1/9/16; Snowball fight

Zelenia stepped out into the wintry air, her breath coming out in thin puffs of fog as she tucked her scarf closer around her neck. It seemed sunny enough today to make the snow atop the town's houses glitter, but fortunately not enough to blind her. A perfect day, to her at least. She just wondered what to do with it. Take a walk? Visit the new library.. ? No, she didn't want to be stuck inside reading.. too often, anyway, though she loved to read. A walk it was, then. Zelenia left her little house behind her to wander beyond the streets of Ponyville, humming thoughtfully to herself.

Aculea walked around Ponyville disguised as Roseluck today, knowing almost sure that the mare was out of town with her cart to bring roses to Canterlot, wearing a red scarf and woolly boots to keep her warm this sunny yet chilly day.

Shadling was hidden behind a tree near the edge of the everfree as a bright green flash was seen. Soon a little bright teal foal with a purple and blue mane bounced out from behind the tree with a smile on his face. Shadling took the form of his more playful pony self Tie-Die Twist. He was looking for one of his hive members, but he was also bored and decided to play a little. He bounced around and then jumped into a pile of snow to keep up the charade. Snow went everywhere and he was buried in it, before popping his head out and having a snow beard and mustache. He shook his head and jumped out of the snow, before shaking again to get all the snow off his fur as he shivered slightly. He pulled his scarf around him and continued to bounce happily up the street.

Zelenia wasn't entirely sure what to do other than walk- as beautiful as winter could be, there was a remarkable lack of things to do when you didn't have any friends. Friends could play games, throw snowballs, that sort of thing.. like one little foal was currently doing: playing in the snow. The mare came to a halt to observe him for a short time, pondering the ease in which young ponies found in entertaining themselves. As he ceased his play and went bounding up the street, she spied another pony nearby- one of the florists. Zel didn't know her name, but knew her face and thought to hail her. Maybe she could buy some flowers to lighten up her home? "Hello?"

Aculea perked her ears up and turned to look at Zelenia, offering a jovial smile as she trotted up to her. "Hello there miss, nice sunny morning we're having no?" then looked at the satchel on her side and nickered. "Would you perhaps like a few of my roses? rare in winter, taste great and grown in our own greenhouse." yay masterful lying.

Shadling was bouncing up the street when he came to an halt; ears perking at the sudden voices behind him. He spun on his hooves towards the dirrection of the two that met and seemed they were talking about roses. His purple eyes shined slightly as a ray of sun ran across them and he smiled. He bounced up to the two or well got close to the two, before climbing into a pile of snow near by and barely poking his head out to spy on them. Even though he was the same Shadling in this form he was a bit juvenile and liked to play little pranks on others or just plain have fun. He was waiting for his moment to either jump out at them or cover them both in a pile of snow. Oh the fun to be had here!

Bygone Specter found himself in ponyville this day! Why? Well, he needed a few more stuffed toys to experiment on! First he had to integrate a thin metal frame into the stuffing and then layer spells to keep it safe and pliable! Aaand to place the animation enchantment. He'd managed to blow a few up though... And another caught on fire! Thus he was walking with a box balanced on his head with his hat balanced on the box! All the while whisling a jovial tune. Why didn't he put the box in his black hole of a hat? Well... why should he?! He felt like carrying a box around; har har!

Zelenia offered a hesitant smile of her own when the other mare turned towards and addressed her. Was she slightly beginning to regret socializing with another pony already? Perhaps. "Oh, yes, it's rather nice. I ah, was thinking of buying a few flowers.. mostly to make my home a little more colorful, rather than to eat." She chuckled lightly, with thin nervousness behind it. "I especially love roses." That was probably a pointless addition to a conversation with a stranger who probably didn't care, but why not right? Zelenia failed to notice the sneaky little foal hide nearby while she was engaged in somepony else; she'd assumed he'd gone off to find his mother or a friend. Nor had she noticed the second.. yet; a foal wearing a hat and a box on his head would get her notice soon as it was a rather odd sight.

Aculea nodded and thought a moment, how much did Roseluck usually charge for these in winter again? oh yes. "That will be ten bits a rose if you please, fresh roses are kind of rare this season you see?" and seeing as she had stolen those roses sadly every last bit would have to be brought to the flower ponies flower shop later, it was only right.

Shadling wiggles a bit in the snow as he watches the two converse with each other. He then waited a tad bit longer, before he was certain that nopony would notice him and is pretty sure nopony saw the little foal climb into the snow pile. He suddenly jumped out with a bunch of snow going forward as he attempted to cover the two mares in snow, "Bansai!" He yelled and laughed slightly. He landed on all four hooves and smiled widely, before rolling onto his back and giggling, "Oh...that was fun!"

