Clean Slate

By Alaborn

Standard disclaimer: This is a not for profit fan work. My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is copyright Hasbro, Inc. I make no claim to any copyrighted material mentioned herein.

Chapter 18: Vacation

“What are you going to do for Winter Wrap-Up?” Apple Bloom asked me.

“I was thinking about clearing the ice from the ponds,” I said. “I can ice skate, and it didn’t strain me when we went skating in Manehattan. How about you?”

“I’ve always wanted to be on the plowing and planting team, but I’m not sure if I’m big enough,” she replied. “Maybe I need to practice with that sledge thing in the gym?”

“Why don’t you skate with me this year, and think about plowing next year?” I suggested. “You’ll be bigger next year, too.”

“That’s true,” Apple Bloom said. I remembered her being about my height when I woke up, but I think she was an inch taller now. And the results of the exercises she was doing could be seen on her frame, especially in her leg muscles.

“You’re going to be as strong as your sister soon,” I said.

“Yeah,” she said. “I can’t wait for Spring Break!” she said, changing subjects.

“Me too. I’m looking forward to a week off to enjoy that spring weather!” I replied.

Applejack called to us from downstairs. “Mail’s here, you two!”

We trotted downstairs. I smiled as I saw a letter from my uncle. Apple Bloom frowned, less enthusiastic about receiving a reminder for a doctor’s appointment.

I opened the letter and read it. I gasped, and shared it with Apple Bloom.

Golden Sky

Golden Skies Resort and Lodge

100 Jennet Lane

Jackson Colt, P.E.

Diamond Tiara

Sweet Apple Acres

One Orchard Way

Ponyville, P.E.

March 18, 1478 AC

Dearest niece,

I am happy to hear you are recovering well, and that you have an adoptive family and friends that truly care for you. I can remember what it was like to be young and searching for your special talent.

Personally, I think a snowboarding cutie mark would be wonderful. Not even I have one! And I’d like to give you the chance to earn it. If I remember correctly, you have a spring break right after Winter Wrap-Up. But there’s still snow on the ground in Jackson Colt for another six weeks. I’d like to invite you and your friends and family to spend that week at my snowboard lodge. I’ll cover all expenses, as long as you’re willing to spend some time with this old stallion. If you’re amenable, please reply by telegraph.

I hope you will be able to make it!

Your uncle,

Golden Sky

“That’s a great idea!” Apple Bloom whispered.

“We’ve got to tell the others!” I said. “But will Applejack let us go?”

“What are you two whispering about?” Applejack asked.

We smiled and looked at her. “We’ve been invited to see my uncle,” I said, showing her the letter. “Can we go?”

Applejack read the letter. “That’s very generous of him. It’s hard to turn down this offer. But you know better, Apple Bloom. It’s the first week of spring. Neither Mac nor I can leave when there’s planting and pruning to be done,” she said.

Apple Bloom and I looked at each other, and then looked at Applejack. We bit out lips. Our eyes were wide and watering slightly.

Applejack facehoofed. “Look, I don’t care how sad you look, we still can’t go.” She thought for a moment. “But there’s not much for you two to do. Look, if you can find an adult we trust to chaperone you, only then you can go.”

“Yay!” we both cheered.

“This super emergency meeting of the Cutie Mark Crusaders is now in session,” Apple Bloom said.

“Is there a reason for all this secrecy?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Yeah, why can’t you just say what’s going on?” Scootaloo added.

I spread the brochure from the snowboard lodge on the floor of the clubhouse. “We’ve been invited to spend Spring Break here. But we can’t go unless we can find a chaperone. Applejack and Big McIntosh are out. We need options.”

“Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, your parents?”

Sweetie Belle shook her head. “Mom and Dad are on their own vacation. I’m spending the week with Rarity.”

“No go here either,” Scootaloo said. “Dad will be busy at work. Mom has her hooves full with my brothers, like normal.”

“Rarity?” Apple Bloom asked.

“She does not like the snow, and I don’t like carrying her twenty bags,” Sweetie Belle said.

“We could try Rainbow Dash,” Scootaloo offered.

“That’s a good idea!” I said. “Think she’ll go for it?”

“Well, this sounds awesome, right?” Scootaloo said.

We eventually tracked down Rainbow Dash at Sugarcube Corner. Scootaloo laid out the details of this awesome deal. In fact, I heard her use the term “awesome” seven times in two minutes.

“You had me at the first awesome, Scoots,” Rainbow Dash said.

“So can you do it?” Scootaloo asked.

“Heck yeah! First week of spring is a breeze for the weather team. All anypony wants is sun and clear skies, so there’s not much work. I can take the whole week off.”

