One Chilly Evening
Ponyville exploded with thunderous cheers and hoofsteps as the town's students rushed out of the schoolhouse. The silence of the afternoon admitted defeat early as it was a very special day. The first official day of winter. Cloudsdale had confirmed it weeks before and now it arrived with fresh snow to sate the appetites of many of the town's winter sports enthusiasts, from the bobsledders to the snowball fight tacticians. The released ponies from school immediately tossed aside the assigned homework for the night to play in the fallen powder.
Among them were perhaps Equestria's most well-known Cutie Mark Crusaders: Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, the newest members Apple Sprout, Juneberry, and the only colt of the group, Cotton Threads. They stood on the threshold of the school's door, somewhat cramped, but ignorant of that fact to stare in awe at the snow.
"Just look at it", Sweetie Belle breathed, "There's so many new things we can try out to get our Cutie Marks now that winter's here!"
"What should we do first?" Scootaloo asked, "Snowboard, ice hockey, dogsledding…Ooh! What about mountain climbing? Now that there's seven of us that'll be way easier!"
The thought of doing something dangerous right off didn't exactly sit right with the other crusaders. Applejack's sister was the first to let them know that. "Ah think we should do somethin' smaller first", Applebloom suggested, "Or at least wait until Sprinkle gets here."
"Like snowmare building!" Cotton shouted.
The oldest member scrunched up her face. "Maybe a bit bigger than that." Apple Sprout looked down at her friend in hopes his imaginative mind would change.
Her sister coughed. "Ah don' like the cold", she whined, "Can't we jus' do somethin' inside where it's warm?"
Scootaloo looked back at the youngest member. "And miss all the awesome action in the snow? Not a chance!"
As usual the group found itself under the influence of conflict and indecisiveness. They stood there, voicing their opinions, arguing against even the simplest and least dangerous ideas that came up. It got to the point where Cheerilee had to boot them from the premises as she couldn't hear herself think over the rising volume of the six ponies. And so their bickering took to the road to the clubhouse. Luckily, about halfway, Scootaloo managed to push her wild suggestions onto the others. It started with Cotton, who became very interested in snowboarding.
"…and we'll have so much fun that we'll have to get our Cutie Marks!" he exclaimed to back up Scootaloo's unorganized points.
"Okay", said Applebloom with a defeated sigh, "We'll go snowboardin'."
"But it'll have to wait until tomorrow", Sweetie Belle pointed out, "It's starting to get dark and I don't think ponies have night vision."
"Oh, fine", Scootaloo huffed, "But until then it's boredom city! What're we gonna do?!"
Cotton jumped in front of her. "Oh! I know, Scootaloo!" From his saddlebag he pulled out the latest copy of "Adventures of Mare-Do-Well". The cover featured the masked mare staring down the skeleton of a unicorn. "It's the last issue of the year!"
The Pegasus's eyes shot open and she snatched the book from him to make sure that it was real. "How'd you get this!?"
"Big Brother", stated the unicorn happily, "He knows the pony that writes them!"
"No. Way. He knows Reward Timer!"
"Uh-huh, but Big Brother says that's an ananagran!"
"I think you mean 'anagram'", corrected Sweetie Belle. "Rarity reads a lot of books by ponies who don't use their real name."
"I don't care what they're called", Scootaloo said honestly, "I can't wait to see who the Skeletal Being really is!"
"Maybe we should do our homework first", Sweetie Belle said.
"Uh, lame!" Scootaloo gave Cotton back the paper gold. "I hate fractions!"
Sweetie Belle tried to reason with her orange friend, but was silenced by a shake of Apple Sprout's head. You just couldn't argue school with Scootaloo. On the other side of the brightness spectrum, at least she and Cotton would be quiet long enough to let the rest of them move on to the next grade. It was no secret, at least not to the Crusaders that those two had grown very close since Cotton's first day in Ponyville. Every spare moment in each other's time was spent together. Thankfully, it didn't too much interfere with their quest for Cutie Marks.
The group pulled ahead to let them discuss what they thought was going to happen in the latest issue of the comic as the colt hadn't read it yet. They arrived at the CMC's main headquarters sometime later, much to the relief of the non-comic fans. Their ears were plenty sore from the abuse of Scootaloo's high pitched squeals of delight at every theory Cotton came up with. The inside was about as warm as a snowflake, preventing anypony from shedding even a single piece of winter clothing. Sweetie Belle, Applebloom, and the sisters unloaded the homework assignments and got to work like they did almost every day after the seven hour wait to leave a place that only took five minutes to get to.
