//------------------------------// // Chapter three: Winter wrap up // Story: Shadows of the nightemares from the past. // by Thundering star //------------------------------// The winter snow lay thick over Ponyville. Fillies, colts, mares and stallions strove through the large masses of snow as they made their way to perform the tasks they were assigned to do for this year's Winter Wrap Up. There was a lot to do this year too. A lot of the extra snow had to be cleared out of the way before most of any other jobs could begun, thus Twilight, the event planner for Winter Wrap Up in Ponyville, was forced to remove many pones from their normal jobs to work with the snow cleaning team, which was currently causing problem for her. "What’s the matter Twilight?” Spike asked as he rode on Twilight's back down the temporary road created by shoveled away snow. “That's got to be the eighth groan in a matter of ten minutes." "It's nothing Spike. It’s just that because of all this snow, most of the other teams been cut down to almost nothing, which gives us less time to finish this all up. One of them is the team that is supposed to get the southern birds home..." Spike got a puzzled look as he brought forth the list of the Winter Wrap Up teams. "But last time I checked we had at least one pony there. Shouldn't that pony be able to....” A look of understanding dawned on Spike's face as he finished looking up on the team again. “Oh..." "Yeah, that is the problem. We need to have another pony to help keep Ditzy from getting lost again..." finished Twilight as Rainbow Dash floated down in front of them. "Why not let me go?” Rainbow said as the group stopped up to inspect the roof clearing group. “I could really use a good flight to get rid of all this snow moving." "Rainbow, you know just as well as I that your talents are needed here. Plus you would most likely end up flying away from the group of birds while racing one of them..." Twilight said. "Yeah, just like last year.." Spike said with a snicker. "Aww come on!” Rainbow complained. “That eagle totally challenged me! You expect me to not accept?" Twilight just shook her head before they headed on deeper into town, following the paths dug up. "The fact remains, Rainbow, you're needed here. What we need is a pony that currently doesn't have any task. Unfortunately, there are currently no other ponies else that are-" (Twilight stopped mid-sentence when another set of Pegasus wings joined them in front of the group. "No pony else that can what?" asked Feather Bolt as he tilted his head on one side with a slight grin on his side. "Bolt, of course! Why didn't you ask him, Twilight. Or put him on any of the other jobs, for that matter?" asked Spike. "Well, I didn't want to bother him about it since he is not technically a citizen of Ponyville." replied Twilight with a slightly nervous smile as Bolt dropped down on the path in front of them. "I would not have minded. Really, I like to help." he said with a confident smile. Twilight and Rainbow Dash exchanged looks. "Well....all right then. You are to help gather the southern birds and return them to Ponyville. You are also to help the other pegasus who is going to fly with you on keep the right course, as she has had the habit of...eh...missing the route." Bolt smiled even more and rubbed his hooves together eagerly. "Easy deal! Just tell me where I can find her and I'll..." He didn't get any further didn't as he was suddenly buried under a large pile of snow. ”Sorry!" said three filly heads that had appeared from the top of the roof, one orange pegasus, one snow white unicorn and one cream yellow earth pony. "We thought it was a wagon group down there." explained the unicorn. Bolt's head appered out of the snow pile, shacking off some of the snow on the top of his head before dragging himself up. "Are you okay mister?" asked the earth filly as Bolt finished dragging himself out of the pile of snow. "Yeah, I'm all right. Just got caught slightly off guard, that’s all." he replied as he turned to Twilight. "As I was about to say, where do I find her, and who is it?" Twilight seemed to look unsure for a moment. "Well..." ************************************* Bolt walked up behind a gray pegasus with a saddle over her flank, looking around as if seeing if there was anypony else around. "Ehm” Bolt said to get the gray pegasus's attention. “Hey, I'm looking for a Miss Do?" The grey Pegasus turned around, showing a set of off-set golden eyes and a light yellow mane. "That's me! I'm Ditzy Do." she said smiling as she took Bolts hoof and shook it wildly. ”Pleasure to meet you Mr....ehm....what’s your name?" Bolt had to grab a hold of the hoof after Ditzy had let go to stop the shaking. "I'm Bolt. Feather Bolt. But you can just call me Bolt. Much easier to remember." Bolt smiled friendly, but his eyes seemed to switch where they were looking, back and forth, back and forth again. "Ehm....you okay Bolt, do I got something on my face?" Ditzy asked worried. "Eh...no...It’s just....ehm....you know what, never mind, let's just be on our way to gather the southern birds shall we?" He began flapping his