One Fine New Year's Eve
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Twilight Sparkle was stressed.
Well that is to say, more stressed than usual. Why? Because she'd just turned in a report to Princess Celestia explaining the potential of shape-shifting magic. She'd been working on that report all week. It'd been turned in at sunrise, and now it was late afternoon! Still no comment from Princess Celestia. Not that it would come that fast, but still, the uncertainty!
"Oh, stop worrying. You've never failed a report before." Spike had told her. And he was right. She'd never failed one of the princess's tests before. But what if she did? Somepony always said there was a first time for everything. What if this was that time? That report had been really hard to write! What if it wasn't good enough? What would she do if she really did fail?!
Spike had finally convinced the poor mare to get out of the library and meet up with their friends like they'd planned. It was New Year's Eve, after all, and the whole gang was gathering at Fluttershy's cottage to watch the fireworks over Ponyville. And that's how Twilight Sparkle and Spike found themselves trudging through the deep snow on a cold winter day.
"Ugh! Why is there so much snow? Did somepony make the weather patrol mad or something?" She fumed as the pair pushed through the snow.
But Spike, despite having much shorter legs, didn't seem to mind the challenge. "It's not that bad, Twilight. Nothing we haven't dealt with before."
"You're just excited because it gives you an excuse to wear Rarity's present." Twilight pointed out.
Her comment made the baby dragon snuggle against the soft baby blue scarf around his neck. It had been Rarity's Hearth's Warming gift to him, and he'd been adamant about wearing it at all times ever since. Really, the thing needed to be washed. It was starting to smell. "This token of affection came from Milady Rarity! I don't need an excuse to wear it!"
"Of course not." Twilight said sarcastically before letting out a sigh. "Sorry, that was uncalled for. I'm just so worried that-"
"-that you might fail and disappoint the Princess, blah blah blah. You've been saying that all day, Twilight. You need to calm down Everything will be fine, just like always." The dragon sighed, wondering how he, a baby, had become the mare's voice of reason.
Twilight nodded stiffly, closing her eyes. "Right, calm. Not a problem. I can be calm. Just need to think calm thoughts..." She breathed deeply and tried to think about all the happy memories she'd made with her friends. It seemed to be working a while, until...
Twilight peeked her eye open when she heard something zooming towards her and Spike. In the distance she saw Rainbow Dash soaring right at them as fast as she could manage while holding two wads of snow on her front hooves.
"Rainbow Dash!" She shouted excitedly, "So good to see you! Why are you-"
"Flyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!"
Rainbow Dash zoomed between the two throwing the snow right in their faces. The duo paused as they tried to register what happened, looking at each other, the back ahead. Rainbow Dash flew back around to get a look at her handiwork, landing right in front of them. She held her hooves up to her mouth in an attempt to stifle her growing laugher.
She failed spectacularly.
"Bwahahahahaha!" Rainbow Dash laughed as she rolled on the ground holding her stomach. She was laughing so hard it almost hurt!
Twilight stared lamely at Rainbow Dash as she continued to find amusement in her little victory. But then she noticed a second set of giggles off to the side. Looking over she saw Pinkie Pie bouncing towards them with a look that could define glee.
"Oh wow, Twilight! You look like a snowmare! Well, not really a snowmare, I mean you've only got snow on your face. Hey, we could turn that into a project! And spike too! The snowmare and the snowbabydragon! Wow, that last one's a mouthful! The author really should have thought up a better word for it!"
NO! Bad Pinkie! No breaking the fourth wall!
"Aww, but it's sooooooo much fun!"
No means no, Pinkie Pie!
"Oh, fine." She pouted.
Twilight had absolutely no idea who Pinkie was talking to, but decided to chalk it up as Pinkie Mystery #437.
After magically storing her chalkboard she replied, "Uh, I'm afraid we'll have to decline."
Pinkie looked back to her in confusion. "Huh? What were we talking about again? Oh well, doesn't matter! Hey, Twilight! Your face is covered in snow. Can I make a snowmare out of you?"
Twilight facehoofed, knocking off some of the snow as she did. A small gasp was heard from behind her, too small to belong to anypony but Fluttershy. The gentle mare looked at Twilight and Spike with concern in her soft blue eyes, "Oh dear, are you two okay?"
Spike nodded for the two of them, "Yeah, no worries Fluttershy. Rainbow just took us by surprise."
Fluttershy looked down guiltily. "I'm sorry, I tried to stop her from doing it, but she was too fast..."
Twilight shook her head, smiling at her friend, "It's not your fault. Besides, no harm done. It's just a bit of snow." She reassured her.
