Winter once again disembarked her train at the Crystal Empire's station. As usual, Anthem was there to greet her.
"Hi, honey." He kissed her. "How're things?"
"Can't complain." Winter smiled. "How's Twyla?"
"Getting bigger every day." Anthem smiled. "And more of a hoofful, too."
"That sweet little foal?" Winter chuckled. "I doubt that."
"Just wait and see." Anthem frowned. "Anyway, I got those tickets to Hinny of the Hills you were asking about. It opens at the Crystal amphitheater in an hour."
"Oh, goody." Winter grinned. "I've always wanted to see that show. Thanks, Ant."
"Hey, what kind of coltfriend would I be if I couldn't make my marefriend happy?" Anthem chuckled, waving the tickets.
"Not a very good one." Winter said candidly, as she kissed him. "Aren't I lucky that's not the case?"
"You and me both." Anthem smirked.
As they arrived at the castle, they were surprised to see Shining and Cadance running around in a panic.
"I can't believe we forgot!" Shining yelped.
"There's still time." Cadance declared. "We just have to hurry!"
The three month old Twyla sat on her playmat, clapping her hooves together, highly amused by her parents' antics.
"What's going on?" Anthem asked, bewildered.
"We forgot about this meeting we were supposed to have today with king Sleight and queen Chrysalis, over in Canterlot!" Shining declared. "If we miss it, they're gonna be so steamed!"
"Chrysalis would be steamed." Cadance corrected him. "Sleight would be a little more forgiving. He's not as hard-headed as his wife."
"Good point." Shining smirked.
"Anthem, we need you to look after Twyla while we're gone." Cadance added.
"But mom, I have plans!" Anthem protested. "Me and Winter were going to see Hinny of the Hills!"
"Sorry, pal." Shining sighed. "It's an emergency."
"It's okay, Ant." Winter put a hoof on her coltfriend's shoulder. "We can see Hinny of the Hills anytime."
"Yeah, but still..." Anthem sighed. "I spent a lot of bits on these tickets, and for what? Nothing!" He held up one of the tickets. "You can still go, if you want to."
"Nuh-uh." Winter refused. "I'm sticking with you, like a good marefriend should. Besides, Hinny of the Hills wouldn't be nearly as much fun without you."
"Thanks, Wint." Anthem smiled. "Still, all that cash, down the drain..."
"We'll make it up to you when we get back." Cadance told him. She then addressed Twyla. "Mommy and daddy have to go, sweetheart. But Anthem and Winter will be looking after you until we get back. Isn't that great?"
"Yah!" Twyla squealed. "Ant, Ant, Ant!"
"Ant" had been Twyla's first word, showing her deep affection for her big brother.
"That's the spirit." Cadance planted a kiss on her daughter's forehead. "Love you."
"We really appreciate this, son." Shining told Anthem. "Good luck."
"Thanks, dad." Anthem sighed.
"Remember to feed her, play with her, and change her." Cadance instructed.
"Yes, mom." Anthem nodded.
"You can count on us, ma'am!" Winter nodded.
Shining and Cadance raced out of the room, leaving Anthem and Winter alone with Twyla.
"Hi, Twyla." Anthem kneeled beside her. "You're not going to give us any trouble today, are you?"
"Boop!" Twyla tapped his nose with a hoof.
"I'll take that as a 'no'." Anthem smiled.
"Your mom said we should play with her." Winter recalled. "What does she like to play?"
"Oh, all the classics." Anthem chuckled. "For example:" He put his hooves over his face, then pulled them away. "Peekaboo!"
Twyla began laughing uproariously.
"How about this?" Winter started making funny faces.
Twyla laughed even harder.
"Not bad." Anthem smiled competitively. "Try this on for size!"
Anthem blew a raspberry on his hoof, resulting in more giggles from Twyla.
"I bow to the master." Winter rolled her eyes. "Hey Twyla, wanna play bouncey?"
"Yay!" Twyla cheered. "Bouncey, bouncey!"
"Alright then!" Winter lifted Twyla in her hooves. She started throwing her lightly upwards, then catching her. "Whoo! Whoo!"
"Whee!" Twyla cheered. "Whee!"
"Careful, Wint." Anthem fretted. "Don't wanna drop her."
"Relax, Ant." Winter chuckled. "She's fine."
