The Stranger in Ponyville
Snow Storms: First Frost
By: Joshua Denoncourt
You were new to Ponnyville so you took the first job you could. Little did you know you would be working for the newly crowned Princess Twilight Sparkle. You were standing on your hind hooves on a ladder, trying to reach a book on the top shelf, when that annoying little purple dragon, Spike, knocks over the ladder. You don’t know why, but he didn’t like you for some reason.
You think back on everything you did since you got in Ponyville; you got off the train, went to find an Inn, found out there was no Inn went around begging ponies for work and a place to stay. You finally get offered a job at Carousel Boutique, which you messed up horribly, since you have no sense of fashion, but the shop owner offered her guest room as a place to stay. Then that’s when Miss Rarity, told you about the Library needing help. So you trot over there as fast as you can, get the job, and that’s pretty much it.
“Spike!” you say rubbing your head, “will you try to be more careful?”
He was about to say something when Twilight comes in and sees that you’ve fallen. “Spike! Get the First Aid Kit!” Spike grumbles off towards the kitchen. “Are you ok Snow Lane?” she asks you.
“Yeah,” you tell her, “I managed to not land on my wing.” You look at your right wing, wrapped in a bandage from something that happened at home. “Only thing is, I thought it would be better to land on my head.” You let out a little laugh at your own joke.
Twilight looks at you concerned; she’s so close to you. You never thought you would ever be this close to an alicorn in your whole life. She starts inspecting your head, when a railroad spike of pain goes through your skull. “Ohh la la.”
“What?” you ask surprised.
“Sorry, it’s French for ‘goodness’.”
“I know that.” You assure her, “What exactly is it for?”
“You’ve got a cut, right at your mane line, not wide, but pretty deep. Spike! Hurry up!”
“Yeah yeah!” he replies from the kitchen.
“I don’t think he takes too kindly to me.” You inform Twilight.
“I wouldn’t know why. Where are you staying again?”
“Carousel Boutique” you say.
“And now I would know why.” She says, and she sort of smiles. “Spike! This is urgent!”
“Urgent!?” you start to panic. You feel dizzy, as the countless possibilities soar into your head.
You feel two hooves grab your face; Twilight is the owner of the hooves. “Snow Lane you need to stay calm. Spike just got here with the first-aid kit.” You don’t hear most of what she says next, you just see a blur of movement.
Next thing you know, Twilight is kissing you. You panic and back away. “What the hay was that!?” you ask.
“Healing spell. Old, from before the time of unicorns and pegasi. I was not getting friendly.”
“Why did you do that if you have a first aid kit?”
“Because you blacked out. The ‘Kiss of Life’ is the only spell that can get a pony’s heart beating when it’s stopped.”
“What are you talking about?” you say, starting to calm down.
“You had a massive panic attack, and you heart just, stopped. The best thing you can do is go get rest. The spell can have some, nasty side-effects.”
You leave the Library, wondering if your day could get any stranger. It does, trust me, it really does.
You were lying in bed when you hear something moving. You get out of bed only to hear a squeal as you step on something soft and fluffy.
“Did it get you?”
“It’s got my tail!”
“Ah got it!” you feel two small, but powerful hooves connect to your leg. “Apple Buckin’ ain’t just a chore!”
“Scoots get the rope!”
“Got it!”
You don’t know how to react as three young fillies come out from under the bed, a Pegasus, unicorn, and earth pony. In a blur they tie your legs together, and before you can shout for help, they tape your mouth shut.
“What is it?”
“Maybe a Cerberus?”
“Too small.”
“It looks like a pony. That must mean it’s a Changeling!”
“Awesome! Cutie Mark Crusaders Changeling Captors!” there is the distinct sound of a hoof-bump.
“Girls! What are you-”
“Rarity, we caught a changeling! He tried to grab me by the tail when Applebloom-”
“I kicked it right in the leg. Then Scoots-”
“With my amazing speed, tied it up!”
“What do our cutie marks look like?”
“Well their definitely not for knot tying.” You say, having easily escaped the poorly tied knot and removing the tape from your mouth.
“He escaped!”
“Run!”
“Girls! He is not a changeling, he is our guest.”
