Making Picnic Baskets (jumped)

[Becka *Pone*]

(Late summer, morning)

The long silver chain with the compass on the end thumped mildly at Kail's chest as she bustled around the kitchen, finding bread and fruits and enough ice to fill a large cooler. She had promised the foals (my Rainbows there were so many of them now!) that she would take them to the beach today for fun in the sun and picnics. The beach had always been a favorite of Kail's when she was younger, and although this beach was on a lake rather than the ocean it would still be nice to lay back and listen to the birds and waves while the sun beat down on her.

The knife she was using to cut apples into wedges slipped and caught the edge of her hoof. "Dahr" she said to herself and frowned, sticking the hoof under running water quickly. As she waited, the wound sealed itself up and the blood ran away into the drain, not leaving a trace of the small accident behind. Kailani continued about her buisness.

(anyone who wants to go to the beach feel free to join us here or at the beach once I post there )

[Becka *Pone*]

Sherbet had successfully gotten both Sky Feathers and Bandit across the street like a big girl. She opened the door and immediately forgot about them in her haste to tell Kail she had done good and brought the little pegasus filly over, and to also tell her that Sky was too young for flying lessons, so says Unkie Razz.

"Back so soon?" Kail said with a pleasant smile at the little filly. She peeked around the door at Sky Feathers and Bandit and although her face didn't move, her eyes showed a little disappointment. "Razz isn't coming?"

"He's coming, he just sent us here first, so he could get some things ready... or... something," perhaps Sherbet had been a little too excited to pay attention.

Kail's face noticably brightened at that, "wonderful," she said. She never bothered to hide anything around Sherbet, the filly was too young to realize what was going on anyways. Too young and too short of an attention span. "Wash your hooves and help me put the apples in the coolers?"

"Oh yes, I can do that, Im a big girl," Sherbet said with pride and got to work helping.

[silverfall]

"Hi, Auntie Kail!" Sky Feathers rushed up and gave the pegasus a squeeze on the leg. She liked Kail because Kail had wings. "I'm going to learn how to fly!"

Bandit plopped himself down on the cool kitchen floor.

[Becka *Pone*]

"Hello Sky Feathers," Kail said with a smile and bent to give the filly a hug. "Are you really going to learn how to fly? Who is going to teach you?"

She remembered what Sherbet had said about Razz wanting to wait on teaching her to fly. "I remember trying to fly at your age once, and I fell off the roof of my house and broke my leg." Granted, it had healed within the day, but Sky didn't have those quick healing powers like Kail, so she left that part out.

[silverfall]

"I teach myself!" The little filly was so excited her bum was wiggling and she called out, "Watch this!" She ran toward the staircase, quickly trotted up, turned around with a swish of hair and feathers and puffed out her little chest as she prepared to leap from the top of the staircase.

(I will phase her into the background before I leave. )

[silverfall]

With a flirt and a sweep of her little wings, Sky Feathers dove off of the stairs and sailed down, much the way she did at home on Razz's staircase, except this staircase was two steps longer. She didn't anticipate this and tumbled over an imperfect landing at Kail's feet.

"Ow!" She sniffled, but Sherbert was there and she wanted to be a big girl, too. So she held her tears back, got up on shaky legs, and tried to act as if she was OK. "I'm just gonna go sit down over here now." She sat down at the table and tried to look invisible.

[silverfall]

Razz came into the nursery just then, carrying a big white umbrella with rainbow polka-dots, a couple of towels, a bag of beach toys, and Sky Feather's colorful swimming tube. He was also sporting a pair of designer sunglasses. He thought the purple-tinted shades completed his orange-and-green-striped beachwear just perfectly and so was in a really good mood.

"Heeello!" he greeted them. "Are we ready for fun in the sun?"

[Becka *Pone*]

Kail walked out and stood in the hallway to watch Sky Feathers "fly". With the unsuccessful attempt, Kail gave her a knowing smile and put a cookie on the table with a wink. She lifted her wings and did a test flap, "hmmm, not good conditions for flying methinks. It was very brave of you to even try, I wouldn't." She hoped it would lift the filly's mood.

As Razz came in Kail smiled and then her eyes widdened at the sight. "Razz, wow, you um, look ready to go." She paused for a moment and tried to hold in a laugh, turning to close the lid on the cooler. She stood up and the compass bounced just below her second symbol. "We are almost ready as well."

(eeep, sorry bout not replying yet, I thought I had another day )

[silverfall]

( Yeah, you can never tell with me.)

