A Series of Unlikely Occurrences

by XYZDreadnought

Chapter Thirteen - The end of the beginning

Snowy, Paradox, and his parents all sat around the living room, with Walter having just served drinks, as they all listened to Paradox recount the events up to this point.

“... and that's about as much as I know.” said Paradox, wrapping up.

He looked around the living room to see the reaction. Walter, who knew all this already, stood impassively, surveying the scene. Arthur was silently contemplating everything he was just told, his face a mask of careful consideration. Rachelle was doing similar, but was rather distracted by Snowy. Paradox wondered whether Snowy would contribute anything, but she was too busy considering whether it was more rude to ask for a refill during a discussion, or licking the bottom of the cup for the last of the chocolate milk, and had stopped listening to the conversation. She eventually decided on doing the latter much to Rachelle’s silent delight.

“So… Miss Snowy landed in our grounds… from another dimension?” said Arthur, trying to wrap his head around this.

“Apparently.” said Paradox, as Snowy was too engrossed in her activity to answer.

“And she is the same kind of creature as you are?”

“Well technically she’s a unicorn, but yeah, she’s a pony like me.”

“And how did she end up here, I mean, apart from falling down.”

Paradox opened his mouth to respond, and then shut it again, how did Snowy end up here? At his parents expecting looks he racked his brains for anything Snowy might have said. “I think she mentioned something about a magical accident, I haven’t really asked.” he admitted.

Arthur shook his head. “Well I guess we can always ask her now,” he said turning to Snowy, only to find her muzzle deep in her glass licking the bottom for the last of the chocolate. “Ehem, Miss Bitterfrost?”

At her name being addressed she snapped back to reality. Unfortunately she also happened to inhale sharply, sticking the glass to her muzzle.

Arthur watched in baffled amazement as Snowy’s face seemed to stretch cartoonishly as she tried in vain to remove the glass from her muzzle with her magic, then forehooves.

Paradox’s face contorted in a way that suggested he was trying his hardest not to laugh.

“It helps if you breathe into the glass,” said Rachelle, sympathetically

Snowy stopped her one sided battle with the drinking implement, and after a brief pause to consider, did as was instructed.

Paradox opened his mouth to comment, but was silenced by a hoof in his mouth.

“Don’t,” warned Snowy, before turning to Arthur, hoof still lodged firmly in Paradox’s muzzle. “I’m sorry, did you wish to speak to me?”

“Well first, could you…” Arthur said, gesturing to her hoof.

Reluctantly, she removed her hoof, and then absent mindedly wiped it on the couch.

“We were asking if you could tell you tell us how you came to be here,” he said Patiently.

Snowy was expecting this, and had come prepared. “I suppose so, but first I must properly introduce myself, I am Professor Snowy Bitterfrost of the Canterlot Academy of Magical Studies.”

“You’re a professor?” said Paradox incredulously.

“Why yes, yes I am,” said Snowy with a hint of pride, “and I’ll have you know I am one of the most respected in my field.”

‘However narrow that field may be’ her logical side reminded her. Which was true. Chaos magic had very few sane practitioners, and to be respectable, you just had to be skilled, understand the theory, and try your hardest not to cackle. Her pride decided to ignore this fact.

“And what is your field, if you don’t mind me asking?” said Arthur, hoping to gain some insight into her character.

“Well broadly, it is the study and application of chaos magic,” she said her chest puffed out proudly, reminding Rachelle of a little white bantam. “But more specifically I am the Chair of Distortion in the A.M.R. Department, or the chaos magic department for the layman.”

“You are a chair?” said Arthur.

Snowy must have detected a hint of disbelief, because her posture shifted from the puffed out chest of pride to the slight hunch of suspicion. “Why yes, is there a problem with that?”

Arthur, noting the shift in disposition, added tactfully. “I meant no offence, I just didn’t expect it from one so... young. usually a chair is a position of considerable seniority.”

Snowy wasn’t quite happy with the delay on young, but she didn’t think this situation would survive her being as petty as usual, so she held her tongue. “I understand, in most cases you are correct, but in my department, it's rare to find practitioners with both the talent and the stability of mind to fill the position, not to mention that applicants have to be hoofpicked the the head of department, which sometimes leaves empty chairs if there are none that meet his standards. I was taken right out of my graduating class, apparently there hadn’t been a chair of distortion for five years before I was selected. Most of the other chairs aren’t much older then me, excluding the departmental administrator.”

