//------------------------------// // Prologue // Story: Every Pony knows your mane: Tales from the Satin Slipper // by Paradise Oasis //------------------------------// Prologue- This is story of Fizzy Pop, a silly and simple mare who went out and achieved her dream. It was a very simple dream, to be sure, but a dream nevertheless. For not only did she achieve this dream, but she met many new friends along the way, and met the love of her life. This is the story of a well-meaning, but scatterbrained ditz, who just wanted to make the other ponies around her happy. How she went about this, however, is what this rather amusing tale is all about… -The Satin slipper sweet shoppe, after hours- “So, do I get the job?” The twinkle-eyed blue unicorn stared at Scoops hopefully, beaming with a warm smile that hid none of her buzzing excitement. This had been the day that the mare had looked forward to her whole life, and nothing in Ponyland could spoil it for her. “Ummm… well…” The White earth mare looked around the shop nervously, trying to think of what to tell the excited young pony in front of her. The ice cream splattered on the ceiling when she had tried to levitate a scoop onto a cone would take an hour to clean off, and her pathetic attempt to operate the soda machine had given Scoops a face a face full of root beer. Still, this mare with the multicolored mane had been an eager and excited customer ever since she was a filly, and Scoops could remember her sitting at one of the stools, happily re-carbonating her soda with her magic. Scoops had only been a soda jerk herself then, and she had never seen such… enthusiasm in a pony for sodas and ice cream! “Aw, pleeeeease?” Fizzy’s jeweled eyes looked at the mare pleadingly. “I've always wanted to work at an awesome place like this! I'll be totally responsible! And don't worry, I so totally won’t mess up anymore, I promise!” “Oh, all right.” The mare sighed in defeat, rolling her eyes. “Just be here at six ‘o clock tomorrow morning for training. I’ll be putting you on the daytime shift with Lickety Split.” “Yaaaaay, thank you sooo much!” The blue mare exclaimed, pulling the surprised manager into a big hug. As the new employee hopped around in joy, Scoops sighed, and turned back to washing her dishes. "I so totally won't let you down, Miss Scoops, I guarantee it!" “Wow, I can’t believe I’m actually gonna work here!” The mare thought aloud, looking around at the ice cream parlor. The Satin Slipper Sweet Shop looked like a large white lace ballet shoe, with a turnstile on the side, and several wire frame chairs and tables sitting on a red and white checked floor. Fizzy could remember many happy birthday parties and get together here, and she loved the laughter and smiles she had her friends had shared so many times in this place. She hoped to bring that happiness to many other ponies in the years to come. Oh, her bubble-making powers may seem worthless to most ponies, but in this line of work she could really excel! “Hey Scoops, I’ll give you a hand- er, hoof cleaning up before I go!” The mare trotted around, and eagerly began straightening things up. Collecting dirty silverware, wiping down the counter, and straightening up the stools at the counter- nothing escaped the blue unicorn's notice. “Golly, I wonder what this Lickety Split is like…” She mused, as she pushed a chair under one of the tables. Fizzy had heard of the ice cream-loving mare, but had never actually met her. “Well, with a name like that, she’s gotta like ice cream!” The jewel-eyed unicorn said with a laugh. Whatever this mysterious mare was like, Fizzy Pop was certain they would be the best of friends. After all, there’s no way she could be a mean pony if she worked at this wonderful place, right? “Fizzy, would you please bring the dirty ice cream scoops back here to wash, please?” Scoops called out from the back of the kitchen, filling the sink with hot water and suds. "Just put them in the sink back here!" “Coming right up, boss!” The mare said with a smile, levitating the scoops up, and trotting back into the kitchen. But the mare crossed the recently mopped floor, her hoof slipped on a wet spot. “Here’s the- whooooaahhh-oooahhhhhhhhhh!” The mare slid forward, knocking into Scoops, and sending her tumbling forward. SPLASH! The shocked mare tumbled into the soapy water, Scoops her head up out of the water, her face covered with a beard made out of suds. “Oh my gosh, are you okay boss?” Looking at the earth pony, Fizzy suddenly burst out laughing. “Golly you look just like Santa Claus!” “Ho ho ho, very funny.” The annoyed with pony snorted, spitting out some suds. “Look, why don’t you just go home for the night, Fizzy? I’ll finish cleaning up, and see you tomorrow.” “Okay boss, see ya!” Waving goodbye, the mare slipped out though the turnstile. Grumbling, Scoops pulled herself up out of the soapy water. “I just hope this isn’t one of my celebrated ‘mistakes’.” She said with a sigh. “Yayyyy! I’m going to be a soda jerk! I’m going to be a soda jerk!” Fizzy exclaimed happily, trotting down the hallways of dream Castle. Passing by a white unicorn, Fizzy turned to her and announced proudly. “Hey Gusty, I’m gonna be a jerk!” “Don’t really see how that’s different from now!” The sarcastic mare snorted. “But now ya got something at go with ‘idiot‘ on your resume, Fizz!” But nothing could dampen this mare’s spirits, her greatest dream had been fulfilled. Starting tomorrow, she would bring happiness to everybody in dream castle who wanted ice cream soda. “Oh Fizzzy, you’ve finally made it!” She giggled happily. “After tomorrow, every pony will know your mane!”