One Last Snowfall

by Chaos Phantasm


01: A letter from Canterlot.

Credit and gratitude goes to Lethonai for allowing me to use his artwork as the cover image

Snowdrop: One Last Snowfall

By Chaos Phantasm

Preread and edited by

Word Worthy

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Snowdrop, Ms. Windith, Cumulo Nimbus, Cirrus and Primrose are characters from the Snowdrop fan-animation and were created by Meredith Sims of Silly Filly Studios

Skylight, Six Streak, Wind Waker, Snowdrift and Firn were created by Chaos Phantasm.

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Chapter 1

A letter from Canterlot

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"Many years ago, the winter was a harsh, cold and miserable time of year shunned by the ponies of Equestria and unappreciated by a great many. But one day, during the one hundredth Spring Sunrise, a small filly changed all of that and brought forth a new era for the season. She gave a gift so unlikely that it opened our eyes to what winter could truly give us.

Small stars made of snow would fall every year from then on, bringing laughter and joy to all who played under and wished upon them. The idea might sound of silly nonsense to some, that a gift of snow could bring joy like none other, but they are yet to experience the joys that the season brings us. Years after that fateful Spring Sunrise, the filly, now a mare, continued to make snow, and taught the pegasi of Cloudsdale how to create these stars so that every winter would be as calm and happy as they have been, ever since that day eighty seven years ago."

The snow fell down on Cloudsdale, Pegasi were flying up above the city, carrying buckets full of white powdery fragments which were tipped into the white puffy clouds all over Equestria. The flakes fell gently to the land below, covering it in soft white mounds of frozen water and ice. It was already quite late into winter, the last month of winter, the last week of the year, the last week the weather pegasi had to empty that years reserves of stars before making more for the next year. The ponies at the weather factory were under a great amount of stress thanks to the pressure put on them by Firn, a pegasus mare in charge of the snow making at the factory.

She had a blue white mane and tail which she kept neck length in a very uninspired style, she didn't have much of a mane style. She kept a white bow tie wrapped around her tail toward the end of it. Her coat was a light arctic blue color and her cutie mark was of crystallized snow. She watched the weather pegasi stress fully with her light yellow eyes, watching them carefully so that each snowflake they made was perfect.

"They need to be different, each and every one of them, not one must look the same. These should have been finished earlier! We'll never get all of the snowflakes out before the end of the week!" Firn leaned on a table, taking deep breaths and sweating from the stress.

"Ms. Firn if we can finish this last batch by tomorrow the stars will be ready for distribution by Friday." A weather pony smiled at the older mare after checking a clip bored.

Firn glared at the weather pony and stomped her hooves. "That's not good enough! The Spring Sunrise is on Friday! The snow will be cleared by then and we cannot delay spring!!"

"O-Oh dear me.. oh..." A snow maker was having trouble with her snowflake and looked a little afraid.

Firn, having taken notice approached the snow maker and hovered over her shoulder to see what she had done before bonking the poor pegasus on the head.

"NO!! It's supposed to look like this! Not that!!!" Firn held up a regular snowflake while pointing to the snow maker's jagged, tooth shaped snowflake. "Get rid of it and start over!"

The snow maker shook in her seat and nodded to Firn. The older pegasus lowered herself to the floor and watched the snow maker reach for the deformed flake and was inches away from melting it with her hoof when a frail voice caused her to stop and everypony in the room to look to the entrance of the factory.

"Wait please, let me inspect that star..." An elderly pegasus stepped into the room and stood in one spot facing everypony within.

Firn looked at the elderly pegasus and turned away from the snow maker. She approached the mare who approached her in turn.

"Hello, mother... S-Shouldn't you be in bed resting?"

The blind mare smiled. "I couldn't sleep so I thought I'd go for a stroll and I found myself here. By the yelling you were doing it sounded like there are some problems."

"No, there's nothing wrong here mother, everything is fine." Firn tried her best to assure her mother only to be met with laughter.

"Of course everything is dear. But I'd like to see what the matter is, if I could." She let out a soft giggle and walked past Firn who watched the old mare pass by.

Some of the younger recruits within the factory tasked with making the snow started whispering.

"It's her..." Said a stallion.

