Thank you for staying with me this winter!
Rainbow and their friends were in a place with few trees, each with their winter clothes. Rainbow’s friends watched her say goodbye to Tank for he hibernate. Tank was inside a cave with earth, and Rainbow was lying in the snow, crying because she had to say goodbye to Tank. Twilight couldn’t feel anything, but sadness when she saw Rainbow crying.
“Goodbye, Tank. I will miss you,” said Rainbow as she hugged Tank. Tank closed his eyes while smiling. “I hope this winter will pass soon so we can see each other again.”
Rainbow then rose from the snow, and watched Tank go slowly into the cave. She knew that this was what animals did during the winter, but she couldn’t help but cry for having to be without Tank for an entire winter, and the worst thing, whenever winter came, all the animals would go to hibernation, which what it meant was that she would spend all winters alone without Tank. She wiped away the tears that fell on her cheeks with a hoof. Rainbow decided that she would be isolated at home, in the hope that the winter would pass very quickly, for she see Tank again. She spread her wings and went flying.
Twilight sadly watched Rainbow fly away from where they were. The others left the place to return to their homes. As a good friend, she needed to help her in some way. But how? Maybe, she could talk to their friends about Rainbow’s sadness, but they were already going home, she didn’t want to go bothering her friends. Perhaps, Spike could help her find a solution to this problem.
Spike was dusting the castle’s living room with a dust mop at Twilight’s request. While he was doing this, he wore a pink apron with a pink heart so he wouldn’t get dirty. There wasn’t that much dust around the castle, but Twilight had asked him to dust it off anyway. Gray smoke came out of the bookcase, resulting in Spike closing his eyes and starting to cough.
When he stopped coughing, Spike opened his eyes at the sound of a door opening. He left the room and went to the entrance door to see who entered the castle. He noticed it was Twilight who entered in the castle. Spike went to Twilight with a smile, but without letting go of the dust mop.
“Twilight! You have returned!” said Spike with a smile. “How was the winter walk with your friends?”
“It was good, Spike.” Twilight looked at the sad side, just remembering Rainbow’s sad expression when she was having to say goodbye to Tank.
Spike, noticed the sadness in Twilight, was concerned. “Twilight? Why you’re sad? Did I say something I shouldn’t have?”
Twilight Sparkle looked at Spike. “It’s not that, Spike. It’s just that when my friends and I were playing in the snow in the park, Rainbow came to us, with Tank in her backpack, saying that she would allow Tank to hibernate during the winter.”
Spike held up the paw that was missing the cleaning tool. “But Twilight, this is normal. All animals hibernate in the winter. Well, except the domestic ones, like dogs, for example.”
“I know that, Spike. But that isn’t the reason for my sadness,” said Twilight Sparkle.
Spike was confused. If it’s not that, what was it then?
“So why are you sad?” asked the purple dragon.
“I noticed that while Rainbow said goodbye to Tank for he hibernate, she was crying while Tank was inside a small cave,” replied Twilight Sparkle.
Spike was curious about something. “The cave that Tank was going to stay in was just like those big caves where Rarity, Rainbow, Applejack, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo camped out one night? Or was it like those burrows where animals stayed asleep until the ponies in charge of the animals to wake them up at Winter Wrap Up for early spring?”
“It was just like those burrows where the animals stayed sleeping until the ponies in charge of the animals to wake them up in the Winter Wrap Up for the beginning of spring,” replied Twilight Sparkle. “Spike, I need your help. Rainbow is very sad to have to stay alone in her winter turtle. Do you have any idea what I could do to make her feel better?”
Spike started to think of a solution. Let’s see... if Rainbow was crying while she was saying goodbye to Tank for him to hibernate, that could mean that she didn’t want to be alone in the winter, since Tank has been with Rainbow since she chose as a pet and has kept her company since that day. Perhaps, Rainbow could be happier with somepony to keep her company in the winter.
“Twilight, I have a solution for that.” began Spike with a smile.
Twilight Sparkle smiled. “Really? What’s the solution?”
“You could spend the winter with Rainbow. So, who knows, she might be happy with a company?” suggested Spike.
Twilight had to confess, Spike’s idea was a good one, but there was something that worried her. “But Spike, do you think you can be okay without me here? I mean, you’re just a baby dragon.”
“You don’t have to worry, Twilight. I’ll be fine.” Spike assured witha smile.
Twilight Sparkle was still unsure. “But, are you sure you can do without me this winter?”
“Of course I can, Twilight. Because I know we’ll see each other soon in the spring.” Spike embraced Twilight. Twilight was surprised, but soon smiled and returned the hug with a hoof.
As they left the embrace, Twilight said, “I’m going to go to my room to get my backpack, and then I’m going to the library to get books for me to read over at Rainbow Dash’s house.”
“Great! While you do this, I will continue to dust the room with the mop.”
Twilight started to move forward and went to the left side to go to her room, while Spike went to the right side to continue cleaning the castle.
Twilight opened her bedroom door, took her backpack, the papers that were from her astronomy studies and walked to the library. She already had in mind what books she was going to take to read. She was going to take astronomy books to continue her studies overnight at Rainbow’s house.
