This storm was pretty bad…
Misty flinched at another clap of thunder. Even crouching under the table, she was still getting wet. Had Opaline really needed to make the wind this strong? Well, it had worked. The ponies had started pointing hooves and fighting immediately.
She was a bit- disappointed it had happened so fast. She hadn't even been certain they'd turn on each other at all. Not that she was sad that it had happened, they needed it to happen for the plan, but she'd just- like, things had been okay. There'd been some tension, yeah, but overall ponies had been getting on well enough.
And the accusations were so nonsensical. These ponies really had zero comprehension of the effort and skill needed to create a storm like this. It wasn't something a pony could just do. Unicorns didn't even have that knowledge anymore; they'd stupidly thrown it all away. As for the pegasi, Comet said that the royal family had hidden most of the information on pegasus flight and weather magic so that it would be harder for anypony to realize they were frauds. They still had all those old books tucked away in the palace. Even with those guides though, there was no way any pegasus could master the weather so quickly. Opaline had given Comet books on flying from her personal library and even with all the practice he'd been doing, he couldn't do something like this. Just turning a single regular cloud into a raincloud would be impressive. A whole massive storm was absurd. Ancient Equestria had needed whole factories and cloud deliveries and lighting bolt crafters and teams of weather ponies and many other things to create storms like this. Maybe the other tribes thought the pegasi had created this storm by accident? That would be at least a little believable. But no, judging by what they were saying, they believed it was on purpose.
Once again, Misty was proven how foolish she was. It had been silly to think the tribes maybe wouldn't turn on each other. Sugar and Opaline hadn't expected any less, Misty should have known better.
Peering out at the arguing ponies through the pouring rain, Misty considered what to do next. She wasn't really sure. She'd hadn't been told to do anything. Sugar was getting the crystals. Was Misty's part over now? She felt like she hadn't contributed much. All she'd really done to further the plan was eat way too many blueberry cupcakes so Sugar had an excuse to leave.
Misty bit her lip. Should she ask if there was something else for her to do? Ermm… They were both busy right now. And there was a risk of getting caught if she did try to contact them. Mmmm… No, she should just stay here and keep an eye on things. Then she could warn Sugar if ponies started heading her way or could stall the ponies here longer. Not that there seemed to be a need for stalling, they were stalling themselves just fine. She couldn't believe they were still bickering instead of running to find shelter. Sunny and her friends were trying to break up the fights, but only Zipp and Pipp were having any luck and only with the pegasi. Probably just because they were princesses. Sunny, Hitch, and Izzy weren't making any headway as far as Misty could tell.
An open polka dot beach umbrella whizzed past Misty's table, nearly slamming into a red earth pony stallion. The stallion only escaped being bulldozed because a brown pegasus stallion saw the umbrella coming and used his wings to launch forward and push him out of the way.
An uneasy concern washed over Misty. That could have really hurt somepony.
Not even twenty seconds later, something knocked into the table next to her, making her jump, and a large tray blew off, almost hitting a pegasus mare in the head. A unicorn mare had managed to catch the tray with her magic before it impacted. The unicorn was then saved a moment later when a blue earth pony stallion bucked away something round (Misty couldn't quite make out what it was) that had been about to hit her. It was all a mess.
Misty shifted anxiously in place. This was getting dangerous. Maybe she should signal Opaline to stop the storm. But what if Sugar hadn't gotten the crystals yet? Did they still need the storm at this point?
Something, multiple somethings, ducked under the same table as Misty. Glancing over, she saw the three fillies she'd seen playing on the beach earlier were also taking shelter under the table. They were already soaking wet though, their manes dripping onto the already damp sand. She only knew one of them. Izzy had introduced her to her cousin while they were finishing setting up for the party.
"Are you fillies okay?" Misty checked worriedly. Maybe she should escort them indoors. Leaving for just a little bit was probably fine, right?
"We're fine," Artsy assured. "We did have a close call though…" She let out a sigh. "And I lost my hat, but no point trying to find it in this. This is a bad storm." The three fillies silently watched the adults arguing for a bit. "Why are they just standing around?" the filly wondered aloud. "Why aren't they trying to get out of the rain? Even if they want to keep shouting at each other, they can do that indoors."
Misty shrugged. "I guess they each think the other tribes are causing the storm so they can make the storm stop if they just argue hard enough."
The pegasus filly tilted her head, her curls stringy from the rain. "Are they making the storm? I mean, it did come out of nowhere."
Misty hesitated. She should lie, she knew she should. But there was no need to drag the kids into this, right? The adults were creating plenty of anti-friendship vibes stuff whatever-it-was-they-needed already.