Bygone Specter came to a stop when he heard a yell from not too far away. The little hat-wearing foal was glad he wasn't over there because of all the snow that was flying! He sat on his haunches and inclined his head. A rather amusing sight considering he was balancing a box and a hat on top of the box! The little foal had skills! Nah, probably cheating with magic somehow. The first instinct of the foal was to go over and say hi! But then he realized that he didn't know who any of them were! Sure one was the somewhat familiar flower pony but... That pony had seemed a little antsy whenever he was nearby recently... Ever since the 'market incident'... She 'was' a somewhat timid pony so he supposed he understood.

Zelenia balked a little at the price, understandable as it was. It would have been difficult for anypony to grow flowers during winter; spring was the prime season to do it. "Oh, my. I might have enough for only two, or three." She replied with a frown and dipped her head to pull her bag of bits out from where she had it tucked in her scarf. The foal's shout and eruption from the snow drew a small shriek from her, and ultimately resulted in her dropping her little bag. Whoops. She felt an icy wetness from where the snow had covered her, and tried to shake it all off while she tried to figure out how she felt. Angry? Shaken? No, perhaps not angry, it was just a foal trying to have some fun. "S-Sneaky thing!" Yeah, that worked.

Aculea went wide eyed as snow blanketed her while she was taking out three of the roses from her bag, shivering all over as she nearly dropped the roses out of her mouth. "L-Little S-Scamp!" looking over at the foal she would scowl a little spilling some words into the hivemind. T-That's cold! you nearly made me jump out of my disguise.

Shadling rolls up to lay on his belly as he looked to the two mares, "Oh! I am sorry! I was just having a little fun. I was bored and all. So lonely by my lonesome self." He frowned a bit as his ears drooped slightly. He was unable to hear anything from the hive mind being that he was somewhat disconnected from it and only vaguely could hear his queen or some other mild commotion in it. And while he took this form his mind itself was altered to make the cut off almost complete in this form. He couldn't even tell that the flower pony before him was that of his hive in disguise.

Bygone Specter couldn't help but smile some as the two mares jumped as the other foal jumped from the snow. He decided he might as well try to see if the flower pony might actually speak with him! He teetered up with the large box and hat upon his head and smiled at the small group. "Ummmmmm ~ Hello miss flower lady!" he flicked his ear and nearly lost the hat-box-hat! He wasn't really sure if the other pony had been buying something so he was somewhat off to the side.

Zelenia had to give herself a final, full body shake to rid the snow completely from her thick, curly mane before she could stoop to pick up her bag of bits. While she balanced it in one hoof, she looked over at the foal- well, at least he'd apologized. "It's alright, I suppose. It's just a little snow.. You got me pretty good!" She replied with another hesitant smile. Zelenia went digging into her purse and drew out, aha, just enough bits to pay for the three roses. She'd hoof them over, and just in time to spy another foal who came bounding up. Oh, what an odd sight, that box and hat combination! "Oh, hello!" The greeting hadn't been aimed at her, but she might as well say something.

Aculea blinked as she simply felt that the foal was of her hive, but somehow she always had this feeling the captain never listened to her, this of course made her think he was always up to something, shaking it (and the snow) off she half turned and waved a hoof at Bygone. "Hello there Bygone!" she didn't know Rose was usually skittish around him, then hoofed three roses to Zelenia. "Here you go ma'am."

Shadling eyes lit up slightly as they went wide at the sight of Bygone, a "pony" that he actually knew. He saw the box and hat and couldn't help, but grin more, "Oh! Play time?" He asked, before jumping on top of his box hat and peering down at him, "You look like you are fun! So do these two mare mares! Maybe we all can play a game?" He asked with a mischievous little smile. His tail swayed back and forth as he looked down, but then soon he flipped off the box hat and landed onto into a pile of snow with a plop. Moments later he poked his head out and sneezed as he sniffed, "O-oh...m-my...name...i-is...Tie-Dye Twist, but most ponies...call me Tie." He added through shivering lips as he crawled out of the snow and shook himself free of it once more.

Bygone Specter blinked owlishly as 'Rose' cheerfully greeted him! He then turned to the unknown pony and smiled as she also returned the greeting. "Hi!" he offered with a smile. The little changeling was suddenly taken by surprise though as the foal hopped right up onto his box hat and nearly caused him to lose his balance! he teetered all over the place trying to maintain the delicate balance of the hat-box-foal-hat! and was fixing to eat snow only for the foal to hop off! He perked his ears and smiled at the fellow foal only to grin sheepishly. "But-but I'm building a toy for Dissy!" he'd say with a somewhat weak protest. The prospect of playing a game was very tempting.

