Sing Song furrowed her eyebrows as she walked the empty halls of the school. She and Ombré had been looking for their white haired friend for about thirty minutes now, and they hadn’t found him yet. They opened every classrooms, every lab, and anything that had doorknobs on it, except when there was people in it. They tried checking into the Vice Principal’s Office, but it seemed there were people discussing something and they couldn’t make out who were inside, so they went back to exploring the school.
Eventually, they ended up at the empty field, where the night sky shone brightly as it sparkled with stars. It reminded her of ponies playing hoofball, which was held on a field similar to this, though if this was for human, she thought that it maybe called football. Ombré did point out about human body parts which she had to listen to during their search for Frost Bite. Sing Song sat down on the bleachers and just placed her head on her hands, her elbows on her knees.
“Where the hay is he!?”
“You mean she?” Ombré corrected her, though wrong.
“I wasn’t talking to you, mister bodyguard.”
“Okay, do we have a problem? Because I can’t see it and you’re just being a horrible pony.”
Sing Song looked at the man beside her. His face was serious, and she gave back the same sentiment. While she didn’t straight out hate him, Sing Song just needed to vent out her anger. Of course, she didn’t want to tell him that, because that would give a reason not to be mean to him. While that does sound, well, mean, she did like him. NOT THAT WAY, BECAUSE I WILL HURT YOU FOR EVEN TRYING TO THINK THAT IS POSSIBLE AND I WILL FIND YOU IF YOU DO. I meant as friends like like.
For your information, that wasn’t me; that was Sing Song.
“Is it something I did? Just tell me so we can get over it.”
Sing Song glared at Ombré, but then she had an idea. A sinister idea made a smile creep up to her face.
“Uh, what’s with the creepy smile?”
“You like Frost Bite, don’t you?”
And just like that, Ombré’s serious face became blank and redder as each second passed. Ha, I got him.
“Well?” Sing Song raised her eyebrow at Ombré.”Tell me if you like him.”
“No, I don’t like her!” Ombré stood up and faced away from Sing Song. “I’m just ordered to be with her at all times, and I would never disobey an order.”
His back tells a different story though, Sing Song thought. She jumped off from her seat and walked towards Ombré front with her hands on her back.
“Well, why don’t you it straight to my face?”
Ombré turned his head as Sing Song approached his vision.
“I already told you, I’m only doing my duty.”
“Your duty, huh?”
“Yes.”
“So you’ll be with him at all times?”
“Yes! Now you’re getting it.” Ombré turned his head back, looking at Sing Song with much relief.
“Probably even while sleeping then?”
“What!?”
Sing Song never had never seen an iron piece get red from high temperature, but looking at Ombré made her think that it probably looked like his face. If his face was iron, then Frost Bite would be the flames. It made her laugh loudly.
“You-you share the same bed then!?” Sing Song managed to say as she laughed hard.
“Don’t be ridiculous!” Ombré roared, his face beet red.
“Oh, dear Celestia! Your face is so red! Like a cherry!”
Eventually, Sing Song couldn’t manage to handle her laughter and she ended up lying on the field, laughing while clutching her stomach as pain started to settle in from too much laughter.
Ombré managed to compose himself and just glared at the laughing girl lying on the ground who was kicking her legs as she did so.
“Are you done?”
“Yes, I’m so done. My stomach hurts. Help me up.”
“No.”
“Fine.”
“Fine.”
Silence occupied the empty fields and soon Sing Song’s smile faded as she stared at the stars. And Ombré’s face too, I guess.
“You really like him, huh?” she asked, this time with seriousness in her look and voice.
“Yeah. I guess I do.”
Sing Song placed her hands on her stomach, continuing to stare at the stars.
“Well, that’s going to be a problem.”
“And why is that?” Ombré asked, looking down at her.
Sing Song contemplated if she should tell him that she is a he and he’s only in a disguise. It would probably break his stallionhood and spirit, something Sing Song would pay to see.
“I don’t know.”
“Come on! You obviously know something!”
After a silent answer from Sing Song, Ombré lied down next to her.
As Sing Song tried to make out a constellation, she also thought of telling him the truth. He seemed nice enough and would probably understand their situation, but then again, he was a pony of duty under Luna’s night guard. Frost Bite might get arrested.
“Hey, Ombré?”
“What now?” Ombré sounded irritated, knowing she was hiding something about Frost Bite from him.
“Don’t give me that tone. I ain’t taking any of your sass.”
“Fine, what is it?”
“Can I trust you?”
“I thought you hate me?” Ombré asked and looked at Sing Song.
“Answer the darn question.” Sing Song didn’t break her stare from the stars.
