SnowFlare, Pegasus of Ice.by SnowFlareChaptersAn "Average" Day in PonyvilleThe Frozen PegasusPassage into PonyvilleThe Art of WingsThe Act of Silence.A Pegasi's LimitBlatant InsanityThe EverFree MonstersThe Honest FarmerThe Shining Diamond.Questions you can't ask.An "Average" Day in PonyvilleAll Snowflare wanted to do today was sleep in, but a knock at his door that wouldn't stop had other plans for him. ugh....who the hell would be out here at..... Snowflare turned towards his clock to see that it was 11:00 AM. Mentally facehoofing he got up and proceeded to the door. Still, who would be visiting him, not that many ponies knew where he lived except pinkie and- Rainbow Dash... instantly opening the door, sure enough, it was her. "Hey Snowflare! What's up?" She greeted with a smile. Snowflare had heard that question so many times that he's always had a few smart-ass remarks about it. "The sky, what's down?" He replied with a cocky grin on his face. Rainbow dash had just started to giggle, apparently she knew that joke already. "I didnt take you to be a pony who would stay inside all day," Rainbow teased. "Yeah well yesterday didn't really do me any favors, i was up too late reading-" It took all of Snowflare's resistance to stop him from talking about the Book of dark artifacts. The last thing he needed was to spread panic because of a stupid book he didn't even know about. "So....i was just thinking about a few days ago, when you saved that baby before i could," Rainbow said after a moment of awkward silence. well that was random if i've ever heard it. And celestia help him, when he met Pinkie pie he DID know it. "What about it?" He asked casually, hoping to avoid the thorns of suspicion. "I wanna know, how did you manage to fly so fast? It was almost as fast as a sonic rainboom!" Well, Snowflare had gotten himself on a minor league suspicion thorn, now to get off the branch. "Oh since i was a little filly, i worked my wingbones to the core, and eventually, it worked for me." Rainbow seemed to believe it, and started talking about other things. "Anyways Snowflare, i bet you're bored out of your mind being at home all day, why not play some horseshoes with me and my friend Applejack?" Snowflare remembered Applejack, nice farm pony, sisters with applebloom, and has a brother the size of a freaking truck. Hard to forget. "Umm, sure, why not!" "Great, lets go!" Was all she said before she grabbed him by the arm and flew towards ponyville park. After a few sessions and a lot of arguing from Applejack and Rainbow dash with then turned into a fight to see who could hold their breath the longest, Snowflare went home and went to the book and flipped through the pages. "Axe of triplication......Amulet of Amnesia......Stardust of wishing......Black gem of knowledge...so many dark artifacts that King Sombra hid away." Snowflare just closed the book and decided to wander around town. It was probably less scary than the thought of what he did to the ponies with these artifacts. Almost like he could feel them. The Frozen PegasusSnowflare...wake up..." A faint voice drifted through the air, and the cyan pegasus slowly opened his eyes. He could barely make out the voice of Princess Celestia. He awoke and spread out his wings. "What's up?" he asked, wanting to know why he was awakened at 6 AM. Celestia simply smiled. His mentor of magic had cared for him for a long time, and he had gotten to know her well. He could tell that something was different today, as her eyes glowed with warmth and a touch of sorrow. "I have news," she said softly. Snowflare nodded, waiting for her to continue. "We've been training for awhile now with magic. You've grown a lot, but there are many valuable things you need to learn. And many are of the outside." Snowflare frowned, wondering what she was hinting. "Snowflare, I think your powers are stable enough to be practiced outside of the castle. I believe that you can live a normal life while still practicing..." "Wait, what?" Snowflare instantly sat up, his blue mane still frizzy with bedhead. He searched his magic mentor's eyes for any sort of indication that it was a joke, but they were serious. The thought of living in a normal town was exciting, yet strange. His fatique instantly vanished and he sat upright, wonder and confusion taking hold. Normal? Ever since he was a foal, he had lived in the castle, away from the outside world, practicing his pegasus abilities, He was not an ordinary pegasus; Snowflare had abilities similar to a unicorn. He could perform a variety of spells, unlike any other pegasus in Equestria. His secret had been kept for a long time, and the thought of living near ponies that could expose his secret made him shudder, but it wasn't an offer that could be taken too lightly. It could also be a good thing. But his isolation came with a price: Snowflare had not gotten to meet many ponies, rendering him shy to ponies besides the princess. He had no experience with friendship, and his mentor recognized that. Celestia frowned slightly as she gazed into his I'll miss him, but it's for the best. He needs to learn on his own now, or he'll never become independent. Celestia magically levitated a list of places and asked him where he wanted to live. She whipped the golden-glowing list around, which displayed a list of places and a short description beside each town. Snowflare scanned the list. Where do I want to live? Manehattan? No, too crowded. Fillydelphia? No... After a moment, Snowflare looked up at Celestia. "I think Ponyville would be a nice place to live. It looks nice and...quiet." Snowflare scanned the description once more, checking to make sure it was perfect. Celestia led him out into the hallways as the thought of being normal finally sunk in. I'm going to be normal. I will live in a house, on my own, and buy fruit from vendors with bits...speaking of which, I'll need a job. A job! "Snowflare." Celestia suddenly said, breaking his train of thought. "Y-yes?" He nervously answered, stuttering, wondering what Celestia could ask him now. "How much control do you think you have over your powers?" she calmly stated. Snowflare wasn't quite sure he knew the answer. There were a few magical abilities, like faster flight or a super-jump that he could certainly do. But advanced fighting spells or releasing his energy into shockwaves was completely out of reach to him. Celestia noticed he was thinking deeply about the question and whispered, "I'm sure you'll be fine." Another small smile graced her lips as she gave Snowflare a reassuring glance. That was enough to remind him that he can control his powers if he tried hard enough. As Snowflare walked with Celestia to the train station, they sat and waited. As they patiently waited, they chatted about what Snowflare could practice. Princess Celestia reminded him of the telepathy spell to keep in touch, and they struck up a conversation about the effects of speed spells, and how to make it look like a normal thing. But even the conversation couldn't avert his thoughts from the matter at hoof: his life was about to become completely different. This is happening too fast...good things I don't have any belongings to pack. After half an hour the train finally arrived. As Snowflare waved goodbye to Celestia, he went into the train, his heart breaking as he watched his maternal figure and mentor walk away.. The train began to depart,straight to Ponyville, and a normal life.....hopefully. Passage into PonyvilleSnowFlare had fallen asleep during the train ride, feeling the wind against his mane during the train had put him to sleep in the first place. Dreams filled his mind, visions of him controlling his powers, and a small smiled graced his lips. An air of serenity surrounded him as he slept. "END OF THE LINE!" A loud, harsh voice startled him awake, and the realization that he was in Ponyville suddenly struck him. As he departed the train station, his eyes widened as he took in everything around him. Ponies milled about on the dirt roads, and small houses dotted the hills. In the sky, puffy white clouds were topped by frolicking pegasi. Wrapped up in thoughts of his new home, he was completely lost in thought when he was startled by a, "HEY MISTER!" Snowflare looked down to see a pale, yellow-coated filly with a wavy red mane and a large pink bow. She sported a goofy grin as she confidently met Snowflare's eyes. "Oh, H-hey." he replied when he realized she had talked to him. Paying more attention he realized that this filly had no cutie mark. "Did ah scare ya mister?" She asked only half jokingly. "No, you just surprised me, thats all." He replied quickly. The filly started giggling, and then Snowflare was almost completely red at the fact that he embarressed himself in front of a filly. Gee, this is a fantastic start. He thought sarcastically. "So what'cha doin' outside so early?" She asked in a normal tone, finally. "I just moved in to town, and i'm looking for my new House, thats all." He replied, a bit hesitant.The filly seemed nice enough, but he still felt apprehensive around other ponies who could possibly expose his secret, but then again, he was probably just being paranoid. It was just a filly. "Well Mah sister is an apple farmer, if you want, stop by, she'll probably welcome ya to town," The filly said seemingly excited. Trying to end the conversation, he hastily said "I just might do that, thank you." The filly, filled with joy, waved goodbye and shouted a farewell as she turned and hopped towards town. "OH NO!!" A voice suddenly sounded, probably hearable from every part of town. Immediately rushing to the source of the voice he saw a baby carriage rolling down a hill. a look of horror filled everypony even Snowflare's face. He saw the carriage hit a rock and flung the baby out, plummeting slowly into the ground. Snowflare for now could just watch with horror! suddenly, a shape whizzed by at breakneck speed. It was a cyan mare with a bright rainbow mane, shooting towards the baby with her hooves out, prepared to catch it as she whizzed by Even so, SnowFlare realized she wouldn't make it in time! He didn't have a choice but to do a Super-dash! Snowflare began beating his wings instantly, knowing what he had to do. A blue aura began to envelope him, and he began to dash even faster. Wind filled his mane as time seemed to slow down around him. He hoped it was just him who saw the slow ponies. The rainbow mare was almost Astonished to see somebody that fast, as he flew by, passing her in almost an instant. A heartbeat before the baby hit the ground, Snowflare's hooves slid under the baby, and he came to a shaky halt. The rainbow-maned mare landed behind him a moment later. The mother of the baby ran up to SnowFlare and gushed, "Thank you so, so much!" A relieved smile dominated her expression as she gingerly took the baby from Snowflare, hugging the baby. Calling out another quick thanks, she placed him back in the carriage and began rolling him away... Then after she left the Rainbow mare walked up to his face, her magenta eyes glowing. "Hey, i haven't seen you around here before, you new here?" She asked casually. Almost too casually... Realizing he hadn't said anything he quickly replied, "Y-yeah, i am." The rainbow mare nodded replying with "You're pretty fast there, where are you from?" That's what questioned Snowflare the most. Snowflare, you Idiot! Just say where you were born! "I grew up in Cloudsdale..." he eventually said "Cool! Me too!" The mare broke into a large smile, adding "I'm Rainbow Dash, what's your name?" She said after a few minutes. "Snowflare," he replied. He cast his gaze to his hooves. Growing up in the castle hadn't prepared him for meeting other ponies, and he was still shy. Other ponies still daunted him, but it was pretty easy to talk with this mare, almost like he had known her for awhile.. It was pretty easy to talk with this mare, almost like he's known her before... before he could get the chance to ask, She broke the silence with "Well, i've gotta go, we should hang out later, See ya!" Without warning, Rainbow Dash had zipped away , leaving a rainbow trail in her path... Snowflare couldn't help but admire it's Beauty and grace, and like all other rainbows, the end of it. The Art of WingsSnowflare wandered around Ponyville for almost an hour to try and find his new house. The princess had sent him a telepathic message on the train that she had found a suitable house, and sent him an image of a map. Wait, so I turn here...I mean, turn there...ugh, this town is MORE confusing than I expected! Snowflare closed his eyes, seeing the path in his mind. After a moment of quiet puzzling, he suddenly realized where to go.Taking off, he galloped left, then