The other two situated themselves on top of beanbags against the opposite wall to separate themselves from any talk of math's problems. The inside soon fell into two different kinds of murmuring as the different pages of the books flipped. Tuesdays normally found a way to be highly uneventful, leading to the scene of the six ponies in their respective corners. Every once in a while Scootaloo would loudly comment on a panel of Cotton's comic and hurry the colt along to finish the page so she could see what was to happen next. Applebloom and the others were condemned to fraction chatter among themselves, saying aloud an answer to a problem they managed to solve.
The sun outside sank below the western mountain range much earlier than it ever did any other time in the year. Luckily, Ponyville's assistant librarian provided the clubhouse with enchanted lanterns that never needed oil and only required only the push of a flint switch to ignite so they had plenty of light to see. Whether that was an aid or not depended on who you talked to in the room. Eventually, Apple Sprout sighed with a slam of her book.
Officially burned out, she told her friends, "That's it, Ah'm done."
Juneberry stood up with her. "Me too."
"We're almost done anyway", Sweetie Belle said, "Can everypony figure out the rest?"
A round of nods went around the room, except for the comic readers. The fillies gathered their things and, with stretches and yawns, started to leave. Just before leaving, Applebloom poked her head back in.
"Are y'all stayin' here again?" she asked Cotton and the filly pushed deep into his side.
The unicorn nodded vigorously. "Yup! We're so close to the end we just can't stop now!"
"Alright, then, jus' make sure y'all put the lanterns out", she said, closing the door behind her.
The voices soon faded as their friends disappeared into the trees of the frozen Sweet Apple Acres. Neither of them took notice. Their senses were so dulled that the only things that mattered in their world right now was figuring out why Mare-Do-Well's oldest friend had become her greatest enemy and each other. Even though they were huddled right under a lantern, the air's chill still ran deep. That much was evident in Scootaloo's violent shivering. The blue colt at her side immediately reacted. He snatched the scarf from around his neck, wrapped it around hers, and removed the winter cap from his head to help reinforce the black one she wore.
"Th-thanks, Captain", she stammered, using the nickname nopony else ever called him by.
He smiled proudly, "Captain Strings saves another! Hypothermia is no match for me!"
"Come on, let's read the rest already!" She pulled him back down to him. Nuzzling slightly into him for added warmth, she leveled the book in between them.
Panel by panel, they gradually dipped down into the farthest reaches of suspense. Every new page unraveled another secret about their favorite superhero until they landed on the final page. Mare-Do-Well stood tall against an army of skeletal ponies and the words "A spirit broken! Can she find it in herself to fight?" shot across the bottom. They collectively stared at the finale page until realization settled the fact that there was nothing else to read, not even a preview.
"That was awesome!" Scootaloo screamed. "Those skeletons don't stand a chance!"
"I bet she'll use her Vortex Cannon move and send them all to another dimension!" Cotton closed the book and slid it into his saddle bag. Standing up, he stretched his cramped muscles and made sure the blue cape he never took off didn't suffer any damage from lying on it. He pulled Scootaloo to her hooves. "Ready to go?"
She readily nodded. "Is it still okay that I stay the rest of the week?" she asked almost apologetically.
"Uh huh! Big Brother already has your room ready!"
It was nice to have somepony like Cotton in her life. The second she told him that her parents had to go out of town to handle a business deal for their job, he told his older brother. The generous stallion decided to allow Scootaloo to stay with them until they got back. Cotton was so overjoyed that he even cleaned his attic room from top to bottom. Knowing that she was still welcome, she helped him douse the lamps so they could get going.
Outside was difficult to see in the late hours of the winter afternoon. Cotton shivered against the cold, not having anything to protect him against the low temperature's onslaught. Just as Scootaloo opened her mouth to offer him back his hat and scarf he cut her off by yelling out into the orchard.
"No mere cold can stop Captain Threads! Do your worst, winter!"
The filly feared his superhero façade was going to get him into trouble one day. She kept a watch on him to make sure he would hold up against the weather. In his mind he might be a superhero, but on the outside he was an ordinary unicorn, susceptible to the ailments of all other mortals. While it was cute, Scootaloo made it her personal mission to make sure he remained safe when not under the watchful eye of his brother.
