Tears in the Snow

by Chaos Phantasm

04: Broken.

The clock had just hit 9:57 PM in Canterlot. Luna was still fast asleep. Her eyes were closed tightly, she was sweating and shivering at the same time like there was cold air in the room with no heat but there was also no cool breeze coming into the room. In her mind, Luna was standing alone in a field of snow, in the middle of a blizzard. The night pony turned around to see a white filly facing her direction. The filly whispered something Luna could not hear then a shadow emerged from the ground and engulfed Luna. causing the princess to wake up with fright. Princess Luna sat up and took many deep breaths, panting quickly almost hyperventilating. She looked at the time to see it was 10:04 PM. Luna got out of bed and quickly donned her usual attire then quickly made her way to the dining hall where she was greeted by her sister, Princess Celestia.

"Good evening Luna. Did you have a nice sleep?"

"I'm sorry I was not awake in time sister. I was preoccupied,"

Celestia sipped her tea. "I had to raise the moon myself. You are almost three hours late."

Princess Celestia continued to eat her soup just as Princess Luna was getting her breakfast served.

"I'm sorry again Celestia."

The white alicorn chuckled. "It's alright, no need to be sorry. You've been having restless sleeps and I can understand if you start sleeping in."

Luna silently stared at her meal, she was listening to her sister but was also thinking about the dreams she had been having the past few nights. Celestia finished her dinner and her cup of tea then stood up. Luna looked at the white alicorn.

"Goodnight sister. Stay warm."

"Sweet dreams Celestia..."

Luna watched her sister leave the dining hall and just after making sure nopony was around and Celestia had gone far enough away from the hall; the night alicorn slammed her head down on the table, her horn driving through the wood like a needle through paper. The sound of the her forehead meeting the wood echoed loudly through the dining room. Luna looked troubled and in thought, but upset at the same time. She then whispered to herself.

"Are you suffering my friend? Could it be you are not at rest..?"

Luna pulled her head back, her horn sliding out with little ease. She turned her head toward the balcony and walked toward it, looking out at the snow covered city of Canterlot. Then to the snow white clouds of Cloudsdale which was in the distance. It's rainbow falls inactive or frozen. A cool breeze blew past the princess making her shudder and wrap her wings around herself. She looked up at a star for a moment then turned, walking back into the dining hall to finish her meal. Afterwards she collected her schedule from her steward and began to read it on her way to the throne room, sighing upon finishing.

"Alright. Fetch me the scrolls and an ink and quill so I may get started."

A maid left to gather the items the princess requested. Luna sat on her throne and waited. She tired of signing papers, accepting and denying requests from nobles of all sorts in the kingdom. Celestia did too but was much more discreet about it. The maid returned with the items Luna had requested. Quickly the princess got to work signing and granting and denying until the papers ran dry. She then checked her schedule which unsurprisingly had nothing else on it.

"Typical. Nothing more to do then sit here and stare down the hall like my dear sister does awaiting a scroll." She said with a bemused look.

Luna sighed and got up from the throne. She walked down the isle and made a left down a corridor to the castle gardens, exiting the castle, her guards bowing as she passed them by and soon the princess was treading on the snow covered ground which glittered under the light of the moon. The night princess began to look around at the snow berries, and some old weathered statues from times long long ago. Suddenly she began to pick up the sounds of laughter, curiously she followed the noise to a spot in the garden where a swing hung from the branch of a tall oak tree. Luna looked into the clearing and had a flashback. In her flashback she was pushing a white blind filly on the swing.

"I wish I could see everything, by the way you've described the garden it must be beautiful."

"And it is beautiful. I only wish there were a spell that could allow the caster to share their vision with another. I bet a spell like that would work even with blind ponies."

"It could.. I'm not a unicorn so I don't know much about magic."

"I don't think anypony truly understands it. I don't think my mother understood it either."

The filly smiled then giggled which turned into a laugh with Luna laughing with her. Eventually the flash back ended and Luna looked down and sighed.

"If only things had been different..."

Luna turned around and headed toward the area rose bushes would grow during the warmer months. The flowers she saw growing in their place were special. The flowers had icy blue petals and were native to the mountains north of The Crystal Empire. They made a twinkling sound when the wind blew on them just right, and they had a name that was special to Luna. The night princess lowered her head, closed her eyes smelling the plants. The smell of these flowers was like winter rain when there was a cold breeze about. Smelling them also sent shivers through the alicorn's body. She reopened her eyes and lifted her head.

"Did you ever smell these? Probably not.... They were discovered long after your time..... and long after mine..."

