//------------------------------//
// Chapter 2 
// Story: Equestria Winter Games 
// by ThomasZoey3000 
//------------------------------//


My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Equestria Winter Games-Part 2
Written by: ThomasZoey3000 (Inspired by Disney/Pixar's Cars)


Apple Bloom ran through the snow covered streets of Ponyville until at last she reached a big house. The house, as everypony in the town knew, belonged to the Rich Family. Apple Bloom, along with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo had only ever gone there once before, and that was during the 'Twilight Time' mess they created. However, this visit was different, she had to talk with Diamond Tiara.

She walked up the pathway and up to the door where she knocked, and waited for a reply. Moments after her knocking, a pony answered the door and it was none other than Filthy Rich himself.

"Ah Apple Bloom, so good to see you. Mind telling me what happened at practice? Cause ever since she got home, Diamond Tiara's been up in her room and crying."

Apple Bloom walked inside and wiped her hooves clean on the carpet, "some kids were making fun of her again, but don't worry, my big sister is dealing with 'em buggers. As for me, I want to try and get her to come back to the team."

Filthy Rich smiled, "that's what I'd expect from an Apple." He then told Apple Bloom of where to go.

Apple Bloom followed the instructions until she came up to a bright pink door. It was partly open and from the tiny bit of light shining into the room from the hallway, she could see Diamond Tiara on her bed. She wasn't crying right now, but she was looking miserable. Apple Bloom pushed the door open and walked inside. Diamond Tiara didn't even look.

"Hey Apple Bloom, what are you doing here? You should be looking for a new assistant for the team."

"We already got one, and that's you," she said firmly. "Look, I know those mean kids were talking badly about you again, but you shouldn't let their words get to you."

"It wasn't just them," she sighed, then went quiet.

"Then what was it?"

But Diamond Tiara remained silent.

"Come on Diamond, tell me. We're buds after all, and friends don't hide things from their friends."

Diamond Tiara sighed and looked away, "how can you even call me your friend with the way I used to act? I said even worse things than what those kids said, yet here you are, talking to me like we'd always been friends."

Apple Bloom sighed, "look, I'll admit your words used to get to us, like when you teased Scootaloo for not flying, but since the day Silver Spoon voted against you, we've learned to look past the words and hurtful gestures you used to do, and look to the pony we've become friends with, and come to call as a Cutie Mark Crusader. After all, it was your research that brought Sweetie Belle home, remember?"

"I suppose," Diamond Tiara sighed.

"Now come on, tell me, what happened? You were so focused on playing at practice."

Diamond Tiara sat upright and wiped some tears away from her eyes, "I went to get the puck, and discovered it crashed into the house of an elder stallion..." she paused. She wasn't sure if she should mention that it was her Uncle Slap Shot. "And he said that Rich ponies don't play hockey, and he went on to say how bad the game has gotten. Added with the insults from the other ponies, it was enough to get me off the ice for good."

Apple Bloom's expression changed from a firm stare to a soft compassionate look, "Diamond, there will always be ponies that will say of what you can and can't do..."

"But this guy was a former hockey player," interrupted Diamond Tiara.

"Really?" Apple Bloom was surprised to hear that, but then shook her head, "doesn't matter, cause not even a former hockey player can tell you that a pony from the Rich Family can't play the game. You don't allow your mother to tell you who can hang out with, or what you can do, right?"

"Yeah."

"So what's different now?"

Diamond Tiara opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. She thought about it, but there was nothing different.

"Ponies will say what they want, and make you feel down in the dumps, but you need to push their words aside and show them, as well as all of Equestria, that you do have what it takes to be a great hockey player. So what do you say Diamond, want to give it another try?"

Diamond Tiara was silent for less than a minute, then a smile came to her face, "let's go kick some puck!"

"Now you're talking my language!" cheered Apple Bloom.

Once she had her hockey gear on, she hurried with Apple Bloom down the stairs and out the door, rushing past a smiling Filthy Rich, "yes, show them what you got my daughter."


They soon returned to the ice and found Applejack still talking firmly with the other team players, and judging from the tone of her raised voice, some were still not willing to give Diamond Tiara a chance.

"Don't let them bother you," Apple Bloom whispered to her. "Show them what you got."

Diamond Tiara nodded and together, they walked down to the ice, and soon they could hear Applejack's firm talk.

"I've already said this once, I don't care what Diamond Tiara did in the past, I only see the pony who's willing to try and be a team player, and I wish for all of you to see this." She stared them firmly in the eyes, almost like Fluttershy with her stare, "and I won't be repeating myself again. Should any of you decide to be mean to Diamond Tiara or anypony else on the team ever again, then you can go sign up for another event, cause I will kick you off the team. Do I make myself clear on that?!"

