Misty halted on a ridge overlooking Opaline's Dark Castle. Her hooves crunched on the dense blanket of virgin snow underhoof as she spun in a circular motion several times to trample the snow and flatten a little bowl-shaped spot for her to rest. She tucked her legs beneath herself and laid in a loaf.
"It sure is cold today!" She withdrew Madame Taffytail from her saddlebag and gently stood it in the snow before herself. "There's a holiday coming up soon. From what I've gathered, everypony has a different name for it. The pegasi call it 'Wishentine', the earth ponies call it 'Wishday', and I think Izzy said the unicorns call it 'Frosty Shivers' or something. But I don't think I remember ever hearing anypony combine those two words before!" She laughed awkwardly, and her warm breath puffed out in a visible cloud in the frigid air. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"
She paused as if waiting for a response from the little toy. Its glassy eyes regarded her emotionlessly.
"I guess it is kinda silly thinking a little unicorn made of junk like yourself would know anything. No offense." Her head drooped and she sighed softly. "And you've never actually been to Bridlewood. That makes two of us. Even though, y'know, we're unicorns, so... we're supposed to belong there. Isn't that right?"
She glanced aside to contemplate the view of the distant valley and its long, snaking river situated beyond the cliff the Dark Castle was erected atop. Ice crystals formed in the water, decelerating its flow as it gradually froze. She inhaled deeply, breathing the afternoon winter air, crisp atop the steep bluff, and exhaled through her nose, puffing a small, visible cloud of warm breath.
"I wonder if the unicorns living in Bridlewood ice-skate. Or the ponies from Maretime Bay, maybe. I don't think sea water can freeze, though. Can it?”
If Madame Taffytail knew the answer to Misty's query, it intentionally withheld the information and remained silent.
"So, while I was walking in Maretime Bay the other day, I heard this beautiful melody playing from a radio. I think it's an old earth pony Wishday song. It sounds like..." She paused to clear her throat.
"Hmm hmm, hmm hmm, hmm hmm, hmm hmm~"
Her initial humming was quiet and meek, but, gradually, she hummed louder and more confidently. She closed her eyes and focused intently.
"Hmm hmm hmm, hmm hmm hmm, hmm hmm hmm, hmm~"
Like the gentle motions of a ship at sea rocking in synchrony with the swelling of the ocean's waves, the waltz ebbed and flowed, rhythmically tugging and slackening.
Once she finished, Misty's eyelids fluttered open, and she beamed proudly. "Isn't it pretty? It almost sounds like a waltz, like, you know, dancing music. It reminds me of—" She cut herself off and yelped fearfully as a magenta blur swooped overhead and its shadow passed over her. Hurriedly, she scooped snow over Madame Taffytail, deeply burying the toy.
"Ugghh!" Opaline groaned irritably as she dove to the ground and landed in a bank of snow, her wings folding against her quivering torso. She shivered and kicked her legs to rid them of the clinging snow. "Misty! My hoofness! Why in the name of fire are you out here?! It's so cold this morning!"
"O-Oh, hahah! Y'know! I just needed some fresh air." Misty quickly planted both of her hooves over the pile of snow which concealed the toy. She chuckled awkwardly as she attempted to devise an appropriate excuse. "It's, um, helping me think. I'm plotting my next evil plan!"
"Well, in regards to plotting during this season, could you please plot indoors next time?" Opaline ignited her horn, bowed her head, and summoned a cone of her magenta fire. The conical wave of flames passed over the blanket of snow carpeting the ground and melted a ring around her, exposing the grass and soil concealed beneath. "Snow, how I did not miss you! Hmph. I hate winter."
“Me too,” she found herself replying automatically.
"So, I heard you talking to yourself again." Opaline drew alongside her and patted her atop the head between the ears. "It's alright. There's no need for you to feel self-conscious. Every self-respecting villain monologues—I, of course, do it all the time! Just try to resist the urge when it arises in public, hmm? You wouldn't want to accidentally reveal your true identity."
"Right, my true identity..." Misty quieted as she zoned out. Her gaze focused on the snaking river and the distant summits on the opposite end of the vast valley.
"Well," Opaline spoke, pausing to shiver and huff a large, visible cloud of warm breath. "Come indoors whenever you've finished plotting, Misty. I simply cannot stay out in this weather for any longer!" She unfurled her wings and took flight, soaring toward her castle.
Misty waited patiently and ensured Opaline had left before exhuming Madame Taffytail from its shallow, premature grave.
"Sorry, Madame Taffytail!" She brushed snow from the little toy's tennis ball head. "If Opaline knew I was talking to you, then she'd... well, I have a pretty good idea of how she'd react—and it wouldn't be pretty."
Her ears flattened against her head sadly as she examined the toy, gazing into its glassy googly eyes. "Yes, I know. If I could just talk to my new friends about it, then maybe they would be willing to answer some of my questions. But I know they're going to ask me lots of questions about who I am and where I'm from, and I don't want to open that door again! But I can't keep disappointing them..."
After waiting for a few seconds as she imagined the toy's response, she nodded sagely and adjusted its little crystal horn. "You're right. I just have to try doing something. Because if I don't, then... I'll be stuck here while everypony else is off having fun."