“Why did you tell me to stay out of the room then?”
“Because I knew if you knew we had a guest you would bombard him with questions about cutie marks and what not.”
“Oh. Ok. Let’s go get our cutie marks in REAL changeling hunting!”
“Girls! First, what would you like to say to our guest?”
“Ummmm…ask him how he got his cutie mark?”
“No”
“Ask if he wants to buy some apples?”
“No”
“Ask him about Rainbow Dash?”
“No. It has to do with the fact that you tied him up.”
“Uhhhhhhh, Pass?”
“Apologize”
“Oh yeah! Sorry Mister!”
They whizz off and you are left alone with Rarity. “Ok, who were they?”
“My sister and her friends trying to get their cutie marks.”
“Hmm. Charming.” You remember seeing a little brown earth pony wearing a similar cape back in Manehatten.
“I’m sorry about that. Is there anything I can get you?”
"Do you know any chiropractors open at this time?”
“No, but I could try my hoof at it. Where does it hurt?”
“Upper back.” She gets into the bed behind you and starts massaging your back. “Today has been crazy.”
“Why don’t you tell me about it?”
“Well when I got to the Library, it started out ok, until I fell off the ladder. And apparently I blacked out so Twilight revived me with a weird spell that she said had side-effects.”
“What kind of side-effects.”
“She just said they were nasty and-” suddenly you feel an excruciating pain in your right wing, you hear a ripping sound and are in too much pain to realize you can’t move your left wing.
“Oh dear, maybe I should leave.”
“Why what happened?”
“Your wings.”
You try to move your wings but realize that they are stuck out straight behind you as stiff as a board. “I swear I had nothing to do with it.”
“Well it seems we’ve found out, one of the side effects.” You and Rarity just stare at each other for about a minute. “Maybe I should…”
“Get Twilight.” You say.
“What, is now the best time you think?”
“She cast the spell she knows more about it.”
“Alright.” A few minutes later she comes back with Twilight.
“What seems to be the, Woah! Ok. Um, that’s new.”
“I thought you knew what the side effects were!”
“Most of them. This has never happened before. Of course I’ve never done it on a Pegasus before. I should take notes.”
“What am I, a lab rat?”
“Well I would think of better terms than rat.”
Suddenly you hear a squeaky voice shout, “How now, a rat?” and you are tackled by a small white unicorn filly.
So you are taken to the library basement, they hook you up to some wires, and run a bunch of weird tests some of which are invasive or painful or both, and they get your wings back to normal using aroma therapy to calm you nerves.
“Well it would seem your broken wing is healed.” Twilight said. “Try flying.”
“What, just like that? No PT or anything?”
“Yeah”
You reluctantly agree and to your surprise, you’re flying normally, and when you land, Twilight and Rarity are staring at you, jaws agape. “What?” you ask confused.
“Darling, that was absolutely fabulous!” Rarity exclaims.
“What?’
“Your trail darling! It was brilliant!”
You remember why your name is Snow Lane and you look up to see sparkles of snow twinkling in the air. “Oh, yeah. That.”
“Well I guess you can go to your cousin’s cloud home now.” Twilight said.
You had completely forgotten. You were supposed to go to your cousin, Thunder Lane, once you got better and stay with him. You felt sadness enter your body and you sigh.
“What’s wrong?” asked Rarity “Aren’t you glad to be going to your family?”
“Well-”
You get cut off by a baby dragon who somehow managed to pack all your things for you in an instant, “Aw you’re leaving what a shame. Here let me help you pack, wait I already did.”
Twilight glares at Spike and he sits down. “You were saying?”
“Thunder Lane doesn’t really, get me. He thinks I’m a bad flyer just because I don’t like going fast. Plus he doesn’t understand that-” you stop. Were you really about to tell these complete strangers your biggest secret? “Never mind.”
“What is it? You can tell us.”
You start to panic, you don’t want anypony to know, so you say the first thing you can make up in your mind. “I secretly am in love with Fluttershy!” there is a moment of silence and confusion. The confusion is mutual, where did you even get that idea? You’ve never even met her, why did you say that? Spike gives a big grin.
“What’s so bad about that?”