“Yay! Cutie Mark Crusader Snowboarders are a go!” we all screamed.

Winter Wrap-Up was a wonderful experience. The way the entire town of Ponyville came together, singing the same song, working towards the same goal, was magical. Despite being on my hooves all day skating, I still felt energized.

As Princess Twilight Sparkle marked the last check box on her list, Mayor Mare announced that winter was officially wrapped up. The crowd cheered. There was some kind of citywide celebration about to start, but we wouldn’t be participating.

Our skates stored away for the season, we gathered our bags, stuffed with sweaters, scarves, and heavy coats. Applejack escorted us to the train station, where we met Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Rainbow Dash.

“Well, Diamond Tiara, I told you that you could go if you found a chaperone I trusted,” Applejack said. “But I guess Dash’ll have to do.”

“Hey!” Rainbow Dash protested.

Applejack slapped the pegasus’ shoulder. “Now you keep them safe and out of trouble, partner,” she said.

“Will do!” Rainbow Dash said.

The conductor called all aboard for the train to Chicacolt. Overnight to Chicacolt, then a second train to Omahay, and one more train to Jackson Colt. It was going to be a long trip.

We boarded the train and loaded our bags into the sleeper car. Once that was done, Rainbow Dash stretched out on one of the bunks, lying on her back with her forelegs under her head. She let out a loud yawn and closed her eyes. “Don’t do anything I’d do,” she said.

And before the train had finished accelerating, Rainbow Dash was already snoring.

“Best chaperone ever!” Scootaloo said, grinning.

Despite being free to move around the train, we weren’t feeling very enthusiastic about our freedom. Winter Wrap-Up had taken a lot out of all of us, and following dinner and some halfhearted attempts at playing games, we turned in early as well. Sleep on the train wasn’t the most restful, and we still felt out of it as we made our way to Omahay.

After departing Omahay, the train began its slow ascent as it headed into the majestic Rocky Mountains. The scenery was breathtaking, even distracting a group of four fillies and an action-oriented pegasus. Halfway there, it looked as if we traveled back in time to winter.

The train finally reached its destination mid-afternoon. We stretched and collected our bags, finally back on solid ground. Seeing the terminal made it clear that we weren’t back in Ponyville. About half the crowd was donkeys. There were a significant number of goats as well. Most of the ponies present were pegasi.

I spotted a donkey holding a sign reading “Diamond Tiara and company”. I got the attention of the others and headed over to him. “Good afternoon, I’m Diamond Tiara,” I said.

The donkey nodded. “Is your party all here?” he asked.

“Yes, it’s just the five of us.”

We followed the donkey to a waiting carriage. It was much larger than it needed to be; I suspected ten ponies could fit in it. I realized that in my haste to send a telegram accepting Golden Sky’s offer, I wasn’t clear about how many adults would be coming. The donkey hitched himself to the wagon, one of a team of four, and we departed.

Climbing snowy roads, we soon reached the picturesque resort. Valets took our bags. Before we could ask about anything, a pegasus stallion in winter gear flew over to our group. I saw his golden coat and his red-orange mane poking out from under his knit cap. I recognized Golden Sky from the pictures he sent me.

“Diamond Tiara!” Golden Sky reared and spread his forelegs, inviting me to hug him. I did so. Our heavy jackets made the gesture awkward. He looked so happy to see me, but I wasn’t feeling anything. The hug was just a movement of limbs and muscles.

“Thank you for inviting us here,” I said sincerely. “These are my friends, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle. And that’s Rainbow Dash. She’s Scootaloo’s, um....”

“Honorary big sister and idol,” Rainbow Dash said. Scootaloo’s smile showed just how much she appreciated Rainbow Dash saying that.

“It’s nice to have a national hero visit. You didn’t bring any changelings, did you?” Golden Sky asked, laughing.

Rainbow Dash made a couple of swift punches to the air. “If any of them followed me here, then that’s the last mistake they’ll ever make!”

“We have some light left. Let’s get you all equipped, and we’ll hit the slopes for some practice,” Golden Sky said.

“Yeah!” we cheered.

My uncle successfully escorted a group of excited, chattering fillies to the equipment rental, where we were fitted for goggles and boots, and selected snowboards. The vinyl boots were particularly nice, keeping the snow out of our fetlocks. Afterward, we bypassed the lines of ponies (and other species) waiting for lifts, and instead went to a less busy area.

“Welcome to the bunny slope,” Golden Sky announced.

“Why did you name the slope after those ornery varmints?” Apple Bloom asked.

“The only bunny I know is Angel Bunny,” Sweetie Belle said. “He’s really mean.”

