It was early evening of the next day by the time Ponyville was close enough for Winter to feel the comfort of her home beckoning her as though it were reality again. It had seemed far longer than a several hour hike through the forest to her, probably because her body was shuddering from the strain of her magic exhaustion. It had been a really, really stupid idea to craft a giant ice slide down the entire mountain last night, after her fight with the elemental had drained her magic and burned her body with her own element connection. She'd burned herself out, to the point she couldn't even walk most of the way back home. Midnight had been a perfect gentlecolt and carried her on his back, even when she could tell his legs were weak from walking so long with the added weight. She forced herself to give him a break for the last mile or so, even when she overheating from the summer sun and very shaky on her hooves as her muscles burned from her injuries. She was ready to get home and drop straight into bed, not waking up for about three days if she could help it.
As they passed through town, she got a few strange glances, ponies she recognized from the marketplace only a few days ago. She felt nervous, unsure of what to really say or do, especially in her weakened state. Thankfully, most of the gawkers saw her friends nearby and decided that talking wasn’t worth their time, happily moving along as their evening came into view. To her surprise and mild mortification, however, the very pony she had almost frozen approached them with a soft smile. Midnight had greeted the stallion with a smirk and a gentle hug, introduced him as a friend named Shining, and promised him a chance to catch up as soon as he wasn't near comatose from the last few days. Shining had laughed and dismissed Winter's apology for the marketplace, just glad that she was ok after that incident. He'd left with a smile and a polite bow as the quartet continued their march to Winter's home.
As though simply to add insult to the injury of the last few days, the group was forced to head down the same street where the ancient society's exhibit had been set up. Most of the pieces were still there, they were scheduled to move out tomorrow, but nopony felt inclined to stop and read anything after Winter's story. Winter tried to avert her gaze altogether, but couldn't help glancing at the stone that had started this entire mess, the body the elemental had been trapped in since the world was made. But now it was a shadow of itself, just like the essence of the creature. The entire thing was fractured, deep cracks crisscrossing across the entire mass. For just a second, Winter heard the whispering wind that had accompanied the elemental’s voice as it tortured her for the past two days. There was still something there, something that was trying to reach out and claim her.
“I’m…not…yours,” she growled, glaring at the stone, as she finally had something to focus her anger towards.
Then, to her surprise, the rock itself shattered. Whatever had been holding it together just simply gave out: whether it was something physical that just happened to give at that exact moment, or a spiritual fragment of the elemental clinging to it, she didn’t know, nor did she care. As the whole thing fell into tiny little fragments, Winter couldn't help but feel a little sad; that had been the body of some grand and glorious being once, and ending a life like that would have been a tragedy. Only this time, that life had chosen itself over everypony in the world, and Winter's guilt faded almost entirely as she turned away to hobble off to her home, quick as her legs could manage.
“That wasn’t you, was it?” Vlyka asked, not even slowing her pace. She’d picked up on Winter just being ready to leave it behind, and followed suit.
“I don’t know,” she shrugged, glancing back one last time as she walked away. Already some ponies involved in the exhibit were crowding, most of them looking either slightly angry or resigned, probably having expected the thing to fall apart after it had cracked out of nowhere, at least as far as they knew. “But if it was, I don’t care. It’s all over.”
After she put the past behind her, literally, Winter looked forward to seeing her home shining like a beacon right ahead of her. She summoned the rest of her energy to speed towards her house, fast as her hooves could carry her…which wasn’t that fast, since nopony else had to trot much faster in order to keep up with her. By the time she made it inside to crash on her sofa, she was completely spent, only just able to not fall asleep then and there. Her friends entered behind her, Vlyka shutting the door behind them to keep the cool air in.
“Anything we can get for you?” Midnight asked, as Winter tried to not melt into a puddle.
She shook her head in response, before summoning the energy to speak again. “Nah, go home and take a rest. Say hi to Remmy and Otto for me,” she said, as Vlyka was already halfway out the door.
Vlyka smirked as she trotted back downstairs. "Good news is the cooling spell seems to have protected your stuff, though you might wanna clean up the leftover ice when you have strength. And I’m sure Remmy will be happy to know you’re safe,” Vlyka replied, before being her usual self and leaving without a proper goodbye. Crystal shook her head at her sister as she vanished from sight.
“I sure hope Otto didn’t get into my gem room again,” she muttered. "I’m sure he’s mad I vanished the last few days, that will be fun to win him over after.”
“As for me,” Midnight said, “I need to get back on a real sleep schedule. I don’t understand how you ponies do this ‘daylight’ thing.” Crystal chuckled, and Winter smirked as he walked closer. “Stay cool.”
“You too,” she replied, kind of hoping that he wouldn’t come in to kiss her goodbye right now. She wasn’t sure how to deal with it right now, feeling her body already angry at her for the long hike in her drained state; an elevated heart rate felt like too much to bear right now. Fortunately, Midnight seemed to understand, or at least think that when she was weak like this she really didn’t want to have a raised body temperature, and only tapped a hoof gently on her shoulder. She smiled at the “hug” and he left her alone.
Winter smiled at Midnight as he departed, Crystal in her way out after her. But as Winter shifted to sit upright, Crystal halted. "Why do I hear magic?" she asked, turning back to Winter with fear in her voice. “Winter, what do you think you’re doing?”
