Over the next few weeks following the meeting of Darkan, Snowy went to the glass dome to train as a daily regimen. She had shown great promise in magic, constantly wowing Starlight and Sunburst.
With praise coming from Flash Sentry who watched over the young filly, and her new friend, Darkan, Snowy was able to use her emotions to heighten her magic on her own rather than just randomly.
Thinking about things that made Snowy angry vastly strengthened her ice magic, freezing and shattering the targets almost instantly. When she was told to think sad thoughts, her magic would spread out in a chilling mist that made Sunburst, Flash, and Starlight shiver even with a magic spell that was designed to stave off the cold.
Never once in her training sessions did thinking negatively dampened the potency of her magic; it was only amplified; everything was a plus.
Darkan was also impressed with Snowy, often complimenting her control over the unique magic and imparting advice. Darkan told Snowy that whatever emotion she felt, she had to direct it rather than letting it direct her, essentially not succumbing to anger, sadness, or some other emotion.
Snowy needed to use her head rather than her heart to guide the magic influenced by those emotions. It would make certain situations she might find herself in less volatile.
Snowy took Darkan's suggestion to heart, and sure enough, when she headed back to the glass dome for more training, she found herself able to control the intensity of her ice magic, because before the magic was too strong whenever she tapped into an emotion.
When Snowy was tasked to pierce through the red targets again like before, she had managed to not shatter them into tiny pieces, which elicited much praise from Starlight and Sunburst. Snowy had been glad that day, but it would've been more so if Flash had accompanied her.
Flash Sentry was ordered by Prince Shining Armor to stay behind for a reason Snowy did not know. She was unhappy, but the positive affirmations from Starlight, Sunburst, and Darkan made up for Flash's absence, slightly.
When Snowy returned to the Crystal Castle after another productive day at the dome, the young filly was quite eager to find the handsome Flash Sentry and tell him how well she did. Luckily for her, she saw Flash down one of the long crystalline halls in the castle. He was standing in front of an open door talking to somepony.
Flash Sentry looked bashful, scuffling his right forehoof on the clear crystal surface. His cheeks were rosey, he wore a cute smile, and his brilliant blue eyes were heavily fixated on what was in front of him.
Snowy felt odd. Not the good type of odd like she felt giddy for no reason, but the bad kind. It was making her uncomfortable. Flash Sentry never looked at her like that before, not that he should; that'd be weird, but Snowy couldn't help feel threatened and protective.
The odd feeling was giving way to a sudden rise of anxiety and an unknown fury she didn't know was dwelling inside her, beginning to fester like a rotting wound.
Snowy wondered who exactly Flash Sentry was gaping at like a moonstruck colt. She disliked it; the feelings inside her bubbled like boiling water and she didn't know why.
"You seem to be in pain with the face you're making," said a bone-chilling voice. It was Darkan.
Snowy wasn't fazed by Darkan's voice anymore, not even giving a single tremor. "Flash is talking to somepony," she told Darkan slowly, her crystal-like eyes focused ahead. "He looks so...weird. The way he moves is silly."
"Isn't it obvious?" Darkan said, making Snowy look to her right but nothing was there.
"What do you mean?"
"The face he's making, the way he's shuffling on his hooves, how his eyes are locked ahead as if nothing else mattered; he's in love," Darkan said.
Snowy stiffened. "With whom?" she demanded, almost shouting.
"Calm down, Snowy," Darkan soothed. "If you want to know, then you will need to get closer. By the way the conversation is going, Flash and the pony he's speaking to will doubt you're there. Although, doing so is eavesdropping, which you have no business in. I suggest we go back to your-"
Before Darkan could finish, Snowy had already trotted forward with her head craning downward to sneak a look at Flash's love interest. He was right, about Flash and the pony not noticing her. They were deep in a hushed conversation.
When Snowy got close enough, she could see the back of Flash Sentry's mane. He was talking to a mare judging by her voice. She couldn't see the mare clearly; Flash was blocking her face.
All Snowy did see was the mare having an orange coat like his, but hers was lighter, and when the mare would occasionally bob her head to the left and right for Snowy to see, it was a darkish-brown color. She was all shiny and reflective as all crystal ponies were.
The mare's voice was low; she sounded gentle and serene, but when Flash had said something funny, she'd suddenly let out an unladylike snort of amusement, which caught Snowy off guard, making her gasp and lose balance, falling on her flank.
"Snowy? Is that you?"
Snowy cleared her head and faced Flash Sentry. He had that handsome, beaming smile, and the way his blue eyes glistened turned Snowy speechless.
"Are you okay?" he asked with concern, using his right wing to lift Snowy off the gleaming floor. "You took quite the fall. Any bruises?"
Snowy relished in Flash Sentry's worry of her. It was apparent that even being a full day away from Flash made Snowy desperate for his company. He had been with her every step of the way since their first meeting at the train platform in Canterlot City.
