Summer Weather

"Summer is here at last!" Baby Abacus exclaimed as she looked at the calendar. Baby Abacus had been counting down the days since summers had ended last year. They were just 2 days away from their annual Summer Festival and she could hardly wait. Today they would put up all the decorations and tomorrow they would bake all the goodies to eat. This was a big event and everything had to be perfect. Even the flutter ponies were flying in for this!

Baby Abacus had been put in charge of keeping inventory. She had to make sure there was enough of everything: forks, knives, plates and most important, food. It would be very disastrous if there wasn't enough food, and keeping track of things was her spaciality.

"Abacus! We're going to be late to the meeting if we don't hurry!" shouted Baby Gametime from the doorway. Gametime was just as anxious for the festival because she was incharge of all the games and activities. Gametime and Abacus had been best friends since they were newborns. They never did anything without each other. "Sorry, Gametime. Let me just grab my pen and notebook," Abacus said as she trotted to her book bag.

"Gather around so everyone can hear" Chief was saying as Gametime and Abacus arrived at the meeting. "Summer is here and this year we are hosting the Summer Festival! Last year it was held at the castle and theirs was one of the best ever, but I hope to top theirs. The Paradise Estates will hold the best one ever and this year will go down in history!" Chief was in charge of keeping things in order and he was normally very good at it, but every pony was so excited, including Chief, that it was hard to keep their attention. He began to stomp his hoof on the platform, but he got caught in the microphone wire. While trying to free himself from the unrelenting cord, he fell off the platform with a loud thump.

Merriweather, who had been standing off to the side, quickly took his place on the platform and brought the laughing ponies to order. Chief, too embarrassed to continue, trotted to the side and kept quiet for the rest of the meeting. "Ponies, attention please. Before we end the meeting so that we can prepare for the festival, I thought you'd like to hear the weather report." Every pony quieted down and turned to face Merriweather. Her face grew serious as she looked down to the report in front of her. "I checked and double checked to make sure this was accurate. A sever thunderstorm is forming and it will gain in intensity over the next two days and hit will full force onto he day of the festival." Baby Abacus looked around. The ponies were no longer joyous. How was this going to be the best festival ever?

"So I bring you this news," Merriweather continued. "The storm will miss us by two miles. It is going to be a beautiful, sunny day! Let's go decorate!" Upon hearing this wonderful news, the ponies trotted out to begin getting the festival together.

D.J. was already setting up her stereo under a tent while Swinger set up ther dance floor. Scoops and Sherbet began setting up The Satin Slipper Sweet Shoppe that had been brought in for this even. Mother Up, Up, and Away and her baby began blowing up balloons while Mother and Baby Surprise tied them to their various stands. Baby Abacus was helping Baby Gametime get the games together for the newborns. With every pony pitching in a hoof, they were able to finish early and retire to a relaxing dip in the pool.

Baby Abacus was too exhausted to swim so she went to bed early because tomorrow was going to be a long day. All the desserts were to be baked so that they would be fresh for the festival and the flutters were also arriving in the late afternoon. Yep, she definitely needed her sleep.

Baby Abacus woke early the next morning so that she could take her shower before the herd. When she got out, she heard Merriweather, Chief and Steamer talking in the Kitchen.

"I told you. That storm was supposed to miss. I don't know what happened." Merriweather whinnied.

"The fields are absolutely drenched and the rain hasn't let up yet." Steamer fussed.

"Do you think we should postpone it?" Merriweather asked

"The Summer Festival has NEVER be postponed!!!! We'd be the laughing herd of Ponyland! Let's just hope it stops soon." Chief decided.

Baby Abacus, unaware of the storm before, peered out the closest window. It was raining harder than she had ever seen. Puddles were everywhere making the fields look like lakes with tufts of grass every so often. Trees were bending in the fierce winds as if they were just sticks.

As Baby Abacus studied the flooding fields and thundering clouds, she saw something..no..some pony flying towards the estates. The wind threw the little pony around, not letting her near her home.

"Chief, Steamer!" Baby Abacus cried. "Locket's out there in the storm! The wind is blowing her away! You've got to do something! Help her!" she cried as she galloped into the kitchen.

Merriweather ran to the window while Chief and Steamer went into the back room to wake up Tex. Upon their return, two ropes were tied to Tex, being held at either end by Chief and Steamer. When Tex was thoroughly secured, the doors were opened and he stepped out into the unrelenting winds beyond. Tex twirled his lasso and hurled it at the tiring Locket. Once she was looped, all three stallions reeled her towards the estates, but the harder they pulled, the harder the blew, but the winds were no match for the three fine stallions and Locket was brought to safety.

Poor Locket was dripping wet and her once nicely brushed hair was pastered to her soaked body. "It's awful," she breathed, "The Nursery.... the dam is overflowing and threatening to break..we have to save the newborns before it is too late! The water is already up to the door step!" By this time, Merriweater had brought Locket a towel and a hot cup of Hot Chocolate.

Baby Abacus had slipped out during the commotion. What could she do? There had to be something. Deep in thought, she found herself staring into the calm waters of the indoor pool. As she peered into the waters, Seashore swam up through the tunnel that leads to the nearby stream.

"Baby Abacus, " She began, "Seawinkle and I fought our way through the surging waters to the source of the powerful winds. We thought we saw a pony standing on the mountain where the winds were coming from." Having said this, she dove into the crystal clear waters and back out to the river beyond.