“Silver Spoon told me about the aggressive rabbits of Coney Island,” I added.

Golden Sky facehoofed. “It’s just the name for a gentle slope,” he said. “Here you can learn the basics without being able to hurt yourselves too much. Let’s start by examining the snowboards.”

Okay. It’s a long board, about fifty percent longer than a pony, long with rounded edges, and something metal on top.

“You’re going to place your forehooves here,” he instructed. “The metal pieces on your boot will lock to the board. Slide them in like this. To unlock, reverse the process.

“Kick off with a rear leg and let gravity do its work. You turn by shifting your body like this.” He demonstrated by moving his flank; it didn’t look that different from motions while skating. “To stop, turn until the board is perpendicular to the slope. And remember, falling down will also stop you. It might not look graceful, but everypony does it when they start, and it’s better than losing control.”

“Pfff, looks easy,” Rainbow Dash said. She kicked off and headed down the slope.

“Wait!” Golden Sky called.

Rainbow Dash picked up speed, but looked unsteady as she moved. To compensate, she lifted her wings. But rather than controlling her movement, as her wings would have done were she flying, she left the slope, ending up airborne, with her snowboard still attached to her forehooves.

“You don’t want to flare your wings. You’ll end up in the air, dragging your snowboard with you,” Golden Sky said.

We watched as the wind caught the snowboard, pushing it perpendicular to the ground, and causing Rainbow Dash to get knocked backwards. She landed on her back in the snow, kicking up a lot of powder.

“And then that will happen.”

“I’m fine!” the snow-covered pony yelled.

Once Rainbow Dash returned, shaking snow from her mane, Golden Sky continued. “For us pegasi, fighting our instincts is the hardest part of snowboarding. Keep your wings tucked in, and move only by shifting your body. Now let’s practice.” He pointed to Rainbow Dash’s crash site. “Head toward that mark, then turn to the left to go around it, and then turn to the right to straighten out, and finally end by coming to a stop.”

Our first practice was not an auspicious one. Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, and I all ended up falling at some point. Only Scootaloo seemed to grasp the mechanics of snowboarding, and even she started by taking it slow. With Golden Sky’s encouragement, we got back up, and kept trying until we could make it down the slight slope most of the time without falling.

By this time, the sky was darkening, and the shadows we cast on the snow were comically misshapen. “I think that’s enough for today,” Golden Sky said. “Let’s get you back to your room and have dinner!”

“Yeah!” we cheered.

“Are you ready to snowboard all day tomorrow?” he asked.

Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo nodded eagerly, but the rest of us were uncertain.

“What if we’re not good enough?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“We’ll start with the easiest runs, where you’ll find ponies to be forgiving,” Golden Sky said. “And if it’s still too much, there’s sledding, tubing, and just enjoying the amenities of the resort. Just let me know what I can do to make your vacation enjoyable!”

Smiling, we headed to our room.

“Whoa!” we all said.

“This place is awesome!” Scootaloo said, her wings buzzing.

Scootaloo’s cry reflected what we were all thinking. Our “room” at the lodge was more like a house. I’m pretty sure it was larger than the farmhouse. From the two story foyer, we could see a large living room, fireplace already roaring. Beyond that was a dining area and kitchen. The staircase rose to a second story landing with a railing on three sides and numerous doors beyond.

“I’m glad you like it,” Golden Sky said. “It was available, and big enough for your group.”

“Thank you,” I said.

“I’ve taken the liberty of ordering dinner, which should be here in about half an hour,” he continued. “That should give you enough time to get settled in.”

We got out of our winter clothes and headed upstairs. Our bags were in the various bedrooms upstairs. We could figure out the sleeping arrangements later; getting clean and dry was more important.

By the time we were finished, Golden Sky was orchestrating our dinner. Lodge staff took various bowls and dishes off of wheeled carts and placed them on the table. We eyed the feast hungrily.

Once complete, we sat down. The table was mostly silent as we passed around the bowls, filled with pasta in spicy tomato sauce, grilled vegetables, steaming potato soup, and hay nuggets. Once settled, Golden Sky spoke to us. “Are you four ready to get your snowboarding cutie marks?” he asked.

“Uh-huh!” Apple Bloom said. She led the cheer of “Cutie Mark Crusader Snowboarders, yay!” I was a bit slow on joining in.

“Well, why don’t you tell me about your little group?” Golden Sky said.

“We all met at a party, where we realized we weren’t alone in looking for our cutie marks,” Sweetie Belle said.

“And we decided we’d work together to find out who we are!” Scootaloo continued.