Luna looked down again, sighing sadly. She looked to her left and saw a young purple earth pony guard with her winter garments on her back. The princess levitated the garments and put them on in a flash.

"Thank you Star Shimmer."

The earth pony bowed and returned to the castle where it was warmer. Luna stayed outside for a little longer until she sighed deeply, turning away from the flowers and walking back inside. The corridors were lit by candles. The princess continued to think about her dreams. She rounded a corner into the throne room, there were no guards, sunlight was streaming in through the windows from the east, water trickling down the glass and the plants outside wet from rain. The princess was confused, it was night a moment ago, The clouds were grey and there was snow in place of water or plants. She stood still and saw walking down the corridor was herself and the filly. The past Luna was looking at the windows, walking slowly with the blind child.

"It's stopped raining. Hasn't it Luna"

"It has. Just as Celestia rises the sun for a new day."

The filly yawned tiredly. Luna turned her head to her friend and smiled.

"You are tired, you should rest. I'll take you back to your room."

"No no, I'm okay Luna. You should rest, you've been up all night you must be more tired then I am."

"My sense of day and night is different. I can stay awake three months without sleeping. You however are only a child, you need your sleep."

Luna watched as the filly fell over and slept peacefully. The princess blinked and sighed. She picked up the white pegasus gently and nestled her between her wings, then proceeded down another corridor toward the bedrooms. The room suddenly went dark again. Candles lighting the room, ice building up on the windows, a wind blowing and the moonlight shining through clouds and through the windows into the room. Luna stood in silence for a moment then looked down sadly and sighed.

"Memories... Flashbacks.... Why am I having them now..?"

Luna walked up to the throne and sat on it with a sigh whilst looking down. She thought deeply about all the things she has been remembering since the fist snows of this winter fell. She closed her eyes and slowly began to drift off into sleep but she had no dream of snow nor the white filly. She wasn't sleeping at all, in reality she was meditating, trying to clear her mind and relax. In her mind she was walking through long corridors with doors, behind each door was a memory. The princess walked down these corridors, closing the doors as she walked by. Then she stopped, she peeked inside a door and smiled. It was the first nightmare night she ever celebrated. She saw Twilight's Star Swirl the Bearded costume, Pipsqueak in his pirate costume, Pinkie Pie acting like a chicken and Rainbow Dash having a laugh with her thunder cloud, but as much as the princess wished she could watch some more; she couldn't. She closed the door the looked down the hallway and used her magic to close the remaining doors.

"Perhaps...Just for tonight... I can find peace..."

Hoof steps echoed through the throne room. The princesses could hear the hoofsteps coming from the other side of the castle, toward the kitchen. Luna opened her eyes and stood up, stretching her front and back legs, her back and finally her wings. She had been meditating for an hour though hardly any time had passed. The midnight blue alicorn made her way to the kitchen, folding her wings up along the way. A maid spotted the princess and smiled.

"I had been tasked with retrieving you your highness. You're lunch is ready and awaiting you."

Luna smiled. "Thank you."

The maid led the princess to the dining hall, passing by multiple bat pegasi along the way which filled the maid with fear. Luna calmed the maid, reassuring her that she would not be harmed nor touched by the pegasi that served the princess during her nightly reign. The maid took a deep breath and sighed. The maid opened the dining room doors and smiled. The alicorn stepped into the grand room and sat at the front of the table, right where her horn had gone through when she introduced her head to the table two hours earlier. Luna noticed it and looked around hoping nopony had noticed the damage to ancient table. She picked up a cider cork left behind by a careless guard and plugged the hole, covering it up with the table towels afterwards. The same maid whom had just left to get the princesses meal, returned with a Nightberry cake slice and Nightberry juice.

"Enjoy, your highness." The maid bowed then turned, walking away.

Luna looked at her food and picked up her spoon. She cut the edge of the slice downward with the side of the metal utensil and scooped up the piece, and ate it. As she ate, a bat pegasus flew into the room and landed gracefully at the end of the table.

"Evening Princess."

Luna looked up at the pegasus, taking a sip of her juice.

"Midnight Blossom. Come to have a drink? Or perhaps to bother me and my sister who is currently sleeping."

The bat pegasus smirked. "Not going to invite me to harass your other relative?"

"Leave her alone. It's bad enough she locks herself in her room with her piano very rarely coming out to greet us. The last thing Celestia or I want is for her to be annoyed by somepony who doesn't understand her."

The pegasus sighed, her smirk dropping to become a frown. "I suppose."

