Darkness is pervasive. The effect is hard to notice at first, but ponies were meant to live outside in the broad daylight, not hide away in dark tunnels under a mass of snow. Two days- had it been two days? Honeydew claimed so, but how could he tell? As far as I knew, he hadn’t left the village since our arrival, following the elders decree that none were to leave without his permission. With the winter as daunting as it seemed to inevitably become, he wasn’t willing to put anything up to chance, like clan-members being snatched up by a stray gust of wind.
As a consequence however, I was growing restless, and there wasn’t exactly much to do in the village to sate that feeling. Aside from playing music and occasionally weaving another straw basket with Echidna, there was little else you could do in the darkness and tightness of our living situation. And the latter option soon fell away too, as we apparently had to conserve much of our straw in case some tunnels had to be reinforced. Combine that boredom with the constant nagging feeling that came from never eating enough to feel even remotely full, and a dreary mood soon began to loom over the village. Breezies, I was pretty sure, weren’t meant to live in the dark either.
Heaving a sigh, I trudged through the dark passage, tapping my hoof on the wall in order to alert any other breezies to my presence. When there was no light, it was all too easy to walk into another. Okay, enough sadness, I chided my brain. Happy thoughts, go!
...I wish it was that easy.
Well, it could be worse, you could be a heartbroken mess.
Thank you, brain! I shook my head, muttering a curse at my disappointment of a mental faculty.
Though, I was glad that my first relationship hadn’t ended on that night. Although we’d both been happy to have one another again, neither of us had had much energy to spare for celebration. Both our bodies had been so sore and exhausted that we’d barely made it home before falling asleep. And Honeydew had still been starving… I don’t think it really struck me until I saw him shed tears over his meal the next day, so relieved to finally have something to fill his stomach with that he didn’t even protest as I gave him my portions, despite claiming just the night before that there was no need.
And the questions he had! Now that we finally had time alone, without worry for survival, he’d wanted to know everything about Equestria. But although I’d tried to accomodate him as best as I could, there were many things simply unimaginable to a creature the size of a harvest mouse, living in the equivalent of a stone age. Heck, the breezies hadn’t learned to use fire yet! He’d snorted in disbelief when I’d tried to explain Applejack’s farm. I assumed that the idea of any creature cultivating trees was as outlandish to him as it would be to me if they were all trees of harmony. He also seemed to have no concept of what a castle was, even though I’d seen one where Seabreeze lived. But the word, grarpa, seemed utterly foreign to him, even though I was sure I was saying it just like Fluttershy taught me.
Once again, it made me wonder just how far from Seabreezes clan I’d ended up at. A different country? Heck, even a continent?
There were more questions I wasn’t quite ready to answer, either. Like just how big ponies are. That must’ve been his favorite one, ever since I’d slipped that I was normally bigger than a breezie.
“How big?” he’d ask, brushing a hoof over my shoulder. “Can you show me?”
“No.” I’d sighed. “Changing forms isn’t exactly easy. Worse, doing it would make me hungry.”
“Oh…”
I smirked as I remembered leaning closer to console him with a kiss to his cheek. “Maybe next Spring I can show you, Honey.”
Yes, I was calling him Honey now. Oh, Rarity would die to know this…
“Well… can you at least tell me how big you are as a pony?”
“I’m, uh… a bit bigger than a rat.” I’d cautiously answered. No sense freaking him out by sharing that he could probably fit into my ear with room to spare. “Next spring.”
Next Spring… It’d been said casually, and yet it carried the fact that I’d accepted the prospect of spending all of winter in this world. There was no lead, nothing that could help me discover the portal except for searching all around the area Honeydew had found me in. And we couldn't even be sure that an area we’d searched was not it, since the portal might just be closed at the moment we’d looked! Which made it an undertaking bordering on suicide in this weather.
Spike was going to be so worried… Around now at the lastest he would expected me to send him a message, a first report on my findings, anything. I knew Pinkie had promised to watch out for him while I was gone, and she was an experienced babysitter, but... three months was a long time. And the winter was predicted to be long.
And that was if we found the portal at all, which was no guarantee. After all, the clan that lived here didn’t know about it! I might… have to consider the possibility that I’d be living with the clan and Honeydew for a long, long time, if not forever.
No, I shook my head. There is no reason to assume that will happen, I will return to Equestria!
