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You have already become a familiar sight in Cloudsdale after all the jobs you’ve had there, but you are once again getting some unnerved looks from the locals. After all, on a timeline, this is the first time you have been there.
You return to the house of your client, Primrose (Snowdrop's mother), having picked up everything she needed. Primrose welcomes you back and thanks you for being such a big help since you arrived. You assure her that it’s what you do, but she still looks worried. Primrose calls out for her little Snowdrop, even though she is on the way to go pick her up. This is to let Snowdrop know where her mother is, so as not to startle her with a sudden approach. Primrose brings little Snowdrop to you for introduction.
You don’t want to scare the little blind filly, so when you speak, you do so in as calming a voice as you possibly can, “It’s nice to meet you little Snowdrop.” Snowdrop hides under her mother at the sound of something unfamiliar, her little ears swiveling in your general direction to check for you. Primrose gently guides the little one in your direction and you all spend the afternoon becoming acquainted.
Finally, Snowdrop stands up, balancing herself on her Mom, and reaches out in the direction of your voice. Primrose marvels momentarily at the scene before alerting you, “I think she wants to, ‘see you’ now.” You sit still on the sofa (which you are all sitting on) and gently encourage her so that she can find you. Even sitting down and leaning over, with her standing on your legs, she still doesn’t reach all the way up to your face. Her hoof gently rests on your ribs.
It is the most gentle touch you have ever imagined, like if she stepped on a bubble it wouldn’t pop. Her little ears droop slowly. She hadn’t realized you were so big in comparison to her. As you gently guide her hooves up to your face, you can see wonderment forming in her little silvered eyes. She’s never found anything like you before. She feels and sniffs you for a while, a smile ever growing on her face. Once she has examined you, she gives you a little kiss on the nose (it was intended for your forehead but she was too small). Primrose laughs sweetly, “I think she likes you.” The sound of her mother’s voice draws the little one back to her snuggly spot.
Primrose now appears saddened, “Well at least that will make your job easier sitter. My Snowdrop, she really hates baths. I don’t think she understands what’s going on. She’s in water all of a sudden and something is scrubbing through her mane. She’s timid enough as it is. If she could talk now I could explain it to her and she wouldn’t be afraid but …. It’s just hard sometimes.”
Your heart gives out at the sad moment, but resolves that you will help them. You draw a bath for the little one later that night and make sure everything is ready. As you head out to look for Snowdrop you notice that she is playing outside. ‘Playing’ may not be the right word. She’s actually finding her way around. You go out and get her back inside. It’s way too cold to be out right now anyway. You take her to the tub and set her on the mat. Primrose walks by and sees that you’ve gotten started, and worries. You ask her to close the door so that the hot air doesn’t get out. She leaves things in you capable hooves, or hands in your case. The ponies never can get used to your weird human phrases.
This will be tricky, but little Snowdrop deserves to not be afraid. Rather than placing her in the tub all of a sudden, you set her on the rim and hold her tightly so she doesn’t worry about falling. You then let her test the water. She doesn’t like water, but the nice warm water on her cold hooves relaxes her. Part of loving cold weather is knowing you have a warm place to return to. Winter is almost never the favorite season of those left in the cold. Here is a little filly that will grow up to love winter, and the best way to contribute to that is to let her know she can always come in and warm up.
You gently guide her towards the water without forcing her. Finally, she accepts the warm tub and snuggles in. She has never had a bubble bath before, and is astounded by these, whatever they are. She touches the biggest bubble she can find and examines it. Well, what do you know?! Her touch actually is so gentle she can handle bubbles without popping them.
Not wanting to start with shampooing, you begin combing her mane to get her comfortable with you touching it. After a while you choose the sweetest smelling shampoo you have, since color is useless here. You massage it into her scalp as delicately as possible. She trembles the whole time, not in fear, just uncertainty. You wait for her to stop before you rinse, which you do slowly, starting at the bottom of her mane. Rinsing from the bottom may not be the most efficient way to do the job, but dumping water on her head would only scare her.
When this is done, you gently lift her to her hooves and do the same thing to her tail. A look of realization comes over her face. She doesn’t know what a bath is or its purpose yet, but she has just realized what’s generally going on. She isn’t scared now. She doesn’t move (bouncing around has never paid off for her) but she is clearly celebrating. As you rinse her tail you have to give her a gentle push to let her know she can sit down now. She does.
You now get out the feather shampoo and begin lathering into her wings. Once they are lathered, you begin preening them carefully. Another revelation occurs to Snowdrop. She may not know what a bath is, but preening is instinctual, even for foals. You are cleaning her, that’s what’s going on! That’s why they put her in the tub every night! She understands now and her fear melts away, just like your heart.
You now rinse out the wings with little effort and give her the toys. She spends some time examining them, but doesn’t get the point of them at all. She pushes them aside and goes back to studying these things called bubbles. She may not understand toys, but playtime she understands all too well.
You let her know you are opening the door so she won’t think you’re leaving her, and call out for Primrose in a calm tone. Primrose comes running, sure that something is wrong. You ask her if she can finish the bath from here, saying that you have to step out for a bit. Primrose nods and steps through the door. She freezes in place at what she sees. Her baby is laughing, enjoying herself, and not afraid anymore as she tries to pop a bubble but is to gentle to manage it.
Warm happy tears pour down Primrose’s face, “My little Snowdrop… is okay now. She isn’t afraid anymore. Bless you! Bless you sitter.” You won’t cry, much, more, until later.
You nod to her, “This is her first good bath. As much as I want to see it, I know you should be the one to enjoy it, not me. And, I wasn’t lying about having to step out. There’s something I have to do.” Primrose wipes away happy tears that are instantly replaced before going to savor her baby’s first happy bathtime.
“It’s just liquid pride”, you assure yourself before heading out. There really is something you have to do.
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You arrive in the present, not wanting to waste even a second of time. You run as fast as you can to find Princess Luna, so fast her guards have to pin you on approach. Luna orders them to stand down before inquiring why you are in such a rush. “Luna, do you remember Snowdrop?” Luna’s face immediately confirms that she does. “I can’t take you to see her as a foal, but I could let you have a day with her after … you know.”
Luna can’t even fathom the idea, “But… but you’re not allowed.”
You set the time machine, “The boss will forgive me as long as we follow a few simple rules, but we have to hurry this. Sorry this is short notice but that’s kinda the point.”
Luna immediately removes her regalia; this isn’t going to be a formal visit. Her guards become worried, “Princess, you have a meeting with the dignitaries later today. How will we explain this to Celestia and the others?”
Luna looks at them with the happiest face she has dawned in over a millennium, “Tell her I am off to undo one of my greatest regrets, and that I will be dinning with my dear friend.”
Luna runs into the time machine as you fret, “I hope I don’t get fired for this.”
Luna stomps her hoof, “Your boss will have to fire ME for this if anything more than a scolding befalls you. I’m going to see my dear old friend.