Zelenia tucked her considerably lighter purse back into the folds of her scarf before she took the roses. "Thanks!" She would have run them back to her house right then, but one of the foals, Tie, made an offer of playing a game. She.. wasn't normally the type of pony to play games with small ones, but.. it wasn't like she had anything better to do. The day had, up until she'd met these three, been uneventful. Zelenia looked thoughtful as she stuck the roses' stems behind one of her ears for safekeeping. "I'm Zelenia," She thought to introduce herself to them first, "What kind of game?"

Aculea tucked her satchel close not sure if she wanted to play a game herself, it was cold outside and she hated to get sweaty due to exercise in freezing weather, after all even changelings could catch colds especially in their pony disguises. "I can't really play right now but I'll happily cheer you on?"

Shadling looks to Bygone with a giggle, before turning to Zele, "Oh!" He smiled and tilted his head; right ear flopping down as his left ear perked up. He smiled and nodded to the flower rose pony, "Oh well...I was just thinking, perhaps we could play...um..." He thought for a moment, before walking towards the snow bank to the side and smirked slightly. He then simply ran his hoof through the snow and sheepishly smiled as he turned back to them, "Well how about...Snowball fight!" He said and without warning scooped up some snow in his hooves and heaved it right at Zele.

Bygone Specter inclined his head and looked between the ponies. "Oh! Uhmmm.." he'd start only for his fellow foal to go to a snow bank and then... throw a scoop of snow at Zele! The little 'unicorn' let out a snot and grinned in amusement! "Snow fight!" he'd say as he hopped out from under the box and found his hat landing upon his head. What followed next was him throwing what almost amounted to a pile of snow via magic at the fellow foal! Muahaha! Why did they need to be snowballs?

Zelenia glanced over at the florist with a little smile as she turned Tie's offer of a game. "Oh, that's disappointing.. it would be fun." She pointed out, hoping she could goad the other mare into.. whatever game they were going to play. As it turned out, it would be a snowball fight, as Tie had conveniently shouted out, but it didn't save her from getting a face full of snowball. Zelenia let out a yelp and shook her face free of snow. "Well!" She exclaimed, dancing back towards the edge of the road where she could scoop up her own ball of snow and threw it right back at Tie. She wasn't the only one aiming at him, either, as Bygone had chosen Tie as a target too.

Aculea scooped up a hoof full of snow and sneakily flung it at Zelenia's flank when she wasn't looking, deciding that some playfulness wouldn't hurt and she could always resort to taking a bath or spa visit later.

Shadling giggles as he hit his target, before turning to his fellow "foal" and eyes went wide as he let out an eep of surprise seeing the magic glow around a pile of snow lift up and come at him. He then noticed Zele was out for revenge! She too heaved snow at him! Oh no he was so doomed! He looked desperately around for some cover and noticed the only thing nearby was a snow bank and he jumped in it...yes jumped in the snow bank to avoid getting pummeled by snow! Brillant right? If only...now that he was in deep in the snow bank he was now sunk deeper as the snow collided with the bank and buried him in it as he remained for several minutes. Shortly after he manage to poke his head out and he had a snow cap on it along with his grin, "Hehe...I-I...guess that was not a good spot to avoid the other snow..." He shivered then jumped out and shook off the snow, "Boy, th-that is cold..."

Bygone Specter couldn't help but let out a bit of a laugh as the foal dove into a snow blank! Bygone blinked a few times only to grin wide. "oho! And he's temporarily out! The foal ducked behind the box that he had been carrying and used it as a barrier to half protect himself! He gathred a few snowballs and lobbed them at both the flower pony and Zelenia!

Zelenia felt icy wetness impact against her flank while she was busy watching Tie scramble for safety and flinched; when she turned, she spied who was possibly responsible. The only pony who hadn't thrown a snowball.. at least before then. The florist. She smirked and threw her snowball towards the other mare, hoping to hit another target.. and had to duck when the little foal named Bygone threw snowballs at both of them. Not today!

Aculea tried to duck Bygone's snowy orb of cold only to be hit square in the muzzle by Zelenia's, snorting some water as the foal's snowball grazed her back causing a shiver to run along her spine. cold! then scooped up more snow to toss back at the small unicorn.

