Letters from the Homefront

The sound of birdsong mixed with two laughing voices. A purple unicorn with the cutie mark of a six-pointed star, her height placing her firmly in her late teens, was chasing a small purple dragon around a trio of tall oak trees, both of them laughing with joy.

"I'm gonna getcha, Spike!" Twilight Sparkle growled playfully, her tail wagging as she pursued her target. The dragon youngling laughed as he stumbled over his own feet in a desperate bid to escape his caretaker's wrath.

Watching from the back porch of the house was a tall pink unicorn, her long pink mane pulled back in a ponytail with a blue ribbon. She giggled to herself as she observed the two children at play and glanced up at the unicorn beside her. The stallion was dressed in a crystalline turquoise uniform with white highlights that marked him as a member of the Crystal Royal Guard. A blue band on his left foreleg bore the emblem of his nation, a simple six-pointed snowflake. On his right foreleg was a trio of chevrons and three bars. He stood at attention next to her, his gaze panning the horizons and the skies. His cutie mark was the head of an angry ram, glaring out at the world.

Mi Amore Cadenza turned and looked back at the letter she was composing.

Dear Shining,

By the time you’ve read this letter, you’ll have started showing everypony that you are the best Lieutenant those soldiers have ever seen. I’m not going to say otherwise because I know you too well: I’ve watched you during your exercises, and I know that you’ve done and will do an amazing job. You’ve wanted to be a soldier ever since I knew you, and I know just how powerful an effect dreams like that have on ponies.

I wish I could be with you, too; I’ve missed you ever since our last night together. Every time I pass by Donut Joe’s shop (the paparazzi would have a field day if they knew that a Princess was eating at a donut shop—I’m so glad that we learned that glamor charm!), I remember the smile on your face when you took my hoof. You had sprinkles all over your face, and your smile just lit up the whole place. (Of course, we did a lot of other things worth remembering that night when we got back to your home, didn’t we?)

Speaking of your home, that’s where I’m staying right now; your mom and dad said I could stay with them as long as I wanted to! Your parents are so sweet—they said that I was practically part of the family! Of course, staying here means that we’ve had to find room for Battering Ram and Frost Shield. They’re currently sharing your old room; one of them sleeps while the other watches me. They might be my friends, but you know how much I hate having to have bodyguards following me around everywhere!

That’s part of why I like being here for the moment. With Twilight and your parents, I don’t have to be a Princess or even a high-class unicorn—I can just be a pony. I can be me with them. When I go back home, I’ll have to put on the royal act all over again and be the Crystal Princess, Heiress to the Crystal Throne, daughter of Amore of the Crystal Heart, granddaughter of Speranza the Founder. That’s why I’m going to be spending as much time here as I can. I got a letter back from mother: she’s given me until the Moon of Grain to get my affairs in order and come back home.

She glanced up from the letter at the filly and the dragon, who were now play wrestling in the grass. Spike's claws found a particularly ticklish spot on Twilight's belly and the filly fell over, laughing and squirming helplessly. Cadance looked back down at the letter.

Twilight is doing very well; she still hasn’t been making as many friends as her parents and I would like, but she’s getting better at interacting with others. I think her bringing Spike to stay with her during the summer has helped a bit. He’s such an adorable little thing! When he’s not making a mess, that is.

How are you doing otherwise? Are you making friends amongst the other officers? Battering Ram told me that he knows a bar near Fort Mustang called the House of the Phoenix where soldiers hang out. Maybe you could try there!

Thinking of you always, my love,

Cadance

P.S. “I always seemed to do better when you were with me.” Yes, because you were always trying to show off and impress me, you lovable little dork!

"Cadance! Help!" Twilight squealed through her laughter, thumping the ground with a hoof as Spike relentlessly tickled her. Chuckling to herself, Cadance folded up the letter, then leaped off the porch and jumped into the fray. As she did so, she noticed out of the corner of her a small glimmer of a smile on Battering Ram's face.