Falling Backwards

Chapters

Prologue
Jumping
Day One
Eyes Open
Eyes Closed

Prologue

There is nothing that can separate two ponies more than time and distance. Moving from place to place, you never make any ties, forge strong connections. Those you do manage to cope with, the next second you're uprooting and leaving them behind. You always promise to keep in touch but the conversation slowly dies. Time ages you, distance keeps you apart. You both grow up, but you never grow up together. This can happen at any time, any place or to any pony. The closest of ties can be broken. But that does not mean you can't mend them.

I stood atop the hill, looking down at the houses below. Faint yellow candle lights spilled out of windows and open doors. It was unusually warm for so early of spring. Everypony took advantage of this sudden summer weather and grills were polished and broken in for the coming season. Pools were unsheathed so that the boiling foals could frolic and play, while the adults stood and talked and cooked. The entire block hosted a massive pile of simultaneous backyard parties in a show of friendship and trust. I watched them from afar, my bright yellow fur rustling in the breeze. The parties were just beginning to wind down, with foals being carted off to bed and the adults retiring into tents and homes to drink and party further.

The town was fair sized, with a few blocks of closely built houses, each one resembling its neighbor's. Though there were some differences between them, it made choosing the right house difficult. From my perch, I could spot my house. It wasn't easy to see but mine had a distinctive pentagon-shaped picnic table in the front. It had always been there for the full year we had stayed here in Pinewood. Without this distinctive feature, I would never have recognized the bland, square white house.

My ears perked to the soft sigh of wind and I rolled over onto my back. The grass brushed along my wings, sending little shivers down my body. Again the wind sighed, stroking my mane and sending it scattering about me. Insects and creatures suddenly lifted off from the trees and bushes around me. Fireflies lit their tails and zoomed through the air, twisting and turning in marvelous little swirls. Slowly, I stretched out a hoof to the sky, watching them whisk suddenly by. A curious moth fluttered by and lighted on my hoof for half a second before taking off in its never ending dance. I watched it fly away, the faintest of smiles on my face. The sky above lit up with a thousand brilliant stars, all winking and shining against the blue and black canvas above. The little white moth drifted away, taking its place along the twinkling, beautiful curtain. I stared after it, brow furrowing.

Another sweet breeze drifted by, carrying with it the heavy, alluring perfume of wild flowers. I followed the wind onto my stomach and cast my gaze back toward the neighborhood. Lights were beginning to flicker out. A dozen merry shouts of farewell drifted to my little hill and I huffed. The parties were over, the cups were empty. Ponies were returning home.

Unfortunately, that meant I had to return as well.

I slowly picked myself up and started slowly across the wild garden. Petals lovingly brushed against my hooves in their own little farewell, praying I come back again. I gave the hill one small glance before hopping down onto the pavement. Now down among the houses, the wind carried the scent of food and grills and hay. As I trotted along,my mind began to wander. Specifically, to Sun Blaze. A small smile came to my face as I trotted faster toward home. Mom would be at work now, meaning the house would be empty, and it was staying like that all night. I was heading for Blaze's.

Is it childish to still look forward to a weekend at your dad's? I was tall for my age, then. Everypony expected me to be as mature, too. So I forced the excitement down and let it flutter in my heart as I turned sharply down the driveway. Out house was exactly like everypony else's. Nothing special, just a one story brick place with a long front side and a short driveway. We had a garage, made of old polished wood that clashed horribly with the brick, but we never used it. A short patch of grass sat in the front, with one perfectly parallel in the back. There was nothing special to either short patches, other than the lopsided pentagon table. It was old and rotting, distasteful but Mom said it had class. I frowned at it as I trotted up the driveway.

There was a pony next door, Vivid. She was a good neighbor and friends with Posey. Her groomed purple mane stirred in the breeze as she trudged the small forest that was her lawn. A large, overly friendly grin splayed across her face. It took her a few tries to finally catch my attention. Turning around, there she was, little blades of grass stuck in her bright green hooves. I stared at them while she continued to approach. As though four feet was not close enough.

"Little Flutters," She cooed in her loud, jarring voice. My ears pinned and I looked up through a million pink strands into her neon face. A small huff escaped me and she laughed, drawing me into a hug. My body went rigid and as tight as she hugged, she could not work me out of it. Finally, she gave up and set me back on the ground. "You've grown taller since last weekend," She remarked. "So, I was wondering if your mother had that gardening spade I lent her? I really need to get to work on the flowerbed while the soil's still fresh." Her grin widened in a strangely neighborly way. I glanced from her to the house and nodded, letting more hair fall into my vision.

"It's in the house." I turned, flapping my wings and bounding up to the porch. Vivid had always been welcome for the whole year and a half Mom and I had been here. The two had been friends from work when they had run a flower shop together. The green earth mare followed me up when a strange clapping sounded behind us. I turned to see a red and brown stallion stumbling up the drive. His bright orange eyes were unfocused as they swept across the yard. Upon spotting me, he lit up. Neon took one look at Sun Blaze and frowned, raising a brow.

"Fluttershy!" Blaze bellowed for the whole street. He paused and swallowed hard, grinning wide. "C'mere an' gimme a hug!" He sat and opened his hooves.

"Daddy!" I had never been a great flier, but I zipped over to him. He was thrice my height, big and bulky with a belly that stuck out further than his nose did. A thick brown stubble had fixed itself to his face and his bright eyes watered. He hugged me for half a second and stood up, nearly knocking me aside.

"Well now, how's about we go get somethin' to eat, eh?" He stared off toward Vivid and winked before giving me a look-over. "You're taller." His hoof slung around my shoulders and dragged me in. "Oh, my baby filly's growing up, isn't she." He settled himself on the sidewalk, chest heaving as though it cost him effort. "Soon you'll be too old fer a cuddle. Too old for ol' daddy, huh?" He chuckled and rolled onto his back, staring up toward the sky. Stars of all shapes danced and twinkled above us, but he focused on none of them. I frowned, looking over his reddened face. "So, you're just gonna up and leave me, then." He sighed, filling the air with his dank, heavy breath. I recoiled slightly, muzzle scrunching. What was- "But not today, huh? Naw, you're always gonna be my little girl!" He yanked me down to the concrete, wrapping me in a tight hug.

"Dad," I rasped, squirming. "Da- ow, daddy stop." Vivid trotted down the porch steps and came closer, ears half down.

"Fluttershy?" Her voice was soft but it carried. The two of us perked up. "My spade? Please, before you... Go." Her eyes met Blaze's and he turned over, dropping me.