"All the same, maybe we should do something a little safer." Anthem pressed. "Mom and dad would never forgive me if something happened to her."
"Okay, fine." Winter lowered Twyla to the floor.
"Aww!" Twyla pouted.
"You wanna ride, Twyla?" Anthem offered. "Climb on!"
"Yay!" Twyla crawled onto Anthem's back.
"Here we go!" Anthem started trotting slowly across the room.
"Whee!" Twyla cheered, hanging on tightly to Anthem's mane.
After a few laps, Anthem stopped, and helped Twyla down. Twyla's stomach began to rumble.
"Hungwee." She groaned.
"Wait here." Anthem smiled. "I'll be right back."
After a quick dash to the kitchen, Anthem returned with a jar of mashed spinach, and a foal-sized spoon.
"Here you go, Twyla!" He dipped the spoon into the jar and offered it to her. "Yum, yum!"
"Nuh-uh!" Twyla refused. "Yucky!"
"Come on, Twyla." Anthem urged. "It'll help you grow up big and strong, like me!"
"Nuh-uh!" Twyla repeated.
"How can we get her to eat?" Anthem asked Winter.
"Let me try." Winter took the jar and spoon. "Here comes the dragon, into the cave!"
Winter waved the spoon around, making mock-dragon sounds. Twyla giggled, then opened her mouth, ready to eat.
"And... in he goes!" Winter put the spoon in. Twyla ate the spinach. "Give it a try, Ant!"
Using the same tactic Winter employed, Anthem was able to make Twyla eat the rest of the jar's contents.
"Good girl, Twyla." Anthem smiled. "Now, how about another ride?"
"Yay!" Twyla cheered.
After playing for a while longer, Anthem and Winter's noses soon informed them that Twyla's diaper needed changing.
"You're up, Winter." Anthem declared.
"Me?!" Winter gasped. "Why?"
"You're the mare." Anthem pointed out.
"You're her brother." Winter shot back.
"Touché." Anthem sighed.
Anthem brought Twyla to the bathroom, and began the harrowing job of cleaning and changing her. With his telekinesis, he was able to stand a couple of feet away from the "danger zone", yet was still close enough to smell the foul odor.
"Oh, my poor nose." He cringed. "How does mom do this every day?"
Anthem returned to the throne room, a little shell-shocked.
"There." Winter smirked. "That wasn't so bad, was it?"
Anthem chose not to reply.
After more playtime, Twyla started getting sleepy. She curled up on her playmate, hugging her favorite stuffed ursa.
"Aww, isn't that the sweetest thing you've ever seen?" Winter cooed.
"Sure is." Anthem nodded.
"Should we put her in her crib?" Winter asked.
"No need." Anthem shrugged. "She'll be fine here for now. Besides, this means we have a little alone time."
"Yes, we do." Winter chuckled as she embraced her coltfriend.
After a light kissing session, they were visited by the local mailpony, First Class. First was well-liked by the royal family, to the point where they instructed the guards to allow him to enter and exit the castle as pleased.
"Knock, knock." First Class smiled, setting down his saddlebags. "I have your family's mail, prince Anthem."
"Thanks, First." Anthem grinned.
First handed over the letters, taking them out of his left saddlebag, which he reserved for important recipients. As he did, he noticed Winter.
"And is this the lovely Winter Beach I've heard about?" First smiled.
"Hi." Winter beamed.
Unbeknownst to any of them, Twyla had woken up, and was crawling into First's left saddlebag, which was practically empty.
"You're even lovelier then I'd heard." First declared. "You're a lucky guy, prince Anthem."
"I know." Anthem nuzzled Winter.
"Well, I'd better get back to work." First declared, as he made to leave. "Bye for now."
"Bye, First." Anthem waved.
"Nice to meet you." Winter added. "What a nice guy."
"Yep." Anthem nodded. "Friendliest mailpony this side of Equestria."
"I believe that." Winter chuckled.
"Twyla likes him too." Anthem glanced at the empty playmat for a second. "If she wasn't asleep, she'd- wait." Anthem snapped back to the playmat, "Oh my gosh! Twyla's gone!"
"What?!" Winter gasped. "She was right there a second ago!"
"Oh, this is bad, this is very, very bad!" Anthem started panicking.
"Relax, Ant." Winter told him. "She can't have gotten too far. Let's split up and check the castle."