"Yes Applejack," they all said miserably.

"Good, and I hope this is the last time we have this talk." She turned and smiled when she saw the two fillies, "welcome back Diamond Tiara, have you come to rejoin the team?"

From the corner of her left eye, Diamond Tiara could see Slap Shot overlooking the ice and shaking his head. She put on a firm look and said, "Coach Applejack, I'm more than ready to get back out there!"

"That's what I like to hear!" smiled Applejack. She grabbed Diamond's skates and gave them back to her, "put these on and get back out there, Assistant."

"Yes Ma'am," she saluted.

She dawned on her skates and one by one, the players went back on the ice. Slap Shot watched from above, "foolish child, I told her that hockey is not a game for rich ponies, so why is she not listening to me?" He thought to himself.

The puck was dropped and play resumed. The ponies worked together on one side to keep the puck from going to the other team, then it happened. The puck went to Diamond Tiara, and there were two ponies skating towards her. Remembering what she did in Slap Shot's cottage, she lifted up her front foreleg and turned away from them, nearly going to the edge. Then she lifted her left foreleg and went the other way so she was on target with the net. She raised her stick and shot the puck, right at Snail's net.

"Okay, that's impressive," said Toola Roola.

"Unbelievable," gasped Applejack. "Hey Diamond Tiara, impressive move! Got a few more tricks up your sleeves?"

"Guess we'll have to find out," she called back, feeling much better now.

Slap Shot continued to watch the game down below and see Diamond Tiara play with all her heart. She was now smiling, and every so often, she would surprise Applejack and the others. Like using her skills to spin and at the last second, shot the puck right at Snail's net far down the other side of the ice, which went through again.

"Float like a Pegasus, sting like a unicorn!" cheered Diamond Tiara. "Now that's how you do it."

"Perhaps the younger generation can change...no, what am I thinking? Hockey isn't what it used to be, and...oh why am I bothering?" Slap Shot turned to leave for his cottage, but took only a few steps before looking back to the ice.

Soon the game came to an end, and Applejack gracefully allowed the players to go home for a good night's rest.

"I think I'll be sleeping for days," groaned Coconut Cream, "that was quite the intense game."

"Yeah well just imagine how intense the games will be at the Equestria Winter Games," said Toola Roola.

Coconut Cream looked back towards Diamond Tiara, who was talking with Apple Bloom, "I never thought I'd say this, but with Diamond Tiara on our team, we have a good chance of winning the games."

"She sure surprised us all. Guess we were wrong about her."

Even from a short distance back, Diamond Tiara and Apple Bloom could hear them. Apple Bloom nudged Diamond Tiara on the left shoulder, "see, that's what happens when you don't listen in to their hurtful words."

Diamond Tiara smiled, and it definitely answered how the Crusaders managed to continue on in spite of her own teasing words in the past. Suddenly, she remembered, "I forgot my helmet, I'll be right back."

She turned and ran back to the ice. However, she stopped when she spotted an older pony on the ice. It was Slap Shot. He had an old beat up helmet on his head, and an old hockey stick in his mouth.

"What are you doing with those?" she whispered quietly.

Slap Shot looked at the puck, sighed for a moment, then started skating, heading straight for the net Snails had been in before. As he reached the halfway point, he suddenly lifted up his right legs and turned to the left. He dropped them, then lifted his left legs, allowing him to go to the right. He lifted his stick up and shot the puck hard, sending it flying through the net.

He sighed as he stopped, "that felt good."

"Whoa," gasped Diamond Tiara, but she gasped too loudly.

Slap Shot heard her and quickly got off the ice. Diamond Tiara hurried after him to the cottage. He got inside and tried to push the door to close, but Diamond Tiara got in the doorway, "you were fantastic out there, could you teach me some of your skills?"

"No I will not, now go away kid!"

"But then, how do you expect the next generation to learn how to play like you?"

"It's clear the younger generation wants none of the knowledge I have, now please, go away kid!"

"It's Diamond Tiara."

"I don't care. Hockey has changed for the worst, and I'm not getting drawn back into the game. Besides, I still stand by what I said about how Rich ponies shouldn't play the game."

Diamond Tiara looked firmly to her uncle as she continued to stand in the doorway.

"Well you're wrong, cause this Rich pony is going to play hockey." She turned to leave, but stopped and said; "my dad told me you were the greatest hockey player in all of Equestrian history, but how can you be great when just give up?"

