One cyan eye opens, noticing the strange new surroundings as the young pegasus groggily begins to re-enter the world.
Snowflake felt pain, lots of pain. It lances through her small frame, causing her to writhe in agony. She felt like she had been fried. She runs a hoof tenderly through her mane and the world stops as realisation floods her system. Her wonderful mane of icy goodness is missing, replaced by a strange frizzly thing. She withdraws her hoof in horror, unbelieving the situation.
"It's nice to see you awake, dear."
Snowflake jumps at the alien voice. She lies there on the bed trying to appear asleep, cracking an eye open to catch a glimpse at the intruder of her small realm.
A careworn green earth pony stands in the doorway of her humbly clad room. Like the careworn room, the mare's well groomed brown mane hangs from her aging shoulders like roots from a tree, carefully woven together. Her muted mahogany eyes gaze at the startled filly with motherly care.
"I was starting to fear my efforts were going to end in vain. It's not every day I am privileged with having a fried filly crash land in my humble abode."
Snowflake does her best to hide behind her frizzly mane. "Um… Where am I? W-what happened?"
"My poor dear." The mare carefully makes her way up to the nervous filly. "I am Leaf. You have been my unexpected visitor for the last few days."
Brown eyes check over the young mare who does her best to hide the emerging pain as the drug of sleep fades. "As for what happened… I guess you didn't fare too well in that mighty storm your elder pegasi put on for us."
Snowflake’s eyes light up in horror, she didn’t know anything of a planned storm. She never even paid any attention to what the silly weather pegasus ponies were doing anyway. She sighs, 'I gotta pay more attention to those weather warnings'. She sits up, barbs of pain eat at her skin, itching in unbearable ways. 'What has happened to me? I feel like I've been hit by lighting or something.'
Leaf notices the the obvious pain of the poor creature. The green earth pony puts a caring hoof on her shoulder, gently pressing her back down into bed.
"You don't have to get up. I have come to treat your injuries. Please, lie back down and allow me to continue… sorry, what was your name dear?"
Without moving, the pink filly responds slowly. "Snowflake. Um…" she trails off, too stranger-shy to continue.
Leaf grabs some strange looking cloth that fills the room with a pungent aroma, causing the pink teenage pegasus to gag. Cyan eyes open wide as Snowflake backs up, unwilling to allow herself to come into contact with the stranger’s rags.
"Look, either sit there in pain or lie down and let me help you. I know it smells bad, but it will make the pain go away."
"It's not the smell," cuts back Snowflake, her smart mouth talking for her brain as she eyes the soaked rags with a nervous look.
"Come here." The earth pony moves in wearing a motherly look on her face that tells the young mare she needs to obey.
Little eyes close in submission and Snowflake complies, hoping the mare is right in her claims.
She lets out a sigh of relief as the strange concoction seeps into her, calming the painful tingles.
"And I must say, I've never seen a cutie mark like yours before."
Cream pink ears perk up. "Huh? My what?"
"Don't you know what a cutie mark is dear? Oh, what do they teach you fillies these days?”
“Um... yes...” A small pink head turns and cyan eyes widen as she gets her first glance at a snowflake with a lighting bolt running through it. The cutie mark stands out against the light pink of her flank. 'Years of trying dumb stuff... and I get it like this?' She poses the question to herself unbelievingly.
“Try to stay still with that healer.” Leaf observed the wound, smiling at the effectiveness of her brew. “You’ll be up and at it soon enough. But I don’t want to catch you near lightning again!”
“But I wouldn’t have my cutie mark,” Snowflake argues, a smart look entering her young features. “Maybe this happened for a reason?”
“Oh, I’m sure it did. But, I wouldn’t take second chances with lightning strikes. Especially ones that leave a young lady in pain.”
Snowflake nods in agreement, turning her attention away from the mare.
“Are you hungry? Why don’t I whip you up something?”
“Are you sure? You don’t have to...” Snowflake diverted back to her normal persona.
“I didn’t have to take you in, heal you several times, and pretty much welcome you into my house. Do you think making a meal seems too far-fetched after what happened? Don’t worry dear! I can make you something.”
“How about lasagne?”
“Sure! That healer should be done here in a couple minutes. You can relax. Where are you from?”
“... Cloudsdale...” comes the faint reply.
The kind healer nods in understanding. A few moments of quiet pass.
