"Steam, honey, why don't you go outside?" Lenora asked, knocking on her daughter's door.
"I'm working, mom." Steam replied, her room a complete mess.
Metal scraps lay everywhere, rulers and scissors all over the floor. She'd been at Princess Luna's School for Gifted Artists for about eight years. She was turning 17. Steam Snowflake sat in her room, looking at the mannequin, thinking of what to make. She sighed, standing from her sitting pose and walking to her balcony.
She looked around at the rainy day Luna and Celestia had made, spreading her wings and jumping off of the balcony. She sighed, letting her wings go limp. When her eyes opened, the ground came to her fast. Her wings opened, catching her seconds before she could hit the ground. Her hooves gently met the pavement, brushing a mess of her mane out of her face.
She was tall. No, tall was an understatement. She was the size of Princess Luna already. Steam walked down the roads, many ponies scattering for cover from the rain. In school, she was and wasn't popular at the same time. She could kick a football across a field. She could thread a needle in one movement with her hooves. She could do square roots off the top of her head. She knew most of the spells she could get her hooves on. She flew faster and better than any other Pegasus. She knew everything and anything about science and had a vast amount of random knowledge from her books in her room.
This all was balanced into making her a loner from her horn and wings. Being an Alicorn made these amazing feats nothing to get excited about. Any Alicorn was that strong and fast. Any Alicorn was smart and speedy and talented.
She was just another Alicorn like Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Princess Cadance, and Princess Twilight Sparkle. Steam walked down the paths of Canterlot, no destination in mind. She walked to one of the fountains, looking at the water. Steam dipped her hoof in the water, swirling it around.
She sighed as she watched the ripples expand and dissipate. Standing, she began walking again. Her mane, coat, and tail were sopping wet, but she didn't care. Her tail dragged on the ground, but it didn't bother her. Spreading her wings, she took off suddenly flying around the skies. She loved rainy days.
Steam Snowflake stood atop the highest tower of Canterlot Castle, her four hooves having barely enough room to rest. She looked up at the rain with a sad face. Lightning crackled, her ears going down slightly. She stood on the spire for quite some time before flying back down to her balcony.
Steam opened the door and walked in, dragging her mane and tail across the floor. Lenora galloped over to her and hugged her, pushing her to the bathroom. Steam smiled; she loved it when her mother combed her mane and dried her tail. She loved the attention.
Lenora was more than happy to do it as well. She combed her mane a hundred times, combing her tail the exact same way while singing a lovely lullaby under her breath. She used the mane dryer to dry her mane and tail, combing through her light blue locks. She nuzzled Steam's neck, hugging her.
"You need to stop going outside when it's raining."
Steam Snowflake just relished in her hug for as long as she could. Soon, her mother broke the huh, walking into the living room to listen to the radio. Steam walked into her own room, walking to a small home, like a child's play house. She poked Mr. Woofs' belly, making him stir. He turned over in his bed, smiling as he came nose to nose with Steam.
"Good morning, Steam," He smiled, hugging her muzzle.
"It's almost 4 p.m., Mr. Woofs." Steam chuckled.
He looked at his tiny clock with a smile. "So it is, so it is! What have you made today, Steam?"
Steam let him climb on top of her head, and she trotted over to her creation station. A mane piece made out of silver and gold in the shape of a flower lay with thin strips of silver metal fraying from it.
"Lovely as always, Steam, my dear," Mr. Woofs smiled.
"Thank you, Mr. Woofs. I worked very hard." Steam smiled.
Long ago, when she was ten years old, Steam Snowflake had studied a dark magic. A forbidden magic. However, she was able to keep Mr. Woofs animation a secret, even from her mother. She animated him, allowing him to walk, talk, and feel. She knew Princess Luna would be more than upset is she heard about it, so that's why it was kept secret.
"Mr. Woofs, what should we do today? It's raining."
"I love the rain," He smiled, looking out the window. "I've always wondered what it's like to fly."
"Fly? Why would you want to fly, Mr. Woofs?"
"You do it all the time. You make it look easy. Ever since you were given to me and I to you, I had watched you fly. Remember your first drawing in the dirt of Canterlot Castle? You flew up to a tree branch with me." He said, sitting on her muzzle with a smile before rubbing the bridge of her muzzle. "You're a fast flying Alicorn."
"Thank you, Woofies, my dear." Steam smiled. "Maybe I can help you."
Steam put him on her head and she gently flapped her wings, fluttering above the ground. Mr. Woofs was in awe as he felt the slight breeze of air and the falling sensation as Steam Snowflake landed.
"It was only a few seconds, but it was a few seconds of beauty," He smiled.
Steam Held him in her hoof and nuzzled him with a smile. "I love you Mr. Woofs."
"I feel a similar reaction of what one could call love towards you, as well." He chuckled as Steam laughed.
"Mr. Woofs, you're so silly!" Steam grinned.
"Steam?" Lenora's voice said through the door. "Who are you talking to?"
She walked in after knocking to see her daughter talking to Mr. Woofs. She went wide eyed before walking over to the stunned Alicorn and Animated Toy. Lenora looked at Mr. Woofs, patting his head with a smile.
She was dumbfounded. "Steam, did you... animate him?"
"M-Mom, I-I did b-but-"
Lenora's smile made her shush. "It's amazing, Steam. Simply amazing. I couldn't be more proud and upset at the same time. You know that's forbidden magic. But..."
"I'm sorry, mom."
"Don't be, silly. It's amazing what one spell can do." She turned and began walking out, her lantern chain squeaking as she walked. "It'll be our little secret."
Lenora turned and faced the entrance to the door, looking at her daughter. In synch, they said, "Cross my heart and hope to die, stick a needle in my eye. If I lie I will not speak, because I made a promise."