The timid mare looked relieved when she said this and gave her friends a small smile from beneath her mane.
"Ah!" Came a small shout. A delicate, high class shout. That could only mean-
"Rarity!" Spike yipped with hearts in his eyes. He began scanning the area for her, but all he saw was the endless white plains of snow. "Where is she?"
"Right here, Spikey Wikey." Her voice came from directly behind him. He turned around to see a pair of disembodied eyes of the richest blue staring back at him.
Spike yelped and fell on his rear, crawling backwards as the eyes approached him. "Wh-what have you done with Rarity?!"
The eyes closed and a very feminine giggle was heard. "Silly Spike, it's me." Rarity removed her white hat, letting her purple mane flow freely in the open to frame her face.
Twilight giggled at her friend's small prank. "Wow Rarity, you really blend in with all this snow, and that hat is perfect camouflage."
Rarity looked nearly offended. "Twilight, this hat happens to be a very fine winter accessory. It goes perfectly with my eyes." Rarity huffed as she put her hat back on, but thankfully left her mane flowing free.
"Now what in tarnation happened here?" Applejack's voice came from further down the road. Twilight turned to see her friend trudging along the snowy road while somehow pulling a wagon loaded with shovels.
Twilight looked at her friend questionably, "Uh, Applejack, what're all those shovels for?"
Applejack looked up at Twilight confused, "Why for the big snowball fight, of course!"
"Snowball fight?" Twilight was one very confused unicorn today. And confused was something this unicorn never wanted to be, ever.
Rainbow Dash, who was now dry heaving for all the laugher, suddenly looked like she remembered something very important. "Oh! That's right, we couldn't tell you!" She picked herself up and flew over until she was nearly nose to nose with Twilight. "Seeing as we got all day to ourselves, we planned a big snowball fight!"
Fluttershy nodded uncertainly, "Does it really have to be a fight? Can't we just call it a snowball game? Please?"
Rainbow Dash shrugged, "Same thing! We're gonna do it in front of Fluttershy's cottage, so we can go all day if we want! Isn't that great?" She grinned excitedly.
Twilight just blinked as she backed away from Rainbow. "Gee, that sounds great, guys. I think."
"Huh? You think?" Pinkie Pie asked, "We're gonna have a blast! An endless afternoon of rough, gruesome snowball-style combat!"
"Meep!" Fluttershy squeaked.
"What's not to like?" Pinkie asked.
Rarity nodded in agreement. "Yes dear, you've been stuck in that dusty old library since Hearth's Warming working on your dreaded report, and we haven't seen you at all. We wanted to celebrate your return with something special."
Twilight's eye twitched, "First, my library is not dusty," she said as if the word tasted nasty in her mouth, "we keep it freshly cleaned, thank you very much." Her prim attitude fell when she finished, and she looked at the ground in embarrassment, "Second, to tell you the truth I don't know how to be in a snowball fight. I've never had one." She admitted.
Several jaws dropped when Twilight admitted this. Even Pinkie was at a loss for words. Not for long, though. "What do you mean you've never had a snowball fight?! That's, like, a cardinal sin! And I don't even know what a cardinal sin is!" She nearly shrieked.
"Even I've been in a snowball game. But I usually just hide in the snow..." Fluttershy muttered almost too quietly for them to hear.
Twilight was taken aback, but responded sheepishly, "Well, back in Canterlot I never had any friends to play with. And the winter was always so cold that I'd just stay inside and read."
"Of course." Rainbow Dash facehoofed.
Applejack frowned at her downtrodden friend. Quick as a cricket she was at her side with a comforting hoof on her back, "There there, sugarcube. Ain't nothin' ta be ashamed of."
"Yeah!" Pinkie shouted in excitement, "We'll get you trained up no problem!"
Rarity gave a small huff, "I must say a fight of any kind isn't usually my thing, but nonetheless I shall assist as well. Such a wrong must be rectified immediately!"
Fluttershy gave a small nod as she approached the group. "Don't worry Twilight, snowball games are easy and fun," she paused, "most of the time..."
Rainbow Dash grabbed the purple mare and dragged her in close. "Listen here, Twilight: snowball fights are just natural for everyone. Even an egghead like you can't fail!"
Fail!
Twilight's eye nervously twitched for a moment, but she quickly shook her head to regain her senses. What was that all about, she wondered.
Sike was the only member of the group to catch the twitch. As the friends made their way towards Fluttershy's cottage Spike silently prayed that nothing would go wrong.
Unfortunately for our baby dragon friend, things rarely went as planned for his six pony friends.
