How Snowy Night Came To Ponyville

by SnowyNight

Chapter 5 - On Relationships, And Related Complications

"Dear, get these six apple fritters to Table 6, please!"

"Yes, Ms. Ca-"

"And take that triple-order of chocolate bran cupcakes out to Mr. Whooves, if you please!" The bakery was sheer chaos. Snowy Night, her funds running low, had approached Mr. and Ms. Cake about work, both to make some money and repay their hospitality; waving down the offer of payment for room and board, Ms. Cake had immediately hired her to fill in for Pinkie whenever she was needed elsewhere (or simply ran of somewhere mid-shift, as often happened). The extra hire had freed up enough time for Mr. Cake that Snow now had a real position; despite Ms. Cake's protests against any sort of payment, Snow had been discreetly leaving portions of her pay in the register at closing.

The first time that Ms. Cake had confronted Snow about it, Snow had been in a truly excellent mood, which had resulted in a pseudo-philosophical speech on how Celestia and the universe were repaying the Cakes' generosity. Ms. Cake had trotted away baffled and hadn't brought it up since, but she seemed to act friendlier towards Snow.

Off work, Snow tried to find other work, with the help of her newfound friends. Fluttershy's animal hospital and Applejack's farm were the first in a long line of attempted tasks, including construction, the library, and a disastrous attempt at cooking.

"Ah still can't believe yuh blew up an apple pie," said Applejack, walking alongside Snow through Ponyville. She and each of the mane six were taking turns in helping Snow find her talent, with Pinkie taking two turns since they were related.

"And I thought *I* was bad at cooking!" said Rainbow Dash, laughing as she flew overhead.

Applejack squinted up at the sky, frowning and squinting up at Rainbow. "Don't you have some clouds tuh move or somethin'? It IS my turn with Snow, y'know."

"Aw, I've got all morning for *that*," said Rainbow. "You're squinting - sun in your eyes, or is it just my AWESOMENESS?!" yelled Rainbow, flaring out her wings.

Applejack rolled her eyes at Rainbow. Snow just laughed - the pegasus was so over-the-top. Snow had wondered multiple times in her diary as to whether or not the two were a couple; behind the bickering, Snow thought she saw some *awesome* chemistry waiting to come to the fore.

The trio were further interrupted by the arrival of Twilight Sparkle. "Oh, hey, guys!" she said. "Umm... bit of an odd place to look for work for Snow, isn't it?"

"Exactly what AH was about t' say," said Applejack, smiling smugly up at Rainbow. Rainbow just stuck out her tongue, drawing another laugh from Snow.

Twilight turned her attention to Snow and said "Still haven't found your talent?"
Snow just shook her head, trying to tune out Applejack and Rainbow Dash who sounded about ready to have quite the row. "No, but we've figured out that - watch out there, Applejack - I can't cook, build, manage books - Applejack, I said *watch out* - deliver goods, dance, sing - hey!" Applejack, who had been steadily backing into Snow as Rainbow continued to antagonize her, finally toppled Snow over, sending the two ponies tumbling head over hoof to the tune of Rainbow's laughter.

The two landed at the bottom of a miraculously short hill, Applejack extricating herself rather hurriedly from the exchange and running down the road to her farm, as red as the apples she harvested.

"Are you okay? Where's Applejack headed off to in such a hurry?" asked Twilight, trotting down the incline. Snow, rather winded from the exchange, didn't answer right away, focussed as she was on standing up.

Rainbow was still at the top of the incline, but in a flash she streaked off after Applejack, despite Twilight yelling "Hey! Leave her alone!" Snow and Twilight watched as the two ponies headed away.

"What was THAT all about?" asked Twilight. Snow just shrugged. What *had* caused Applejack to run off like that?

A mystified expression overtook Twilight's face, followed by dawning comprehension. "You don't think..."

"What?" said Snow.

"Could Applejack and Rainbow... y'know..." Snow DID know, but that was just writing in her diary. Nothing of any true importance or significance.

"It's possible," said Snow reluctantly, cringing at how Twilight's face lit up. "Don't say anything until you know for sure. All right?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah, sure," said Twilight distractedly, still staring down the road after the two mares.

She was surprised, therefore, when Snow stepped directly into her field of view. "PROMISE me," said Snow.

