-000-
It was winter and nightfall at Equestria, and all through the kingdom, everyone was sleeping...
...Of course, if I said that I would be lying, because a certain bow-wearing figure was walking through the trees in Sweet Apple Acres.
-000-
Applebloom tightened her red sweater as a chill wind blew through the leaves. No-one, expect maybe the family dog Wiona, had seen her sneak out. It was the perfect time to be alone. Expect that it was freezing.
A snap of a branch stopped her in an instant as she glanced around. All of a sudden the trees, despite being covered in pure-white snow, seemed to hold menacing shadows.
"Come on, Applebloom. Ya know that there's nothin' there. Ya've been raised 'ere forever." the farm-filly reassured herself, but her courage went with the wind when the leaves in front of her started to rustle. She prepared herself to run as fast as she could, while her mind drifted to the thought that she might get her cutie mark in running.
"Applebloom? Is that you?"
The yellow pony squeaked, causing some snow to lightly fall down on her mane as a orange unicorn with a green mane coming through the trees.
"S-S-Snails?" Applebloom said, face red with embarrassment.
"Erm... I'm sorry I shocked you, if that happened." Snails quickly apologized looking equally embarrassed.
"Ah, I'm okay." she caught her breath and turned back to the unicorn. In the moonlight, she could see that Snails was wearing a light brown sweater and a green scarf. Her hoof went to her neck which was freezing cold, wishing that she had brought her scarf.
"Where's Snips?" "He has a cold. Hope it wears out before tomorrow's party. And anyway, only I know where I'm going. And um... speaking of friends, where are the others?"
"Sleeping remember? Say, can ah come with you?"
"Erm... I'm not sure about that..." Snails muttered, biting his lip, but when he saw Applebloom's pouting face, he gave in.
"Ah... You win. Come on, it's not far from here."
-000-
A few minutes later, the two of them were picking their way through the acres and dredging through the snow.
Applebloom kept behind Snails, as he seemed to know his way at this part of the farm.
"Say, you're usually out with your friends. Why not tonight?" Snails dropped as the tree-cover started to get thinner.
"Ya know what 'as happened these days? I just want tha have some peace ya know..."
"I know that feeling. So you like taking it slow too?"
"Huh?" the yellow filly asked, but then Snails stopped abruptly. They had stopped in front of a large redwood tree on a hill.
'How did mah sis and brother don't know 'bout this?!' she asked herself, eyes wide.
"Don't tell anyone, kay?" Snails's voice snapped her from her thoughts.
"Ah come on! Not even muh friends?" she started when Snails started climbing. Her jaw nearly dropped out,"You're gonna climb that!"
"Chicken, Bloom?" the orange pony sniggered. Applebloom blushed at both the comment and nickname, muttered something under her breath and started climbing as well.
-000-
After a few minutes of struggling, the farm-filly hoisted up onto a larger branch, where a tired Snails was waiting.
"I expected you to be a bit faster than me..." the unicorn panted.
"Ah am used ta bucking trees, not climbing 'em." she shot back between gasps.
"Why don't you look at the view before saying anything else?"
She turned around, and immediately, her breath was stolen away. "Oh my Celestia..."
From their perch, she could see all of Ponyville, including the old castle in Everfree forest, Zecora's hut, and Sugarcube corner, which was still bustling with activity, possibly for the Hearth's Warming Day party. Even the Princesses' castle at Canterlot was visible on the horizon.
"Like it?" "This... This... This is amazing!" Applebloom squealed and before she realized it, she was crushing Snails in a tight hug, and tottering just a few feet from the edge of the bridge.
"Um... Applebloom? We're gonna fall off." Snails said quickly, and suddenly realizing that they were on a branch a couple of feet off from becoming tree-food, she quickly let go, her face feeling hotter than a furnace.
"Ah'm sorry." "It's okay. Erm... Just don't do that again." the unicorn pony said, his face equally burning.
They then adjusted their positions so that they spread the weight out as far as possible, to not make the branch broken. In silence, they stared at the view of the entire island.
"What were you saying Snails? About us not being too different." Applebloom said after a long silence.
"Um... About that. You know about my cutie mark?" She nodded to say yes, and he continued, " most ponies think that I'm a slowpoke because of that. And that's not true."
Applebloom raised an eyebrow at this, but didn't say anything, letting him continue. "I like slow. It allows us to see the finer things in life, to be with friends, family," Snails cracked a small smile, before continuing, "maybe even some pony special."
"So, ya think that my cutie mark's going ta be similar?" "Nope. It's not your destiny. I just know it."
"Mah sis left the city before ah was born. She also likes tha slow life."
"Well, guess it runs in the family, right?" the orange unicorn asked and the farm-filly nodded. A chill wind then started to blow through the branches, and she started to shiver, when she felt something warm right next to her and on her neck.
"Wha are ya doin' Snails?" Applebloom asked, her face getting warm again.
"I don't want you to get cold, Bloom." Snails responded, as he settled down next to her.
Staying in this position, both young ponies were feeling something inside them, warming them even in the cold. Applebloom never had somepony stay this close to her, much less a colt and she was getting her "enthusiasm" under control. For Snails, his normal slowness had dissolved when the yellow filly was around.
The moment was interrupted when the branch they were on started to sag.
"Ah, horse apples." The branch snapped and both of them fell down, but luckily they fell into a snowdrift.
"Snails? Ya okay?" Applebloom asked worriedly when a snowball slammed onto her. The other pony was behind her and grinning.
"Too slow, Bloom.-" Applebloom silenced him with her snowball and both of them ended up in a snowball fight, giggling all the time.
-000-
A short time later, the both of them were walking back to the farmhouse.
"Ah had a great time, Snails."
"Yeah... Me too. Say, was wondering... Um... Erm..."
"Ya wanna me to go with you somewhere?" Applebloom asked.
"If you don't want to... I understand..."
"No... I'll go with you."
Silence again went through the two ponies...
"Wednesday evening. So, it's a date?" Applebloom asked.
"It is." Snails nodded before giving into impulse, and leaning to kiss Applebloom on the cheek. Both of them went extremely red after that.
"Erm... I gotta go!" Snails stuttered before darting off through the gate.
The yellow filly stood there, shocked stiff, still wearing Snails' scarf. Then realizing that she might get yelled for sleeping in, she walked into the farmhouse. Before she entered, she took one last look at the orange figure at the gate.
"I can't wait for Wednesday, Snaily." she smiled simply before shutting the door behind her.