"Ooooooooooh, foreshadowing!"
What did I just say, Pinkie?!
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The seven friends stood out in the snowy field surrounding Fluttershy's cottage, with Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie staring down the line of potential recruits. Spike stood off to the side, having withdrawn himself from the first match for the sake of even teams. This left Applejack, Rarity, Twilight and Fluttershy all standing in a line for the team captains to choose from.
Rainbow turned to her fellow captain, "Seeing as I could beat you all by myself, I'll let you go first, Pinkie."
"I am not Pinkie!" She announced as she dashed off only to reappear as before the snow had settled, donned in a full military uniform and a...a riding crop? "I am General Giggles!"
Rainbow Dash looked at her nervously, "Oh yeah? Well then I'll be, uh...uh..." She trailed off, holding her hoof to her chin in thought.
"Colonel Clueless?" Rarity suggested, creating a few giggles from the others.
"No!" Rainbow said in a huff. "I'll be...Captain Wonderbolt!" She said, striking a dramatic pose.
There was a long awkward pause, which made Rainbow Dash think her friends were struck with awe at her coolness.
"More like Major Unoriginal." Applejack whispered, generating another fit of giggles.
"Hey! My name is awesome!" Rainbow defended her title.
"Oh no, darling. Applejack's must be at least 20% cooler." Rarity's comment made Applejack holler with laugher.
Rainbow growled at the two mares, but huffed and turned away. "Well, go ahead General. Pick your first subordinate."
"Roger that, Major Unoriginal!"
"It's Captain Wonderbolt!"
The pink mare narrowed her eyes as she examined each of her four friends. Applejack stood confidently at the end, while Rarity seemed more interested in fixing her hat than paying attention to her potential commander. Twilight looked unsure as to what she should be doing; she never played sports in school. And poor Fluttershy did her best to hide herself in her mane, trying to blend into the background like Rarity had.
Nodding to herself, the General made her choice. "Very well! I choose...Fluttershy!"
The whole group blinked, sure that their ears were playing tricks on the lot of them. It still seemed more likely than Fluttershy being picked first. But Pinkie Pie just smiled with all the confidence in the world; the exact opposite of her chosen recruit, who's eyes were larger than dinner plates.
"M-me? But I was always picked last..."
"Nonsense! You're an essential piece in my grand strategy! Come forth, Commander Shepherd!"
The newly dubbed 'Commander Shepherd' walked over to her General's side as her heart pumped as much blood into her cheeks as possible. "O-okay, Pink...General Giggles."
Rainbow stared as the yellow pegasus made her way to Pinkie's side, shrugging as he did. "Oh well, my turn then." She turned to look at her remaining recruits.
Applejack watched as Pinkie pulled Fluttershy into a confident embrace. Really, picking Fluttershy first? She loved the little pegasus to death, but everypony in Ponyville knew she was the finest mare to have in a tussle. And just like with apples, she could hit a parasprite from an orchard away with snowballs. But she shrugged it off as Pinkie being Pinke. Surely she'd be chosen next.
"Rarity, come on down!"
Rarity stopped wrapping her mane beneath her hat when her name was called, "Just a moment Rainbow, I need to get this just right." She tipped her hat a few centimeters to the left and smiled. "Done! I'll be known as the Elusive Agent!" She said happily as she trotted over.
Applejack's mouth hung open. She'd been backlisted again?
"Perfect! Just one more!" Pinkie said as she looked between Twilight and Applejack.
Applejack finally picked her jaw up. Just what in tarnation was going on here? Picking the princess and the mare who would cry if she stepped on an ant over her? Well, now it was just between her and Twilight, and she'd never even been in a snowball-"
"Twilight! Welcome to the team!"
"Oh what the hay?!" Applejack threw her hat to the ground in frustration. She then realized what she did and looked guiltily at Twilight. "Sorry, Twi. No offense."
Twilight just shook her head, looking even more confused than she was. "None taken. Pinkie, you do realize I've never been in-"
"Shizishishishish!" Pinkie shushed her as she slapped her hoof with the riding crop. "You'll give away the plan! And from now on it's General Giggles, Private Periwinkle!"
Twilight sighed as she walked over to her team. Sometimes she wondered what it was like inside Pinkie's head, and then she realized she should stop right there. It was probably a very dangerous place.
Rainbow Dash looked back at Applejack for a moment, and shrugged, "Well, that's everypony." She said as she turned to join Rarity.
"Now wait an apple-pickin' minute! I'm still here! How could y'all just forget me?!" Applejack shouted at the pegasus.
Rainbow looked over her shoulder and raised an eyebrow, "You're playing?"
