//------------------------------// // Chapter 9; act 2 // Story: Elsa's Snowdrop // by TheOneAJ //------------------------------// "I mean, is there any other explanation why she's got a job like that?" Snowdrop overheard serval other weather factory workers while she got ready for lunch. "I worked for this company for 20 years," another said in a hushed time, "and that kid, right out of school, gets a job like that? I'm telling you, they only gave it to her because they pity her." More than anything, Snowdrop had wanted to eat lunch where she always had, in here work room. However, thanks to company polices—and not so sutle hints from Luna to interact more with her co-workers—she had been forced to eat lunch in the break area. Although, she did try to eat durning the less crowded break hours of the day. Which created the problems—or benefit depending on how she looked at it—of the room being filled with the older workers instead of the ponies around her age. "I still can't believe we're getting orders on how to make snow from a brat," another said without any attempt to soften his voice, which wouldn't have made a difference with her hearing, but it would have at least been polite. "Oh come off it," the one Snowdrop guess was the head of there group said as he stood up. "If it weren't for the princess giving that retard the job, I'd be in a higher position now. I mean, what do we even need a night princess or decorative snowflakes for anyways?" "Hey!" Snowdrop snapped as she felt the could shake when they all bolted up from there seats. "You know I blind, not deaf?" None of them said anything, as if they go away if they didn't move. However, Snowdrop wasn't done. Following their heartbeats, she flew right up to them. "Now look, I don't care what you say about me, but you don't say mean things about Princess Luna. Got it?" It was when she got up to them that she could smell that they all had at least 2-3 cans of cider. Though, the one closet to her must of had a bit more than his buddies. "Or what," he huffed, "you going to go crying to your worthless princess of the night? Oh boo-hoo, the retard who can't do anything unless someone like a useless princess arranges it." Snowdrop might have felt bad for bucking him in the face if not for that last part. ***** "Ugh," Snowdrop moaned as she began to wake up. It certienly wasn't like her to... Then she realized that she wasn't in Cloudsdale. It was hard to remember what had happened entierly, but she got the basics: One minute she was trying to fly home, only to be caught in a sudden blizzard in the summer, only to end up in an ice castle to be saved by some ice-princess. Oh yeah,she though, just Elsa. It wasn't like her to have lowered her defense so easily and sunngel up with some random pony (or person). Yet, maybe it had been the similarities between her and Luna, or one their first night, how scared Elsa spud of just having someone around. Either way, as much as she didn't want to admit it, she needed Elsa to find her way back home. Which wasn't bad, since Elsa seemed like a nice person, but it still hurt when she had to admit defeat. "Princ... I mean, queen Elsa?" she corrected as she circled her head around instinctively, wondering where was everybody. Even though she couldn't see, she still felt as if it was the middle of the day. So when she heard no reply, she decided to hop out of bed and go walk around, familiarize herself with the place she'd be staying until she could get home. Right after she had made the bed she had spelt in, Snowdrop circled around the room until she found the door. It have a click, as if I had been locked from the outside, and she wondered out into her new surroundings. "Hello?" she shouted as she spun her head in no particular direction. A second later, she heard someone scream. "Monster!" a woman cried. Snowdrop firs stood on end as she jumped into the air and stayed there. "Where, where?" The woman's screamed again and took off running. Not wanting to be left alone with some monster on the loss, Snowdrop took after her, which was made easier as her screams where soon joined by many others. Whatever was after them, couldn't have been good if it was making that many people run. She had to find Elsa. "Elsa, Princess Elsa!" she cried as she eventually heard her voice. "What is going on?" Snowdrop heard Elsa ask. Assured that the, queen, she nodded to herself, Queen Elsa would stop whatever it was she flew straight towards her. "Elsa!" she cried as she slammed into her chest. "Sorry." "It's attacking the queen!" the women from earlier said. Snowdrop was about to panic when Elsa shouted, "Calm down! And if any of you call her a monster again, you may consider yourself unemployed!" "Huh?" Snowdrop questioned as she heard a few people gasp. "I will explain later, but for now," Snowdrop felt herself being held by her waist, "know that she is my quest, and will treated as any other. Now, go back to your jobs, and I do not want to hear about this, understood?" "Yes, my queen," they all answered, in a less than pleased but willing to obey way. As the room died down, it clicked in Snowdrop's mind what had happened; they had called her a monsters. Sure, she had been called lots of mean things before, but definitely not a monster. Was that how people of this world treated those who were different? "You okay?" Elsa asked as she felt herself being squeezed by the queen. "Are you feeling alright?" Elsa asked as they began to move. "I'm fine," Snowdrop lied. As she wiggled her way out of Elsa's grapes. "Let me help—" "I got it," Snowdrop assured as she felt herself next to a wall. "Just talk a lot and show me around and I'll be able to take care of myself. Oh, and let me know if I'm about to hit something valuable." "Oh, um... Okay, if your fine." Snowdrop nodded as she stayed close to Elsa. However, her mood hadn't improved and it must have shown. "Hey," Elsa said as she felt her chin being lifted, "do not worry about them, you're not a monster. They are just... Never seen a pegusis before and are still a little on edge." The commented lift Snowdrop's sprits. "So, they didn't call me that because I'm blind or something." "Why..." she heard Elsa stop. "Wait, your people would call you that?" Snowdrop turned her head. "It's fine, don't worry about me, your majesty." She felt Elsa's tug at her backleg before they continued to move on. "You do not need to call me that, Snowdrop. Please, just Elsa. ***** A long while back in Cloudsdale. *knock, knock, knock "Come in," Snowdrop said as she stayed focus on her latest creation in her work area. "Really, Snowdrop, so caught up in your work again?" Snowdrop dropped the pen as she looked up. "Oh," she said while tapping her hooves, "Princess Luna, I wasn't expecting you." "Please, Snowdrop," the princess said, "you don't need to call me that. Luna is just fine."