right, then right again and found himself at a small house. It was set apart from the other houses, but quiet was quiet, and Snowflare enjoyed it. It was 8 PM by the time Snowflare settled in. He decided to try the telepathy magic that Celestia had taught him on the way to the train station. Celestia, are you there? he thought, summoning his magic and picturing the thought shooting to his mentor.. He waited a few minutes before a warm, familiar voice filled his head. I'm here, Snowflare. Did you settle in alright? Yes, I found my home. It's nice and quiet here. Good. Also, do you remember why I needed to train your skills urgently? Her voice had taken on a questioning, slightly worried tone. Snowflare frowned, trying hard to remember. Now that you mention it, I don't think I was ever told why he thought, almost too deeply. Oh. Then I suppose I should tell you. It's because...well, the buildup of power could be stronger than that of the Elements of Harmony. If unstable or corrupted, it could bring great doom all through Equestria. It's a risk for many powerful unicorns as well, like one of my former students, but she managed to rein in her power, although it wasn't as bad as this, but if i can remember, I believe she lives in Ponyville as well... Celestia explained somberly. I would like you to practice building you magical energy, keeping it under control. Before Snowflare could respond, the warm presence of his mentor in his mind vanished. She must have stopped the telepathy. Better get started. Snowflare sat down and began summoning his magic. Warmth flooded his coat as he started to build his magical energy. The energy grew stronger and stronger and began to glow almost to brightly, and the blue light could be seen from his house. Meanwhile, at the Library..... Twilight couldn't sleep. She could feel a magical presence nearby, and it felt different than she was used to. When magic got strangely strong, she could sense it, which was a skill taught to her by Celestia. Now, she could feel something powerful nearby, and could sense a buildup of magic energy. Looking at the window, she saw a house away from the others. A blue glow surrounded it, and she instantly recoiled, shock shooting through her. That's odd...unicorn magic doesn't normally produce that strong of a glow unless they're performing a complex spell...wait a second, that's not normal unicorn magic! "what kind of magic is that?" Twilight said to herself quietly. It wasn't a kind of power she had seen before. The blue aura was somehow...different. A cold tingling sensations broke out all over her coat as the watched the strange magic. "Whoever lives in that house must have powerful magic...." She started, confusion strengthening her thirst to find the source of the odd magic. "And...I want to examine it a little." The next morning Snowflare got out of bed and immediately went back into town. He wanted to find some books about magic. As he walked, his gaze found a cream-coated earth pony with a curled blue-and-pink mane. He quickly trotted up to the mare and inquired, "Do you know where I can find books about magic?" "Aren't you a pegasus?" A confused expression distorted the unicorn's face. "Only unicorns can do magic." "Well, I, um...just like...reading about it! Yeah, it's like...uh, like a whole new world for me!" Snowflare plastered what he hoped was a reassuring grin across his face. The mare didn't seem to notice his inner apprehension and simply smiled. "Well, you can try the library, it's in the big tree house, you can't miss it." She jabbed a hoof in midair, pointing to a large tree that didn't look to be too far away. "Thanks!" Snowflare called as he ran towards the tree-house. Upon getting to the door, he thought about whether he should knock or just walk in. It's like it's somebodies House, but then again, it's a library, whoever runs it wouldn't be too mad if i walked in, but then again... Eventually, he decided on knocking. "It's open," called a mare's voice from inside. Snowflare gulped, preparing to meet yet another stranger, opened the door, and walked in. "Oh! Hello! I've never seen you around before," she said with a welcoming tone. The mare, who was a lavender-coated unicorn with violet eyes, smiled at Snowflare. "I'm Snowflare. I just moved into town a day ago." A day ago? Could he be the one with the magic? I certainly don't know any other pony in Ponyville who can do that. But he's a pegasus... Twilight thought to herself as she remembered the blue light from the house. "So what can I do for you?" She asked after a moment.. "Do you have any books on magic?" He asked casually. Twilight's gaze narrowed. Wait a second. He's the newcomer, and he wants to borrow a book on magic? Is it just a coincidence that the blue light happened after her arrived? "D-did I say something...strange?" Snowflare asked, noticing Twilight's hesitation. "No! It's just...so rare to hear a pegasus say that!" She chuckled nervously. "Well...do you have any books then?" Snowflare asked, beginning to feel awkward. "Sure, what kind of magic?" she replied, her voice bright again.. "Controlling magic," he stated firmly. Twilight's eyes widened. Could he be the one in the house? But...but he's a pegasus... Lost in thought, Twilight was unaware that she had said "but he's a pegasus" out loud. "What's your point?" interruped Snowflare. It seemed to break her out of her train of thought. "Oh! N-nothing, may I ask why you want books on Magic?" She gulped. Snowflare knew he couldn't tell her the truth, so he fibbed, "Because it looks interesting to see what's possible from the unicorns." His gaze had been cast to his hooves, not wanting to meet Twilight's eyes. "A pony can dream." "That's true....I'll go see what I have," Twilight murmured before going towards the shelves. Upon closer inspection, Snowflare could see that the mare's cutie mark was a series of magic sparks. She must have strong magic. Snowflare immediately started to feel suspicious of the mare. Is she onto me? No, don't be ridiculous, Snowflare, she was probably asleep the night I practiced. Probably. "Found some!" The voice of the mare broke him out of his thoughts, and the mare trotted into the room with several books floating alongside her.. After putting the books in his saddlebag, Snowflake smiled at the mare. "Goodbye!" He began to leave, but he quickly stopped and called out, "By the way, I'm Snowflare." The mare, after a moment of silence, said, "I'm Twilight Sparkle. It was nice meeting you!" Snowflare nodded, turned,, and departed from the Library. On his way back to his house, he realized he was getting hungry, and he hadn't bought food yet. So he decided to go into town first. The Act of Silence.Snowflare began to walk down into town to try and find some food. He noticed a few stands, but nothing really looked appetizing. He surveyed a few restaurants, but much like the carts, none of the food appealed to him. I just want something simple... As he trotted along, Snowflare finally noticed an apple stand! He didn't particularly hate apples, but the ones at Canterlot were just too organic, and that's not something Snowflare liked in fruits. He proceeded to walk up to the stand before he noticed that the filly from earlier was working the stand! "Hiya!" The filly's voice topped amount of enthusiasm as before, which was a difficult feat. She grinned a toothy grin, waving her hoof towards the plump, juicy apples. "Wait..." The filly rubbed her chin, her joyful gaze turning curious. "Oh! Ah've seen you before, haven't Ah?" "Oh yeah.....?" he asked, trying not to show the nervousness building up. Wait.....is this the same filly from when i moved in?! "Yeah! You're that pony who moved in yesterday!" Snowflare ducked his head, his cheeks turning fiery crimson. He hated attention, and ponies were beginning to stare, distracted by the loud voice of the filly. Well this is embarressing.... He thought to himself, while blushing. "So what brings ya here?" she asked after a few minutes, reminding Snowflare why he came in the first place. "Oh! I came to buy some apples." Ponies had cease their stares, and he was relieved that he was no longer the subject of strangers' attention. He looked up and smiled at the filly. "Well, how many?" she asked, reaching towards the apple baskets. "Just enough for breakfast," Snowflare answered casually. The sun reflected off of the shiny red skin of the apple, and each piece of fruit was plump and rounded. He couldn't wait to eat one as she watched the filly load several apples into a basket. "That'll be five bits," she stated in a serious tone. Snowflare opened up his saddlebag. A pile of bits gleamed golden from the bottom of the bag. Looks like I have some extra...might as well chip in a few extra. He dug out ten bits and dropped them on the counter. The filly's eyes widened, and her smile grew bigger. "Keep the change," Snowflare chuckled, amused by the filly's expression. "Well thank ya kindly, mister!" The filly picked up the bits and dropped them into a small bucket, handing him the basket. "Enjoy yer apples!" Suddenly, the filly hopped, alarm showing in her eyes. "Oh! I'm late for my meeting with the Cutie Mark Crusaders!" the filly yelped before beginning to rush away. Taking a guess, he said with a smile, "You might get a cutie mark in customer service, You're really good at it." "Ya think so?!" The filly grinned, her eyes sparkling.. Apparently he guessed right. Might as well tell the truth. "Yeah. I do." He said before the filly started bouncing off. "Mah name's Apple Bloom, by the way. See ya later, Mister!" With that the filly sped away, her hooves kicking dust as she galloped away. "One of the excitable ones...isn't she?" he muttered to himself before trying of the apples he bought. He bit into the delicate skin, and instantly juice flooded his mouth. Flavor filled his taste buds, and he nearly leapt into the air with shock. It was sweet, but not too sweet, and there was a hint of tartness. As he chewed the bite, he savored the perfect blend of flavor as well as the favorable texture. This is the best apple I've ever tasted! How in Equestria... He swallowed his bite of apple, licking his lips, and prepared to take another. Wait a minute.....these are freshly picked! Snowflare almost shouted when he realized it. I suppose you just can't get this kind of quality in Canterlot! Realizing he must be standing in the middle of a busy square like an idiot, he quickly started home. Celestia would probably have something for him to practice. A Pegasi's LimitAs Snowflare entered his house once again, he sat down heavily, exhausted. Closing his eyes, he summoned his magic and tried to contact Celestia with telepathy.l Princess Celestia? Are you there? he thought hopefully. There was no response. He waited for a few more minutes, sending out more greeting thoughts. Right before he was about stop, a warm voice greeted him. Snowflare! How are you? Celestia's voice responded. Snowflare couldn't really help but feel embarrassed; he just didn't know why. Snowflare, Celestia started, breaking the silence. Do you know your limit? Snowflare had never really thought about his Magical limit. He rarely used it outside of practice, and even then, his skills were far from fully developed. No, I don't, he finally said when he realized he wasn't speaking to the Princess. Can you explain it to me? Well, then, it's time you know. Her voice was somber, making Snowflare frown. Snowflare, Celestia began. As you know, a unicorn's body is built to support the magical flow from within, allowing their magic to flow directly to their horn. Pegasi, however, have bodies built to endure flight, and rough conditions. So... Snowflare frowned. What does that mean? Unfortunately, this means your inner magic cannot flow properly through your body, limiting the amount of energy you can use. Snowflare's eyes widened. What? Furthermore, Celestia continued gravely. A unicorn's horn is used to properly channel their flow of magic. Because you have no horn, your magic cannot be channeled in the same way, thus preventing proper control. Her words hung in the air as Snowflare's shoulders slumped. His ears dropped as the news sunk in. Oh... Also, I've noticed you've met Rainbow Dash, the Element of Loyalty. she noted in a lighthearted tone, completely off-topic. Nevertheless, Snowflare was surprised. "Th-that was her?!" he shouted, Completely embarrassed that he hadn't been too respectful with his tone, he slowly slumped to the floor, blushing. Celestia's chuckling voice eased the embarrassment, and he straightened up.. You know, It's nice you're making friends, During Grand Galloping Galas you'd always walk away from the crowd, either to your room or the Gardens. You