"Of course I am!"
"Ooooooh. I thought you were sitting out."
"That's Spike!" She pointed her hoof off at the baby dragon on the sidelines, who was too busy cuddling his scarf to care.
"Oh. Oops." She said stupidly. Then she gasped, her eyes sparkling like diamonds as she flew nose to nose with the orange mare. "So that means you're on my team, right? Right?!" She grinned as she pressed the question.
"Looks that way." Applejack sighed. "Guess I get a name, too. Just call me Lieutenant Buckingham, got it?"
"Yes! We're gonna be unbeatable!" Rainbow stretched her arms high in victory. She started shadowboxing as she walked Applejack back to their meeting point, going over all the ways they were gonna beat that General Giggles into the powder!
"Sure, whatever you say, Colonel Clueless."
"That's Major Unoriginal! Wait, I mean Captain Wonderbolt! Ugh!"
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The two teams took their positions on opposite sides of the field and began to build their defenses with the shovels Applejack brought. Twilight and Fluttershy began building a defensive wall while Pinkie towered over them shouting Commands.
"Private Periwinkle! Fix that slanted wall! No, more snow on the left! No wait, right! Great! Now just a little more-"
"Pinkie!" Twilight shouted, "We haven't even started digging yet." She pointed to the untouched snow before them.
Pinkie examined the snow, looking sheepish, "Oh yeah...my bad! I got ahead of myself!"
Twilight rolled her eyes as she took the shovel in her mouth and began to dig. In five minutes they had enough snow built up to form a wall. They started shaping it into a proper defense and soon the found themselves with comfortable cover from the other team's fire. Even General Giggles approved.
"Great work, team! Now those REAPERS don't stand a chance." She chirped.
"Reapers?" Twilight asked.
"Yeah! Rainbow's Enemy Alliance of Pesky Evil Resistance and Stuff! REAPERS!"
"Uh...huh." Twilight looked skeptical, "So why did you pick us again?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Pinkie asked.
"Um, not to me..." Fluttershy said sheepishly.
Pinkie rolled her eyes at the ignorance of her two squadmates. "Private Periwinkle's here for beginners luck! And Commander Shepherd will bring an army of cute little animals to bear down on our enemies!"
Twilight and Fluttershy exchanged worried glances before looking back at their General. "Uh, do you remember that time I tried ice skating during winter wrap up? Or waking up those animals? Beginners luck...not my thing."
Pinkie's face blanked as the memories came rushing back, but she quickly shook it off. "No matter! We still have the animals!"
"About that..." Futtershy began, "Most of my little animal friends are hibernating for the winter. They're all nice and snuggly, and won't wake up until spring."
"That can't be!" Pinkie screamed. "It's a fight we can't win, not without help! We need every critter, and all their families to even stand a chance against the REAPERS!" She threw herself at Fluttershy's hooves.
"Bears?"
"Hibernating."
"Bats?"
"Hibernating."
"Hedgehogs?"
"Hibernating."
"Chickens?"
Fluttershy raised an eyebrow, "I don't think chickens can throw."
"So you're saying there's a chance!" Pinkie said with stars in her eyes.
Twilight gently prodded her prone friend who looked about ready to kiss Fluttershy's hooves if it meant she would bring some critters. "It's okay, Pinkie. Even without your plans we can still have a fun game."
"You're right!" Pinkie suddenly sprang into the air. She straightened her helmet and fluffed her uniform, stepping up to the barricade. "Even if the situation is hopeless, we will not yield to the REAPERS! We fight or we die, that's the plan!"
"D-d-d-die?" Fluttershy squeaked.
General Giggles began pacing along the battlements as she addressed her troops, "The enemy has us outgunned. They think we'll just roll over and die. But even in the face of overwhelming defeat we will stand strong! Together, we will hold the line! We shall not fail!"
Fail!
Fail!!
Twilight's eyes began to twitch as General Giggles continued her dramatic speech, "Today ladies, we fight as sisters against a great unknown. No matter the odds, we will stand united to accomplish what others said was impossible!"
"That was you..." Twilight shook her head to end the twitching. Why did that keep happening?
"So rise, my sisters! Rise for the end of the world!"
"Meeeeep!" Fluttershy was quivering by the end of the speech, crouched on the ground with her hooves over her eyes.
"Private Periwinkle, rise!"
Twilight sighed, "I'm already standing!"
"Eager for the fight, I like it. Commander Shepherd, rise!"
Fluttershy tried to shrink into herself, but to no avail.
"Riiiiiiise!"
"Okay..." She whispered quietly as a mouse.
