That morning, Rainbow Dash flew to the Friendship Castle, hoping to see her gathering of friends to partake in a Winter adventure or some sort of hangout. She owed them that, feeling a bit guilty for blowing them off every year when hibernation came around for Tank.
She trotted inside through the main doors after a few brief knocks, "Twilight?" she called out, hoping yet fearing the eventual party cannon blast from around a corner. Pinkie Pie always had a few of those lying around, so she'd hide them and forget later, which always made Dash question her psychology at times, but than she'd always say to herself, 'It's Just Pinkie'. No sounds of a party cannon or confetti were seen, but Rainbow Dash did come across the sound of faint... crying? It came from the main throne room, where the cutie map is located and the sounds echoed more frequently and loudly with occasional sniffles, as Dash neared the door, she planted her left ear on one of the doors to take a listen.
Rainbow Dash could recognize that crying easily; It was coming from Twilight! Dash pushed open the doors slightly, eliciting a small creak, from which the crying had ceased, which in turn the speedster popped her head out from the cover of the door to spot a teary eyed alicorn staring back at her. Twilight quickly regained compusure after wiping her eyes, giving away glances back at the rainbow mare, "Dash! H-Hey..." the alicorn sniffled, putting away what looked to be a family photo book, as Dash walked in with a concerned expression. She walked up, planting a hoof on the lavender coat shoulder, "Twilight, are you... okay? What's wrong?" concern edged deep in her tone as she saw pained irises staring back at her once more. Twilight put on a smile, but one with sadness, "Oh, nothing. It's just that... my parents." she stared back a single picture that held her parents soft smiles and Twilight Sparkle who was in the middle of all that happiness. Twilight looked back at her friend again, tears forming once more, "I miss them..." she elicited a sob from her nearly raspy throat from her former hour of crying, "It's only been a year," she sniffled, "since the accident, but it still hur--" Rainbow Dash quickly dove in and grasped the alicorn in a hug. One with warmth, wings and all.
At this point, Twilight freely sobbed in the speedster's arms, feeling a warmth cascade on her face and leaned on her friends body, using a cyan shoulder to cry on. Rainbow Dash finally broke the hug, much to Twilight's dismay, "Twi, I know what you're going through. Or at least--a fraction of what you're feeling. Believe me, I do." she caressed the bangs in front of Twilight's eyes, noticing how sad and beautiful those lavender eyes were. Twilight wiped at her nose and eyes once more, trying hopelessly to look somewhere other than to the magenta eyes staring back, "Yeah, but... Tank will come back," she lowered her head in defeat, "My parents won't. They'll never be back and I just feel--"
"Like you're alone?" the alicorn glanced back at her friend, Rainbow Dash giving out a sad look as she chuckled slightly, "Exactly. Ya know..." she sat on her haunches next to the alicorn, "Winters are never easy, but I learn to cope, because even if my bestest buddy is sleeping in the dirt right now -- I always got you." she blushed as she heard a little giggle come from the pony next to her, who looked at her with admiration and maybe... something more? "Uh, um, and the rest of the girls too! Yep! Them too." she quickly shuffled back to her hooves, Twilight looking on with a loving smile, "You're right, Rainbow." Twilight sighed, "I always have you girls to pick me up when I'm down," she tentatively walks towards her friend, "...but I'm glad you're here, most of all." Twilight nuzzles Dash under her chin, eliciting a girly squeak from the speedster for a moment, caught off guard but much welcomed by the affection.
Rainbow Dash thought of an idea, "Hey, Twilight? Do... you wanna come with me to the top of the hill? The hill where Tank chose? I usially do this whole tradional Daring Do book read to him by myself, but... I het if you don't want too--"
"Yes. I'd be happy to listen to you read, Rainbow." Twilight responded with much more vigor, as she always loved that enthusiasm Dash had whenever she read her favorite novel.
Rainbow shook her head with a nod, smile and all, "Cool."
❄
Covered in warm material, like hoovsie warmers, beanies and scarfs, the pair make their way up the hill in no time at all. Celestia's sun falls beneath the horizon and makes a beautiful orange light that cascades the sky, perfectly blending with the snow on land, making for beautiful Winter scenery. Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle sit by the bended tree, getting comfortable, side by side, as Dash pulled out the bool: "Daring Do and The Lost City of Lambala".