"No way, there's no way that could be her." Replied another.

"She couldn't still be alive it's not possible." Whispered a third.

The old blind mare, wrapped in a warm grey cloak with snow patterns stitched onto it, approached the snow maker Firn was yelling at and smiled gently at her.

"L-Lady Snowdrop." Her voice quivered as she felt intimidated by the older mare for being the mother of the quite overbearing Firn.

"May I see the star young lady?" Snowdrop asked with a kind and gentle tone which eased the snow maker's shaking.

The snow maker nodded and used the tools to move the snowflake closer to Snowdrop. Once it was within reach, the pegasus gently placed her hoof on the fragile fragment and could clearly paint a picture in her mind of how it looked. She could see in her mind the toothy, jagged appearance it had and smiled.

"Well, I have never heard of a Snowflake like this before."

"I-I'm sorry... I ruined it." The mare looked down feeling as if she had insulted Snowdrop by creating such a thing.

"Oh goodness no my dear. You haven't ruined it at all. Let me show you something."

Snowdrop slid the snowflake onto the flat surface and used some tools to re-shape the white spec into a totally new look, using it's edges and points to craft a unique shape. Snowdrop put the tools back when she was finished and stepped back.

"How does it look? I'm a bit rusty but I still remember how to make a star. With stars like these you can always fix them, using the way they look, their shape to convert it into something entirely new."

The young mare looked at what was once her imperfect toothy snowflake which now resembled a star thanks to Snowdrops handiwork. The snow maker looked up to the blind old mare, surprised at how she was able to change the snowflake she had made.

"T-Thank you..."

"What's your name sweetie?" Snowdrop leaned forward a little and smiled.

"Cloud Climber."

"Well, you're welcome Cloud Climber." Snowdrop smiled warmly. She turned around and started tapping her hooves on the floor, feeling her way back toward some stairs that went up, back to where Firn was. Using her old wings, Snowdrop lifted herself off the ground, hovering above the three steps before slowly lowering herself on the floor at the top.

Snowdrop walked past Firn toward the staff common area, Firn watched as her mother entered the room and sat on the couch and calmly waited for her to come in. The arctic blue pegasus sighed and looked to a nearby weather pony.

"You're in charge, Skydancer." Firn headed to the staff common area while Skydancer took charge and continued the production of the final batch of snowflakes.

Firn closed the staff room door and sighed. She walked over to the couch and sat beside Snowdrop who seemed to be staring off into space.

"So how'd you get past Skylight?"

Snowdrop smiled. "That would be telling dear."

"What did you do?" Firn smiled.

Snowdrop closed her eyes. "Nothing this time, she just happened to be fast asleep as I was making my exit."

"She's been having late nights again I suppose..." Firn sighed.

"She has a lot of spirit for one so young, though she could try to treat me like her elder. Half the time she's either telling me not to go so fast or to be careful. I didn't go blind yesterday, I know where everything is."

Snowdrop got up off the sofa slowly and stretched a little. She walked over to the kitchen area counter where she sat down again.

"You should be more patient with the learners, Firn. You were a learner too remember?"

"I remember mother. You were a remarkable teacher... I only hope I could teach them as well as you taught Snowdrift and I."

"You're too overbearing." Snowdrop said with a look of disapproval.

Firn was silent for a moment. "I beg your pardon?"

Snowdrop turned her head in Firn's direction. "You look over their shoulder, you make them feel uneasy and you yell at them when they get it all wrong."

"Mother I hold these stars dear to my heart, they are going to make our family historical. I feel offended when anypony else makes these beautiful fragments incorrectly or mock them."

"You made similar mistakes too if I recall. Being blind doesn't mean I can't see. You used to make big mistakes with your star making like every new star maker used to, but I had the patience to sit with you and show you how it was done."

Firn started getting frustrated. "Snowdrift never made mistakes! She was always better at it then me!"

"She was gentle... And you learned to be just as gentle like she is. You learned in the end my..."

Snowdrop suddenly leaned against the counter with her eyes closed, taking long deep breaths. Firn hurried over to Snowdrop with worry and placed her left wing on the elder's back.

"Mom, are you okay?"

