private A New Life: Manehattan Story

[Starshine 16,333]

 

 

He accepted the blanket with a smile, "Yeah, probably around noon or so." He cocked an eyebrow, still smiling, "Where's the little troublemaker?" He chuckled, "Bedroom?"

 

"Actually..." Winterglade's words trailed, holding back a laughter. Her eyes looked above Fender's head. "You can see for yourself!"

 

Suddenly a couple of pale blue hooves blocked Fender's eyesights. A childish giggle could be heard. "Guess who??" the voice asked excitedly.

[Fender 1,283]

 

 

"Actually..." Winterglade's words trailed, holding back a laughter. Her eyes looked above Fender's head. "You can see for yourself!"   Suddenly a couple of pale blue hooves blocked Fender's eyesights. A childish giggle could be heard. "Guess who??" the voice asked excitedly.

 

 

Fender smiled, and removed the small hooves from his eyes, then swooped up the filly in a quick motion. "Gotcha!" He laughed as he made them plummet onto the couch, where he poked her in the belly, "Sneaky, sneaky, Sprinsteps." He finally set her down, next to the couch. "Hey Winterglade? When do we plan on having lunch?"

[Starshine 16,333]

Springsteps roared in laughter. Her hooves kicked Fender's and pounced on the stallion when he was done poking her. "That's not how you play the guessing game!" she protested. She ruffled Fender's mane and galloped away before the stallion could react.

 

 

 

"Hey Winterglade? When do we plan on having lunch?"

 

Winterglade could only shook her head seeing Springsteps' antics. She wished her own fillies would be as energetic. "Lunch? We can have them now, if you're hungry." She scratched her chin in thought. "We still have one chocolate cake left, and if I remember it right, there should be some sliced bread in the kitchen." She looked through the window. With the weather, it was nearly impossible to guess the time. She shrugged. "I'll prepare the food now."

 

The preparation was a quick one, considering there was an unicorn filly who helped carrying everything to the table. Winterglade tried to be creative and cooked a vegetable stew with whatever she could found in the refrigerator. On the dining table, Springsteps quickly picked up a spoon to try out the stew. Her smile quickly faded when the spoon reached inside her. Winterglade winced. "Uh... Too much salt?" she asked. Springsteps only grimaced and nodded. Winterglade facehoofed. "There goes the broccoli."

[Fender 1,283]

 

 

Her smile quickly faded when the spoon reached inside her. Winterglade winced. "Uh... Too much salt?" she asked. Springsteps only grimaced and nodded. Winterglade facehoofed. "There goes the broccoli."

 

 

Fender snickered, "Not your finest work, love." An apologetic smile followed, Fender carefully, but quickly downed all of his food...he actually was quite hungry. "Thanks, sweetie." He scratched his chin for a moment. "So...still gotta wonder, what are we to do for the rest of the day, exactly?"

[Starshine 16,333]

Springsteps did a swift work of the cake, while Winterglade trying as best as she could to scavenge the stew. She tried dunking some slice bread to it, and plus some other ingredients. At least it didn't taste as caustic as before. The three had their lunch in fairly ordered manner.

 

 

 

"Thanks, sweetie." He scratched his chin for a moment. "So...still gotta wonder, what are we to do for the rest of the day, exactly?"

 

Winterglade looked around the room. "Hmmm about that-" Springsteps let out a loud burp. Winterglade looked at the filly in disapproval. "Keep it low, would you? Oh, and about what we do until tomorrow... Maybe we can sleep until then?" she asked. She had to admit that she was rather clueless. "I don't know. I would rather not leave the villa until the weather got better." Her eyes dropped.

[Fender 1,283]

 

 

"I don't know. I would rather not leave the villa until the weather got better." Her eyes dropped.

 

 

Fender shrugged, and trotted into the living room. "We'll figure it out." He said with unnecessary confidence. He threw himself on the couch lazily. "Well, brainstorming time, I guess. Just lemme know if you get any ideas!" He grinned.

 

 

SPRINGSTEPS WHY YOU ALWAYS SO CUTE.

 

[Starshine 16,333]

 

 

Fender shrugged, and trotted into the living room. "We'll figure it out." He said with unnecessary confidence. He threw himself on the couch lazily. "Well, brainstorming time, I guess. Just lemme know if you get any ideas!" He grinned.