“I just don’t get you. First you make fun of me, then you ask me something serious.”
“Not the answer I’m waiting for.”
It was full five seconds of staring at the sky and silence.
“If you’re with Frost Bite, I sure trust you.”
“Good. I have something to tell you.”
“What?”
“You see, Frost Bite is-”
“Hey guys!”
A gruntled face formed on Sing Song’s face as she heard an intruder on their serious conversation. She sat straight up and looked at the fool who disturbed her secret sharing moment with the fool who fell in puppy love with another fool.
“Hey, Sing Song!” Frost Bite called as he ran from the doors of school.
He was dragging along another person, who, to Sing Song, might as well be his sister due to their similarities: bluish skin and white curly hair.
Frost Bite stopped in front of their feet.
“Where in Tartarus have you been?” Sing Song asked as she laid down on the grass again.
“Look what I found!”
The girl beside her certainly was not amused on being referred to as an object.
“Your long lost sister?” Sing Song blankly answered.
Frost Bite pondered at Sing Song’s answer and started looking at the girl he was with and then looking back at herself.
“Now that you mention it...”
“The Great and Powerful Trixie does not have siblings,” the girl piped.
“Who’s Trixie?” Ombré asked, sitting upright.
“Trixie is only the greatest magician in Canterlot High,” the girl mused, puffing her chest in pride.
“She talks like that. Trixie is actually her. Even I was confused.” Frost Bite patted Trixie on the back. “Anyways, Trixie knows about the portal we came through!”
Sing Song bolted up and stood before Trixie. “You know about the magic portal?”
“Of course! Trixie knows everything related to magic! If what Frost Bite said is true, then you are just like Twilight Sparkle who won the Fall Formal.”
“Fall Formal?” Sing Song asked. “She won a beauty pageant?”
“More or less.”
“Ah yes!” Ombré jumped up and landed perfectly. Well, even I’m surprised by that. “Twilight had written that in her journals! ”
“You human nerd, where’s the bodyguard we were with?” Sing Song placed her hands on her waist. “So, can you tell us how it works?”
“Uh, well, maybe.” Trixie said, looking unsure.
“What?” The others said in unison.
“Trixie only heard of the magic portal, and it wasn’t much.”
“Let’s just see the darn portal.” Sing Song walked.
With Sing Song’s words, they all moved to the school’s front where the horse statue stood.
The base of the statue reflected everyone’s image. Frost Bite looked at himself again. Seeing the weird being moving same as him felt wrong, but seeing also that the being resembled him made it also feel right. His pony form can be even similar to the form he had now, though he did miss having magic. It also made him wonder why the mirror didn’t turn him to look like his changeling form.
“The Great and Powerful Trixie will now demonstrate how this magic portal works!”
Sing Song had doubts about Trixie, but she knew Trixie was the only one who knew how it worked.
Trixie proceeded to the front of the mirror. She closed her eyes, took a step… Then promptly slammed her face in the mirror. Frost Bite was laughing hysterically and Ombré kept his guard face, though the sides of his mouth clearly said he wanted to laugh too.
“Trixie just needed one more try!”
“Wait, don’t do it just yet!” Frost Bite barely said as he clutched his stomach.
Trixie didn’t listen; a second slam into the mirror was awarded to her.
Frost Bite laughed louder until he couldn’t even stand anymore. Ombré had turned his back on them as he held his own laughter down.
“Stop laughing at Trixie!”
Sing Song didn’t laugh.
“Do you even know what you’re doing?” Sing Song asked seriously.
“Of course Trixie does. This is how Twilight Sparkle exited this mirror.”
“That’s it? You imitated her motions?”
“Well, Trixie must be missing the extra long pony tail and wings.”
“Twilight had wings?” Frost Bite asked as he bobbed his head to the right, still smiling from earlier.
“It’s a long story. Trixie wants to go home already. That’s all Trixie knows, so Trixie should be going now.”
In an instant, Sing Song swiped the necklace from Frost Bite’s neck and placed it the way Frost Bite did. As she placed the crescent metal, she waited for it to glow as it did before but nothing happened.
“Come on, work!” She kept placing the metal on the reflection. Frost Bite stopped her hand.
“It doesn’t work. I already tried, but I forgot to tell you.”
Sing Song pulled her hand away quickly from Frost Bite and placed the necklace on Frost Bite’s hands and turned away.
Much later, they find themselves at Trixie’s abode; a two story house that was only a ten minute walk from school. It was simple, and Frost Bite liked that.
“Stay here,” Trixie said, leaving the guests in the living room.
“Okay!” Frost Bite was the first to sit down, then others followed suit.
