued. “Can’t say I’m surprised. I would think many would jump at the chance to know their fate.”
Me especially.
“I wouldn’t believe in strange tales like that,” Ratty said after munching on the last strawberries. “Either that rumor came from a jokester or a crazed looney.”
“Well, I sure hope it’s true,” Yori bubbled. “If I had the chance to meet the spirit, I’d like to know if sis and I’s time at Nimbus won’t be a waste of time.”
Star quirked a brow at the pink mare. “What are you talking about?”
“Yori!” Yuki glared at her sister.
“Oops.” Yori gasped before covering her mouth with both her hooves.
“You two are going to Nimbus?” Star asked, a frown now drawn on her face.
Yuki let out a sigh. “Yes Star, we are. We’ve received a grant from the Illuman Institute of Environment Studies to launch research of the clouds of Nimbus.” Yuki leaned her head closer to the middle of the table and began to whisper, “Though if I am being honest, I’m hoping to use most of that time add findings of the clouds in Yori and I’s development of a unique rune tool.”
“A rune tool?” Chip wondered. “For what purpose?”
“Why, to groom one's mane to flow infinitely like the wind.”
“Wait,” Ratty said, “did the institute let you go for that reason? That’s kind of odd.”
“What’s odd about wanting a flowing mane!?” Yori shouted with a volume to earn glares from bystanders. “Haven’t you ever wished for your mane to dance eternally wherever you went!?”
“I’m a squirrel?” Ratty reminded her.
“Anyways, our study for flowing manes will serve as a secondary task when we have time,” Yuki explained. “The season of the Albatross is coming to the Realm of Skies. The institute would like for us to make good records of its cloud formations.”
“You two are really going?” Star asked. “You’re going to leave me behind?”
Yori frowned at Star’s somber look. “I mean, we’d like to bring you with us, but you know how your mom is. She has a policy for keeping you in Sollothus.”
Chip sensed Star tensing up. Her bottled rage could never escape him. “Star,” he spoke warmly. “You know Hild only wishes to protect you. Sometimes love can push one to go too far at times. But, you shouldn’t hold that against her.”
Star did not bother to bat an eye at him. Of course, he would take her mother’s side. Her mother trained him ruthlessly to become a fine guard to survey her.
Star looked at Yuki and spoke to her in a sudden calm voice, “Yuki, can you tell me more about the spirit?”
Yuki took the last sip of her tea before she began, “Folks say that certain individuals have come across this spirit when they came in contact with the Cosmic roots. Those who met this spirit spoke of finding themselves in an unknown plane of existence where they would receive their prediction. And once it was received, they would wake back where they came from, cared for by concerned onlookers."
“Are you sure that’s true?” Chip asked. “It’s a bit unbelievable for folks to have randomly met a spirit that can read your future.”
“Well, of course, it’s not,” Ratty held. “When something sounds too good to be true, that’s because it is.”
“Then how about we test the merit of this rumor?” Star suggested, earning a wide glance from her friends. “Let’s find this spirit.”
“Whelp.” Ratty shrugged. “Can’t say I didn’t see that coming.”
“Just think about it. If it turns out the spirit actually exists, we can all get our own predictions for our future. I could finally get some answers of what life’s purpose is supposed to be.”