"RIIIIIIIISE!"
"Okay!" Came her high pitched squeak. She planted her shaking hooves into the snow and cautiously forced herself to up. Once she was up she gave her General a strained smile. "Th-there. Up."
"Good!" General Giggles turned to the battlefield, looking across at Rainbow Dash. "You ready to catch frostbite, Major Unoriginal!"
"That's Captain Wonderbolt! And we're gonna bury you under a mountain of snow!"
"Then to waaaaaaar!" The two shouted, firing the first volley of snow. The battle was on.
Fluttershy gasped as she saw the first snowballs hurdling through the air. She dropped to the ground and covered her head with her hooves, shaking like a rattlesnake's tail.
Twilight idly dodged a few snowballs with a bored expression on her face. Was this it? Throw, dodge, rinse and repeat? What could possibly be so fun about this? She started entertaining herself by calculating the trajectory of each snowball that came her way, estimating where it would land. She was spot on 97% of the time.
"Private Periwinkle, don't just stand there! Throw something!" Pinkie ordered as she launched another barrage at Applejack.
Shrugging, Twilight picked up some of a snowball and took aim, right at a distracted a Rainbow Dash. She wound her hoof back and threw it with all her might!
The ball floated gently through the air, plopping to the ground halfway down the battlefield.
Applejack saw the whole spectacle, raising an eyebrow. "Wow Twi, I need to get you helping on the farm more often." She chuckled.
Rainbow turned to see what was going on, and predictably started laughing. "Bwahahaha! Good one, egghead!"
Twilight fumed, shooting a nasty look at the two ponies in varying states of laughter. The orchard pony flashed her a cocky grin, "Here, let me show you how it's done."
Lieutenant Buckingham tossed four snowballs into the air and turned around, bucking them as they fell straight at the purple mare. Twilight yelled and ducked behind the wall and covered her head. She cringed as she felt the snowballs fly fit past her; Lieutenant Buckingham had bucked them right through their wall!
"Nice work! Now it's my turn!" Rainbow Dash called as she took to the air with a load of snowballs in one hoof. She flew over to the enemy outpost and began circling above, raining snowballs down upon the defenseless mares.
"Take cover! It's death from above!" Pinkie ordered as she dodged the falling snowballs. The flying pegasus focused on the General on her assault, paying no mind to the bumbling unicorn or the cowering pegasus. But the pink earth pony was just too fast, weaving in and out of fire.
"Aw, shucks!" The leader of the REAPERS said as she threw her last snowball. Now she had to go back for more.
The pink pony watched as Major Unoriginal flew back to base to rearm. "We need to fight flier with flier! Commander Shepherd, you're up!"
But the poor mare's wings were furled tightly against her body, refusing to budge. "I can't! It's too scary!" She said through chattering teeth.
"Curses! Guess we have to break out the big guns!" General Giggles announced as she readied her party cannon.
"Where the hay did that thing come from?!" Shouted a startled unicorn.
General Giggles readied her cannon with a giant ball of snow and aimed it in the air above the enemy base, waiting for her target to take flight
"Hold..."
Major Unoriginal took to the sky.
"..hold..."
She started flying towards their base...
"...FIRE!"
The party cannon launched the snow into the sky, right in the Major's flight path. The pegasus didn't even know what hit her.
"Bwah!" She shriekd as the snow blasted her back through the sky. Major Unoriginal cried as she began to spiral down towards her base, leaving a blooming rainbow in her wake. Lieutenant Buckingham dove for cover as the pegasus landed in the snow, leaving a small crater as snow scattered in the air.
"Direct hit!" The General celebrated her small victory by leaping into the air. She watched as the dazed pegasus shakily climbed out of the hole with her Lieutenant's help. Wait, something was off. One, two...
"Where's The Elusive Agent?" She asked.
Fluttershy heard crunching snow in front of her. She cautiously looked through her hooves to see who it was, but was only met with a pure white background. Snow blanketed everything in sight. It didn't seem like anypony was there.
And then a pair of rich blue eyes opened right in front of her.
"So sorry dear, but I fight to win." The Elusive Agent hissed as she raised a snowball. A single tear escaped Fluttershy's big cerulean eyes as she found herself frozen, unable to escape her fate.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" The General cried as she dived forward in slow motion, putting her body between Fluttershy and Rarity just as the snowball left her hoof. The icy cold ball burst against her chest. She gasped deeply as she took the hit, falling to the ground in a heap.
"Rarity!" Twilight cried, throwing a barrage of her own at the stealthy mare at such close range even she couldn't miss. But The Elusive Agent simply closed her eyes again and disappeared into the background, running back to her base.
