Stranded
Snails slowly opened his eyes, the sun blinding him from completely scanning his surroundings. He felt several bruises all over his body, and his head was ringing like the school bell.
The school, when was the last time he was there?
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The bell rang, and every foal stopped what they were doing. In the blink of an eye, they instantly piled up into the classroom like a buffalo stampede to see the familiar face of their teacher, Ms. Cheerilee.
-Attention students! Attention!” Called the teacher. Snails smiled, Cheerilee always had a certain cheer in her voice, like a thousand butterflies and birds migrating in one big flock.
"As you all know, I recently gave your parents permission slips to go on a field trip! But the reason I didn’t tell any of you where is of course, because it was a surprise” The students all gasped, and the room turned silent, this was it, the moment of truth, the destination of the field trip!
Several suspense filled moments later, Cheerilee finally took a big breath.
"We’re going on a big boat to Canterlot and back!” She announced. Many of the students were surprised, others cheered and clapped their hooves, Snails looked at his best friend Snips and gave him an eager look.
“Can you believe we’re going to Canterlot!?” exclaimed Snails giving Snips a high five.
“Yeah!” agreed Snips “Maybe we’ll get to meet Trixie again!”
Snails chuckled. Of course the two had been big fans of The G and P T but Snails had gotten over her a long time ago, wereth his friend was still sleeping with his Trixie pillow and plush.
-We will be departing tomorow, at the docks” continued Cheerilee, signaling her little ponies to calm down. Shortly after, the foals left to their respective homes.
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Mustering every effort he could, Snails succesfully opened his eyes. His senses returned, and he could feel sand on his back. He stood up woozily, his vision slowly restoring. He soon found out he was on an island, the sea right next to him. Palm trees slowly waved around
There was no way he was staying on the shore. He made his way into the forest, but to his dismay, found himself back on the beach.
He plopped back down on the sand. Staring at the sky, he didn’t find many clouds, but he spotted a sea gull, followed by another sea gull.
The bird seemed to be trying to catch up with the first sea gull, flying in front of it. After a while Snails seemed to have understood what was going on.
The sea gull that was following it must have been male, and he was trying to catch up with a probable female, possibly to claim his love, but the seagulette ignored him completely, continuing on her way.
It seemed so related to his life’s scenario, in a way...
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Snails had many turns in his love life. He and Snips had their first skip when Trixie came into town. Of course, they were blind to what was happening and their love for the older mare caused them to nearly destroy Ponyville by summoning an Ursa Minor.
-Snails! I am extremely disappointed in you!” cried Dragonfly at her younger brother “Don't you realize that you and your friend could have put us in danger by bringing that Ursa to ponyville?” her face was red and her mane a complete mess. Snails wasn't all that sure how to respond.
“But you dun understand! We um, we thought Trixie would stop it!” he defended, unable to admit that he had done the most dangerous thing a foal could do.
Dragonfly sighed, lowering her head down before slowly flying up to her room, but not before adding “Snails, if only dad was here, he'd be able to deal with you. I can't be working overtime and dealing with my brother. If only he wasn't serving in Canterlot” and with that, she entered her room, locking the door behind her. A few sniffles could be heard. And Snail's head immediately dropped.
Soon Snails had decided to forget all about Trixie, for the best, anyways. Snails became immune to love until he found a certain flare in Diamond Tiara. Even today he could barely digest the fact that he thought she was even slightly beautiful. The filly gave him heart attacks just at her sight. He had (selfishly) tried many times to earn her affection. His nights were spent dreaming of the purple filly. But, stunt by stunt, he soon found out that Diamond tiara was simply using him, making him execute extreme feats just for her own amusement. However, the pony that had really made him realize this had come in the almost unexpected of forms.
-Snails, you have to see this! Diamond Tiara will never like you!” yelled Sweetie belle, staring Snails in the eyes.
-B-bu-but that’s not true!” cried Snails, avoiding the filly’s gaze. “What proof do you have?”
Sweetie belle sighed. Just a few minutes ago she was playing with her friends, when she spotted Snails, for the 46th time, heading towards Diamond Tiara with a huge grin on his face, ready to announce his success to her. As she looked on, ignoring her fellow crusaders for a while, she saw Diamond Tiara simply ignore him, walking away with silver spoon at her side.
Snails didn’t seem to care, though. And Sweetie felt a huge lump of sorrow for Snails, he had become just another of Diamond’s many fanboys, desperatly doing anything in their reach and beyond for the bully.