Snowflakes fell softly around them, offsetting the would-be creepy darkness with a serene atmosphere. The two trudged on through the deepening blanket of snow. The winding trail marked by Applejack just for the Crusaders to use led them back to Ponyville which was no warmer than the orchard. Nonetheless, the thought of almost being home kept their spirits high. Cotton turned his gait into excited bouncing, and Scootaloo nearly tripped trying to keep up. The smaller, bluer version of Pinkie Pie giggled louder with ever foot closer to the house next door to Ponyville's spa. At the distance between them, neither could distinguish Cotton's house from any of the other buildings. That changed when they passed the library; Linen's house wasn't far from there, giving it higher contrast against its neighbors.
The light glowed from the first floor's windows. A silhouette could be seen pacing behind them. No doubt it was Linen Fiber, worrying himself sick over the children he didn't know were frolicking just outside his property line. Scootaloo let Cotton go in first. She didn't feel comfortable accepting such a big favor and looking the hospitable ponies in the eye at the same time. It was horrible to feel like a burden on the colt she had grown sweet on in the last three and a half months. The inviting warmth was a magnet, pulling her halfway into the living room despite her reluctance to do so.
"Big Brother!" Cotton called, "We're home!"
"And have you the slightest idea the time?!" returned a voice from the next room over. Linen rushed into the room, his scarf slung around his neck and three boots on his hooves. "I was beginning to search for you!"
"Sorry, Big Brother." Cotton frowned with genuine sadness. He didn't at all like to upset his older sibling.
Linen sighed. "I am just relieved that you are both of sound health."
Scootaloo watched the brothers embrace from the door. She might have been in the house well over a hundred times before, yet she felt like an intruder. In the back of her mind she hoped that she would remain invisible to the ponies for the next four days. Unfortunately, their keen eyes were more than enough to see her in the doorway.
Linen grinned warmly. "Scootaloo, why don't you come in and stay for a few minutes at the least", he chuckled.
She hesitantly stepped inside. Her body shook violently under the onslaught of the scarring cold and nervousness. "Th-thanks for letting me stay", she squeaked out as confidently as she could.
The gray unicorn picked up on her shakiness. Deciding to offer her a chance to relax, he said, "Ah, is this your first time sleeping in a different home?"
She shook her head.
"Then perhaps", he chuckled slyly, "This is your first time sleeping at a colt's house?"
The blood from her blush warmed her face, and to avoid any more questions, she thought it best to go ahead and nod. "Uh, yeah…"
"It will be no different from any other slumber party you may have attended before…with the exception of the four day period of temporary residence. Rest assured I have and will continue to take measures to make you feel right at home. Now, then. Would anypony care for dinner?"
Linen said the magic word. In under a second, Cotton left his saddlebag suspended in the air. It fell to the floor at about the same time the sound of a chair scooting up to the kitchen table echoed from the room. Scootaloo giggled while Linen simply rolled his eyes. They made their way to Cotton's food-worshipping room, where he twitched in excitement at the table. The smell of hay fries and field picked squash drifted through the air. The filly took her usual seat next to Cotton and realized exactly how hungry she was.
No more than a few seconds went by before two plates softly landed in front of the younger ponies. "Bon apatite", Linen said in Ancient Equine, "I hope you enjoy Scootaloo. It is my favorite garden medley with a Ponyville touch added in just for you."
She figured he was talking about the hay fries situated under the mix of steamed vegetables. It smelled sweet, but at the same time, tangy. It didn't matter much, her stomach overtook any resentment her taste buds might have had. The first bite danced on her tongue unlike anything the older unicorn had ever made for her, and she had eaten enough of Linen's cooking to know what luxury meals were like. This was just so much better. She tore into the food, nearly inhaling it in between the huge bites.
"Um…Scootaloo?" Cotton tapped her shoulder.
At that moment she saw exactly how much faster she was eating than him. Cotton, the fastest eater and hungriest pony she had ever met only had about three bites to her almost clean plate. She stopped immediately, somewhat ashamed with full embarrassment. She received stares from the boys, further topping off her blush with even more redness.
"My, Scootaloo have you not eaten today?" Linen inquired in shock.