really loved keeping to yourself, and just being in a quiet space in general. The embarrassment returned. Snowflare gulped, curtly thinking, Um...aren't we off topic here? Fortunately, Celestia caught his hint. Anyways...a pegasi's body will require a lot of mental focus to even process enough magic to do a simple defensive spell. she began to explain again. So offensive spells are out of the question? he interrupted, disappointed. Correct. At least for now, she replied. I'm sorry, Snowflare. Well...thank you for telling me, Snowflare sadly thought. He sighed, his shoulders slumping again. Nevertheless, training must go on. Celestia's voice was firm, as if she were eager to get started. The first magic I would like you to practice is lowering your body temperature. Why would that be useful? he asked, puzzled. Because you can fake your own death, lower the shade of red when you blush...need I go on? Snowflare laughed out loud. He picture his mentor's face grinning, causing him to smile. You can use it manually, but it automatically kicks in when you get embarrassed or scared., she explained. So, basically two emotions I never feel? Snowflare joked. Oh, but what about the time you overheard me talking about you at the-- Point taken! Snowflare cut her off. As his face began to redden, he could feel the cold inside his body, but instead of returning his face to its rightful shade of cyan, it simply lightened the blush to a rosy pink. Anyways, it's getting late, Snowflare, you should probably go to sleep, Celestia suggested. It's not like i have anything planned tomorrow, Snowflare muttered, still blushing pink. I think it's better if you don't keep to yourself, go out and make friends. Celestia's tone was motherly, making him blush further. The presence of Celestia in his mind vanished, meaning she had stopped telepathy. Snowflare yawned, figuring he should probably go to sleep. He crawled into bed, switched off the lights, and closed his eyes, beginning to drift of to sleep. Blatant InsanitySnowflare's eyelids fluttered open. Sunlight filtered through the window as he rolled out of his bed, stretching his muscles. Groggy with sleep, Snowflare glanced into a nearby mirror to see that his mane had been transformed into a mess of frizzy curls. He chuckled to himself as he patted it with a hoof. I'm no fashion star, but I should probably at least run a comb through my mane... After taming his wild case of bedhead into a mild one, he settled down onto his bed and pulled out of one of the magic books he borrowed from Twilight. He flipped it open and began to read. After reading a few chapters he put it down. His legs were beginning to feel cramped, and the prospect of feeling the wind in his mane and the sun on his back. Getting to his hooves, he opened the door and headed for town. As he walked through town, he noticed that it was still early. There were not many ponies on the streets, and few pegasi were administrating the water. He almost forget where he was, but was soon reminded when he heard a familiar voice. "LOOK OUT BELOW!" Before Snowflare could see who the caller was, a familiar cyan shape barreled into him. He slammed into the road, dust collecting on his fur. Since not a lot of ponies were there, no one noticed the cyan colt groaning as he lay in the middle of the street.. Snowflare then realized he had his body temperature was dropping, remembering Celestia had said it automatically happens when he got embarrassed or scared. "Snowflare! A-are you okay?!" The cyan mare, who was laying a few feet from Snowflare, quickly leaped to her hooves, nudging Snowflare. "And why do you feel so cold? Are you sick or something?" she asked, her voice worried. My body is still cold? That's not good...better think of an excuse... "I-I'm fine, Rainbow Dash. I think I...just...left the air conditioning on in my house yesterday. Yeah, that's why it was so cold last night." "Okay..." Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow as Snowflare mentally facehoofed. You left the air conditioning on?! Great excuse, genius... "So why were you crashing?" he asked, trying to change the subject. "I was practicing," Rainbow dash declared proudly. Snowflare cocked his head, interested. "Practicing? For what?" "For what else? The Wonderbolts!" She shouted, but since there weren't really many ponies out, nobody paid much mind. Snowflare had heard of the Wonderbolts, he didn't really know anybody in Canterlot who didn't. He almost snickered to himself, but managed stifle it so as not to wound the cyan mare's pride of feelings.. "So what're you doing in town so early, Snowflare?" Rainbow Dash asked. That was a good question, but it was one Snowflare didn't really have an answer for, so he weakly replied, "Going for a walk." Rainbow nodded. Good, she's buying it. "Well, it was great seeing you. Gotta dash!" with that, she took off again, Thankfully. Snowflare made his way into town again before he heard a pony gasping. He turned around to see an earth pony mare with a pale pink coat and a fluffy, curly pink mane. "Um, is something wrong?" he asked nervously. The pony began chattering at once, her words flying out as her mouth motored away. Snowflare winced as he tried understand, but the only words that stood out clearly were "birthday cake," "cockroach," and "tulip." "Excuse me, could you...um...slow down?" he asked, the pink mare instantly giggling at his request.. "Oh! Sorry! I'm Pinkie Pie!" she giggled, grinning.. Wow, she's even more excitable than that filly! "You're the new pony, aren't you?" She squealed, hopping in a circle around him. Her bright blue eyes shone brightly as she gazed at him. Not giving him a chance to respond, she continued, "I love meeting new ponies! In fact, that reminds me of that one time I met a pony who loved lollipops! Her name was Lolly...or was it Pop? Anyways, I bought a like a gazillion lollipops for her to make her feel welcome, but then suddenly, out of nowhere, a squirrel appears...oh, wait, I'm getting off topic! Anyways, we're gonna be best friends! Riiight? Like that squirrel? Y'know, after the squirrel stole one of the lollipops, I gave it a nut muffin and we became best, best, best friend! Even though only Fluttershy really knows what it says...have you met her? She's--" "Wait!" The sudden shout from Snowflare caused the mare to pause, mid-bounce. How does she... Snowflare gaped as she hung, suspended in the air, for a few seconds, then suddenly dropped to the ground. "About the friend thing..." I really, really don't know if i need more friends. I just hope she won't be hurt. "Well, actually, I have a lot of work, so I'd prefer to keep to myself. He was almost expecting the mare to be upset, which he really didn't want, but for some reason it was like he never said it. Her expression didn't change. "I totally understand! If you want to keep to yourself, that's your buisness.And I will respect that! That reminds me of Cranky..." A grin overtook her face as her eyes became distant as she remembered something. She began to hum quietly as she turned and began bouncing away. . As Snowflare walked back towards his house he muttered, "That is one weird mare." Before going into his house, he realized there was a note on his door. Pulling it off, he read aloud, "I know you wanted to keep to yourself, but welcome to Ponyville anyways!" Snowflare smiled. Strange mare...but friendly. He trotted into his house, opened the magic book and began to read once more. The EverFree MonstersShyspark said: Snowflare was in the middle of reading his magic books when he heard Celestia trying to contact him through telepathy. Snowflare, are you there? she asked. Snowflare closed the book with magic, then set it on the table. Reaching out with his mind, he responded, "I'm here, Princess." As replied, he hopped onto his bed and lay down, his blue mane spreading across his bedspread. Snowflare, you've come a long way with your magic training. But dark times may be ahead, and I need you to be ready for anything. I think you need to train for combat. Her voice was strangely urgent in her mind as she spoke, and her aura was grave. Well, Snowflare, right now I have to go get more flower seeds for Ruby to plant. She said exactly what he knew she'd say. Snowflare remembered Ruby. Ruby Shrub. She didn't have any parents because they died at her birth. Celestia and Luna took her in, and when Snowflare came to the castle, the baby wouldn't stop staring at him. It was almost embarressing. As the years passed by the filly kept asking him to play with her. It's like she was determined to. At first he had just started to ignore her, but for some reason, he gave in eventually, but it felt...fun, playing with the filly. She had a very big fascination for gardening as well, but that's about all he could remember. Realizing Celestia had cut off telepathy already, he decided that he would go to that abandoned forest to train his combat skills, but he should probably take some medical equipment with him. He made his way into the Everfree forest. As he walked, each shadow whispered darkly, and the darkness felt sinister...yet strangely inviting. Chills ran up his spine as he walked, his hoofsteps faltering. Finally finding a semi-sunny clearing, he settled by an old tree stump and began to practice. Producing a combat book from his saddlebags, he began to read, beginning to practice some basic spells. Unfortunately, he failed most of them at first for about half an hour. Suddenly, the sound of a scream pierced his ears, coming from the other side of the forest! He instantly closed the book and took off, stuffing the book in his saddlebags as he ran. Rushing immediately to the source, he saw a chicken with the body of a snake chasing a yellow mare with a pink mane and tail! Oh, I've heard of those! It's a...what's it called? A cockatrice! Wait, don't think about that, I have to help her! Snowflare charged straight up at the monster before the mare could realize he was there. A simple wingstorm should blow that thing away! he thought as he charged up his wings. He concentrated hard, thoughts of ice flooding his brain. They glowed for a moment, and then he flapped them, unleashing a gust of frozen winds at the Cockatrice. That was enough to knock it away, and Snowflare didn't deny the chance. He charged up and rammed the Cockatrice into a tree, knocking it out temporarily. "Miss, we have to get out of here!" The mare whipped around at him, her eyes wide with surprise. She simply nodded, seemingly hesitant, and spread her wings. The mare quickly picked up a bunny and ran, Snowflare flying behind her. The mare followed a narrow, rocky trail that he hadn't noticed. Before her knew it, he was back in the sunlight, near a small cottage. Upon closer inspection, it looked like the Cockatrice had hurt the poor mare. Snowflare took out his medical equipment and got out exactly what was needed to stop the bleeding on the mare's cut. "You shouldn't be out in the forests, you could've faced even worse from that Cockatrice," he said gently but firmly. "What's your name?" The mare ducked her head shyly. A tiny squeak came out, and Snowflare frowned, unable to hear her properly. "Um. Did you say...uh...buttered pie?" he questioned, very confused. "I-I'm F....Fluttershy..." A blush reddened her cheeks as she responded in a whisper. "Nice to meet you Fluttershy, I'm Snowflare." As he introduced himself, she backed up slowly. She suddenly whipped around and trotted towards her cottage, and he could see several animals perched in the windowsills and in the yard. Shrugging, he began to walk back to his house. "Pretty shy mare," he muttered as he walked. After a few minutes, he emerged in Ponyville, where he quickly found his house and entered. As he realized he had some extra time, an idea made him leap to his hooves. I'll write a letter to Ruby! He quickly took out a piece of parchment, a quill, and some ink and began to write. Dear Ruby, First of all, how've you been so far? Is Celestia treating you well? I mean, I'm sure she is because she's a princess, but still, how are things? I don't know if you've heard, but I'm in Ponyville now! I've met some nice ponies(and shy ones), and I've been learning lots of new things. It's nice here, too. It's nice and quiet, just the way I like it. I'm always thinking about you! I'll write you again soon! Sincerely, -Snowflare The Honest FarmerSnowflare had decided to spend his extra time going into town, but to do what? Bump into another pony? He didn't even understand how he met so many ponies. If there's one thing i'm not, it's a social pony... but I suppose there's nothing better for me to do. He got to his hooves, trotting out of the house and into town again. Maybe