 

Winterglade rolled her eyes and chuckled. There were some timbers in the fireplace, but she figured that it would be better to save it for later. She climbed onto the couch and pressed herself close to Fender, savoring his body heat. "Can't we just lay down like this until tomorrow?" she plead. "You know, I can spend a whole day like this." Winterglade knew that Fender might get boerd after a while, but that didn't deter her from snuggling close to him.

 

Meanwhile, Springsteps was busy chugging down a glass of water near the balcony window. Eating a lot of sugar can make somepony thirsty, after all. She hummed to herself, happy that this day wasn't so bad. Slowly she felt her coat rising on its end. "Huh...?" She looked outside. The snowstorm was still going strong, but she felt that there was something else. Something... "Uh-oh." It was subtle, but the floor was definitely shaking. She galloped to Winterglade and Fender and screamed at the top of her lung. "Avalanche!"

 

By the time Springsteps reached the couch, the earthquake had grown stronger. A distant rumble could be heard.

[Fender 1,283]

@@Starshine,

 

The comfort of his wife was cut short by the scream of the filly and the Earth-shaking sound outside.

 

Fender immediately got up and flew out of the door to check if it really was an avalanche. It was. There was a monstrous snow pile rolling toward Vanhoover. He flew back in. "Winterglade, grab blankets, food, and the medicine box. Now." Worry had engulfed his expression. He immediately grabbed a blanket for himself, and started stuffing all of the bits they had into his saddlebag. "We might need these later..." he spoke aloud to himself out of fear. He flew into the kitchen, and stuffed food into his bag as well. When he had everything he needed, he fixed Springstep's cloak on her, and wrapped an extra blanket around her. He put the filly on his back, "You're going to want to hold on tight." He smiled as to try to comfort her. "Winterglade, are you ready?" He called across the house.

[Starshine 16,333]

When Springsteps screamed that there was an avalanche coming their way, Winterglade sat there for a moment, speechless. She could barely register Fender leaving her side. No, this cannot be, her mind reasoned, this kind of thing couldn't be happening during their honeymoon. These two weeks were supposed to be their moments together. She yelped when Fender ordered her to fetch them some supplies. "Y-Yes!" She dashed to their bedroom and started preparing her saddlebag. Her hooves were shaking.

 

 

 

"Winterglade, are you ready?" He called across the house.

 

All of the medicine cramped into one small box, two blankets, some pockets of instant food, and the envelope from her family. Winterglade shuddered when she touched the envelope, but she fought it. There would be time for her to weep later. She strapped her saddlebag around her midsection and flew to Fender. "I'm ready. Where should we go?" she stammered. The rumble was getting closer, she realized that anywhere but here would the answer. "Let's go! There should be some kind of shelter closer to the town!"

[Fender 1,283]

 

 

She strapped her saddlebag around her midsection and flew to Fender. "I'm ready. Where should we go?" she stammered. The rumble was getting closer, she realized that anywhere but here would the answer. "Let's go! There should be some kind of shelter closer to the town!"

 

 

He opened the door, lead them out, and closed it behind them. Fender took Springsteps into his forelegs and took flight, leading Winterglade high into the sky, above the clouds, and the snowstorm. Below them was the loud roar and rumble of the avalanche on the ground, but up here, it was quiet. "We should be safe for the moment...up here, we can think about where to go, and  be safe." He noticed that in other areas above the city, other pegasi had the same idea. Some flew above the clouds, some flew back down to look for family, freinds, safety. He paused, then sighed, "We should try and find one of the weather ponies."

[Starshine 16,333]

Winterglade followed close behind Fender, they quickly flew upward to the sky and away from the avalanche. Springsteps held onto Fender for dear life, whimpering as the freezing wind blown her mane. They stopped above the cloud. Many other pegasi also had the same idea, hovering over the city with whatever belongings they could scavenge, some even carrying non-pegasi ponies in their hooves. Winterglade fluttered down to the cloud and took a long, deep breath. She nearly hyperventilated. The rolling snow... she could swore that it almost caught her tail and dragged her down to a certain death. "Oh gosh... Oh gosh..." she curled up into fetal position, her face pale.