“And we’ve been the Cutie Mark Crusaders ever since!” Apple Bloom said.

Golden Sky looked at me expectantly.

“I joined them a little later. It’s kind of... a special situation,” I said hesitantly.

“Mister Golden Sky, can you tell us how you got your cutie mark?” Scootaloo asked.

I looked at him eagerly. While I didn’t think his story would be very relevant to our search, I did want to know about his past, those memories I lost.

“Well, if you really want to hear this old codger’s tale, then I’ll oblige you,” Golden Sky began. “Picture Ponyville, a long time ago. It was a little strange for me, being the only pegasus in an earth pony family, and one of the few in town at all. Back then, Ponyville was about ninety percent earth pony, you know. Now, Mother and Father loved me very much, of course, and Father made sure I was tutored on flight and weather magic. But it was hard to figure out what my special talent would be.

“Father taught me all about the family business, as he did with all of us foals. I picked up his business knowledge well, but that always felt like his special talent, not mine. So I decided to apply what I learned.

“Being one of the few pegasi in town, and the only one in my class, gave me some opportunities. We in the business world call that a competitive advantage. I did things like clearing away clouds from the park for a colt who wanted to impress his date, or pranking somepony with storm clouds from the Everfree.”

“That’s against the rules, and stupid, too,” Rainbow Dash interrupted. Of course. She was the manager of the town weather team, so she would know.

“Back then, the Ponyville weather was run out of Cloudsdale, and was pretty much an afterthought,” Golden Sky explained. “I’ll grant you that it was stupid. But I had an excuse. I was young.” He turned to us. “Around your age.”

Golden Sky took a sip of water and continued. “I did all sorts of little jobs, anything my wings and pegasus magic let me do. And I loved it! One day, I counted my earnings, and realized I had already earned one thousand bits. And that’s when this appeared!”

My uncle brushed his flank. His sun and cloud cutie mark didn’t catch my attention the first time I saw it; it was a pretty typical pegasus cutie mark. But when I looked again, I noticed that instead of a sun, his cutie mark featured a gold bit coin behind that cloud.

“So my future was to be a businesspony, but it would be my own business. It took a while to figure out what business I wanted to run, but I ended up heading west, and running these resorts. It’s everything I wanted. I get to work outdoors, enjoy the weather, and make ponies happy.”

“And you built this without a snowboarding cutie mark?” I asked.

“That’s right. In fact, there are some runs I stay away from,” he said.

I set my spoon down. All this food, hot or spicy or both, was perfect for filling me with warmth. “So what are we doing tomorrow?”

“It’s up to you,” Golden Sky said. “I’d suggest starting with the beginner’s run, and decide where you want to go from there. There’s a book in the room with all the features of the lodge. So think about what else you’d like to try, and let’s meet in the morning. How about 8 o’clock in the Main Dish restaurant?”

“Sounds good,” Rainbow Dash said.

“Then I’ll let you go for the evening,” he said. “Have a good night. And if you get hungry, there’s chocolate cake in the kitchen.”

Golden Sky gave me a hug, and shook hooves with the others. Finally, he departed with a last wave.

“I don’t know about you all, but I hear cake calling,” Apple Bloom said.

Rainbow Dash lay sprawled on the couch, relaxing after a hearty meal and a long day of travel. The cake revitalized us, however, and we four fillies explored our room.

“There’s a minibar here,” Apple Bloom said. “If it wasn’t for this lock, I could see why it’s so small.”

“Look at all these postcards!” Scootaloo said, pointing to an opened drawer. “We could send them out and make everypony jealous!”

“There’s even a phonograph in the room!” Sweetie Belle said excitedly.

“Here’s the book that Golden Sky talked about. Let’s see what’s in it,” I said. The thin book featured glossy pages with photographs and descriptions of the resort’s amenities. The other Crusaders gathered around me and we investigated, talking quietly so as not to disturb the now-sleeping Rainbow Dash.

“Why does anypony need four restaurants?” Apple Bloom asked.

“There’s a spa!” Sweetie Belle said. “I wonder if Rarity would like it?”

“Let’s look at the actual snowboarding,” I said before reading the details aloud. Eight runs, ranging from simple to expert. Then there were three tubing tracks and two hills for sledding.

“Check it out! A half-pipe!” Scootaloo said. The way her wings were buzzing, I could tell she was eager to imitate the tricks of the pony in the photograph.

“It’s all nice and good, but all this has to wait for tomorrow,” Apple Bloom said. “It’s still too early to turn in. Well, for most ponies.” She glanced over at Rainbow Dash.

“Let’s go play some music,” Sweetie Belle suggested. “Maybe that will get Rainbow Dash up.”