that apple stand is still open...I am feeling kind of hungry after beating up a Cockatrice. he thought as he continued along the narrow, dusty path to where the cart stood. Oh, thank Celestia! They're open! he thought as he happily trotted down to the stand. Of course, Apple Bloom was there. I probably should've guessed. "Howdy, mister!" The filly bore a goofy grin with resemblance to the pink mare he had seen recently. "Hello yourself," he began, digging bits out of his saddlebags. "I came to buy another apple. "Five, right?" he asked, counting the shining gold disks in his hoof. "Right." Snowflare handed her the bits, and she pushed a bright red apple towards him. He took a bite, savoring the fresh, sweet taste. "Hey, do you wanna visit the farm and mah big sister?" The filly suddenly piped up. Her eyes shone and she grinned even wider than before, if possible. Snowflare almost choked on his apple. Visit the farm?! That was certainly a sudden request if he'd heard any. More ponies TO MEET? No thank you. But...it's not like I have anything else to do, so what the heck? "Sure, why not?" he said casually, pretending he hadn't had to mull it over. "Well great! Let's go!" She began to bounce away, her pink bow bobbing on her head. "Wait! Don't you have to run the stand?!" he called out, galloping up to her. "Mah big brother can handle that," she replied, waving a hoof in dismissal. Snowflare had to run to keep up. For a filly, she was a fast runner, and her brightly colored mane streamed out behind her as the flew across the road. Thankfully, training with Celestia had benefited him with plenty of exercise, so he was able to keep up with her demanding pace. After what seemed like a tireless amount of running, Snowflare was greeted by an incredible sight: rows upon rows of tall, healthy trees decorated with bright red fruit clinging to the branches. Apple trees! A path was cut through the maze of trees, and at the end of the path stood a proud red barn. In front of everything, a sign stuck up in the dirt, reading "Sweet Apple Acres." Where have I heard that name before? He frowned as he SCANNED the sign. It sounds so familiar... "Ooh! There's mah sister now!" Apple Bloom pointed with one hoof to a mare standing near one of the trees. Dirt caked her orange coat, and her scruffy blond mane was thrown over her shoulder in a ponytail. A weathered brown hat topped her head, and white freckles dotted her face. Though her eyes had circles underneath them, her green eyes shone brightly. The mare crouched, her eyes taking on a determined light. She began to gallop towards the a tree, quickly becoming an orange blur, and as soon as she was in hoof's reach of the tree she spun around, her hind legs shooting out to collide with the tree. Each piece of dangling fruit dropped from the branches of the trees, all falling into the baskets surrounding the tree. "Isn't mah sister amazing?" Applebloom whispered, breaking the silence. "Huh? Oh. Yeah." He smiled to himself as he watched. Wow. That pony's pretty amazing... Apple Bloom immediately ran over to the mare, an excited expression still on her face. "Oh Celestia, what have I gotten into now?" he muttered to himself, nearly facehoofing. The mare began to walk up to him, no emotion visible on her face except a hint of curiosity. Snowflare cringed, hoping that her reaction to him would be as warm as Apple Bloom's. "Well, howdy there!" Snowflare blinked. The mare was now right in front of him, and replacing her emotionless mask was a huge grin. So that's where Apple Bloom got it. "Oh! H-hi," he quickly replied. The mare already seemed friendly enough, but he was still wary, he studied his cyan hooves as the mare began to speak. "Mah little sister told me about ya." "Oh, she did?" he asked nervously, risking a quick glance into her big green eyes. "Yeah! She told me all about how nice ya are!" "Really?" he replied excitedly. Ponies rarely talked about him, as he had lived a secluded life with the Princess for years, so he was unused to being boasted about. "O-Oh, um, right. My name's Snowflare." He said after a few minutes. "I'm Applejack, nice to meet'cha!" Her voice was held GENUINE enthusiasm that brought a smile to his face. She stuck out her orange hoof, and Snowflare reluctantly took it, only for Applejack to pump his hoof up and down. "It seems mah sister considers you her friend!" "Really?" he asked, nervous again. He hadn't thought about friends much, but when he really considered to prospect, Apple Bloom was definately a friend, and the fact that she considered him her friend made his bashful grin grow. "Anyways, it's getting to sundown, and Ah bet you're probably real tired," Applejack noted, glancing at the vibrant orange sunset. "Oh! Y-yeah. I'll be on my way then." He turned, preparing to make his way back up the path. "Come again soon!" Applejack and Applebloom called out, almost in perfect synchronization. As Snowflare walked back to his house, he noticed that a certain Rainbow mare was clearing the clouds, allowing the fiery rays of sunlight to pour through. Smiling to himself, he entered his home once more, flopping on his bed. As he fell asleep, he wondered what sort of challenges tomorrow would bring. The Shining Diamond.Snowflare both slept and felt like a rock. He probably read TOO much of those books and not enough sleep. Unfortunately, Telepathy had other plans for him. Rise and Shine, Snowflare. came Celestia, as always. Snowflare sat up and watched his bedheaded mane fall. He patiently waited for Celestia to get to the topic, which she pretty much always did. Probably gonna be more Combat spells or magic buildups. He thought, but not with Telepathy. However today's practice caught him off guard. I want you to practice hiding your presence. Snowflare was about to reach for a drink from the fridge, but the request made his hoof stop. What?! I said practicing hiding your presence. I know, but what does that even mean? Invisibility? I guess i should be more specific, hiding your magical presence. Strong enough unicorns can sense magic from a while away. Like what part? The sound of their horn? The Aura it emits. How does that even make sense? You can sense mine from the Telepathy right now, cant you? So how do i HIDE My "Aura" Magic presence thing whatever-ma-bob? Snowflare could hear Celestia chuckling at that last line. A-anyways, back on topic, Hiding a presence isn't easy, but it can be worth it. You can sneak away from powerful unicorn undetected. Snowflare then remembered that lavender unicorn from the library, she must have had powerful magic...She probably could sense me, but couldn't make out what it was coming from....... After a brief explanation on how to hide his presence, Snowflare gave it a try. He focused his energy and tried to force it deep inside his body. A purple streak covered his body for a split second, and then vanished. He suddenly couldn't feel his magical build. He knew it was there, it just wouldn't come to his senses. KNOCK KNOCK Snowflare turned to face the door. Okay, Snowflare, you should probably get that, i have to get Ruby some crystal flower seeds again. Celestia said as she cut off the telepathy. Snowflare walked up to his door slowly. Who could be visiting me? He wondered as he opened the door. He saw a gray mare with weird eyes with bubbles as her cutie mark. "Umm, heres a package from Princess Celestia!" The mare said as she gave him a package. Wait......Something's not right. he thought as he looked at the package. "Um, Excuse me......what's your name?" "Ditzy, but you can call me Derpy." "Derpy, it says this package is adressed to 'Rarity' My name is Snowflare." The mare looked at the package and shrieked. "Oh no! I mixed the packages up again!!" This is really bad....If whoever got my mail opened the package from Celestia, she or he'll think it was for him or her! "Derpy! Where does Rarity live?!" "A-at the Carousel boutique, that huge fancy looking building over there, " She said as she pointed a hoof. "Thanks!" Snowflare said as he flew as fast as he could without Super-Dashing. After a few minutes of flying through town he finally spotted the building. Alright Snowflare......you know the plan, ask for your mail, give her her package, say thanks, and go back home. He repeated that in his mind for about five minutes before he actually walked in. She heard a voice of a little filly call "RARITY! THERES SOMEPONY HERE!" In an excited tone. As if on que, a White mare with a curled purple mane and tail appeared. "Hello, welcome to the Carousel Boutique! What may i do for you today?" Snowflare sighed as he brought her package into eyesight. "Our packages got mixed up, can i please have mine back?" Rarity looked at the package to see that it was indeed, Hers. "Snowflare, i presume?" She said when she realized it was. "Yes, that is my name." "How does a pegasus get things from Princess Celestia?" At that point, Snowflare didn't know wether to call her a racist, or to remind her that Celestia treats all races fairly. "I mean, i thought Celestia taught MAGIC, Not flight." Yep. Racist it is. He wasted no time asking "Are you some kind of racist?" Rarity was taken aback by the question, like she didn't even know what racism was. "A lady is never a racist!" She stated as she did some sophisticated pose. "Then what were you just being." Snowflare stated, trying his hardest not to show his annoyed face. "Point taken...." She admitted in defeat. Snowflare went ahead and put Rarity's package down and then took his and put it back in his saddlebag. He then flew off back to his own home. When he opened the package he realized that it was an ancient book that only The tyrant king Sombra had been able to find before. DUSK: Artifacts of both worlds. Upon closer inspection he realized the book had none of celestia's aura at all! Looking even further he realized one of the pages was bookmarked! Title: The Demon's Mirror. One day King Sombra, before becoming the tyrant king, had plotted a way to take over the throne. And one day, he had discovered a magical gem that could see past a pony. Knowing it could work for some devious plan. He placed the gem inside a mirror. Whenever a pony is to look upon the mirror, a darker form of it is created. "......Who sent this, and what is he or she trying to tell me...?" Questions you can't ask.It probably wasn't the best idea for Snowflare to stay up all night looking for clues on the mysterious book he was given. By the time he went outside he might as well have been a zombie. He decided he probably had better things to do, so he went back inside. He was about to collapse in bed, but a certain voice came in and stopped him. Good morning Snowflare. Celestia had said in her apparently always-cheery voice, but right now Snowflare didn't really give a damn. He wanted answers. Celestia, Yesterday somepony had sent a package under your name, and i've been trying to find out who or what really sent it. Snowflare could only hear her voice in his mind, but he had heard that gasp. If she found out that they had sent King Sombra's book of dark artifacts, he wouldn't need Telepathy for her gasp to be heard, but he knew if she asked, he couldn't and shouldn't lie to a princess. Even in Telepathy. What did he or she send? .......crud. Well you see......Celestia, whoever sent it sent......ummm...... Snowflare? King Sombra's book of Dark Artifacts! he said as he sat down in defeat. But what my problem is is why somebody would sent it to me instead of use it for their own intentions. He waited for a few minutes for Celestia's response. Snowflare, did they do anything special to a book? Well, they bookmarked a page. Which one? Snowflare then proceeded to open the bookmarked page and read it in his mind. The demon's mirror?! Well, looks like she might have an idea of why they'd bookmark it. Snowflare, whoever sent you that book might want you to make a dark copy with the Demon's mirror. You cannot let it happen at all costs! Why? Can't i just beat my evil clone up? No, for two reasons, One, you aren't ready for fights yet, and Two, you'd be connected to the clone, if he dies, so do you. Snowflare's eyes widened in horror at that thought. Not to mention you're power will also be copied, Dark Snowflare could destroy equestria with nothing able to stand in his way! Well, that didn't help Snowflare's fear any. Whoever sent it had a purpose of sending it. For now, learn as much as you can about the book. Nopony besides Sombra has ever read it, but please remember to sleep. Now Snowflare went from afraid to just embarrased, but the warm aura of Celestia faded, which meant she had stopped the telepathy. Snowflare really had nothing better to do so he just collapsed in bed again.