wings, Ditzy following after him. "So you are new around town?" Ditzy asked as they flew. Bolt nodded slightly. "Yeah, I arrived during that winter storm a few days ago. Ended up crashing into the town’s library where the famed Elements of Harmony were gathered." Ditzy suddenly seemed a little saddened. "Oh, I see..." Bolt noticed this, his brows frowning slightly. "Was there something I said that was wrong? Oh dear..." "Well eh...enough about me thought; tell me a little about yourself, what kind of work do you do around town?" Ditzy seemed to perk up slightly. "I am...well...just the postmare around here. I deliver the mail and sometimes I help with some larger deliveries at a moving company." "Really? Well, do you like the job, easy to do and so on?" Bolt smirked. "Perhaps I can save myself from what I said wrong back there." he thought hopefully. However, those hopes where shattered as Ditzy appeared down again. "It should be, but I just end up messing it up by dropping deliveries on other ponies. I'm not so bad with the letters, but during deliveries....ponies often end up hurt." "Oh dear....I....eh....don't know what to say..." was all Bolt managed to get out. "Smooth you idiot," Bolt berated himself. "Why did she have to end up with me? I am about as good with ponies as with Hydras." "You...don't have to say anything.....I-I know that you think I'm...that I'm stupid...I saw how you looked at my eyes..." "Brilliant, Doctor Bolt, master of jerks. You already hurt one pony's feeling." They had stopped flying as Ditzy began to sob slightly. "Ah nonono, don't do that, common....I didn’t look.....well I did, but I didn't think you were stupid." he defended. "Didn't think?!" shoot Ditzy back. “So you think now I am?" "Bloody good job, Bolt, you big, stupid dolt...." "Argh...no, I mean that you are not stupid. I never thought you were, and I don't think so now. I looked because....well...” Ditzy looked at Bolt, a small spark of dislike in her eyes, which had managed to focus both on him, much to his displeasure as it gave him the feeling of double scolding. "Because?" She demanded. Bolt let out a sigh. "Look Ditzy, I am not good at talking with ponies. I've used most of my time traveling alone, not talking a lot with other ponies. So you are not the stupid one. That job is mine." Ditzy seemed to calm down at this, so Bolt figured it was safe to go on. "As for why I looked like that, no offense, but I could not fully decide which eye to focus my attention on without being rude, but it looks like I failed worse than I have ever done before..." Ditzy's eyes seemed to lose the disliking look in them. "It's okay....you didn't mean it...." Bolt looked at her, this time focusing on one place to not appear rude. “Thank you Ditzy, now, let's get those birds, I think we have wasted enough time on this." Ditzy perked up and nodded. "Yes, let's go!" she exclaimed as she flew off. Shortly after, she turned around with a slightly nervous grin on her face. "Ehm....which way is south again?" Bolt was about to reply, but then realized that he didn't know either. "Oh, buck... the one task I'm supposed to do this Winter Wrap Up....and I mess it up big time....I'm normally so focused and able to tell the direction, but get me the least of distracted and it’s a miracle that I don't end up hitting the ground..." he said, placing the hoof over his face. "I brought the map for the directions, but I managed to leave the compass behind in belief that the sun would be enough, but I forgot one drastic thing..." Ditzy looked on him confused. "And what was that?" she asked. Bolt pointed to the cloud covered skies. "I forgot the bucking clouds are covering the sun!" he said as he face hoofed again and brought out the map. "Let’s try and see if we can find out where we are. Hopefully it won't be to hard." Ditzy flew up next to him, eyeing the map with both her eyes on different spots on the map. 'Freaky, but hopefully effective...' Bolt thought as he looked around the area, and then back on the southern parts of the map. ****************************** Ponyvile About the same time ****************************** Applejack was working hard to remove the last of the snow from a large field before they could begin planting thee seeds, but while she trotted there, her mind was far away, this new arrival, Bolt, the moment he had told her and her friends why he had left, that was the moment she knew he was lying, and deep down she flet distrust towards him. "why couldn't he tell us the truth....why lie to us like that?" she mumbeled as she keept her snowplow moving, pushing the snow away for the others to plant the earth behinde her. As she keept on wandering she wondered why the others seemed to trust him, Twilight had even sent him out to gather the southern birds, he had barely arrived a few night ago, and she allready trust him to do that task properly. Because her plow of thoughts didn't she see where she was going and ended up bumping into someone with the snowplow. "Oh....Am, so sorry!" Applejack unfastend herself to the plow to see who she had hit, but was slightly suprised and calmed down when seeing it was