Without Honeydew…
If I went back to Equestria, he would not be coming with me. Even ignoring the inherent danger, leaving his responsibilities to his clan and family behind would be too much to ask, It’d be cruel to do so. Plus, I severely doubted that he would, even if I did ask him. And with how unpredictable the portal had proven to be…
If I ever went back to Equestria, there was a good chance we would never see each other again. I was… trying my best to push that thought away. No need to burden our recently repaired relationship with it, there’d be time to discuss this in the future. Hopefully.
Knocking my hoof to the wall, I heaved a sigh, listening as the sound travelled through the tunnel- before being answered by another. Blinking, I squinted my eyes, trying to discern at least a rough shape in the dark. A moment later, our surroundings were brightly lit by the other breezies feelers.
Right, we could do that. If smacking myself wouldn’t make me look supremely weird, I probably would have. Shaking my head, I waited for my eyes to adapt to the sudden brightness before addressing the other breezie. “Good morning, Carveshine.”
“Afternoon, Twilight.” The older breezie corrected me.
I swallowed my question of how he could possibly know the time, there were no indications! Instead, I focused on the other thing he’d mentioned. If it was afternoon, then naptime for the breezies would be over soon-ish. Personally, I simply couldn't summon the will to fall asleep in the middle of the day, or maybe my body just hadn’t acclimated to it, but I could see why they would. Honestly, who wouldn’t want to sleep through most of the season?
“So, where are you going?” Carveshine asked, seemingly not surprised at all to see me tune out of the conversation for a couple seconds… hey!
“I was just going around.” I shrugged. “Maybe see how Kalypso is doing.”
“Better, hopefully. Windchime’s been tending to her since your return. Speaking of, can you do me a favour?”
“Uhm, sure?” I raised an eyebrow in surprise. The last interaction I’d had with Carveshine had included him wildly complaining about my clumsiness, so it struck me as a little odd that the cranky breezie would now ask me for a favour.
But Carveshine trotted closer, pulling something small from a silky strap on his side. “Give him this,” he said, pressing a small bone comb into my hoof. “And ask him if he can speak with the elder.”
I inspected the small comb as if it somehow had an explanation inscribed on it. “Uhm… speak about what?”
“I want to take some of my rations ahead of time. Euryale’s always feeling a bit down this time of year, getting used to being unable to leave the village. I want to cheer her up. So, can you tell Windchime?”
“O-of course.” I muttered, then pressed myself to the wall to let the older breezie pass. That was… strangely personal. Why did he tell me all this? I never had the feeling that he even liked me. Confused, I decided to just continue on my way as-
“Hey, Twilight!” a high-pitched voice shouted, accompanied by the sound of rushing hooves.
A smile grew on my face as I turned toward the source of the noise. “Good afternoon, Harpy.” I greeted as the filly came to a halt inside my illuminated sphere.
“It’s a little early for afternoon, don’t you think, Twilight?” she giggled.
Huh? “Then… what time is it?” I asked, feeling a nervous twitch in my eyelid.
“About mid-sun.”
“But Carveshine said-”
Harpy chuckled. “Cuz he’s got no sense of time.” With a conspiratory wave of her hoof, she beckoned me to come closer. “He’s old!” she whispered in my ear.
I drew my head back, confusion momentarily replaced with amusement from the sheer certainty with which the filly had called him old, when I’d judged him to be in his late prime. “Good to know.” I grinned down at the filly. “But you know he’s at most ten years older than I am, right?”
“That means he’s olderer than you than I’m old.” she explained earnestly.
Motioning my head toward the tunnel, I began to stride at a slow pace, allowing the filly to follow by my side. “You’re eight, right?”
“Not for much longer.” Harpy beamed, her smile seemingly brightening up our surroundings like a little, bouncy sunshine in the dark. “Charybdis says I was born when the snow melted. That means I’ll be nine when we can go outside again!”
I opened my mouth, about to quip that she’d better send me an invitation, when I realized that I wasn’t even sure if breezies celebrated birthdays. Even if they did, it’d still be questionable whether the breezies could even afford to this year. No, better to say nothing. I didn’t want to be the one to wipe that smile from her face as she stared at me expectantly. Wait…
Oh, Tartarus, she must’ve asked me a question! “Uhm…” I began, trying to gain some time. I really have to stop loosing track of conversation, it’s becoming a really bad habit! “W-what did you say again?”