“I suppose in a limited field… What exactly do you mean by mental stability?” said Arthur.

Snowy waved her hoof dismissively, “Oh that, Chaos magic is known for inducing megalomania, god-complexes, detachment from reality, misaligned moral compasses and various other eccentricities in its more unstable practitioners, so much so that the department requires psychological screening. It's an unnecessary exclusion, If you ask me, I mean, just because our powers can bend the very fabric of reality, we get special attention? It's not that I disagree with the caution, but I fail to see why mental stability is any more undesirable in my profession than it is in say, for a doctor. Considering how many mad doctors I have read about in the paper, I think the medical profession could do with more vigorous mental health screening…”

Snowy then noticed a tension in the air, and that Paradox’s parents had unreadable expressions. She had forgotten that she was not talking to contemporaries. “What, are you worried about my mental stability? I said my department had mental health screening, I’m fine, it's not as if going to go Nightmare Moon at the drop of the hat, besides, last week my therapist gave me a relatively clean bill of mental health, so there is nothing to worry about.”

“You have a therapist?” said Rachelle weakly.

“Oh come on, you’re going to react to that too?” said Snowy, beyond annoyed. “What's wrong with a perfectly sane mare having a regular shrink? I mean, ponies take regular visits to the doctor in order to see if their bodies are still working, what's wrong with me taking regular visits to a psychologist? The mind is just as important as the body, and the problems there are harder to notice, ponies should be paying more attention, not less, but they don’t, because of some dumb stigma that seeing a psychologist is only for crazy ponies, and ponies are too afraid to admit that they might have problems that need professional help!”

After Snowy's little triade, there was a rather pregnant pause as Snowy threw her snout in the air in indignation.

After letting the pause go on for longer than anyone was comfortable with, Arthur cleared his throat. “I’m sorry, we seem to have offended you.”

“Hmph!” said Snowy, her nose still firmly in the air.

“I don’t suppose we could leave this topic and instead talk about how you got here?”

Snowy cringed internally. ‘Damn, nearly got away with it.’

Lowering her snoot to meet their expectant gazes, and sighed. Might as well get it over with. “I was working on a device I called the void window, designed for peering into other planes of existence,” she paused for dramatic effect, before continuing. “It worked exactly as I had intended, but on the day I was presenting, due to circumstances beyond my control, the device broke, and the discharge of energy catapulted me out of my plane and into this one.”

“What exactly do you mean by ‘circumstances beyond your control’?” said Arthur skeptically.

Snowy gave an annoyed scowl, both at the question and the circumstances in question. “The auditorium wall exploded, and a piece of shrapnel impacted the window at terminal velocity.”

“Oh.” said Arthur, “How did that happen?”

“I don’t know,” snapped Snowy, “it wasn’t as if I was able to find out afterwards!”

“Does that sort of thing happen often?” said Arthur.

“Only when it does the most damage to my life,” groused Snowy, she could feel her thin temper deteriorating rapidly. “Excuse me, I seem to be slightly on edge, mind if I step outside?”

“By all means.” said Arthur, gesturing to the door.

Snowy hopped off the couch and stalked out of the room.

After Snowy’s hoofsteps petered out Arthur turned to Paradox. “Well Paradox, she certainly is an… interesting character.”

“I know, right?” said Paradox enthusiastically. “An actual pony from equestria, isn’t it exciting?”

Rachelle and Arthur traded glances, to which Paradox responded by gradually lowering his head. “I know… not exactly the nicest pony is she?”

“She certainly is… prickly,” said Rachelle, “She reminds me of a small angry dog.”

“She does seem to take offence easily,” said Arthur. “Mind you, that's not exactly uncommon for professors, I find.”

“So can she stay!?” blurted out Paradox, adopting a pleading gesture. “Just until she finds a way home, please?”

Arthur was mildly taken aback. “You seem awfully keen on her staying, Paradox.”

“Well…” said Paradox, rubbing the back of his neck before sighing again. “It's just… She is a pony, like me, likely the only pony I’ll ever meet, I’d just like to get to know her before she finds a way home. I’ve never had a friend before, I’d like to give it a shot with her.”