Snowdrop nodded. "Y-Yes dear, I'm alright." She took a few more breaths before getting back up.

She shook her head slowly and held a hoof to her head so she didn't feel dizzy. She lowered her hoof and looked at Firn.

"Please Firn... Try to be patient with them. They have potential to continue making these stars, passing the teachings on to the next generation, so Equestria has something to look forward to every winter."

Firn hugged Snowdrop who returned her hug. "I'll try mother, I'll try..." Firn let go of the older mare.

Firn looked at Snowdrop for a moment when the sounds of hooves running up to the door caught their attention. The staff room door flew open and a light cream pegasus with green eyes and bright blue mane and tail entered the room. She had a cutie mark which had clouds with streams of sunlight coming through them.

"I'm so sorry mother!" Skylight skidded to a stop and panted.

Snowdrop chuckled. "Good morning my grandchild."

Firn looked at Skylight sternly with a hint of humor mixed in. "You slept in and let your poor, old and blind grandmother out of the house when she was supposed to be resting."

"I'm not going to keep myself cooped up at home like some bird. I know I'm old, but I'm still active. I do enjoy a stroll every once in a while, not a nap."

"You know what the doctor said Grandma, you can't go out in the cold very often anymore, not at your age."

"Pony feathers." Snowdrop frowned and sighed.

Firn sighed. "Take her home Skylight, please. I need to get back to work if we're going to make the a last of the snow fall anytime soon."

Skylight nodded. "I will Mom, you can trust me."

Snowdrop laughed. "Not when you're falling asleep you silly filly." She patted Skylight on the back with her wing and headed for the door, knowing exactly where she was going.

"Grandma be careful!"

Snowdrops ears twitched at the sound of Skylight's loud voice. "I know where I'm going!" The mare sighed and continued walking with her head down.

Firn looked at Skylight with a stern and serious look. "Stop treating her like a filly, Skylight. She's been blind her whole life and doesn't need any of us telling her to be careful."

"But what if she can't hear? Or she doesn't picture what's ahead of her?"

"I was just like you at twenty six years old, I worried about mother all the time.. come to think of it that's what my entire life was like during my twenty's, worrying about her. She's fine, trust me sweetie."

Skylight was unsure. "Okay... I'll-I'll try..."

"Good." Firn smiled.

Skylight turned around and flew out the door, following Snowdrop closely so she didn't wander off. Snowdrop walked out of the weather factory and down the snow covered street with her granddaughter following close behind. Snowflakes continued to fall down around the city of clouds, twinkling ever so softly which Snowdrop enjoyed happily. The wind had started to pick up as it usually did toward the end of winter, it was cold but not enough to faze the old mare.

"Grandma shouldn't we go inside?"

"We aren't home yet. It's not that far from the school dear. I know where I'm going."

Skylight sighed and caught up to the elder and started walking beside her. Snowdrop was slow and took her time with her steps but Skylight wasn't very patient. She put a wing on Snowdrops back, helping her walk a little quicker. The old mare smiled but continued to face down.

"You want me to hurry don't you?"

"I don't want you getting sick."

Snowdrop tried her best to move a little faster but her old age made that a little hard. She felt that Skylight didn't appreciate what patience could bring, Skylight always seemed to dote on her and made her feel like a filly again. Snowdrop didn't mind feeling young again but she disliked being treated like she was senile. In truth, Skylight just didn't understand her, which frequently caused friction between the two, but Snowdrop always tried to make sure that friction didn't turn into verbal arguments. Snowdrop still cared for Skylight regardless. Both mares rounded a corner and were now on the same street Snowdrop's childhood home was on, this is exactly where they were headed. Skylight and Snowdrop walked past a row of houses until they reached the path up to the front of the old cloud home. Both mares took flight, Snowdrops wings weren't as strong anymore and couldn't keep in sync with Skylights faster and stronger wings, regardless both of them tried to get up the hill to the cloud house, but the strain on Snowdrop's wings forced them to land and walk the rest of the way.

"How are your wings feeling?"

"They're fine dear. They're not as strong as they used to be."

"Age catches up to you fast doesn't it? At least you're doing well for a ninety seven year old."

Snowdrop smiled. "You think so dear?"