If Harpy was bothered by it, she showed no sign of it. “I asked if you’re gonna be my sister soon.”
Somehow, knowing the questioned only confused me further. “Your sister?”
“Yes, when you marry Honeydew!” she explained with a gleeful nod.
At full speed, my train of thought derailed, just before dropping into a deep, spike-filled pit. “M-marry him?!” I stammered, though the words might have come out as ‘Udubuh?!’ for how much control I had over my mouth at the moment. “T-that’s a little, uh… quick, Isn’t it? Soon! I mean it’s soon!” I drew a shaky breath, wondering how the ice around us wasn’t melting at those temperatures, I was sweating for Celestia’s sake!
“Don’t you like him?” Harpy asked, raising an eyebrow, a feeler bobbing at the motion.
“Y-yes, I do, but-” If only I could somehow stuff my face into the snowy wall without her noticing.
“But what?” she actually stood still to stem her forehooves into her sides.
I am not ready to have this conversation with a child! “I need more time, alright? T-that’s a big decision!”
“Well, who else are you gonna marry? Marsh Grass?” the filly huffed pointedly, before adding in a plainly audible whisper. “He snores!”
“You’re uhm… very interested in that topic.” A massive lump had formed in my throat, one that simply refused to be swallowed down.
“Never hurts to have more sisters.” Harpy giggled. “Also, you’re weird. Fun weird. And maybe Honeydew will want to stay longer around the clan with you here...”
My face fell as I struggled for words. But before I could even form half a sentence, Harpy added: “Also, I wanna be an auntie. Will you make me an auntie?”
Okay, no, nope, nada! My brain shouted as it trampled the ‘abort topic’ button. I am not speaking of this with a child, I am not ready to- with Honeydew- Oh my… my head must’ve been on fire, that was the only explanation I could feel so hot as I fought a failing battle to keep unwanted images out of my mind.
“Twilight?” Harpies worried voice sounded muffled through a cover of snow as I plunged my face deep into the frozen walls.
“ ‘m fine.” came my stifled answer.
It took me over a minute until I dared pull my head out of the snow, and I prayed to Celestia and whatever breezie gods and spirits that none of the clan would recognize the distinct shape of the hole I’d melted with my face. Then ten more minutes to convince the gruesomely insistent Harpy to change the topic, to which she’d only relented when I’d threatened to not speak with Honeydew for a week. A promise I had no chance of keeping, but fortunately it’d been enough to get the overeager filly to back off.
For the first time since the snowfall, I was thankful to get some cool air. Thankfully, it didn’t take me much longer to finally find the tunnel I’d remembered as leading to the large longhouse, giving me an excuse to ditch my bouncy companion. Harpy was not happy to be left behind, but it only required me to exaggerate Kalypso’s sickness for her to let out a yelp and dash away before the ‘evil germs’ could rob her brain-thoughts.
Funny how I was now repeating stories that had kept me in terror during my own foalhood. You were right to terrify me like this, Shining Armor… I probably would’ve asked really inappropriate questions, too.
My hoof barely had any time to rap against the door before it swung open. “No teachings while sickness goes around-” Windchimes stern voice broke as his eyes travelled up to me. “Oh, Twilight, I did not expect you here.”
“I did!” A voice that could only belong to one breezie called out from within the longhouse.
“Uhm… right, yes.” I muttered. “I wanted to see Kalypso.”
The older breezie shot a look back, biting his lip. “You would be wise to be careful. The bad spirits can travel from one to the other, often unseen.”
“I’m fine!” Kalypso’s voice, distinct despite it's hoarse tone, claimed. A moment later, she emerged by his side. Her eyes had bags under them and her hoof was rubbing her throat as she spoke, but she wore an undeniable, if tired, smile. “Hello, Twilight.”
Windchime’s eyes darted from her to me. “She is a friend?”
“Of course she is.” Kalypso stated calmly. “Hard not to be after going through the cold like we did.” With a grimace, she rubbed her throat once more, ushering me inside with a wave of her hoof. It seemed that talking still caused her pain.
“Well, then.” Windchime looked at us both for a moment before nodding. “Twilight, will Kalypso be in safe hooves with you?”
“Definitely. And, uhm, Carveshine wanted me to return this.” I said, holding out the small bone comb.