"Just get out!" snapped Slap Shot.

Using her mouth, Diamond Tiara grabbed the door handle and slammed it shut. "It's too bad, I would've loved to learn from a legend," she said out loud to herself, but of course, Slap Shot overheard.

He looked over all his own equipment, and the newspaper clippings from his glory days, and the one that showed his accident. He said nothing for the longest time.


Days went by and the training continued. On the last day, much of Ponyville gathered for a test run hockey game. It was Applejack's way of making sure nerves weren't going to act up and make them act sloppy. She even got Spike and Starlight Glimmer to act as announcers, since neither one was going to play the games at the Equestria Winter Games.

"Hello Ponyville, are you ready for some hockey action?" Spike called out to the crowd, to which they cheered. All but one, Spoiled Rich had returned and was not too thrilled to see her daughter on the ice. Filthy Rich on the other hoof was pleased to see this game, "make sure you cheer loudly so they can hear you!"

"Yay Ponyville!" cheered Pinkie Pie, "show 'em, uh...Ponyville players what you're made of. Geez, that's weird to say."

"Okay, and let's get on with the game," said Starlight Glimmer. "Coming to the middle of the ice is the team captain; Apple Bloom from Sweet Apple Acres, and Assistant; Diamond Tiara of the Rich Family."

Both young fillies skated over to where Fluttershy was, ready to drop the puck.

"Hey, break a leg, and may the best pony win," Apple Bloom whispered.

"Thanks, you too."

Fluttershy raised the puck above them, then dropped it and the game was on.

"Alright, Apple Bloom's got the puck and is now skating down the ice, she passes it to Toola Roola, and now she passes it to...hold on, Coconut Cream took the puck and is now skating down the ice," Spike was saying into the microphone so ponies could hear him, "and now she's passed it off. And now the puck is being passed to Diamond Tiara."

Diamond Tiara lifted her right legs and started moving a bit to the left to get herself in the middle.

"Whoa, now that's an awesome move there fillies and gentlecolts," said Starlight Glimmer. "She's heading for the net..." Diamond Tiara had two ponies skating up behind her, but she lifted her left legs and moved to the right, "again she moves away, she shoots..." Diamond Tiara lifted her stick and shot at the puck, which sent it flying towards another goalie's net as Snails was in the other net. "And she scores! She scores!" cheered Starlight, and much of the crowd cheered too.

Except for Spoiled, "She shouldn't be playing this silly game, it's not..."

"Oh be quiet," snapped Filthy Rich. "If she wants to play the game, then we're going to let her play, and there's nothing you can say that will stop her."

Spoiled Rich snarled, but went quiet as the game continued on.

"Toola Roola has the puck, and now she passes it over to Apple Bloom," continued Spike, "she's skating faster than Pinkie Pie, and I didn't think that was possible."

"That's not the same as Pinkie's speed," said Starlight, "but it's still fast. She's reached the other side of the arena, she shoots..." Apple Bloom lifted up her stick and shot. But Diamond Tiara knew what to do. Again, she lifted her left foreleg and began her spinning, allowing her to go faster than Apple Bloom. She caught up to the puck and at the last second, she caught up to the puck, stopped spinning and shot it down to another team-mate, who shot it into the net and scored.

"I don't believe it!" gasped Spike, "did you see that?"

"If anypony missed it, I'd be surprised," said Starlight, "that was amazing."

In the audience of ponies, Grand Pear was thinking. Granny Smith noticed this, "what's on your mind now Grand Pear?" she asked.

"I've seen moves like this before, but only from one pony," he said. "But could this kid be his niece?"

It suddenly came back to Granny Smith. Although she had never been a hockey fan, she did remember a pony that had the same skills Diamond Tiara was showing, "you're referring to Slap Shot aren't you?"

Grand Pear nodded, and started looking around, but couldn't see him anywhere.

Slap Shot wasn't anywhere near the ice, he wasn't going to risk being spotted. Though secretly, he wished he was there.

When the game ended, both sides were tied. The residents of Ponyville cheered loudly for the players. Applejack gathered them all together, "I am impressed with how well you played today," she said, "now if you can continue to show that kind of performance in front of all of Equestria, we'll have a good chance of going far. Just remember, it doesn't matter if we win or lose, it's all about having fun."

"Understood Coach," they all said in unison.


The next day, the Ponyville teams set off towards the Crystal Empire. They were all on board today, with the residents coming much later in the day. Throughout much of the ride, Diamond Tiara felt like she had butterflies in her stomach. It was one thing to play in front of the entire town of Ponyville, but it was another to play in front of all of Equestria.