“Eh, not likely. She hasn’t napped enough,” Scootaloo commented.

We crowded around the phonograph, seeing what records were stored in the cabinet. There was a good selection of classical and popular music. There was also something else in there, a bunch of crystals and wires.

“What is this?” Scootaloo asked, holding the mystery device between her wings.

“Oh, that’s a karaoke crystal!” Sweetie Belle chirped.

“A carry-what now?” Apple Bloom said.

“It’s a magic thingy that takes the words from a phonograph and projects them onto the wall, and then you can sing along!” Sweetie Belle replied.

“It’s some Neighponese word,” I commented.

“Well, I suppose we could try it out,” Apple Bloom said.

“Wait, first we need water,” Sweetie Belle said.

“Why?” I asked. The rest of us looked confused as well.

“Rarity says that before you sing karaoke, you need to drink a lot,” Sweetie Belle said.

“Uh, I think she meant something else,” Apple Bloom said.

“But it’s still good to have something to drink, to soothe your throat,” I said.

I grabbed a pitcher of water and some glasses while Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle fiddled with the magical machine. After that was done, we each selected some songs we wanted to sing.

I was impressed by this creative use of magic. As a familiar tune played on the phonograph, I anticipated the lyrics kicking in. Instead, the words were cast upon the wall, changing in color from blue to red as the verse progressed. Scootaloo tackled the first song. Her voice was rather off-key, but she was having fun, so I endured the aural miscues. Sweetie Belle actually sang quite well, but went off key when she got too enthusiastic. Apple Bloom’s voice was nothing special, but what I found surprising was that her accent was muted when she sang.

Then it was my turn.

I had picked a sappy love song because it was very familiar to me. I couldn’t remember why, though. Was it a favorite song of my father or, more likely, my mother? But I didn’t have time to contemplate further, since the first verse was starting.

When I finished, I saw the smiling faces of my friends.

“That was pretty good,” Apple Bloom said. “Better than mine.”

“Yeah, but the song was so... yech,” Scootaloo said, sticking her tongue out.

“It doesn’t feel like my special talent,” I said.

“That’s right! Maybe we got our karaoke cutie marks!” Sweetie Belle said. There was a brief flurry of activity as we all twisted around, including a bump on the table that sent a stack of records tumbling to the ground.

Rainbow Dash got up, shaking her head. “What are you doing over there?” she asked.

“We’re singing karaoke!” Scootaloo replied. “Want to join us?”

“Ugh! I have not had enough to drink for that!”

My heart beat rapidly as the lift pulled our little gondola up the mountain. Below us was a beautiful expanse of white and green, one I would soon be traversing with only a piece of polished wood beneath my hooves. Looking around the gondola, I saw that I wasn’t the only one having second thoughts.

The noise of the lift shifted noticeably as we reached the end. We hopped out and walked to the start of the Evergreen Outlook run. I placed my forehooves onto the board and gulped.

“Don’t worry, Diamond Tiara,” Golden Sky said. “We’re all going to look out for each other. You can always fall down, and we’ll pick you up.” He rested his hoof on my withers reassuringly.

I kicked with a rear hoof, and let gravity take over.

Somepony was screaming. I think it was me, but I was too busy trying to remember the lessons my uncle gave us. I saw ponies passing me, but I dared not turn my head.

And then I slowed as the slope leveled out. I turned my snowboard and stopped. Soon, I was next to Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom, trying to catch my breath. We all made it down without falling.

That was fun!

“See? That wasn’t so bad,” Golden Sky said.

“No, that was awesome!” Scootaloo said. I saw her give a look to Rainbow Dash; she smirked. Rainbow Dash, in turn, gave a nod.

“Now, I want you all to have fun,” my uncle said. “I’ll catch up with you later today.”

We made several trips down three of the easiest runs that morning. Once I realized I could snowboard without placing myself in mortal danger, I had more of a chance to observe my surroundings. Of course, the scenery was beautiful. But I was more interested in the ponies. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were cautious, like I was. Scootaloo was more adventurous, swerving as she snowboarded and deliberately hitting mounds of snow to catch some air. By the third trip, I saw her using her wings to increase her speed. This was exactly what my uncle said not to do, but the way she was using her wings didn’t generate lift, just like when she was on her scooter. She even blew past Rainbow Dash, and when I saw her beaming after beating her hero, I could foresee a daylong competition between them.

“Do you want to try one of the intermediate runs?” Scootaloo suggested.

I looked around. Several of us weren’t certain.

“But it’ll be fun!” Scootaloo urged.

