A Snowy, Starry Night


                                            1.
                                            
                                                >Your name is Anon, you arrived in Equestria a year ago, and you're currently stuck in the freezing cold.

                                            2.
                                            
                                                >Despite the lack of cutie mark, your special talent is exploring.

                                            3.
                                            
                                                >You can easily hold your own in a survival situation, and you love the outdoors.  The adrenaline rush of fighting (and winning) against the elements is what you lived for on Earth.

                                            4.
                                            
                                                >You told Twilight and her friends about this hobby when you introduced yourself, and they've not let this talent go unusued.

                                            5.
                                            
                                                >First it was easy stuff, a few scouting "missions" in the Everfree Forest (as an excuse to gather shit for Twilight's zebra friend) and rock gathering with Maud.

                                            6.
                                            
                                                >Then, more challenging tasks, such as exploring spooky abandoned ruins, and investigating sightings of new fauna in various parts of Equestria.

                                            7.
                                            
                                                >Life was good.  You were in your element, and couldn't ask for more.

                                            8.
                                            
                                                >That is, until two days ago, when Twilight recieved a special letter from the boss herself, Princess Celestia.

                                            9.
                                            
                                                >It was for you!

                                            10.
                                            
                                                >"Dearest Anon,"

                                            11.
                                            
                                                >"My star pupil and her friends are very impressed by your connection to the outdoors, and so I humbly ask of you to embark on a very important trial."

                                            12.
                                            
                                                >"I have felt the faint presence of intelligent life in the uncharted snowy forests right behind Mount Everhoof.

                                            13.
                                            
                                                >"My request is for you to put your exploration and tracking skills to the test to find and make contact with this life.

                                            14.
                                            
                                                >"Please report your findings to me upon your return, and please, be carefu-"

                                            15.
                                            
                                                >Blah, blah, blah.  Why is she sending you alone?  Could she be sending you to your death?  What even is this "intelligent life" she speaks of?

                                            16.
                                            
                                                >"I will send a chariot with two of my finest pegasi tomorrow morning.  Be up early!"

                                            17.
                                            
                                                >Sigh.  The possiblilty of horrible snow monsters and freezing to death in a frozen wasteland.  This is fantastic.

                                            18.
                                            
                                                >You had arrived in the winter wonderland three days ago.  Morale is low.

                                            19.
                                            
                                                >Food had completely ran out, and even through the thick, slightly misshaped winter coats you commissioned from Rarity, your entire body was shutting down from the temperature.

                                            20.
                                            
                                                >A blizzard was beginning to pick up, with flying shards of frost attacking your face like angry bees.

                                            21.
                                            
                                                >Your legs and feet groaned in pain with every step through the deep, slushy snow.

                                            22.
                                            
                                                >No sign of any life, or snow monsters, but the cold was becoming too much to bear.

                                            23.
                                            
                                                "I should have asked Twilight to send the little dragon with me"

                                            24.
                                            
                                                >You thought to yourself, but then again, you would have been long dead from annoyance if you brought him along.

                                            25.
                                            
                                                >In your exhausted shamble, you catch your foot on a hidden rock hiding in the blanket of white, falling face first into freezing hell.

                                            26.
                                            
                                                >You feel numbing chills course through your nerves as the snow envelops the front of your body.  Any energy you had left was frozen away.

                                            27.
                                            
                                                >Was this it?  Were you going freeze to death here?  All because Celestia couldn't send some other ponies to do it?  Your eyes shut and then-

                                            28.
                                            
                                                >Darkness.

                                            29.
                                            
                                                >...

                                            30.
                                            
                                                >Warmth?

                                            31.
                                            
                                                >You open your eyes slowly, still in a slight state of shock from your tumble.

                                            32.
                                            
                                                >Blunt pain throbs on your forehead, accompanied by something very fuzzy and cozy covering you.

                                            33.
                                            
                                                >Your eyes open completely and you notice that you're in some kind of igloo.