"Don't you worry about them," said a voice. She looked to see Lilymoon on the seat across from her, "just pretend they're not there, and you'll be fine."

Diamond Tiara took in a deep breath and sighed, "thanks Lilymoon, is that how you're dealing with this right now?"

"Yes, and it helps in other situations from time to time," she answered, though she never did say what those situations were.

Finally, after some time, the Friendship Express pulled into the Crystal Empire. They were greeted by Princess Celestia, who thanked them for helping to make this little surprise for Princess Luna a reality.

"She's going to love these games," she smiled. "She deserves it."

"She sure does," Diamond Tiara nodded as she bowed in front of the princess.

During their stay in the Crystal Empire, they were given some of the best hotel rooms with four ponies staying in each room.

"This is nice," smiled Apple Bloom as she, Diamond Tiara and two other fillies walked into their room. "These crystal ponies have gone all out to make these rooms specular."

"Well these are known as Suites for a reason," said one of the other ponies. "Though I'm sure you're used to them, right Diamond Tiara?"

"Actually, these rooms are better than what I got at home. I must make sure to tell those crystal ponies that they do such great work."

As hours went by, more and more ponies arrived at the Crystal Empire. They were greeted either by Princess Cadance, or Princess Celestia. The princesses also explained that Princess Luna would come later and be given the surprise then.

Finally, evening rolled around and inside the crystal stadium, the ponies were gathered, ready to give Princess Luna the surprise, as well as witness the beginning of the games. Apart from the ponies, there were also Griffons there, and some Yaks.

"Quite the turnout tonight," Scootaloo whispered to Sweetie Belle. "Hope your nerves don't get to you."

Sweetie Belle raised an eyebrow at Scootaloo, "I think you got me confused with another pony, I'm perfectly fine with this."

Nearby, Ms Harshwhinny was talking with Spike, "now Mr the Dragon, are you sure you'll be able to light the torch, or do we need a pony to do the job for you?"

Spike stared firmly at her, "first off, my name is Spike, and second of all, my nerves are not going to get the better of me. I'm ready when I'm given the signal."

"We shall see."

At last, the moment arrived. Coming in with her own bat-ponies, Princess Luna arrived with a blind fold over her eyes, "what's all this about?" she asked, "why can't I see anything?"

"You'll find out Princess."

"Cadance, is that you?"

"Yes it is," nodded the Princess as she flew beside her carriage. "Just place a hoof on my shoulder and I'll lead you down."

She did just that, and with wings out, Princess Luna followed Cadance down to the throne area. This was Spike's cue. He walked up to the torch and climbed up the ladder. Celestia nodded and as Twilight undid the blind fold, Spike blew his flame out and lit the torch. Luna gasped, then gasped again when she saw the whole stadium lit up.

"What is all this?" she asked.

Princess Celestia smiled as she flew up, and using her magic, made her voice a bit louder, "welcome fillies and gentlecolts to the first ever Equestria Winter Games." Luna gasped hearing that. "As you know, every few years, we have our own Equestria Games, now known as the Summer Games, but like how we never had a celebration for Princess Luna till recently..." she paused and winked down at the Crusaders, since it was their idea for the Festival of the Winter moon, "we never had games that my dear sister would like. So this year, as a way of saying thank you for all the amazing work she does, and all she goes through, we're going to host our first set of Winter Games. The games will include Ski Jumps, Figure skating, sledding and of course, hockey."

Princess Luna's eyes lit up. It was no secret that hockey was her favorite sport.

"And to help make these games possible, we have teams from across this beautiful country of ours, ready to play, both old and young. We wish them all good luck during their games and remember to do your best. And now, our national anthem."

As the Anthem started, ponies and creatures alike stood up and sang along with it, while the players walked out to the middle of the stadium.

"Wow, that's a lot of ponies and creatures," Diamond Tiara thought to herself. She took in a deep breath and exhaled, "don't get cold hooves Diamond, you've come this far, you can do this."

Once the Anthem had finished, Princess Luna finally spoke, "thank you dear sister, and all citizens of Equestria for this great surprise, and I for one can't wait for the games that lay ahead. Also, nice job on hiding this from me, I had no knowledge whatsoever." This got a bit of a chuckling from several ponies, including the Crusaders. "And now, let the games begin!"

And on that note, the fireworks went off and the cheering resumed. Diamond Tiara cheered too, though she wished Slap Shot was here to see this, but instead she believed he was back in Ponyville, sitting in his cottage doing nothing. Unknown to her, a set of eyes watched from the top of a set of stairs while in disguise.


To Be Continued...