The flight to Tender's home was not a long one. A painful, teeth-grinding, will-crushing tear hidden in the corner of your eye one, but not a long flight. Foresight had his eyes trained on my wings like he expected them to start belting an opera. Yet, for all his worry, I managed to stay airborne. We'd already drawn a few curious observers by the time we landed at the front gate.

Tender, for one, Bramble, and even the twins, the oldest of Tender's siblings, were waiting for us. I offered a limp wave. "Afternoon," I said between haggard breaths.

"I take it the meeting with the Princess went well?" Bramble said.

"It better have. Glace saved Bogwood," Crop said, folding her hooves with a nicker.

"Depends what you consider 'well.' I'm not a pile of ashes, so it could have gone much worse. Or could it?" I hummed. I could be on the moon right now, too, if Celestia could still use the Elements at this point. Hal's memories would indicate no, but better safe than sorry.

"Cadet Zero means yes, yes it did. Even if he did make it far harder on himself than necessary," Foresight offered.

"I did offer to tell everypony present. Even if I think in hindsight, Foresight would have regretted not having the foresight to reflect on hindsight." I said. Everypony present shared a puzzled look. Foresight was the only one to sport both bafflement and disappointment. Let him, that was clever, and they know it.

"What?" Tender Yield, the elder twin and due heir of Forage's bounty in all her glory. She and her fraternal twin, Tender Sow, were both moss green, with lighter green manes and tails. Their attentive brown eyes were identical to that of Tender Crop's and, for that matter, all of the Forage foals. A trait I'd been told in the past had been that way for over a century.

"I think he said Sir Foresight is dumb?" Tender Sow said. On the cusp of stallion, the colt slowed each word to a crawl as he tried not to notice Foresight's glare.

"Yes, yes, he did," Bramble agreed.

"So, long story short, I might have to go to Canterlot for a bit." I had expected a rebuttal or an argument. I had expected the whole Forage family to look on with disapproval. I had not expected to be pulled into a hug so hard I could feel my already battered bones cracking like twigs beneath a stampede of Muck Rats.

"Nope," Crop said. As far as she was concerned, that was that. I doubted Celestia would agree to those terms, however.

"Now, Crop, you can't go and decide a colt's fate," Bramble said, tutting her niece. I offered her a smile. "Until you go and make your herd official." My smile fell.

"But, Aunt Bramble, Glacial nearly died. He's in no shape to be paraded around like a prized pig. He needs time to heal up and not try to get himself killed."

"It was only the once," I said, still struggling in Crop's iron grip.

Bramble shook her head. "That isn't your choice to make. Little Zero's made quite the mess, and he'll need to clean it up."

"On that, we agree," Foresight said. Both adults gave me a knowing look. The kind a parent gives when their foal does something so dumb it's almost cute. The smug smirk and raised brow set my tail into an antsy fury.

Crop finally released me with a grumble. "It's not right."

"Oh, come on, Crop, it'll only be for a bit. Princess Celestia just wants me to learn how to use my magic without hurting somepony else or myself. I'm not super happy to be leaving, but at least it is for a good reason. Right?" I nudged Crop, who only grumbled louder.

"I think Glacial is lucky," Yield said. She offered a broad smile, eyes dazzling in only the way a filly who the illusion and allure of the big city have possessed. "He gets to see how the Princess lives, and he might even get to stay at the palace."

I leaned over and cupped a hoof over my mouth. "She knows about Hal. She's already made it clear she wants to know everything. Which, by the way, Azure is absolutely going to hold over my head until the day I die," I whispered.

Crop attempted to restrain a laugh—oh, did she try. The fact that she still snorted hard enough to alert everypony within a five-mile radius did not help or hide her consternation. It certainly drew the attention of Foresight and the rest of the Forage family.

"Crop, care to share?" Bramble asked. She leaned in and smirked at the now skittish Tender sibling. "Come now, you can tell your family, right?"

"No, no s, he cannot," I said. I stamped hard, nose held high, in outrage. "It would be a breach of our solemn trust. You, oh so, nosey cur." I pointed a hoof hard, the limb shaking as Bramble stared back in dejected surprise.

"A bit much, don't you think?" she asked.

"Nope."

"You two are so strange," Yield said, turning around. "We still have chores to do, so have fun in Canterlot, Zero."

"And good luck with the Princess," Sow said before following his sister.