Sky Feathers smiled shyly at Kail. She nibbled the cookie. Something about a cookie always made a little pony feel right. Kail was very smart, too. Of course she had known that the conditions for flying were just not right in the nursery as they were in Razz's shop. Sky Feathers felt relieved.

When Kail greeted Razz, he was distracted by the compass on her chest. In a flash, it took him back to a day long gone and he stood without speaking, drawn into himself.

He had been in the mood for pancakes and fresh rainbowberry juice. The cakes were stacked high, covered in creamy butter and dripping with shiny, gold syrup. He smiled as he ate. She smiled back. She was always smiling and her coat was the color of butter. She took the gold compass from her neck and laid it down on the table. She was just going to step out for a minute.

A minute had turned into a lifetime.

Wait! Momma! Come back!


Razz shook himself, a smile spreading quickly to cover the wound. "Yes, I'm all set, I think. Got everything but the kitchen sink in my gear. Don't suppose we'll be needing that." For a second it looked as if he was contemplating going back for it. "Just kidding!" His smile was genuine this time.

"I'm glad you like it," Razz nodded to the compass.

[Delta]

(I take it she's still in the nursery? She's got no-where else to go.)

Gumdrop bounded in from... (where?) dragging an old stuffed to she recieved for christmas. She abandoned it on the floor when she noticed the large purple pony.

"Hello Razz!" She squealed, having finally dropped the name 'purple'. She gave him a hug.

"Good Morning Kail!" She squealed again, as she gave her a hug too.

She raced over and hugged Sherbert. She was in the mood for hugging.

"Hi Sky!" She cried to her new friend. "How is your flying going?"

[silverfall]

"Not got the right conditions for flying today," Sky Feathers sighed. "But I practice again later."

Razz took on a bit of an alarmed look, but decided it was best to say nothing about it.

[Becka *Pone*]

Kail looked at Razz in concern as he seemed to draw into himself, but he quickly recovered and she passed it off as Razz just being... well, Razz.

"I really do think we will be fine without the kitchen sink," Kail winked at him. Then he mentioned the compass. "Oh, I found it on the table Fest Eve night with my name on it, but never a note as to who it was from. I figure either Santa Merry Treats left it or I've got a secret admirer." She laughed meerily, she wasn't sure which would be the bigger surprise.

Then a rush of white body and purple hair was suddenly wrapped around her leg and gone again. "Goodmorning Gumdrop. Are you ready to go to the beach?"

Sherbet also gave Gumdrop a hug back. "Guess what Gummy? I'm a big girl now. I even got to cross the street by myself and bring Sky Feathers and Bandit back." She puffed out her chest again, for the bajillionth time that morning, and put on her best smile.

[silverfall]

Bandit lifted his head at the mention of his name, saw that there was nothing interesting going on yet, and laid it back down again.

At first Razz was surprised by Kail's remark. Of course, he thought. I forgot to say who it was from! Then a smile came over him and he simply nodded.

"I'm ready to go to the beach!" Sky Feathers jumped up on her chair. "I wanna swim and play volleyball and fly kites! Did you bring kites, Unkie Razz? I wanna fly a kite!"

"Yep, I've got kites for everyone in my bag," Razz said. He did indeed have kites for all the kids and him and Kail and a few extras just in case they ran into anyone else who wanted one. They were the cheap paper kind that foals made wishes on and let go free on the breeze. It was good luck to catch a kite and sometimes if you caught one, you could get a wish of your own.

[Becka *Pone*]

"Alright, it sounds like we are ready then, although Im sure Mr. Kitchen Sink will be disappointed not to join us," Kail grinned.

"Let's go play with kites!" Sherbet squealed but stopped mid-jump and whispered to Kail, "are big girls allowed to play with kites?"

"You bet," Kail bent over, "in fact, I plan on playing with a kite of my own as well, if there are enough." From the size of Razzaroo's bag it looked like there were enough.

Kail grabbed the cooler and secured it onto her back and put Sherbet in charge of the beach umbrella, which was a little too big for her and kept her stumbling, but she took it like a big girl.

"Everyone line up! And March!" The little ones, led by the stumbling beach umbrella, started out the door and toward the beach.

(OOC: continued at the beach)

[Delta]

"The Beach!" She sighed merrily. "My first time at the beach!"
She buzzed about the nursery like a hummingbird, small and rearing for action.

As they left Gumdrop tagged along behind the beach umbrella with awe. She looked up to Sherbert alot, because she was older than Gumdrop was, and a big girl. Gumdrop thought she was brilliant.