"Oh, right." I scrambled to my hooves and patted Blaze's cheek. "I'll be right back, then we can go." I galloped over to the door and yanked it open. The house was warm, almost uncomfortably so from being outside. No candles were lit but a few slivers of silvery moonlight sliced through the darkness. It gave me just enough light to find the curtains string and I pulled it, letting moonlight flood through the livingroom.

The spade was somewhere in the commode, across the room. Mom had been using it to plant a few flowers in the window pots. She always had to have a flower in bloom somewhere through the house. Even through the winter. She could get a flower to bloom through any season. All she did was talk to it, her voice soft and gentle. I remember that voice from when I was a filly. She used to fly me around the house and sing and talk to me like that. Except for once, though. She came into my room late at night and climbed onto my bed. She held me, apologizing every few minutes for waking me up. Her hoof brushed gently through my mane and she hugged me and started a little story. I don't remember the words, but her voice was cracked and dry. She strained just to speak. When I asked her about it, she only said that she had used it all up. Used it on daddy.

I found the spade easily and galloped back to the window. Vivid and Blaze were still there. As I reached for the string, though, something changed. Vivid tossed a hoof and turned away, tail flicking. Blaze reached for her and she turned around and struck the size of his muzzle. Sun Blaze stumbled back, but only just before rearing up on the mare. She skipped back, shouting something I couldn't hear. Blaze rushed toward her, lifting a hoof.

I burst through the front door. "Stop!" There was a pause from both the ponies. Vivid was the first to draw her gaze from the other's. Her brow was dark, her eyes hard and narrowed.

"Fluttershy, go back inside." She snapped the words, not quickly but harshly. Her eyes snapped back onto Blaze, who had not taken his off her. I opened my mouth to object but she cut me off, barking the order again.

"No, she'sa comin' with me." Blaze growled, finally snapping his gaze on me. His orange eyes tinged with red, his lips pulled back into a snarl.

"Blaze, go home. You can come and get her tomorrow." Vivid stepped casually between us. I had not moved from the porch, the spade still clutched in one wing.

"She's my daughter!" He barked. "I have a right to take her. You stupid liberals, always trying to taking away our rights. My rights!" His ears pinned tight against his short, wavy mane. "I won't let you take my rights, and you're sure as hell not gonna take my daughter." He trotted toward me. Every step was punctuated by another furious shout. Vivid scrambled after him, snatching his ankle.

"Blaze, you can't take her anywhere like this."

"I said back off, bitch." He whipped around, hoof flying out. Vivid pushed on his chest at the same moment and he stumbled back, flipped around. His big, heavy hoof cracked against my cheek.

Both of us tumbled backward, he into the uniform garden and me back onto the porch. I gasped, my own hooves flying to my face. Time seemed to stretch on into infinity. I stared down at the stallion in the garden. He yanked out the beautiful tulips and posies. Never before had I paid them much heed but now, as their delicate roots were exposed and their soft little petals were shredded, I was struck with a pang of sorrow. They had been beautiful. When Sun Blaze finally relieved himself from the plants, he glared up at me.

"You're coming with me."

Vivid was at my side in an instant. She lifted me roughly off the porch and backed me toward the door. "Sun Blaze, you need to go home. Now." He laid a hoof on the porch. "If you don't leave, I'm going to call the police." She found the door and tore it open, shoving me inside. I moved without resistance.

I fell limply into the dark house. Not even the moon could penetrate the heavy cloud of darkness anymore. I stared into that shade blankly, watching its fuzzy patterns and faint silhouettes. Suddenly, everything held Blaze's shape. He was sitting on the couch just a few feet away. He was in the closet across the entrance, searching for a pair of horseshoes. He was standing by the fridge, grinning wickedly from his shroud of darkness. Blaze surrounded me, his sharp breath filling my every sense. He towered above me, all across every corner of the ceiling. The moonlight could not reach there.

The door suddenly slammed, jolting me back to the ponies. Vivid leaned against the front door. From the other side came the furious loud cracks. Blaze shouted obscenities, one for every punch. The door creaked and shook, beating against Vivid as she pressed it shut. I looked from her to the lock and the at the window. He wasn't where I could see. Perhaps he was not even out there. What if her really was inside the house? Standing behind me, his foul breath clogging the air. His hazy, bloodshot eyes glaring down at me and that fierce, ugly snarl on his face.

"Fluttershy, go call the police." Vivid pressed harder on the door. "Sun Blaze, go home. I can't let you take her!" He responded harshly, words and threats battering the door as much as his body did.

"You dumbass liberals wanna take away my rights?" He bellowed. "Well guess what, sister? I gotta myself the right to see my daughter. And you know what else? One to bare arms too. Know what that means?" He slammed his shoulder again into the door but it held, the splintering wood slicing through his fur. "When I get back yer dead. Ya hear me, dead! I shoot you right through the goddam head if I have to. Let me see my daughter!" His massive weight shook the door and he broke out with a loud huff, marching down the porch steps.

"Fluttershy, go. Now." Vivid continued to hold the door, craning her neck to watch the window. I stumbled back, looking all around. Everywhere except that door. Vivid continued to shout at me and coax me to the phone. By the time I finally made it to the landline, I was drenched in tears.

Sun Blaze never came back. He never fulfilled his promise. Mom eventually did and Vivid explained everything to her. The poor mare. Mom couldn't begin to thank her enough for what she had done but I couldn't even understand it. All I knew was that we packed up that night. We loaded everything we owned onto a cart. Three days later, Grandma and Papa out in Cloudsdale opened their home for us. I left another city, and all my acquaintances, behind. A new start, somewhere that angry red earth stallion could not get to us. Mom kept me close after that. She never let me out of Cloudsdale by myself. I was only four.

And I never saw Sun Blaze again.

Jumping

Faint white clouds gathered in the sky, blurring the horizon and the fields. Wind rustled gently through the bare tree limbs and lifted the crisp, fallen leaves off the forest floor. Dust and debris kicked into the air. It swirled about in miniature tornadoes that swirled up to the sky before dispersing and scattering its contents once more. The breeze gradually began to grow chilly and the two mares in its midst retreated to the warmth of a nearby home. The double doors clicked shut just as the first flakes of snow began to drift from the sky.