Skylight nodded. "I know so grandma."

Skylight unlocked the front doors and stepped inside with Snowdrop following slowly behind.

"Now Grandma I want you to go to bed and rest please. You shouldn't be out very often in the first place."

"Please dear don't tell me what I shouldn't do." Snowdrop frowned. "I'm not a filly Skylight, and I'm certainly not going let myself be treated like one. I'm going to read... You know where I'll be." Snowdrop walked to the living room slowly while Skylight watched on.

The cream colored pegasus sighed and pressed her head on the wall and whispered; "I'm sorry Grandma... I don't mean to..."

"I know!" Snowdrop called from the living room.

Using her left wing to feel the titles of the books, Snowdrop searched for a particular title she had wished to continue reading. As she neared the third last book, she felt the title of a book which was written in braille. Snowdrop smiled and gently pulled the book out from the shelf and walked over to the sofa with it between her teeth. She sat down on the soft cushions and held the book in her hooves. She smiled and felt the title which read; "Moonlight Snow. By Cumulo Nimbus." Snowdrop had enjoyed the series of books by her now deceased friend. She felt for the book mark to continue reading where she left off, when she did she opened the book to page 55 where she continued to read. Snowdrop slowly moved her wing across the raised dots on the page and followed along from there. Braille wasn't common in Equestria, almost all books in braille were made specifically for Snowdrop by order of Princess Celestia.

Skylight sat in a chair near the ninety seven year old mare and listened to her read out loud as if reading to a younger Firn and Snowdrift. Snowdrop's voice still had a beautiful sound to it that would entertain anypony who was looking to hear something good. The blind mare knew that Skylight was sitting not too far away and listening to her. After two hours of reading, Snowdrop placed the book mark in between pages 97 and 98 before closing the book. Snowdrop listened to the twinkles of snowflakes falling outside and it brought a smile to her face. The ticking of a nearby clock generated enough noise for the mare to see what the time was on the clock. The hands pointed to 5:20 PM and Skylight was fast asleep in the chair nearby. Snowdrop stood up slowly, she placed the book on the table beside the sofa and made her way to the kitchen to start dinner.

Snowdrop started clicking loudly with her tongue; the sounds bounced off of the walls and objects and back into the mares ears. This painted a black and white image in her mind of white outlines of the shapes of everything in the room. Just from that, she could see there was nothing in front of her that she could trip over and immediately started getting all of the items necessary to make some soup as if she could see where it all was. She got out two bowls and the ingredients for apple carrot soup and started to make the meal on her own. Skylight awoke in the living room, snorting and yawning, stretching her wings and shaking herself awake. She looked over to where Snowdrop had been sitting before, then at the time and smelled soup in the kitchen.

"Skylight dear, dinner's ready!" Called Snowdrop. Using her wings, the blind mare moved the bowls of soup over to the table where she set them down gently.

Skylight entered the room, almost worried about a mess or spill Snowdrop could have made, she was surprised to see there was no such mess. She looked over at Snowdrop who had removed her cloak and was sitting in her seat, waiting for Skylight to sit down so they could dig in.

"The soup's going to go cold dear, please sit down and enjoy, It's my mother's recipe." Snowdrop had a big happy smile.

Skylight walked over to the table and sat down in the chair opposite her grandmother. She looked at the soup then up to Snowdrop who was happily enjoying her meal.

"What was she like?" Asked Skylight curiously.

"Who dear?" Snowdrop took another sip of her soup, eating some carrot that was in the water.

"Great-Grandmother Primrose."

Snowdrop paused and slowly put her spoon down, taking her hoof off of the handle. The mare looked rather upset at first but she soon started smiling.

"You haven't asked about my mother since you were a filly."

"Well... I'd like to know more about her... All we do is argue and I never ask anymore. Won't you tell me Grandma?"

Snowdrop took a minute to clear her throat and keep herself calm. "T-This is a difficult subject to talk about dear, but your great grandmother was much like you."

"She was?"

Snowdrop nodded. "Yes, she cared about everypony she was close to, she cared about me so much I felt smothered, but I loved her. She was my only family after my father passed away. She used to make me feel better about being blind and told me about the stars in the night sky, and if I listened carefully I could hear the twinkles."