An "Average" Day in PonyvilleAll Snowflare wanted to do today was sleep in, but a knock at his door that wouldn't stop had other plans for him. ugh....who the hell would be out here at..... Snowflare turned towards his clock to see that it was 11:00 AM. Mentally facehoofing he got up and proceeded to the door. Still, who would be visiting him, not that many ponies knew where he lived except pinkie and- Rainbow Dash... instantly opening the door, sure enough, it was her. "Hey Snowflare! What's up?" She greeted with a smile. Snowflare had heard that question so many times that he's always had a few smart-ass remarks about it. "The sky, what's down?" He replied with a cocky grin on his face. Rainbow dash had just started to giggle, apparently she knew that joke already. "I didnt take you to be a pony who would stay inside all day," Rainbow teased. "Yeah well yesterday didn't really do me any favors, i was up too late reading-" It took all of Snowflare's resistance to stop him from talking about the Book of dark artifacts. The last thing he needed was to spread panic because of a stupid book he didn't even know about. "So....i was just thinking about a few days ago, when you saved that baby before i could," Rainbow said after a moment of awkward silence. well that was random if i've ever heard it. And celestia help him, when he met Pinkie pie he DID know it. "What about it?" He asked casually, hoping to avoid the thorns of suspicion. "I wanna know, how did you manage to fly so fast? It was almost as fast as a sonic rainboom!" Well, Snowflare had gotten himself on a minor league suspicion thorn, now to get off the branch. "Oh since i was a little filly, i worked my wingbones to the core, and eventually, it worked for me." Rainbow seemed to believe it, and started talking about other things. "Anyways Snowflare, i bet you're bored out of your mind being at home all day, why not play some horseshoes with me and my friend Applejack?" Snowflare remembered Applejack, nice farm pony, sisters with applebloom, and has a brother the size of a freaking truck. Hard to forget. "Umm, sure, why not!" "Great, lets go!" Was all she said before she grabbed him by the arm and flew towards ponyville park. After a few sessions and a lot of arguing from Applejack and Rainbow dash with then turned into a fight to see who could hold their breath the longest, Snowflare went home and went to the book and flipped through the pages. "Axe of triplication......Amulet of Amnesia......Stardust of wishing......Black gem of knowledge...so many dark artifacts that King Sombra hid away." Snowflare just closed the book and decided to wander around town. It was probably less scary than the thought of what he did to the ponies with these artifacts. Almost like he could feel them.
The Frozen PegasusSnowflare...wake up..." A faint voice drifted through the air, and the cyan pegasus slowly opened his eyes. He could barely make out the voice of Princess Celestia. He awoke and spread out his wings. "What's up?" he asked, wanting to know why he was awakened at 6 AM. Celestia simply smiled. His mentor of magic had cared for him for a long time, and he had gotten to know her well. He could tell that something was different today, as her eyes glowed with warmth and a touch of sorrow. "I have news," she said softly. Snowflare nodded, waiting for her to continue. "We've been training for awhile now with magic. You've grown a lot, but there are many valuable things you need to learn. And many are of the outside." Snowflare frowned, wondering what she was hinting. "Snowflare, I think your powers are stable enough to be practiced outside of the castle. I believe that you can live a normal life while still practicing..." "Wait, what?" Snowflare instantly sat up, his blue mane still frizzy with bedhead. He searched his magic mentor's eyes for any sort of indication that it was a joke, but they were serious. The thought of living in a normal town was exciting, yet strange. His fatique instantly vanished and he sat upright, wonder and confusion taking hold. Normal? Ever since he was a foal, he had lived in the castle, away from the outside world, practicing his pegasus abilities, He was not an ordinary pegasus; Snowflare had abilities similar to a unicorn. He could perform a variety of spells, unlike any other pegasus in Equestria. His secret had been kept for a long time, and the thought of living near ponies that could expose his secret made him shudder, but it wasn't an offer that could be taken too lightly. It could also be a good thing. But his isolation came with a price: Snowflare had not gotten to meet many ponies, rendering him shy to ponies besides the princess. He had no experience with friendship, and his mentor recognized that. Celestia frowned slightly as she gazed into his I'll miss him, but it's for the best. He needs to learn on his own now, or he'll never become independent. Celestia magically levitated a list of places and asked him where he wanted to live. She whipped the golden-glowing list around, which displayed a list of places and a short description beside each town. Snowflare scanned the list. Where do I want to live? Manehattan? No, too crowded. Fillydelphia? No... After a moment, Snowflare looked up at Celestia. "I think Ponyville would be a nice place to live. It looks nice and...quiet." Snowflare scanned the description once more, checking to make sure it was perfect. Celestia led him out into the hallways as the thought of being normal finally sunk in. I'm going to be normal. I will live in a house, on my own, and buy fruit from vendors with bits...speaking of which, I'll need a job. A job! "Snowflare." Celestia suddenly said, breaking his train of thought. "Y-yes?" He nervously answered, stuttering, wondering what Celestia could ask him now. "How much control do you think you have over your powers?" she calmly stated. Snowflare wasn't quite sure he knew the answer. There were a few magical abilities, like faster flight or a super-jump that he could certainly do. But advanced fighting spells or releasing his energy into shockwaves was completely out of reach to him. Celestia noticed he was thinking deeply about the question and whispered, "I'm sure you'll be fine." Another small smile graced her lips as she gave Snowflare a reassuring glance. That was enough to remind him that he can control his powers if he tried hard enough. As Snowflare walked with Celestia to the train station, they sat and waited. As they patiently waited, they chatted about what Snowflare could practice. Princess Celestia reminded him of the telepathy spell to keep in touch, and they struck up a conversation about the effects of speed spells, and how to make it look like a normal thing. But even the conversation couldn't avert his thoughts from the matter at hoof: his life was about to become completely different. This is happening too fast...good things I don't have any belongings to pack. After half an hour the train finally arrived. As Snowflare waved goodbye to Celestia, he went into the train, his heart breaking as he watched his maternal figure and mentor walk away.. The train began to depart,straight to Ponyville, and a normal life.....hopefully.
Passage into PonyvilleSnowFlare had fallen asleep during the train ride, feeling the wind against his mane during the train had put him to sleep in the first place. Dreams filled his mind, visions of him controlling his powers, and a small smiled graced his lips. An air of serenity surrounded him as he slept. "END OF THE LINE!" A loud, harsh voice startled him awake, and the realization that he was in Ponyville suddenly struck him. As he departed the train station, his eyes widened as he took in everything around him. Ponies milled about on the dirt roads, and small houses dotted the hills. In the sky, puffy white clouds were topped by frolicking pegasi. Wrapped up in thoughts of his new home, he was completely lost in thought when he was startled by a, "HEY MISTER!" Snowflare looked down to see a pale, yellow-coated filly with a wavy red mane and a large pink bow. She sported a goofy grin as she confidently met Snowflare's eyes. "Oh, H-hey." he replied when he realized she had talked to him. Paying more attention he realized that this filly had no cutie mark. "Did ah scare ya mister?" She asked only half jokingly. "No, you just surprised me, thats all." He replied quickly. The filly started giggling, and then Snowflare was almost completely red at the fact that he embarressed himself in front of a filly. Gee, this is a fantastic start. He thought sarcastically. "So what'cha doin' outside so early?" She asked in a normal tone, finally. "I just moved in to town, and i'm looking for my new House, thats all." He replied, a bit hesitant.The filly seemed nice enough, but he still felt apprehensive around other ponies who could possibly expose his secret, but then again, he was probably just being paranoid. It was just a filly. "Well Mah sister is an apple farmer, if you want, stop by, she'll probably welcome ya to town," The filly said seemingly excited. Trying to end the conversation, he hastily said "I just might do that, thank you." The filly, filled with joy, waved goodbye and shouted a farewell as she turned and hopped towards town. "OH NO!!" A voice suddenly sounded, probably hearable from every part of town. Immediately rushing to the source of the voice he saw a baby carriage rolling down a hill. a look of horror filled everypony even Snowflare's face. He saw the carriage hit a rock and flung the baby out, plummeting slowly into the ground. Snowflare for now could just watch with horror! suddenly, a shape whizzed by at breakneck speed. It was a cyan mare with a bright rainbow mane, shooting towards the baby with her hooves out, prepared to catch it as she whizzed by Even so, SnowFlare realized she wouldn't make it in time! He didn't have a choice but to do a Super-dash! Snowflare began beating his wings instantly, knowing what he had to do. A blue aura began to envelope him, and he began to dash even faster. Wind filled his mane as time seemed to slow down around him. He hoped it was just him who saw the slow ponies. The rainbow mare was almost Astonished to see somebody that fast, as he flew by, passing her in almost an instant. A heartbeat before the baby hit the ground, Snowflare's hooves slid under the baby, and he came to a shaky halt. The rainbow-maned mare landed behind him a moment later. The mother of the baby ran up to SnowFlare and gushed, "Thank you so, so much!" A relieved smile dominated her expression as she gingerly took the baby from Snowflare, hugging the baby. Calling out another quick thanks, she placed him back in the carriage and began rolling him away... Then after she left the Rainbow mare walked up to his face, her magenta eyes glowing. "Hey, i haven't seen you around here before, you new here?" She asked casually. Almost too casually... Realizing he hadn't said anything he quickly replied, "Y-yeah, i am." The rainbow mare nodded replying with "You're pretty fast there, where are you from?" That's what questioned Snowflare the most. Snowflare, you Idiot! Just say where you were born! "I grew up in Cloudsdale..." he eventually said "Cool! Me too!" The mare broke into a large smile, adding "I'm Rainbow Dash, what's your name?" She said after a few minutes. "Snowflare," he replied. He cast his gaze to his hooves. Growing up in the castle hadn't prepared him for meeting other ponies, and he was still shy. Other ponies still daunted him, but it was pretty easy to talk with this mare, almost like he had known her for awhile.. It was pretty easy to talk with this mare, almost like he's known her before... before he could get the chance to ask, She broke the silence with "Well, i've gotta go, we should hang out later, See ya!" Without warning, Rainbow Dash had zipped away , leaving a rainbow trail in her path... Snowflare couldn't help but admire it's Beauty and grace, and like all other rainbows, the end of it.