She excused herself from her friends, if there was anypony who could help him, she might as well do it. She grabbed Snails by the tail with her telekinesis and took him behind the school, were they would be alone and she could get through to him.
-Snails, I know Diamond T, and she’s nothing but a bully. Please believe me when I say that no matter how many stupid stunts you do, she’ll never think of you twice. In her mind, you’re nothing but a toy for her amusement. She just makes you do those things so you’ll get away from her” Explained Sweetie, insisting with each word “I know she might look beautiful and you might love her but inside she’s a spoiled demon” Sweetie pleaded. Snails’ expression turned from confused to slightly sad. His eyes started to tear up, but he swallowed them back.
-I-I um,” stammered Snails, slowly making himself out of her grasp. Sweetie suddenly felt very bad for the poor colt, as she backed away. “What I’m trying to say is that I guess you’re right”
Sweetie’s pity increased as Snails hung his head low and slowly trotted in for class. He had no tears, but his soul seemed broken, as if the whole world was losing it’s color. That day Snails was almost sure he had lost his usually joyful go-lucky attitude, and it was replaced with what seemed like a new Snails. Sweetie suddenly had a thought in her mind. A thought that lasted only a second, but a thought nonetheless that might work. She grabbed Snails and turned him around, however, at the last moment she hesitated. and instead of actions, words came out of her mouth.
“Look, Snails, just because you don’t adore Diamond Tiara doesn’t mean you have to give up on love forever, who knows, maybe you’ll find your luck with some other filly, just not a bossy one” She encouraged, somewhere along the corners of his face a slight grin could almost be identified.
“I’m still not sure, y’know, when I wished Trixie would adore me, I nearly broke ponyville, but when I wished Diamond Tiara would adore me I nearly broke all my bones” he and Sweetie shared a small awkward laugh. But a moment was a moment and time passed by and by, like it always did.
But Snails had been struck with something, something for a certain marshmallow white filly. Which he tried to shake off everyday.
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After wandering around, it turned out Snails wasn't on an island at all, just a mound of earth in the middle of the ocean. What he thought was a forest was just about 6 palm trees and a patch of grass. Yet, in a way, he felt comfortable.
This was his own little island. He had enough vegetation, enough coziness; enough material to build a little hut. He could live here, away from society, away from all that stressed him. Being alone was nothing like they told it, it felt amazing.
He once again plopped down on his back, a smile cracking on his lips. The sea gull from before landed next to him and did the same. There was no land in sight, nothing but the sea. And Snails had never been happier in his life. Yet, there was one thought that he couldn't shake out of his mind.
He got up once again, before tripping on a rock. Snails let out a cry of agony and laid there in pain, though it wasn't the nasty fall, it was the bruises on his, well, everywhere. He had a scratch on his horn, a scratch on his neck, 5 on his legs, and one on his rump. The worst part had yet to come as a fresh wave hit the shore and splashed all over him. The salt water stung like crazy and he tormentingly stammered towards the patch of grass in the middle of the island, letting out yet another cry of agony.
The only high point to this was the thought that was disturbing him earlier. It buzzed around his head and wouldn't get out until he gave it some attention. And that thought was annoying him more than his scratches. He used his horn to levitate a few palm leaves and delicately wrapped them around the bruises like bandages. Next he took some wood off one of the palm trees, stuck it in the ground and slowly got up on it, using it as a cane. The sea gull landed on his head and pointed towards his behind which was still bleeding, supposedly asking why he hadn't covered that up.
-N-no, I hate that place, and I don't dare look at it” he claimed, slowly making his way to the beach. The sea gull stared at him confusingly and slowly hovered off his head and beside his rump to see a picture of a snail. This only made the bird more confused, though. Snails sighed and thought back at how he had earned his cutie mark, the day he would forever regret.
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It was the day before the summer sun celebration and everypony made their way towards the center of ponyville for an exciting annual event. parents and coaches alike made their way around a huge track followed by a team of foals. this was Equestria's annual "point marathons".
Schools everywhere traveled to ponyville to participate in these events that the foals had trained months for. This year was also the first year Cheerilee was able to afford entering her little ponies into the competition. If even one foal was caught walking they were instantly disqualified. But none of these rules frightened Snails. no, to him, this wasn't just a race of breathless proportions, it was his key to recognition, his chance to shine. Princess Celestia might not attend such a ceremony but a gathering of this mass was regularly supervised by Princess Cadence herself who would come to watch the foals jog.