Pinkie Pie, who was giggeling slightly on the ground. "No worries Applejack, but what are you doing out here anyway, the fields are over there." she pointed a hoof towards the hills where the other of her team was, looking towards her with a mixture of worry and confusion. "But what the hay are you doing here then?" was Applejack reply, until she realised something, the ground she had been standing on was not ground, but thick ice, she had been wandering out on the ice without noticing, which was slowly drifting apart, leaving the two of them stuck out on the lake. "Great....how am Ah supposed to get back to land?" Pinkie grinned playfully before walking over the water apperently like it was land. "Like this silly." she replied as she grinned again. Applejack looked after Pinkie Pie with a slightly confused look before placing a hoof carefully to see if Pinkie acually was right, but the water was much deeper than Pinkie had been showing, her hoof just could not reach the bottom no matter what she did, she could not even see the bottom at all. "How the hay did she do that?!" was all on Applejack mind as she looked towards the others back on land, all apperently snikcering or chuckeling. "Stop with that and get some rope before the ice melts, or ah'll make ya all get this plow up!" she shouted at them, which made them all act as they had not noticed her before now, and some of them gallopet off to get a rope or something, before Twilight appered with Spike on her back taking notes. "Twi, could i get some help over here!" Twilight looked at Applejack before letting out a sigh. "Applejack, the ice don't need to clear up for snow, get back here before the ice seperaters come." replied Twilight as she was about to turn and walk away. "Twilight, wait, they have allready been here, I'm stuck!" Twilight turned and took a second look, adn true enough, Applejack was on a single iceland, which was holding both her and the plow up from the water. "How can it handle the weight?" wondered Twilight as she called over a pegasus. "Could you get Applejack and the plow back to land again, there are still seeds to be planted and we can't loose another plow..." The pegasus salutet and flew out to Applejack with a rope given to him by one of the returning ponies, while Applejack realised that the ice was beginning to break. "But what am ah supposed to tie the rope to?" shouted Applejack as the rope was dropped infront of her. "The ice is way to slippery to hold on to!" Applejack looked around for something to bind the rope to fast, but there was nothing here, then she had an idea, she went to the opposite of the ice piece, planting her hooves on the side, shivering by the cold water that leaped over them as she did so. She bit down on the rope before shouting true her theets. "Ahm seth...go!" the pegasus wasted no time and hauled Applejack towards the shore, the cold water chilling her hooves alot. Soon they reached the shore, but the ice didn't go slow enough to avoid Applejack getting throwen forrward as the hauling pegasus didn't stop, carrying Applejack until she hit a area not cleared for snow. "You allright Applejack?" asked a worried Spike as Twilight stepped up and pulled the slightly confused Applejack from the snow, letting her catch some breath before questioning her. "What happend, why did you walk out on the ice like that?" Applejack just stood up before shacking her head. "Ah was jus' lost in mah thoughts, thats all." She was not lying, she just didn't say what she was thinking of, she knew she should not think such of Bolt, but she had the feeling of him not being who he said he was. Twilight let out a sigh before turning around and looking over the snow plow. "Well, you are allright atleast, so is the plow, you wish to finish up your work?" Applejack nodded before walking up to the plow, fastening herself up again. "Ah've allready wasted enought time that could have been used tah clear up this snow, I should not waste more, thank ya fer helping me." she nodded before trotting off, this time fully focused on her job as Twilight and Spike trotted of in the other direction. "You really think she's allright Twilight?" Asked Spike as they neared the town square to check up on the rest."I mean, she is one of the few who would just end up on the ice like that." Twilight nodded with him. "Yeah, I just hope it won't happen again, we still got alot to do, and we can't afford loosing another plow like the once Pinkie lost." Spike thought back for a moment before muttering more to himself than to Twilight. "I still don't get how she managed to send ten plows into the lake like that..." **************************************** Somewhere else **************************************** "Gah! Nothing seems to fit....there’s no mountain on the map, but right there, there is one!" he shouted, pointing at a big hill, pointing out of the forest. Ditzy keep looking on the map. One eye at least. The other seemed to look at said mountain. “That is because we are not on this part of the map. We're right here." she said placing a hoof on the eastern part of the map, where a small mountain was drawn. Bolt