Luna stomped her back right hoof on the floor, calling a maid. Luna waited for a moment, her ears moving to the sounds of hoof steps echoing through the room until finally they stop, and a bright baby blue pegasus stood beside the princess, bowing.

"How may I assist you Princess Luna?"

"Fetch the captain of the night guard here a drink, Apple Cider please."

The maid bowed and headed to the cooler to retrieve a fresh flask of cider. Midnight Blossom jumped off the table and pulled a chair out to sit on.

"You seem peaceful. The most peaceful anypony has seen you since the snow started falling."

Luna took another bite of her cake. "Meditation can calm ones mind and help them relax should they desire it." The princess smiled.

The maid returned with Midnight's cider, placing it on the table before leaving quickly out of fear of the bat pegasus. Midnight bit the cork and ripped it out of the bottle, placing it on the table before taking a swig of her beverage.

"As interesting as it sounds I don't really want to." Midnight drank half her bottle of cider. "Anyway. I better get back to my duties."

"Indeed you should. Please stay sober Midnight Blossom."

The bat pegasus nodded and jumped off the balcony, taking flight to another part of the castle. After taking another bite of her cake and swallowing; Luna sat still and silent for a moment before taking a deep breath and letting it out.

"I wonder if Nyx is enjoying the winter more then I am."

In Ponyville it was midnight. Nyx was wide awake, her irises wide and glowing like a cats in the dark, her cutimark had a silver gleam on it when the moonlight hit it just right and even glowed. She sat at the window looking out at the moon.

"Looks beautiful doesn't it?"

Nyx jumped a little a looked around. She had heard a voice that was not a filly's and was within the very room. The filly looked over at the armor in the corner of the bedroom and saw a shadow moving underneath it followed by a faint chuckle in a mares voice. It sent a shiver up Nyx's spine. It made her feel very uneasy. The feeling of dread filled the room, scaring Nyx enough to make her cry.

"M-Mommy..." The scared filly ran out of her bedroom and up the stairs into Twilight's bedroom. Jumping up onto the bed and crawling under the blankets, shaking.

Twilight awoke and blinked a little. Using a lighting spell from the tip of her horn, the unicorn saw a shaking bulge beside her under the blankets. She lifted the sheets and Nyx lifted her head looking up at Twilight in fear.

"Whats the matter Nyx?"

The filly looked down. "T-There is s-something in my room... C-could I sleep here tonight?"

Twilight sighed but smiled. "Alright, you can sleep in my bed tonight"

Nyx smiled and nuzzled Twilight, falling to sleep almost immediately afterwards. The purple unicorn smiled again and rolled her eyes. She laid her head down on the pillow, canceling her spell and falling into a blissful sleep.

"You are afraid of something Nyx... Don't be afraid... With a mother like yours nothing can hurt you."

Nyx opened her eyes and looked up at the ceiling, closing them afterwards with a smile. In Canterlot at 6:28 AM, the sun began to rise. The light streamed in through the glass windows that decorated the Canterlot Castle throne room. Luna was sitting on the throne, her head down; snoring as Celestia walked in to take over ruling the kingdom. She instantly noticed Luna sleeping like rock. The sun princess was surprised, her jaw opened her pupils shrunk and her left eye twitched.

"U-Uhm..." Celestia shook her head and took a deep breath. "Ahem."

Luna opened her eyes and and blinked. She looked up at her sister then sat up straight.

"Good Morning sister." She wiped some drool off of her lip with her left wing.

"Good morning Luna. Did you.. sleep well?"

"Um... Uh..."

Celestia chuckled. "Fret not sister, I have done it many a time before. There is no shame in it."

Luna stepped off the throne and yawned. "I suppose I will rest now. Last night was a hassle and took a lot out of me." She yawned again.

"Quite a hassle indeed." Quipped Celestia.

Luna looked out the window toward a tall tower then back to Celestia."Sister, please spend time with Serena. If you continue to neglect your duties she will turn on you. Or resort to some extremity to make you to notice her."

"I was planning to spend the entire day with her this Hearths warming eve."

"That will be a start." Luna smiled and yawned again. "Good day sister."

"Good day, Luna."

Luna went to brush her teeth before heading to bed. As Celestia sat on the throne, a piano began to play from the tall tower. Celestia looked up at the ceiling and smiled.

"Perhaps this Hearths Warming... I could be better for her..."

In Ponyville Nyx yawned and stretched. She looked around the bedroom to see it was empty.

"Nyx are you awake yet? Come downstairs breakfast is ready!" Twilight called from downstairs.

