//------------------------------// // Every Story has to Start Somewhere // Story: Snow Dasher's Life in Ponyville // by Farcicalponiez //------------------------------// It was a peaceful morning in Ponyville. Everypony was helping with the Winter Wrap Up. Twilight Sparkle was busy organising ponies as to what job they could help the most. Fluttershy was collecting all the animals and escorting them back to her cottage with Angel. Rarity was complaining about the uniforms being of the least stylish material. Applejack was ploughing all the snow away from her farm. Meanwhile, Tender Pearl, a beautiful white unicorn with an equally beautiful blue mane to match, was busy trying to persuade Snow Dasher, a pegasus stallion with a light blue coat and an even lighter colored mane, to not slide down the hill on his sled. She was claiming it would interrupt the other ponies who were working. "Come on, Snow Dasher, you'll end up causing trouble down there." I ignored Pearl's concerns, while instead just continuing to adjust my sled. No matter what anypony says, it's hard to get that perfect angle for maximum fun from one ride. "It will be fine. I'll just go down once, then I'll get back to helping the others." "I really don't think you should do this, Snow Dasher." "And why not?" I said, for once looking up towards Pearl. She hung her head. "Because somepony might get hurt." A smirk crept it's way onto my face. "If you're worried about me, don't be. I'm a pegasus; remember?" Pearl looked back up with a 'don't give me that shit' expression. "You can't fly. Even if you could, you're not the only one I would be worried about," she cried. Snow Dasher turned back to his sled. "You know what? If it calms you down on the way back, we'll go to Sugarcube and I'll buy you something." "Don't you try to bribe me," she paused, "Unless you get one of the cupcakes with the pink icing. You know those are my favorites." "That's what I meant," I laughed. The final adjustments to my sled had been made. The only thing left to do was ride it down the hill. "See ya," I said as I took off with great acceleration. I had done this so many times before, but this felt amazing. Moving at such a high speed just had the ability to give a pony a feeling of enjoyment, of thrill. The adrenaline doing it's work and the soft cold wind rushing through my mane due to the speed of my descent. It took me some time, about halfway down the ride, that I was in trouble. "Where's the rope?" Well... shit. The one thing I kept telling myself not to forget and what have I just done? I forgot it. Left up at the top with Tender Pearl, who will probably be worried sick once she realizes what that rope was for. I had almost made it three quarters of the way down now. I swear I heard Pearl calling me, but I couldn't be certain with both the wind and the distance. I finally made it to the jump where I had lined up my path. Going over the jump, I could feel everything slow down. I spread out my wings and... crap. The sled flew right out from under me as I slowed mid-jump. I looked down to see where I would fall and, as luck would have it, a lake of ice was waiting for me. ***************************************************************************************** The next thing I know, I'm waking up inside Applejack's barn with Pearl laying next to me. As I tried to get up, my body wouldn't let me. How could I not notice how cold it was in here? How could Pearl stand it in here without so much as a sweater? "So you're awake now are ya?" Who's talking? "Hehe, nice jump ya did there, sonny. Saw it from my chair outside the barn. Too bad ya don't have the wings ta have kept that jump goin', or ya probably wouldn't have fallen inta that lake." Oh. That's why it was so cold in here. I tried to get up again, managing to get into a sitting position before losing my strength. "Granny Smith? Is he awake yet?" A voice called from another room in the barn. Probably the level above. "Yeee-ees. He's awake, Applejack" So that old pony in the rocking chair is Granny Smith? "Good, 'cause Ah need ta talk ta him." I suppose she means to tell me why I'm laying on the floor of her barn. Applejack appeared from the direction of the stairs leading up to the other floor. She didn't look too happy. "What in tarnation gave ya the idea to send a sled into the wall of mah barn?" She wasn't very happy. Looking around, I was surprised to see my sled lodged into the wall to my right. Maybe that was the reason it was so cold in here. That and the fact I just went swimming. "I could have sworn I lined it up so it wouldn't hit the barn though." "Oh really? An' just why were you plannin' on usin' that thing on a day like today, might I ask?" "Please don't be angry with him." Pearl suddenly spoke. She reached out and started stroking my mane. "At least not right now, he hurt his head in that fall and probably can't think straight right now." I'm not sure if I should be thanking Pearl right now, but thank Celestia she's helping me with this. "Well alright then-" Applejack turned to me "-but don't ya think ya got outta this mess just because ya got yer mare with ya" You should have seen how easily a shade of red could be spotted on Tender Pearl's face at that remark. "But w-we're just... we're leaving," Pearl said as she put her sweater back on and nudged me out the barn door. ***************************************************************************************** I was walking slowly behind Pearl, partly because I didn't want to annoy her with the mood she was in back at the barn, and partly because, well... I almost collided with her when she suddenly turned around. "You owe me for that," she said assertively. "Huh?" Crap, I knew she would be wanting something for that. "I said 'you owe me for that'," with the same tone. "Oh right, thanks." "'Thanks', is that it? That's all I get from helping you out back there?" "Alright, alright." I raised a hoof as if that would calm her if all else fails. "I'll get you two cupcakes instead," I grumbled. Of course, it won't fail. "Good enough," she said with a flat voice, turning away. "But you still owe me." Obviously, I wasn't surprised it worked. It was the fact she wanted more was what surprised me. This kind of behavior was unusual, especially for Pearl. Either way, I just accepted it, hung my head, and continued walking behind Pearl. Pearl's behavior isn't something I need to worry about right now. After all, the only thing worth worrying about at the moment was, my sled! How could I have forgotten it? I must have spoken out loud, because Pearl was suddenly turned around and looked even more upset with me. "Don't just suddenly yell. Besides, you can get it tomorrow." "But..." that's my sled... "No buts. You owe me, and I say you can get it tomorrow." I let out a sigh as Pearl turned again to continue walking. Nevermind, this behavior thing is a current issue. She's not acting like herself. She knows my sled is my most important possesion. We haven't been living in the same place very long, maybe three, four months. And no, we're not living together like that. I have been living in Ponyville for a while longer than she has been. I moved in first, but with the rent from Filthy Rich, it was almost a requirement for me to get a flatmate. Next thing I know, Pearl's at my door asking if she somehow got the wrong place. Having Pearl living with me is a sign from Celestia that I won't be completely alone in my life. I never did fit in at Manehatten. Not enough days with snow. Oh, also the other foals... that too. I moved away from my family to Ponyville because I heard everypony here is much friendlier. Pearl agrees with the pony who told me that. I sure don't, unless you count Granny Smith. Well, Pearl's normally nice too. Nicest pony I ever met. I'm glad she happened to be the one at my door that day. "Hello, Equestria to Snow Dasher," she said as she waved a hoof in my face. "Huh?" It took me a second to realize I had been staring right at her, "h-how long was I...?" Her only response was a smile. That warm smile of hers. "Snow Dasher? You're doing it again." Crap. What the hell am I even thinking about? It must just be the fall I took. I keep losing focus. "Um, what were we doing again?" Again with the 'don't give me that crap' expression, "you were going to buy me cupcakes. Three of them." "Right. Let's go do that then. Can we head back home after this? I'm starting to feel a bit tired after today." "What else would we do? It's getting late and I'm not staying out here to eat them." "Alright, -" I opened the door for her "- mare's first."