When you finish the final lines of the letter you toss it back on the table, with your hands free you embrace Twilight and draw her as close to you as you possibly can. You want to make it clear that you never want to let her go. Twilight buries her face in your chest and starts crying, you start petting her hair to try to calm her down. She slowly wraps her arms around your chest and leans even more into you.
“Winter... I... This is so sudden.” She pauses. “I mean I love this! Please don’t go!”
“I’ve dealt with sudden before, remember I ran away on a whim. Besides, I still have to properly apologize for lying to you in the first place.”
“Nonono. It’s okay Winter I understand why you would leave.” Twilight says between tears. “I did a little investigation after you left.”
“I’m sorry.” Twilight pauses to say something, but she buries herself in your arms again.
The two of you sit back down to enjoy the hot chocolate you had made earlier. You and Twilight barely talk to each other, but you both enjoy a much more domestic atmosphere. Spike comes home after a few minutes and walks into the kitchen.
“Hi Winter. You miss Harvey?” The moment Spike says your name a black furry torpedo named Harvey bolts towards you and nearly knocks you out of your chair. “I thought you were gonna be at your place later.”
“I was wondering If I could sleep here tonight. I mean If Twilight is okay with that.”
“Yes!” There was barely a pause.
“Alright, I’ll get the guest room ready.”
“It’s alright Spike that won't be necessary. ” When you look at Twilight she immediately turns red.
“Sweet! Winter can I play with Harvey some more?”
“Hey Harvey wanna play with Spike some more?” Harvey barks and runs off with Spike somewhere else.
“Winter?”
“Yeah Twi.” Twilight gets up and kisses you on the cheek.
“Let’s hurry up and get to bed.”
~~~
You are in a much firmer bed than normal, you try to feel around for answers but all you find are blankets. You open your eyes and take-in the morning sunlight, you don't have to work until afternoon, so you are in no rush to get out of bed. You eventually get up at around 9am and finally get a good look at Twilight’s room. The walls are lined with bookshelves and there is a well maintained work desk that looks like the centerpiece of the room, you can see a door that leads to a balcony with a telescope on it. You get up and begin collecting your clothes off the floor, after a scavenger hunt you find it all and get dressed.
You drowsily go down the stairs and begin looking for Twilight and Spike. You find Twilight alone in the kitchen eating a poorly prepared meal,
“Good Morning Winter.”
“Yeah, good morning Twi.”
“Winter are you okay?” Twilight stands up, then approaches you.
“Yeah, I just a little groggy nothing serious.” You spot an old radio in the room and turn it on. You hear a noise behind you and turn to see a letter burn into existence in front of Twilight.
“Good morning Ponyville!” The Dj on the radio blares. “We have some bizarre news for you today, oh we sure do. Our source in at the Ponyville General Hospital has just told us that they have two cases of soul atrophy.” Twilight tries to say something but you shush her. “Both Victims were intoxicated and were at the Mud race last night when they began showing the symptoms.” Twilight taps you on the shoulder.
“Winter what's wrong?”
“Two cases of soul Atrophy... Here in Ponyville.”
“What’s soul Atrophy?” Twilight says perplexed.
“When a substantial amount of your soul has been drained and your body can't itself. The effects are similar to blood loss.”
“Interesting, we are going to have to look into this. My brother can help because he is coming over today.”
“Wait a second, we? Brother?”
“Of course you can help with this Winter you are the smartest person I know.” You are honestly flattered. “Besides my brother can help in any way he can.”
“Sounds like he wants a day off, let’s not bother him with it.”
“He joined the royal guard because he wanted to help people.”
“I don’t want to have this argument. It’s up to you, just keep my words in mind.” You sigh.
~~~
You focus a small, fine blade of energy on a dying branch of a tree. You gather up the energy and cut through it, with a crack the branch falls to the ground, leaving nothing behind other than the smell of burnt wood. Maybe practicing magic isn’t so bad after all.
Harvey barks and begins dragging the branch over to the pile, there wasn’t much more to do today. You are not going to tell your boss so you decide to start making preparations to go home, when you emerge from the shed you see Spike standing in front of you.
“Winter... ”
“Spike, why are you here? How did you figure out where I work?”
“I asked Applebloom and her friends.”
“Ah.” You have no idea who those people are.
“I, uh.... Wanted to talk to you about something.” Spike stumbles over his own words.
“Go ahead.” You try to put the boy at ease.
“Sure. Winter I kind of like this girl...” Harvey Bolts and launches himself onto Spike. Spike begins smiling and looks a lot more comfortable. ”Anyway, she has started going out with this other guy, and I feel like I am no match for him.”
“Spike I can understand what you are going through, but I am not exactly the best guy to go to for dating advice.”
“Yeah, I know Winter...” Spike kneels down and starts petting Harvey. “The girl is Rarity and the guy is Silver.”
You have nothing to say so you let a few awkward moments pass.
“I just wanted to get this off my chest to someone outside my social circle.” Spike continues.
“Spike, this is kind of out of the blue.” You reply slightly confused.
“Yeah, I know, it’s just that anyone else I tell would either tell everyone in town or baby me.”
“Okay...”
“That and I thought you need a friend Winter.” Spike says.
You and Spike spend some time playing with Harvey in the park, turns out Spike is an abysmal athlete, but the two of you have fun anyway. The Child made a few appearances, but he never said anything. You and Spike decide to go back to the Library.