Winter had descended upon the small town of Ponyville. Fluffy white snow covered every surface in a thick layer, painting the entire landscape into sameness while somehow retaining a natural beauty. The bright morning sun glinted off the ice cold blanket like a million diamonds strewn across the ground.

That very same sun cast its rays right through the second storey window of a tiny farmhouse located on a not-so-tiny farm. Apple Bloom groaned and tried to clench her eyes shut tighter against the intruding brightness, but the big stupid sun continued to be big and stupid. Also very bright.

That last point managed to cut through the fog surrounding the filly's sleep-addled mind. Usually, she would wake up to the soft glow of a breaking sunrise. For the light streaming through her window to be so bright meant only one thing…

"Oh horseapples!" she shouted as she sprang from bed. Apple Bloom was late for school.

She landed on the hardwood floor in a sprawling heap, but was back on her hooves in a blink. Apple Bloom bolted out the door and took the stairs three at a time as she bounded her way to the first floor. Again, this ended with the filly introducing her face to the floor at the base of the stairs, but again she hopped back up to her hooves none the worse for wear.

The rest of the family was already gone, except for Granny Smith who was sleeping soundly in her rocking chair, so Apple Bloom wasted no time in throwing a toque atop her head and zipping out the door into the winter wonderland beyond.

Unfortunately, she couldn't take the time to appreciate the glittering scenery as she sprinted down the road into town. Trees decorated in icicles and giant banks of snow blurred past on either side of the road. The sun seemed almost to taunt her with its height in the sky. Apple Bloom could tell that class had already started by now. Her chances of bursting into school just in time for the bell were completely shattered, but with any amount of luck she could sneak in and take her seat without missing too much.

Her train of thought, along with her hooves, both skidded to a screeching halt in the same moment that a figure stepped out of a bush to stand directly in Apple Bloom's path. Her sliding stop took her within a few feet of the strange pony, and Apple Bloom paused to both catch her breath and get a good look at just whoever it was who'd stopped her.

He was a green pegasus colt, just a little younger than Apple Bloom herself. He wore a thick winter jacket, and a white balaclava that hid most of his face, but Apple Bloom thought she recognized him vaguely from a grade below herself. Even though his mouth was hidden, Apple Bloom could clearly see the deadly smirk in his orange eyes as he hefted a snowball in one hoof.

"Seriously?!" Apple Bloom exclaimed, gawking. "I ain't got time for this! You know class has already started, so get a move on!"

The colt blinked in genuine confusion, but quickly shifted his features into a glare as he took a step towards her. Apple Bloom fidgeted nervously. Her hooves involuntarily took her a half-step backwards as the oddly acting colt inched closer and closer.

"Look, uh, you're startin' to weird me out now…" Apple Bloom hopped back a couple times to gain some distance. "So if ya don't mind, I'm just gonna… go."

"Go?" The colt finally spoke, his high voice somewhat betraying the weight he tried to place on his words. "Oh, I don't think you'll be going anywhere. Right boys?"

As he shouted that last question, a rustling sound caused Apple Bloom to turn around. Two more colts, an earth pony and another pegasus, slinked out of the bushes on either side of the road back the way she'd come. One wore a scarf wrapped around his head, while the other had on a simple toque. Both held perfectly formed snowballs at the ready. She was surrounded.

Apple Bloom spun in place as she tried to watch all three of them for any sudden movements. The three colts seemed content to watch her from a safe distance until their leader spoke up once more.

"I doubt this one could tell us anything useful. I say we out her here and now."

"Sounds good to me."

"I got no problem with that."

Apple Bloom raised a hoof. "Uh, do I get a vote?"

"The only thing you get," the leader chuckled darkly, "is last words. Say goodbye, filly."

"Goodbye, filly!" a third voice echoed from somewhere in the surrounding trees.

Before any of the colts could even flinch, the left side of their leader's head was lost behind a huge puff of white snow. He grunted and collapsed to the ground, and his two henchponies hesitated just a moment too long.

A blurred figure in a brown cloak sprung into the road faster than lightning. They somersaulted across the icy surface, picking up the leader's fallen snowball as they did. The figure came out of their roll in a skidding halt, pausing for less than a split second before flinging the leader's snowball at one of his own colts. The colt barely had time to clench his eyes before the flying orb of snow stuck him directly in the forehead. He flew backwards with a yelp and fwomped into a snowbank on the side of the road, lying still.

Finally, the last remaining henchpony regained enough of his senses to let fly his snowy payload. The throw was pathetic compared to what Apple Bloom had just witnessed from the cloaked stranger. The stranger simply stepped to the side and let the snowball sail harmlessly into the trees. The colt stared in wide-eyed silence for several seconds, before turning and breaking into a near-sobbing sprint away from the scene.

"Wow!" Apple Bloom stared, slackjawed. "That was amaz—"

"Hold that thought," the cloaked pony interrupted in a strangely familiar, scratchy voice.

The stranger took a couple steps forward and stooped to quickly form a fresh snowball. They reared their foreleg back, paused for the space of two breaths, and threw.

The ball soared like a shot from a cannon. It arced high through the air, and remained dead on target. The running colt, barely even visible at that point, took the impact in the back of the head and sprawled face-first onto the snowy road before lying still.

"Booyah! Three points!" the cloaked figure pumped an orange hoof.

Apple Bloom shook her head slowly. "Who in tarnation are you?"

"Hm?" The cloaked figure seemed to just then fully realize Apple Bloom's presence. She turned around to face the farm filly, at last granting Apple Bloom a view of her saviour's face.

"Scootaloo!?" Apple Bloom gasped.

"No way! Apple Bloom!?" Scootaloo lunged forward and took her friend by the shoulders. "We thought you were dead!"

"…" Apple Bloom blinked. "But I was just late for school."

Scootaloo released her with a sigh. "Yeah, well, a lot's happened." She glanced around nervously. "We can't discuss it here. It's not safe to be out in the open this long. Frankly, you're lucky I was around, or you'd have been out already."

"Scootaloo, I am super confused."

"I'll explain everything! Just follow me somewhere first." Scootaloo grinned. "It's time we got the band back together."