                                            34.
                                            
                                                >and whoever lives in said igloo is making sure you stay warm.

                                            35.
                                            
                                                >Thank Celestia it isn't a snow monster.

                                            36.
                                            
                                                >It's a mare!  An earth pony with a very thick and soft coat, hugging onto your side with her hooves wrapped around your once freezing body.

                                            37.
                                            
                                                >These snuggles probably saved your life.

                                            38.
                                            
                                                >You nudge against her a little bit in an effort to wake her up.

                                            39.
                                            
                                                >She begins to stir, and peacefully awakens.

                                            40.
                                            
                                                >"You're awake!  I'm so relieved that you're okay!" greeted the fuzzy equine, hopping up excitedly.

                                            41.
                                            
                                                "What happened?  Where am I?" you stammer, surprised that you're still alive.

                                            42.
                                            
                                                >"You had a nasty fall and I found you, thank the stars!"

                                            43.
                                            
                                                >"If I wasn't on my way back from catching dinner you'd be a gonner!"

                                            44.
                                            
                                                >"Thank the stars?" "Catching" her dinner?  What the hell?

                                            45.
                                            
                                                >The questions running through your head began to calm as the smell of roasting fish drifts towards your nostrils.

                                            46.
                                            
                                                >Your mouth is watering.  You haven't had meat of any kind since you arrived in Equestria.

                                            47.
                                            
                                                >The sweet, savior mare notices that you want the fishe.

                                            48.
                                            
                                                >"Hungry?" she asks playfully, beckoning for you to come to the fire.

                                            49.
                                            
                                                >After standing up and painfully stumbling to a log set up in front of the glowing bonfire, the strange pony offers you a fish on a stick, cooked to perfection.

                                            50.
                                            
                                                >You take a bite, your heart skips a beat, the flavor of the freshly caught trout took your pain away instantly.

                                            51.
                                            
                                                >After an entire year of oats and apples, this was incredible.

                                            52.
                                            
                                                "This is delicious!  Ponies like you eat like this every day?" you ask excitedly, between bites of fishy heaven.

                                            53.
                                            
                                                >"Well, yeah, silly!  What else is there to eat?"

                                            54.
                                            
                                                >Is this mare a true carnivore?  Freaky, but you aren't complaining about the meal.

                                            55.
                                            
                                                "Where I come from, ponies grow what they eat and-" you pause your meat fueled excitement.

                                            56.
                                            
                                                >You haven't even properly introduced yourself to the pony that saved your life.

                                            57.
                                            
                                                "I'm sorry, where the hell are my manners?  I'm Anon.  I'm a human.  Probably the only one in Equestria."

                                            58.
                                            
                                                >You extend a hand to shake her hoof.

                                            59.
                                            
                                                >She appears confused, and pokes your hand curiously.

                                            60.
                                            
                                                >I guess hoofshakes aren't a thing around these parts.

                                            61.
                                            
                                                >You take her fuzzy hoof gently in your hand and move it slowly up and down.

                                            62.
                                            
                                                "It's called a hoofshake, it's how you say 'nice to meet you' back where I live!" you explain, smiling.

                                            63.
                                            
                                                >The sweet, isolated mare blushes deeply, and gives a shy smile.

                                            64.
                                            
                                                >"It's um, nice..." she mutters softly.

                                            65.
                                            
                                                >She moves her hoof away, still blushing, clearly not used to having her hooves touched.

                                            66.
                                            
                                                >A few seconds pass and she returns to her original, upbeat tone.

                                            67.
                                            
                                                >"Anyways, nice to meet you, Anon!  My name's Frosty Flakes and I just saved your life!" your new friend explains.

                                            68.
                                            
                                                >"What caused you to poke around in a blizzard like that? You could have gotten seriously hurt!"

                                            69.
                                            
                                                >You explain Celestia's letter, your assignment, and your talents (or lack thereof in this case).

                                            70.
                                            
                                                >"Wow, so you risked your life just to learn about my kind?"