"Coming mommy!" Nyx stood up and jumped out of bed, she made her way downstairs and stepped into the kitchen. She pulled out her chair and jumped up into it, sitting when she was comfortable.

Spike and Twilight were making hot oatmeal cereal. Nyx, deciding not to let her friend and mother do all the work, helped with preparing and making the breakfast. This helped get it done quicker and made Twilight happy to see Nyx maturing so fast, but it also made Twilight very worried. The unicorn set down the bowls, and poured the oatmeal into said bowls; adding two nightberry's on top of Nyx's. Spike put two diamonds in his, and Twilight put some apple slices in hers. She then set spoons out to the other two and smiled. They each began eating using the spoons. Twilight scooped up apple slices while she ate. Spike picked out the gems first then scarfed down his bowl. Nyx took her time with hers, following Rarity's example and eating the way she was taught.

"Still want to help unpack the goodies Nyx?" Twilight smiled.

Nyx swallowed her food and nodded at Twilight bringing a smile to the unicorn.

"Could I ask the girls if they could help?"

"I see nothing wrong with that sweetie. The delivery ponies will arrive in two hours so if you go outside and play remember to come back before they arrive."

"I will mommy. Spike could you help brush my mane back and get my headband on?"

"I can do that for you Nyx." Twilight spoke up.

Nyx smiled. "Okay mommy!"

Nyx finished her breakfast then concentrated on levitating her bowl into the sink. She closed her eyes tightly and grit her teeth, her horn glowing brighter until she successfully lifted it, moving it across the room and successfully lowering it into the sink. Nyx reopened her eyes but flinched in pain. Using her magic like she did had caused her to have a minor headache. Twilight noticed while washing her bowl and Nyx's.

"Concentrating on your magic too hard?"

Nyx nodded really quickly. Twilight walked up stairs into the bath room and opened the mirror cupboard, getting some medicine made specifically for unicorns to help with migraines. It worked better on filly and colt unicorns since they are only starting to use magic which can cause intense migraines if concentrated on too hard. Twilight took it downstairs and poured some of it onto a teaspoon.

"Ugh... I hated this stuff when I was a filly..." Twilight whispered and shuddered before turning to Nyx. "Okay Nyx... This medicine will help you with your migraine."

Nyx sniffed the blue liquid before opening her mouth allowing her foster mother to put the teaspoon in. The filly took in the medicine and swallowed. Following this, Nyx's mouth puckered inward, her eyes began to water, she closed her eyes and swung her head around.

"This... This is sour!" Nyx puckered her lips inward again and stretched her jaw opening her mouth wide looking up at the ceiling.

"Packs quite a punch. But it helps. Your migraine should go away soon, I advise that you stay inside until then. We'll brush your mane when you are ready to go outside. I don't want to move you too much."

Nyx nodded and hopped off her chair, she walked into the living room and laid down on the couch and waited. Her migraine hurt but within two minutes the medicine began to work its magic and in no time her headache had gone. Nyx sat up and was surprised.

"I thought it took a while for medicine to work."

"Earth pony and Pegasus medicine take far longer to work then unicorn medicine. Due to the necessity to use levitation spells during a unicorns daily life, headaches are a common thing until ones magical skill has been honed to overcome this obstacle. The medications speed lies in the unicorn magic from within the liquid, and from the unicorn that is receiving the medicine."

Nyx listened closely to the whole thing and took mental notes. "I see. So that's why it only took two minutes."

Twilight closed her eyes and smiled. "Exactly." She reopened her eyes. "So. since your migraine is gone. How about I brush your mane?"

Nyx nodded with a smile and hopped off the couch, she turned and walked up the stairs to her room. Twilight looked at Spike.

"Spike, could you put the medicine back in the bathroom cabinet for me?"

Spike nodded. "Sure Twilight." He picked up the medicine and took it to the bathroom.

Twilight walked up into Nyx's room. The filly already had her glasses on, she looked up at Twilight then at the mirror, waiting patiently. Twilight picked up a brush that rested on Nyx's bedside table with her magic, and proceeded to gently brush Nyx's mane, taking not nearly as much time as Rarity does when it comes to mane styling. Nyx endured three minutes of Twilight's brushing before she finished.

"There we go, your mane is styled exactly how you always like it."

Nyx looked at her mane very carefully and smiled. She turned around and nuzzled Twilight's chest.

"Thank you mommy."

Twilight smiled and nuzzled the filly back. "You're welcome sweetie."

Nyx and Twilight stopped nuzzling. The filly run around in a circle and out the door.