“I suppose we could try it once, but then we’re going to have lunch,” Apple Bloom said.

And once again, my doubt returned as I stood at the top of the run.

“Well, that wasn’t any good,” Apple Bloom said.

“More like a disaster,” Sweetie Belle said.

“I think the three of us are still beginners,” I added.

Three of the five ponies didn’t make it out of the intermediate run without wiping out. And for us three, that meant getting snow everywhere. Even after shaking as much out of our manes and coats as possible, we didn’t get it all. And now that we were inside, enjoying lunch, the melting snow tricked down our necks and barrels.

“Maybe we could try splitting up for the afternoon?” I suggested. “I can see the two of you eying the triple diamond run.”

Scootaloo lifted her muzzle from her bowl of soup and grinned. “Maybe there will finally be a course where you can challenge me, Rainbow Dash!”

“Once I figure out how to work my wings like yours, you will not beat me again!” she replied. Rainbow Dash tried to scowl, but I could see how proud she was of her number one fan.

“Let’s try sledding!” Sweetie Belle said to me and Apple Bloom.

“Good idea!” Apple Bloom replied.

“That sound like a plan?” I said to the table.

Four ponies nodded. We’d let the two pegasi have their fun. But for now, we had a basket of hay fries to finish.

“What? The sleds are only for two ponies?” Apple Bloom said.

The attendant nodded. “If the three of you want to go together, the tubes seat up to four ponies,” she suggested.

We looked at each other, nodding in tacit agreement. “Sure, let’s try that!” Sweetie Belle said.

We walked to the top of a small hill, where the tubes were waiting. These giant rubber rings had curved benches inside for us to sit on. Once we were in, the attendant at the top of the slope gave us a kick, pushing the tube over the edge and starting it spinning.

We raced down the track, curved walls of snow keeping us safely on course. To make the course more interesting, the pegasi had orchestrated weather features, placing a number of low-lying clouds around the track. Some blew snow into us, others just wind, and some clouds provided fresh piles of very light snow, which the tube was happy to disperse into the air as we went through it. It was the perfect activity for younger ponies, and I saw several families enjoying the ride.

My uncle found me on the tube track that afternoon. I waved to him, and he landed next to me.

“How’s my favorite niece?” he asked.

“Your only niece?” I said.

He smiled. “Do you think your friends would be okay by themselves?”

I nodded. “They were looking to go sledding, so I think they’ll be okay.”

“Then I’d like to spend some time with you, just with you,” Golden Sky said.

I let Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle know what was going on. They went to grab a sled, and I headed into one of the restaurants with my uncle. Soon, we had steaming mugs of hot chocolate between our hooves.

“This feels wonderful,” I said.

“So how are you enjoying your vacation?” Golden Sky asked.

“It’s been fun, but I’ve confirmed I’m just a beginner snowboarder.”

“Don’t feel bad. We all have to start somewhere. Just like relationships,” my uncle said. “I thought we could use this time to talk, just the two of us.”

“I did have some things I was wondering about my family, about you and my father, which I didn’t want to talk about earlier.”

“Ask away.”

“What happened between my father and you? Why did you grow apart?” I asked.

“We might be here a while,” Golden Sky said. He removed his goggles and loosened his jacket before continuing. “I think it started after I got my cutie mark. I just knew I would try my hoof at running my own company. But Filthy Rich stubbornly believed that I would run Barnyard Bargains, not him. And he wasn’t happy when I told the family I was moving to start my own business.”

“What? He didn’t want to run Barnyard Bargains? But I thought that was his one true passion?”

“It was,” Golden Sky said. “Even from a young age, he had ideas, plans to grow Barnyard Bargains into the store where everypony in Equestria shopped. But he wanted to work with me.”

“Why is that?” I asked.

“Running a business is more than just budgets and plans. There’s also the equine element. Your spreadsheet may prove your business plan is the obvious right choice, but you still need to convince other ponies. Filthy Rich thought I would be the ideal public face of Barnyard Bargains.”

“Would you have been?”

“I’m sure of it. I mean, I managed to convince ponies to invest in this little business, with a pretty sketchy business plan and no relevant experience!” he said, waving with his forelegs to encompass the property.

“So that’s what drove you two apart?” I asked.

“Yes. We said a few things we shouldn’t have said. I felt like he wasn’t respecting my dream. He felt like I was turning my back on Father’s legacy.”

“And where was my aunt in all of this?”

“Crystal Crown is not a businesspony. She’s always loved art, and doesn’t really like business. Maybe that’s why she didn’t get along well with your father, although she at least talks to me about my businesses.”

“I see,” I said, taking a long sip of hot chocolate.

