Winter Blossom looked out of the train window, her multicolored mane being blown by the wind as it raced against the locomotive. Her crystal blue eyes shone happily as her mother looked over her. Winter Blossom was a unicorn filly, daughter of Princess Mi Amore Cadenza and Captain of the Royal Guard and Prince, Shining Armor. The aforementioned Princess looked at the fields that were passing, full of spring life. The green pastures and lush trees seemed to greet them as the wind rustled their leaves.

Winter let out a big yawn and backed from the window, cuddling against her mother and going for a nap. She wasn't accustomed to long journeys, despite having done many with her parents in the short six years of her life. She had been conceived during a cold winter night in which Shining and Cadence shared their warmth with each other, and she was born in the next, equally strong winter. Winter is a perilous season for foals to come to the world but her parents and all her family (close and extended) had been very attentive, leading to the birth of a filly that brought color to their lives, just like a recently opened flower. She had a plethora of aunts on both sides of the family.

Cadence gazed upon the smiling filly and caressed her mane softly. When the still small town of Ponyville appeared before her eyes, she made to wake Winter up. They both descended, with the small unicorn jumping around happily.

"Mommy, I can't wait to meet Aunt Twilight again, and Aunt Applejack, and Aunt Fluttershy, and Aunt Rarity and all of them!"

The Princess caught up with her daughter, smiling widely. "Aunt Rarity and Aunt Rainbow Dash will take a couple of days to get here, but we'll surely see them. Now, let's go and see Twilight."

They walked through the lively town, greeting friendly ponies, donkeys and cows as they went on their way. Despite having only been in Ponyville a handful of times, as Princesses and Twilight Sparkle's family they were very well received. They finally reached the huge tree that housed the Books and Branches Library. The old oak hadn't changed in the slightest in the ten years since Cadence had come to know Ponyville, shortly after coming back from her honeymoon.

Loud sounds could be heard coming from the inside, and Cadence pushed the door. They both entered. The only ones present in the main library were Owlowiscious, sleeping in a perch on top of one of the shelves, and Peewee, flying around majestically with his crimson and golden feathers leaving a golden dust trail behind them as he worked on organizing books. He flew towards Cadence and Winter and bellowed, greeting them. Cadence smiled and nuzzled the bird while Winter attempted to jump and grab him. He descended to play with the filly, who exploded in joy. While the phoenix entertained her daughter, Cadence tracked the source of the sound downstairs.

"Are Twilight and Spike working in something?"

Peewee hooted loudly and nodded, without breaking away from his playmate.

"Can you take care of Winter Blossom a little, Peewee?"

The phoenix waved a wing around, dismissing her worries.

"Thanks. I'll go down, then."

She headed towards the laboratory door. When she was in front of it, she could see through the window - light flashes in assorted colors coming at regular time intervals, and the voices of Twilight and Spike talking on the other side. She knocked loudly at the door, hoping they heard her.

The flashes stopped and she heard Twilight's voice.

"We weren't expecting anypony... Please go and see who it is, Spike."

"Roger," answered the dragon's voice, with a peak of maturity in it Cadence wasn't accustomed to. She saw his purple person coming from the other side, then the unlocking of the door was heard and Spike opened it to gaze at the incoming pony. The dragon, while still being a little away from even a teenage dragon height, had an impressive spurt and was now a little taller than an average pony when standing in his hind legs. He was wearing tinted, protective goggles and white gloves in his hands. He removed the goggles, looking at the visitor with big reptilian eyes that made the Princess shudder a little. His personality hadn't changed in the slightest, though, and when he saw Cadence on the other side, he beamed.

"Cadence! Long time no see. Did you come with Winter?"

"Of course, Spike. It is good to see you."

The pair shared an embrace, and then Spike broke apart, still smiling.

"Just one moment." He turned back and screamed, his voice reverberating through the laboratory. "Twilight! Cadence and Winter are here!"

The unicorn's voice answered back. "Really? Just a minute, Cadence. Spike, let's have this stabilized and then shut down!"

"We'll be with you in a minute." The dragon adjusted his goggles, turned back and closed the door behind him. Cadence trotted back upstairs and found Winter with a book between her hooves, while Peewee continued his work. Cadence gazed at the book and recognised it. It was one of Winter's favorites, a picture book with the amazing stories of the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony. It had been quite some years now since the Elements of Harmony had been needed for the last time. Equestria hadn't been menaced by significant threats and she hoped it would be yet a long time before they had to be used again. She smiled at the drawing of Twilight and her friends besting unsightly evils. It included her and Shining as well. The presence of all those familiar faces was what made it one of the filly's favorite readings.