Across a mostly frozen creek stood a little cottage. It was coated in shrubs and ivy and plants. Little flowers sprouted all across the yard, now wilted and drooping over. The trees dotting the surrounding land all hung with little empty birdhouses that danced and shook with the soft gusts of wind. As they did, the snow fell heavier, dancing through the air and making little patterns on the cottage windows. From inside, the ponies watched the storm from across hot mugs of chocolate. Warmth inside spilled from the fire place, as did a welcoming orange light. It pushed at the shadows that the lamps could not reach and put a smile on the pairs' faces. The cozy little living room warmed us as we teased and laughed. I found myself grinning before long and I took another sip of chocolate. The sound was punctuated by the crackling of the fireplace.

I passed my cup to my mirror image, Posey. Her fur was only a shade darker and her hair a tad brighter. If not for her plump, healthy build we could have been sisters. At least, that is what she liked to think.

"I'll go find us some s'mores." I turned to the pantry and trotted in, searching the cupboards and shelves. Everything was well stocked. Bird seeds, worms, lettuce, carrots, acorns. There was a small pinch in my heart as I thought of all my little friends. They were safe, of course. Tucking in snug and tight into their nests and burrows. I would see them in the spring, when everypony came to help with winter wrap-up. Still, I could not help the small twinge.

Finally, I found some pony food. A little back of marshymallows and chocolates sat behind the bear mix. I took the delicious ingredients in one hoof and wobbled toward Mom. She laughed gently as I spilled the treats onto the floor beside the fire.

"Oh, Fluttershy, you'll be the death of my figure." She put a hoof on her slightly pudgy belly and felt it rumble when she laughed. Despite, her turquoise eyes flicked down to the gooey yumminess before her. "Alright, maybe just one." Her cheeks blushed a faint pink.

"Oh, mom." I stuck the mallows and set one over the fire, watching as the little puff expanded, browned and the caught fire. A bit of panic beat through me and I yanked the stick back out. Mom gently blew on it until the fire was out and the coating was a nice, crunchy black. She squished it between a cracker and a bit of chocolate while I started another. This, I was careful not to burn. "One little sweet won't harm," I smiled as I bit into my own. Crunchy and black, of course.

"It will if I keep missing my alarms." She swallowed quite audibly and settled onto her foreknees. "I just can't get up in the morning," she neighed, "I'm so tired when I finally fall asleep, I don't hear my alarm."

"Have you tried a hearing aide?" I teased gently, giving her a tiny smile.

She snorted dramatically in response. "Oh Celestia, Fluttershy! You're brilliant!" She laughed, not unkindly, and leaned over to nuzzle my cheek. "I don't need a hearing aide, I need a better alarm."

I toyed with the last remaining bite. The fire popped again through the silence, keeping discomfort at bay until I could form the words in my head. "What if you stopped working?" My ears dropped.

"Oh hush, I can't just stop." Mom reached over and popped another marshymallow into her mouth. "I might have a wedding to pay for? Some day?" She nudged my wing. "Hint hint?"

"The answer is still no." I could not help the faint grin passing across my face. "I'm not interested."

"Aw, come on. I saw some cute stallions in town." Her ears perked. "A particularly good looking red farmcolt." Her brow cocked as wide as she grinned.

Color and heat flushed to my face. "I-I, no, Mom. Y-you don't, I mean, I c-could never do that t-to Cheerilee!" I fumbled with my last bite and stuffed it into my face. Certainly that could keep me from sticking my hoof deeper into my mouth.

"Sounds to me like there is a bit of interest." She smirked.

I swallowed hard and found myself drawn to the window. The snow was already thickening, raining down with heavy white blurs. A few of them stood out against the grey mess behind them. Their intricate, delicate patterns swirled gently through the air before landing on the window. A small pile was already building just outside the sill. Before any misunderstandings could happen, I returned to Mom and her smug look. "Alright," I sighed, "There are some stallions in town, I guess." Further color heated my cheeks. "But it isn't Big Mac. It's somepony else." Suddenly, the room looked a little tanner.

"So, go for it, sweetie."

"I-I'm just not ready."

"Well, what are you ready for, then?"

The fire crackled loudly and sent sparks high up the chute. Bits of wood and ash fluttered down to join us on the hardwood floor. Sighing, I picked myself up and swept them away, adding a new log to the bright, hungry flame. Another burst of sparks cluttered the chimney and I frowned. Perhaps Caramel could stop by and clean it out. I settled back on the floor and took another sip of my chocolate as I pondered this. Gradually, my thoughts began to swing from the tan stallion to another.

"I'm ready for Sun Blaze." I nodded convincingly.

The fireplace seemed to laugh as its merry crackling overtook our silence. Our gazes intertwined as they stared off into the bright, flickering colors. I could almost hear Mom thinking. I could feel the surprise, and regret, radiating out from her. She played with her cup for a moment before glancing over at me. At that moment, I looked away from her. She was coated in a faint orange silhouette. Her shadows deepened away from the fire but the light shining over her face drew attention away from the dark patches. Her brilliant eyes shimmered and her brow furrowed seriously.

"Fluttershy..." She grasped for the right words, her mouth working silently. Giving up, she whinnied softly. "What are you going to do?"

"He's looking for a place to stay for a little while. Just to get back on his feet. So, I figured..." My ears fell with a sigh.

"I've heard that one before." The contempt in her voice made me flinch. Even worse, she had. And she did not fail to remind me as well. "Do you remember Stone Polish?" Mom's voice was soft and gentle. I could only nod in response. Mom opened and closed her mouth repeatedly, gesticulating with one hoof. "He's not... Flutters, I-"

"I know, Mom." I got to my hooves and stretched, spreading a wing over her back. "I won't let it happen to me. It'll just be one month. Just a month."

"Do you remember-"

"Yes, I remember everything that happened." My hoof trailed across the floor and clasped its partner, giving it a comforting pat. I watched them meet and reassure but I did not feel their encouragement.

"You haven't seen him in years."

"And I think that's the problem." I settled back down and rested my chin across my forelegs. "I need to see him. At least once, for a little while. I-I was so young then, I..." I took a deep breath, letting it out slowly just as my school adviser had once taught me. "I want a chance to know him while I'm strong enough to protect myself."

She scooted closer and cupped my cheek in her hoof, meeting my gaze. We sat there for a long minute, her eyes searching mine. Desperately, almost worriedly. "Is this something you really want to do?" Her eyes flicked between mine.

Did I? A stallion I had not seen since he struck me on the porch. A pony who gave up his daughter and his life to the bottom of an empty bottle. A stallion who held no steady job, no ambitions, and no sense of care. My father. At one point, my daddy.