"Thank you. It is always a pleasure, Sow, Yield." I waved goodbye, shaking my head the whole time. The Forage Herd were the only ponies I've ever met who called me Zero. A habit born from having every other pony in the family share the same first name. Tender, Tender, Tender, and more Tender.

"The others aren't going to like you going either. Hay, they're more likely to fight you on your trip to Canterlot than I ever could," Crop mused.

"That's because Bramble would tan your hide if you tried."

"You're darn right I would. It isn't any of our business what a free-range colt does with his time. Even more so if he is a local hero," Bramble said. Her smirk had evolved into a classic shit-eating grin. I suppose it took a local hero to know one. Even if, by all that is holy, I had no interest in such things.

"I still don't like it," Crop said before she turned and began her march back to her humble little farm to do humble marsh farm things.

"I think it'll do you some good even if the Princess is all but kidnapping you. Not that any of us can stop her, mind you. I'm sure whatever she has planned is for the best," Bramble said, watching her niece as she left.

Bramble was right; we couldn't, and it would probably do me some good. All it cost was Celestia, all but roasting me alive with nothing but a stray look. On that same note, Crop was right about the fact that the others wouldn't make it any easier.

"We really should move on, cadet. We are on a rather tight schedule." Foresight shared a tired look with Bramble. The conspiring sort of look only adults who think a foal was too stupid to read the room make. A universal constant, through all of time and space, some stallions and mares never learned. I may be a foal, but I can read just fine, thank you.

"You're right, and if I don't get to everypony, I'm liable to wish for another mudslide before incurring somepony's wrath."

"Aye, on that, we agree. Glider or Dossy might end me if I let slip you missed a chance to explain yourself."

"Well, it sounds like you both best be off," Bramble said. She flicked a wing back past the farm gates. "And Zero."

"Yes?"

"She'll miss you, I'm sure."

I scoffed. "I get it, I really do. We all deserve to be a little angry, a bit tired, and overwhelmingly done with this whole muddy mess."

"Yes, we do. Now, go find those other fillyfriends of yours."

I roll my eyes and turn back towards town. "I'll miss you too, Bramble."

So, as shakily as I could manage, I took wing once more. Foresight leisurely fell in beside me. He eyed me auspiciously. "Where to next?"

We still had Azure, Tally, Wayward, and the Night House. Bogwood was built out from the center in a spiral, segmented by the eight cardinal directions. The further you went from the center, the more spread out the homes and businesses became. The north, where the wetlands were, was the sparsest and the eastern streets the busiest, as they more closely settled on the roads that led to and from Baltimare. Even with this in mind, every single pony I needed to see was as far from one another as they could bother being. Azure was most likely at 'What Ails You,' which was closest to the town square and where Celestia was waiting.

Tally worked in the southwest, though the name of her workplace escaped me. Something to do with beans, I think, counting, audits? The thought alone left my brain groaning in protest. Math was dumb, and whoever came up with it was dumber.

Wayward worked with her father on weather, so she could be anywhere in town right now. However, the docks and the mudslide are where the lion's share of the weather ponies are right now unless Celestia shooed everypony away from the frozen mountain of mud beforehoof.

"Sarge?"

"Cadet?"

"Any idea where the weather ponies are? Wayward works with her sire a lot on the weather, which I'm sure means she's somewhere doing something productive right now," I asked. I flailed a hoof toward the mud mountain, which, even from the farthest edge of town, was unambiguous in just what a danger a hundred tons of mud and sludge could do should it, for any reason, become less frozen.

"If I had to guess, Shopping District or the docks. They got hit the worst, well, aside from, you know, the wetlands. Ms. Brew's shop is near the town square, right?" I nodded in affirmation. "And the smart filly?"

"Writ Tally," I offered. "She works on business audits, bits, and math."

"Right, we might want to see her first. At least we know where to look." Foresight tucked and wing and pivoted out from our course towards the town square and off west. "Toward the Scholar District, yeah?"

"That's right."

I glided lazily into position to Foresight's side. My wings creaked and ached with each subtle twitch, in every breeze, with every breath. I was one stray flap from falling out of the sky, which would prove my oh-so-caring sergeant right, which might be the only thing keeping me in the air. Pure immature, spite, let it not be said, Glacial Zero gave in to peer pressure."