"All right, all right, I promise!" Twilight said, breathing a sigh of relief when Snow stepped back. Friends they may be, but Snow could get very... intense, at times. "I guess that's it for today's talent search, huh?"

"Looks like..." said Snow, glancing down after Applejack and Rainbow Dash, who were visible only as specks on the horizon. "Maybe we could search the library again, see what I haven't tried yet...?"

"Sure!" said Twilight excitedly, rushing off towards the library at all speed with Snowy Night in tow, who just grinned. If anything could get Twilight's attention off of something, it was books.

The library was nice and quiet, as usual except for when Pinkie was throwing another party. Snow and Twilight spent the afternoon poring over books, Snow not really paying attention to what she was reading except to flip the page every now and then.

"Hey, I think I have something," said Twilight, causing Snow to look up from her book on *Applied Taxidermy*. "Remember when you tried working with Fluttershy with the animals?"

"Sure," said Snow. "It was great, until we got that wounded rabbit in." Snow shuddered. "That still gives me nightmares."

"Yeah, but you were still *good* at it," said Twilight. "And working with Zecora went well too, right?"

"I don't really want to live out alone in the wilderness again, though," said Snow. "That's what brought me to Ponyville in the first place."

"You're missing the point," said Twilight, rolling her eyes. Snow frowned. "What I mean is - hold on..." Twilight stuck her nose back in her book before continuing. "It says here 'What is a Cutie Mark, or Destiny Mark, other than an expression of a pony's talents, or that at which they are good?' You worked well in two outdoor jobs."

"So... what, look at parts of jobs that I *was* good at? This should be quick..."

"Wha... what are you two doing?" said Spike, coming downstairs fresh from an afternoon nap. He stretched as another yawn hit him.

"Spike! Perfect timing," said Twilight, drawing a groan from the baby dragon. "I need you to write something down for me."

"Again?" said Spike. "But you sent that letter to Celestia yesterday!"

"This is different," said Twilight, glancing at Snow for a brief moment before saying, "We need a list of Snow's strengths so we can help her find a job."

Spike walked the rest of the way downstairs, grumbling all the while. Snow had to suppress a giggle as Spike pulled out a scroll and a quill pen, sitting down next to the fireplace rather moodily.

"Okay. So far we know you work well outside... what else?" said Twilight. Spike began to write as Twilight spoke, yawning once more.

Snow forced her attention towards Twilight and said, "working at Sugarcube Corner has gone all right... I don't like it very much, and I don't know that I'm *good* at it, but I haven't been fired, yet."

"Okay... so what do you *like* about it? Anything?"

"Hmm... I like the various tasks I have to get done, all in the right order, with prioritizing being a factor as well."

"Sounds like a good strength for anypony to have. Okay, what else?"

"Well... there has to be some variety, too. Otherwise it'll be too boring."

"Good. What else?"

"Hmm..."Snow thought for a minute before saying, rather quietly, "I like writing..."

"I didn't catch that. What did she say?"

Twilight didn't answer Spike - she was too busy looking at Snow, jaw agape. When she finally found her voice, she said "Well why didn't you say that in the first place?!"

"I-" Snow began, but Twilight wasn't to be stopped so soon.

"All this time spent planning who could help you when, and who in Ponyville would take you, and who could teach you what..."

"TwilightI'mreallysorryIjust-"

"Five weeks!" said Twilight. "Five weeks I spent helping you! Do you know how much time it's taken? I'm behind on everything! Dear sweet Celestia, I - I - I have to go figure out SOMETHING about Friendship from this whole mess..."

Snowy Night was not a particularly reckless or daring pony. Every pony she'd met prior to coming to Ponyville had called her "too careful"or something similar. But when Snow got upset or agitated, one of two things happened: she either ran off crying, or - often when there was no way out of her current situation, for social or physical reasons - an often-dormant impulsive side would rise to the fore, clouding Snow's better judgement and often her memory.

So it was that a very confused Snow came to, lips locked with Twilights, whose eyes were wide open in blank shock. Snow squeezed her eyes shut, unsure as to why Twilight would kiss her.

Twilight slowly pulled her head back from the kiss... only to move right back in. Snow dimly remembered stepping forward to kiss Twilight in the first place, but these thoughts were soon swept away in a simple, elemental ecstacy.