//------------------------------// // Missing You // Story: Summer Love // by Bluecatcinema //------------------------------// It had been a week since the family's return to the Crystal Empire, and they had settled back into their regular routine quite well. Despite having suffered heavy damage from the transformed Twitch crashing through part of it and from the fight between Shine and Black (most of it being caused by Black), the place looked like it had never happened. The vacation was all that Shining and Cadance needed after the ordeal they suffered and they were immediately back to performing their royal duties admirably. Anthem, on the other hoof, found himself unable to do anything. Thoughts of Winter occupied his every waking moment. Her absence created a void in his heart. Everything he did, he did without her, whether it was having breakfast, or attending a diplomatic meeting. Wherever he was, it was always so many miles away from Winter. "Everything's back to normal over at Canterlot." Shining announced over dinner one evening, having returned from a brief meet at Equestria's capital. "The damage has been repaired, and Shine and Celestia have fully recovered from what Black Knight did to them. Miracle was a little traumatised by everything, but she's pulling though." "What a little trooper." Cadance smiled. "And what about Mist?" "Her pregnancy's really coming along." Shining smiled. "Should be giving birth any day now." "How wonderful." Cadance beamed. "And I received from Twilight that Ponyville has been fully restored. Isn't it great how things are finally back to normal." "Yeah, great." Anthem sighed, pushing his plate aside. "May I be excused?" "You've barely touched your food, son." Shining frowned. "Are you feeling okay?" "I'm fine, dad." Anthem left the table. "Just fine." Anthem went up to his room, where lay on his bed, flat on his back, and stared at the ceiling, his thoughts dominated by Winter. It was the same for Winter, too; The following morning, she was moping around her father's beach supplies store, Summer's Surf Shop, barely noticing what was going on around her. "Winter, honey?" Summer Breeze asked. "Can you fetch some more Frisbees from the storeroom?" "Huh, what?" Winter turned. "Frisbees. Storeroom." Summer repeated. "Please hurry." "Coming right up, dad." Winter nodded. Winter plodded into the storeroom, picked up the Frisbees, and trudged back out. "There you go." Winter sighed. "Are you feeling alright, dear?" Summer asked. "You've been acting a little... off, lately." "Sorry, dad." Winter sighed. "It's just-" "You miss Anthem, don't you?" Summer smiled. "I know the feeling. When your mother and I were dating, we couldn't bear to be apart." "That's exactly how I feel." Winter declared. "It's only been a week, and I'm already going nuts without Anthem." "Ah, young love." Summer sighed. "It's a beautiful thing." "Do you have any advice for me, dad?" Winter asked. "I know how hard it is to be apart, but it'll get easier." Summer declared. "Besides, it'll make the moments you do get together even better. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, after all. Whenever your mother and I got together after a long absence... Oh, the things we'd do! Like-" "Stop right there." Winter said bluntly. "Too much?" Summer chuckled. "Just a tad." Winter grimaced. "Sorry, sweetie." Summer grinned. "I got caught up in the moment." "Thanks, anyway, dad." Winter sighed. "Hopefully, Anthem's next letter will arrive soon. That should help..." "Atta girl." Summer smiled. "Look on the positive side. Speaking of which, we positively need some new beach balls out here." "Running all the way." Winter rolled her eyes. "At least I've got you to make things interesting..." At that very moment, back in the Crystal Empire, Anthem was actually writing his next letter to Winter. Dear Winter, It's been pretty busy in the Crystal Empire since we've been back. So busy, in fact, that I'm not sure when I'll be able to come visit you. I'm missing you like crazy, babe. I can't wait until we're together again, so I can look at your beautiful face, hold your hoof, walk down the beach with you, and of course, kiss you. But until then, know that I love you. Yours always, Anthem (p.s. I've enclosed a picture of me outside the castle. I know neither is as good as the real thing, but I promise you'll be seeing us soon.) The letter complete, Anthem took it to the Crystal Empire's post office, having it sent to Mihaymi by first class post. While he was gone, Cadance was taking a pregnancy test, which came up positive. "Oh. My. Gosh." She blinked twice, in case she was seeing things. The positive symbol remained. "YES!!" "What's all the noise?" Shining entered the room. "Shiney, we did it!" Cadance rushed over and embraced her husband. "I'm pregnant! Our new foal is on the way!" "That's fantastic