"What should I make of this?" Baby Abacus thought. "I shall consult Gametime." Baby Abacus found Gametime eating her morning meal. As she told Gametime all that she has learned, Abacus also ate her fill of the honey-soaked oats.

"Do you think that pony is in danger?" Gametime questioned as she finished her breakfast.

"Maybe he is being held captive of the evil winds. We must help him." Abacus decided as she packed the remaining oats in her book bag. Once pack with enough food to last a day, the two ponies tied themselves together with the rope that Tex had used and they slipped out of Paradise Estates unnoticed by the other ponies. Outside the winds howled around them and the rain pounded down on their backs.

"I can hardly see to walk, maybe we should go back inside," Baby Gametime whinnied, trying to be heard over the winds.

"If you want to go back in, then do so. I must go help that pony." Baby Abacus snapped.

"I can't let you go alone, so if you are determined to go, then so shall I." Baby Gametime said boldly, hoping that Abacus would change her mind. Abacus glanced back at Gametime with determination in her eyes and took a step towards the distant mountains. Baby Gametime shrugged and followed her foolish friend. The rain beat harder and harder making vision almost impossible, but the two ponies continued. Gametime's perfectly curled hair was now dragging in the muddy water and Abacus's shiny white coat was now a dull brown. The closer they got to the mountains, the deeper the water got until they gave up walking and had to swim. Gametime was tiring quickly and soon fell behind Abacus. Suddenly, Abacus fell from sight and the rope grew taught, threatening to pull the struggling Gametime under the rising water.

"Abacus!" gasped Gametime in between mouthfuls of water. Gametime, half swam half dragged by the current in the water, found herself at the point of her friend's disappearances. Bellow the surging waters, there was a hole and a whirlpool was forming, sucking everything into the depths below. Gametime tried to swim away, but she too, got caught in the whirlpool and sucked below.

Abacus found herself dangling in a waterfall below ground before dropping the rest of the way to the river below. Here below the surface, it was calm, except for the waterfall and the falling Gametime. There was even a path by the stream, so she swam over to it. When she got to dry land, she helped Gametime.

"I wonder where this path leads. It looks well used. Look, you can still see the hoof prints in the dirt." Baby Gametime noted.

"And it looks like it comes from Paradise Estates, but I have never heard any pony talk about his. I don't think anyone knows." Abacus added.

Shaking themselves dry, they started down this mysterious path. Oddly, even though there was no sunlight, they had no problem seeing. The walls themselves seemed to glow. The path eventually angled upward, leaving the stream behind and then soon became a tunnel and spiraled upward.

After what seemed like hours, sunlight came in, showing they were near the end. When they reached the surface, they stepped out onto a ledge on the side of the mountain. On the ledge stood a stallion a little older than Abacus. His coat was a true blue and glistened in the sunlight and his deep black mane flowed in the gentle breeze.

Gentle breeze?! Sunlight?! Abacus stood perplexed by the ubrupt change in weather. As she looked closer at the almost motionless stallion, she realized that the fierce winds were coming from him. He was the one causing the storms to get off track by two miles so they woudl hit Ponyland! Angered by this notion, Abacus stepped forward, but before she could speak, his head turned toward her and his yellow eyes locked on hers. His eyes turned cold and he took a deep breathe in. Gametime cowered behind the wall of the tunnel, but Abacus was too foolish.

"So you're the one who is destroying our festival and home! You are going to break the dam and kill all the newborns! What kind of evil pony are you and what did we do to you?! We caused you no harm." Baby Abacus screamed before he could breathe out.

He paused and answered in an angry term, "NO HARM?!?!?! You don't remember me, do you Abacus?" He turned and Abacus was able to see more of his fine body. A single cloud with two lightning bolts was his design and he was covered with black raindrops. She looked back up into his now tearful eyes, "El Nino!" she whispered.

When they had all been newborns, there had been several raids on Ponyland by these flying dragons. They came from their master at Midnight Castle because he had needed four ponies to pull his chariot. During one of the raids, El Nino slipped outside unobserved in the commotion. He was taken immediately, but Scorpan realized that he was too small (he learned the first time) so he dropped him miles from the ground and even more miles from his home. The winds, hearing the newborn was in trouble, cushioned his fall so he landed unhurt. From that point on, he controlled the winds.

"So why didn't you come back to Ponyland?" Abacus said.

"I didn't know where I was and so I ended up walking in the wrong direction. When I finally did make it back, I saw all the newborns playing in the fields. No one seemed to have noticed my absence. We had been best friend Abacus, but I was quickly replaced by Gametime." His voice quivered and Abacus knew he was truly depressed.

We searched everywhere for you. I didn't eat for several days and they thought they might lose me, but Gametime cheered me up and helped me through it. I thought I would never see you again." Abacus also began to cry, she tried to hold it back, but couldn't stop several tears from rolling down her nose.

El Nino looked out across the fields and the winds and rain died down. The sun came out and flooding stopped and drained out the hole that Abacus and Gametime had fallen through. "Please come home, I know you are well missed by your family and they will be so happy to see that you are alive and well.

The next morning the festival commenced and all the ponies were even more joyous than normal. Especially Abacus. She had her other best friend back. The festival was the best one they had ever had and no one would ever forget it.



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