Skylight smiled somberly. "I wish I could have met her..."

"So do I dear, she would have loved to have met you."

"D-Did she influence the creation of the snow stars?"

"If she hadn't told me that I didn't need my sight, than maybe I would never had heard the twinkles of the night sky, or the snow that fell from the clouds. I would never have created the wishing snow that falls now."

Skylight was happy to hear that, as Snowdrop was happy to talk about it.

"So what else can you tell me?" Skylight continued eating while Snowdrop thought back.

"Well lets see." She closed her pale eyes and giggled.

"She loved cooking all kinds of yummy meals, and she especially loved flowers. She named me after one of her most favorite flower. The name needs little saying."

"When you mention cooking and flowers, Great-grandma sounds just like Aunt Snowdrift."

Snowdrop laughed. "Yes, yes she does."

Snowdrop finished her soup and got out of her chair, picked up her bowl with her wings and took it over to the sink to clean it.

"Don't worry Grandma Snowdrop I'll do the dishes."

Snowdrop frowned. "A-Are you sure dear? I don't want to have to rely on you."

"I'm sure Grandma, you just head to bed okay?"

The old arctic blue pegasus faced down and looked unsure about whether or not she should. "Are-Are you really, quite certain dear?"

"Yes Grandma, please sleep. You need it more then I do."

Snowdrop sighed. "I guess so... Goodnight Skylight." Snowdrop put the bowl in the sink and turned to the door.

