Winter was very excited. For over a month, she had slaved, scrimped and saved every penny she could get (Whether it was through her part time work at her dad's store, doing extra chores for her mom, or simply looking down the back of the couch), and now she finally had enough to afford a train ticket to and from the Crystal Empire. She could finally see Anthem again.
"Yes, yes, yes!" She cheered, shaking the tin she kept her funds in.
Giddy that the time had finally come, Winter raced around her room, packing as much as she could into a suitcase. All the commotion brought her parents up to her.
"What's going on up here?" Crashing Waves asked. "What are you doing with uncle Riptide's old suitcase?"
"Packing." Winter said simply.
"Packing?" Summer Breeze frowned. "Whatever for?"
"I've managed to save up enough bit to afford a return train ticket." Winter smiled. "So I'm going to visit Anthem, up in the Crystal Empire. I'm leaving first thing in the morning."
"Oh no you're not, young lady!" Crashing suddenly bellowed. "No daughter of mine is going off to some glittery, upper-class snob fest!"
"But mom-!" Winter protested.
"No buts!" Crashing yelled. "You belong here, with ponies of your own kind!"
"Dad, say something!" Winter urged.
"I'm sorry, Winter, but I can't let you go either." Summer sighed.
"What?!" Winter yelped. "Why?"
"It's so far away." Summer declared. "If something happened to you... I can't even bare thinking about it."
"I'm not a foal, dad!" Winter growled. "And it's not like I need your permission to go!"
"As long as you live under this roof, you follow our rules." Crashing declared, scooping up the tin full of bits. "If you want to see your precious prince so badly, have him come here, rather than have you expose yourself to his snobby little world."
"This is so unfair!" Winter yelled.
"Sorry, dear." Summer apologized. "It's for the best."
"I hate you both!" Winter screamed.
"Well, somepony just talked herself out of supper tonight." Crashing huffed. "Come on, Summer. Let's leave the drama queen to pout."
"Sorry." Summer said quietly.
After they left the room, Winter collapsed onto her bed, sobbing. She kept at it for a good ten minutes, soaking her sheets through. In time, she regained her composure, and starting writing a new letter to Anthem:
Dear Anthem,
I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but I won't be coming to visit. I just told my parents about my trip, and they totally lost it. Mom doesn't want me rubbing hooves with the "upper class", and dad just freaked at the idea of me leaving Mihaymi. They forbade me to go, and even took the money I saved up for the ticket! Totally lame, right? I guess we're just going to have to wait until your schedule clears up, and you can come visit me, right? I just hope it's soon.
All my love,
Winter
Winter posted the letter first thing in the morning, and Anthem received it a day later. He read it over breakfast.
"Unbelievable!" He roared at the injustice of it all.
"What's wrong, pal?" Shining asked.
"It's Winter." Anthem declared. "Her parents won't let her come to the Crystal Empire."
"They won't?" Cadance asked. "Why?"
"Basically, her mom doesn't her around high society ponies, and her dad just plain doesn't want her to leave." Anthem sighed. "It's so unfair. With our packed schedule, it could be weeks before I have enough time to visit her."
"You're right, son." Shining nodded. "It is unfair. Winter's old enough to make her own choices."
"I know." Anthem frowned. "But what are you gonna do?"
"I'll tell you what I'm going to do." Shining stood up. "I'm going to go down there and have a talk with them, from one parent to another. I'll make them see sense."
"You will?" Anthem brightened up.
"Of course." Shining grinned. "What kind of dad would I be if I didn't?"
"Thanks, dad!" Anthem grinned.
"For you, anything." Shining smiled.
"Count me in." Cadance declared. "If there's one thing I can't stand, it's ponies interfering with love. I have some words I'd like to share with them too."
"I don't know, honey." Shining retorted. "Are you sure you should? In your condition?"
"I'm only a month pregnant, Shining." Cadance glared. "And we're just going to talk to them. I did things more strenuous when I was twice as far gone with Anthem. I think I can handle it."
"But-" Shining spluttered.
"I'm going." Cadance said firmly. "Clear?"
"...Yes, dear." Shining sagged, defeated.
"What about me?" Anthem asked. "Should I come too?"
"I'm afraid not, kiddo." Shining stated. "Somepony needs to keep an eye on the Crystal Empire while we're gone."
"Me?" Anthem gasped.
"Sure." Shining nodded. "Let's face, you're gonna inherit this place someday. Think of it as on-the-job training."
Anthem had of course been aware that he would one day take the reins of the Crystal Empire, but he hadn't expected it to happen so soon.
"Okay." Anthem nodded. "I'll give it my best shot."
The next morning, Shining and Cadance were about to board the crystal carriage, to once more fly to Mihaymi. Anthem was seeing them off.
"Good luck with the Empire." Cadance kissed Anthem on the cheek.
"Good luck to you guys, too." Anthem smiled. "You're gonna need it..."
"Guards, if you please." Shining requested.
The armored Pegasi took, pulling the carriage into the air. Anthem waved to his parents, then returned to the castle, hoping he wouldn't any major problems to deal with.
Shining and Cadance directed the Pegasi directly to Winter's home (having been told of its location by Anthem). Once the carriage landed, they disembarked, walked up to the front door, and knocked. It was Summer who answered the door.
"Oh." He said awkwardly. "Hello."
"Hello, Mr. Breeze." Shining said politely. "May we come in?"
"Darling, who is-?" Crashing stopped her path through the hallway as she saw the visitors. "Oh. It's you."