The Art of WingsSnowflare wandered around Ponyville for almost an hour to try and find his new house. The princess had sent him a telepathic message on the train that she had found a suitable house, and sent him an image of a map. Wait, so I turn here...I mean, turn there...ugh, this town is MORE confusing than I expected! Snowflare closed his eyes, seeing the path in his mind. After a moment of quiet puzzling, he suddenly realized where to go.Taking off, he galloped left, then right, then right again and found himself at a small house. It was set apart from the other houses, but quiet was quiet, and Snowflare enjoyed it. It was 8 PM by the time Snowflare settled in. He decided to try the telepathy magic that Celestia had taught him on the way to the train station. Celestia, are you there? he thought, summoning his magic and picturing the thought shooting to his mentor.. He waited a few minutes before a warm, familiar voice filled his head. I'm here, Snowflare. Did you settle in alright? Yes, I found my home. It's nice and quiet here. Good. Also, do you remember why I needed to train your skills urgently? Her voice had taken on a questioning, slightly worried tone. Snowflare frowned, trying hard to remember. Now that you mention it, I don't think I was ever told why he thought, almost too deeply. Oh. Then I suppose I should tell you. It's because...well, the buildup of power could be stronger than that of the Elements of Harmony. If unstable or corrupted, it could bring great doom all through Equestria. It's a risk for many powerful unicorns as well, like one of my former students, but she managed to rein in her power, although it wasn't as bad as this, but if i can remember, I believe she lives in Ponyville as well... Celestia explained somberly. I would like you to practice building you magical energy, keeping it under control. Before Snowflare could respond, the warm presence of his mentor in his mind vanished. She must have stopped the telepathy. Better get started. Snowflare sat down and began summoning his magic. Warmth flooded his coat as he started to build his magical energy. The energy grew stronger and stronger and began to glow almost to brightly, and the blue light could be seen from his house. Meanwhile, at the Library..... Twilight couldn't sleep. She could feel a magical presence nearby, and it felt different than she was used to. When magic got strangely strong, she could sense it, which was a skill taught to her by Celestia. Now, she could feel something powerful nearby, and could sense a buildup of magic energy. Looking at the window, she saw a house away from the others. A blue glow surrounded it, and she instantly recoiled, shock shooting through her. That's odd...unicorn magic doesn't normally produce that strong of a glow unless they're performing a complex spell...wait a second, that's not normal unicorn magic! "what kind of magic is that?" Twilight said to herself quietly. It wasn't a kind of power she had seen before. The blue aura was somehow...different. A cold tingling sensations broke out all over her coat as the watched the strange magic. "Whoever lives in that house must have powerful magic...." She started, confusion strengthening her thirst to find the source of the odd magic. "And...I want to examine it a little." The next morning Snowflare got out of bed and immediately went back into town. He wanted to find some books about magic. As he walked, his gaze found a cream-coated earth pony with a curled blue-and-pink mane. He quickly trotted up to the mare and inquired, "Do you know where I can find books about magic?" "Aren't you a pegasus?" A confused expression distorted the unicorn's face. "Only unicorns can do magic." "Well, I, um...just like...reading about it! Yeah, it's like...uh, like a whole new world for me!" Snowflare plastered what he hoped was a reassuring grin across his face. The mare didn't seem to notice his inner apprehension and simply smiled. "Well, you can try the library, it's in the big tree house, you can't miss it." She jabbed a hoof in midair, pointing to a large tree that didn't look to be too far away. "Thanks!" Snowflare called as he ran towards the tree-house. Upon getting to the door, he thought about whether he should knock or just walk in. It's like it's somebodies House, but then again, it's a library, whoever runs it wouldn't be too mad if i walked in, but then again... Eventually, he decided on knocking. "It's open," called a mare's voice from inside. Snowflare gulped, preparing to meet yet another stranger, opened the door, and walked in. "Oh! Hello! I've never seen you around before," she said with a welcoming tone. The mare, who was a lavender-coated unicorn with violet eyes, smiled at Snowflare. "I'm Snowflare. I just moved into town a day ago." A day ago? Could he be the one with the magic? I certainly don't know any other pony in Ponyville who can do that. But he's a pegasus... Twilight thought to herself as she remembered the blue light from the house. "So what can I do for you?" She asked after a moment.. "Do you have any books on magic?" He asked casually. Twilight's gaze narrowed. Wait a second. He's the newcomer, and he wants to borrow a book on magic? Is it just a coincidence that the blue light happened after her arrived? "D-did I say something...strange?" Snowflare asked, noticing Twilight's hesitation. "No! It's just...so rare to hear a pegasus say that!" She chuckled nervously. "Well...do you have any books then?" Snowflare asked, beginning to feel awkward. "Sure, what kind of magic?" she replied, her voice bright again.. "Controlling magic," he stated firmly. Twilight's eyes widened. Could he be the one in the house? But...but he's a pegasus... Lost in thought, Twilight was unaware that she had said "but he's a pegasus" out loud. "What's your point?" interruped Snowflare. It seemed to break her out of her train of thought. "Oh! N-nothing, may I ask why you want books on Magic?" She gulped. Snowflare knew he couldn't tell her the truth, so he fibbed, "Because it looks interesting to see what's possible from the unicorns." His gaze had been cast to his hooves, not wanting to meet Twilight's eyes. "A pony can dream." "That's true....I'll go see what I have," Twilight murmured before going towards the shelves. Upon closer inspection, Snowflare could see that the mare's cutie mark was a series of magic sparks. She must have strong magic. Snowflare immediately started to feel suspicious of the mare. Is she onto me? No, don't be ridiculous, Snowflare, she was probably asleep the night I practiced. Probably. "Found some!" The voice of the mare broke him out of his thoughts, and the mare trotted into the room with several books floating alongside her.. After putting the books in his saddlebag, Snowflake smiled at the mare. "Goodbye!" He began to leave, but he quickly stopped and called out, "By the way, I'm Snowflare." The mare, after a moment of silence, said, "I'm Twilight Sparkle. It was nice meeting you!" Snowflare nodded, turned,, and departed from the Library. On his way back to his house, he realized he was getting hungry, and he hadn't bought food yet. So he decided to go into town first.
The Act of Silence.Snowflare began to walk down into town to try and find some food. He noticed a few stands, but nothing really looked appetizing. He surveyed a few restaurants, but much like the carts, none of the food appealed to him. I just want something simple... As he trotted along, Snowflare finally noticed an apple stand! He didn't particularly hate apples, but the ones at Canterlot were just too organic, and that's not something Snowflare liked in fruits. He proceeded to walk up to the stand before he noticed that the filly from earlier was working the stand! "Hiya!" The filly's voice topped amount of enthusiasm as before, which was a difficult feat. She grinned a toothy grin, waving her hoof towards the plump, juicy apples. "Wait..." The filly rubbed her chin, her joyful gaze turning curious. "Oh! Ah've seen you before, haven't Ah?" "Oh yeah.....?" he asked, trying not to show the nervousness building up. Wait.....is this the same filly from when i moved in?! "Yeah! You're that pony who moved in yesterday!" Snowflare ducked his head, his cheeks turning fiery crimson. He hated attention, and ponies were beginning to stare, distracted by the loud voice of the filly. Well this is embarressing.... He thought to himself, while blushing. "So what brings ya here?" she asked after a few minutes, reminding Snowflare why he came in the first place. "Oh! I came to buy some apples." Ponies had cease their stares, and he was relieved that he was no longer the subject of strangers' attention. He looked up and smiled at the filly. "Well, how many?" she asked, reaching towards the apple baskets. "Just enough for breakfast," Snowflare answered casually. The sun reflected off of the shiny red skin of the apple, and each piece of fruit was plump and rounded. He couldn't wait to eat one as she watched the filly load several apples into a basket. "That'll be five bits," she stated in a serious tone. Snowflare opened up his saddlebag. A pile of bits gleamed golden from the bottom of the bag. Looks like I have some extra...might as well chip in a few extra. He dug out ten bits and dropped them on the counter. The filly's eyes widened, and her smile grew bigger. "Keep the change," Snowflare chuckled, amused by the filly's expression. "Well thank ya kindly, mister!" The filly picked up the bits and dropped them into a small bucket, handing him the basket. "Enjoy yer apples!" Suddenly, the filly hopped, alarm showing in her eyes. "Oh! I'm late for my meeting with the Cutie Mark Crusaders!" the filly yelped before beginning to rush away. Taking a guess, he said with a smile, "You might get a cutie mark in customer service, You're really good at it." "Ya think so?!" The filly grinned, her eyes sparkling.. Apparently he guessed right. Might as well tell the truth. "Yeah. I do." He said before the filly started bouncing off. "Mah name's Apple Bloom, by the way. See ya later, Mister!" With that the filly sped away, her hooves kicking dust as she galloped away. "One of the excitable ones...isn't she?" he muttered to himself before trying of the apples he bought. He bit into the delicate skin, and instantly juice flooded his mouth. Flavor filled his taste buds, and he nearly leapt into the air with shock. It was sweet, but not too sweet, and there was a hint of tartness. As he chewed the bite, he savored the perfect blend of flavor as well as the favorable texture. This is the best apple I've ever tasted! How in Equestria... He swallowed his bite of apple, licking his lips, and prepared to take another. Wait a minute.....these are freshly picked! Snowflare almost shouted when he realized it. I suppose you just can't get this kind of quality in Canterlot! Realizing he must be standing in the middle of a busy square like an idiot, he quickly started home. Celestia would probably have something for him to practice.
A Pegasi's LimitAs Snowflare entered his house once again, he sat down heavily, exhausted. Closing his eyes, he summoned his magic and tried to contact Celestia with telepathy.l Princess Celestia? Are you there? he thought hopefully. There was no response. He waited for a few more minutes, sending out more greeting thoughts. Right before he was about stop, a warm voice greeted him. Snowflare! How are you? Celestia's voice responded. Snowflare couldn't really help but feel embarrassed; he just didn't know why. Snowflare, Celestia started, breaking the silence. Do you know your limit? Snowflare had never really thought about his Magical limit. He rarely used it outside of practice, and even then, his skills were far from fully developed. No, I don't, he finally said when he realized he wasn't speaking to the Princess. Can you explain it to me? Well, then, it's time you know. Her voice was somber, making Snowflare frown. Snowflare, Celestia began. As you know, a unicorn's body is built to support the magical flow from within, allowing their magic to flow directly to their horn. Pegasi, however, have bodies built to endure flight, and rough conditions. So... Snowflare frowned. What does that mean? Unfortunately, this means your inner magic cannot flow properly through your body, limiting the amount of energy you can use. Snowflare's eyes widened. What? Furthermore, Celestia continued gravely. A unicorn's horn is used to properly channel their flow of magic. Because you have no horn, your magic cannot be channeled in the same way, thus preventing proper control. Her words hung in the air as Snowflare's shoulders slumped. His ears dropped as the news sunk in. Oh... Also, I've noticed you've met Rainbow Dash, the Element of Loyalty. she noted in a lighthearted tone, completely off-topic. Nevertheless, Snowflare was surprised. "Th-that was her?!" he shouted, Completely embarrassed that he hadn't been too respectful with his tone, he slowly slumped to the floor, blushing. Celestia's chuckling voice eased the embarrassment, and he straightened up.. You know, It's nice you're making friends, During Grand Galloping Galas you'd always walk away from the crowd, either to your room or the Gardens. You really loved keeping to yourself, and just being in a quiet space in general. The embarrassment returned. Snowflare gulped, curtly thinking, Um...aren't we off topic here? Fortunately, Celestia caught his hint. Anyways...a pegasi's body will require a lot of mental focus to even process enough magic to do a simple defensive spell. she began to explain again. So offensive spells are out of the question? he interrupted, disappointed. Correct. At least for now, she replied. I'm sorry, Snowflare. Well...thank you for telling me, Snowflare sadly thought. He sighed, his shoulders slumping again. Nevertheless, training must go on. Celestia's voice was firm, as if she were eager to get started. The first magic I would like you to practice is lowering your body temperature. Why would that be useful? he asked, puzzled. Because you can fake your own death, lower the shade of red when you blush...need I go on? Snowflare laughed out loud. He picture his mentor's face grinning, causing him to smile. You can use it manually, but it automatically kicks in when you get embarrassed or scared., she explained. So, basically two emotions I never feel? Snowflare joked. Oh, but what about the time you overheard me talking about you at the-- Point taken! Snowflare cut her off. As his face began to redden, he could feel the cold inside his body, but instead of returning his face to its rightful shade of cyan, it simply lightened the blush to a rosy pink. Anyways, it's getting late, Snowflare, you should probably go to sleep, Celestia suggested. It's not like i have anything planned tomorrow, Snowflare muttered, still blushing pink. I think it's better if you don't keep to yourself, go out and make friends. Celestia's tone was motherly, making him blush further. The presence of Celestia in his mind vanished, meaning she had stopped telepathy. Snowflare yawned, figuring he should probably go to sleep. He crawled into bed, switched off the lights, and closed his eyes, beginning to drift of to sleep.