“Um…he thinks it’s weird since she’s a weak flyer. He’s like, ‘If you really want to be stuck on the ground, that’s fine with me.’ And then he flies off.”
“Where is this Thunder Lane?” Rarity says, “I’ll teach him a thing or two about being stuck on the ground, since that’s where he will be spending the rest of his days!”
“Hey, whoa, let’s not let things get out of hoof.” You say panicking.
“Well, how about we set you up with Fluttershy on a date?” Twilight says.
“I don’t know, I think I’d rather ask her myself.”
“Then do it!” Spike says.
“Tell you what.” Rarity says, “first thing after breakfast tomorrow, I’ll take you down to her cottage. And don’t try to squirm your way out of it; you need to do it before it’s too late.”
Next morning you wake up and you smell something. It’s SMOKE! Smoke means fire, and fire is bad, really bad, run, you need to get away and don’t look back. You turn to the window and BANG a crash of thunder. Thunder means storm. Storm is bad, no not bad, evil. Nowhere is safe! Gotta get help! Rarity, will know what to do. The smoke is coming from the kitchen, they always start in the kitchen, when Mama is making a pie and gets called away! She comes back and it’s a fire! Mama! Get out!
Run into the kitchen and you see no fire, nothing is burning. Rarity is just trying to teach Sweetie Belle to cook. You feel relief spread over you.
There is a knock at the door, you open it and ZOOM! A rainbow zips straight past you. “Rainbow Dash, please do be more careful.” Rarity said.
“Where is he?” Rainbow asked.
“He’s over there.” Sweetie Belle points at you.
“So I hear you’ve got some butterflies for Fluttershy. Let me tell after I scared you with that thundercloud outside the window I can say you are a perfect match.”
“Wait, how did you know?” you ask.
“Everypony in Ponyville knows. It spread like wild –fire!” you cringe at her word choice. “The only places the news hasn’t reached are Sweet Apple Acres and Fluttershy’s cottage.”
Before you can say something, there is another knock on the door, and Thunder Lane bursts in. “Dang I knew you were lame but Fluttershy? You must be really desperate. It’s sad really. My own kin, weak flier, and in love with a loser. Pitiful.” He walks up next to you and puts a hoof around your neck, “Don’t worry, once you’re living with Fluttershy, pinned to the ground, you won’t have to worry about your little phobia anymore.”
“Snow Lane, what is he talking about, phobia?” Rarity asks.
“Oh, he didn’t tell you?” Thunder Lane moves to the center of the room, “Oh I get it now. You made up this Fluttershy thing so you wouldn’t have to tell them. Looks like it backfired, ‘cause now all of Ponyville thinks you like a-”
“A what?” Rainbow Dash asks, glaring at him.
“Oh uh Rainbow…I didn’t see you there. Look at the time, gotta run.” With that he bolts out the door.
“Snow Lane, what did he mean when he said you made the thing about Fluttershy up?”
“Well, I. I don’t even know Fluttershy, I bet she’s amazing, but I am not in love with her.”
“Why would you lie?” Rainbow says forcefully.
“Because I was too embarrassed to tell the truth.” You answer.
“Which is?” Rainbow approaches you with a raised eye-brow.
“I’m afraid, of storms.” There is a long pause
“Why didn’t you just say so?” Rarity asked.
“Because who ever heard of a Pegasus that wasn’t on weather control?”
“We can talk about this later.” Rainbow interrupts, “How do you think Fluttershy will react to the rumors, then the truth? Not to mention all the ponies staring at her.”
Sweetie Belle pipes up “I know! There’s one pony who can get news all around Ponyville super-fast.”
“So that’s why you came to see me at Sugar Cube Corner!” Pinkie Pie had a huge smile on her face and let out a soft *squee*.
“How did you, know that?” I asked surprised.
“Just a hunch.” She said bouncing around the counter so she could inspect me more closely.
I turn my head to Rarity who just says, “Just go with it.”
“So what kind of news do you need me to spread around Ponyville, super-duper extra crazy awesome fast?”
“Tell everypony that the rumor about Fluttershy isn’t true.”
“How do we convince them of that?” Twilight asked.