Frost Bite looked around the room. There were a couple of bookshelves filled with reading that he had yet to read. He wanted to stand and look at the titles, but he decided to wait and ask for permission first.
He noticed that Ombré was assuming his guard role again; his eyes darted from one location to another, looking for danger and he sat straight, as if he was at a formal dinner.
Sing Song just looked blank. She didn’t smile nor frown, and just stared at a wall.
“Trixie has returned!” Trixie came back with a person a bit taller than her. Actually, she looked like her, except her hair was straight and she wore blue dress. “Mama, these people are my friends. They’ll be sleeping over tonight.”
“Oh, Trixie,” her mother said. “This is so sudden! You should tell me in advance so I could have prepared dinner for all us.”
“Sorry, mama,” Trixie said as she looked down.
“It’s alright. After all, how long has it been since your last one? You had plenty when you were little. You always nagged me for slumber parties.”
“Mama! No need to tell them!” Trixie blushed.
“We’re having a slumber party?” Frost Bite asked excitedly.
“Of course you are!” Trixie’s mother exclaimed.
“Forgive me, ma’am, but what is a slumber party?” Ombré asked. “I see no sense in a party especially when the guests and host are asleep.”
Trixie and her mom just stared at Ombré, then laughed a little.
“Oh, poor boy, never had a slumber party?” Trixie’s mother patted Ombré’s head. “Don’t worry, we’ll fix you right up!”
“Mama! Don’t embarrass Trixie’s friends!”
“Oh, sorry,” Trixie’s mother pulled her hand away. “Come to think of it, I haven’t heard of your names.”
“I’m Frost Bite!”
“Sing Song.”
“I am called Ombré.”
“And I’m Skyline. It’s always a pleasure to meet Trixie friends.” Skyline suddenly widened her eyes and then gave an excited smile. “If you’re having a slumber party, we might as well make it the best one Ombré will ever have!”
“Mama, what now?”
“Let’s make it a camping slumber party! You can all sit around a campfire and do all your slumber party fun in the backyard! I better prepare!” Skyline immediately left.
“She seems nice,” Frost Bite commented.
“I know,” Trixie replied. “Well, I’m off to help her. Better be sure if we even have firewood.” She then left the room and into the kitchen.
Dinner was amazing. Frost Bite’s thought revolved on that sentence, and he can’t believe that he never had mashed potatoes with gravy. Dessert was even more amazing to him; pudding was simply one of the best things she had. At least I’ll have a new thing to order back at the castle, he thought. Skyline was very kind to them as well, and even told them tidbits of Trixie’s childhood, much to Trixie’s dismay. Trixie blushed as Skyline told them about Trixie’s first magic trick which involved disappearing coins.
Trixie’s father wasn’t present at dinner. Skyline said he was busy with work at his office. Frost Bite wondered if Trixie’s dad was a performer like her.
Frost Bite, Sing Song, Ombré, and Trixie sat around a campfire made by Skyline. Skyline even set up tents for them to sleep in.
“I don’t see why we need to burn marshmallows,” Frost Bite wondered.
“You never had s'mores?” Trixie asked as she poked the white sweet on her stick.
“Nope. I just eat them.”
“Well, Trixie will show you how s’mores work.”
Ombré was just looking at the sweet on the stick, as if studying it. Sing Song just held her stick that was void of marshmallows. Sing Song stood up instantly.
“What are we doing!?” Sing Song barked. “We’re supposed to be looking for a way home, not this!”
They all stared at her.
“But it’s late. We can’t really do much at night, and we don’t really know how the portal works,” Ombré answered.
“You!? You don’t know!? I thought you read all of Princess Twilight’s journals!” Sing Song pointed at Ombré.
“Hey, that doesn’t mean I memorized them! I said I read some, not all of it! What’s wrong with you?”
“What’s wrong with me? No no no,” Sing Song waved her hands and head. “What’s wrong with you guys!? Here we are acting like we have a way home but in reality we’re stuck in a place we’re not even sure where, and not an exit in sight!”
Frost Bite lowered his own stick. “But we still have the necklace, so that’s gotta be something.”
“Really now?” Sing Song asked sarcastically. “If I recall, the thing doesn’t do anything anymore!”
“You know what, you’re being a big whining brat right now,” Ombré stood up, looking mad. “I understand that you want to get back, but it’s not like we’re in danger. But I guess you just don’t like humans, huh?”
“Ombré, don’t,” Sing Song stood up.
“What, I guess you’re just a racist, aren’t you? Being that arrogant, I guess you can’t help but feel small, huh? You just want to be small so no one can see how much of a rude little-”
“Don’t you get it!? We’re never gonna go home! We’re stuck here and nothing’s gonna help!” Sing Song ran off past Skyline, who was bringing graham crackers among other things s’mores related.