Fluttershy caught the fallen General before she hit the snow. The pink mare groaned as her friend slowly lifted her, a look of concern shining in her eyes. "It's growing cold...so cold..." She whispered.
"Are you okay, General?" Fluttershy asked desperately.
"I...I don't think I'm gonna make it. I see a bright light..."
"Uh, that's just the sun..."
"A briiiiiiiiight light!" She gasped. She turned her head to her dear friend, who was struggling to hold back tears. "Shepherd...you have to stop the REAPERS."
Fluttershy shook her head, "I can't! I'm just too weak. Not like you."
General Giggles held her hoof up to the yellow mane's face, wiping away the now free-flowing tears, "Go out there and give them one hay of a fight. You were born to do this."
Fluttershy froze at her touch, looking at the General's small smile as if she'd just received the greatest gift in all of Equestria. "General..."
"The mission's yours, now...Commander." The hoof slid off her face and went limp as the General closed her eyes.
Fluttershy began shaking, holding the body of her fallen comrade tightly against her own. Tears flowed unrestrained from her eyes as she cradled her dear General. In a fit of sadness and loss she threw her head up and shouted to the gods.
"GENERAL GIGGLES!"
Twilight tried to keep up the fight as Fluttershy cradled Pinkie's body. But with three against one, it was hard for even her to avoid all the enemy fire, let alone plan a strategy.
She ducked behind cover as Lieutenant Buckingham fired a few more high speed missiles, for they could not be called mere snowballs. She was about to get up when she saw Spike approaching her, looking a little queasy.
"Twilight, I think it's coming..."
"What now, Spike? I'm a little busy!" She shouted as another missile flew through the wall under her hoof.
"It's a letter...it's coming!" Spike shouted as he let out a loud burp of green flames before falling over in a heap. From the flames emerged a small royal letter bearing the Princess's seal. Twilight gasped and pounced on it, jumping up and down with anticipation once she had it.
"My results! My results! I'm so excited, I could just...eh?" She froze when she looked across the field to see three mares with evil grins on their faces as they bounced snowballs in their hoofs.
Spike's fire had melted the wall, leaving her completely exposed.
"Oh dear."
"FIIIIIRE!" Major Unoriginal called as the three sent everything they had at the poor pony. She didn't even have time to dodge before the first snowball hit her. She tried to count the number of hits; one, then two, four, seven, but there were just too many. He staggered back with each blow. By the time the barrage had stopped she couldn't feel the open air on any part her body. She shook her head to get rid of the snow and looked down. Her entire body was covered in snow.
The Elusive Agent gave a very ladylike chuckle, "Look, girls. We made that snowmare after all." Her whole team burst out laughing. Twilight growled from within her snowy prison, but before she could react Fluttershy stepped in front of her, carrying an enormous pile of snowballs on her back. Her head was down, with her mane covering her face.
Major Unoriginal managed to stifle her laughter and shout, "Hey, Fluttershy! You make friend with any bugs hiding in the dirt?"
Lieutenant Buckingham raised an eyebrow, "There no ants out-" The Major shushed her quiet before looking she continued staring cockily at Fluttershy.
Fluttershy was silent for a long moment before she raised her head, shooting the REAPERS a look that chilled them to the very bone.
"General Giggles is dead, and Private Periwinkle is trapped. But I, Commander Shepherd, am still here!" Her eyes held a strength that none of them had ever seen before. Calm, determined, but with a blazing fire that just begged to be released!
"You think you can come here and just take my comrades away from me? Not likely. Today, you will pay for your arrogance. I will fight, I will sacrifice, and I will find a way to end the REAPERS once and for all!"
Commander Shepherd began walking towards the enemy position, tossing snowballs as she did. Major Unoriginal finally recovered from the shock of the Commander's speech and ordered her mares to fire everything they had left. Blow after blow struck the yellow pegasus, but not once did their attacks hinder her advance. She kept throwing her snowballs until she had no more, and then she rushed at the base as fast as she could.
The Major's eyes widened as she called, "Brace for impact!"
Commander Shepherd rammed through the snow wall, scattering the REAPERS as she landed on their leader. She pinned all four hooves to the ground and got right in her face, "Surrender!"
The blue pegasus growled and dug her wings into the snow, tossing the huge pile at her aggressor. "Never!"
But the Commander hardly seemed to notice, "You will give in! I will not fail!"
Fail!
Fail!!
FAIL!!!
The gears in Twilight's head began to click, her mouth split into a grin so wide it looked like she could swallow a pony's head. And one might think she would, judging from her unmade mane and crazed look in her eyes.