"Yes." I spoke firmly, keeping my eyes focused on hers.

A heavy sigh shook her shoulders. She dropped my cheek and sat up, forcing a small, strained smile. "Alright, baby." Her hooves opened and I sank into them reflexively. She pulled me close, brushing my long pink mane. "You sure you can handle it?"

"My friends taught me so much, mom. I can handle this." I pulled away and smiled. "I'm ready."

A tiny huff escaped her and she kissed my forehead. "Call me any time. If I don't pick up, come over. Understand?" Her lips curled down as much as her ears. "If it ever gets too much, even just a little, end it right there. You tell him to get packing. Or you can call me up and I'll be over in a heart beat." Her old, beautiful hoof rose slowly to brush a strand of mane from my face.

"Okay, mom."

She pulled me into a tight hug. "I don't agree with this," she sighed, "But you're an adult. You have to learn on your own." Her hooves tightened. "And just know, love, I do root for you. I hope to Goddess that he's changed. That everything can be better for you two."

"I love you, mommy."

"I love you too, sweetie." She hugged me tight and never said another word on the subject. Which, for a parent, is always hard to do.

Day One

The sun did not shine but instead glowed from around a sky of gentle gray clouds. Its light shimmered on the snow but nothing sparkled in that beautiful winter way. Only around the corner of one's vision could the little flakes be seen glistening, and only near a warm little cottage, with all its warm candle lights, could the ice be seen shining. The morning was cold, with just a few winter birds singing their songs to the empty forest. The rabbits and foxes burrowed through the snow, searching for the last berries and nuts. Occasionally, a squirrel would chatter triumphantly as he unearthed an acorn but that would be his last victory of the day. He would scoot up a tree with his loot and hide out in a barren, hollow branch.

A small wind dusted a fine layer of snow into the air, rattling through the leaf-less forest. With every gust, more snow dusted the trees and the creatures. My hooves kicking up flakes did not help matters, either.

I trudged through the thick blanket coating the forest. The cold seeped through my boots but it did not penetrate my thick coat, or the warm little scarf bundled around my chin. With a covered basket clamped firmly beneath my wing, I trekked on. The clouds above seemed to follow me every yard. Every so often, the day would grow dreary and the clouds would threaten snow but they never worked up the nerve to follow through. I paused and gave them a small encouraging smile but only a few flakes drifted about before they lost the will. And so the day went on, my slow trudge through the snow and the sky's reluctance for any change.

The first tree I stopped at was a large applewood. I dropped the saddlebags from my waist and the basket from my wing and rummaged through them, drawing out a small pile of nuts. It was a meager supply, but it would get the young squirrel family by for another week. Leaving the pile with them, I gathered my things back up and moved on. After a few more families, I found a little bunny den. The babies were steadfast asleep, but the momma was wide awake. She looked up at me with large, sad eyes before nosing a particularly tiny infant. After leaving the bowl of leaves, I settled down to watch the two. Despite momma's best efforts, the bunny would not respond. Its eyes were closed. Forever.

A small tear pricked my eye and I reached it, gently whispering and stroking the momma. She squeaked up at me and I scooped the infant away, tucking it into the lidded basket. Appologizing thoroughly, I left the mother to mourn and watch over the rest.

A good many yards away was a twisted old tree. Its roots struck up from the tough, icy ground. Across its wide, flat trunk was a little divot, making a miniature cave-like space. Holed up inside was a fox and her four little cubs. They nursed hungrily at her thin belly while she stared off into the forest, eyes blank and fearful. I paused beside her hole and took a deep breath, opening my basket. Inside was the worst sight a pony could possibly ask for. A collection of preserved meats, along with a little stillborn bunny. I took a deep, steadying breath and upturned the basket, letting the sad mixture topple at the foxhole entrance. The momma's nose began to twitch and she lifted herself away from the babies, pawing carefully toward the pile before ravenously biting at it. I sat beside the hungry animal and stroked her fur, closing my eyes to the carnage.

The hardest lesson I ever had to learn was when I faced an owl in the woods. It swooped down silently through the trees of my new home and in its horrid little talons, it scooped up a helpless young mouse. I had just bought my cottage and trotted through the forest, meeting all the wonderful new creatures when it happened. A happy little mouse was wrenched up into the sky by a vicious killer. I cried out and I chased the bird. I made it give up the mouse and I kept it close from then on. I knew birds liked seeds, so that's what I always gave it. The next winter, the creature died. Nothing I did could save it, it had starved. Owls were carnivorous, as were the snakes it tried to eat, and foxes and cats. I had vowed to help and protect all animals, so the idea of taking one's life seemed horrid, evil. But my kindness to the mouse was what killed the owl. I had to learn that sometimes, for another creature's safety, something had to be given up.

With my bag and basket properly emptied, I gathered them in my hooves and took flight, brushing the clouds above that still hung indecisively around the sky. My cottage was only a short ways off now but by the time I made it home, I was shivering.

The world was coated in ice. Beautiful heavy flakes in piles up to a pony's knees. Or, a certain tan pony's knees to be exact. He walked across the short bridge along the driveway, pushing through the snow piles. He slowly made his way to the front door when I finally arrived. "Caramel?" He turned just in time to see me shrug away the saddlebags.

"Hey, li'l filly." His sweet voice dripped like honey, practically melting the snow around me. His sky blue eyes sparkled brighter than snow in the sun and his brown hair waved gently in the wind. Three perfect metal horseshoes sat evenly on his flank, not that I was looking, of course. Color flushed to my cheeks and I bowed my head.

"Oh, h-hello Caramel." I cast my gaze anywhere except his handsome, smiling face. "What brings you here?"

"My psychic connection told me there was a disturbance in the force." He raised his chin, brow dropped seriously. I took a step back, heart skipping a beat. Disturbance?

"Oh gosh, is anypony hurt? Are the deer okay?" I turned frantically toward the meadow.

"No, wait," He chuckled, "Your mom stopped by the shop and told me you needed some help."

"Oh... Oh, she did, did she?" A smirk grew on my face. Of course she had, the silly filly.

"Yeah, something about a dirty flue?"

I laughed quietly and bowed my head. "Ah, w-well, uhm..." Long, thin strands of hair breezed across my vision. Caramel stood there for a while longer, looking me over expectantly.

"Are you gonna invite me in?"

"Well, thank you, Caramel, but... I can always clean it out."

"Don't be silly, I'd be happy to help."

Of course. I swallowed hard, heart beating in my ears. "I really do need to take care of Angel, though. He doesn't like the winter."