"Goodnight." Skylight watched the blind pegasus exit the room before returning to her meal. "Thank you for the food Grandma." Skylight smiled.

~~~

That night while Skylight was sleeping. Snowdrop quietly in two pairs of slippers, walked through the dark house to the front door. She stood in front of the crystal cloud door, kicked off her slippers and opened it slowly. She felt the cool night breeze on her hooves and soon her whole body was hit with a wave of cool night winter air. Snowdrop welcomed this feeling as if it were an old friend. She stepped outside, closing the door behind her and approached a cloud tied to a piece of rope, connecting a smaller cloud to the main one she was standing on. She stepped onto the smaller cloud and used her back legs to push herself with the cloud a bit ways out so she would be far from the house, or at least as far as the old rope would let her. The old mare could hear twinkles ringing throughout the night sky and sat down in the center of the puffy white cloud like she used to as a filly.

"Are you out there tonight Luna? I think you are. You were always out when somepony needed you, so I assume you would be."

Snowdrop chuckled to herself, the cold wind was blowing quite hard that night but the old pegasus didn't seem to mind.

"I still hear them you know? The stars as they twinkle during your beautiful night." Snowdrop started to take deep breaths again, she found it hard to breath but shortly her breath returned to her and she was feeling good again.

"I'm okay Luna." She faced upward toward the sky. "You worry to much."

The stars twinkled louder as if replying to the older mare. Snowdrop could hear voices on the wind nopony else could. She felt happy to be able to talk to Luna, or at least happy that she thought she could. The lights in the house turned on and Skylight burst through the front door which swung open.

"Grandma Snowdrop! Come back inside you're going to catch your death out here!!"

Snowdrop frowned and stood up. She bit onto the rope connecting her cloud to the main cloud and pulled on it she could get back to the house. Skylight helped pull Snowdrop back by tugging on the rope which pulled the cloud along until it met with the main cloud. Snowdrop stepped off the smaller cloud, stopping in front of Skylight with her head down.

"I only wanted to talk to her..." Snowdrop shed a tear and headed on inside with Skylight watching.

The light cream colored pegasus frowned sadly at Snowdrop then looked up at the moon which was just visible through the clouds. On the moons surface was an imprint of an alicorn's face, left behind when a great evil was imprisoned inside the moon. Skylight closed her eyes and re-entered the house, closing the door behind her while she did. The following morning, a mail mare flew from house to house delivering letters to each one of them. The mare stopped at Snowdrops house, landing and happily taking the short walk up the steps to the front door where she knocked and waited.

"I'm coming!" Called out Skylight.

The mail mare waited patiently for Skylight to collect her mail. The mare heard hooves coming toward the crystal cloud door which was opened by the light cream pegasus who smiled at the pink colored mail mare. The pegasus gave Skylight a letter addressed to Snowdrop which surprised the cream colored pegasus. She looked at the mail mare and smiled.

"Thank you Whizzer"

Whizzer smiled and took flight. She flew down the stairs and continued delivering letters down the street. Skylight shut the door and walked down the hall, holding the letter in her right hoof.

"Grandma, a letter came for you."

Snowdrop's ears twitched at the mention of a letter. She lifted her head from her book and turned it in the direction of Skylight.

"A letter, for me? I don't get letters very often."

Skylight opened the letter for Snowdrop and took a look at it. She blinked in surprise and looked at snowdrop. "It's from a school in Canterlot."

"Canterlot? That's a very old city, isn't it?"

"That's right."

"Well what does the letter say dear?"

"'Greetings Lady Snowdrop, my name is Ms. Meadly, I am a teacher at Canter Colts and Fillies school in Canterlot. I've sent this letter to ask if you could maybe come to the school and talk to the children about you. This year is special for the children as our school has been chosen to host the Spring Sunrise, and having you talk about yourself would be most fitting. You are an inspiration to everypony Lady Snowdrop and we would be honored to have you. From Ms. Meadly.'"

Skylight looked up from the letter to see Snowdrop had walked over to the window as if looking outside. Skylight frowned and approached the older mare.

"Grandma?"

Snowdrop smiled. "Then lets not disappoint them." She turned around and walked over to Skylight, stopping in front of her.

"Are you sure Grandma? You know Aunt Snowdrift and mom will disagree."

"Oh let them dear, they worry too much and I'm tired of being in the same place. Besides, I don't get to talk about blindness to schools anymore. Won't you do an old mare a kindness and allow me to go to Canterlot and talk to these children?"

Skylight sighed. "Okay... But we'll need mother's and my Aunts approval."

Snowdrop nodded with a smile. Skylight went out to get Snowdrift and Firn so they could come back to the house so that they may talk. Firn wondered why she needed to come to Snowdrops home, while at the same time being increasingly frustrated over the weather team. Snowdrift was flying quite happily over to the house. She had a large wide smile that was contagious to many except Firn. Snowdrifts coat was pale green which looked almost like Primrose's coat, her mane and tail were simply white and her eyes were colored light blue. Her cutie mark appeared as a pile of snow that looked like it had fallen, it was soft snow and in the cutie mark coming out of the snow was some flowers. Snowdrift danced on the air on her way until she was flying beside Firn.

"Salutations Firn."

"Hello Snowdrift.." Firn sounded annoyed.

Snowdrift's ears flicked. "Hey, are you mad or something?"

"I'm not mad I'm worried. Mother needed to see us specifically, Skylight told me I needed to see her, she told you two didn't she?'

Snowdrift nodded. "Pretty much. Mother hardly ever calls on us anyway, this is a rare thing to happen on any day other then Hearths Warming."

Firn looked at her sister again. "You don't get out often do you? Mother came by the factory yesterday to tell me how to teach."

"Well, you could learn something off of her dear sister." Snowdrift lifted upward and did a loop before picking up a burst of speed and flying fast.

Firn stopped and groaned. "Don't speed without your goggles!" She sighed and sped up until she was matching speed with Snowdrift.

Skylight paced around the front of Snowdrops house, waiting for her aunt and mother to arrive. She could suddenly hear the sounds of sonic booms in the distance and sighed shaking her head.

"Why do they do this..." She looked in the direction of Firn and Snowdrift as they came closer and closer.

"I'm going to win big sister!"

"Will you please stop! This isn't a race!" Firn gritted her teeth.

Both pegasi came close to hitting the ground but they landed with absolute ease as if they were pros at speed flying.

"I win, I win!" Snowdrift said bouncing up and down.

"You're a fifty eight year old mare, have some dignity!" Firn snorted.

Snowdrift laughed. "I can't help it if I'm so easy going and happy."

"You're like a child." Firn scoffed.

