Snowed In

by AlwaysDressesInStyle

Rating: everyone
Tags: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Double Diamond, Other, Slice of Life
Length: 1305

A family gathers at Double Diamond's ski resort for fun in the snow

A family gathers at Double Diamond's ski resort for fun in the snow

Character tags: Powder, Snowcatcher, Snow'El, Northern Lights

This choose-your-own-adventure was written as part of Whinny City's Interactive Storytelling Experience (continued from Ponyville CiderFest 2023).

Special thanks to Sonicsuns & Admiral Biscuit for pre-reading and editing.

Published 2024-06-15 05:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2024-06-15 05:00:00 UTC

Hero

The three older ponies share a look that says that none of them wants to answer affirmatively, yet none of them have it their heart to deny Northern Lights.

As one, the family moves into action. Snow’El takes to the air to scout out the best location to build their snowpony, Snowcatcher starts rolling up a giant snowball with her magic, and Powder runs back to the cabin to grab supplies – their snowpony will need a broom for her tail, a top hat, and pieces of coal for her eyes.

Meanwhile, Northern Lights is galloping to and fro, rolling up legs for the snowpony. She’s happy, and that’s all that matters.

Their skiing gear lies forgotten in the kitchen. Maybe they’ll get to go skiing tomorrow. If not, there’ll be more trips in the future. Northern Lights will be old enough to join them on the advanced slopes in a few more years.

Author's Note

Story notes: https://www.fimfiction.net/blog/1041786/story-notes-snowed-in

Chaos

“You don’t want to go skiing?”

“Not really. I’m not old enough to go on the good slopes. I get stuck on the bunny slope for beginners and that gets boring fast.” Northern Lights scuffs a hoof in the snow.

Her mother starts to say ‘practice makes perfect’ but the words die on her tongue. She’s seen Northern Lights in action, and while she’s not quite ready for a double black diamond, the filly’s certainly up for a bigger challenge than the bunny slope.

The rest of the family is there for skiing. But they’re family, and they stick together. If Northern Lights doesn’t want to ski, it’s not the end of the world. There are other ways to entertain themselves in the wintry wonderland.

A snowball pelts the earth pony and she looks up to see Snowcatcher wielding a dozen more in her aura. The unicorn chuckles as the filly giggles and gallops outside toward cover.

Snow’El, meanwhile, takes to the sky. The only pegasus in the family, she lands in the pine tree that Powder’s taking cover behind. She bucks the upper branches of the tree, and the snow showers on the forest floor below, burying her mother. The unicorn pops out of the impromptu snow drift vowing revenge.

Alliances are made… and just as swiftly betrayed as the snowball fight spreads to the campers in the other cabins.

Miles away at the ski lodge, Double Diamond is standing next to the lift, wondering why so few of his resort’s guests are enjoying the slopes. It's a boon for the skiers who are taking advantage of the lull, but Double Diamond's staff works hard and he doesn't want their toils to be for naught. Every cabin is booked and the pistes are expertly groomed. Everything is perfect… except for the nearly complete lack of activity.

Author's Note

Story notes: https://www.fimfiction.net/blog/1041786/story-notes-snowed-in

Snowed In

Situated high up in the mountains, Double Diamond’s resort is tough to get to under normal circumstances, let alone in a blizzard. Thankfully, the four guests in cabin 16 arrived well before the storm. They’ve settled into their cabin and are watching the storm dump inches of powdery snow on the slopes of Mount Hoof snuggled under blankets and sipping hot cocoa. A jigsaw puzzle sits neglected on the table between them; it can’t compete with the artistry of the pegasus snowcrafters.

The overcast sky slowly darkens as Celestia lowers the sun. Lighting candles, the ponies reluctantly turn their attention away from the window and back to the puzzle.

As the evening wears on Northern Lights starts yawning. It’s not a school night, and she has no official bedtime while on vacation, but routines are hard to break. Her eyelids get heavy and it’s not long before the cabin is filled with her soft snores. Powder levitates her youngest daughter to one of the bedrooms, tucking her in and giving her a goodnight kiss on her forehead.

It isn’t long before she and her older daughters turn in for the night themselves. They’re all as giddy with anticipation as foals on Hearth’s Warming Eve – there’s been no snow in Whinnyapolis since winter wrapped up months ago, nor is any snow scheduled in their hometown for months to come.

The weather in Equestria runs on a schedule, and the pegasi of Our Town are quite proud of their abilities. Like clockwork, the snow tapers off just before dawn. The morning reveals a pristine winter landscape stretching for miles in every direction.

Four eager ponies are already up and having breakfast as rays of sunlight poke through the clouds. Cereal finished, Northern Lights leaps out the door and lands barrel-deep in the fresh powder. Snow’El, the only pegasus in the group, flies over the stuck filly, then lands in the snow on her back, wings spread. She’s made a perfect snow angel.

Snowcatcher helps the earth pony from the snow with her magic, while Powder floats over the scarf and boots the impatient filly had neglected to put on before dashing out the door.

“Awww, do I have to wear these?”

“Yes you do.”

Northern Lights grumbles, but relents. Snowcatcher brushes her off and Powder dresses her – the filly is in a hurry and unicorn magic can do the job quickly. Once Northern Lights is outside, the two unicorns start gathering the family’s skiing gear. Snow’El joins them to gather her own equipment.

Northern Lights barges in through the back door. “Do you wanna build a snowpony?”

[CHOICE]

They build a snowpony with Northern Lights. (hero)
No, but if Northern Lights doesn’t want to go skiing, maybe there’s another option… (chaos)
They’ve come to ski, and that’s what they’re going to do. (villain)

Villain

Powder looks her in the eye. “Northern, sweetie, if we don’t leave soon we’ll miss the lift to the top of the mountain and we won’t get to go skiing. You do want to go skiing, right?”

The filly sighs. “I guess you’re right.”

The four ponies pack their ski equipment and dash towards the pistes.

Northern Lights is uncharacteristically quiet as they ride the lift. Her mother and older sisters scatter to the double black diamond slopes, while she’s stuck on the bunny slope for beginners. She sighs. Not that she doesn’t enjoy skiing, normally, but that’s not what she wants to do today. It would be more fun if she was old enough to go on the harder slopes.

She makes a few halfhearted passes down the bunny slope and takes her skis off. She doesn’t need her sisters to help her make a snowpony, she’ll do it herself. Every once in a while, she sees one of her family members pass down one of the other trails. They’re all having the time of their lives. She sighs again as she rolls the snow into a ball to serve as the snowpony’s body. It’s not as fun to make all by herself.

She doesn’t get very far before a stallion wearing the ski resort’s uniform approaches her. Double Diamond patiently explains that this area is for skiing only and that a snowpony could become a hazard to skiers. His bottom line is that if she isn’t going to ski, she needs to leave. She gathers her equipment and trudges back to the ski lodge at the bottom of the hill. If she can’t build a snowpony, she’ll just sit inside drinking hot chocolate and stare outside longingly.

With almost all of the guests hitting the slopes, the lodge itself is mostly empty. The bartender walks over to her. “Another hot chocolate, miss?”

“Yes, please.”

“Whipped cream?” Barley Tender asks.

“Yes.” He squirts some whipped cream on top of her steaming mug. “Leave the can.”

“All right, miss.”

Author's Note

Story notes: https://www.fimfiction.net/blog/1041786/story-notes-snowed-in