Freya flew past, smiling all the while. "I have a feeling Tally might wallop you when you tell her what you're doing. That filly might be logical most of the time, but you seem to bring something far scarier out of her whenever you do something oh so 'Glacial' of you," Freya tittered.

I had to stagger my response, my wings nearly giving out as I shifted hard to glare at Freya. "Did you just use me as a verb?"

"And if I did?" Freya asked. She fluttered her lashes and pouted coyly.

"I will end you," I said, taking a half-hearted swing at my ghostly companion.

"You will try, Glacie, of that I have no doubt."

"You okay, Colt?"

I slowly turned back to Foresight, who was watching from the corner of his vision. "Yeah, just thinking out loud. Sorry."

Foresight dismissed my ramblings for the moment. "Right, well, we're coming up to the Scholar District; where does that filly of yours work?" He gestured to the buildings below us.

"Bean something. I've never actually been there before. I never needed to. I've never been in the Scholar District at all, really."

Foresight rolled his eyes and turned back to the streets below. "Beans, hm. Really wish I had the head for names now."

"Don't you patrol around here?" I asked.

Foresight jabbed a hoof to the street below. "The streets, yes, I don't do interior inspections, well, not often. Public property and buildings owned by the crown get a once-over every so often. The rest is left alone unless something goes wrong."

"That makes sense, I guess."

"I could always invade everypony's privacy if you want. Being a spirit gives me plenty of time to learn secrets and phase through walls," Freya said, waving a hand through my side. I had a feeling she just liked phasing through me in general. It wasn't like she was doing anything I hadn't already known she could do.

"Earth ponies memorize businesses and street names more often. Ya know, hoofing it and all. It's just common sense. You really should try it more often."

I nodded. "That's a fair point."

Tally smiled back. "Glad you agree."

"Right, so maybe we should…" I blinked and looked to Freya, who shifted and shimmered as she shared the exact space where another pony was now occupied. A certain bean counter, whose toothy grin could outshark a shark. A grin that grew wider as she noted I'd put two and two together. Which is math, and therefore, dumb that I did such a thing.

"Right, well, looks like we won't need to be hoofing anywhere. Apologies, Ms. Tally, but your lesson is officially no longer practical," Foresight said.

"True," Tally agreed. "Now, what brings our local hero to my side of town?"

I crossed my hooves as best I could in midair and pouted so hard I may have pulled a muscle. "Our Princess, actually," I said.

"Oh?"

"She's decided I am to accompany her back to Canterlot. I've been told to say my farewells lest I drown in regrets."

The silence was deafening and glorious. The abject confusion that fell away into an inconsolable anger that consumed Tally was my finest work yet. It almost made one forget the reason for such an announcement. Tally had a way of bringing out the bullheadiest parts of others. None had landed with such poignant severity in all the time I'd known her, in every debate, argument, teasing, and jest. In some ways, it was art, and in others, ghastly. It was as if the day's more mind-numbing topics faded into a more nostalgic routine.

I waited with bated breath, tail flicking in the wind as I idly glided over the rows of businesses and homesteads below. However, as all things are, the peace was fleeting, fragile, and shattered by the only one I knew who had no sense or appreciation for such mastery of our craft.

"You broke her," Freya yelled to the heavens between fits of laughter. She'd flipped onto her back and kicked out wildly as she held her stomach in revelry. While she was the ruination to my grandest victory, she was followed in kind, even if unknowingly.

"Dear Faust, Colt," Foresight said behind a hoof. He tried his best to hide his own amusement at Tally's flumixation.

"She did what?" Tally asked. Her tone was calm, icy, and static. It was little more than a whisper in the early winter breeze. Her face, however, wore the thunderous fury of the worst storms across the high seas. A fire burned in her eyes as Tally slowly roused herself from her stupor. I may have gone a tad far with my delivery.

"The Princess has decided I need a proper teacher for my cryomancy. So, she is taking me, against my own wishes, back to Canterlot. While I'm sure the studying part would be helpful, I'm unsure about the deeper reasoning behind her decision."

"What did you do?" Tally asked. She'd covered what little distance we had midair and was less than a muzzle's reach from ramming her skull into mine. "Besides the obvious."

I let out a sigh and pointed to a nearby cloud. "Might as well take a seat. My wings are going to give out any second."

