Chapter 10
The next morning, Steelmind opened his eyes to see Sweetie Belle staring back at him eagerly. He panicked and fell off the bed before putting his glasses on and allowing his sight to readjust.
"Morning, Steelmind," she chirped. He sighed with frustration and noticed Zephyroak wasn't in her bed. "You remember me from yesterday, right?"
"Hmm," Steelmind turned his attention back to the little unicorn, meeting his gaze with overwhelming anticipation. "Oh yeah. You're one of Leafwind's little friends." she nodded. "You didn't happen to see Zephyroak, did you? Teal, big puffy mane, Trossel like me?" Sweetie nodded again.
"She's the one who told me to wake you up," she said. Fantastic, Steelmind muttered under his breath. As he went downstairs, Sweetie Belle followed close behind. When he got there, he saw his long-time friend sitting and talking with Rarity. He listened to their conversation from atop the stairs, not willing to make his presence known to them yet.
"I must say, Zephyroak," Rarity said. "I do love what you've done with your mane. I've never been able to pull off something like that." Zephyroak smirked.
"Oh come on," she said. "You know what I'd do for a mane like yours? Just a quick question, hope it isn't too personal."
"Go ahead," Rarity insisted.
"Are you seeing anypony? You don't really seem the type who wouldn't be." Rarity suddenly went deadly silent, and Zephyroak moved a bit closer. "I'm sorry. I-I didn't mean to offend you if that's what's wrong."
"No, no, it's quite alright dear," Rarity assured her, having briefly remembered how quickly downhill the Gala had turned. "I suppose you could say I was at one point, but he really didn't turn out as I thought. If you don't mind me asking, what about you?" Zephyroak shook her head.
"Not really," she said. "It's not that I wasn't getting looks from here to there, far from it, but it was never really anything serious. I'd just tease them a bit, but there never really seemed to be any cute enough ones, y'know? I did have a few coltfriends, but it never went very far." Steelmind finally decided to make his presence known, Sweetie still in close proximity of him. "Took you long enough. What, were you in a coma?" Steelmind rolled his eyes at her remark, as he did frequently. Steelmind never really had any sisters, but he'd always imagined having a big sister would've been a bit like Zephyroak, but just with a similar love he had for his little brother Cornelius. "Who's your shadow?" Steelmind looked down at Sweetie Belle, who was clinging to his leg firmly before he finally used his magic to pry her off.
"That's my little sister Sweetie Belle," Rarity explained. "Sweetie Belle, this is a friend of Steelmind's, Zephyroak."
"If it means anything, Rar," the Sky Trossel interjected. "My friends just call me Zeph for short."
"You never told me you had a sister," Steelmind said.
"I didn't think you'd be interested in my affairs," Rarity said. "Compared to the life you've lived, everything I'd have said wouldn't have exactly seemed too remarkable."
Infernalo was awakened by the excited shrieks of his baby sister from downstairs, who'd gotten up over an hour earlier than usual, much to her siblings' discontent. The pale blue Trossel rushed into the room excitedly, waving an invitation in the air. Infernalo groaned as she entered the room, forcing him from his dream.
"Stonebolt, wake up," she urged, unable to contain her happiness.
"What time is it," her sister grumbled.
"Nine."
"This had better be important," Infernalo said, more annoyed than usual. "Somepony had better be bleeding to death or something on fire to wake me up from the dream I was having."
"Another dream about Aquashine," Frostburn asked flatly. Infernalo narrowed his eyes.
"What do you want," he asked. Frostburn shoved the invitation in his face as he scanned over it intently. "You woke me up for an invitation to a party?" Frostburn nodded, not able to hear the frustrated anger in his voice. Leafwind, who'd been asleep through the entire conversation, bolt awake instantly.
"A party," she said excitedly. "Can I come, Frostburn? Please please please please! I'll be super duper extra good, I swear." Stonebolt took the letter from Infernalo and read it over.
"Frosty," she said. "This doesn't start for seven hours." Leafwind didn't hear it; she was too busy pleading to Frostburn to let her go. Leafwind had never been to a party before.