"I-I'm fine," Snowy stammered, gently pushing Flash's hooves away from her. He had been checking for any signs of injury.
While Flash took a sigh of relief, Snowy craned her neck to the left to see the mare he'd been speaking to fully. Her face held a gorgeous smile that would make any stallion blush, and her eyes, which were half closed as if she was tired, were a piercing dark red, and she had a tiny black mole under her right eye. She wore a black and white maid's outfit with a frilly-looking black hairband. Her cutie mark was obscured.
The mare, who had caught the affections of Flash Sentry, gazed at Snowy with such a powerful smile that she found it difficult to hold on to the fury festering under her white coat.
"Hello there, sweetie," the mare said coolly, her angelic and motherly voice quelling the fury bubbling inside Snowy.
Her ravishing, velvety, sparkling chestnut-colored mane, which was wavy and flowed faintly as if there was an invisible breeze whisking down the hall, bounced with a healthy fervor. Self-conscious, Snowy instinctively held her mane, and unlike the mare's, didn't sparkle or flow.
"Say something now that you've been caught," said Darkan reproachfully.
Snowy wanted to scowl at Darkan, but she couldn't see him; he was a voice that only she could hear. And he was right. In her haste to see the mare who had grafted Flash Sentry's attention, Snowy had been caught listening in on their conversation.
Luckily, as Darkan had said earlier, Flash and the mare were too engrossed in dialogue to have noticed her eavesdropping. Flash must've thought Snowy tripped, and she was going to let him assume that.
"Hi," Snowy murmured. She had her eyes glowering at the crystal floor, but then her face began to grimace; the reflective surface showed the mare's captivating visage.
"You're Snowy, aren't you?" the mare asked. She was trying to make conversation. "Flash has told me a lot about you and your magic. Of course, I knew you were staying here, but I never saw you until now. Your eyes are very beautiful, and I love your wintry coat."
Snowy felt heat rising around her cheeks and knew she was blushing. Being complimented by a mare who looked so perfect caused a twinge of shame to alight in Snowy's heart, who just moments before was angry at the mare for taking Flash Sentry's attention away from her.
Without thinking, Snowy's horn glowed a bright white and a block of ice appeared and landed on the floor in front of her.
"Oh, my!" the mare exclaimed, but there was a hint of good-natured laughter in her voice. She turned to Flash who watched them in happy silence. "Does that mean I made a good impression?"
"I think Snowy likes you," Flash Sentry said. "Snowy, this is Rosethorn Merryweather, a close friend of mine who works as a maid in the castle."
"But you can call me Rosey if you want, sweetheart," she chimed in.
Snowy felt ashamed of herself. She had let her emotions get the better of her. She was training specifically to wrangle in those emotions, but all of it fell apart when she felt and saw Flash speaking to another mare instead of her and felt a deep fury and terror welling in her heart.
To make things worse, Snowy liked that Rosey had flattered her appearance despite being the picture of perfection, and Snowy knew Rosey meant every word.
"It's... It's n-nice to meet you," Snowy said, stuttering and stammering. "How long have...y-you and Flash met?"
"Ever since we were little," Rosey answered happily, casting a sly glance at Flash who shuffled bashfully on his hooves. "He always had my back whenever I needed...an extra hoof to keep me going. I wouldn't be here without him."
Snowy felt something odd about the way Rosey said that last sentence. It sounded unnerving. The uneasiness rippled throughout her coat and Snowy disliked it greatly yet being a youth means being naturally curious.
"What do you mean?" Snowy asked Rosey with a hint of trepidation. "Do you need help getting around? Is there something wrong with you?"
For the first time since Snowy began talking to Rosey, the mare's pleasant smile withered slightly. It was disturbing by the way Rosey stared at her, but it wasn't with offense or vexation for asking a perfectly callow yet personal question. There was a deep sadness that broke through the angelic smile.
It somehow altered her whole appearance. Rosey looked depressingly somber and solemn, and her eyes weren't just half-lidded for the sake of it; she was downright exhausted. Snowy wondered how a gracious smile could disguise such glaringly blatant features.
"Snowy," Flash began slowly, his voice suddenly weighty and quiet, "I don't think you should ask that question. That wasn't polite."
Snowy was confused and a bit hurt. She knew something was going on with Rosey by her tone, but never did she think her question would make Flash scold her.
"Sorry," Snowy murmured to Rosey, casting a guilty glance at the shining floor. "I wasn't trying to be mean..."
"I know you weren't," said Rosey, her sweet voice making Snowy feel a little better. "If it's okay with Flash, then I can tell you. You're bound to know eventually if you stay around the castle long enough."
"It was the reason why I wasn't with you today," Flash Sentry said. "Rosey needed me."
Snowy's eyes widened. "What was it?"