“Oh my, why is she crying?” Skyline asked, looking concerned.
“Don’t worry, I’ll go after her.” Frost Bite walked away from the camp and went inside the house.
Frost Bite looked inside every room except for Trixie’s father’s room. She wasn’t anywhere inside the house. It made her worried and Frost Bite began thinking if she had ran away. He went outside the front door and found Sing Song sitting on the steps in front Trixie’s house, looking down at her shoes. Frost Bite silently closed the door behind him.
“Hey, buddy,” Frost Bite said. “I know you’re upset.”
“That is pretty much the obvious,” Sing Song said angrily. “Sorry. It’s just- It’s just not fair, you know.”
“What is?” Frost Bite looked at Sing Song’s tiny figure, which seemed to be shrinking even more.
“It’s just that whenever I see Trixie’s mom, I remember my own home and how it’s nice to be with your parents. To be with family and whatever.Then I remember that we might never go home again. Maybe I’m never seeing my parents again. Seeing my cousins, my granddad and granny. I’ll never see home. Never.” Sing Song looked down and then buried her face in her knees.
“Come on, don’t say that-”
“Or what!? That it’ll become true!?” Sing Song shrieked without raising her head.
“Face it, Frost Bite, we’re stuck here, in a world where there’s no magic. No princesses to seek guidance from, no help from experts, no nothing. You won’t be seeing Princess Luna, Princess Celestia, Mango Jill and Jane, and whoever it is important to you. So what’s the point? We’re stuck.”
Before Frost Bite could even speak another word, Sing Song looked up to the moon and soon, a tear fell out of her eye. “I wish I could go home and see them one more time.”
After a few seconds of listening to Sing Song’s sobs, Frost Bite walked beside Sing Song and sat beside her. “Okay, hear me out.”
“What, you understand my pain and what not?”
“Oh of course I don’t understand your pain, I really don’t,” Frost Bite said as he petted her head. “I grew up with other changelings without knowing them or anything. We just aren’t meant to do that, you know. It’s like being in a crowd; you see them, but you don’t really think anything of them.”
Frost Bite wasn’t sure if some of the changelings actually thought of themselves as family, but he didn’t. If they were supposed to be a family, it’ll a real weird one. It would also point Her Majesty as their mother, and the other intelligent ones her brothers and sisters. Who am I, Cinderella?
“But, I found you, and then we met much more ponies than we thought. Most of them were nice, and I was scared at first, but then I realized how you guys are my friends now, and that’s the closest thing to family I can have.”
Frost Bite pulled Sing Song to a hug, which Sing Song felt unnecessary but decided to let her former insectoid friend. “You, Princess Luna, Princess Celestia, Ombré, Spike, Applebloom, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, maybe even Applejack and the Mango sisters; heck maybe even Trixie and Skyline! You guys are family to me.”
Frost Bite then pet Sing Song’s head as he hugged her while sitting. “You can cry all you want, I can’t do anything about that. Heck, I’ll be sad too, if that helps. Just remember, you’re part of my family now, and family is where home’s at. So right now, stay in my home, if yours is too far away.”
Sing Song faced Frost Bite and cried on his chest. Sing Song cried loudly, and clutched on Frost Bite’s clothes as she did. Frost Bite petted Sing Song’s head as she cried on her shirt. For a while, they stayed in the steps. Sing Song’s crying was then reduced to sobbing, and Sing Song let go of Frost Bite. Silence permeated for a while before Sing Song wiped her eyes with her sleeve.
“Never thought you’d say something like that,” Sing Song said as she sniffled. “You and your family talk.”
“Yeah, me too.”
Sing Song placed her head on Frost Bite’s shoulder. “Hey. I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“For being mean and stuff.”
“Nah, you’re always mean.”
“What’s that supposed to mean!?”
“Uh, nothing!”
Later, they returned to the campfire and Sing Song apologized to everyone. Trixie didn’t mind, and Ombré took a little while before he gave his word. Skyline didn’t know what Sing Song was apologizing for, so she just gave Sing Song a tight hug. After that, they all sat around the campfire, holding their sticks with marshmallows against the heat of the flames on the campfire. Frost Bite sat next to Sing Song, Ombré sat next to Trixie, and Skyline was across them
Frost Bite learned that s’mores were just cookie sandwiches with marshmallow filling. Though that sounded simple, Frost Bite had devoured five s’mores, including from Skyline.
After a while, Skyline brought an acoustic guitar from the house.
“I thought it’ll be fun for us to sing some songs!” Skyline said as she sat down with the guitar. “I do hope you kids don’t mind.”