"At the very least, I'm not a stressed and angry sixty five year old."

Firn growled angrily. Skylight slammed her hoof down.

"Are you two done?!" She sighed. "Grandma is inside waiting for us, she wants to ask you two something."

The sisters looked at one another and sighed. They turned their looks back to Skylight and looked worried.

"Is mom okay?" Asked Firn.

"Mom's fine, it's just she needs approval."

"Approval?" Both sisters said together.

Skylight sighed. "Come with me." She led her aunt and mother into the house and to the living room where Snowdrop was sitting her in her rocking chair, sleeping.

Skylight, Firn and Snowdrift, looked at the old mare while she slept. Skylight approached Snowdrop quietly but the mare's hearing was better then they all thought. She lifted her head and opened her glassy eyes.

"Hello dear, I can see you standing there, Snowdrift, Firn."

The mares smiled. Snowdrift walked over to Snowdrop and hugged her gently. "Good morning mom."

Snowdrop returned the hug. "Good morning Snowdrift dear."

Firn watched them as they let go of the hug. The light arctic blue pegasus sighed.

"Hello mother. You wanted to..um.. see us?"

Snowdrop chuckled. "'See' is a poor choice of words dear. But yes, I wanted you both here for something important."

"What is it mother?" Asked Firn.

"Is something wrong?" Asked Snowdrift.

Snowdrop shook her head. "I'm fine Snowdrift, I just need your approval to go to Canterlot."

"Canterlot?!" They said in surprised unison.

"Mother, why would you want to go there? It's freezing down there and the last blizzard of the year is almost upon us. You can't be serious..." Firn frowned and was very much against the old mare from going anywhere.

"I have been invited to Canter Colts and Fillies school, to talk about the Spring Sunrise and about myself to the children. I hardly ever get the chance to share my knowledge with anybody anymore. Won't you please allow me the opportunity to leave Cloudsdale again?"

Snowdrift thought about it with Firn but neither of them talked about it. Skylight spoke up.

"I've already said yes."

Snowdrift smiled at Skylight. "Well... I suppose if Skylight has said yes then okay mom. You can go to Canterlot, and make those kids smile!" Snowdrift smiled widely.

Snowdrop smiled at that but it would soon go away when Firn spoke.

"Do you two have smooze for brains? Are your heads in the clouds? Mother is ninety seven years old, older then any pony in Equestria that has a normal life span. She can't fly very well and for all we know she's sick. I can't let her go to Canterlot I refuse!" Firn put her hoof down.

Snowdrop lowered her head, extremely upset that Firn would not allow her to go. Firn noticed Snowdrops sadness, she sighed and scratched her ear.

"At least not alone..."

Snowdrop lifted her head back up quickly in surprise. "B-Beg your pardon?"

Firn sighed and stood straight. "If you're going to go anywhere then at least take Skylight with you. Snowdrift and I are busy and Skylight's duty is looking after you. You need her."

Skylight looked at Firn then to Snowdrop. The older, blind mare was on the verge of crying.

"Thank you my daughter..."

Skylight smiled at Snowdrop then at Firn who smiled slightly and hugged Snowdrop.

"You just be careful old girl."

"Old girl?" Snowdrop chuckled. "Let's refrain from calling me old shall we?"

"Very well then mother." Firn smiled warmly.

"I better go pack some stuff for the trip." Skylight said with a smile.

"Don't forget my coat dear." Snowdrop, used her wings to help herself off the chair and stretched a little.

"Hold on mother, don't you think you should wait until tonight to head off to Canterlot? That way you can get up in the morning and be ready to see the children." Said Firn.

Snowdrop thought about it and nodded. "I suppose so.."

"Don't try to rush things mom." Said Snowdrift.

Twinkling sounds started ringing all over the place. Snowdrop smiled and faced upward. "It's snowing." She closed her eyes and relaxed to the sounds.

Firn and Snowdrift tried to listen but couldn't hear anything. They looked at each other then at Snowdrop enviously. The old arctic blue pegasus sighed and started turning around and walking slowly in the direction of the kitchen where she remembered putting her grey coat. She left the living room and entered the eating area, she rounded the corner and felt for her coat. She was careful, gentle and made sure she didn't knock anything over until she found it on the chair.

"Ah, there it is. Don't worry about my coat Skylight!" Snowdrop smiled and draped it over her back. She turned toward the sink and walked over to it so she could have a glass of water.

Snowdrift and Firn watched her, their thoughts turning to what life would be like without her. It was a thought that family dreaded, all but Snowdrop who didn't think about herself very often since she had Firn and Snowdrift. The two sisters already had one void in their family, and they didn't want another just yet. Skylight in the meantime was looking for stuff they could bring, she sifted through the clothes in the drawer, hoping to find something to bring along. She initially settled on just letting her grandmother wear her coat which she decided to do in the end. As Skylight was going to close the drawer, she found an old book kept at the bottom. It was old and tattered but the pages were still intact. She opened it and discovered old, black and white photos of Primrose and her parents. Flicking through the pages, Skylight notices that the black and white photo's were going grey and white and shortly after that, color though this color photo was taken with Snowdrop who was in her mid thirties, and in the picture was an elderly Primrose. Photo's of a younger Snowdrop could be seen in the album in the living room, but this photo album was strange for its age and because it was kept in the drawer, away from anypony else. Snowdrop stood in the door way smiling as she heard the pages turn. Firn and Snowdrift were talking in the living room.

"You found it." The mare smiled.

Skylight jumped a little and closed the book. "I'm sorry Grandma... I didn't mean to look...."

Snowdrop shook her head. "Don't be, please. There's no reason to be sorry." The mare put a wing around Skylight and helped her up. "Why don't we put that where it belongs?"

Skylight smiled and nodded. She stood up and walked with her grandmother down the hall and into the living room where under the watchful eye of Snowdrift and Firn, they put the book in the shelf, before Snowdrops own album.

"You know, Great Grandma was very pretty."

Snowdrop nodded. "I think so."

Firn and Snowdrift smiled at them. Skylight and Snowdrop went back to what they were doing.

"Mother, let Snowdrift and I do the work for you."

Snowdrop sighed. "You know I will need my purse and my candy box for the children."

"The candy box!" Snowdrift squeed.

Snowdrop chuckled and started feeling light headed again. She blinked and walked over to a chair where she sat down and rested her head. Firn and Snowdrift frowned

"I'm fine dears, don't worry I'm fine really."

The two sisters looked at Snowdrop unsurely and went to go get her purse and candy tin. In the meantime Snowdrop breathed a little heavier and held a hoof close to her chest until she could breath normally again. She took a deep breath and got up, she looked around for her book before remembering she had left it on the coffee table.

"Oh there it is, my book."

She walked over to it and opened it up to where she left off in the hopes that she could finish it.