Rosey nearly hobbled her way to Flash to lean against him for support. The way she moved was sluggish and meticulous as if she was fearful of breaking something. She gazed at Snowy with a smile full of warmth and fondness. The love she exhumed was nearly overwhelming to her.
"I have a weak body, so I get sick easily," Rosey told Snowy simply. "So sick that I need a pony to help me get around; I usually have another maid with me. Too much strain causes my body distress, and it's very easy for it to happen. Flash wasn't with you because he heard that I had fainted in the library and decided to stay with me until I could get back on my hooves."
Snowy stared at Rosey in shock. There was naught an indication of her ailment. "So... it's hard for you to move around?"
Rosey nodded. "Before you came along, Flash had guided me to the front door so I could get back to work, although he insists I don't."
"What does it feel like? When does it happen?" Snowy asked.
"What are you getting at?" Darkan said, sounding intrigued. "Oh, I get it! You are a bright one; I suppose you have an idea. We'll speak about it later."
"It's like an ever-increasing fire burning me from the inside, and I feel my heart start to beat irregularly," Rosey answered, then she suddenly made a face so contorted with pain, that Snowy had little time to react.
Without so much as a warning, Rosey began a series of coughs that rapidly turned into violent hacking fits. Her trembling body lurched forward; her eyes filled with tears. The sound was unsettling and scary as she started retching but nothing came out.
Snowy noticed how terrified Flash Sentry looked and the anger she felt before ebbed away as terror etched itself across her white visage.
"Rosey!" Flash cried out. He had to hold Rosey close to prevent her from falling on the floor.
As Snowy watched, stunned, she saw something spray the opulent, shiny crystal floor. She held a hoof to her mouth and gazed at Rosey who had her eyes shut tightly as she hacked and struggled to breathe. Her hoof was trickling with blood.
Flash Sentry blocked Snowy's view of Rosey and her blood. "Snowy, look away!" Flash Sentry ordered, but Snowy was so terrified that she didn't seem to hear.
"Snowy," said Darkan quickly, "snap out of it and turn your head away! Cover your eyes; you shouldn't be looking at this."
Jolting out of her stunned stupor, Snowy closed her eyes and turned her body away. She heard Flash mutter encouragement to Rosey, who's hacking turned into coughs. Snowy heard the mare's raspy breath trying desperately to suck in air.
"By Celestia, I'm sorry, Flash," Rosey rasped, sounding distressed. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry... It's getting worse. I don't know what to do!"
"You just need rest, I'm sure of it. You've had a rough day," Flash consoled, but Snowy knew by the tone of his voice that Flash was wasn't too sure of himself. "I'll tell Princess Cadance you're too ill to work."
"I'm sorry," Rosey repeated, distraught. "I'm sorry."
"I know, I know, but you don't have to apologize," Flash soothed. He was trying to keep his voice from shaking. "Until now, we always had warnings when one was coming... Let's get you inside and into bed."
Snowy continued to hear Rosey whimpering and apologizing as her door closed. How could a mare like her be racked with such illness? Rosey sounded and is an angel, so why was she stricken with this horrible sickness?
She heard Rosey's door open and the sound of something rubbing on the floor and knew that Flash was cleaning up her blood. She heard him walk back inside Rosey's room and then coming back out.
"You can look now," he told Snowy.
Snowy turned to face Flash, opening her eyes and seeing his cheeks stained with tears. His face was glum, his eyes showed a mounting anxiety that he tried to suppress, and he looked tired.
"Flash?" Snowy called with trepidation, fear rising in her throat. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," the stallion told Snowy, attempting to smile but failed. His voice was deep and full of defeat. He gestured to his cheeks. "It's Rosey's tears, not mine. She'll be fine. I need... I'm going to visit Princess Cadance and inform her that Rosey isn't well enough to work for a while."
Snowy didn't know what to say to Flash. He had this haunted look in his eyes, which were quite dull rather their usual bright shine. All she did was trot up to Flash and lean against him. She could feel his right foreleg tremble.
"Let me come with you," Snowy said. She saw him open his mouth to object, but then he nodded silently.
"Thanks," he said. "However, you are to remain outside the princess's quarters while I speak with her. Understand?"
Snowy wanted to protest, but she thought better of it. She guessed Flash was going to go into detail about Rosey's illness and didn't want her to overhear him.
"Okay, I will," Snowy said.
Flash nodded firmly. "Good," he said, as if closing the discussion.
Snowy followed Flash Sentry to the door that Princess Cadance, Shining Armor, and their daughter Flurry Heart slept. She watched in silence as Flash announced his presence and a voice behind the door answered. It was Princess Cadance, telling Flash to enter.
"I won't be long," Flash assured Snowy.
Snowy nodded and sat on the shimmering crystal floor. "Okay," she said. "I'll wait for you here."