“Don’t worry, we like to sing!” Frost Bite remarked.
“Trixie too!”
“Of course, Trixie,” Skyline said as pinched her daughter’s cheek. “So, any request?”
“Trixie has one!” Trixie raised her hand quickly.
“Well, alright, what do you want to sing, Trixie?”
“Um, uh...” Trixie trailed off and started mumbling about how she forgot what her favorite song was.
“I have a request,” Sing Song said as she raised her hand.
“What is it, Sing Song?”
“Do you know the Heart Carol?”
Skyline furrowed her eyebrows for a while and then answered. “I never heard of that before.”
Sing Song handed Skyline a sheet of paper.
“Those are the chords for it. I also put in the tempo and what not.”
Frost Bite didn’t even saw Sing Song wrote the paper. Maybe when he was eating?
“Seems easy enough,” Skyline remarked. “You ready?”
Sing Song nodded.
Skyline began plucking her guitar and strummed in between her plucking. Her hands’ movement bewildered Frost Bite. It was like a miracle happening right before her eyes. To see that fingers can actually be used like that. And then, Sing Song began the first line.
The fire of friendship lives in our hearts
Frost Bite realized that she knew this song. It’s just that she never knew the title and that Sing Song was singing it a bit slower. She joined Sing Song’s singing at the next line.
As long as it burns we cannot drift apart
Frost Bite did a lower tone and Sing Song did a higher one. They complemented each other's’ voice as they sang throughout the song.
Laughter and song will see us through
Memories of days before us,
They teach us of the ways we've come to where we are
Fear not the winding path ahead of us
For when together, we are strong
Memories of those who have passed ahead of us
Their souls live on
It was then that Frost Bite noticed something with Sing Song. Sing Song was glowing, literally, and she had her eyes were closed as she savored the song’s melody as she sang.
We are a circle of pony friends
A circle of friends we'll be to the very end~
Sing Song belted out the last line of the song and then the unbelievable happened. A glow took form on Sing Song’s head and materialized into pony ears. Her hair, which was two sets, grew a third one which was pony tailed.
Frost Bite had her jaw dropped. Trixie pointed an accusing finger with her jaw dropped. Ombré had his eyes set on the fire, but when he looked at Sing Song after the song, his jaw dropped. Skyline, however, was just clapping her hands.
“You’re so amazing, Sing Song!”
“Oh, please.” Sing Song blushed as she looked away.
“By the way, how did you do that?” Skyline asked. “I didn’t know you were into magic tricks too!”
Sing Song only returned a confused face. “What? Is there something on my face?”
“Oh, you! If it’s your personal trick, then I won’t ask,” Skyline said as she stood up and handed Trixie the guitar. “Well, it’s getting late. I’ll be off to my room. You kids don’t stay up too late, alright?”
After a few seconds, Skyline was already inside the house. Frost Bite, Ombré, and Trixie was still staring at Sing Song.
“Okay, now you guys are just messing with me.” Sing Song folded her arms.
“Uh, Sing Song. Could you touch the top of your head?” Frost Bite asked.
“What, why?”
“Just do it!” Trixie said.
“Fine,” Sing Song said as she placed her hand on top of her head.
“Okay, now move it a bit to the right, a bit toward your face, ah there you go.” Frost Bite waited her reaction.
Sing Song felt her pony ears on top of her head. “What, these are my ears. You guys are freaking out over this?”
“Trixie has seen this before! This. Is. Magic!” Trixie said as she stood up.
“What?” Ombré said. “This is magic?”
“Trixie has seen Rainbow Dash back at the music store do the same thing. She was playing her guitar and she grew ear on top of her head and grew a ponytail! And she had a pair of wings too! This is the magic!”
Frost Bite looked at her necklace and then, had an idea. She stood up and approached Sing Song and placed the necklace on Sing Song who gave another confused look.
“What are you doing?”
“Our way out. I think.”
Frost Bite stared at the crescent moon pendant of the necklace.
“Uh, Frost Bite?” Ombré called out. “What are you doing-”
The pendant started to glow and floated a bit and then became normal again. As the necklace became normal, Sing Song’s pony ears and extra ponytail glowed and disappeared.
“Is this what I think it it?” Sing Song asked. “Can it work now?”
“We’ll have to check.” Frost Bite answered. “Tomorrow, we’ll go back there.”
Sing Song hugged Frost Bite. “We can go home!”
“Yeah, I know.”
“Uh, can someone tell me what’s going on?” Ombré asked.
Sing Song let go of Frost Bite and smiled. “All I know is right now we’re having a slumber party, so let’s have the most of it!”