“Your father did something very right, something I never could do. He married a fine mare, and raised a wonderful filly.”

I looked at my uncle. Wearing his jacket and goggles, he was the picture of exuberance. But sitting here, it was lost. The photos of my father, the most recent ones, showed him with bags under his eyes, a sign of advancing age. My uncle’s age was even more evident in his face.

“And now it’s my turn,” Golden Sky said. “Your relationship with your friends. It’s not different just because you lost your memory. There’s something else, right?”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s hard to describe. Something like a fifth wheel, but not that. Your three friends, were they friends with each other first?”

I nodded. “Back... before, I wasn’t their friend at all.”

Golden Sky nodded, silently encouraging me to continue.

“I bullied them. They’ve accepted me now, I think, but it hurts me to know what I did, and worse, I can’t remember why,” I said. “Do you know why, Uncle? Did you see that in me?”

Golden Sky shook his head. “You were always kind when I saw you. If I had been a better uncle, I would have seen you more recently, and maybe I would have seen a change. Maybe you were upset about your mother’s passing. Maybe you were looking for attention from your father. I can’t say, and for that, I’m sorry.”

I looked down. These apologies felt awkward. I had no idea if I was upset about not seeing my uncle. From what ponies said about me, I might not have cared. Maybe I should be apologizing instead.

“I think that’s enough serious stuff for today, Diamond Tiara,” Golden Sky said. “You’re on vacation. Let’s go have some fun!”

“I think I see Rainbow Dash over there!”

I pointed; the distinctive mane and rainbow contrail the famous pegasus possessed was pretty easy to spot.

“She’s over by the half-pipe,” Golden Sky said.

“Then I bet Scootaloo’s there,” I said. They must have survived whatever trails the snowboard resort had. Thinking back to what Applejack said, she had at least some fear that our trip would end with somepony in the hospital.

We arrived to find Rainbow Dash and the other Crusaders cheering on Scootaloo. She was using a snowboard of a different shape, a bit smaller, as she tackled the half-pipe. With each trip down one side of the U-shaped snow construct, she picked up speed, aided by gravity and her wings. Coming up the other side, she rose above the lip, showing off with acrobatic twists or maneuvers along the snow’s edge. I was glad she wasn’t pulling our wagon!

When Scootaloo finished her practice, she was swarmed by us, telling her how awesome she looked.

Golden Sky grinned. “There’s a little competition tomorrow afternoon. You interested?”

We didn’t get our snowboarding cutie marks yet, but that didn’t stop us from making plans for the next day. We decided the four of us would spend the first part of the morning together, tubing and then racing on sleds, while Rainbow Dash would hit the slopes.

“That way, Rainbow Dash will have a chance at learning how to beat me on a snowboard!” Scootaloo said, grinning.

From there, we planned another visit to the easier snowboarding runs. There would be lunch at some point, at one of the restaurants we hadn’t tried. But we all had time marked off for tomorrow’s competition.

“Wow!”

We were all impressed. Ponies and goats and donkeys were doing unbelievable things with their snowboards. It was incredible to watch, and this was only practice!

“So how does this work?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“There are three competitions, speed, altitude, and acrobatics,” Apple Bloom said.

“Each pony has three attempts to get their best score in each category,” Sweetie Belle continued.

“And the winner is the pony who scored the most points,” I concluded.

Yes, Scootaloo spent just a little too much time last night talking about this competition. It might not be the Equestrian Games, but we were going to be cheering for Scootaloo to win this amateur contest anyway.

After warming up, Scootaloo hurried back to us.

“You go get ‘em, squirt,” Rainbow Dash said.

We took our seats near the half-pipe. My uncle had joined us. “Now you should have seen me on the half-pipe back in the day,” he said.

“Whatever you say, old timer,” I retorted.

The speed competition tracked how fast each competitor could complete five transits of the half-pipe. Five times up, five times down. One tumble, and you’ve probably lost already. Scootaloo also had to worry about a potential foul. She had to keep her wings tucked in on every trip up the half-pipe; wings could only be used on the way down.

Scootaloo was the third competitor for this round. While she had her wings, other ponies were heavier, and the donkey and earth pony competitors could generate a lot of speed with their kicks. She completed each of her attempts without falling or fouling. She rejoined us as we waited for the scores.

The scores were revealed. Scootaloo frowned.

“I know it says fifth place, but that’s still in the middle of the pack,” Rainbow Dash said. “I’ve seen how you can catch air. You can do this!”

“First competitor for the altitude round is Scootaloo. Scootaloo, please report to the half-pipe,” the announcer called.