“We could tell everypony he’s gay.” Spike suggested. The entirety of Sugar Cube Corner glared at him. “What? It’s just a suggestion.”
“I know.” Sweetie Belle squeaked. She signals Pinkie Pie to lean in so she can whisper her plan.
“Oh my gosh! That is brilliant.” Before I could ask, Pinkie Pie had zoomed off.
“What was your plan?” I asked.
“Fight fire with fire.” I cringed at the thought.
“Sweetie Belle, you don’t mean?” Rarity asked.
“Eeyup.”
“Why would you?”
“Because I owed it to him for tackling him; twice.”
“What exactly did you tell her to say?” Spike asked.
“You’ll see.”
Rainbow Dash returned to Sugar Cube Corner from her lookout spot on a cloud. “Fluttershy is almost in town, and still no sign of Pinkie!”
“Of course not silly.” Pinkie popped out of a flower pot, “I’m just running errands for Mr. and Mrs. Cake. Oh and before you ask, the whole town is buzzing with the new info.” She popped back into the pot and was gone.
Next thing we know Apple Bloom and Scootaloo barge in saying “Ah din’t tell nopony ah swear!”
“Yeah, neither did I!”
“The whole town is talkin’ ‘bout it Sweetie Belle.”
“Quick put on a disguise.”
“It’s fine girls.” Sweetie assures them.
The other crusaders look at her funny, “What do you mean ‘fine’? All of Ponyville knows your secret.”
“I know Scoots” Sweetie responds.
“An’ yer not freakin’ out because?”
“I told Pinkie to spread the news.” At that the other two ponies’ jaws dropped.
Just then two more fillies walk in, a pink one, and a grey one. “Where is she?” the grey one shouts, “I’ll destroy her!” she looks around and her eyes lay on Sweetie Belle. “You told Pinkie Pie? Of all ponies why did you have to tell her?”
“Wait,” says Sweetie Belle, “I never mentioned your name.”
“I just had a hunch” Pinkie says her head popping out from under the other filly’s tiara, and disappears.
“It doesn’t matter.” The grey pony says, “The whole town is laughing at me.”
“What is she talking about?” Rarity says with a raised eyebrow.
“Well you see,” Sweetie Belle started, “It was a bright sunny day the birds were singing, bees humming, and I was stuck in the park with my partner for a school assignment. My partner was Silver Spoon. We were arguing most of the time, until we saw Fluttershy singing to a bear. It was so nice, and we stopped arguing. We were supposed to do our project on rabbits. So we went to look for a rabbit hole, but things quickly, got out of hoof.”
Silver Spoon picked up the story where Sweetie left off, “Then she thought she found one. It turned out to be a snake hole. We ran screaming to the first shelter we could find. Which was a cave, full of bats. Instead of heading for the exit, we went deeper into the cave and got lost. I started freaking out, but Sweetie made her horn give off light. Then she did something unexpected.” Silver Spoon blushed, “She hugged me. Nopony has hugged me in a long, very long time. For the first time, I felt happy. We continued through the cave silently and I needed to tell her, so I did, I told her ‘Sweetie Belle, I need to tell you something,’ she asked me what and I told her, ‘the only reason I’m mean to everypony is because after mom died, daddy started drinking. One day, he didn’t come back from the bar. The foal protection agency moved me to Ponyville to stay with Diamond Tiara and I…I…I’m sorry’ I hugged Sweetie Belle and started crying, and she did the second surprising thing of the day, she kissed me. I asked her why and she said, ‘Rarity says it makes her feel better when stallions kiss her so I thought why would it be any different from a mare’ and we stared into each other’s eyes, and for the first time I can remember, I felt like somepony cared for me.”