                                            71.
                                            
                                                "Basically, yeah."

                                            72.
                                            
                                                >"Well what do you want to know?" She asks, with a wide smile.

                                            73.
                                            
                                                >You swear you heard a squee come out of her.

                                            74.
                                            
                                                "How long has your kind been around?  How come no one has ever heard of, well, snow ponies?"

                                            75.
                                            
                                                >"Mmmm..."

                                            76.
                                            
                                                >She begins digging her mind for any relevant info.

                                            77.
                                            
                                                >Her facial expression changes and she answers in a matter of fact tone:

                                            78.
                                            
                                                >"I have no idea!" she states, proudly.

                                            79.
                                            
                                                >You're shocked.  Is she the only one of her kind?

                                            80.
                                            
                                                >"This way of life is all I've ever known and I've never really thought about it!"

                                            81.
                                            
                                                >"I don't remember my parents, but I'm sure they taught me everything I need to know.  Making the most out of the snow just comes naturally to my kind, I guess!" she fills in casually.

                                            82.
                                            
                                                >You feel bad for the poor mare.  She must have been miserable out here alone for decades.

                                            83.
                                            
                                                >Your friendly grin turns into an empathetic frown.  You feel horrible for her.

                                            84.
                                            
                                                "So, you've been here all alone your whole life...?"

                                            85.
                                            
                                                >"Yeah, but the snow is my friend!  I make snow ponies, snow angels, have snowball fights with myself-"

                                            86.
                                            
                                                >You feel like you're about to cry.

                                            87.
                                            
                                                >"But it is nice that the stars sent me someone to talk to..." Frosty adds on, still smiling but revealing her needy eyes.

                                            88.
                                            
                                                >Again with the stars.  However, you're too worried about the lonely mare to change the subject.

                                            89.
                                            
                                                "Is that part of why you saved me?"

                                            90.
                                            
                                                >"I saved you because you needed help, no one should be trapped in the cold, silly!" the pony quips back, flustered.

                                            91.
                                            
                                                "The snuggling too?"

                                            92.
                                            
                                                >"Snuggling?  You mean when I kept you from freezing to death?"

                                            93.
                                            
                                                >You look at her with a "come on" facial expression.

                                            94.
                                            
                                                >"Okay, yeahhh...it WAS nice to have somepony to sleep on."

                                            95.
                                            
                                                >She's so cute, your heart is melting and you want to keep this sweetheart company for as long as you can.

                                            96.
                                            
                                                >You swallow your pride.

                                            97.
                                            
                                                "If you'd like, I can stay here with you a little longer.  It could be fun!" you offer to her, with a big, dumb grin.

                                            98.
                                            
                                                >She perks up instantly, her big sapphire eyes filled with excitement.

                                            99.
                                            
                                                >"Yes of course!!" she nearly shouts, positively beaming. "We can talk all night and play in the snow and eat lots of fish together!"

                                            100.
                                            
                                                >She hugs you tightly, revealing a crimson blush after she realizes what she's doing.

                                            101.
                                            
                                                >You hug her back with nearly the same amount of tightness, causing her to turn to butter instantly.

                                            102.
                                            
                                                >You now had a cute snow mare with her face buried in your chest.

                                            103.
                                            
                                                >With Frosty Flakes now extremely content in your arms, you push your luck and try stroking her fluffy brown mane.

                                            104.
                                            
                                                >Shivers run down her spine.  She never thought about how much she needed something like this.

                                            105.
                                            
                                                >"Thank the stars..." she mumbles to herself, with a muffled voice.

                                            106.
                                            
                                                >Okay, now you had to know.  What the hell is up with the stars thing?

                                            107.
                                            
                                                >You wait a few more seconds to let her enjoy the hug a little longer, then slowly release her.

                                            108.
                                            
                                                "You keep thanking the 'stars' for things, what do you mean by that?" you ask with a friendly and curious tone.

                                            109.
                                            
                                                >Her eyes widen even further.