 

On Fender, Springsteps trembled. She looked around her, a lot of pegasi were lamenting their houses and their friends that they couldn't save in time. Some even plunged back to the ground below to search for those who were left behind. The avalanche below was still rumbling, but it was slowing down considerably. Springsteps strengthened her grip on Fender and buried her face into his mane.

 

Not too far away, three pegasi flew up to the clouds, insignia of Vanhoover weather team could be seen on their vests. They landed on the cloud, looking even worse for wear. The only mare in the group soon broke into a sobbing mess, while the largest stallion screamed, "This isn't supposed to go like this! Celestia-damned it all!"

[Fender 1,283]

@@Starshine, 

 

Fender curled up to Winterglade on the cloud, and rubbed her back. "Hey, hey, it's okay. We're alright. You're here, I'm here, Springsteps is here, alright? We'll be fine." He knew that wouldn't be comfort for anypony still down in Vanhoover, but he was still going to try to offer comfort. He looked back at Springsteps, "Do not let go of me. Alright?" He turned back to Winterglade, "Hey," He kissed her on the head, "We're okay." 

[Starshine 16,333]

@,

 

Winterglade hiccuped. She was trying to hold back her tears but it was useless. She quickly pulled Fender into a close hug. "I was so scared... Oh Celestia," she whimpered. At least everypony was okay, though the same could not be said with everypony. There were wails of sorrow around them, but Winterglade was too scared to look. Springsteps herself was silent, content to just sit on Fender's back. After a few minutes, Winterglade finally took a deep breath to calm herself down. She dared herself to look below the cloud. What was a lushful district, there was nothing left but white snow. Everything on the ground was covered in twenty-feet thick snow. "Are you okay, Fender? We didn't lose anything terribly important, right?" she fearfully asked to Fender.

[Fender 1,283]

 

 

"Are you okay, Fender? We didn't lose anything terribly important, right?" she fearfully asked to Fender.

 

 

He smiled weakly, "Well, I've got you two, and you've got your cape. I think we're set." He placed Springsteps on Winterglade's back, "Give me a moment, honey." He said flatly, as he flew off of the cloud, and to one of the weather ponies. He looked like he felt some flurry of negative emotion, just like everypony else, "What happened?" Fender asked, with a certain calm in his voice.

 

 

You're gonna have to be the weather pony. :x

 

[Starshine 16,333]

 

 

He smiled weakly, "Well, I've got you two, and you've got your cape. I think we're set." He placed Springsteps on Winterglade's back, "Give me a moment, honey."

 

Winterglade nodded rapidly. Fender was right, they all were safe, nothing else  matter more than that. She held Springsteps cloe to her. The filly herself was slowly dozing off, clearly tired from the brief brush with disaster. Winterglade kissed her forehead. "Sssh... It's okay, Springsteps, you can sleep if you want to."

 

 

 

He looked like he felt some flurry of negative emotion, just like everypony else, "What happened?" Fender asked, with a certain calm in his voice.

 

The three weather ponies winced. The leader merely brushed Fender aside. "None of your business, sir, move along. You should head to the nearest shelter." As the weather team leader turned away, more pegasi joined Fender, clearly upset on the loss of their home.

 

"Hey, what about my home! I didn't spent my entire youth working just to see it crushed like this!"

 

"Who did this? There shouldn't be any blizzard or anything for three weeks."

 

The voices continued. The leader grew restless, the other two was looking even more downtrodden. The circle of pegasi started closing into the weather team, the fact that there were only two non-pegasi survivors could be seen around them was heartbreaking. Not few demanded the pony who was responsible for the disaster. Things weren't looking well for anypony.

 

"P-Please, everypony, stop..." The sobbing mare from the weather team pleaded. Her yellow fur was caked with grime and dirt, much of her mane and tail was burnt away. "It was my fault... I built the snow machine. I thought- I thought it would be a nice thing to have. I put it on the mountaintop." The mare choked on her own tears. After a harsh cough she continued. "I miscalculated on the output. I'm so sorry..."