"I'm going to see the girls, be back soon."

"Remember Nyx, you have to be home by 9:50!" Twilight smiled again.

Nyx rushed down the stairs toward the front door, stopping to put on her snow shoes, jacket, and hood. She opened the front doors and stepped outside to see the sky was clear this time and the sun was somewhat out, yet no snow was melting. The snow glittered and sparkled brightly. Mr and Mrs. Cake were playing with their children just outside Sugar Cube Corner. Gummy and Pinkie Pie were eating the snow and getting brain freezes. Gummy's brain freeze ended up turning the crocodile into a block of ice despite how warm the reptile was in its coat. Pinkie pointed her hoof and laughed at Gummy before taking him inside to be thawed. Nyx smiled and closed her eyes. She shook her head then stopped, reopening her eyes. She turned her head looking forward, and took a step forward.

Ding

Nyx stopped, she put her hoof down and looked around. Tuning her ears to where the sound came from. There were no other sounds around, no wind was blowing and nopony was nearby to make a sound which could pass into her ears, nopony except the Cakes but they were too far away to make a sound as loud as the one she had heard. Nyx stayed still and silent then she heard the noise again. It sounded like a wind chime when the wind passes through it. Nyx turned her head in the direction of the sound which was diagonal of her. Upon looking in the direction of the twinkling sound she could see a flower. The flower was the same type as the ones that bloomed in the Canterlot garden during winter. Nyx walked over to it and could see it had icy blue petals. Nyx sad down and smiled.

"Heh heh. It's a Snow drop." Nyx smiled and continued looking at the flower.

Suddenly heard Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo's voices calling her name. She turned her head to the right and Saw her friends waving at her near the Nightmare Moon Snow statue.

"Come on ya slow pony. We were going to help Applejack pick the snow berries!" Scootaloo shouted.

"Coming!" Nyx stood up, turning back to take one last look at the flower before turning back around and running toward her friends.

The wind suddenly picked up and a small light blue orb floated down and swirled around the icy flower before floating away, followed by a beautiful chime as it started to snow.

Nyx ran up to her friends quickly, almost slipping on an ice patch causing her to stumble. Nyx looked at the ice patch and shook her head, continuing slowly up the hill this time.

"You okay Nyx?"

"I'm alright Sweetie Belle. I just stepped in an ice patch. Nothing serious."

The fours filly's were suddenly startled by obnoxious laughter. They turned their heads left toward the statue, Nyx turned her head in the same direction as the c.m.c to see Diamond Tiara laughing her head off.

"Something funny Diamond Tiara?"

Diamond Tiara took a deep breath and waited a moment to stop laughing, wiping tears out of her eyes.

"You blank flanks have no clue about how dangerous ice patches are do you?"

"I get the feeling we're going to find out anyway." Scootaloo rolled her eyes.

Nyx started getting impatient, she wanted to go help Applejack as soon as possible. Diamond Tiara walked up closer to the filly's.

"My older sister slipped on an ice patch once and broke her hoof. She had to stay in the hospital for a week just to get it healed and even after she was discharged she was still healing."

"Which hoof was it?" Nyx questioned.

"It was her front right hoof."

"Diamond Tiara. Come along sweetie our train is here."

Diamond Tiara sighed and turned around.

"Coming mother," The pink earth pony turned around and looked at Nyx. "see ya later, Nightmare!" Diamond then turned and walked back to her mother laughing.

Nyx glared at the earth pony, her horn glowed followed by a patch of snow being lifted and forming into a snowball. Just as she was about to throw the ball at Diamond Tiara, Apple Bloom grabbed the snow ball between her hooves and put it down.

"Nyx!"

Nyx turned her head and looked at Apple Bloom.

"It ain't worth it."

"S-sorry girls."

"Don't sweat it Nyx. We've all wanted ta throw some snow balls at her every now and again. Now, are we going to go pick us some berries or not?"

Sweetie Belle, Nyx, and Scootaloo smiled and nodded. All four of them turned toward the dirt road some few meters away and started walking to Sweet Apple Acres together. Along the way, Nyx continued checking the time every two minutes. For a while the girls didn't seem to notice and were talking about possible ways to earn their cutie marks. When Nyx wasn't checking the time, she was looking around and admiring the beauty of the snow sparkling on the outer trees of the Everfree forest. As the girls were nearing the farm, Apple Boom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle began to notice how often Nyx was checking the time. The three filly's looked at each other and gave Nyx a concerned look.

"So Nyx..." Sweetie Belle spoke.