~~~

Firn and Snowdrift were waiting by a carriage to Canterlot for Snowdrop and Skylight. The sisters had been waiting an hour because they had flown there instead of walking with Snowdrop. Firn sighed and looked up to see weather ponies filling the clouds with more snow and a hard wind picked up. Snowdrift shivered.

"Brrr that's cold."

"It's going to get colder in Canterlot, I just hope mother keeps warm and doesn't get too cold."

"I won't, you doubt me too much dear." Said the blind filly.

Snowdrop walked over to her daughters with Skylight following not too far behind with a bag on wheels attached to her leg.

"This isn't a vacation you know?" Said Firn.

Snowdrop nodded. "I know sweetie but I don't have a lot packed."

"It's just a book, some photo's, winter clothes for Grandma and I, food and drink. It's not much but we'll be good." Skylight smiled.

Snowdrift hugged Snowdrop. "You be careful okay mom? We both love you very much."

Snowdrop returned the hug. "I know, I love you and your sister too."

Firn approached Skylight. "I'm relying on you to bring her back safely you know?"

Skylight nodded. "I know mother."

Firn kissed Skylights forehead and smiled. "Take care of mother sweetie, she's old, she's difficult, but she's kind and is always willing to listen, even if she doesn't like hearing what we want to say.

"I heard that Firn." Said Snowdrop.

Snowdrop and Skylight boarded the carriage with the luggage and waved to the sisters as the carriage departed until they were both out of sight, only Snowdrop didn't wave. The mare was preoccupied with feeling her wedding band which was around her front right leg. She remembered her husband during that time fondly and closed her eyes gently, falling asleep as the first blizzard came and the lights of Canterlot came into view through the thick wind and snow.

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