Caramel smiled softly and put a hoof on the door. Light from the many warm candles inside was spilling out into the day, lighting the driveway around us and putting a faint yellow tinge on the world. Above me, Caramel's brilliantly blue eyes glistened. "Come on, Fluttershy. I'll help take care of the chimney. Then I'll be out of your hair, I promise." With a hoof on the handle, he continued to wait for an invitation. Mine, of course.

My ears drooped slightly and I kicked at the snow. "O-Okay, if you insist." The wind kicked up and swept my scarf out from around me. I reached out to snag it but the breeze caught it first. The beautiful pink cloth flew away and down the road. "Oh no, Rarity's scarf!" I galloped after it, with the stallion at my side. On down the road it went until just at the meadow. I stopped short. There was the pretty little fabric, clenched firmly in a strikingly familiar red stallion's teeth. He gazed up the road, half a smile on his face.

"Thank goodness, right?" My companion laughed. He started down the hill after the newcomer, a friendly smile on his face. I watched after him.

"Yeah, thank goodness." It was a long while before I took another step. By that time, the two of them had already met.

"Sun Blaze," The newcomer offered the scarf. "This yours?"

"No, it's my friend Fluttershy's." He took it back and shook Blaze's hand. "I'm Caramel."

Blaze's eyes focused on me and never let go. "Fluttershy!" I walked calmly toward them, looking the pony over. He looked no different. The same messy, unkempt mane, the same bloodshot orange eyes, the same deep bags under his eyes. The same brand whiskey hanging from his saddlebag, which was the only winter apparel he wore. The stallion stumbled toward me and grasped my shoulders in a hug. "I'm so glad to see you've finally come 'round. Good to be away from the wicked queen, eh?" He clapped my back with a loud chuckle.

"You know Flutters?"

There was a long pause as Sun Blaze turned to the third. He raised a brow before plastering on a smile. "Well of course. I'm her big ol' daddy!" Another one hoofed hug that nearly knocked me off my hooves. "And who're you?"

"Caramel, sir." He offered a hoof, like a gentlepony. Blaze merely looked it over.

"You two buckin'?" A wave of heat struck my face. I scrambled back, brow furrowing. Blaze merely shrugged. "Honest question, so answer it, bucko."

Caramel's face was a proper crimson, though not as hot as mine. "N-no, sir. We're just friends."

"Then make your move already, kid. Let me tell you something, Caramel, right?" The pony in question nodded mutely. "Interesting name." Blaze sat in the snow. "You're father named you, didn't he?"

"What?"

My ears dropped. "Blaze," I warned.

"Now hold on. I got this picture of your mom, see. She's as round as a beach ball and she starts getting these cravings. So she's stuffing her face just full of little caramel candies. And she's getting it all over the house and her fur when she goes into labor. And it gets on the doctor and, and, on little baby. So she thinks, hey, Caramel!"

The sky chose that moment to work up the courage to snow. Heavy, delicate flakes drifted down from the sky. They caught the wind and kicked up across the meadow. a fine layer began to build atop the ice and fence and trees. Wind rattled through the forest and tossed the fresh flakes back up from where they came. A few weather pegasi flew by and the skies darkened behind them. In the distance, a rumble of thunder rolled through the clouds and shook another downpour from the shy grey clouds. For several long minutes, that was the only sound to be heard.

"We'd better be going." I suddenly burst. Both stallions suddenly looked to me and I shrank away. "I really do have to tend to Angel and Blaze has to unpack. Right?" Please let him say yes!

"Yeah, I guess." Blaze snatched his new pal's hoof and shook it thoroughly. "It's been a real pleasure to meet you, young colt." He gave a wide, yellow toothed grin. "Seriously though, if you don't catch a good filly now, you may never get the chance. Just know, I've got my eye on you."

Caramel put on the best smile he could, glancing toward me for half a second, before trotting quickly down the road.

Back to the cottage, Angel was waiting beside the door. He thumped his foot impatiently as I settled my bags and things in their usual places. Sun Blaze dropped his in the middle of the living room and trotted about. I settled for a moment on the couch and watched him, frowning.

"What's with all the birdhouses?"

"I have a lot of birds around the forest who have troubles finding good nests. They're about as numerous as the bunnies but they're really territorial. I keep homes for some of the nicer ones who can't find a nice home."

Blaze nodded a few times before moving into the other room. I followed him.

Not as much furniture decorated this room. Instead, a million animal beds and cages littered the place. It was well organized, from doggy dens to bunny pens and the like. Everything was spacious and clean. All the way in one corner, a giant brown mass was hunkered down. Blaze looked around at all the sleeping pets before coming to the giant fuzzball. He peered at it for a long while before rearing back.

"Good Goddess, it's a bear!" He zipped back toward the door. "Fluttershy, what th-"

"Shh!" I put a hoof to my lips and eased the door shut. The little kitty flap at the bottom clicked. "That's Harry. He's hibernating, so keep your voice down."

"B-but, it's a bear! That thing'll-"

I raised a hoof to silence him. "Harry is very kind. He sleeps here every winter, don't worry. He mostly eats berries in the winter, so that's what I feed him." A candle nearby popped and I glanced back. The clock behind it had struck one. That meant another round through the forest and then the meadow. I sighed and turned back to the red stallion, who continued to stare fearfully at the door. Beyond him, the snow was once again beginning to pile along the windowsills. The animals would have to hunker down for the day, then, but the deer...

"So, you're gonna need the grand tour." I stamped a hoof, drawing his attention back to me. "Let's see what we can do about that."

Blaze glanced between me and the door and whistled shortly. He shrugged and trotted toward his bag, withdrawing a long necked amber bottle. "Ah, the tours can wait for tomorrow." The cap popped with one swift bite and he took a long swig. "I haven't seen you in a while, let's catch up." After one more minute-long gulp, he settled onto the couch with a satisfied burp. "Where's the tv?"

"I don't have one."

"That's what I have beer for, then." He belched and laughed. I hovered there for a full minute, watching him. The old pony slouched on the couch, bottle poised on his belly. Swallow after swallow, it was not long before half the bottle was depleted. He looked at it somberly. "Where's your fridge? I have a few more I'd like to keep cold."

Seconds ticked before finally, I sighed. "You can leave them outside in the snow." My nose scrunched and I pivoted toward the stairs. "There are pots by the fireplace, food's in the pantry. Unpack, get settled. I'll bring down some sheets." I stared away before he could object. Not that he tried.