Shadling watches in amuzement as the others began targeting each other and he shivered slightly; teal coat got a bit more glossy shine as if frozen now; his scarf was missing most likely somewhere in the snow bank. His eyes surveyed the area and noticed somepony left a cannon out by a shop and he eyed it curiously then got an idea as he rolled the canon over to the group of ponies and awaited them to get in a clunk together, before he loaded the snow in the cannon filling it to the brim as he pulled the rope with his muzzle to fire the "Party" snow cannon at the three to try and blanket them all in a partiful snow blanket!

Bygone Specter was carefully pelting the ponies with snow, but.... Then he caught sight of something precarious nearby! With an eep he spied the party-turned-snow cannon and dove out of the way should it fire! However as he was trying to jump away he was hit with a flying snowball! The end result of that was he went off-hoof and tumbled down into the snow! "ooooh, no fair! Why does he get a cannon?!" he'd say with a cry from his position. The 'unicorn' began to throw snowballs at the other foal!.

Zelenia felt a laugh bubble up out of her throat when she managed to hit Roseluck right in the face with her own snowball. She didn't think she'd manage such a shot, since she normally didn't throw things like this! She moved back to her snow to gather up more snowballs.. and lost them as a large heap of snow proceeded a bang! from a.. cannon? Where did Tie get that from? Zelenia was completely covered in snow and had to shake it off of her again.. but at least it meant more ammo. She balled up another snowball and threw it at Tie.. and as an afterthought, tossed another Bygone's way- she hadn't used him as a target yet.

Aculea was blown over by the snowy cannon shot and blinked scrambling to her hooves again. "Wherever did he find heavy weapons? who leaves a cannon unattended anyway?" she'd wonder as she shook excess amounts of snow from her coat. "I think however that I need to return to my store."

Shadling dodges the couple snow balls that flew at him or well what he called dodging atleast as he dodged one he barely dodged the other, but slammed face first into the trunk of a tree. He fell flat onto his back eyes swirling, "...o-ouchie...o-ow..." He wined as his face was completely red now from the impact, "...o-oh./.." He said and ears twitched as he heard Roseluck and he sighed, "O-oh, but it was fun...well see you around." He said sadly and waved a hoof to her, before falling back down on his back.

Bygone Specter let out a bit of a giggle as he watched his fellow foal dodge snowballs and then slam face-first into a tree. "Oooooh... " he winced in sympathy at the impact and inclined his head. This was a bad thing to do because he never even noticed the snowball coming his way from Zelenia! The little changeling was hit on the shoulder and yelped in surprise! "Ooooh! sneak shot!" he whined playfully as he opted to toss snowballs her way! "Awww.. okay" he'd say to the still oddly friendly Roseluck! He'd have to ask her next time he saw her!

Zelenia chuckled and shrugged at Roseluck's question. "I have no idea. He must have found it nearby." She answered, a bit unhelpfully, and frowned when the florist expressed it was time for her to go. "Ah, a pity, but an understandable one. It was fun while it lasted, perhaps we might see each other around sometime?" Zelenia said hopefully. Her attention was pulled away for a moment by Tie's moment of hurt and she cringed, taking a few steps towards him. He was still a foal, and fragile. "Yeesh, are you okay?" She'd ask, and with her back turned to Bygone, she realized her fatal mistake too late. Zele felt several snowballs hit her from behind and crouched down, covering the back of her head with one hoof. She'd get that colt back!

Aculea nodded and waved at the trio as she trotted off. "Sure thing!" she really needed to go and get one of her green candies.

Shadling had crashed so hard into the tree that snow fell from it and gathered around him. He didn't take long to realize that he should act fast. He rolled to his hooves and grabbed snow in each hoof and he quickly and silently launched a snow ball at each of the remaining ponies as he then vanished and hid behind a snow covered bush; out of sight hopfully, before a pony could notice him again.

Bygone Specter let out a cackle and danced a little jig whenever his return-fire pelted the pony upon the back. "Got ya!" he'd say as he pointed a hoof at her... Only to get hit upon the side of hte muzzle from the side! He really should learn to move and try not to get hit! He 'eeped' and face-planted into the snow spread-eagled! "Ooooh I'll get ya for that!" the little changeling in disguise hopped up and his horn lit up. Multiple snowballs were collected and floating around hm, just waiting for his fellow foal to appea so he could let loose some Bygone Justize!

Zelenia fortunately was still facing Tie and she could dodge his thrown snowball easily. The mare retreated back to her snowy edge of the road, now that the colt had hidden behind a tree, so she could make and gather more snowballs. She was grinning as she did, and the first few snowballs to be created would be launched vengefully for Bygone. Take that!