"Exactly as I said they would," Foresight added. Both he and Freya had returned to reality. Foresight was chomping at the bit for that oh too-sweet 'I told you so.'

"Fine," Tally said.

No sooner had my rear been planted on the fluffy bouncy of a Bogwood standard issue, Stratocumulus. We rarely had anything else. The severity of the marsh's humidity and connection to a port line meant the more delicate cloud breeds just didn't stay solid long enough to get any use from. Some locals considered them too thick and gray to be anything but dour. I disagreed. Stratocumulus were perfect clouds to find the silver lining, dark enough not to fade to the sun's rays, leaving the light bending around rather than shining through the cloud cover.

"So, I'll start with the big reveal. I may have told her about a certain secret or at least some of it."

Tally's lips pulled into a tight line as she glared down at the roads below. "Which parts?" she asked.

"The part Azure wanted her to know."

Tally nodded, wrapping a hoof over her forehead. "That's what I thought. So she knows about—" Tally waved her unused hoof in a noncommittal circle at her temple.

I nodded. "The first one, yeah, she knows. Though I think she was going to have me trained and thus go with her regardless of the other thing."

"Agreed. Whatever the Princess was thinking was way bigger than a little colt and his dreams of the future," Freya said. She'd taken a spot between Tally and me and wrapped us both in a fragile hug.

"Much bigger." Tally agreed.

"Meaning I…" My thoughts ground to a complete halt. Tally shifted, an eye trailing if for only a split second, not to me, but to my side. The side where Freya still had my shoulder wrapped in her hoof. "... I'm sorry. What did you just say?"

Something danced behind Tally's eyes—a light that shimmered in silver. Then it vanished, and I watched as Tally turned to Freya. Not the look of one looking past Freya, not the look of one checking the horizon, lost to the thing right before them. No, this look was focused, clear, and precise. Regardless of my magic, pony, or wendigo, my blood ran deathly cold, a chill no amount of resistance could numb.

"How long?" Freya whispered.

"Tally?"

"Is something wrong, foals?" Foresight asked. One ear twitched as I was reminded he'd been here at all. Even if things were as they seemed, which was worrying enough, the fact that Foresight was here to witness it meant the vaguer, the better it was all kept. If I weren't already sore and tired, the headache that devoured my mind might be irksome.

"Of course not, sir," Tally said, jabbing me in the side.

"Yeah, sorry, just friendly secrets, that's all." I rubbed my side, eyeing Tally all the while.

"Right, the same kind you told the Princess, I'm sure," Foresight said. He offered a dismissive shrug. "Though, we'll need to go soon if we're going to visit the others in time."

"True, just a minute more, I promise."

Foresight scoffed, "Don't mind me, cadet. Do what you need to."

"You got lucky with that Sergeant of yours. Better he's a stallion, too," Tally said. She offered said Sergeant a smile, who returned it in kind.

"The colt is lucky he's got fillies like you to keep him out of trouble."

"Oh, and who exactly stopped me from nearly freezing myself solid yesterday?" I asked. Both Tally and Foresight stayed silent.

"I did, silly," Freya said, tutting me as she slipped around my side and bonked me on the head. "You are welcome, as it stands."

"Who?" Tally whispered. She spoke just loud enough that I could make out the words and soft enough that Foresight was left blissfully unaware.

"Tally, are you okay?" I asked, whispering back.

"Who is she?" Thus, the pen fell. I strained not to turn to Freya, who, for her part, had floated above me. I couldn't see her face, but I had a feeling she looked as confused as I felt. Tally took a long breath. Her eyes trailed from mine up. I was glad no one could hear my inner thoughts at this moment, as the unintelligible screech would leave most thinking I'd lost my mind.

"You can see me, can't you?" Freya asked. She'd taken a spot in front of me, eyes meeting Tally's own. The air shimmered, and the cool early winter air became frigid.

"Sort of."

"Sort of?" Freya and I parroted back.

"Ever since the time at Azure's when you told us about… the other one. I felt something that day, something cold. But yesterday, when you were brought to the shelter. I could see something no pony else did. A ghost."

"Tally, I know this isn't fair, but we're short on time. Celestia is waiting, and the others deserve a goodbye." I looked over my shoulder at Foresight, who was idly watching the ponies below.

"It isn't fair, no, but it isn't your fault."

"I'll stay for a bit," Freya said, patting me on the head.

"Really?"