I stared into the linen closet longer than necessary. The towels and bed sheets mocked me from inside. Strange, inaudible jeers that circled ruthlessly in my head. Pinning my ears, I snatched a blanket and slammed the door (really, just gently closing it). Sun Blaze was just one stallion. This was just one month. I could do this. He was a changed pony. I could handle this... Right?

Eyes Open

The candles wavered in the silence as the fireplace smoldered. A hard yellow light struck out across the majority of the room. Sun Blaze's bright red coat stuck out, his mane encased in a glowing silhouette. Warmth seeped all through the room, spilling from the ashes in the fireplace and out into the belly of the room. Off to the side of this cozy space was the old stallion. He leaned against the wall, one hoof resting on a backleg. The other lifted a short necked bottle to his lips. With a satisfied sigh, he let his head fall back and stared down toward the glow of the fire. I trotted carefully down the stairs with the sheets tucked safely under a wing. This was the sight I was greeted with, his amber bottle glinting in the light.

I dropped the bedclothes and sat in the circle of heat, stretching my wings to let it warm my feathers. "Well, h-how was the trip?" It was a long minute before I dared begin.

"Long and hard, sweetheart," He sighed and cast his orange gaze to the window across the room. I followed it to see the snow piling along the wall. Beyond that, the dimly light day was dreary and cold. The trees of the forest waved and rattled in the wind. Suddenly, Blaze snorted. "They talk about that global warming, right? Well, take a look outside." Another portion of that dark liquid disappeared. "It's so damn cold, them idiots can't even write their lies in their books. Global warming my ass."

I pursed my lips, ears perked as I continued to watch the weather. "Global warming didn't mean literal heat," my voice whispered across the room. A mere gust of wind would have drowned it out. Blaze's vacant eyes snapped on me. I gulped, catching my wing before it could rise to hide my reddening face. "It was just another name for climate shift. Some ponies get warmer weather year round while others get less." Silence beat away my frantic whispering, but as soon as it lulled I found myself talking again. "Sometimes, every few hundred years, Celestia moves the position of the sun to help the other countries grow. Because of this, the pegasi need to alter the weather patterns to accommodate for the lack of direct sunlight." The words tumbled out, emphasised by a long, drawn breath at the very end.

Sun Blaze stared widely for a long moment before smoothing back his thinning greyish brown mane. "Don't believe all the silly rumors you hear everywhere." Another swig. I watched the bottle tip, caught him smacking his lips afterward. "Celestia moves the sun because one 'a them foreign pansies blackmailed her into giving them the sun. She might move it, sweetie, but she don't got control of it." A small, ever so slight sloshing sound came from the glass. It tipped, spilled and them splashed back down in its container. Blaze sighed and shifted his hindquarters. "You see, she-"

"You said you didn't drink anymore."

A small scattering of flakes pattered gently on the window. It was all that passed through the room. Blaze looked me over for a moment, from my stretched yellow wings to my long pink hair. I am not sure what he was looking for, or what he suddenly noticed, but he nodded slowly. "Well, things were hard this month, dear. Work has gotten a lot harder since my shoulder injury. I needed something to help me through the night."

"Shoulder injury?"

"Yeah, it was real bad. Pulled a muscle so bad the good ol' doctor had me off my hoof for a month." He grinned, resting his head against the smooth wood behind him.

"Goodness, that must have hurt." Half of a minute ticked by.

"I'm surprised you didn't hear about it. Yer mom usually brags to everypony about what a useless lout I am, right?" He shrugged and again took a swig of his beer. The fuzzy haze before his orange eyes only grew. "Bet she just raves about how evil and mean I am."

He sat up and his mouth opened, but my small, squeaking voice filled his. "Oh, gosh, I have to go check on the deer!" Silence surrounded Blaze as he watched me stand up. I trotted toward the pantry and found a sack of what appeared to be trail mix. In it was a pile of old crop bits. Pieces of carrots and wheat that were discarded. A few not-so-perfect apples even littered the mix, courtesy of Applejack. I dumped the mix and a few strings of bark into my saddlebags and paused long enough to watch Sun Blaze stand.

"I have to go check on my deer friends in the meadow. It might take a while so, make yourself comfy. There's food in the pantry... I-if you're hungry, you know. The stove is there, just rekindle the fire to heat it up." The door beckoned to me from just beside me. It called my name just a tad quieter than the nerves screaming through my churning stomach. "You can do whatever," the world wavered as I shifted from hoof to hoof, "Just don't make too much noise. You don't want to wake the animals."

Sun Blaze looked over to the closed door. Beyond it were the many large cages and the...

"I've never met a deer." He suddenly said, pursing his lips. "Let's go meet some deer." With that, he marched out of the door ahead of me.

The day was winding down steadily. The pale glow that eased over the edges of the clouds above slowly began to dim as the day grew old. Enough light persisted to brighten our path as we trudged through the fields. A striking pair against the white backdrop, the deer raised their heads as we neared them. First, they started at the sudden bright red that was my companion but I soon calmed them. Worry continued to seep from their timid forms, despite my attempts to reassure them. Sun Blaze cleared away a decent spot and plopped down, watching me as I wove my way around the magnificent beasts.

"Oh, Emelda," I sighed. The fawn before me hopped about on its little spindly legs, rearing back with a cry of excitement. "You're looking better every day." Emelda's mother warned the fawn of her reckless play and I laughed. "She's just a little deer. Let her play a while. I brought food for everyone."

With the food dispersed, I spared a glance to Sun Blaze. He watched from afar. With bottle in hoof, he hauled himself up and started back toward the cottage.

I gave a start and zipped after him. "Sun Blaze!" He halted and drew back, eyebrow raised. Panic shot through me as I slowly, awkwardly, lowered myself to the snow. "W-why don't you, ya know, uhm..." My eyes found their way over his shoulder to the deer. One of them bent to retrieve an apple from my discarded bag. Inspiration hit me and I clapped a hoof. "You should really meet my friend Applejack!" Wind howled in place of words he did not say. I kicked a pile of snow and fluttered to his back, nudging him along. "Yeah, Applejack. She's a very good friend of mine."

"Listen, Fluttershy, I'm kinda tired," Sun Blaze stepped away from me. "Maybe tomorrow we can go and see this Apple-whosits, okay?"