 

 

 

Don't worry about any NPCs that I bring onto the table. They're my responsibility :3

 

 

[Fender 1,283]

@@Starshine, 

 

Fender saw the crowd, and while he himself was also angry, and depressed to a degree at the situation, this only worsened the effect of it. Slowly, more ponies joined in, in anger, and frustration, all these statements that would solve nothing going on around them. The chaotic crowd now yelled every sort of insult and question the could at the team, especially the one mare. After a minute of this, Fender was now built up with rage himself, "Everpony...SHUT! UP!" He emphasized every letter of those two words, and almost screamed them, rather than yelled them. Everypony did exactly as he said, there was now quiet, except for the sobbing mare. Fender was now exhaling or inhaling, slowly, and deeply, but also loudly. A moment passed, and he quieted his breathing again. "Yeah, you're all hurt, sad, angry. You've all lost somepony, or something, am I right? Get over it. There are bigger problems right now than our personal lives right now. The team made a mistake, and this is how they paid for it. Our next mistake it doing nothing about it." He looked at the weather team leader, "You, go call other weather teams for help." He looked back to the crowd, he and they were both more calm now. "The rest of you...gather yourselves for a few minutes. Mourn, weep, do what you must. We have a lot of digging to do." He now approached the sobbing mare, "And you," Calm had fully returned to Fender now, "You couldn't have known this would happen. You can't blame yourself for that. Ponies make mistakes, and things happen." Fender looked around at everypony, "Now go, do what you have to do." And back to the mare, "Rest for a short time, and join us. Please."

 

He returned to Winterglade and Springsteps, hugging them both, some tears finally falling from his eyes.

[Starshine 16,333]

The upset crowd quickly dispersed themselves as Fender left for his wife. A couple of ponies threw another angry insult to the yellow mare before leaving in a huff. Some had flew down to try their luck at digging back their belongings. Finally left alone, the weather team leader could only swallow the rising bile in his stomach. The grey stallion was right, they have more important things to do than just sit there and mourn. He turned to his team and spoke, "I'll go back to the base and call every pegasi that would answer to help us. Hopefully the major wouldn't mind lending us the circus teams. Pulse, help Snowy and get her to a hospital." He turned to the mare. "Get yourself some rest. We can talk about your doings later. For now, winter is cancelled."

 

The yellow mare twitched. "Wha-What do you mean winter is cancelled!? We can't just-" Her words quickly stopped as the leader kept his piercing gaze on the mare. She whimpered and shied away. Without anymore talk the leader flew away to the center of the city. Pulse, who stayed silent during the whole ordeal, helped Snowy onto her hooves. "T-Thanks... Before we leave, can I talk to the grey stallion first?"

 

 

 

He returned to Winterglade and Springsteps, hugging them both, some tears finally falling from his eyes.

 

Winterglade was quick to grab Fender into her embrace. They shared a tight hug, Springsteps was fast asleep between them. Winterglade nuzzled Fender. "You were great back there, love." She sighed. Now they will have to wait there one the cloud until help arrive. There was nothing they could do, or was it?

 

Snowy fluttered to Fender and Winterglade with the Pulse's help. She grimaced when she saw the filly in the mare's embrace. Everything was her fault. The filly was too young for this. "Um... Thank you for what you did back there. My name is Snowy, and... I'm so sorry for everything," Snowy apologized.

[Fender 1,283]

 

 

"Um... Thank you for what you did back there. My name is Snowy, and... I'm so sorry for everything," Snowy apologized.

 

 

Fender let out a tired sigh, "You're welcome. I'm Fender, this is my wife, Winterglade...and our uhm...freind, Springsteps." He didn't feel it would be right to claim that they were the parents of Springsteps, but he continued, "Like I said, you couldn't have known. I...I don't blame you. Truly." And he didn't. Still, he smiled weakly, and hugged the mare, but was careful of her injuries. 

[Starshine 16,333]

 

 

Fender let out a tired sigh, "You're welcome. I'm Fender, this is my wife, Winterglade...and our uhm...freind, Springsteps." He didn't feel it would be right to claim that they were the parents of Springsteps, but he continued, "Like I said, you couldn't have known. I...I don't blame you. Truly." And he didn't. Still, he smiled weakly, and hugged the mare, but was careful of her injuries.

 

Gingerly Snowy returned the hug, but not too much. Behind Fender, Winterglade was narrowing her eyes on the nearly bald mare. "Thank you... Still, I will do everything I could to fix this," Snowy stuttered out. She took a double take at Winterglade. "Winter... glade? You mean she's Winterglade from Cloudsdale?" The weather mare quickly jumped out from Fender's hug and flew to the now startled Winterglade. "Oh goddess I've been wanting to meet you! Under your leadership the snow production of the entire Equestria pretty much tripled!"

