The Great Snowball War

by Ponibius

Prelude: Now is the winter of our discontent.

The Great Snowball War

I do so love the winter. There was always something about seeing the snowfall that stirred something within me. Perhaps it had something to do with my cutie mark, a snowflake on my flank. While I could easily explain with scientific principles and the various aspects of that semi-natural event, there was still something wondrous ‘bout watching snowflakes drift by my worktable window.

‘Twas a welcome sight as I worked at my scrimshaw with my enchanting instruments. My old teacher Morning Star had loaned me several books and extensive notes on the art of runic enchantment, and I had spent the last few months perfecting my skill at the craft. ‘Twas scheduled to be a long winter in Equestria, and since the winter months tended to slow official business, that left me with more time to practice.

I had nothing pressing scheduled, having intended to spend the day carving runes into fish bone, so ‘twas to my mild surprise to hear a knocking on the tower door. Part of me was irritated to have my work interrupted, but a larger part of me was curious who would be visiting my mother’s tower. Not wishing to be rude to whomever might be at the door, I trotted downstairs to greet them.

On the otherwise of the threshold was my friend Gale Kicker. She was without the crimson armor she normally wore, instead donning a crimson heavy coat, scarf, and hooded cloak. The Kickers were perhaps not overly ... nuanced in their understandings of how best to mix colors in one’s clothing. “Gale,” I said. “‘Tis good to see thee.”

“And thee as well.” Gale nodded, though I noticed a certain tension in her frame. ‘Twas at odds with her normally calm presence.

I decided to get right to the point. “What brings thee to my home?”

“There are matters of utmost importance I would discuss with thee,” Gale said with great gravity. “A great battle is coming soon, and I must have thine aid.”

I blinked. “A battle? What sort of battle?” I pulled the door wider to allow her entry. This sounded like something that would need to be discussed at length, and ‘twould not do to leave my friend out in the cold whilst carrying such a conversation at the threshold.

“Aye.” Gale trotted in and shook the snow off of herself. “A week hence, at the clan's compound.”

I frowned. My curiosity had been sparked, and ‘twould not be sated until I knew everything there was to know. “A most serious matter indeed. What sort of battle would take place at thy very gates?” This was quite troubling news. If there was to be a battle at the Kicker Compound, then such a battle could threaten all of Canterlot.

Gale took a long breath before finally explaining. “A battle training exercise for the clan's youth. ‘Tis the traditional snowball war of the clan, and I am in need of thine aid.”

My frown became a scowl. “That does not sound serious. In fact, that sounds like the opposite of serious.” It did to me, in any event. The Kicker Clan training and education of their children was of course important. Even after the dissolution of Pegasopolis, the Kicker Clan had continued the tradition of teaching their children to be mighty warriors responsible for the defense do Equestria. ‘Twas of course something important for the security of the realm, but the training of youths was not something that was of critical importance to my own duties. Not before it became my own time to teach apprentices, anyways.

“It is of the utmost seriousness,” Gale protested. “We traditionally divide into two teams for the exercise, each led by a major figure within the clan. This year, as it was last year, 'twill be myself leading one force and my husband the other.”

“Thou art leading a mob of children to throw snowballs at one another,” I pointed out. “This does not seem worthy of mine attention.”

Gale growled under her breath. “I am leading children against my husband. And he was the victor last year.” I could all but hear her grind her teeth together. “I will not lose to Dusk again. Once was humiliating enough.”

I sighed as the full picture made itself apparent to me. “So this is about thy husband again?”

Somehow it did not surprise me that Gale’s husband was at the heart of this matter. Why Gale married Dusk, I would never know. Not when she always spoke of him with such vitriol. ‘Twould at least have made sense to me if the marriage had been a purely political affair—certainly there were plenty of loveless arranged marriages or outright bad matches—but Gale had always insisted to me that such was not the case with her. Mayhaps the mysteries of the equine heart were simply beyond me.

Gale’s wings flicked. “I must be certain of my victory this time. To lose to him again would be intolerable. I need an advantage he cannot surmount for the coming exercise, and I would ask that thee join me so that I may be victorious.”

I rubbed my face, suppressing mine irritation. “Gale, I am very busy. Some mock battle between children hardly seems worthy of my time.”

Gale puckered her lips in a pathetic-looking pout. “I ask this of thee as thy dear and treasured friend. Wouldst thou so abandon me in my hour of need?”

I frowned as I considered that. On second thought, ‘twould be poor of me to outright reject Gale. Even if the stakes struck me as paltry. “Does this really mean so much to thee?”

“It does,” Gale said. “If Dusk is the victor once more, I shall surely endure a year of terrible suffering.”

I tilted my head. “What couldst thou mean? What terrible fate would he inflict 'pon thee?”

Gale’s face took on a dark character. “He would ... gloat.”

“Ah, I see.” ‘Twas response I had to the less-than-terrible fate. Though on reflection, I could empathize a little bit with her dismay; I often felt somewhat vexed with how little Mother seemed to credit my achievements. ‘Tis not to say that I received no praise, but after a few days she would begin pointedly asking what I intended to do next. I knew that Mother was just trying to push me to always better myself and seek new heights, but it could be irritating to stretch mine abilities to their utmost only to be given a still greater challenge immediately after. ‘Twas as if I could ne’er satisfy her.