Freya nodded and wrapped Tally in a surprised hug. "I told you she would be the difficult one from the start, didn't I?"

Tally flinched. "Are you sure?"

Freya pulled her closer. "I don't mind. It gets a little lonely only having silly little Glacie to talk to, anyways."

"Okay, well, I am clearly not wanted here. And Wayward could be anywhere right now. So, I'll leave you to it." I turned, swatting my tail in the fillies' direction.

"Ready colt?" Foresight asked, having heard my dismissive humph.

Freya and Tally shared a look and smiled back at me. "She's not in the Scholar District if that helps," Tally said. Tally's smile faltered. "And Glacial."

I turned back, ear flicking in the breeze. "Yeah, I know. I'll be careful. I promise."

"You better." Tally's words promised a very unpleasant time should I go and nearly die again. I rolled my eyes and jumped back over to Tally, pulling her into a hug.

"Be nice to Freya. She is such a needy filly."

That earned a choked snortle from Tally and a forlorn gasp from Freya.

"I'll see you later, Tally." With that, I jumped in the air, my wings in only a mild amount of agony. Foresight was already in the air. He eyed the town center in the distance. He was nearly lost in thought when I elbowed him back to reality. "Sir?"

"Nothing cadet. So, Wayward next, yes?"

I glanced back at Tally and Freya, who'd already started a quiet conversation. They'd need to find a more private place to talk if Tally didn't want to look like a madmare talking to the clouds.

"Let's try the Shopping District. Even if we don't find her, we'd be a stone's throw from the Night House," Foresight said, pointing to the aforementioned district's location.

"That sounds fine. We're a little short on time as is."

The flight, if you could call my pitiful gliding flight, was short. Every flight in Bogwood was a short one. Even designed in a spiral pattern, the whole town was compact. The wasting of what little solid land there was in the area was looked down upon. The farmers and merchants especially might flay someone who misused allotted land. The Shopping District was a flooded zone. I spent yesterday morning helping Storm and Billow. It didn't look much better today. The water damage was extensive. The forlorn dismay of several shopkeeps was palpable. Not every business survived the tides. The frozen wave of filth is a monument to just how wrathful free-range weather can be. The whole district was bustling with ponies, cleaning, building, and otherwise, trying to put the pieces back together.

"Everypony was lucky," Foresight said. He watched the crowd below with passive sympathy. "It could have been much worse. A lot of dead ponies." Foresight's gaze stopped on the landbound glacier to the north.

"A lot of dead ponies," I agreed. A lot of dead ponies, starting with me. Celestia had been right. If it had been me all by myself, I wouldn't be here to regret it. I'd been told several times since I'd woken up I was some kind of hero. Those accusations were baseless. It was not I who saved them. Freya did all the heavy lifting. She gambled with her deepest secret and won. Now that I had her magic mixed with my own, I could feel the change. The ice inside my veins, the chill given off from every pore. On some metaphysical level, I was a wendigo or at least part wendigo.

"We'll start a sweep west to east. Maybe we'll see somepony we know who may have seen Wayward. If not, we'll drop by the House first and then make our way towards the—" Foresight's thoughts were derailed by a sudden shout from below us. A shout from one Azure Brew, who looked as obnoxious as ever. "Or we could ask Ms. Brew."

"Or that," I agreed.

"Glace, down here," Azure shouted, waving her hooves frantically. I rolled my eyes, but seeing as my wings felt like they were on fire, I was in no position to ignore her. That and she deserved a goodbye, too.

The second I touched down, I was wrapped in the crushing hooves of my favorite unicorn. "So, how'd it go? Did Princess Celestia give you a medal? Is she going to throw the mudslide into the sun?"

"Well, no, and I have no idea if she can even do that," I answered sequentially. "Though there is some other news. But before that, have you seen Wayward?"

"Yep, she's by the stockhouses. Why?"

Foresight groaned. "This filly, I swear. One second, I'll go grab our wayward Wayward. Might as well get both at once." Foresight, with a single mighty flap, was airborne and, with a second, was over the rooftops.

"What's going on?" Azure asked. Also, your boss is super not funny. He really should leave jokes to the professionals."

"A lot, honestly, but I'll wait for Wayward. There is no sense in repeating myself halfway through. Let's just say Celestia had a few things to say about yesterday." I shrugged. "Also, yes, he is."