"Hm?" Nyx looked back at Sweetie Belle and the others and blinked.

"We were wondering..." Scootaloo continued.

"Why are ya checkin the time so much?" Apple Bloom finished.

"Oh that. Well you see I have to be home before 10:00 AM to help mommy with..."

Before Nyx could finish, she walked into something, causing her to fall backwards into the snow. The alicorn sat up and was covered in the frozen flakes that were scattered about, and shook the snow off of her looking up afterwards to see that she had walked into Applejacks leg. The orange earth pony lowered her head down to Nyx's height, giving a friendly smile.

"Help Twilight with what sugarcube?"

"Unpacking some Hearths Warming goodies mommy ordered from Canterlot."

"Goodies huh? Well that sounds nice. Mind if Ah swing by to help?"

Nyx smiled widely. "We'll need all the help we can get."

The Cutie Mark Crusaders looked at each other, smiled then looked at Nyx.

"We'll help too!" Scootaloo said.

"We'll ask Rarity, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash to help out also." Sweetie Belle said after Scootaloo had spoken.

Nyx smiled at her friends. "Thanks girls."

Applejack cleared her throat. "Ahem, Are we going to pick them snow berries or what?" The earth pony smiled at the filly's who looked up at Applejack and nodded whilst smiling back at her.

Applejack, Apple Bloom, and Nyx went to the barn and grabbed four buckets, Nyx had two, one for herself, and one for Sweetie Belle. Apple Bloom had one for herself, and Applejack had her bucket and Scootaloos bucket. The five of them walked down through the snowy field toward the berry bushes which were covered in white shiny balls that seemed to shine in the sunlight. Nyx looked all over them and smiled widely.

"They look ripe."

Applejack looked at Nyx. "They sure do, look at how snow white these are on these bushes compared to the bushes over there."

AJ pointed her right hoof toward some bushes a few meters forward to the right.

"See them berries have a milky white color with yellow around the outside, they ain't ripe enough to pick. And nopony wants their berries tastin like sour milk and egg right?"

"Ah hear that!" Apple Bloom shouted.

Nyx, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle nodded.

"Alright everypony, start pickin, and no magic!" Applejack stomped her hooves signalling that they can start.

"No magic?" Sweetie Belle sighed. "Well can't complain, rules are rules."

Applejack and Apple Bloom showed, Nyx, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle two berry picking techniques. Applejack showed the first one by placing a bucket beneath the bush, then grabbing a hold of a branch with her teeth, and shaking it violently until berries fell into said bucket. Nyx took down mental notes which she will write down in a note book or diary later. Apple Bloom showed the second technique which carried a risk of ruining the berries, she picked up a broken branch with leaves with her mouth and used started hitting the bush with it. This technique usually squashed the berries how ever or took off the top half of them, but Apple Bloom says that it depended on the how hard the berries were hit. Nyx took a mental note of that too which she would later write in a notebook or diary.

"I think Applejacks method is the better one." Scootaloo said looking in Apple Blooms direction.

"I agree with Scootaloo sorry Apple Bloom." Nyx frowned.

"Aw don't worry y'selves girls. Ah think it's a silly technique m'self."

The girls could suddenly hear Sweetie Belle grunting, they all looked in the direction of the white unicorn filly to see she was hitting a berry bush with a big stick and squashing the berries which fell into her bucket. Sweetie Belle quickly noticed her friends staring and dropped the stick.

"What?"

"Uh... how bout we use mah technique sugarcube." Applejack smiled.

Sweetie Belle looked at the berries in her bucket and cringed. "I think that'd be best."

Sweetie Belle cleaned her bucket and returned to helping Apple Bloom, Applejack, Nyx, and Scootaloo with picking the snow berries. They all grabbed a hold of some branches of the bush with their teeth and started to shake them until the berries broke off and feel into the buckets below. Nyx kept a watchful eye on the time. Meanwhile, Twilight was writing Hearths Warming letters for everypony in Ponyville, as well as making a muffin to accompany Derpy's letter.

"Hey Twilight..."

"Yeah Spike?" Twilight was too busy reading the cook book to look at spike.

"Do you think I should give Rarity my magma gem?"

Twilight looked at Spike and saw the gem he was holding. "That's the magma gem I gave you for your first birthday."

"I know, but I was thinking of giving it to Rarity this Hearths Warming."

Twilight smiled warmly. "Well... If you want to give it to Rarity then that's your decision."

Spike smiled at the purple Unicorn. "Thanks Twilight."

The oven made a ding noise and Twilight looked back at it and smiled widely.