After talking to his coach, getting warmed up and splashing himself with water to rid himself of the nausea, he was ready to run. ready to finally get a better image. He had surpassed himself, almost falling into a coma on several occasions due to excessive running, just to make it on the team.Of course Snips was not running with him, he said he had much "better things to do" and it didn't surprise him one bit that, though he had gotten there to support his best friend, he was already at the snack bar.
Snails was finally called on to make his way to the field along with many other runners. some of them looked extremely fit, others seemed weak, but like every situation in his life, he was ready to take it his way. The siren was rung and the heat was cranked up to notches never cranked before.
Snails made sure he got a good start, making his way to the front half of the runners. Jogging and keeping up with some of the foals proved extremely difficult, as Snails' breath was quickly running out, yet, through all that he kept moving, oblivious to any challenge that was thrown. He concentrated on the track nothing else.
But after the first half, something terrible happened.
He stretched a muscle.
He had fell down in pain after tripping on another foals legs and they had both collapsed to the ground, however he was quick to get on his feet and keep moving forward. But every step he took felt like a needle was stabbing at his right leg, pushing further and further with each huff. The urge crawled around him to stop and heal, but that was no option. No option that would benefit him. he took a big breath, squinted his eyes and sprinted, he was almost done.
But ignoring it just made it worse, as he went and went it felt like a hundred daggers were penetrating his leg. finally 3 quarters of the race down and he felt like fainting from the unbearable pain. He would not give up so easily though, as he took drastic decisions, he lifted his front leg and tied it around his tail using his magic, continuing along his way. The use of magic while running further tired Snails, he felt like his lungs were being ripped apart and his vision blurred as he awkwardly caught up.
almost 4 fifth of the race done and something worse happened: A cramp, in his hip. The pain was numbing as he slowed down, slower and slower. Around him other competitors sped past him and he could see the finish line no less than 6 meters away. The cramp overwhelmed him as more and more runners were sprinting for the final stretch and Snails slowly made his way to the end.
At last Snails made it to the finish line, only to find out he came last. Last out of 65 colts. He had found out that once he crossed the finish line the race was over. He made his way to his team mates and family, his father among them. Snails eyes became moist. All of a sudden his cramp or his stretched muscle didn't seem to matter. He threw himself in his dad's arms and started sobbing. After all his hard work, after all his determination, he had no mercy from Celestia. and the worst had yet to come.
He finished crying and pulled away. Soon, his flank started sparkling. Snails gasped, his cutie mark was here? already? but, what had he done? Nothing but...
Snails eyes started watering again as his cutie mark, the symbol that would forever encompass his talent, was a snail. It fitted his name, but it was a snail. What kind of crude joke had Celestia pulled on him? Snips approached his pal, followed by his dad.
-D-dad, my flank" muttered Snails, as he slowly got up to show his mark. Snips scurried to see it: A dull snail with a frown.
"I don't understand, what did you do to get that, and what does it mean?" asked Snips. He didn't mean to be rude, but he expected a bit more from his best friend.
-IT MEANS I'M A BIG LOSER!" Shouted Snails, Tears shooting like bullets from his eyes. The sudden outburst cut Snails' breath short, since he was already tired from the race "It means I'm pathetic and slow, just like a snail"
His dad shook his head and approached his son. Snails slowly sat down and his father rested a hoof on his shoulder, stern look in his face.
-Son, stop being so shallow, for it is only when you lack self-esteem that you look at your talent in a way like that. Think for awhile, and tell me, how do you know that that mark has to do with your loss? Snails, if you ask me, I have a hunch that mark has another meaning" he then reared up to show his flank to the two boys. In place for his cutie mark Snails' father had a slug. "This cutie mark doesn't mean that I'm small and weak. It means that I keep trudging forward in glory and that nothing stops my goal. My name wasn't always dad, it's Silver slug, and this mark couldn't fit me better"
"T-then, w-what does mine mean?" he asked, sniffing back.
Snips spoke up "Snails, I think it does mean you're slow, but not in the physical way. You're slow to catch up to the world, for, if I know anything about my best friend, it's that as much as the world changes and has it's ups and downs, and in a world where there are differences in every corner. You stand firmly in the middle" he lectured. Snails wanted to smile, he really did. But his soul was smashed and no amount of hope could fix it.
Silver slug read this and looked him in the eye the way a father can talk to his child one-on-one.