She opened a blue door and went inside. Inside the room, there was a large bookcase. Twilight flew over there and started looking for books that talked about astronomy. It didn’t take so long for her to find the books, it took about three minutes. Lucky that the astronomy books were side by side. She took the books, put them in her backpack and landed on the floor. Now, she would go to Rainbow’s house. Lucky she was an alicorn, because otherwise, she would have to rent a balloon so she could get to Rainbow’s house.
Rainbow was lying on her bed on the left side, still sad. Today was just the first day of winter, and she couldn’t stand to be without Tank to keep her company. Without Tank, she felt alone that winter.
“Tank, I miss you...” said Rainbow Dash. She started to remember all the moments they went through before winter came. Like when she was flying while singing and holding Tank and the sheets fell from the trees.
She was about to close her eyes and cry, but on hearing the knock on the door, Rainbow’s sadness changed to confusion. Who was knocking on the door? Could it be Spitfire wanting to talk to her about her attempt to prevent winter from coming? She opened the door with a hoof and to her surprise, it wasn’t Spitfire, but it was Twilight, who smiled. She was wearing the same cold clothes as before and she had a backpack. Rainbow was curious. Why did Twilight have a backpack?
“Hi, Twilight.” Rainbow greeted Twilight, despite being confused why her friend was here.
“Hi, Rainbow. I can enter?” Twilight asked. “I have to talk to you about something.”
“Of course you can.” Rainbow made room for Twilight to pass. After that, Rainbow closed the door and approached Twilight. They started to climb the stairs.
“So, Twilight,” Twilight looked at Rainbow, who approached her. “Do you have any reason to come here?”
“Yes, Rainbow. I have a reason to be here,” replied Twilight Sparkle as she went up the stairs. Rainbow followed, only she flew instead of walking on the stairs.
“Which is?” asked Rainbow Dash.
“Can we talk about this in your room, please?” Twilight Sparkle asked politely.
Rainbow didn’t understand why Twilight wanted to answer her question in the bedroom, but if that was going to make Twilight comfortable, she would respect it then. She wondered what Twilight wanted to talk to her about. Was it something recent that happened? Did a new edition of Daring Do launch and Twilight come to inform you? She was hoping it was the last option.
Rainbow landed on her bed and waited for Twilight. Twilight put her backpack in a corner and took off her winter clothes, before sitting on the bed.
“Twilight, now that we are in my room, you could answer why you came here,” said Rainbow Dash. “Did you come to inform me that you have a new edition of Daring Do?”
“No, Rainbow. That’s not why I came here,” replied Twilight Sparkle.
Rainbow looked a little upset by the answer. She crossed her hooves, not happy with the answer.
“Then why did you come here?” asked Rainbow Dash.
“Rainbow, do you remember what happened before you went home?” Twilight Sparkle started.
Rainbow’s bad mood changed to sadness and she stopped crossing her hooves. “Yes... I had to let Tank hibernate all winter...”
“As you said goodbye to him, I noticed that you were crying for having to say goodbye to Tank.” continued Twilight Sparkle.
“I wasn’t crying, Twilight. It was just a speck that got in my eye.” Rainbow Dash denied, now with pride on her face.
Twilight hugged Rainbow. “Oh, Rainbow Dash. You don’t have to hide your feelings from me,” she placed her hooves on Rainbow’s cheeks. “I know you’re sad because you and your turtle won’t be able to stay with you in the winter,” Twilight smiled. “But as a good friend, I have a solution to end your sadness.”
Rainbow Dash smiled a little. Did Twilight have a solution to her problem?
“What is your solution?” asked the blue pegasus, now curious.
“I noticed that you’re very sad now, because Tank couldn’t keep you company this winter. So I went to Spike to ask for help and explained what was going on,” she replied. “And do you know what his idea was?”
Rainbow started to think. But she had no idea what Spike’s idea was.
“No, Twilight. I don’t know,” replied Rainbow. “Which is?”
“Spike’s idea was for me to stay with you this winter,” replied Twilight Sparkle, still smiling.
Rainbow was surprised by the answer. Did Twilight intend to spend the winter with her? But would Twilight really spend the winter with her?
“And are you really going to spend this winter with me?” asked Rainbow Dash to be sure as she lifted a hoof.
“Of course I will, Rainbow. As Tank will have to hibernate in the winter, I can keep you company until the winter is over,” replied Twilight Sparkle.
Rainbow smiled with joy. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing from Twilight. Twilight would keep her company this winter! She wasn’t going to spend the winter alone, she decided to hug her. Twilight was surprised, she didn’t expect Rainbow to hug her.
“Thank you, Twilight. Thank you for being a good and great friend. And thank you also for wanting to spend the winter with me.” Rainbow thanked without leaving the hug.
Twilight Sparkle, smiling, returned the hug. “You’re welcome, Rainbow.”
As they hugged, Rainbow started to touch something. She was worried, but she didn’t come out of the hug.
“Twilight.” started Rainbow Dash.
Twilight, still in the embrace and smiling, asked, “yes?”
“If Tank is going to hibernate for the next winter, is it okay if you spend the next winter with me?” asked Rainbow Dash.
“Of course, Rainbow. I will always be willing to help and be with you in difficult times,” replied Twilight Sparkle.
Rainbow smiled at the answer she received. She was lucky to have Twilight as her friend. Now, she wouldn’t be spending the all winter alone, but she would have a company. It wasn’t Tank, but at least it was somepony that Rainbow could trust and that was her friend.