"Right, right." Anthem nodded breathlessly.
They combed the entire castle, checking every place they could think of: The bathroom, the kitchen, the throne room, Twyla's room, Anthem's room, their parents' room. But they found nothing. With every room checked, Anthem's sense of dread increased exponentially.
"I couldn't find her anywhere." Winter declared.
"Me neither." Anthem groaned. "And mom and dad'll be back any time now. What are they gonna say when they find out I've lost my little sister?"
"There must be something we haven't tried yet." Winter frowned.
"There is." Anthem ran over to a guard. "Assemble the guards in the throne room."
"Yes, prince Anthem." The guard bowed.
Meanwhile, First Class was going about his rounds. Stopping at the home of the Crystal Empire's head judge, Banging Gavel, he opened his left saddlebag... And Twyla popped out.
"Boo!" She giggled.
"Little princess Twyla?" First gasped. "What are you doing here?"
"Peekaboo!" Twyla squealed.
"Oh, I've got to get you back home." First frowned. "Your brother must be so worried..."
First rushed back to the castle as fast as he could. Twyla bobbed up and down in his saddlebag as he ran, laughing all the way.
Back at the castle, the Crystal Guard was assembled before Anthem. Anthem knew it was a tad frivolous to call in the whole Guard to find a foal, but he was desperate.
"I'm sure you're wondering why you're all here." Anthem declared. "Well, I have a mission for you. Possibly the most important mission of your lives. It's a top secret mission, I can't stress that enough. Nopony must know about it, not even my parents."
"Going a little overboard, aren't you?" Winter whispered.
"Got any better ideas?" Anthem whispered back. "Now, guardsponies, your mission is this: You are to find and retrieve-"
First suddenly entered the throne room.
"Excuse me, your highness?" He held up Twyla. "But I have a very special delivery for you."
"Twyla!" Anthem gasped, rushing over.
"Ant, Ant, Ant!" Twyla squealed, as Anthem hugged her.
"The little tyke crawled into one of my saddlebags." First chuckled. "I hope you weren't too worried."
"Who, me?" Anthem snorted. "Nah..." He turned to the guards with an awkward grin. "Change of plans, guys. The mission is cancelled. Go about your duties."
The confused Guards filed out of the throne room.
"Thanks for bringing her back, First." Winter smiled.
"My pleasure." First chuckled.
"I can't believe I let that happen." Anthem sighed.
"Don't blame yourself, your highness." First smiled. "Foals can be pretty slippery."
"Thanks anyway." Anthem grinned. "I owe you one."
"If you say so, prince Anthem." First shrugged. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a... very squashed letter to deliver to Banging Gavel. Ta-ta."
"Bye!" Twyla waved.
"Whoo, that was close." Winter wiped her brow.
"Tell me about." Anthem agreed, before turning to Twyla. "You really scared us, running off like that. What do you have to say for yourself, young filly?"
"Ant!" Twyla hugged Anthem's face.
"Oh, I can't stay mad at you." Anthem chuckled, tickling her tummy.
"Eeee!" Twyla giggled.
Not long after, Shining and Cadance returned to the castle.
"There's my girl!" Cadance scooped up Twyla.
"Mama!" Twyla smiled.
"Hope she wasn't too much trouble, son." Shining grinned.
"Oh, she was... no trouble at all." Anthem fibbed.
"Yeah, we... barely even knew she was here." Winter added.
"I knew we could count on you." Cadance grinned.
"And we put together a little reward for your troubles." Shining smiled. "On our way back, we talked the ponies at the theater into doing another showing of Hinny of the Hills, just for you two."
"No way!" Winter gasped.
"Way." Cadance chuckled. "You'd better hurry, they're waiting for you."
"You guys are the best!" Anthem cheered, as he and Winter rushed out of the room.
After enjoying a marvellous show, Anthem and Winter returned to the train station.
"You were right about Twyla." Winter admitted. "She's a hoofful, alright."
"Told ya." Anthem smirked.
"But you were a pretty good foalsitter." Winter declared. "You have a real way with the little ones. That could come in handy, someday..."
"Huh?" Anthem frowned.
Rolling her eyes, Winter planted a kiss on Anthem's snout.
"You'll see." She chuckled as she boarded the train. "Some day..."