news, darling." Shining kissed. "Good to know all our efforts didn't go to waste." "'Waste'?" Cadance frowned. "Kidding." Shining grinned. "A new foal." Cadance sighed. "It's going to be wonderful. We can use Anthem's cot, some of his old baby things..." "If they weren't destroyed when Black Knight attacked." Shining pointed out. "If they were, we can just get new ones." Cadance shrugged. "Oh, just wait until we tell everypony!" "Wait until we tell Anthem." Shining smiled. "He's going to be a big brother, at long last..." Speaking of Anthem, he had taken a detour into a park on the way back from the post office. After handing over the letter, the brief euphoria he felt from writing to Winter quickly faded, leaving him depressed again. He lay on a park bench, thinking once more of Winter. "Hey pal, why the long face?" Anthem looked up; Flash Sentry was flying above him. "Flash?" He asked. "What are you doing here?" "Just visiting some old pals of mine in the Crystal Guard." Flash explained as he landed. "Now, what about my question, nephew-in-law? Why so glum?" "Well, it's like this." Anthem sighed. "When me and my parents went on vacation to Mihaymi, I... met a mare…" "Ooh, did you now?" Flash smirked. "Took you long enough. Is she cute?" "Beautiful." Anthem smiled dreamily. "Not to mention kind, funny, sweet..." "You dog." Flash jabbed him playfully. "Sounds like the whole package." "Yeah." Anthem nodded. "But like I said, she lives in Mihaymi. We agreed to write to each other, but I'm having a hard time, being so far apart from her..." "I know what that's like." Flash smiled. "When you aunt and I first started dating, I lived right here in the Crystal Empire. That, combined with my old job as a Royal Guardspony, made it hard for us to see each other that often." "How did you cope?" Anthem asked. "Well, it wasn't easy." Flash admitted. "But when you have an amazing marefriend like that, you learn to make the most of the time you have with her. And when you're not together, just remember all the good times you had with her. That helps a whole bunch, believe you me." "I guess I could try that." Anthem smiled hopefully. "We've already had some pretty great times together." "That's the spirit." Flash grinned, ruffling Anthem's mane. "Gotta jet, Anthem. See ya around." "Bye." Anthem waved as Flash departed. On his way back to the castle, Anthem followed Flash's advice, thinking back on the times he'd had with Winter, from their first encounter, to the tour of Mihaymi, to moments they shared at the farewell party. He felt good, better then he'd had in a while. As he entered the castle, he found his parents waiting for him. "We have some great news for you, Anthem." Shining grinned. "What is it?" Anthem asked, a little worried by the overly broad grins they were sporting. "You're going to be a big brother!" Cadance squealed. "I'm... what?!" Anthem gasped. "Your mom's pregnant!" Shining revealed. "Isn't that fantastic?" "I... I guess." Anthem mumbled. "...Wait, is that what you were up to during our vacation?" Shining and Cadance shared furtive smiles. "Okay... that's a little gross..." Anthem grimaced. "Still, I guess a new foal would liven things up around here..." "You have no idea." Cadance smirked. "You were quite the troublemaker when you were a foal, you know..." "That's putting it mildly." Shining declared. "You were like a hurricane on legs, kiddo!" "Gee, thanks." Anthem cringed. "That's got me brimming with confidence..." That night, Anthem lay awake, thinking not just of Winter, but of his upcoming baby sibling. As if getting a marefriend wasn't a big enough milestone, he was set to become a big brother. From the interactions he'd seen between his father and aunt, it seemed to be a rewarding experience. 'Let's just hope I can do the job justice...' He thought. A couple of days later, Anthem received a reply letter from Winter. Dear Anthem, I feel the same way, handsome. It's hard to be apart from the perfect coltfriend. You don't have to worry about visiting me, though, because I'm saving up to come visit you. It shouldn't take more than a month to raise the train fare there and back. I'm holding you to that promise you made about giving me a tour of the Crystal Empire, remember? Thanks for the pic, by the way. I put it in a frame on my bedside cabinet, so your handsome face is the first thing I see in the morning, and the last thing I see at night. I've enclosed a photo of myself for you to enjoy too. Don't worry, we'll be seeing each other in pony soon enough. All my love, Winter Anthem took out the enclosed photograph. It was a picture of Winter at the Mihaymi beach, flashing a sultry smile. Anthem made a mental note to pick up a frame for it later. He planted a kiss on the photo, then started writing another letter. Dear Winter, You won't believe what my parents told me a couple of days ago...