Fail? Twilight Sparkle did. Not. Fail! Not in tests, not in quests, and certainly not in a snowball fight!
"I'll show them...I'll show them all!" Twilight cackled as her horn began to glow. The Elusive Mare and Lieutenant Buckingham had gotten up to assist their teammate, but were having a hard time against the lone pegasus. They were all so preoccupied that they failed to notice the snow beginning to rise for all across the field, coming together into a giant snowball in the sky.
Major Unoriginal was the first to see it, being pinned on her back. She went silent as she watched the snowball get bigger and bigger and bigger, just as her jaw got lower and lower and lower. Her companions noticed too, and soon they were staring as well.
Commander Shepherd finally stopped shouting when she saw the shocked look in Rainbow's eyes and looked up to see what all the fuss was about. Her expression soon matched the mare beneath her hooves. Her eyes shrunk to the size of peas as she squeaked, "Oh my..."
Twilight released the spell, letting the giant snowball fall upon its victims like a meteor. Snow blasted across the field from the impact as the massive ball burst apart. Snow flew back into the air and began descending, making it snow all over again.
Twilight cackled like an old witch as she bounced over to the top of the pile. Four heads popped out of the top of the snow looking dazed and confused, especially Fluttershy.
"Ooh...what happened? I feel funny..." She trailed off.
Twilight bounced right up to Rainbow Dash, pressing her nose against hers. "I win, right? I pass!" She said as her eye twitched nervously.
Rainbow Dash glared at her, "Mmfhm hmm drmm...fmh?"
The two looked down questioningly at Rainbow's mouth, catching the sight of the scroll that was trapped in it. "Gimme that!" Twilight yanked out the scroll, much to Rainbow's annoyance.
"Hey!" She cried.
But Twilight was too busy unfurling the scroll to care. She read its contents with unrestrained glee.
"My dear Twilight," she began to squeal, "Have fun today, and have...a happy new year...yours truly, Princess Celestia..." She looked positively devastated. These weren't report results...
"P.S. think fast?" She raised an eyebrow at that last part. "Well what's that supposed to mea-"
Splat!
A single snowball magically flew from the scroll smashing into Twilight's face. The mare was stunned, standing there as the snow slowly fell from her face. Her friends were just as shocked as she was, letting their mouths hang agape as they stared.
"Ha...haha...ahahahahaha!" Twilight suddenly started laughing. Not cackling, laughing! One by one the other mares began laughing as well, joining the merry chorus echoing throughout the field.
Suddenly Pinky Pie shot forward, hopping up and down beside Twilight, "Wow, that was amazing! Fluttershy went all whoom, and then Rainbow was all wham, and then Twilight was all smash-"
Twilight rolled her eyes as Pinkie broke into a rant, and showed no sign of stopping. She rolled her eyes until she was looking at the snow, suddenly forming an idea.
"Hey Pinkie?" She said casually.
"And then I said all 'wow, that was-', huh? What is it Twilight?"
Splat!
Pinkie blinked away the snow around her eyes to see Twilight barely containing her laughter. Pinkie processed what happened and broke into a grinned, "Wow, good job Twilight! I never saw it coming!"
Twilight was about to thank her when Spike came running up. "Twilight, behind you!"
Twilight turned around to see her four other friends, now no longer buried beneath the snow. Each had a mischievous glare, and a snowball in their hoof.
"Hey girls...no hard feelings?"
Spaspaspasplat!
What followed was incomprehensible chaos. Snowballs and laughter filled the air as the friends immsersed themselves in a senseless melee. Even Spike joined their playful game. The serious competitive spirit had disappeared, and all that was left was a group of friends playing in the snow on New Year's Eve. For the rest of the afternoon the seven of them laughed and played in the snow without a care in the world. They couldn't have asked for anything more.
________________________________________________________________________________
Princess Celestia stood on the highest balcony of the tallest tower in Canterlot castle, watching the fireworks going off around her to welcome the New Year. The sparkling lights danced in her eyes like they had over a thousand times before. Like all the ponies across Equestria, she took a moment to reminisce about the year gone by, and wonder about what lay ahead in the year to come.
But whatever challenges may lie ahead, she was sure her people could overcome it. Time after time when all hope seemed lost, the powers of love and kindness rose up to overcome evil and restore peace to the land. And much of the thanks went to her precious student Twilight Sparkle, and the rest of her friends in Ponyville.
Speaking of which...