face hoofed again. "I can't believe it....I can NOT....BELEIVE.....THIS!" he shouted. "East instead of south, how the Buck did I manage that.....ARGH!" Ditzy took the map as Bolt kept on groaning and cursing, looking at other landmarks in the area. "Calm down, Bolt. I think I can point out the right way from here." Bolt stopped in his tracks and flew up to her. "Really, which way?" Ditzy pointed in one direction. "That way I think." Bolt looked on the map, then at the direction Ditzy was pointing, then at Ditzy. "How did you manage to get lost the last times you went out?" he asked curiously. Ditzy looked to the ground far below them embarrass. "Eh....well...first time was when someone placed a magnet in my bag, making the compass useless without me knowing, and second time I...eh...well mistook the north arrow from the southern one...." Bolt just nodded before rolling the map up. "All right then, we have already wasted enough time on Chit-chat. We should head out if we are to make it back with the birds before the day is over." Ditzy took a pocket watch out of her saddle and opened it. A distressed look appeared on her face. “Oh no! We won't make it unless we can fly about as fast as Rainbow Dash!" she said. Bolt took in the surroundings and found a small open area with a tree-branch sticking out into the open. "I got it. It’s about as crazy as fighting a manticore, but it might just work, come along." Ditzy had a confused look on her face as she saw Bolt dropping down to the branch to do what looked like "aiming" it before beginning to bend the strong branch. "What are you doing?" she asked as she lowered down to him. "Using this branch as a catapult. We might be able to launch our selves to our destination...with a bit of careful aiming and a lot of luck that is." Ditzy seemed to look at the branch with one eye, while the other keep on Bolt, her mind realising his plan. "This is just like those plans of the Doctor..." she said smiling before she began helping Bolt pushing the branch further back, careful not to break it. "Doctor who?" asked Bolt when they got the branch in position and turned to face forward. "Just...The Doctor, really....you should meet him once." she said as Bolt made the final adjustments. "Maybe later yes, but for now..." They both folded their wings, letting the sprain on the branch send them flying sky high and far southwards while Bolt screamed on the top of his lungs. "FOR THE ADRENALINE!" ************************************** Ponyville The end of the day ************************ Twilight was trotting back and forth infront of the library, her friends all gathered up and watching her as she keept trotting, exept Applejack who seemed to just look into nothing in deep thoughts. Everything had been going so well. Now all that keep the spring from being on time this year was the birds, which were currently missing along with the ones who was supposed to pick them up. "I told you to let me go and get them." complained Rainbow Dash as Twilight kept trotting. "Darling, please stop worrying. I'm sure that Bolt will get back even with Derpy along him." assured Rarity. Twilight slowed down into a stop. "What about you Applejack? You've been awfully quiet for a while now." Twilight asked, turning the subject over towards something else to get her mind off of the current predicament. Applejack snapped out of her train of thoughts and looked up at Twilight. Though the least tired pony of the group, even she had been very out of breath after all the work. "I don't know....I just can't seem to trust him....after that he told about leaving because of a fight with his parents....I could tell, clear as day that he was lying." The others looked puzzled at Applejack as she told this. "Why would he lie to us about that?" Fluttershy asked as she looked up at the sky, the cloud free and darkening sky. "Don't know....but one thing is for certain, he..." Applejack was interrupted by something; the sound of many flapping wings. They looked up to see a large group of birds arriving, Ditzy flying down to the group with a smile on her face. "Sorry we're late. Had a bit of a detour on our way back." She smiled as her eyes looked over the gang, one by one.....while the other just looked behind her. "Where is Bolt? Twilight asked. She was swiftly answered by something sounding like a woodpecker that was working on a tree with a lot of 'ow’, 'stop it' and 'cut it out!' to accompany it Bolt landed in front of them with a Woodpecker sitting on the top of his head, pecking like crazy on it. "Here-ow-I just having a-stop it-problem with this-for the love of Celestia, could someone get this woodpecker off me!" Fluttershy flew up to the woodpecker. “Excuse me mister, but eh...that is my friend's head you are pecking on. Could you perhaps, please.....eh...move to your new home?" The woodpecker looked at Fluttershy for a moment, gave Bolt a few extra pecks, and flew off. "Finally!” Bolt exclaimed. “That thing has been going non-stop since we picked it up." Rainbow Dash could not hold down a snicker. "He must have mistaken your thick skull from a piece of wood." she said before falling