Blatant InsanitySnowflare's eyelids fluttered open. Sunlight filtered through the window as he rolled out of his bed, stretching his muscles. Groggy with sleep, Snowflare glanced into a nearby mirror to see that his mane had been transformed into a mess of frizzy curls. He chuckled to himself as he patted it with a hoof. I'm no fashion star, but I should probably at least run a comb through my mane... After taming his wild case of bedhead into a mild one, he settled down onto his bed and pulled out of one of the magic books he borrowed from Twilight. He flipped it open and began to read. After reading a few chapters he put it down. His legs were beginning to feel cramped, and the prospect of feeling the wind in his mane and the sun on his back. Getting to his hooves, he opened the door and headed for town. As he walked through town, he noticed that it was still early. There were not many ponies on the streets, and few pegasi were administrating the water. He almost forget where he was, but was soon reminded when he heard a familiar voice. "LOOK OUT BELOW!" Before Snowflare could see who the caller was, a familiar cyan shape barreled into him. He slammed into the road, dust collecting on his fur. Since not a lot of ponies were there, no one noticed the cyan colt groaning as he lay in the middle of the street.. Snowflare then realized he had his body temperature was dropping, remembering Celestia had said it automatically happens when he got embarrassed or scared. "Snowflare! A-are you okay?!" The cyan mare, who was laying a few feet from Snowflare, quickly leaped to her hooves, nudging Snowflare. "And why do you feel so cold? Are you sick or something?" she asked, her voice worried. My body is still cold? That's not good...better think of an excuse... "I-I'm fine, Rainbow Dash. I think I...just...left the air conditioning on in my house yesterday. Yeah, that's why it was so cold last night." "Okay..." Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow as Snowflare mentally facehoofed. You left the air conditioning on?! Great excuse, genius... "So why were you crashing?" he asked, trying to change the subject. "I was practicing," Rainbow dash declared proudly. Snowflare cocked his head, interested. "Practicing? For what?" "For what else? The Wonderbolts!" She shouted, but since there weren't really many ponies out, nobody paid much mind. Snowflare had heard of the Wonderbolts, he didn't really know anybody in Canterlot who didn't. He almost snickered to himself, but managed stifle it so as not to wound the cyan mare's pride of feelings.. "So what're you doing in town so early, Snowflare?" Rainbow Dash asked. That was a good question, but it was one Snowflare didn't really have an answer for, so he weakly replied, "Going for a walk." Rainbow nodded. Good, she's buying it. "Well, it was great seeing you. Gotta dash!" with that, she took off again, Thankfully. Snowflare made his way into town again before he heard a pony gasping. He turned around to see an earth pony mare with a pale pink coat and a fluffy, curly pink mane. "Um, is something wrong?" he asked nervously. The pony began chattering at once, her words flying out as her mouth motored away. Snowflare winced as he tried understand, but the only words that stood out clearly were "birthday cake," "cockroach," and "tulip." "Excuse me, could you...um...slow down?" he asked, the pink mare instantly giggling at his request.. "Oh! Sorry! I'm Pinkie Pie!" she giggled, grinning.. Wow, she's even more excitable than that filly! "You're the new pony, aren't you?" She squealed, hopping in a circle around him. Her bright blue eyes shone brightly as she gazed at him. Not giving him a chance to respond, she continued, "I love meeting new ponies! In fact, that reminds me of that one time I met a pony who loved lollipops! Her name was Lolly...or was it Pop? Anyways, I bought a like a gazillion lollipops for her to make her feel welcome, but then suddenly, out of nowhere, a squirrel appears...oh, wait, I'm getting off topic! Anyways, we're gonna be best friends! Riiight? Like that squirrel? Y'know, after the squirrel stole one of the lollipops, I gave it a nut muffin and we became best, best, best friend! Even though only Fluttershy really knows what it says...have you met her? She's--" "Wait!" The sudden shout from Snowflare caused the mare to pause, mid-bounce. How does she... Snowflare gaped as she hung, suspended in the air, for a few seconds, then suddenly dropped to the ground. "About the friend thing..." I really, really don't know if i need more friends. I just hope she won't be hurt. "Well, actually, I have a lot of work, so I'd prefer to keep to myself. He was almost expecting the mare to be upset, which he really didn't want, but for some reason it was like he never said it. Her expression didn't change. "I totally understand! If you want to keep to yourself, that's your buisness.And I will respect that! That reminds me of Cranky..." A grin overtook her face as her eyes became distant as she remembered something. She began to hum quietly as she turned and began bouncing away. . As Snowflare walked back towards his house he muttered, "That is one weird mare." Before going into his house, he realized there was a note on his door. Pulling it off, he read aloud, "I know you wanted to keep to yourself, but welcome to Ponyville anyways!" Snowflare smiled. Strange mare...but friendly. He trotted into his house, opened the magic book and began to read once more.
The EverFree MonstersShyspark said: Snowflare was in the middle of reading his magic books when he heard Celestia trying to contact him through telepathy. Snowflare, are you there? she asked. Snowflare closed the book with magic, then set it on the table. Reaching out with his mind, he responded, "I'm here, Princess." As replied, he hopped onto his bed and lay down, his blue mane spreading across his bedspread. Snowflare, you've come a long way with your magic training. But dark times may be ahead, and I need you to be ready for anything. I think you need to train for combat. Her voice was strangely urgent in her mind as she spoke, and her aura was grave. Well, Snowflare, right now I have to go get more flower seeds for Ruby to plant. She said exactly what he knew she'd say. Snowflare remembered Ruby. Ruby Shrub. She didn't have any parents because they died at her birth. Celestia and Luna took her in, and when Snowflare came to the castle, the baby wouldn't stop staring at him. It was almost embarressing. As the years passed by the filly kept asking him to play with her. It's like she was determined to. At first he had just started to ignore her, but for some reason, he gave in eventually, but it felt...fun, playing with the filly. She had a very big fascination for gardening as well, but that's about all he could remember. Realizing Celestia had cut off telepathy already, he decided that he would go to that abandoned forest to train his combat skills, but he should probably take some medical equipment with him. He made his way into the Everfree forest. As he walked, each shadow whispered darkly, and the darkness felt sinister...yet strangely inviting. Chills ran up his spine as he walked, his hoofsteps faltering. Finally finding a semi-sunny clearing, he settled by an old tree stump and began to practice. Producing a combat book from his saddlebags, he began to read, beginning to practice some basic spells. Unfortunately, he failed most of them at first for about half an hour. Suddenly, the sound of a scream pierced his ears, coming from the other side of the forest! He instantly closed the book and took off, stuffing the book in his saddlebags as he ran. Rushing immediately to the source, he saw a chicken with the body of a snake chasing a yellow mare with a pink mane and tail! Oh, I've heard of those! It's a...what's it called? A cockatrice! Wait, don't think about that, I have to help her! Snowflare charged straight up at the monster before the mare could realize he was there. A simple wingstorm should blow that thing away! he thought as he charged up his wings. He concentrated hard, thoughts of ice flooding his brain. They glowed for a moment, and then he flapped them, unleashing a gust of frozen winds at the Cockatrice. That was enough to knock it away, and Snowflare didn't deny the chance. He charged up and rammed the Cockatrice into a tree, knocking it out temporarily. "Miss, we have to get out of here!" The mare whipped around at him, her eyes wide with surprise. She simply nodded, seemingly hesitant, and spread her wings. The mare quickly picked up a bunny and ran, Snowflare flying behind her. The mare followed a narrow, rocky trail that he hadn't noticed. Before her knew it, he was back in the sunlight, near a small cottage. Upon closer inspection, it looked like the Cockatrice had hurt the poor mare. Snowflare took out his medical equipment and got out exactly what was needed to stop the bleeding on the mare's cut. "You shouldn't be out in the forests, you could've faced even worse from that Cockatrice," he said gently but firmly. "What's your name?" The mare ducked her head shyly. A tiny squeak came out, and Snowflare frowned, unable to hear her properly. "Um. Did you say...uh...buttered pie?" he questioned, very confused. "I-I'm F....Fluttershy..." A blush reddened her cheeks as she responded in a whisper. "Nice to meet you Fluttershy, I'm Snowflare." As he introduced himself, she backed up slowly. She suddenly whipped around and trotted towards her cottage, and he could see several animals perched in the windowsills and in the yard. Shrugging, he began to walk back to his house. "Pretty shy mare," he muttered as he walked. After a few minutes, he emerged in Ponyville, where he quickly found his house and entered. As he realized he had some extra time, an idea made him leap to his hooves. I'll write a letter to Ruby! He quickly took out a piece of parchment, a quill, and some ink and began to write. Dear Ruby, First of all, how've you been so far? Is Celestia treating you well? I mean, I'm sure she is because she's a princess, but still, how are things? I don't know if you've heard, but I'm in Ponyville now! I've met some nice ponies(and shy ones), and I've been learning lots of new things. It's nice here, too. It's nice and quiet, just the way I like it. I'm always thinking about you! I'll write you again soon! Sincerely, -Snowflare
