Snow Day

by Darth Severus

The New Foal in Town

It was a normal day in Ponyville. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo were all walking to school.

It was also normal day in late autumn, so the weather was starting to get colder than some might like.

Sweetie Belle was wearing a purple and blue scarf with tassels on the ends that her older sister Rarity had made for her. Apple Bloom was wearing a dark red sweater with an apple patch on it that Granny Smith had knitted her. And Scootaloo was doing her best to pull off the whole "tough filly" routine by going without as they walked along.

What her friends didn't know at the time, as she hadn't wanted them to know, was that her saddle bags currently held a parka within its canvas construction. A gift, mailed to her by her parents should it be needed.

Why was it hidden away rather than being fielded against the chill, one might ask? Because her parents had gotten her a poncho in a hot enough shade of pink that it could practically glow in the dark under its own power. Hardly something that she wanted to be seen in.

But if it proved to be cold enough that her coat and feathers couldn't keep the chill at bay, at least she'd have it should it be needed.

As they made it to school, and filed into the building to take their seats, Ms. Cherilee came into the room with a smile on her face and said, "Good morning everypony. Today, I'm glad to introduce our newest student, Astral Shadow!"

As a young unicorn colt came into the room, the class clapped their hooves. The unicorn had snowy white fur with an icy blue mane and had a snowflake for a Cutie Mark. He wore an old-looking sort of sweater that gave the impression it was a hoof-me-down from an older sibling, and didn't fit him too particularly well, what with its rolled up sleeves, and what looked like a red vest underneath for an additional layer of warmth.

"H-Hello... My name's Astral Shadow... It's nice to meet you all," he spoke up in a soft, meek sort of voice.

As Astral sat in his seat and class started, the day went by as any normal day would. Courses, lesson, gossip, etc.

When it was lunch time, it was hard to not notice Astral meekly sitting by himself. When Sweetie Belle noticed this, she turned to her fellow crusaders. "Hey, why don't we sit with Astral? He's new in town, he must be shy in a new place. We can show him how great of a place Ponyville can be!"

Apple Bloom nodded her head in agreement, "Yeah! That sounds like a great idea Sweetie Belle!"

Scootaloo smiled as well, fluttering her small wings, "Yeah, making a new friend is always fun!"

As the three fillies approached him, Astral looked over at them and then back to his lunch and continued eating. As they sat down next to him, he remained quiet.

Sweetie Belle noticed how quiet Astral Shadow was and offered him one of the cookies she had packed in her lunch, "Hey, do you want one of my cookies? My friend Pinkie Pie made them, they're amazing!"

Astral Shadow still said nothing. But in an effort not to appear as rude, he took a bite of the cookie, and noticed the sweet, cooling flavor of peppermint with a dash of vanilla. He smiled and said, "Th-thank you, it really is good. Peppermint is actually my favorite."

Sweetie Belle smiled back and said, "You're welcome! I'm sure Pinkie would love to make you some more if you ask her!"

Astral Shadow nodded, and said, "That would be nice of her, but... my mom and I don't have a lot of money for that sort of stuff. We... we stay at the halfway home in town. My dad died a few months ago, and things haven't been the same since..."

Upon hearing this news, the girls looked at each other in silent contemplation and nodded, not needing words to know what they were thinking.

Scootaloo spoke up first. "We'll help you find a better place to crash!"

Astral's eyes widened when Scootaloo said this, and took a sip of his drink to wash down the cookie that was still in his throat and said, "Th-that's awfully kind of you, but I-"

Apple Bloom shook her head, "We've learned one important thing over the years, our talent is helping ponies who need it. We always find a way, and like Twilight always says, friendship is magic."

Astral smiled lightly and nodded, "Thank you. Back home, I didn't have a lot of friends. It would be nice to actually make some."

After lunch had ended and the foals went back to class, Cherilee spoke up and told the class, right after Scootaloo whispered in her ear and returned to her seat, "Well class, it's just been brought to my attention that our newest classmate is in need of help. Astral Shadow, can you come to the front and explain your situation?"

Astral gulped, but nodded and walked to the front and spoke up.

"My mother and I recently moved to Ponyville, but we don't have a lot of money; a lot of it went to traveling here. So we've been staying at the halfway home on the north side of town. My dad died a few months ago, and my mom's working two jobs to try to raise enough money to get us by. But it's been hard on her, she doesn't get a lot of free time to herself."

The class murmured to themselves, before one filly spoke up and said, "I can get my daddy to help you two out."

Cherilee smiled when she heard what the filly said, "That's very nice of you Diamond Tiara. With help from us all, I truly hope that we can help Astral, and his mother get through their tough times."

As the students cheered, the school bell went off and as they were leaving the school, they were talking to their new classmate, asking him about himself, and offering to show him around town.

When Diamond Tiara and her friend Silver Spoon came over to him, the former said, "Hi Astral, it's nice to meet you outside of class."

Astral smiled at her, "It's nice to meet you too. You must be Diamond Tiara. It's very nice of you to offer your help for me and my mother. If you want, you can meet her. She should be back at the halfway home by now, she usually gets off her first shift around this time and meets me at the halfway home before she starts her second shift."

Silver Spoon smiled, "Sure, it'd be great to meet your mom! Especially if it means she'll learn everypony at school is willing to help you two out."

As the six foals walked to the north side of town towards the halfway home, Astral thought to himself, "Wow, they're all so nice to me. Nopony was this nice to me back at home. Especially after what happened to dad... I still miss him, but I know he would be happy to see me making new friends."

And so, a new foal named Astral Shadow has started attending Ponyville Elementary School. He and his mother have fallen on hard times due to his father's recent death, but with help from his new friends, perhaps that will soon change.

To be continued...

Comments

[Luckyfanisaac]

I feel like this new foal will be a disguised windigo.

[Darth Severus]

11845964
Well, I won't confirm or deny that he's a windigo, but I will confirm that there's more to Astral Shadow than meets the eye.