"I don't think so," she said, technically truthful. "I don't think any of the tribes got so good at magic so fast. And there really isn't a reason for any tribe to do this, it puts ponies from their own tribes at risk." A bit optimistic, but still overall true. Misty turned her head to gaze up at the dark, thunderous clouds above. "I think this is just one of those freak weather incidents that sometimes happen. I remember one time when I was a filly it got super rainy out of nowhere like this. There was another time half the forest was misty and the other half had snow. These things just happen sometimes. No pony really knows why." She'd asked Opaline once. The alicorn had said she knew why the weird weather events happened, but that Misty wouldn't be able to understand it and hadn't explained further. "Maybe it's just the lack of pegasus weather regulation."
"I guess that makes sense," Artsy hummed. "Sure is bad timing, huh?"
"Oh, yeah, yep," Misty nodded, very actively not making eye contact. "That's always how it seems to go. But, er, anyways," she glanced back at the fillies. "You fillies don't have to hang around in this weather. There's a beach shop at the top of the stairs you can bunker down in. I doubt this rain will last much longer. Or at least it won't stay this hard. I'm sure once the rain slows down everypony will realize they're being silly."
Artsy scoffed. "Adults are so dumb sometimes. And hypocrites. You know if we were out there, they'd be telling us to go inside."
The earth pony filly finally spoke up, her quiet words barely audible over the rain. "We should get them to stop." Misty's eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
Artsy cocked her head, eyeing the pink filly for a moment. "You think we can?" Then she shrugged. "I guess it's worth a shot." What? What did they think they were going to be able to do?
Getting up, Artsy darted out from under the table followed by the earth pony filly, then, a bit slower, the pegasus filly. Misty instinctually reached out to stop them, but held herself back, uncertain. Like, well, she wasn't sure what she was worried would happen, but it couldn't be good. The fillies would probably be fine though.
"Hey!" the earth pony filly shouted and, to Misty's shock, the ponies on the beach actually paused. Maybe it was just because a child was suddenly shouting. And it wasn't like ponies would be able to tell which tribe the child was from by her voice alone. Seeing fillies from three different tribes standing together was also probably confusing them. "Stop it, all of you!"
"Ruby?!" a confused voice called out from the crowd.
"No pony here is causing the storm!" Ruby (?) asserted. "You're all just standing out here getting soaked! We should all be going inside!"
The adults shuffled their hooves, apparently less willing to be harsh with a child. Misty couldn't see which pony called out, "But it has to be them! It can't be a coincidence!"
"Well, it is!" Artsy shrugged. "I mean think about it, even if somepony wanted to sabotage the party, why would they have chosen the way that endangers their own tribe?!" Well, the pony might not care about their own tribe. That wasn't what was happening with this, but Misty didn't think the filly's logic was as airtight as she probably thought it was. "There are so many easier, safer ways, it doesn't make sense!"
The pegasus filly couldn't be heard over the rain but judging by her nodding she was agreeing with the other fillies.
Sunny pushed her way to stand beside the fillies. "They're right!" she pleaded. "Please, let's just all go inside! We'll all calm down once we're out of this weather! There's no reason to stay out here!"
The earth pony mare that had been complaining the whole party, Misty was pretty sure her name was Posey, stepped forward, bristling with aggression. "Well even if it hypothetically wasn't caused by them, can't the unicorns or pegasi stop it now with their magic?! Why aren't they stopping it if they don't want it?!"
"We can't stop this!" Zipp protested. "Most of us wouldn't even be able to reach the clouds with this wind! And storm clouds are dangerous, they're heavy and thick and might have lightning in them! We aren't even sure if it's possible to disperse storm clouds until they empty themselves out!" Yeah, it was crazy to expect the pegasi to be able to deal with storm clouds already. There had been whole schools for weather magic back in ancient Equestria and storm clouds were especially hazardous.
The unicorn mare who'd stopped the tray with her magic earlier pipped up. "We have no idea how to make or stop something like this!" She paused. "And I think the pegasi aren't responsible either! If we haven't figured out our magic yet, I don't think they've figured out theirs! Unless you think the pegasi are just so much better than us!"
Mumbling rippled through the crowd, the hostility fading to confusion.
Misty was baffled. Were they actually dropping it? Not only that, but they were defending each other. What should she do?
A branch flew through the crowd, ponies diving out of its path. A unicorn tried to grab it with her magic, but it was too big and she couldn't hold it. It did slow down enough for an earth pony to kick it away. With everypony now paying attention and the danger being apparent ponies seemed to realize, 'yeah, the ponies here weren't doing this.'