Sweetie Belle picks up, “We were walking when we came across an abandoned mine cart rail, which I thought was cool and luckily there were no creepers. Then we hear a squeaking sound, and sompony is riding a thing that you pump the lever to make it move. I can’t remember the name. Anyway, there is this old pony riding it, he stops and says ‘you little ladies need a lift?’ so we hopped on. Then Silver Spoon looks at him more closely ‘Wait, you’re BLIND’ she squealed ‘how is this safe if you can’t see.’ And the old pony said ‘I have not sight. That way I am not tempted to look behind me, only forward.’ ‘Well what’s the point if you can’t see ahead of you either?’ ‘Oh little one, eyes are not required to see what lies ahead. In fact, I’d say you need to be blind in order to see what is truly in front of you.’ ‘What do you do for work’ I asked him and he said ‘I work for no creature on this earth.’ ‘Well, what’s your name?’ ‘I have, no name.’ ‘Why?’ asked Silver Spoon, ‘If I was to have a name, I would become real.’ ‘But you are real!’ Silver Spoon screamed. ‘I am real, but only as what you can perceive. I am the force that drives all creatures forward.’ There was a silence. ‘You look like a normal pony to me.’ Said Silver Spoon. ‘And I look like a Zebra to Zecora. You can only see what you can understand. You believe that seeing is believing, when in reality; believing is the lense through which you can see the world around you as it truly is. Have you ever seen fairies dancing on the lawn? Probably not, but once you learn to believe, you will be able to see the magic that they bring. I have visited many worlds, one of which, children believe in someone who, in one night, delivers presents to them. But sadly as they grow older, they are told to not believe. But there are a few, who always believe, though no one has ever seen the gift bringer. They are the ones who are able to see the joy, and happiness, and the wonder of the gift bringer. ‘N lemme tell ya somethin’, the gift bringer is real. They make him real, by spreading his happiness and joy, an’ that makes his job a lot easier.’ Then he chuckled a bit. ‘Yes missy, believing, that’s what you could say I am. The dreams and goals for the future.’ ‘Cool’ I said. ‘Can you tell the future’ at this the old pony frowned, ‘Now missy, there are just some things not meant to be known until it happens, but I can tell you that you, Miss Sweetie Belle-’ ‘How did you know my name?’ ‘Lucky guess. Now Miss Sweetie Belle, you seek an identity, a talent, to be like your sister, but you are not your sister, close your eyes and look at what lies in front of you. Now Silver Spoon, you may feel like there is no hope, but hope is very special. Very few creatures in the universe have it. Well now I see something, you shall be conflicted, mocked, and will have to have to make a decision. You must fear not the obstacles in your way, because you will see many things, wonderful things. Like a lamb, on the roof of, a cotton house.’ Then he started singing a song that I didn’t recognize, ‘What are singing?’ I asked, ‘It’s a song from another world, would you care to join me in a song?’ ‘No thanks’ I told him ‘Well don’t be like that, we need some way to pass the time.’ ‘What about the song about going home?’ Silver Spoon asked, and as if something came over all of us, we sang, I don’t remember the words, but I remember something about a sweet chariot ‘Hey mister.’ I said ‘You are like our chariot bringing us home.’ then he says in a loud booming voice ‘the path before you leads forwards, it may not lead home, but it always points in the direction you must travel.’ ‘Wait, you’re not taking us home?’ Silver Spoon screamed. ‘Now when did I say that?’ ‘Just now’ ‘I said I am taking you where you need to go, I never said that it is not home. Now coming up we gotta be real quiet like.’ We were all silent, and then small orbs of light appeared. Neither of us wanted to break the silence, but he answered our question ‘These are the hopes and dreams that were never fulfilled.’ ‘But they look beautiful.’ I said. ‘Because they still have the hope of the ponies who owned them, don’t be afraid to touch one.’ I poked one with my hoof, and felt warm and fuzzy on the inside. I told Silver Spoon to touch one, but she was skeptical. So I hugged her, thinking I could spread that warm fuzzy feeling. I don’t know if I did, but she finally touched one.”
Silver Spoon took over the narrative, “When I did, I felt that warm and fuzzy feeling too. The old pony chuckled and stopped. ‘Down that corridor is where you need to go.’ We got off and as we walked to the doorway, we could hear the old pony singing. As we went through the corridor water started to form on the ground next thing we knew, we were at the bottom of a big hole. It was the Well in Ponyville, but it was night time. We could’ve waited for the morning, if it hadn’t started pouring down rain. That well fills up fast. I started to freak out, and Sweetie Belle grabbed me, and with a tear in her eye she said, ‘I’m glad we got to be friends.’ And this time, I was the one to do something unexpected, I told Sweetie Belle, ‘Sweetie Belle, I love you.’ We hugged for what we thought would be our last night when we heard a voice say ‘Here they are!’ We looked up to see a Grey mare who came down and got us out.”