“I need to…write something,” she labored, her body fighting her as she tried to channel her unicorn magic. Even the simple task of lifting a piece of paper and writing quill was excruciating for her, but this had to be done sooner rather than later.
“No no no, you’re in no shape to magic anything. You shouldn’t even be out of bed right now,” she said, being far firmer than she usually was with anypony; she didn’t want to interfere with Winter’s actions and choices, but she was too tensely wound after what Winter had been through to just let it go right now.
“But…”
“I’ll write it for you, if it’s that important,” she cut Whispy off, grabbing the quill and paper from her weakened grip. “Then you’re going back to bed to rest.”
“Yes doc,” Winter chuckled.
“Good…” Crystal pulled a seat up to the nearby table and sat, readying herself for Winter’s dictation. “All set.”
“Okay, but promise not to faint when I start talking,” Winter smirked. Initially Crystal was confused, but realized she was joking…she just didn’t get the joke until after she nodded and Winter began. “Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle…”
Crystal had to pause for a second, taking a deep breath. The recently titled “Princess of Friendship” Twilight Sparkle was something of an idol of Crys’, being a living symbol of the altruism Crystal desired to hold in her heart. Winter smirked as the expression on Crystal's face shifted from shock to elation to fear and to mild irritation as she glanced at Winter again. Winter couldn't help but giggle slightly as Crystal recovered to listen.
“I feel I owe you an explanation for the strange snowstorm that happened over the last few days. Unfortunately, I’m not in the best shape to be moving right now. If I may humbly ask you to come to my house, I’ll happily explain everything that I can. The short answer is that everything should be fine now, so I hope you will be able to calm any of those affected with this news. Respectfully yours, Winter Whisper. PS: My friend Crys idolizes you.”
“Hey!” Crystal snapped out of her writing with a start. “I’m not sending her that,” she muttered, turning her gaze away from Winter’s knowing smile.
“What, she should know the truth,” she said oh-so-innocently, making Crys glare at her for a second. The snow mare laughed at the reply and shook her head. “Alright then, forget the PS.”
“Well it’s too late now, I already started the P.” Crystal moved to crumple the paper, but Winter shook her head.
“Then don’t waste the paper…how about ‘The friend generous enough to write this for me greatly admires your work.’” Crys scribbled for a moment as Winter couldn’t help but chuckle a bit. “There, bland enough for you?”
“I’d call it ‘distilled’,” Crys replied, as she finished writing. “But yes, that’s better.” She started walking over towards the desk Winter had been trying to pull this from, grabbing an envelope and folding the letter away safely inside.
“Alright then…can I ask you to deliver it then?” Crystal tensed up, making Winter smirk again. “Make up for breaking my heart and twisting my words?”
“Fine, I’ll drop it off at the castle door for her,” she grumbled, “but if I get called out for approaching her I’m not giving you a glowing recommendation.”
“I can live with that,” Whispy smiled. “But in the meantime I’m headed to bed, I promise."
"Okay Winter," Crystal smiled softly, gently coming closer and brushing Winter's mane over her ear. Crys was just close enough for Winter to he comfortable, smiling gently as Crystal stepped away. "You sleep well ok? I'll come check on you soon."
"Thanks Crys," Winter smiled, gently grabbing her hoof and holding it for a moment. "Talk with you soon."
Crystal smiled and turned to the front door, shutting it gently behind her as she disappeared down the cooling summer evening. But as Winter stood to haul herself upstairs to bed, she glanced at her desk, a pang of guilt deep in her stomach outweighing her other pains.
“One more letter,” she sighed, knowing this was a bad idea before she even started moving. She pulled herself back upright and lit her magic again, pulling a quill and paper to her bedside table. She grumbled as the ache started in her hooves, a sign she was starting to injure her body again, but she had to get this out while she was still thinking about it, and her writing wasn’t legible even to her unless she wrote with her telekinesis. So, under the strain and the prayer she wasn’t going to burn her soul out, she began.
“Dear mother and father,
“I need to keep this short as I can. I’m alright, mostly alright, will be alright. But if you hear about it, yes, the snowstorm in the middle of summer was me. I found out something bad about myself, something I couldn’t face alone, and it took over me for a few days. But now I’m back, thanks to my friends helping me, making me see who I really am. I’m my own mare, ice and all, and nothing is ever going to change that.
“I don’t know what Guardian Gleam has told you in his letters, if anything, so here’s a basic: I write to him on occasion, but since he’s way out of country I don’t hear back that often. He and I have a deal, and when that comes to pass I promise you’ll know what I’m talking about.
“I hope you still know I don’t hate you. I just can’t face you right now. We struggled too much, I can’t cope with how our relationship went in the last few years I was living at home with you. I still love you, I want things to be better, but I need to make sure I can handle the change before I try.
“I’ll try and write back to you soon, just to make sure you know I’m still doing okay. I really, really do love you. Don’t think I’ll forget that, please.
“Love, Winter Whisper”
"Oww..." Winter moaned, as she set her quill down on the desk. She wiped the tears from her eyes as she looked at her letter again, already regretting that she was going to ask Midnight to hoof-deliver it to her family's mailbox so they wouldn't get her address. She wanted to make up with her parents, deep in her heart, but it was going to be a long road before she could get to that point. At least for now, she smiled as she crawled upstairs and into her defrosted bed, she had peace and love in her life. Her friends, her love, were here for her, and she could let that feeling slide her gently into Luna's embrace.