The teenage pony builds up the courage to continue “I... I was looking for Canterlot. Actually… I've really wanted to see it ever since I was a young filly. To see the Princess for real. Guess that didn’t go as planned, huh?”
“You know something dear? I always look on the bright side of life. I’m sure you will have quite the story for the Princess.”
“I don’t know. After this, should I really still go? I mean, look at how much trouble I’ve already gotten myself into,” Snowflake frowns. “Besides, she’s the mighty princess. Why would she want to see some lighting baked filly?”
“Oh horseapples! Go for your dreams! You already have your cutie mark! I’d say you are on the right path!”
Chills of confidence send the pegasus to her legs. “You’re right! I’m going to do it!”
The young mare storms a few steps with the confidence of a Wonderbolt. Snowflake’s wound proves a quick reminder her of the consequences of resuming her Canterlot quest.
“Hold on,” Leaf trots over to aid Snowflake. “I love your spirit, but maybe you should rest a couple days.”
“Yes... another time. That lasagne is starting to sound really good.”
Snowflake allows herself to be led back to her bed with the help of the kind earth pony.
"Okay. Now I'm just in the next room if you ever need me."
“Thanks.” The whisper of a reply is almost inaudible against the sound of receding hooves.
‘This … sucks.’ She casts one last glance around her plain makeshift room then rests her head in her forehooves, unleashing a sigh. A few dull moments of boredom give way to wild ideas and her mind temporarily abandons her pained body.
Jumping with fright, she remembers something imperative to her latest idea. Casting a paranid glance back across her fried flank, she confirms the presence of her long awaited cutie mark. ‘I wonder what I could get that rainbow and her fillyfriend to do. I am master of the storm now Dash.’ A high pitched squeal of a laugh escapes as she entertains her new mischievous thoughts with immature delight.
--------------------------------------------
A few days pass peacefully. Snowflake enjoys every moment, especially when she is allowed outside to play in the snow. All the while she continues to dream up wild fantasies involving thunder and awe-struck ponies. Although she knows control of the elements is an impossible feat for a pegasus, she allows her imagination to run rampant. The silly ideas please the ground-bound pegasus, allowing time to slip easily by.
--------------------------------------------
A pink form charges through the snow, throwing wild shouts of joy into the wind. Her small white tipped wings brush the snow sending electrifying jolts of cold through her system energising the excited filly. Launching herself into the air, she tests her precious wings. The feathery appendages carry their owner through the air with ease. As her first day of flight outside she is determined to make the most of playtime before resuming her quest.
Landing in an ungainly fashion, she proceeds to charge into the nearby trees, gazing in wonder at their bare forms, the way naked branches form a snow covered network. It is something new to the filly who had previously only seen blobs of green from her lofty dwelling in the sky. Grinning to herself she flaps her wings, testing her frosty appendages, propelling herself into the nearest tree, tangling herself in the branches where she hangs, buzzing ecstatically.
"Lunch time dear!" The faint call of her caretaker brings her back to reality.
"Coming," she calls quietly back, knowing there is no way Leaf heard her reply. She extracts herself from the clutches of the tree and wings her way back to the cottage.
The humble dwelling sits comfortably on the ground, the snow covering it merges the establishment with the peaceful surrounds giving it a totally serene air. It looks for all the world like a tiny little mound of snow on the ground.
The young pegasus lands in a few paces in front of the house and is met by her caretaker.
“Ready for lunch Snowflake?”
“I sure am.” She smiles back at the old mare, happy to have somepony providing for her out in wild.
Leaf turns and walks back inside trailed by the keen teenage pegasus who wears a smile of anticipation upon her face the whole way. Snowflake ignores the building butterflies in her tummy and presses on, doing her best to articulate her plan.
“So I was thinking... since I can fly again I’d like to give flying to Canterlot another go.”
“Aren’t you still a bit sore dear?”
“I’ll be fine. Just please let me go.”
“Well, I would never hold another pony against their will. But I still encourage you to give due consideration to this as there is quite a distance between here and Canterlot. It has only been one week and you’re not fully healed,” she cautions the youngster.
“I’ll be fine. Please.” Snowflake smiles in the most appealing manner she can muster.
“Well I guess I can let you go after you’ve finished your lunch.”
“Yay. Thanks!” The pink bundle of joy jumps on the spot, happy to have her own way.
After a few moments she remembers what she had come inside to do and re-seats herself digging into her winter salad with gusto.
‘Next stop, Canterlot.’