Winter had come.
Ponyville was a hive of activity. Stallions walked the streets overburdened with firewood, saddlebags almost bursting with food items. The couples often found their wives urging them on to the next destination on their list of things to do.
Hearths Warming Eve was coming up, there was a lot to do. To some it meant going all the way to Canterlot, to see the yearly reproduction of the settling of Equestria. To all it meant gathering together under a great feast and celebrating universal friendship with their family.
A couple of fillies and colts in the square ran through the banks of thick snow. Whoever of them had a horn, put them to use launching projectiles of snow. Whoever had wings used themselves as projectiles at hard targets or laughing friends. Whoever had neither horn, nor wings, could buck thick wads of snow. All is fair in fun and snow fights. They ran wild through the snowy backdrops, laughing. A free day was put to good use.
It was the same thing every year, and was looked forward to by all. Young and old, magic or no magic.
On this snowy day, new faces made themselves present on the outskirts of town. A small family entered Ponyville for the first time. A chestnut colored mare and a stallion of faded brown walked together, the mare in boots and the stallion in a tri-colored scarf. Their cheeks were flushed from the cold.
Their attention was on their young son, of dull red, who was contenting himself by plowing through every snowbank he could find, and the rapid circles in which he was moving was making his father dizzy.
“Brick! That’s enough!” The father said kindly, and the colt rushed to his side. “We’ve arrived at Ponyville, now I want you to stay close to us, until we find where we’re staying and get settled.”
Ponyville had many stories surrounding it, and had built up quite a reputation. It was a large town yet not clustered, and just populated enough to still feel safe.
The mother gave a small shake of her head. “Oh, let him frolic. What’s the worst trouble he could get into? He’ll be fine. Now, relax a moment and let me ask for directions.”
“Directions?” The stallion shook his head stubbornly. “Don’t worry somepony with our problems, I’m sure I can find it.”
The mother sighed. Stallions.
Brick, meanwhile, in a genuine effort to be helpful, had approached the first pony he could find; a bright mare bundled in a thick scarf who was contentedly drinking some steaming beverage on a nearby porch. His mother had told him many times not to talk to strangers, but surely his father would be proud to know he’d gotten the directions for them.
“Excuse me, miss, we’ve only just moved here and are new to the area, could you tell us-”
His sentence was cut short by a violent burst of beverage from the pony’s lips, which was immediately followed by a long squeal sounding not unlike air escaping from a balloon. “New ponies!” She gasped, not noticing that she had startled the colt into taking several steps backwards.
His brain put the pieces together, though it was several moments before they clicked. His mother at that moment had noticed that he’d wandered off and was rushing towards him with a stern expression.
“Brick! How many times have I-”
“Mom, look! It’s that pony from Equestrian Chronicle! You are, aren’t you? Pinkie!”
Pinkie scuffed at the ground. She didn’t like to make a fuss of such things, especially not when there were more important matters to attend to.
“Yes, but don’t worry with that! You’re new here, and that means I have a job to do! Wait right here! This calls for the Super-Fun-Deluxe Welcome Cannon!” And with that she bolted out of sight, leaving the small family wondering just what they had gotten themselves into.
Pinkie rushed around the corner and down the street. She dove underneath a holiday wreath that a pair of ponies were putting up, and blazed through the center of town. In her hurricane of motion she left behind a large trench behind in the snow. Debris rained down on either side of it from the ground she had kicked up, which clattered softly upon the roofs of various stores.
As Pinkie approached Cannon #12, conveniently stashed in an alley, her front hoof suddenly went numb, simulating the feeling that it had suddenly become quite heavy and causing the party pony to slide to a halt.
Wiggling the hoof back and forth, Pinkie frowned. She knew the signals of her Pinkie Sense, but this one was uncommon. Uncommon and unfortunate.
“Leadhoof? Haven’t had that one in a while. Looks like somepony is about to have a really, really bad day. Hope it's not me." Her eyes widened. "But what if it is me? I better get home!" And just like that she was off again, never staying in one place for any reasonably lengthy amount of time. In this particular instance she was racing towards home to minimize the chance of being the unfortunate recipient of her own cosmic Pinkie Powers. If it wasn't her who was to be afflicted, she'd throw that pony a cheer up party later.
"Hi, Rarity! Bye, Rarity!" Pinkie said cheerfully, in passing.
Rarity, who moments before had turned the corner, barely had time to comprehend what bolted past her. She was dressed in a matching scarf and boots, a fancy saddlebag carefully balanced across her back.
"Pinkie?" She asked curiously, but by the time the word was past her lips she already found herself alone. Shaking her head, she continued onward, entering a small gem shop which she had faithfully shopped at almost a dozen times before.
"Good morning, Chisel!" Rarity announced cheerfully, and was met with an enthusiastic wave from the shopkeeper. Her errand was short and precise, and was only a matter of scooping carefully measured gems from various basins into drawstring pouches. This done, the rest was only a matter of paying.
"Always good to see you, Rarity," Chisel said, waving her off. Rarity had turned to wave back, and as such did not see the stallion making his way through the entrance at the exact same time. There was an exclamation of surprise and a minor collision.
The stallion blinked in surprise. "I'm quite sorry! Are you alright?"
Aside from having been knocked to the admittedly clean floor, Rarity did not like floors, but was otherwise alright. She shook her head quickly to clear it.
"Quite alright, quite alright. But do be more careful in the future, hmm?" She said cheerfully, and carefully left the store. Little did she know her day was only going to get worse.
Author's Note
This idea has been bouncing around in my head for a while. Right now I'm sitting in the airport waiting for my plane as I prepare to leave Europe and conclude my vacation.
So, loyal fans, enjoy this long overdue update! I shall continue to write when I get home! Please let me know if you care to see more.