"Derpys muffin is ready!" Twilight turned the oven off, pulled down the door and levitated the perfect muffin out and into a muffin cup, then put said muffin on a plate.

Spike had left the room and was writing a Hearths Warming card for Rarity. Meanwhile Twilight was preparing Derpy's card.

"Okay, I'll deliver Derpy's card personally then I'll put the remaining cards in the mail."

Twilight looked at the time and saw there was still half an hour left before the hearths warming treats arrived and Nyx came home.

"Plenty of time." Twilight put on her saddle bags, levitated Derpy's muffin, wrapped it in clear wrap and gently placed it inside her left saddle bag. Twilight then levitated the cards for Derpy and Dinky, putting it in the same side of the bag. She headed toward the door and opened it.

"Spike, I'm going to give Derpy her hearths warming card early so her muffin doesn't spoil before the end of the week. I'll be back in ten minutes."

Twilight stepped outside, closing the door behind her.The purple unicorn looked at the snow then looked at the sky so clear. Twilight thought it quite odd that the sky was clear this day and that the sun was out, but the snow was not melting. The breeze and morning air was cold but not winter cold, there was a bit of warmth on the wind, it was cool and comforting. Many ponies weren't wearing their snow cloths. Twilight smiled at how beautiful the clear skies made the snow look as she made her way to Derpy's house in west Ponyville. The purple Unicorn passed Rarity's Boutique on the way, giving Twilight the chance to look at some of the clothes on display, but as much as she wanted to go in and have a peek, Twilight kept going to Derpy's house. As she neared the door, Twilight Sparkle could hear crashing and banging coming from inside.

"I'm okay Dinky honest."

Dinky looked at Derpy and shook her head with worry and sighed. "I'm gonna have to take you to the hospital at this rate big sister. Lets start over."

Twilight knocked on the door, getting the attention of Derpy and Dinky.

"I got it!" Derpy said running toward the door and opening it without incident. "Heya Twilight." The grey pegasus smiled.

"Good morning Ditzy, I can't stay long since I have a delivery coming from Canterlot in a few minutes."

"That's okay Twilight."

The purple unicorn looked inside and saw that the Hearths Warming tree hadn't been put up, and was a mess.

"Do you need some help with your tree?"

Derpy shook her head. "No."

Dinky nodded. "Yes."

Derpy looked at Dinky then back at Twilight, keeping the same blank face.

"Let me help you." Twilight closed her eyes, her horn glowed and in a flash, all the decorations and the tree were gone, but then they reappeared in the corner of the room, with all the decorations on it. Dinky and Derpy looked at it with wide smiles.

"So, who puts the star on top?"

Derpy raised her hoof. "Me! Me!"

"Big sister. It's my turn to put the star up this year." Dinky smiled.

"Oh... sorry." Derpy smiled sheepishly.

Dinky looked Twilight. "Could you lift me up please Twilight?"

"Not a problem."

Dinky held onto the star with her mouth while Twilight levitated her up to the top of the tree. Dinky placed the star on top and was gently lowered to the floor where she looked up at the star and smiled again.

"Thank you Twilight."

"You're welcome, now I have something for both of you."

Twilight opened saddlebags and levitated the muffin out onto a nearby table along with two cards, giving them to Dinky and Derpy.

"Happy Hearths Warming you two."

"Thank you Twilight." The both pegasi chimed.

Derpy's eyes caught sight of the muffin. The gray pegasus licked her lips and moved toward it like a stalking cat. Dinky and Twilight watched her for a moment when the unicorn looked up at the clock and saw Nyx would be home soon. She closed the saddlebags and headed for the door.

"Sorry I have to leave so sudden girls but My delivery will be arriving any minute and Nyx will be home soon. I hope you enjoy the muffin Derpy."

"I will, bye bye Twilight!"

"By Ms. Twilight." Dinky waved at the purple Unicorn as she left.

Twilight walked back along the same path, past Rarity's Boutique and that big building in the center of Ponyville. She Crossed over a bridge and arrived at the Library just as a carriage driven by a unicorn arrived with it's carriage full of card board boxes. Twilight opened the library door.

"G'morning Ms. Sparkle." The unicorn spoke with an Irish accent. He levitated a clip board out of a satchel that he had on his back.

"Just sign this please."

Twilight levitated her quill outside and wrote her name in the appropriate spot. The unicorn then started unloading the boxes inside of the Library. The boxes remained unopened. Within minutes the carriages cargo had been fully unloaded. Twilight counted the five boxes and smiled.

"Five boxes, exactly as ordered."