Soon she heard the steps coming from the laboratory and Spike appeared, followed by Twilight. The scholarly mare had not changed too much, only reaching her full height and trimming her mane and tail short for the sake of utility. Upon seeing her sister in law and niece, she sprinted and caught both in a full force embrace.

"I'm so happy to see you again! How have you been? And Shining? Last letter I received was two months ago, and I've sent two since then. What's my brother up to?!"

Cadence did what she could to stop Twilight's verbose barrage. When the unicorn finally settled down with a nervous chuckle, she smiled.

"Shining is at work, as always. He'll be able to come for a few days around Hearth's Warming Eve, I think. I'll make sure he sends a message to you."

The small filly then trotted up to her aunt, who lowered her head, sharing an embrace with her. Twilight smiled, looking at her niece.

"You've gotten quite big, Winter Blossom. Tell me, have you been studying magic as you promised?"

"Of course, Aunt Twilight! Look!"

The little filly pointed her horn to the book she had just left lying next to her, and closed her eyes. She puffed in concentration, until her horn, of the same white as her coat, shone with a pink gleam, which covered the book as well. The pages then began to flip one after another until Winter released her magic and the book was shut again. She opened her eyes and beamed to Twilight.

"Did you see, Auntie?!"

"That was fantastic, Winter! Soon you'll be an adept at magic, maybe you can share a special talent with your aunt Twilight!"

The small filly jumped around happily while her mother looked at Twilight.

"Hey, now, don't go around planting things in her head before time! She could have so many paths yet. I'll be happy with whatever she gets, as long as it's a good path."

"I know, Cadence. But she's very enthusiastic about magic, and it's as good a path as any other."

"And how about you?" inquired Cadence, looking directly into Twilight's eyes. "Still not keen on taking up that offer as High Magic Professor in the School for Gifted Unicorns?"

The unicorn's smile didn't falter. She gazed at her laboratory and then back at her interlocutor, negating with her head.

"We've already talked about this. I've already discussed it with the Princesses several times. I'm grateful for such an opportunity, but it is not where my priorities lay, for the time being at least."

"Well, I had to try. So, what are you working with now?"

Winter Blossom jumped in front of her mother before Twilight could answer her question; the filly bounced in a way that brought to mind Pinkie Pie, who after ten years still behaved like a filly, and hadn't lost any of her energy.

"Mommy, I want to go and see Aunt Pinkie, and Aunt Applejack, and Aunt Fluttershy. Can we go? Can we go?"

Cadence put a hoof over the head of the small ball of energy, who stopped bouncing and smiled. "I think that's a good idea. Well, say goodbye to your aunt Twilight and Spike, won't you? You'll tell me afterwards, Twilight. I think we interrupted you."

"Oh, it's nothing so much," assured Twilight as she nuzzled her niece goodbye; the little filly went to Spike's side. "See you soon."

Cadence and Winter exited the library, and while her daughter ran ahead of her, she permitted herself a look back at the tree of knowledge, turning her head back front after a few seconds. While they went outside, she thought about Twilight.

The studious mare had been offered a teaching job at Celestia's School in Canterlot five years ago. However, Twilight had politely declined, citing her magical research in Ponyville. She did sporadic travels to Canterlot for personal and business reasons, but she had grown accustomed to Ponyville and didn't consider relocating back to Canterlot a viable option; even though she was much more open to social life now, she still valued intimacy when it came to her studies, working alongside Spike and giving lessons to the odd Ponyville unicorn foal, such as Sweetie Belle herself. Her friends had always took her side, her family had remained ambivalent, letting her choose what she wanted. The three princesses had tried several times to convince her, but to no avail.

The pair walked, once again finding many friendly faces across the road and even a couple of gifts. Cadence was surprised Pinkie Pie hadn't jumped surprisingly in front of them already as they crossed the town. The pink mare always found time to hang around, despite now being a main worker at Sugarcube Corner and very surely to be its new owner in the near future. There was no sign of the bubbly earth pony as they trekked up a hill at the top of which they could see the lands of Sweet Apple Acres. They descended towards the Apple family farm, Winter heading the expedition, Cadence watching upon her carefully.

Upon entering the farm property, a recognizable voice greeted them welcome.

"Well, howdy, my little family!"

A golden maned orange earth pony greeted them from the apple fields, waving her signature Stetson, signaling for them to come over.

"Long time no see!"