"Oh but she's really quite nice. She's the most honest and loyal pony I know." I laughed and tapped my chin. "She's a real hard worker, too. Since you're out here and new and all, I figured maybe she could set you up with some work to kinda get you back on your hooves. The Apple barn is always being reconstructed so it's perfect for your work, right?" Some part of me hoped, prayed, he was listening. It really did. The rest of me was not so surprised to find the empty space beside me. It was moreso suddenly panicked at the prospect of a wandering Sun Blaze losing himself in my meadow. "Hey, wait!" I flew after his hoofprints.

Emelda could only laughed as I zipped back long enough to tip over the saddle bag and distribute their food. I gave a smile and zipped away once again.

The door eased open with a soft creak. Sunlight flooded the room, casting his long shadow down the wooden floor. For a moment, everything seemed dim and cold until the pony found his way to a nearby table. He struck a match first, then the started the fireplace. Soon it's yellow glow filled the shadowy corners of the livingroom and hung at the edges of the nearby door frame. Sun Blaze stood by the fire and observed the door. Beyond it were a dozen sleepy little critters and one ferocious beast... He trotted closer and slid the nightstand over in front of the door.

"Sun Blaze!" I burst into the room. He looked up and gave a smile.

"Listen, I know you're excited to see your ol' daddy again but I'm not ready for a complete tour just yet." He set himself up on the chair beside the covers and stretched. With a hoof, he gestured me to sit beside him. "It's been so long since I've seen you, why don't we just spend the day to talk?"

I took my seat and twisted the sheets in my hooves, letting my mane fall into my face. "Well, what do you wanna talk about?"

"Anything, sweetheart." His hoof came around and locked around my shoulders, dragging me in. "I was kinda surprised when I got your letter. Figured your ma still had hold of you. You were never the assertive one, were you?" A sudden belch erupted from his chest. "But you're an adult, right? No mind dumbing-"

I slipped away, leaping into the air. "I really think I should check on my animal friends. They might be hungry or... Or something." I backed up into the door.

"Wait, I thought we would catch up a bit."

"Tomorrow. After all, you're pretty tired and if Harry doesn't get fed regularly, he gets cranky."

Sun Blaze's dim eyes flicked up to the door and fell back down. His red brow furrowed and he began to fiddle with the sheets. "Goodnight!" He dove under the covers and disappeared.

I smiled politely and ducked into the animal room. "Oh thank Celestia!" With a soft sigh, I made my way around the cages. A certain cotton-tailed critter bounded toward me with a small squeak. Angel Bunny leapt up to throw his little soft paws around me. "Angel! I was wondering where you'd gone off to." I nuzzled him back and set him down.

A short string of bunny chatter erupted from my frantic little friend as I made my rounds.

"It's going great!" I laughed, ears drooping. "I couldn't imagine this day going any better." Another little bit of chatter came at me and he put a paw on his little bunny hip. "No, I'm being honest." I flicked my tail in response, "This is the best any of this could possibly go." He tapped my hoof and frowned. I looked down at him with a sigh and fell to my knees. "I don't know what I'm expecting, Angel. I had hoped for... I don't know, just something!" I dropped my muzzle into my hooves. "I don't know what to say to him or how to act around him. He's my father!"

Angel stroked my foreleg, his little ears pinning back.

"It's only the first day and I already feel like-" My ears perked. Something within me ticked and I leapt back up. "It's only the first day! This is just day one, Angel. There are plenty of days left." I scooped up the clever little boy and nuzzled him gently. "I can't rule out the whole month if it's only been a day. I'll make that stallion see. Tomorrow, thing's will be different!"

Angel moaned with nausea and hopped away. He stumbled into his little bunny burrow and curled up with a little huff. He said something then that I missed as I trotted out the door.

Out there, Sun Blaze had sloppily made up his bed and fallen asleep. His gruff, old face was slack and peaceful, devoid of its usual scowl or sneer. Now, asleep and adrift, he seemed almost normal. A soft snore started up from the couch as I ended the fire and blew out the candles. A bit of sunlight was all that shone through as I took the last candle upstairs. "Tomorrow will be different," I assured myself as I closed the bedroom door.

Eyes Closed

The next day was certainly a change. I trotted beside Sun Blaze through the meadow and into town, his eyes half lidded and his ears down. Every step was punctuated with a small groan that grew steadily louder as the main road broke off onto the Apple's road. Snow sparkled in the ditches and across the fields and crunched beneath out hooves. Slush collected in the ruts in the road and chilled through my boots as I trudged through them. The day dragged on and the sun climbed higher into the sky, nearing noon by the time we reached the big apple gate. I lifted a dripping boot and pointed to the sign. "Sweet Apple Acres," I introduced the farm. Ahead of us, another half of a mile of ice coated dirt road stretched on. Sun Blaze groaned loudly and dropped to his rump.

"Farm work is not a winter job," he grumbled. I paused and trotted back to him.

"The farm isn't tended to until spring. You and Applejack will be reconstructing the barn." My wings wrapped around his shoulders and urged him back up. His eyes cast down to the floor and he scuffed a hoof. "It needs to be insulated for the winter."

"That should've been done in the spring." Despite his mumbling, he marched onward and I trotted to keep up.

"Big Mac hurt himself trying to buck the last of the trees." A gust of wind scattered snow flakes into the air. The sunlight up above, with its meager warmth, glinted off the flakes and set the snow ablaze. I took a deep breath and watched the snow sparkle from the trees. "They were waiting on him to heal before trying to tackle the barn but he hasn't yet. When they heard you were coming..." There was a pause. I waited for the stallion to say something but instead, he just marched along. Occasionally, his orange eyes flicked up to the lifeless trees around him. He head sunk lower and he continued to gripe.

The tiniest sigh escaped me. I trotted to catch up, leaping over the snow drifts that coated the road. A pothole hid behind one, slicked with ice. As I fell over it, it caught my hoof and pitched me forward. Slush and snow drove into my coat and my skin, sliding down under my sweater and chilling my warm back. Cold bit down hard and I skipped forward, squealing. Sun Blaze fell back, laughing hard as I tore off my sweater and shook it out. I sent him a frown.

"Not my fault, sweet heart." He chuckled, ears perking. "What a start to the afternoon." I snorted in response and slipped off a sodden boot, holding it up and watching it pour back into a puddle. Sun Blaze raised a brow, watching my clothes drip. "Why don't you just fly? Or did your mother not teach you." He rolled his eyes, "and she always yelled at me for-"

The boot hit the floor with a loud slap. It was immediately followed by the stomp of a hoof. "Enough," I snapped as loud as I could. The stallion's brow rose instantly, ears twitching back. Seconds ticked by and I found myself shying away again, my eyes falling to the ground. "I... I don't want to hear about Mom. Let's just not talk about her, okay?" I glanced up hopefully.