"Oh!" The Princess said I surprise as a scroll appeared in front of her. Looking at the seal she could tell it was from Twilight. She chuckled a bit at the memory of her earlier letter to the young mare. After watching her from afar stressing over her report she decided she needed a little incentive to loosen up. That, and even princesses needed a good laugh.
"Now what would inspire you to write me at the dawn of the New Year?" She asked as she magically unrolled the scroll.
Dear Princess Celestia,
I realized something today. Every New Years I spent in Canterlot I would always think back on my accomplishments. What I'd learned, what I'd done; but I never had any friends to share those memories with, and it was lonely. Reminiscing now I realize how empty those years had been, and how much I'd been missing all that time. I could read all the books in the world, and while I still plan to do it someday, even that couldn't possibly make me as happy as I am right now.
So as I sit here with my friends watching the New Years fireworks, thinking about all the memories we've made together, I'm hopeful for what the New Year will bring us. New challenges, new adventures, and maybe even new friends. But I know whatever comes our way, so long as long as these ponies are with me I'll have no regrets.
Today I realized I need to thank you, for everything you've done for me. Not just for the lessons, but or the things I never thought were important. Thank you for sending me to Ponyville to make friends, and thank you for making me study the magic of friendship. You cared about more than just my knowledge or my studies, and I've become a better pony for it. You taught me exactly what I needed to know. When I look at all the good memories I've made, I know it's all thanks to you.
So I just want to say thank you, Princess Celestia. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Your faithful student,
Twilight Sparkle.
The princess paused to wipe a tear from her eye as she finished the letter, feeling a powerful warmth radiating from within her chest. She looked down into the valley, where Ponyville's own festivities were well underway. Somewhere down there Twilight was watching the fireworks with all her friends, probably bundled up in warm blankets and drinking hot chocolate after a long day in the snow.
Celestia smiled to herself and looked back at the letter. She prepared to store it with her other lessons on friendship when she caught one last phrase scribbled beneath Twilight's signature.
P.S. Think fast!
Celestia blinked. Oh, she wouldn't dare!
She did.
Splat!
________________________________________________________________________________
*Image used with permission from jewlecho on deviantart
Ni'Rala: Well, that's all, everyone! Hope you enjoyed and-
Pinkie: Surpriiiiiise! Happy to see me?
Ni'Rala: Pinkie? What did I tell you about the fouth wall?!
Pinkie: Aww, quit your bellyaching. The story's over! Besides, I brought friends! Come on in everypony!
Rainbow: I'm here! Wow, this place is enormous!
Applejack: I'll say. And just look at all those people. They're staring at us…
Fluttershy: Oh…my. So many…meep!
Spike: No kidding. Hi everypony!
Pinkie: So many people! Hi Melissa!
Applejack: You know someone out there?
Pinkie: No, but I bet I just made a bunch of people named Melissa very happy! Yay!
Ni'Rala: This is nothing. You should see all the people at the popular fics!
Rainbow: Hey, cut it out! You're scaring Fluttershy!
Fluttershy: *quiver*
Ni'Rala: Hey, it's not my fault! You're not even supposed to be here!
Twilight: Maybe you should learn to control your characters better. This is your story, right?
Ni'Rala: Wait, you think I can control Pinkie Pie?
Applejack: He's got a point there, sugarcube.
Rarity: So sorry I'm late. I had to find the proper outfit. What do you think?
Twilight: It's gorgeous!
Rainbow: Awesome!
Fluttershy: I think it's your best work yet, Rarity.
Pinkie: It's super-duper-fantabulous! You could bring world peace with that outfit!
Applejack: I have to agree, it's too amazing to even describe. We truly are blessed to be in its presence.
Spike: *drool*
Ni'Rala: …What, you expect me to comment? I'M A MAYUN, DARN IT!
Twilight: No, you're a Quarian, who watches a show targeted at little girls and wrote a fanfic about it.
Ni'Rala: Because it's awesome!
Rarity: Riiiiiight. *whisper* I think he's crazy!
Mane Six: *whisper* Agreed!
Twilight: So why are we here again?
Ni'Rala: I dunno, you barged in here, remember? Well, I was going to recite a cheesy poem I wrote to wish everyone a happy holiday. You care to join me?
All: Sure!
Ni'Rala: Great! Pinkie, you start!
Pinkie: Okie-dokie-lokie!
Pinkie: Another year is behind us,
Rarity: And there's still so much to do,
Applejack: But we hold together, faithful and strong,
Rainbow: And keep our spirits true.
Fluttershy: So thank you for sharing kindness,
Spike: And from all Equestria to you,
Twilight: We wish you all the very best,
Ni'Rala: And a Magical New Year's too!