“Ah, thank you.” he took it with a nod of his head. “And I assume he asks of me the favour?” once again he nodded, without even waiting for my answer. “Then I shall go speak with the elder, although I would not bet on the chances…” with a shake of his head, he passed the comb on to Kalypso before treading out the door. “Have fun, you two.”
The moment the door closed, I faced Kalypso with a smirk- then lit up my feelers so she could see it. “We’re friends now, huh? You know, I somehow managed to miss the official declaration.”
“Well, we all know you’re slow, so maybe it just hasn’t registered until now.” Kalypso smirked. A moment later, her expression twisted into a grimace as she coughed into her hoof.
I couldn't help but take an involuntary step back. “How- how do you feel?”
“Better.” she grumbled sourly. “Mostly, throat still a pain, but coughing’s not so bad anymore.”
“Any way I can help?” I furrowed my brows in worry as I inspected her closer. Her eyes, her posture, the way he shoulders slumped, her hooves dragged over the ground, even the way her feelers hung lower than her chin, it all spoke of immense exhaustion.
“No.” Kalypso muttered, lying down into the sandy ground where she’d built something akin to a nest for herself, covered in silky blankets.
“Visions?”
Her eyes met mine for a split-second before her head sank to the ground. “Every night now. Sometimes I feel cold when I even just close my eyes for a moment…” a shiver went through her body. “I keep seeing this frozen pond, but without any context! If I’d known the gods could be so stingy…”
“You wouldn’t have chosen this career?” I suggested.
Her eyes narrowed slightly. “It was never a choice, Twilight. I was born a Frindrì.”
There was an awkward silence as I wondered what to say to that. I think I once read that such tense situations could be diffused with a humorous remark, but the jokes evaded my grasping mind.
“So what about you?” Kalypso suddenly asked, tearing me out of my thoughts. “Finally hit it off with Honeydew?”
“Wha- does everyone in the clan already know?” I exclaimed incredulously.
“Well, yes, Harpy pretty much took care of that.” Kalypso snickered. “I don’t think there’s a breezie who doesn’t know yet. Plus, I saw you two smooching that one time you switched watch in the middle of the night and thought I was asleep.”
“You weren’t?”
“Well… I woke up.” her expression darkened for a moment.
“Right…” biting my lip, I tried to further the conversation to a topic that didn’t include visions. Or Honeydew, for some reason I didn’t want to talk about him right now. “So, are we just sitting here for a few months or does anything happen before the ice melts.”
Okay, maybe that wasn’t the best of topics either.
Kalypso heaved a sigh, then stroke against her sore throat and took a gulp of water from a small cup. “Normally, we’d have a ton of celebrations over winter, nearly every week. But those are for good years. It hardly feels like a festivity if you go to bed hungry, does it?” her head sank into the ground. “I think some of us will just try to sleep through as much as possible. Some will try to entertain themselves, but there isn’t much.” her teeth gritted. “And I’ve got these pictures in my head, urging me to do something when I can’t do anything!”
“Did… did anything change?”
“No.” she huffed. “I still see that form of winter, then the purple shape infront of me, that’s it. Other than the pond, which doesn’t make any more sense.” groaning, she thumped her hoof into the ground. “It’s important, Twilight, if I can’t figure this out…”
“Then what?”
She blinked, as if she hadn’t expected the question. “I don’t know. Maybe we’ll starve. Maybe- maybe nothing happens, but I don’t think so. It feels important!”
“Well, if you do figure anything out, or see something new, you can tell me.” I offered, reaching out a hoof to tap her shoulder.
“Thanks Twilight.” Kalypso replied, actually seeming relieved by my statement. Then, another coughing fit forced her to bury her muzzle into her hoof.
“Are you sure I can’t get you something?” I tried again as her breathing had normalized again.
“Water would be nice.” She said with a pained smile. “And then-” her eyes darted around, as if seeking something before she shook her head. “Could you just... stay here for a while?” her voice was impossibly quiet as she asked, as if she was afraid to hear my response.
Well, there was only one answer for a Princess of Friendship to give, now was there? “Of course, Kally.” I grinned, picking up the bone-comb in my mouth. “I could also brush your mane if you want.”
“Don’t call me Kally!” Kalypso grumbled, pulling up her nose as she drank the final rest from her water cup. “But uhm… I’d like that, yes.” she added in a whisper.