It was the middle of the winter in Ponyville. Actually, it was the middle of winter in all of Equestria, except for Las Pegasus and Cloudsdale. Technically, it was the middle of the winter there, too; however, since Las Pegasus was desert-y, inasmuch as a cloud city can be desert-y, one would hardly notice it was winter. Cloudsdale, too, looked pretty much the same as always, being above the clouds and all, so they didn’t get much snow, unless a confused weatherpony mixed up a cloud order, although it was slightly colder than usual.
The festivities of Hearth’s Warming Eve had passed, and things had gotten back to their usual state around Ponyville. The joy of snow had been replaced by the drudgery of it, and everypony’s euphoria at togetherness around a fire had turned into a mild cabin fever, at least for the ground-bound ponies. As usual, the pegasi were flittering about Cloudsdale doing whatever it is they do when they aren’t making weather.
Two pegasuses were not in Cloudsdale, but rather sitting at a table in Sugarcube corner. One of them, a shy custard pegasus, was sipping a tall hot chocolate, while the other, a bubbly blonde, was enjoying a warm scone.
“It really wasn’t my fault,” the blond pegasus said between mouthfuls of scone. “Some kind of mix-up at the weather factory. Mislabeled cloud.” She took another bite. “Wasn’t supposed to be lightning in it.”
“But, um, that doesn’t explain the damage to the town hall,” Fluttershy replied.
“Well, it turns out the construction was sub-standard. It was something the mayor was going to investigate after the Mare-do-Well episode, where that building collapsed and the dam almost did.”
Fluttershy smiled. “I remember that.” She sipped her cocoa. “It was fun flying around and pretending to be a superhero, but, um, I was afraid somepony was going to get hurt. I’m glad they investigated that.”
“It worked out ok in the end, anyway.” Derpy licked a few stray crumbs off her plate. “I mean, I’m glad that I don’t have to work weather patrol anymore; it gives me more time for my family.” She frowned at the empty plate. “Not as good as a muffin, I guess.”
Suddenly, the door swung open with a blast of crystal empire air. Tiny spicules of snow swirled around the lavender unicorn, who appeared oblivious to them as she gazed around the store.
“Close the door,” Fluttershy whispered. “Were you raised in a barn?”
“Hmm?” Twilight stepped inside, swinging the door shut behind her. “No, but AJ was, I think.” She stomped her hooves on the doormat, knocking enough slush off to reveal the tops of her yellow snowboots. “Has anypony seen Pinkie?”
Derpy swiveled her glance around to take in Twilight and the empty counter. “I think she’s got the day off.”
“Really?” Twilight looked surprised. “I mean, she’s here all the time. She practically lives here.”
“Um, actually, she does live here.”
“Oh well, I guess I’ll check with Rarity.”
With a purple flash, the unicorn disappeared.
“Why didn’t she do that to come in?” Fluttershy looked up to see Derpy standing at the front counter, pointing a hoof at a raspberry scone, and sighed. “Why does nopony ever listen to me?”
~ ~ ~
“I fail to see how this helps me find Pinkie,” Twilight groused as Rarity adjusted yet another scarf around her neck.
“Well, darling, your help helps remind me where Pinkie is,” she commented, critically measuring the tail ends of the scarf. “For example, when you came in, I quite forgot where she was, because I was suddenly inspired to try my new line of family-sized scarves on somepony, and you were somepony, so--”
“Why not try it on yourself?”
“Oh, no, I couldn’t do that. The orange clashes with my fur color quite badly.”
Twilight snarled. “Of course it does. It clashes with everypony’s fur color. Even Applejacks. Why on earth would you have made a hundred-foot long orange scarf?”
Rartiy‘s focus drifted off. “Well, that’s actually Sweetie Belle’s doing. I had her wash a blanket, and somehow, this is what came out. In retrospect, I suppose that I should be grateful that it isn’t covered in sap, since Scootaloo and Applebloom helped her wash it.” She snapped her eyes back to Twilight. “Still, that’s neither here nor there. I herby pronounce the family-sized orange scarf...a dismal failure.” She unwrapped it from Twilight and drifted it towards a wastebasket overflowing with bright orange scraps, then began to drag her fainting couch over. “This is the worst. Possible--”
“DO YOU KNOW WHERE PINKIE PIE IS?”
“Oh. Heh, she’s ice-skating on the lake.” Rarity looked over at the couch, and then back at Twilight. “With Rainbow Dash.” She paused, waiting for Twilight to say something. When no response was forthcoming, she winked. “If you know what I mean.”
“I do,” Twilight said brightly. “I never knew Rainbow Dash was interested in ice skating. I’ve been studying, though. Since last Winter Wrap-up.” She blinked. “Ice Skating.” She blinked again. “Not Rainbow Dash.” Twilight teleported herself away.
“That wasn’t what I meant at all,” Rarity sighed.
~ ~ ~
Twilight popped in a mauve burst next to the lake, sending a small flurry of flakes shooting away from her body. For a moment, she thought about how interesting it would be to study that phenomenon, but then caught sight of Pinkie twirling about in the center of the lake. Twilight was about to call out to her, but decided to watch instead as she spun around on her back hooves, then her front hooves, then skated forwards and backwards, seeming effortlessly. Finally, Pinkie noticed her, and waved a hoof.
“Twilight! Are you here for skating lessons? ‘Cause I bet I could teach you.”
Twilight shook her head. “No, I just came to ask you a question about your next party.”
“Oh!” Pinky focused her bright blue eyes on Twilight. “Yuppers! I’d almost forgotten about that! Silly Pinky, forgetting about a party, what kind of party planner would I be if I forgot about anypony’s party?”
“Well, the invitation wasn’t exactly clear,” Twilight muttered.
“Sorry,” Pinky said, pointing a hoof to her ears. “I can’t hear you too well, ‘cause I’ve got these fantastic orange earmuffs on. They’re really quite warm, I can’t believe that Rares would’ve just tossed them out. They go with my fur so well.”
“I said, the invitation wasn’t exactly clear,” Twilight said, louder this time.
Pinkie shrugged, and continued to skate.
Twilight snorted, and stepped out onto the lake. As she reached the center, Pinkie began to skate sideways in lazy circles around her, always keeping her head pointed towards Twilight.
“The invitation wasn’t exactly clear,” Twilight repeated, spinning around to try and keep Pinkie in sight.
“Oh, yeah, sorry about that. It got wet,” she explained.
“The invitation got wet? How?”
“Well, it fell in the lake,” Pinkie confessed.
Twilight looked around her. The entire lake was covered in a thick sheet of ice, with no imperfections save the crisscross marks of Pinkie’s skates.
“How did it fall in the lake?”
“Well, Twilight, I think of you like a sister.”
“And?”
“And sisters are like the bestest friends ever.”
“Is this another one of your random stories? Make it quick, I’m getting dizzy.”
Pinkie rolled her eyes. “Ok, fine. Sometimes, sisters play pranks on each other.”
“What do you mean--”
Unseen by Twilight, Rainbow Dash launched herself off a low cloud and smashed into the weakened ice just behind Twilight’s rear hooves. With a loud crack, the ice broke, dropping Twilight into the frigid water before she could finish her sentence.
“So, that was the invitation to your falling-through-the-ice-into-the-lake party!” Pinkie skated across the ice as a sputtering Twilight levitated herself out of the water. “First hot chocolate’s on me at Sugarcube Corner!”
Author's Note
Pinkie on Ice
Admiral Biscuit