"Chapter One..." Rainbow Dash said with much excitement but laidback comfort as Twilight leaned and nuzzled her head on Dash's shoulder. The shoulder where she shed her tears of sadness, was now the shoulder for which she finds her comfort.
Twilight glances at the snow, after listening to a few paragraphs read by her friend, "Hey Rainbow?" Rainbow stops mid sentance.
"Yeah, Twi?" Rainbow nuzzles the head that's rested on her, sniffing the scent of scrolls and autumn in the alicorn's mane.
"Do you want to build a snowpony?" Twilight asks with some lighthearted laughter, from which Rainbow Dash responds with a hoof full of snow aimed at Twilight's head, as they break out in giggles and have some Winter Wonder Fun.
The End
It was a cold, dim night in the Cloudominium. The curtains rustled and bended to the night's will, setting off a gentle breeze in the humble abode. Dripping of water drops cracked the silence every few seconds nearby and tiny slippers, resembling a pet tortoise's owner image can be seen as lay at the foot of the cloud bed, where a sleeping blue mare; a pegasus, by the name of Rainbow Dash, is under the covers, with low sounding snores filling the airwaves.
Tank, on the other hoof, is nowhere to be seen, after all it is Winter. Rainbow Dash had gone to bed early this night... a Friday night. Instead of attending the usual gatherings with her friends, like the laidback, and energetic mare she is, instead she's sleeping. The blue mare figured that if she slept early that night, maybe the pain of seeing her beloved pet Tank gone the night before, would help her forget the depressed notion that there was now an empty spot on her soft cloud mattress, "Tank... don't leave yet...", Rainbow Dash would mumble in her sleep, as she dreamt of the awful feeling of many winters past. It was always difficult seeing snow clouds gather around Ponyville, because she realized that reading her Daring Do novels would be less fun without her beloved pet by her side.
She'd always polish that shell of his twice once hibernation kicked in. Rainbow Dash was always caring towards Tank, and Winter was no exception. They'd always play one last game before she walked him up to the tallest hill, with dented tree at the top. They'd say their goodbyes and even one last 'nose snuggle' between their snouts before Rainbow Dash would have to play the waiting game. After tears were shed, in the distance however she'd see her friends throwing snowballs, building snowponies, and having general winter wonder fun! Twilight would trot up to her, magic engulfed in a tissue, wiping at Rainbow's eyes, hugging her close and whispering sweet nothings through her ears before they seperated. "Tank loves you, Rainbow... he'll be back", she wrapped a wing around Dash's figure, "C'mon. You still have the rest of your friends who aren't going anywhere...", Twilight motioned them over the frozen lakeside. No more tears were shed. Just two smiles; Rainbow Dash as she dreamed a beautiful dream... and The Princess of The Night, as she watched over the speedster's dreamscape.
Author's Note
Hope you enjoy! This is my second story. EVER. I only hope to get better! Review and PM if you wanna chat! Peace.
Rainbow Dash awoke the next morning, rubbing away the last of her sleep from her eyes as Celestia's sun shined brightly down on her facial features, "Ugh... mornings are not my best--WHOA!", she yelped as she had gotten off her bed to walk to the restroom, she tripped on a pair of pony slippers that only brought back loving, but pained memories of her tortoise, who was still sound asleep in the ground.
"...just three months, buddy. You'll be back", staying as strong as her will intends it, she places the slippers back under her mattress, keeping them safe and secure until her pet can reclaim them. Dash felt another feeling... a feeling of social longing.
"Huh...?", she stared at the nightstand in the far right corner of her bedroom, "....I wonder what my best pals are up too?", she plastered on her trademark smirk, as she took one final look at the portrait of her and her friends, thinking about the best way to spend a Saturday morning. Perhaps a friendship problem? A monster attack, she was hoping! Just as long as it didn't take too long. A half-hour at most was her best bet, because she made it a yearly thing for when Tank started his hibernation, she would always fly up towards the hill, and lay at the spot that Tank chose to slumber in and read a few exciting, amazing, and adventurous tales of her favorite novel--Daring Do! It was like tradition. HER tradition. That way, Tank will always be dreaming of his owner, whose just as awesome as any adventure pony. "Well... maybe 20% cooler".