"Leafwind," Frostburn said, forcing herself to take up the role of the grown-up. "I'm not your mother, so it isn't my choice; it's entirely up to you. If you don't want to go, it's understandable, but I'm pretty sure there will be a lot of ponies who would like to meet you, and your little friends will be there too." Leafwind beamed, tears of joy welling up in the corners of her eyes as she squeezed Frostburn tightly.
"Thank you thank you thank you thank you," she said eagerly. "This is going to be so much fun. I'm going to go tell Apple Bloom right now." the little filly rushed out the door so fast she could've left a trail of fire in her wake.
"Why are we doing this again," the Darkness Trossel asked.
"It will give us a chance to meet everypony in Ponyville and make lots and lots of friends, just like Pinkie," Frostburn explained, smiling before finally leaving the room.
"How is it that I've never met this 'Pinkie' and yet I feel as though I don't want to," he asked, pulling himself out of bed begrudgingly. Stonebolt rolled out of bed with him, the two going out into town.
"Try to keep a bit more of an open mind," she said. "After all, you should at least give Frostburn's friends a chance." Infernalo scoffed.
"I've met Frostburn's friends before," he said coldly. "The only ones I could stand were Steelmind, Zephyroak, and Climantos, and it was only because he didn't talk much by the end."
"Try to be nice," she said. "I know this isn't Seldreinia, but we should at least make a good impression. Do it for me." She smiled at him, batting her eyes. Infernalo groaned, hating when Stonebolt batted her eyes because she knew she'd get her way with him. Reluctantly, he nodded and she hugged him.
Steelmind was sitting outside the boutique with Zephyroak when Frostburn swung by. He jumped slightly when he noticed her.
"Oh, Snowflake," he sighed. "It's just you."
"Who else would it be, silly," she said. Steelmind chuckled a bit, but then cleared his throat. "So, what are you two up to? Did you guys get...?"
"Invited to the party," Zephyroak finished. They held up their invitations as proof and Frostburn lit up.
"Isn't this exciting," she said, bouncing up and down happily. "Stone and Infernalo got invited too, and Leafwind's gonna tag along. It's going to the best night ever." Zephyroak frowned at the mention of her cousin.
"Oh no," she said bitterly. "There's no way I'm sharing breathing space with that little twerp. I don't even like when she visits, and that's involuntary."
"C'mon, Zeph," Steelmind tried to persuade her. "It'll be fun. Everypony'll be there, and with Frostburn it's not like Leafwind will ever be within five feet of you."
"Fine," she said, crossing her front hooves. "I don't want anything to do with her, got it?" Frostburn nodded. "I don't even want anypony knowing she's my cousin."
"Consider it done," Frostburn said.
Leafwind was walking down the path from Sweet Apple Acres, not seeing Apple Bloom or her friends in the treehouse, hoping to tell them about the party when she met a pair of earth ponies, one with a bright silver tiara that matched her cutie mark and the other with glasses. The two stopped when Leafwind walked by.
"Hey," one of them called. Leafwind looked around, expecting that she meant to call somepony else. "I was calling you."
"You aren't really from here, are you," the other pony answered. Leafwind shook her head. The two looked over at her flank, admiring her cutie mark in detail.
"What are you staring at," Leafwind asked. She glanced down at her flank, and noticed what they were staring at. "Oh yeah, I just got it a few days ago. My name's Leafwind."
"Diamond Tiara," the earth pony introduced herself, the name seeming a bit redundant but nonetheless fitting. "This is Silver Spoon. So, what are you doing around here?"
"I'm looking for Apple Bloom and her friends," Leafwind explained excitedly.
"You actually want to hang around those blank flanks," Diamond Tiara asked in astonishment.
"Yeah," Leafwind said a bit confused. "They're my friends." Diamond Tiara put a hoof on her shoulder.
"You don't want to be a loser, do you," she asked. Leafwind shook her head. "Then, why not hang out with us?" Leafwind nodded, and blindly followed the two.