She nodded honestly. "No…my mom and dad were gone before I woke up this morning, so I didn't have breakfast or lunch for school…"
"Goodness…well you can be certain that you will be well fed tomorrow", he told her softly.
"…thanks…"
Cotton barely heard her mumble and he wasn't even four feet away. He looked down and furrowed his brow in thought. Scoots was pretty ashamed of what she did, though he knew what it was like to starve, even if his definition of the word featured going only an hour without sustenance. It didn't take long for him to find a solution to her issue.
"Big Brother, can I be excused?"
"Yes, Cotton", said the older unicorn.
Seeing his absence as a chance, Scootaloo pushed away from the table. "I'm kinda tired Linen…I'm going to bed."
Linen levitated her plate to the sink, where his levitation field spread over the sink to wash them. "I could start you a bath."
It was a good idea, however she wasn't in the mood. "No thanks…"
"The guest room is on the second floor, first on the left."
She nodded, then left for the upstairs. Avoiding Cotton, who was rummaging through his saddlebag, she climbed the staircase. The door Linen directed her to was cracked a little, allowing her to push through and have her breath inflate her lungs with an endless gasp.
Linen had gone the extra hundred miles to make sure that she would feel at home. Posters containing Rainbow Dash, the Wonderbolts, Mare-Do-Well, and various other ponies that peaked her interests clung to the walls. Speaking of the walls, he painted them her favorite shade of green, and colored the bedspread and furniture the same orange as her coat.
"You may thank Cotton for the design", said Linen behind her.
She jumped almost over the taller pony's head.
He chuckled. "My apologies. I hadn't meant to startle you."
"It's cool", she replied. She crossed the room and climbed into the bed.
"Have you any last needs?" Linen asked from the door. He placed his hoof on the knob to show that he was ready to say goodnight.
She shook her head. "No. Goodnight, Linen."
"Goodnight to you as well, Scootaloo." He closed the door. Now she was alone with nothing to do but listen to the sounds of the house, which mainly included the sound of hoofsteps descending the stairs. The Pegasus stared up at the ceiling. It was kind of early for her to go to bed, and it was a new place to sleep, becoming the perfect mixture for insomnia.
Not much longer after the first few sheep did she hear the door creak open. She shot up to look, but whoever opened it had already plunged the room into darkness again. Before thoughts of the boogeymare could cross her mind, she was set at ease by a voice in the dark. "Scootaloo?"
She let out her breath. "I'm here, Cotton."
The opposite end of the bed sank under his weight when he climbed it. He clumsily crawled along the top to her. "I got something for you", he said simply.
"What is it? I can't see."
"Oh, hang on." The top of the source of his voice sparked in his attempt at a spell. With a little effort, the juvenile magic user had formed a small ball of light at the tip of his horn. He beamed widely at his success, then held up a pink flower. "Here. It's the last one before the snow."
The filly blushed hard. Cotton always did something sweet for her. And, even though it sometimes might have been something that she would never admit to liking, she always welcomed what he did. She removed the flower from his hooves and gently placed it on the end table. "Thanks."
He hopped up in satisfaction. His loss of concentration bathed the room in darkness again. "Goodnight Scootaloo. I'll see you in the morning, my trusty sidekick!"
She remained silent. Secretly, she didn't want the unicorn to leave, but was too shy to say anything. As a result, her door clicked shut for a final time that night. Lying back once more, she sighed happily. The next four days were going to be way better than she first thought.
Skipping my usual after-update comment, I'd like to apologize for the delays. I've just started college and the workload is pretty heavy, so I'm usually up after hours and writing in the small gaps of time fate has allowed. Another thing is I didn't have cover pages ready for these new stories so I've had to make them as I publish more.
On the brighter side, this is the sixth and final story of the new…shall we call it season? Yes, season. So now we are officially on Season 2.
Since my schooling is upsetting the once peaceful balance of my writing universe, I will be posting more news updates on my Twitter account, so if you are wondering just how close I am to a new update, you can just pop on the feed and quickly see where I am.
Trivia:
Cotton is the second youngest of his family, coming before his sister Pin Cushion, and after his brother Textile. His other siblings in the order of youngest to oldest are Linen, their brother Twill Weave, sister Yarn Spinner, sister Satin, and brother Selvage. We will be seeing these ponies later into Season 3.
I recently learned that juneberry is a tree and is grammatically correct as one word so now I have to go back and rewrite the filly's name as one word.