“That’s your secret Sweetie Belle?” Rarity said confused.
“Well actually the secret is, Silver Spoon is my very special somepony” she blushed.
“We were going to wait to tell everypony, but I guess that won’t happen.”
After the shock wore off Rainbow Dash says, “That’s sweet and all, but aren’t we forgetting something?”
Just then, Fluttershy walked in, “Oh my, I hope I’m not interrupting.”
“No it’s fine” said Rainbow Dash, “Do you need something?”
“Well actually, I got woken up when something came through the mail-slot, but I was confused since there’s no post on Sundays. When I opened it up, it was the most beautiful love letter I’ve ever gotten, and the only one.”
“Can I see it?” asked Twilight.
“Sure. Oh and he even included a picture.” She reached into her saddle bags and the picture fell face down in front of me. I bent down and grabbed it in my mouth, and walked over to Fluttershy. When I tried to give it to her, she blushed and looked away.
I was confused until Spike grabbed the picture and said, “Um you might want to see this.” He shows me who was on the picture. It was me.
You can probably guess it by now, but just so we’re on the same page I’ll say it. I panicked. I flew straight through the door at top speed, hitting a wing on the way out. I flew up, where to go; I looked around for somewhere to hide. I heard Rainbow calling my name and knew she was chasing me. I fly towards Canterlot at top speed. I don’t even realize the tears forming in my eyes. Next thing I know, there is a loud boom. Oh no! I stopped and turned around. “What have I done?” I had performed a Sonic Snow-Boom. “No, not again. This can’t be happening.” But it was, I watched in horror as crops withered and died, lakes froze, some with ponies in them, frost covered the ground, I couldn’t bear to look. I slowly stop flapping my wings. I’m falling. Is this what it feels like to be snow. It’s wonderful, better than anything I’ve ever felt. I felt my blood turning to ice, it was happening faster than I expected. I felt frost forming on my fur. I guess it’s just like Thunder Lane said, once a loser, always a loser, even in death. I hear a faint voice calling my name. Next thing I know I’m on the ground surrounded by Rarity, Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy.
“Hey! Wake up!” Rainbow is yelling at me.
“Get back!” Twilight tells the other ponies, “This is an old spell and is very touchy”
They all step back and she leans her head over me, her eyes meet mine, she leans closer her muzzle is touching mine, she slowly presses her mouth to mine and for a few seconds I forget, the pain melts. I look up at her, she is staring at me, and then she knew, she knew why I was afraid of storms, and fire. A tear forms in her eye, I reach up with my body still encased with ice. She knew she couldn’t help me. “I’m sorry.” She says. “I’m so sorry.”
I tell her in a strange language that I somehow understand, and so does she. “Weep not for me Twilight Sparkle. I must go now. But remember me, remember my name, and write my story for all to hear and read.”
“I will.” She says.
“Twilight, do you know me?”
“No…” she says lowering her head.
“Don’t worry” I reassure her, “You are wise, you will understand soon enough.”
I left, flying off to the woods, I came across Railroad tracks. I heard something squeak, turned my head and saw a train lurching slowly. As it comes up and stops in-front of me. The Conductor looks down at me. “Ticket please.” I check my pocket and pull out a golden ticket. “Well it seems you have a very special ticket, this is not your train. But if I were you, I’d sing a little song to pass the time.” The train goes off; he had not given me my ticket back. Anyways, I find words coming to my mind, and can’t help but close my eyes sing them. It was a song about a sweet chariot, swinging low to carry me home. I don’t know where this song came from, but it was beautiful.
When I open my eyes, there is an old pony on a railroad cart. “Well, what are ye waitin’ fer, an invitation?”
“Yes actually”
“Well you don’ need one where we’re goin’ all are welcome.”
I hop on only able to imagine where we are going. I sniff the air; I smell Mamma’s homemade pie. Where ever it was, I hope the pie is still warm when I got there.