                                            110.
                                            
                                                >"Let me show you...!"

                                            111.
                                            
                                                >The blizzard had calmed down at this point.  It was still freezing, but a liveable level of cold.

                                            112.
                                            
                                                >She lead you outside the igloo, laid down on the freezing snow, and motioned for you to lay down next to her.

                                            113.
                                            
                                                >Obliging her, you laid down on your back next to Frosty, doing your best to ignore the piercing coolness of the ground.

                                            114.
                                            
                                                >"Look up!  Aren't they beautiful?"

                                            115.
                                            
                                                >There was no trace of the storm from earlier.  Not a cloud left in the sky.  Only the beautiful night, sprinkled with gorgeous shining stars.

                                            116.
                                            
                                                >"They always gave me hope whenever I needed it.  I feel like they've always had a plan for me."

                                            117.
                                            
                                                >"Can I tell you something personal?" she asked with a somber look on her face.

                                            118.
                                            
                                                >Whatever she's about to say next seems very important to her.

                                            119.
                                            
                                                >"When I was just a filly, I hated it here."

                                            120.
                                            
                                                >"I was scared, cold, and alone.  Sure I was able to keep myself from starving to death, but sometimes I felt like I didn't have a purpose."

                                            121.
                                            
                                                >"It truly was lonely.  I couldn't bear the thought of being out here on my own another minute.  The emptiness was taking me over."

                                            122.
                                            
                                                >"Then I saw them.  They spoke to me.  They were guiding me.  They showed me my destiny."

                                            123.
                                            
                                                >"It was a breathtaking green ripple in the sky, dancing with them.  It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.  Suddenly, the cold didn't feel so cold anymore, and I could feel someone out there was rooting for me."

                                            124.
                                            
                                                >"I planted my hooves deeply in the snow and could finally accept that this place was my home.  Then, this appeared."

                                            125.
                                            
                                                >She presents her flank and shows off her cutie mark, two snowflakes.

                                            126.
                                            
                                                >"The cold is truly my destiny, and I'll always be happy here." she states proudly, finishing up her story.

                                            127.
                                            
                                                >You understand and appreciate Frosty's optimistic outlook now.  This is what she was meant for.  Possibly the last of the snow mares, doing what she does best.

                                            128.
                                            
                                                >The smallest signs and slightest displays of beauty can inspire anyone or anypony to keep on going.

                                            129.
                                            
                                                "That's...really amazing, Frosty." is all you can say.  This mare is definitely something special.

                                            130.
                                            
                                                >"The real amazing thing is that I finally get to share my stories with a good friend..." she replies, with a crimson blush covering her face.

                                            131.
                                            
                                                >You pull the sweet, strong mare into a deep hug, which she reciprocates immediately, wrapping her hooves around your body once more.

                                            132.
                                            
                                                >Frosty grew very comfortable, and her wide, blue eyes began to close.  Soon enough she was snoring on your chest.

                                            133.
                                            
                                                >Taking the opportunity, you plant the smallest of pecks right on her forehead, prepared to drift away into a peaceful slumber right next to her.

                                            134.
                                            
                                                >Without warning, she returns your tiny kiss with an even bigger, sloppier one right on your cheek.

                                            135.
                                            
                                                >You can barely think and your mind is racing with fuzzy thoughts about this fuzzy mare.

                                            136.
                                            
                                                >Once again, the snow mare was passed out on your chest, with not a care in the world.

                                            137.
                                            
                                                >You begin to drift away into her warmth as your eyelids struggle to stay open.

                                            138.
                                            
                                                >However, just before you fall asleep, you notice a glowing green wave of light in the corner of your eye.

                                            139.
                                            
                                                >The frigid surface you are laying on doesn't bother you anymore, you only pay mind to the kind mare who was all alone in the snow.

                                            140.
                                            
                                                >You hug her tighter.

                                            141.
                                            
                                                >Celestia's report is going to have to wait.