 

Winterglade herself had unknowingly raised a forehoof in defense, a bit confused on what had just happened. When she finally digested what Snowy said, her face grew resentful. She flapped her wings and flew away while carrying Springsteps. "Fender, we are leaving now," she called out to her husband.

[Fender 1,283]

@@Starshine, 

 

Fender was confused, and rather fearful at what just happened. Fearful that he did something that might've made Winterglade angry at him. He quickly waved a hoof goodbye to Snowy, and instantly caught up with Winterglade. "Are...are you okay, sweetie?" He frowned.

[Starshine 16,333]

 

 

He quickly waved a hoof goodbye to Snowy, and instantly caught up with Winterglade. "Are...are you okay, sweetie?" He frowned.

 

Winterglade sighed. Fender sounded worried. Maybe she cut the conversation too soon? At least the weather mare and her friend had enough grace not to follow her. "I'm okay, Fender. It's just one of those weather loonies," she tried to sound nonchalant. "She even made the avalanche machine or whatever, I don't think being around that kind of pony would be a good idea."

 

In Winterglade's hooves, Springsteps made a cooing sound. Winterglade chuckled. "Ah, enough about that. I think Springsteps need somewhere to sleep. Do you think we should get a hotel?" Her mind trailed back to all of her clothes and many other things buried in the villa, looked like she would have to do with just her cape, just as usual. In Springsteps' cape, a red gem was pulsating something fierce, but Winterglade thought it was nothing but her mind playing tricks to her.

[Fender 1,283]

@@Starshine, 

 

Fender also noticed the glow in Springsteps' cape. He didn't brush the strange sight aside as his wife seemed to. "Uhm...what's going on in Springsteps' cape? Springsteps, what's happening?" He questioned, with some worry in his voice. He wasn't sure if the glow meant good, or bad.

[Starshine 16,333]

Springsteps was unable to answer, as the filly was busy dreaming of a gleaming tower of pancakes. But Winterglade, on the other hand, was startled by the sudden question. She quickly checked inside Springsteps' cape. Her eyes widened in fear. "I... I don't know. She said that it's something her mother gave her, right?" Winterglade flew down onto a cloud and touched the gem. She was quickly overwhelmed with as a voice suddenly rung inside her head. The mare staggered back. "Fender, take a touch at this!"

 

Should Fender touched the gem with his hoof, a familiar voice would start echoing in his mind. A worried voice of Wonder Shrine, who kept calling for her daughter.

[Fender 1,283]

@@Starshine,

 

Fender carefully touched his hoof to the gem. The moment he made contact with it, his eyes widened and there was a strange pain in his head. He heard the voice of Wonder Shrine, calling for her daughter. He also felt like he heard the voice of every lost soul in Vanhoover, screaming. His head felt like it might explode, but he couldn't seem to pull away from the gem. He gritted his teeth and started shaking, and came to finally scream out, "AAAAAAAAAHHH!" before he finally seemed to be pushed away from the gem by something inside of it, like it rejected his being. With the push, Fender toppled over onto the ground and rolled around in the snow, two of his hooves to his head. Long, painful-sounding groans emitting from him. Finally, through all of the groaning, and pain, he finally fully regained consciousness a moment later, and inhaled loudly. The pain was still in his head, but drifting away. He hyperventilated for a moment, before taking the moment to breathe deeply. Involuntarily, he started crying. Not weeping, but tears were pouring from his eyes. "Springsteps." He shivered, his face blank, and eyes wide, "Your mother is looking for you."

[Starshine 16,333]

"Fender!" Winterglade quickly dived to the ground to catch up with Fender. She slammed onto the ground, shaking Springsteps awoke from her slumber, and galloped to Fender. "Fender? Oh heavens Fender I'm so sorry I have no idea." Winterglade held him in a tight hug. How could that happen? It was almost like something punched the stallion in his head. "Are you okay? Please tell me you're not hurt anywhere," Winterglade begged, eyes welled in tears.

 

Springsteps, still shaken from the sudden awakening, moved away from Winterglade. She twitched. Something definitely felt off... Instinctively she touched her red gem and started contacting her mother the way she knew how. The filly seemed to enter a deep trance.

 

 

 

Holy apples