Sun Blaze stared ahead for a long moment. He got to his hooves and continued on his way with a slight shrug.

A heavy sigh erupted from within me and a smile curled across my face. I bounded forward and wiggled into my sweater. Not even five minutes passed by in silence before the barn opened up before our eyes. It sat snuggled into a hefty bank of snow that pushed up against the sides and thickened into three feet of slick, sharp ice. I put a hoof to my chin as we approached and my wings began to work. "I should go let her know we're coming." I soared ahead and alighted by the front door. Water dripped steadily from the gutters above and turned the snow to slush. I watched it stream until a familiar green face came into view.

"Fluttershy," Granny Smith opened the door with a wrinkly, toothy grin. "Why, what brings mah favorite yellow filly to an ol' mare's doorstep? Ah bet yer here for Applejack, ain't ya?"

"Good morning, Granny Smith. I brought a visitor with me, if that's okay." I beamed into her round little face as she stepped beside me to peer down the road. Sun Blaze made it to the door and gave a little smile.

"Well now, Fluttershy, ah can see why you'd have such a handsome guest, but ah didn't think he'd be so old." Color flushed to her cheeks as the red stallion passed by her with a polite smile. We entered the warm embrace of the furnaced house and shrugged off our coats. "How'd you do, mister. Ponies call me Granny Smith."

He offered a hoof, nodding once. "Sun Blaze." Granny took it with a girlish giggle. "This is a warm little house you have, ma'am."

"Well, it ain't the only warm thing in this house fer sure." She chortled as she walked through the living room into the kitchen. "Applejack! Ya have a guest back 'ere!" Her voice grated out, piercing the ears of any poor creature within range. I flinched and swiped at my ears, cringing.

"Nice ponies." Blaze snorted behind me.

"They are, just wait until you meet Applejack." Minutes ticked by as we sat waiting. Cool sunlight streamed in through the windows, dappled by the piling snow that threatened to overtake them. Soft candle light filled the dark corners, as did the fire from the stove. The boiling and popping of pots on the stove not only filled the silence but created a sweet aroma that drifted from the kitchen and attracted us bystanders so that by the time Applejack came through the back door, we were beside the archway that lead inside.

"Granny, why didn't ya tell me mah oats were burnin?" The orange pony scrambled to the stove and turned it off, snatching the pot and pouring its contents into a large bowl. Spiced apple bits lay plump and waiting on the counter beside her. With a not so careful hoof, she scooped them up and added them to the oats, stirring and mashing them with a hoof. A crunching sound soon arose and an orange face appeared in the archway. "Howdy Fluttershy." Her bright green eyes focused on Sun Blaze. "This must be that stallion y'all were tellin' me about. It's a pleasure to meet ya." She flung a bit of apple from her hoof and offered it to him. "I'm Appljack."

Sun Blaze greeted her with a smile and shook her hoof. "Nice grip," he spoke in his gravelly voice.

"Yers too." She glanced back at me, her smile dropping. "Look, Fluttershy, ah thought the insulation would be a problem but ah got it all done before the heavy snow. It's too much of a bother ta try an' get at it now." She looks back at Blaze. "D'ya like somethin' ta drink? Ah got cider and juice, maybe some coffee too."

"Got any beers?"

I stepped between them, ears falling back. "He'd like a coffee." Color flushed through my cheeks at their questioning stares. I bowed my head and let my hair fall back across my face.

"Aw, it's no big deal, sugarcube." A soft touch came to my foreleg. "Ah get plenty 'a beers. Always happy ta share one with a friend." Sun Blaze's face brightened and he started into the kitchen. Mh friend hung back and brushed my mane aside, smiling. "No need to be worried, ah know how to handle these masculine types." She laughed, "Get a little beer in their bellies, some good food and they'll be broken before lunch." She stood and trotted into the kitchen, with me in tow. Blaze stood at the counter, eyeing the granola-apple dish sitting there. "So, Fluttershy tells me yer a builder, eh?"

"Mostly drywall and things." He continued to stare down. "What's this?"

Drywall. My heart went cold. I had brought Sun Blaze here to get him a job, not another rancid bottle. Chills seeped through my hooves and spread across my body. What would I do with him now? Everything hinged on his getting a job with Applejack. Now what? My head began to spin as I ran through a list of ponies in my head.

The two of them were at the counter, both of them now admiring the dessert. "What is it?" Blaze's hoof nudged the bowl.

"Apple cobbler, of mah own design. Care ta try?" She scooped some into a little wooden bowl and passed it over. As I paced the kitchen, Blaze took a big bite and let out a little moan.

"This is fantastic. Best apples I've ever tasted. You ever think about selling this?"

"We got to thinkin' on it, but ah don't think I could whip up enough 'a these to quite make it."

"I could help."

I trotted about, my ears falling gradually. "Maybe Noteworthy could have a job or something. Nopony needs construction work done this season, though. What else could he do? Not Sugarcube Corner, no." I muttered to myself as I paced. My wings began to flap and carried me about the kitchen, my tail flinging about. "What if Twilight... No."

"You're hired!" The voice stopped me dead in my tracks. I paused mid-air, my eyes snapping down on Applejack.

"What?!"

She glanced up at me, raising a brow. "Uh, Fluttershy, we got a strict no flyin' policy in the kitchen."

I glanced down and suddenly found the ground beneath me. I hit with a gasp, the air leaping out of my lungs. In the next instant, I was up and by Applejack's side, eyes wide and ears perked. "What do you mean he's hired?" I looked quickly between the two of them.

"Ah mean, he's gonna be at mah door every morning with an apron and a ladle and he's gonna make some apple cobbler ta sell with mah cider business." She beamed at her new partner, offering a hoof. "Start tomorrow?"

"Sounds good."

Color rushed back to my face and I let out squeal of joy. "Oh, thank you Applejack, you won't regret it!" I scooped her up into a quick hug and danced across the kitchen. "I'm going to go get him an apron right now. Oh, and probably a spatula, too. And a cute little chef's hat, maybe." I skipped toward the door.

"Fluttershy!" Applejack's voice came through the door as it shut behind me. "Ah was only kiddin' about the apron!"

I leapt to the sky, looping across the clouds and brushing snow from the treetops as I soared toward town. "Yes!" I fell elegantly to the floor and skipped down the road. "Step one complete."