over in laughter. Twilight stepped up. "Don't mind her; I'm just glad you managed to help Derpy here guiding the birds home." Bolt got a confused look on his face. "Derpy....who’s Derpy" Ditzy cleared her throat to get his attention. "It's eh.....kind of my nickname....Derpy Hooves..." Bolt just nodded before turning to Twilight. "Actually....Ditzy here managed to get us on the right course after I managed to get us lost....it’s her you should be thanking..." They all looked surprised at Ditzy as she smiled sheepishly. "Aw come-on, if it had not been for your idea to launch us like that with that branch, then we would never had been able to make it in time." "Well it’s thanks to you for managing to gather up those birds that flew off when we arrived. I didn't even notice that last one that almost flew away from the group if you had not seen it." "Well you were the one who took on to having that Woodpecker on your head instead of me when it attacked." replied Ditzy, grinning slightly. "Aw come on, what are.....friends.....for..." Bolt almost seemed to stop speaking, his eyes seemed to dull down, loosing its gleam slightly. "If you don't mind...I'll be...heading for bed now....the eh....woodpecker gave me slight the headache..." he muttered as he turned towards the library's and walked off, leaving a few confused mares behind. ”What was that all about?" asked Pinkie as they watched him enter the library. "Don't know, but I intend to find out..." declared Applejack as she began to go after him. Twilight, however, held out a hoof in front of her. ”Applejack, maybe the reason he lied about leaving home is because he does not wish to speak about it. Maybe he had no friends back there...." Applejack let out a slight snort, but let it be. "Beside," she continued before yawing slightly. “This has been the most tiring Winter Wrap Up ever. I think we all have deserved some sleep. Good night everypony.” They all said good night before leaving to their respective homes, Applejack shooting out an angry glare and snort at the library as she did so. ****************************************** It was very late as Twilight was woken up by a sound from the first floor. She lit up her horn slightly to give her enough light to see by without waking Spike, or her guest downstairs. As she entered the main room, she saw Bolt rolling around in his sleep, mumbling nonsense out loud. "No....I didn't......I'd never....she's......no...no no" She quickly realised that he was having a terrible nightmare apparently, she turned off the light on her horn as she walked closer to him, only to jump back as he shot upright. "I didn't kill her!" He shouted. Twilight quickly hide behind the chair as Bolt sat up on the couch that he was using as a bed. Twilight held her breath as she waited for Bolt to fall back asleep. A gasp from Bolt sent shivers down her spine as her mind sent thoughts of that he had seen her or something How had Bolt seen her? She was behind the chair. The only thing behind her was the window, not a mirror or something that could reflect her. The window! She looked ahead where she realized that a shadow, her shadow, created by the full moon shinning through the window, was on the ground. There was commotion and then a thud that surprised Twilight. She peaked over the chair and saw that Bolt had tumbled over the back of the couch opposite of where she was, giving her some cover as she teleported herself to her room. "What all this commotion?" asked Spike as he appeared on the top of the stairs, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. Bolt quickly sat up, looking distressed at the spot where he could have swore he saw the shadow of a unicorn. Twilight stepped out beside Spike, trying to look like she just woke up as well. "Yeah...you all right there Bolt?" Bolt stood up again, shaking his head slightly. "J-just a bad dream....t-t-that’s all, sorry for waking you up." he said quietly before sitting down on the couch again. "Well don't make such much noise next time okay?" Spike said over his shoulder grumpily heading back to his basket and blanket. Twilight looked at Bolt with concern before he gave her a smile that most likely was meant to reassure her that he was fine. It didn't. Something wasn't right here "All right then.....good night then Bolt...." Twilight said as she followed her assistant back to their room. Her mind raced with over a hundred questions. "Why did he act like that when he saw my shadow? What was he dreaming? Who was this mysterious mare that he was accused for murdering in his dream?” These questions kept going as she laid down in her bed, trying to fall asleep, questions pestering her until she finally fell asleep. All while Bolt dried a sweat of his head. "it...it was just a dream.” He thought to himself. “He could not have followed me through the storm, right? He could not possibly have been so driven by hatred and evil that he would do something as stupid as that. No.....no this was most likely shadow of the nightmares of the past...My past.” ________________________________________ Once again thanks towards my new editor, and to you aduience for reading.