Misty quickly back crawled from under the table to hide behind a large rock. It had no protection from the rain and she was drenched immediately, but no pony would be able to see her here. And they definitely wouldn't be able to hear her. She opened her locket in stealth mode, which kept the image to the mirror in the locket instead of the whole mist show. "Opaline!"
The alicorn raised an expectant eyebrow. "Misty, why are you calling me? Did you get the crystals?"
The familiar dread of letting ponies down sent Misty's heart racing but she pushed through it. "Um, no, well, I don't know, Sugar might have, but, um-" she swallowed nervously. "I think we should stop the storm. The ponies aren't fighting anymore, they're kind of rallying in the face of danger- I think? I don't think the storm will help us anymore and this storm is a bit more dangerous than we'd planned." Misty rapidly tapped her hoof into the sand. "Which I get, you're so amazing and powerful and it's hard for y- er, it's easy for you to go above our level. But, um, ponies have very narrowly missed getting hurt and the tribes keep helping each other, the storm just isn't working now."
Opaline's eyes narrowed slightly and Misty wanted to hide but she couldn't close the locket now, she'd get in so much more trouble later- "Is that so?" the alicorn pondered more to herself than to Misty. "Hm, strange." The alicorn shrugged. "Well, it won't last. Still, I suppose the storm has served its purpose. I have yet to receive word from Sugar Spice." She began to pace. Her horn glowed briefly and the rain suddenly lightened up (though it didn't stop completely, that would be too suspicious) and the wind died down. "Perhaps this wasn't the optimal target. The ponies who would come to such an event are likely more open to friendship than the average pony. The close proximity to the crystals is what made it so appealing. A small group fighting at a further distance would be unlikely to affect the crystals much. We'll need something on a larger scale or something more- personal. A disappointment to be sure, but a minor setback at the end of the day." Then her attention snapped back to Misty. "Try to stall them best you can, Misty, to give Sugar Spice more time in case she did manage to retrieve the magic. We'll convene tonight to discuss the operation and what we'll do moving forward. Now hang up and get back out there before somepony notices your absence."
"Yes, of course, sorry," Misty scrambled. Opaline hung up before Misty even finished, "I'm on it- oh…" She shut the locket, checked that her fake cutie mark hadn't been damaged by the rain (she knew it was waterproof unless she rubbed at it, but she was paranoid about it), and scurried back to the tables. She didn't think anypony had noticed her stepping away. The ponies all looked a lot more relaxed now that the rain had slowed.
"We're going to go to the Brighthouse to dry off, everypony!" Sunny was announcing and Misty's eyes widened. "Then we can watch a movie or something."
"Er," Misty leapt forward. "Maybe we should go somewhere closer until the rain fully stops?" Please say yes, please say yes, please say yes-
"We're already wet," Izzy waved off, unconcerned.
"Well, um, yeah," Misty admitted, "but, um, what if the rain gets hard again?"
"I'm with Misty," Pipp grumbled, holding her fluffy wings above her head to block the rain. "At least for a little bit in case it starts pouring. Maybe we could get some umbrellas while we're at it." Yes!
"Eh, I think we should just go to the Brighthouse," Zipp disagreed. No! Come on… "It's not much further away and we'll be able to settle in properly." Quieter, so only her friends would hear. "Ponies might leave if we stop somewhere else first."
Pipp let out a long sigh. "Finnneee"
"Let's throw away the trash real quick," Hitch said, glancing around at the mess. "And grab the smaller stuff. We can come back for the bigger stuff later."
"Right, sure." Misty slowly made her way over to the tables, but that was barely stalling at all. Ugh, she couldn't do anything right.
"This was a tragic loss of cakey goodness," Izzy moaned, looking forlornly at the ruined cakes. "The world can be so cruel."
"Yeah…" Oh, wait, Sugar! She had to warn Sugar.
Taking out her phone, she clumsily typed out a message. Something that would warn Sugar but wouldn't be suspicious if somepony else happened to see it.
Sugar, the storm pretty much shut down the party. We're heading back to the Brighthouse, just meet us there. We're taking care of the clean up now, we'll be there soon. From Misty
Sugar answered about ten seconds later.
Aw, too bad. I'm not surprised though. What awful luck with this weather : ( I am surprised it cleared up so quickly. Poor things I'll bring towels with me, I doubt they have enough for everypony
Also you don't need to sign at the end misty, the phone ids you XD you're so cute 3
Drat. Misty's heart sunk. So Sugar hadn't gotten the crystals. She'd held out some hope, but the barrier must have never dropped. Sugar would have stealthily bragged if she'd succeeded. 'That's soooo sad, but on the bright side, I found that pan we'd thought we lost earlier while I was grabbing more cakes' or something like that.
They'd have to try something else.