Chapter 11: Contentment is the Key

Frostbite was tired of the tolerance of the ponies. How could they keep going on together... after what they had just gone through? Maybe friendship was stronger than she thought. Nonsense. She just hadn't made it hard enough on them. Frostbite began to slowly change into a pegasus mare with a bean for a cutie mark. After making her transformation she charged after the group.

"Excuse me!"

The ponies whirled around. "Oh, what can we do for ya, sugarcube?" Applejack asked politely.

Rainbow Dash edged close to Applejack. "What are you doing?! Do you want to run all over the Everfree again?" she whispered.

"I'm just tryin' to be nice, Rainbow. And besides, I doubt that will happen." The two ponies turned their attention back to the pegasus.

"Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Vanilla Bean. First, I want to thank you for gettin' my Grannie Bean back home safely. I was worryin' 'bout her. And second, with my Grannie Bean gettin' old and all, I have to handle the bean plantin' responsibilities by my self. But a huge boulder fell on top of the plantin' grounds. I reckon I can move it if I had one of you to help me. Would any of you be kind enough to help me move the massive rock?"

"Of course. I'll go help you," Auquasia offered. Then she turned to her friends. "Why don't you ponies stay here and have a rest while I go help her," she suggested. The others agreed and Auquasia and Vanilla Bean walked over to the bean fields.

"So, tell me 'bout yourself," Vanilla Bean said in an effort to create a conversation.

"Well, there's not much to tell. I don't know if I have a family, and I've been alone my entire life. I mean, that is, until I met those ponies. They've completely changed the way I view things, and I couldn't ask for better friends. That's basically my life in a nutshell," Auquasia admitted.

Suddenly they approached a massive field that had a river flowing beside it. The winter storm the Freezelings were covering the land with must not have reached that area of the Everfree, for there was a river bubbling along near the fields. Auquasia admired the sound of the water gently flowing over rocks as it continued on its journey to the sea.

Suddenly Auquasia saw an alicorn filly standing beside the ocean, looking out over still waters. The filly summoned her magic and, with a large amount of strain, was able to move the still waters and pulled the tides. Suddenly there was a bright flash of light, and on the filly's flank was a coral cutie mark. Auquasia had uncovered another memory.

The disguised Frostbite knew Auquasia had remembered something; she could see it in her eyes. She had to act quickly before she could remember anything else. "Oh, the beans are over here." Frostbite pushed Auquasia in the direction of the field.

"Oh, sorry," Auquasia said as she shook her head. She didn't realize what she remembered and in an instant the vision was gone.

"Anyway, so you say you've been alone your whole life. That must be terrible. Aren't you jealous that your friends have families?"

"Well, not really. Of course I wish I had one, but that doesn't mean I have to be bitter about it. Plus, friends are like family, too. They will always be there for you and support you. And that will always be enough for me I'm content with what I have."

Queen Frostbite realized that, once again, this was a fight she could not win. Could anything get to this pony? She would need more time to plan. But so as to not make Auquasia suspicious she would need to lead her to a boulder. Finding the perfect spot, she used her magic to lift a large rock and place it on the field. "Here's the boulder."

"Wow, that's massive! On three let's push. One… Two… Three!"

The two pushed and after a struggle managed to move the boulder. "Oh, thank you for helping me to move it. You should probably hurry back to those friends of yours."

"You're welcome. Goodbye, Vanilla Bean!" Auquasia galloped off in the direction from which they had come. As soon as she was out of sight, Queen Frostbite groaned in frustration as she turned back into the white mist and followed the galloping alicorn.