Bygone Specter inclined his head but... the little pony he was targetting never resurfaced! He barely caught movement from the corner of his eye as Zelenia threw a vengeful volley! "You'll never take me alive!" he giggled and actually leapt in her directon with snowballs sweeping around him in little orbits! He aimed to throw his snowballs to hit her mid-leap! Haha! Chances of success, though... 20%...

Zelenia. A mere glance told her that their party of four had become a party of two in the space of seconds. Roseluck had left, and Tie never reappeared.. or maybe he was lurking around for a sneak attack? She wouldn't be able to make sure, considering that she was facing off with Bygone. He was juggling several snowballs, and all of them probably had her name on them; unicorns and their magic! Zelenia rolled out of the way, but had another two hit her chest and shoulder the second she came back up. Drat! She rolled another snowball in her hooves and launched it for the little colt.

Bygone Specter was so eager to continue his pounce attack that he failed to realize that he was jumping into an attack! The snow-ball launched and clocked him right on the front! The little changeling in disguise was sent for a mid-air loop as he 'eeped' and face-planted into a mound of snow, leaving an outline of his spread-eagled form! That worked... but didn't to!

Zelenia chortled when her snowball hit its mark and sent him sprawling into the snow. "Gotcha!" She cried, dancing in place on the tips of her toes before she forced herself to relax. She probably shouldn't be getting so excited about hitting foals with snowballs.. but it was a fun game! Cautiously, Zelenia decided to approach Bygone to help him up, and to make sure he wasn't hurt. "You alright, there?"

Bygone Specter lurked inside the snow bank for a minute or so before he'd light his horn and... burst the snow bank he was in! Huehuehue! Snow everywhere! "Thank you! I'm fine!" he bouned back and forth in the snow, tail flicking! "This is fun!" The little changeling was shaking from the cold though... As was stated before changelings weren't immune to the cold, thus little Bygon was rather cold from his multiple dives into snow!

Zelenia definitely had a reason to be cautious, and it was proven a moment later when the half-hidden colt suddenly burst out of the snow. She flinched back from the wave of soft ice as it rained upon her and tried to clear some it from her face. "Hey!" The mare exclaimed, but she was smiling. Instead of going for another snowball in retaliation, she decided to sweep her hoof through the snow to fling some back at him; like a splash fight, only colder.

Bygone Specter perked his ears and let out an eep as he suddenly found snow flung at him like a cold splash! In true comic fashion he found himself somehow buried up to his hat in snow! Maybe he should have bobbed instead of weaved! He looked like a collapsed snow-pony with that top hat of his barely visible!

Zelenia had to laugh at Bygone's reaction to the little wave of snow, and the fact that.. well, he was covered in it. All she could see of him was his hat, also snowed in. "We could probably keep this up all day, but in truth, I think the cold of all this snow is getting to me. You're probably colder than me, considering." Zelenia finally dared to break the fun, and as much regret as she had to do so, she was getting a little tired out. "It was fun though."

Bygone Specter managed to shake himself out of the snow and let out a quiet whine. "Awww... Ookay." he'd say with a bit of a sigh and a lowering of his ears. All while he was shivering of course! The little 'unicorn' couldn't help but smile some nontheless! That had been fun, even if they were having to stop.... Perhaps he could make his way back to his cart. It was just such a long way!

Zelenia tried to shake herself the rest of the way off of any spare snow that she'd missed, before it had a chance to melt into ice-cold water into her coat. It was already a bit damp, of course, but who needed any more? "Sorry, kid, but if we stay out here any longer we might get sick. Maybe another time, yeah?" Zelenia offered, reaching her hoof out to shake. She'd noticed his violent shivering, too. "Do you wanna borrow my scarf? You look like you're freezing."

Bygone Specter looked at the pony and was conflicted. He was warm, but he hated to accept stuff like that from ponies. If she gave him her scarf then she might be cold, and then she'd not be as happy! If she were to not be as happy then he'd be able to taste that, and... and... that wouldn't be a nice taste! Ooooh, so conflicted!

Zelenia tittered lightly at the (strained?) expression on the colt's face, and figured such an offer of kindness had been a little too much. "It's no big deal if you don't need it. Anyway, I'll probably see you around, we might run into each other again." She broke the silence that had formed in the wake of her offer, smiling lightly. Zelenia turned on her heel and began to walk off, pausing briefly to glance back. "See ya."

Bygone Specter perked up and smiled some at the pony, nodding so much that his hat nealy flew off his head! "Yeah! I'll see you later Miss Zelenia!" he'd smile only to turn and bounce towards 'home'... Which meant that long haul through the Everfree! He had a toy to make for an adorable little Dissy! Speaking of that, he was leaving his box! He spun and retrieved the box, propping it onto his head and once again hopping off!