Deciding to resolve myself to aiding my friend, I asked. “And what type of contest is this?”

“The ultimate objective is to seize the other side’s flag,” Gale informed me. “What is different this time is that each side can remove their opponents from the game by striking them with snowballs.”

“So ‘tis a mix of capture the flag and a snowball fight, then?”

“Aye, a great battle to train the new generation of warriors,” Gale said. “‘Tis a practice that has stood the test of time in Pegasopolis. We combine training and play to best teach the children.”

I shrugged. While I had resolved myself to help Gale, my heart was not committed to the exercise. “It sounds like a simple affair.”

Gale snorted hauntedly. “It is of utmost seriousness. Mine honor hangs in the balance.”

“Aye, so thou dost insist.” I shrugged resigning myself to what I felt I need to do for Gale. While I did not think this would be a challenge, I could at least make her happy. “Very well, for the sake of our friendship, I will aid thee as best as I am able.”

“My thanks to thee, Midnight!” Gale wrapped me in a hug so fierce that it threatened to break my ribcage and pierce my lungs with the jagged ends of my ribs, causing me incredible agony until I slowly drowned in mine own blood.

I hugged back, largely in an attempt to get into a position where I wouldn’t be crushed to death. I could not aid Gale if she killed me. “I like to think of myself as a good friend,” I rasped.

“Thou art. Truly, thou art.”

Comments

[punzil504]

Gale wrapped me in a hug so fierce that it threatened to break my ribcage and pierce my lungs with the jagged ends of my ribs, causing me incredible agony until I slowly drowned in mine own blood.

Timeskips do not change Midnight much.

[Flynt Coal]

Just started reading it, and am enjoying it so far. Though, shouldn't "cyromancer" in the description be "cryomancer"? Also:

Glad puckered her lips in a pathetic-looking pout.

When did Gale change her name?

[BronyWriter]

Gale wrapped me in a hug so fierce that it threatened to break my ribcage and pierce my lungs with the the jagged ends of my ribs, causing me incredible agony until I slowly drowned in mine own blood.

I love Middy.

Also,

I frowned as I considered that. On second thought, ‘twould be poor of me to outright reject Gale. Even if the stakes struck me as partly.

Isn't the word "paltry"?

[Pen Mightier]

The only thing that confuses me more than Gale getting hitched with Dusk is the relationship between Gale and Midnight. There's plenty of suggestion that they are simply friends, but then there are scenes from Midnight's Shadow that suggest they are something more. Or perhaps ponies were just more casual with intimate contact in those days.

I totally ship Gale and Midnight though.

Anyhow, more Midnight is always welcome.

[kooarbiter]

this reminded me that galexmidnight isn't a thing, which is sad, but yay snowball fight!

7308301

I'm sure you would be glad to know

[Scarlet Storm]

7313371 oh, if only that ship happened

[Aurora Dimmet]

7309063

Don't forget the crone's curse. That Midnight would never be with the one she loves. And here we find Gale's married Dusk. I have a feeling they were leaning towards romantic coupling until that... Midnight did mention she felt some sort of strange distance between her and Gale after that.

[Talon and Thorn]

7336316

I'm not all that familiar with this part of the time line (I've more or less only read the 'present' part of the winningrverse rather than the historical side) but do Earth Ponies get a look in at all? You've got some quite detailed notes on Pegasus and Unicorn culture but do the third tribe just get ignored? (Although thinking about it the regular winingverse is like this as well, Pinkie is probably the only major earth pony character and she's probably a tituary level character most of the time),

[Midknight Defender]

7338319 the curse was that she would never dance with the one she loves.

Given the modern Sparkles' ah...difficulties with dancing, the curse has clearly survived the intervening centuries to pursue the family.

[djthomp]

Well, I shelved this for reading, and then managed to completely fail to do so. Time to rectify that.

I'm particularly interested in what this might show about Gale and Dusk's relationship.

[SWEETOLEBOB18]

On the otherwise (other side) of the threshold was my friend Gale Kicker. She was without the crimson armor she normally wore, instead donning a crimson heavy coat, scarf, and hooded cloak. The Kickers were perhaps not overly ... nuanced in their understandings of how best to mix colors in one’s clothing. “Gale,” I said. “‘Tis good to see thee.”

“Ah, I see.” ‘Twas .....the....response I had to the less-than-terrible fate. Though on reflection, I could empathize a little bit with her dismay; I often felt somewhat vexed with how little Mother seemed to credit my achievements. ‘Tis not to say that I received no praise, but after a few days she would begin pointedly asking what I intended to do next. I knew that Mother was just trying to push me to always better myself and seek new heights, but it could be irritating to stretch mine abilities to their utmost only to be given a still greater challenge immediately after. ‘Twas as if I could ne’er satisfy her.

[Atom Smash]

“It is of the utmost seriousness,” Gale protested. “We traditionally divide into two teams for the exercise, each led by a major figure within the clan. This year, as it was last year, 'twill be myself leading one force and my husband the other.”

Ah, so Dusk became a Kicker, interesting. I was unsure whether Gale became the next matriarch of Clan Kicker or if she left to found House Cumulus with Dusk.