"Mommy I'm back!"

Twilight turned her head and saw Nyx walking toward the library with Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo.

"Welcome back, Nyx. Did Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom come to help?"

"Not just us Twilight." Apple Bloom said, looking behind her.

Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie were right behind them.

"Need anymore help with sortin the items sugercube?"

"It'd be much easier to pack away all of your treats with more hooves to help darling."

Twilight smiled at her friends then looked at Nyx.

"You wouldn't have something to do with this would you Nyx?"

Nyx looked to her left. "Maaaybe..."

Twilight chuckled and nuzzled Nyx gently, bringing a smile to the filly's face. Twilight raised her head and looked at her friends.

"All help is welcome. Thank you everypony."

"What are we waiting for?! LETS GET SORTIIIIING!!!!" Pinkie Pie screamed in an excited way.

Twilight let everypony inside the library, Applejack and Rainbow Dash, moved the boxes to different corners of the room to allow space.

"I'll be in the kitchen where I will sort the food into the appropriate spots. Rarity, Fluttershy, you can unpack the deserts. Rainbow Dash and Applejack, perhaps you can haul the heavier boxes up the stairs."

"We'll get right on it Twilight." Applejack said, putting her hat on a coat rack."

"No box can hold me down!" Cried out Rainbow Dash in an obnoxiously proud manner.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash got to work. Fluttershy and Rarity went up stairs and awaited the box.

Twilight smiled then looked at Pinkie Pie. "Pinkie Pie, would you like to help Fluttershy and Rarity."

Pinkie Pie saluted. "Sure thing Twilight."

Twilight looked at the cutie mark crusaders and thought for a moment.

"How would you three like to help sorting away the snacks?"

Apple Bloom looked at Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle.

"Maybe sortin is our special talent."

"Yeah, lets give it a shot!" Scootaloo jumped up excitedly

The Cutie Mark Crusaders ran upstairs to await the appropriate box, Applejack and Rainbow Dash were moving boxes upstairs to the kitchen with Spikes Help. Nyx walked up to Twilight and looked up at her frowning.

"W-What can I do mommy?"

Twilight frowned and looked down sadly. "I'm sorry Nyx there's nothing else for you to do..."

"Twilight darling, Fluttershy got her hoof caught between the table and left chair!"

Twilight looked at the stairs. "Coming Rarity." She looked back at Nyx. "I'll think of something sweetie."

Twilight turned around and went upstairs to help Fluttershy. Nyx's temper began to rise and she pouted, and started saying things that weren't true.

"She forgot me.... That's all she did... She forgot me just like everypony else does in this stupid town!"

Nyx kicked a box and sat down, taking off her glasses and putting them on a nearby table, her pupils were thinner then they were usually. The filly looked up and watched Rainbow Dash carrying a large box in between her hooves as if it wasn't that heavy.

"Hey Rainbow, could ya lend me a hand?"

Rainbow put the box down by the stairs. "Coming Applejack!" Rainbow Dash flew up stairs to help Applejack carry the box into the kitchen. Seeing her chance to help, Nyx walked over to the box and looked at it.

"If Aunt Rainbow Dash and Aunt Applejack can carry a box upstairs, so can I."

Nyx closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her horn glowed brightly and the box glowed the same color. Nyx then tried to levitate the box, it hurt but she kept trying her best to lift it.

"Come on... Come on...!"

Moments passed but during that time, the black filly managed to levitate the box above her. Nyx looked up at it and smiled widely.

"Mommy Mommy look! I'm lifting a box!" Nyx laughed happily but her smile soon went away as her magic glow began to flicker and the box, sway.

Just as Twilight was coming downstairs, Nyx's magic faltered and she dropped the box, however it didn't fall to the floor, instead it fell on Nyx's head making a loud earsplitting crack which came from the filly's horn. Nyx stumbled backwards, her eyes were blank. Twilight saw the box come down on Nyx, she and everypony in the library heard the sound of bone being broken. Nyx stood still in shock for a moment then her horn glowed again and forcefully and made her jerked her head back, making her stumble to her right where she slumped against the table which had the wooden pony statue in the center, and sank down onto the floor, making a red smear on the wood as she fell. Twilights eyes widened with horror, she screamed out Nyx's name and ran to her daughters side, the c.m.c, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Applejack and Pinkie Pie, ran down the stairs to see twilight cradling Nyx. The filly's eyes were wide and blank, glassy and empty, she didn't seem to breath nor move, she was almost limp. Twilight looked at her friends.

"Somepony help me NOW!!!"