Chapter 1: Your Friendship
Snowflake could feel the fresh breeze blow through her mane as she stepped off the train that had just arrived from Manehattan. The wind brought with it a wave of different smells that were all new to her, after having lived an isolated and controlled life there were many wondrous things she still hadn't had a chance to experience. It was an overwhelming feeling being a part of the world once again. The platform was lively and filled with excited ponies both welcoming and saying their farewells while the railroad workers prepared the steam engine for departure. She had grown accustomed to an existance filled with silence that was only broken by her sister's music or the birds chirping, things had changed so suddenly for her in a very short period of time.
As the voices eventually faded away and ponies started walking home she found herself standing all alone in complete silence once again. It was a horrible feeling of loneliness and fear that washed over her as she tapped the ground nervously with her left hoof in an attempt to find a place to sit. Snowflake could not hear her sister's voice nor could she feel the fragrance of her jasmine perfume.
Being alone was something she truly hated; Snowflake didn't like to depend on other ponies but hearing their voices made her feel safer and less vulnerable. She stood there lost and confused for a while holding her little saddlebag filled with the few belongings the world had given her, trying her best not to be scared.
It was okay, her sister would arrive any moment now and her familiar voice would be heard in the distance as she came running. That's what Snowflake kept telling herself as she shivered in the cold winter air. Then it happened.
The sound of four hooves suddenly hitting the ground at the same time was repeated over and over again on the platform. They went silent for a brief moment; Snowflake could feel the scent of cherries as well as flour and chocolate coming from the mysterious jumping pony. Then suddenly the bouncing started again now approaching her with its hypnotic rhythm. It stopped suddenly just a hoof's length away, then she spoke.
"Hi I'm Pinkie Pie! What's your name?" she asked merrily.
Before she got a chance to answer Snowflake was bombarded with a barrage of questions by Pinkie.
"I haven't seen you around here before, are you visiting? Or maybe you just moved here? Oh, I hope you moved here! This is a wonderful town, you'll love it here. What was it that made you decide to move here? Was it because of Sugarcube Corner or maybe it was the zap apples at the Sweet Apple Acres farm my friend Applejack harvest every year? It's too late for that you silly filly" following her stream of questions and assumptions with a gigglesnort.
"I'm Snowflake" was all she could say while her brain processed everything. Snowflake's social skills were somewhat lacking, she had never met anypony that was as talkative as Pinkie Pie before, most of the time ponies avoided her. She turned away her eyes from the energetic pony and hoped she hadn't noticed just how different they were. Snowflake didn't want to let go of the moment just yet, being treated just like a normal pony meant a lot to her.
"You're a snowflake? That's odd, you don't look like one. Snowflakes are like really small and cold. Maybe you can make some nice snow cones? Oh and Twilight told me every snowflake is unique! I guess that means you're unique. Then again we all are aren't we? I still haven't met anypony like me but maybe she is out there somewhere pretending to be me. Or maybe I'm the pretender! The pretendee, or is it pretendess?"
Snowflake couldn't help but smile at the new pony she had just met, hearing Pinkie Pie talk in such a relaxed way made her somehow feel warm inside. The positive energy seemed to rub off on her.
"N-no I'm not a snowflake my actual name is Snowflake" she stuttered.
Pinkie put her hoof against the nervous mare's cheek.
"You're getting there though, brr! Silly chilly filly!" she exclaimed and wrapped a scarf around Snowflake's neck.
The scarf brought with it the warmth of Pinkie Pie in more ways than one. It warmed the young mare's heart. Kindness was so much different than sympathy.
"B-but won't you get cold without it?" she asked in a worried voice.
"Nah I still got this beanie Rarity made for me, all warm soft and snuggly!"
"Are you this nice to everypony?"
"Nice? I'm just being Pinkie Pie, can't be anything else. But I have given away four other scarfs today; I guess that means I got to ask Rarity to make a few more just for these emergencies."
"You seem to have many friends." -Wait did she wear five of them?-
"Everypony in Ponyville is my friend! Oh, it's snowing. Look, look!"
"I wish I could" said Snowflake when she realized the truth would have to come out. But instead of asking her more about it Pinkie Pie instead grabbed the surprised mare.
"Then feel it! Come on stick your tongue out!"
Snowflake hesitantly put her tongue out, the tiny ice crystals began to land on her tongue right away sending a cold shiver through her body. It was something she had never done before, even as a small filly but it was fun.
"I used to spend all day running around with my tongue out catching them, my tummy would be full by the time I finally got home" Pinkie said and giggled happily.
The world suddenly felt so much different around Snowflake, in just a short while Pinkie Pie had come to change it so drastically. She was no longer afraid; the empty feeling in her heart had started to melt away.
"Let's be friends!"
Snowflake bith her tongue with surprise.
"Y-you hardly even know me."
"Sure I do, I know your name."
"But you don't know if you will like me or not."
"I already like you! Or maybe you don't like me?"
"No! I do like you Pinkie; it's just that im very different from you."
Well duh! We are all different, just like I said before. I like you because you are you, not because you are me."
Isn't friendship about experiencing the world together with somepony you truly care for? Snowflake thought to herself. If she would accept the friendship Pinkie Pie was holding out to her would she feel what the pastry smelling pony felt? Would things change for the better?
"Pinkie will you let me see you?" she asked with a voice that shivered.
"Sure you can! I'm right here so just go ahead."
Snowflake stretched out her hooves and touched Pinkie's face gently. Within her mind she was building a picture of the energetic pony. It was a kind face with deep dimples, she was smiling. When her hooves finally reached Pinkie's nose the energetic pony let out a faint sneeze. They were face to face for a long time, her unseeing eyes staring past Pinkie Pie.
"Ooo pretty!"
"What is?" Snowflake asked while she let her hooves slide off Pinkie's face.
"Your eyes, they are like sapphires."
Colors were something she would never understand since she had never actually seen them before. The crystals in her eyes had cursed her with a never-ending darkness even since she had been born. Maybe it was a blessing to never have seen the world and then losing that part of yourself but Snowflake couldn't help but wonder what colors would be like.
"Thank you Pinkie Pie, you have a beautiful face, you know that?"
The familiar voice she had hoped to hear a while back rang out just behind her. Would she meet Pinkie Pie again? How big was the town of Ponyville? Would she lose this pony? She needed to answer her now, should she accept Pinkie's friendship or continue down the same path she had always been on?
That dear reader is something you will decide. Will you be the voice deep down in her mind that encourages her to take more chances in life or the doubt that keeps her isolated but what she considers to be safe? Ask yourself what you would do. Leave a comment on what you think she should do.