"May we come in?" Shining asked.
"If you must." Crashing frowned.
As they entered the living room, they saw Winter sitting on the couch.
"Whoa, what are you doing here?" Winter gasped. "Is Anthem with you?"
"I'm afraid not." Cadance declared. "But it's because of him that we're down here."
"Oh, is it?" Crashing snarled.
"Yes." Cadance nodded. "You see, Winter here sent Anthem a letter, telling him how you don't want her to come to the Crystal Empire to visit him."
"Oh, she did, did she?" Crashing glared at Winter.
"She did indeed." Shining nodded. "And we can't say we agree with that."
"Well, I hardly think that's any of your business." Crashing growled. "Winter is our daughter, not yours."
"And Anthem is our son." Cadance retorted. "His happiness is important to us. But he's not very happy right now."
"Well, boo-hoo." Crashing sneered. "I fail to see what your son's mood has to do with us."
"Why don't you want Winter to come to the Crystal Empire?" Shining asked.
"Because we don't want her exposed to the smug, full-of-themselves, upper class ponies up there!" Crashing declared. "We raised Winter with decent, small town values, and she'll lose all that if she spends too much time up here!"
"Do you honestly believe that?" Shining asked Summer.
"Well, no." Summer admitted. "But I don't want my little girl so far from home, without her parents to protect her. I couldn't bare it if anything happened to her. I read all about the trouble you had up there lately; All the horrible things that Black Light fellow caused."
"Black Knight." Shining corrected.
"Whatever." Summer shrugged. "The fact is, we don't have that kind of trouble down here. No megalomaniacal ponies, no psychotic insects, no living shadows... It's nice and safe down here. Winter is safe and sound, free of any of those horrors, and I'd like her to stay that way."
"I can understand that." Shining nodded. "But still, Winter's a grown mare. She can take care of herself."
"Can you promise me she wouldn't get hurt?" Summer glared. "That there's no chance of her running into some twisted miscreant, or... say, tripping over a giant crystal and hurting herself?"
"Well, not exactly..." Shining frowned.
"My point exactly." Summer said grimly.
"But still, you can't just wrap her in cotton wool all her life." Shining declared. "You should let her make her own choice, walk her own path, that sort of thing."
"Not if that path leads to a stuck-up place like the Crystal Empire!" Crashing yelled. "They're all arrogant, self-centred clods!"
"And you know that for sure?" Cadance glared. "Are you certain everything single one of them is like that?"
Crashing faltered, but quickly regained her composure.
"Well, perhaps not all, but most of them are!" She said stubbournly. "Glittery-skinned snobs, living in their crystal houses... Do they have any idea how much those things would cost in the real world? No, and I don't think they'd care."
"You're not being fair." Cadance glared. "It's true that some royals and nobles are arrogant and stuck-up, but there are many more who are kind and gentle; Shine, Celestia, Fancypants... To judge us all by the example of the few is utter prejudice. How would you like it if other ponies generalised all Mihaymians as lazy, layabout slackers, who do nothing but surf and lay on the beach all day?"
"So, that's what you think of us?" Crashing snarled. "I knew it."
"No, I don't. Even so, that point is moot." Cadance declared. "What matters is that Winter and Anthem love each other. Don't you see that by keeping them apart, you're hurting your daughter?"
"I know what's best for her." Crashing spat.
"It doesn't look that way to me." Cadance declared. "You're breaking her heart. Is that what you want?"
"Well, I..." Crashing stuttered.
"I know you don't like us, or our son." Cadance admitted. "But I'd think you'd care enough about Winter enough for her to be happy."
Crashing closed her mouth in shame.
"And as for you, Summer, you need to believe in Winter." Shining said firmly. "Stop treating her like she's made of glass. Have faith that she can handle whatever's out there. Or is your opinion of her so low, you don't think she can survive a simple train ride?"
Summer lowered his head, sufficiently cowed.
"Maybe they're right, dear..." He told Crashing.
Crashing looked at Winter.
"Please, mom?" Winter pleaded.
"Ohh, fine." Crashing finally gave in. "I suppose one trip won't hurt..."
"Thanks." Winter smiled.
"As long as you promise to play it safe." Summer added.
"Don't worry, I will." Winter nodded.
"Well, I'm glad you guys listened to reason." Shining smiled.
"We might as well have." Crashing shrugged. "Otherwise, you would have just ordered us."
"Of course we wouldn't." Cadance shook her head.
"You'll be needing this back." Summer handed Winter her bit can.
"Thanks, dad." Winter grinned. "I'd better get ready for tomorrow."
"Great." Shining nodded. "We'll let Anthem know you're coming."
"See you soon." Cadance added.
Shining and Cadance returned to the Crystal Empire just after dark. To Anthem's relief, he hadn't had to deal with any major problems; Just a couple of trade disagreements, and a gardening dispute.
"So?" He asked tentatively. "How'd it go?"
"It was a tough sale, but we did it." Shining grinned. "Winter's parents are letting her come."
"She should get here by tomorrow morning." Cadance informed.
"Yes!" Anthem rushed over and hugged them. "Have I ever told you you're the best parents ever?"
"Not lately." Shining joked.
"Tomorrow, huh?" Anthem noted. "That doesn't leave much time. I'd better start getting ready!"
With that, Anthem rushed off.
"Ah, young love." Cadance smiled. "There's really nothing like it."
"Don't I know it." Shining kissed her. "Of course, middle-aged love isn't so bad, either."
"No it isn't." Cadance chuckled.