The Honest FarmerSnowflare had decided to spend his extra time going into town, but to do what? Bump into another pony? He didn't even understand how he met so many ponies. If there's one thing i'm not, it's a social pony... but I suppose there's nothing better for me to do. He got to his hooves, trotting out of the house and into town again. Maybe that apple stand is still open...I am feeling kind of hungry after beating up a Cockatrice. he thought as he continued along the narrow, dusty path to where the cart stood. Oh, thank Celestia! They're open! he thought as he happily trotted down to the stand. Of course, Apple Bloom was there. I probably should've guessed. "Howdy, mister!" The filly bore a goofy grin with resemblance to the pink mare he had seen recently. "Hello yourself," he began, digging bits out of his saddlebags. "I came to buy another apple. "Five, right?" he asked, counting the shining gold disks in his hoof. "Right." Snowflare handed her the bits, and she pushed a bright red apple towards him. He took a bite, savoring the fresh, sweet taste. "Hey, do you wanna visit the farm and mah big sister?" The filly suddenly piped up. Her eyes shone and she grinned even wider than before, if possible. Snowflare almost choked on his apple. Visit the farm?! That was certainly a sudden request if he'd heard any. More ponies TO MEET? No thank you. But...it's not like I have anything else to do, so what the heck? "Sure, why not?" he said casually, pretending he hadn't had to mull it over. "Well great! Let's go!" She began to bounce away, her pink bow bobbing on her head. "Wait! Don't you have to run the stand?!" he called out, galloping up to her. "Mah big brother can handle that," she replied, waving a hoof in dismissal. Snowflare had to run to keep up. For a filly, she was a fast runner, and her brightly colored mane streamed out behind her as the flew across the road. Thankfully, training with Celestia had benefited him with plenty of exercise, so he was able to keep up with her demanding pace. After what seemed like a tireless amount of running, Snowflare was greeted by an incredible sight: rows upon rows of tall, healthy trees decorated with bright red fruit clinging to the branches. Apple trees! A path was cut through the maze of trees, and at the end of the path stood a proud red barn. In front of everything, a sign stuck up in the dirt, reading "Sweet Apple Acres." Where have I heard that name before? He frowned as he SCANNED the sign. It sounds so familiar... "Ooh! There's mah sister now!" Apple Bloom pointed with one hoof to a mare standing near one of the trees. Dirt caked her orange coat, and her scruffy blond mane was thrown over her shoulder in a ponytail. A weathered brown hat topped her head, and white freckles dotted her face. Though her eyes had circles underneath them, her green eyes shone brightly. The mare crouched, her eyes taking on a determined light. She began to gallop towards the a tree, quickly becoming an orange blur, and as soon as she was in hoof's reach of the tree she spun around, her hind legs shooting out to collide with the tree. Each piece of dangling fruit dropped from the branches of the trees, all falling into the baskets surrounding the tree. "Isn't mah sister amazing?" Applebloom whispered, breaking the silence. "Huh? Oh. Yeah." He smiled to himself as he watched. Wow. That pony's pretty amazing... Apple Bloom immediately ran over to the mare, an excited expression still on her face. "Oh Celestia, what have I gotten into now?" he muttered to himself, nearly facehoofing. The mare began to walk up to him, no emotion visible on her face except a hint of curiosity. Snowflare cringed, hoping that her reaction to him would be as warm as Apple Bloom's. "Well, howdy there!" Snowflare blinked. The mare was now right in front of him, and replacing her emotionless mask was a huge grin. So that's where Apple Bloom got it. "Oh! H-hi," he quickly replied. The mare already seemed friendly enough, but he was still wary, he studied his cyan hooves as the mare began to speak. "Mah little sister told me about ya." "Oh, she did?" he asked nervously, risking a quick glance into her big green eyes. "Yeah! She told me all about how nice ya are!" "Really?" he replied excitedly. Ponies rarely talked about him, as he had lived a secluded life with the Princess for years, so he was unused to being boasted about. "O-Oh, um, right. My name's Snowflare." He said after a few minutes. "I'm Applejack, nice to meet'cha!" Her voice was held GENUINE enthusiasm that brought a smile to his face. She stuck out her orange hoof, and Snowflare reluctantly took it, only for Applejack to pump his hoof up and down. "It seems mah sister considers you her friend!" "Really?" he asked, nervous again. He hadn't thought about friends much, but when he really considered to prospect, Apple Bloom was definately a friend, and the fact that she considered him her friend made his bashful grin grow. "Anyways, it's getting to sundown, and Ah bet you're probably real tired," Applejack noted, glancing at the vibrant orange sunset. "Oh! Y-yeah. I'll be on my way then." He turned, preparing to make his way back up the path. "Come again soon!" Applejack and Applebloom called out, almost in perfect synchronization. As Snowflare walked back to his house, he noticed that a certain Rainbow mare was clearing the clouds, allowing the fiery rays of sunlight to pour through. Smiling to himself, he entered his home once more, flopping on his bed. As he fell asleep, he wondered what sort of challenges tomorrow would bring.
The Shining Diamond.Snowflare both slept and felt like a rock. He probably read TOO much of those books and not enough sleep. Unfortunately, Telepathy had other plans for him. Rise and Shine, Snowflare. came Celestia, as always. Snowflare sat up and watched his bedheaded mane fall. He patiently waited for Celestia to get to the topic, which she pretty much always did. Probably gonna be more Combat spells or magic buildups. He thought, but not with Telepathy. However today's practice caught him off guard. I want you to practice hiding your presence. Snowflare was about to reach for a drink from the fridge, but the request made his hoof stop. What?! I said practicing hiding your presence. I know, but what does that even mean? Invisibility? I guess i should be more specific, hiding your magical presence. Strong enough unicorns can sense magic from a while away. Like what part? The sound of their horn? The Aura it emits. How does that even make sense? You can sense mine from the Telepathy right now, cant you? So how do i HIDE My "Aura" Magic presence thing whatever-ma-bob? Snowflare could hear Celestia chuckling at that last line. A-anyways, back on topic, Hiding a presence isn't easy, but it can be worth it. You can sneak away from powerful unicorn undetected. Snowflare then remembered that lavender unicorn from the library, she must have had powerful magic...She probably could sense me, but couldn't make out what it was coming from....... After a brief explanation on how to hide his presence, Snowflare gave it a try. He focused his energy and tried to force it deep inside his body. A purple streak covered his body for a split second, and then vanished. He suddenly couldn't feel his magical build. He knew it was there, it just wouldn't come to his senses. KNOCK KNOCK Snowflare turned to face the door. Okay, Snowflare, you should probably get that, i have to get Ruby some crystal flower seeds again. Celestia said as she cut off the telepathy. Snowflare walked up to his door slowly. Who could be visiting me? He wondered as he opened the door. He saw a gray mare with weird eyes with bubbles as her cutie mark. "Umm, heres a package from Princess Celestia!" The mare said as she gave him a package. Wait......Something's not right. he thought as he looked at the package. "Um, Excuse me......what's your name?" "Ditzy, but you can call me Derpy." "Derpy, it says this package is adressed to 'Rarity' My name is Snowflare." The mare looked at the package and shrieked. "Oh no! I mixed the packages up again!!" This is really bad....If whoever got my mail opened the package from Celestia, she or he'll think it was for him or her! "Derpy! Where does Rarity live?!" "A-at the Carousel boutique, that huge fancy looking building over there, " She said as she pointed a hoof. "Thanks!" Snowflare said as he flew as fast as he could without Super-Dashing. After a few minutes of flying through town he finally spotted the building. Alright Snowflare......you know the plan, ask for your mail, give her her package, say thanks, and go back home. He repeated that in his mind for about five minutes before he actually walked in. She heard a voice of a little filly call "RARITY! THERES SOMEPONY HERE!" In an excited tone. As if on que, a White mare with a curled purple mane and tail appeared. "Hello, welcome to the Carousel Boutique! What may i do for you today?" Snowflare sighed as he brought her package into eyesight. "Our packages got mixed up, can i please have mine back?" Rarity looked at the package to see that it was indeed, Hers. "Snowflare, i presume?" She said when she realized it was. "Yes, that is my name." "How does a pegasus get things from Princess Celestia?" At that point, Snowflare didn't know wether to call her a racist, or to remind her that Celestia treats all races fairly. "I mean, i thought Celestia taught MAGIC, Not flight." Yep. Racist it is. He wasted no time asking "Are you some kind of racist?" Rarity was taken aback by the question, like she didn't even know what racism was. "A lady is never a racist!" She stated as she did some sophisticated pose. "Then what were you just being." Snowflare stated, trying his hardest not to show his annoyed face. "Point taken...." She admitted in defeat. Snowflare went ahead and put Rarity's package down and then took his and put it back in his saddlebag. He then flew off back to his own home. When he opened the package he realized that it was an ancient book that only The tyrant king Sombra had been able to find before. DUSK: Artifacts of both worlds. Upon closer inspection he realized the book had none of celestia's aura at all! Looking even further he realized one of the pages was bookmarked! Title: The Demon's Mirror. One day King Sombra, before becoming the tyrant king, had plotted a way to take over the throne. And one day, he had discovered a magical gem that could see past a pony. Knowing it could work for some devious plan. He placed the gem inside a mirror. Whenever a pony is to look upon the mirror, a darker form of it is created. "......Who sent this, and what is he or she trying to tell me...?"
Questions you can't ask.It probably wasn't the best idea for Snowflare to stay up all night looking for clues on the mysterious book he was given. By the time he went outside he might as well have been a zombie. He decided he probably had better things to do, so he went back inside. He was about to collapse in bed, but a certain voice came in and stopped him. Good morning Snowflare. Celestia had said in her apparently always-cheery voice, but right now Snowflare didn't really give a damn. He wanted answers. Celestia, Yesterday somepony had sent a package under your name, and i've been trying to find out who or what really sent it. Snowflare could only hear her voice in his mind, but he had heard that gasp. If she found out that they had sent King Sombra's book of dark artifacts, he wouldn't need Telepathy for her gasp to be heard, but he knew if she asked, he couldn't and shouldn't lie to a princess. Even in Telepathy. What did he or she send? .......crud. Well you see......Celestia, whoever sent it sent......ummm...... Snowflare? King Sombra's book of Dark Artifacts! he said as he sat down in defeat. But what my problem is is why somebody would sent it to me instead of use it for their own intentions. He waited for a few minutes for Celestia's response. Snowflare, did they do anything special to a book? Well, they bookmarked a page. Which one? Snowflare then proceeded to open the bookmarked page and read it in his mind. The demon's mirror?! Well, looks like she might have an idea of why they'd bookmark it. Snowflare, whoever sent you that book might want you to make a dark copy with the Demon's mirror. You cannot let it happen at all costs! Why? Can't i just beat my evil clone up? No, for two reasons, One, you aren't ready for fights yet, and Two, you'd be connected to the clone, if he dies, so do you. Snowflare's eyes widened in horror at that thought. Not to mention you're power will also be copied, Dark Snowflare could destroy equestria with nothing able to stand in his way! Well, that didn't help Snowflare's fear any. Whoever sent it had a purpose of sending it. For now, learn as much as you can about the book. Nopony besides Sombra has ever read it, but please remember to sleep. Now Snowflare went from afraid to just embarrased, but the warm aura of Celestia faded, which meant she had stopped the telepathy. Snowflare really had nothing better to do so he just collapsed in bed again.