"Snails, I won't lie, I really have to leave for Canterlot soon, so before I go I want you to promise me something" Snails did a small shrug "Promise me that whatever happens, whatever pain that scribble on your behind causes you, I want you to be proud of that mark, for it represents you, and you alone." Snails wasn't sure if he wanted to comply, but he could never deny a promise to his father, so he slowly nodded, his tears shedding.
Now he hadn't changed. No matter what happened, no matter what pain that scribble on his behind caused him, he was proud of it. But just because he was proud of it didn't mean he had to like it. And he never did, because among ponies out there, among his whacked out family that was named after maggots, he was cursed. punished to forever remember that horrible time when he lost just by looking at the mark. But he couldn't get rid of it.
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The beach was as dull as ever. But Snails knew he would never get bored of it. Having nothing move, having things finally turn his way was certainly something he could live with. This was more than a vacation: it was a self-elope. There he was, Stranded, yet, nothing was missing. If he was to die of hunger, he would die happy or he would grow fruit. If he would feel alone sometimes, he would call his sea gull friend, the one he had named Edd. This island was no longer a mound of earth with six palm trees and a patch of grass, but it was now his home. His final relief from life.
But, that thought, the one that wouldn't get out of his head. It bugged him and still didn't stop. That thought in particular, the one that now seemed more for the good then bad. It was his father, Silver slug. He had only seen him once, that race when he had talked to him was only half an hour of catching up, even if he only lived for 11 years. Even at his own birth, the only ponies there were his mother and his sister. His father was one of the sole reasons he was looking forward to stopping at Canterlot that day.
By now the ferry would have already arrived, and his father would be there, waiting to greet his magnificent son. And when he would come back he would have quite the story to tell Dragonfly. But instead he somehow got cast away on an island.
Even now how he got there was simply buried deep in his mind. he couldn't remember it. He imagined it was a Titanic-like incident. But would that mean that the rest of his friends had supposedly died in the sinking? No, for some reason, he knew that his friends were okay. It was a gut instinct, and his gut instinct was never wrong. He just couldn't remember the whole scene.
His sister was now the occupant of his mind, how she had worked so many hours to support the family, how mom had left them to take care of themselves. One day Dragonfly would too fall ill, and then it would be Snails' turn to work for the bits in the family and take care of her. But alas, that day would never come; His sister would die alone, everyday mourning over the loss of her brother. And no pony who had worked so hard deserved such a fate. It started coming to him, that the option to stay on this island was only beneficial to himself.
Out in the distance Edd flew towards his companion, He seemed to have something in his mouth. When he landed it turned out to be a seed. Snails had studied seeds in class, and this one was that of a solid oak tree. But where had he gotten it? If he was able to find an Oak seed, then that meant he had found land somewhere.
Snails smiled as he took the seed from his best friend, then examined him carefully.
"Y'know, you birds don't live that long, do you?" he asked. He had no idea, but he guessed that birds can live up to a max of 30 years. He gave a weak smile, the same he would remember his grandma giving him. With all the care he could, he grasped the seed, then made his way to the center, next to the palm trees.
If the palm trees had grown, then that meant there was soil somewhere down there. He dug further and further into the sand until he struck dirt. Then, he dug into the rather hard ground and planted the seed. Then, he concentrated on the seed, his horn glowing. He concentrated harder and harder as his horn glowed like crazy. It was the ultimate feat for a beginner at magic. He finally connected his soul to the seed and gave it power. His horn's aura grew like mad and sweat bulleted from his forehead.
Snails stopped his magic abruptly, and found out he did it. Life-altering magic. Before him stood a sapling, probably worth 3 months of growth. He beamed with pride and told himself he would practice his magic more and hopefully try it again. But until then he'd probably have to wait 4 years until it had fully grown. But he would wait, and when he was satisfied, he'd cut down the tree and use the wood to construct a boat. He would take good care of Edd and send him away to scout for land regularly. And when he would have finished, he would take Edd with him and follow him to the land, he imagined Edd would probably be old by then, but he would not lose his only buddy, from there he'd go to Ponyville, where his friends would have trouble recognizing him. But he would get off the island, and it would be worth the 5 years.
And so there he stood, slight tears dropping from his eyes. He once again laid down on the sand, where Edd happily joined him. Life would take it's toll, And then it would be his turn, even if he was the last in line. Because no matter where you are , and no matter how far you are from home, memories never leave, and your history is never erased.
~The End~
