Retro Snuzzle joined my pony family this week. She was a gift from an awesome ponyperson here at the Arena, and she has been getting used to her new home. Of course, moving abroad is never easy, especially when you have to do it on your own...
The box had stopped moving. Snuzzle sat very still in the bottom, hoping that this wasn't going to be another interrogation. She could still remember the scrutiny of the Customs scanner and she wasn't sure that she liked being xrayed. The box was still dark, but then there was the sound of tape being cut, and the next moment light streamed in. Snuzzle waited for a moment, then popped her head out to see where she was...
visitors can't see pics , please
register or
loginNothing looked familiar. She climbed out of the box, trying to get a grip on her surroundings, when suddenly she was accosted by a group of tiny creatures with big eyes who, with excited screams and yells, began to clamber all over her. "Play with us! Play with us!" they chanted, grabbing up bits of packing material and throwing it at poor Snuzzle as though starting a snow fight.
visitors can't see pics , please
register or
loginTerrified, Snuzzle struggled to her feet. She was bigger than her assailants, but the awkwardly close position of her hooves meant that it was all she could do to hop away. Ultimately, though, their tails meant they got caught up in the strange purple grass, and Snuzzle managed to leave them behind.
visitors can't see pics , please
register or
loginSnuzzle decided she would be safer climbing to high ground. She paused to catch her breath on a convenient looking black plinth, but...
visitors can't see pics , please
register or
loginWhen she glanced up, she saw an angry looking warrior with his sword raised as if to cut off her head! Panicked, Snuzzle hurried away before he could bring his blade down. What is this place, she thought. Everything here is crazy!
As she ran, she passed a shelf with giant books on it. All the books had writing in a funny language, and Snuzzle stared at it. Did they not speak English in this strange place she had come to? How would she ever make friends if she couldn't even speak the language?
visitors can't see pics , please
register or
loginShe reached the window, but in her haste, she tripped up, almost falling headlong over a suspiciously pink and purple cliff face. Instinctively she grabbed on to the tendrils of a nearby plant, hoping and praying that someone would rescue her!
visitors can't see pics , please
register or
loginJust as she felt her grip beginning to slip, someone called out to her.
"Snuzzle! Snuzzle!"
How did they know her name? Snuzzle struggled to see who had spoken to her. To her surprise, two ponies were looking down on her...and they looked very familiar indeed!
visitors can't see pics , please
register or
login"Hi!" Said one cheerfully. "I'm Snuzzle!" "Hi!" said the other. "I'm Snuzzle, too. Welcome, Snuzzle! We've been expecting you!"
Surprised, Snuzzle let the Snuzzles help her out of her predicament. It took a while, because ponies don't have opposable thumbs, and aren't much good with teeth, either. Still, ultimately they managed to haul Snuzzle back to safety.
visitors can't see pics , please
register or
login"Come with us!" They said. "We'll take you to the magic mirror, and it will tell you all you need to know!"
Glad to have finally found some friendly - if surreally familiar - faces, Snuzzle followed her new companions towards a strange, white thing with a large mirror like space stretched out from one side to the other. In front of this mirror were buttons with letters on, and, as Snuzzle gazed at it, one of the Snuzzles explained.
"This is the Magic Mirror," they told her importantly. "It belongs to Majesty, the Queen Pony. The Human who lives here is Majesty's agent and she uses it to bring new friends here to Ponyland. Your arrival was also predicted by the Magic Mirror."
Both ponies paused at this point to bow reverently before the mirror.
"The Mirror knows everything," the second Snuzzle added. "It even knows what year you were released and what's written on your hooves. I'm sure it can help you figure out life in the UK."
visitors can't see pics , please
register or
loginSure enough, the Mirror had answers, and Snuzzle felt relieved. Maybe things weren't as crazy here as she had first thought.
"You should send the Mirror a message," the older Snuzzle suggested. "There's another Human, out there in America, who will want to know that you are safely here. You can send a message through the mirror. Here. You can type it using the buttons."
It was a bit difficult to type a message, as the buttons were the size of Snuzzle's hooves, and she found it very hard not to accidentally hit the wrong keys, but eventually she managed to write a passable message to the Human in America who had sent her on her way.
visitors can't see pics , please
register or
loginWhen she had finished, the Snuzzles took Snuzzle to visit the home of the ponies. Everyone was excited to see her, and welcomed her with exclamations of joy. (They would have liked to have hugged her, but it's not easy to hug when you're made of plastic, so instead they just smiled as much as they could. Talk-a-lot even told Snuzzle that she loved her, which made Snuzzle feel very much at home.
visitors can't see pics , please
register or
loginFinally, exhausted after a long day of adventures, Snuzzle settled down to sleep. It was not at all the new home she had been expecting, but thanks to Snuzzle and Snuzzle, she felt sure that she would soon settle here and make it the best home ever.
visitors can't see pics , please
register or
login...Just so long as those mischievous sea ponies didn't manage to find her, of course...
Huge
to LeaveAWhisper for making Snuzzle's trip to the UK possible. You are awesome