We slapped Scootaloo’s back as she departed. She trotted up to the half-pipe, her snowboard tucked under her foreleg. She adjusted her goggles, fluttered her wings, and locked herself to the board. She stared intently, and then suddenly took off down the half-pipe.

Scootaloo’s wings added speed and momentum that served her well as she reached bottom and aimed straight up the half-pipe. Soon, she cleared the lip, keeping her board perfectly perpendicular until gravity reclaimed her. With a fast twist, she faced down and leisurely returned to the start. We weren’t the only ponies who cheered loudly for her.

When the scores were announced after the second round, Scootaloo came in second, and moved up to third overall.

“You can do this, Scoots,” Apple Bloom said.

“Yeah, your biggest competition is that big pony and that big donkey. Do you think they can be as acrobatic as you?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Just pretend it’s your scooter,” I added.

“Yeah, you’re going to be the coolest pony on the snow!” Rainbow Dash said.

Scootaloo forced a smile through her nervousness. “I’ll do it!” she said. I watched as she walked to the half-pipe. But there was something in her posture, the position of her withers. I was worried.

When she was called for the final round, Scootaloo stood at the edge, completing her same rituals. She kicked off, gaining speed in preparation for her jump. We had seen her nail three and a half twists in practice several times.

Scootaloo completed the twists, but looked off-balance as she neared the edge of the half-pipe. The tip of her snowboard touched the snow and snapped off her hooves. She slid down the snow on her barrel. We gasped. One foul, no score.

“Come on, Scootaloo!” we yelled. “You can do it!”

Again, she took position. Again, she gained enough speed. And again, Scootaloo failed to hit the landing.

Rainbow Dash flew over and picked up Scootaloo in her forelegs, bringing her back to our group. “What’s wrong?” she asked, brushing the snow off Scootaloo’s mane with her wings.

“I don’t know. I’m just nervous!” she squeaked.

“We’re counting on you!” Sweetie Belle said.

“Yeah, you show that snow who’s boss!” Apple Bloom said.

Scootaloo nodded and started to walk away. “Wait!” I called, trotting after her.

“What is it?” Scootaloo asked.

“Scootaloo, in the time I’ve been your friend, I’ve seen you do incredible things on a scooter, on skates, and now on a snowboard,” I said. “Cool things. Acrobatic things. And if you keep doing acrobatic things, then I’m sure you’ll be just as good, or better, once you’re doing these tricks under the power of your own wings.”

Scootaloo’s mood picked up a bit.

“Just picture being more acrobatic than Rainbow Dash.”

Scootaloo grinned as I told her to get going. There was a crowd to impress! I watched Scootaloo prepare for her third and final attempt at the acrobatics contest. That determination was back in her eyes.

This time, she nailed the landing. I cheered louder than anypony.

Scootaloo had done her best. We still had to wait for the results, though. I think we all felt nervous as the results for the ten competitors were announced.

The announcer started with tenth place and went up to fourth. Ponies stomped in applause for each competitor. From there, the three top competitors approached the stage.

“In third place, Hazy Shade.”

The earth pony stallion nodded and accepted his small trophy. Scootaloo and the jenny next to her stared at each other expectantly.

“And the winner of this week’s competition is... SCOOTALOO!”

There was a blur of activity as Scootaloo took her trophy, shook everypony’s hoof, and then raced back to join us. We were jumping around so much, I was afraid we were going to cause an avalanche. Scootaloo twitched and turned her neck. We all could see a bright glow underneath her jacket.

Scootaloo nearly ripped her jacket pulling it back from her flank. “My cutie mark!” she screamed.

There, on her flank, was a flaming scooter wheel, a cutie mark she earned with a snowboard. Her scooter was halfway across Equestria, and we were probably a hundred yards from the nearest wheel. But there it was, the representation of a talent she first found on her beloved scooter.

“This calls for a celebration,” Golden Sky said after dinner that night. “I’ve instructed the kitchen to bring you more ice cream than you can eat.

We huddled together, whispering for a moment before breaking. Apple Bloom stepped forward as our representative. “We accept your challenge.”

As we ate ourselves sick through eight flavors of ice cream, I thought about the wonderful ending to this day. I never imagined this simple vacation, classified like most of our activities as an attempt to find our cutie marks, would actually succeed. But succeed it did, in a most unusual way.

One down, three to go.

Author's Notes:

Rocky Mountains sounds like a pony name, doesn't it?

It's not discussed in the story, but I'm picturing Jackson being an archaic name for a donkey foal (jack son). So the town name symbolizes donkeys and ponies working together. Other Equestrian names in this heavily donkey part of the country are Cheyjennet and Assper.