Rachelle thought that it was the sweetest thing ever.

Arthur was skeptical, he wondered if Snowy had any interest in such things.

Snowy, who was listening at the door, tried her hardest not to groan, that was about the cheesiest line she had ever heard.

“So will you let her stay?” said Paradox, using his big pleading eyes to the best effect.

Arthur couldn’t help but chuckle. “No need for that, I assure you we are not going to turn someone in need away just because they lack people skills, she seems harmless enough despite her demeanor. I see no reason why she shouldn’t be allowed to stay.”

“Besides,” said Rachelle, “It might be good for you to have someone else around you can talk to. Just be careful to give her space when she needs it, she doesn't seem to be an overly social pers… pony.”

“Thanks, I will!” said Paradox. “You think she will be happy, when she hears?”

“I believe she is already quite content with the news.” said Walter from behind Snowy.

With a startled squark, Snowy jumped, inadvertently landing in the door.

With everyone looking at her, she gave an awkward cough. “Well, um. Thank you for your hospitality, I will endeavor to be a good guest… And if you will excuse me I might just retire to my room.” Snowy quickly evacuated the scene.

Arthur shared a glance with Rachelle. “This is going to be an interesting time, isn’t it?”

“My thoughts exactly,” said Walter.

Author's Note:

Uggh... this is not my best work

But I just needed to get this out of the way so I can get on with the rest of the story, Friendship, fluff (and eventually Romance) abound, with lots of grumpy pony to fill in the gaps.

Edited as always by m2pt5, with his help I'm gettting better every time!

Comments

[Mix-up]

It great to see an other chapter after waiting for so long, I hope it will take a more momentum. If Paradox is going to go live in Equestria his parents would probably try to make sure that he can live there in the most comfortably as possible, if there is no sure way that they would ever see again. Gold and diamons probably won't have much worth in Equestria seeing how much their are just littering around, so I wander if steel might actually be the equivalent in worth to Earth seeing that in RPG cold steel can inhibit magic so it might have its uses to the ponies. I wander what is Paradox's level of education, I suppose that he could have studied in corespondents to a university but it would still have been hard to keep doing actual work, as he doesn't seem to have worded a day of his light even if he does work out. I an not sure that Snowy will be of much help for him, as he is rather shy and gullible, seeing how much focused on her wants and needs along with her explosive personalty, but the both of them would make quiet the pair.

[Amethyst Blade]

Psychologist STUDY and analyze the mind.
Psychiatrist help guide and CURE the mind.

[XYZDreadnought]

7690433 Actually that is a common misconception, while psychology can have more of a research focus, the only real difference between a psychologist and a psychiatrist, is that a psychiatrist has three years medical training on top of their psychology qualifications, which allows them to prescribe medication. Most therapists are psychologists.

[XYZDreadnought]

7690230 Glad to see someone interested enough to start speculating on the future of my story

As for your speculations... well you'll have to wait and see.

[axl bishop]

an update?...yeeeeeesssss

stayclassy

[XYZDreadnought]

8173957 I don't see why, I haven't even read it.
pinkie.mylittlefacewhen.com/media/f/rsz/mlfw7557_huge.png

Kinda interesting too see someone take an interest in this old story, I would have thought the time since last update would have put people off. I do intend to finish this story at some point, but until I have a but ton more free time (university and whatnot), I'm gonna keep writing the easier new story.

[XYZDreadnought]

8184729 Nah, he's just a minor deity of contrived circumstance and the million to one chance.

I put him in as an incredibly forced joke.

[XYZDreadnought]

8195632 Go ahead, I'm always up for criticism as long as it is constructive.

[XYZDreadnought]

8204748 What about that spell is illegal? its not even a branded variety, you can't get this stuff any way else, that's why Snowys hair is so fab.

As for the stairs, would you be surprised if I said no

[XYZDreadnought]

8206616 If you like, I suppose sure, I always like a bit of constructive criticism, would you like me to send a link to my docs?

Mind you this is an old story, and I'm probably not going to be getting back to it in a while, but if you want to edit, then I'd be happy to let you.

[axl bishop]

8207691
that sticks i really like this one, but i understand

stayclassy

[Salizar65]

I want more

[StarzGecko]

Would be cool to see more