"Are you okay, Glace? You look like you're ready to drop," Azure said, shouldering up beside me and pressing hard enough to straighten my wobbly frame.

I shook my head. "Not too far from the truth."

"Glace!" And thusly, I was sandwiched between two fillies. Wayward hadn't given me the chance to even look in her direction before she'd already landed. Foresight trailed behind, blinking away his surprise at Wayward's sudden bout of supersonic speeds. It was something of her calling card. She was quiet and polite, kind and thoughtful. The type of filly who easily disappears in the crown. That was right until she had somewhere to be. Then she was a blur.

"Hey Wayward, glad you could join us," I wrapped a wing around the hugging filly. Which only had her snuggle in closer.

"Are you in trouble? Was the Princess mad?" Wayward asked.

That was an excellent question. An even better question was: what or who she was mad at? Even as I'd been crushed in her desolate heat, I had a feeling that not a single ray, an ounce of that scorching drought, was aimed at me directly. Princess Celestia's eyes had been etched into my mind. Eyes are a weight no pony should need to carry alone. Even with Hal's memories, I doubt Luna could or would come back any sooner than the prophecy predicted. Who, outside of maybe Discord, could pull her back from the void of space?

"Define mad," I said. That earned a firm slap to the back of my head. Azure glared at me as she assaulted me. Wayward only whimpered from under my wing.

"Glace."

"Okay, sorry, no, I don't think she was mad…at me."

"Which means?"

I took a deep, longing breath. Here it was, the long-awaited smugness that would no doubt drown all creation in the satisfaction of one filly and her right to hindsight.

"I told her about, you know who."

"..." silence. Wayward had pulled herself out from under my wing, a tiny pout on her lip as she peered past me to Azure. Who, for her part, stood stock still. You could almost make out the smoke billowing from her ears if one looked hard enough. Then, it came. The smile is wide enough to consume all creations. The jittery jubilation as she bounced from hoof to hoof. The eyes glittering with victory. All pieces are part of the creation of the perfect smug, the ultimate self-satisfaction. It was all over. I'd created a monster.

"I knew it! I told you to tell her; I told you!" Azure devolved into giggles as she pointed at me. I could do nothing but let Azure have her moment. She got what she wanted, even if I'd rather not have had to tell Celestia at all.

"'Yes, you did, and I still think it was a mistake. One I had little choice in, but one I would have rather not have to tell anypony else."

I trusted Azure, Wayward, Tender, Tally, and, of course, Father. Celestia was a different matter. I had no words to describe the aura that she wore, like armor. The more I thought about it, the more I came to a wholly different decision. But that would have to wait.

When Azure finally settled down, I offered her a stern pat on the back. "Feel better?"

Azure nodded happily. "Never better. Maybe next time, you'll listen when I give you advice. You silly colt."

"What did the Princess say?" Wayward asked.

"That I should have died, that something was off, even when I told her about you know who, she seemed skeptical at best. Oh, and I'd be returning to Canterlot with her."

If Tender had been annoyed and Tally had been fuming, the combined fury of the two fillies beside me would rival even Celestia's wrath. Azure's smile fell hard into a disgusted sneer. Her whole body shook as her horn danced with lavender sparks. Wayward was not much better. However, her reaction was far less dramatic. Her eyes had taken on a steely glint as she puffed up her wings. The type of reaction a pegasus only gets when a fight is brewing.

"I'm sorry, Glacial, I think I misheard you. The Princess said she was doing what?" Wayward asked. Her voice had become a monotone. I'd never heard from her ever. It was enough to send a fright up my back. I felt small, between Azure and Wayward, an ant before a tiger, a drowned scream in a flood. I felt sick.

"The Princess has made her decision. One, even if we disagree with it, is not up to us to rebuke," Foresight said from his place nearby. He'd been eerily quiet since he'd found Wayward. His gaze lingered on each filly for a mere second before he cast it to the sky.

"He's right. I need the help with my magic, with you know who, and if anypony can make sense of it."

"It'd be the Princess," Azure finished. She let out a belated groan. "I don't like it."

"You sound like Tender," I said. I scooted out from between the displeased fillies, who did not attempt to stop me. That was a minor miracle, with the way Wayward was watching me.

"I doubt any of us are happy about it," Wayward said. The edge in her voice was subtle, a sharpness that defied conventional means. One that needed no whetstone to slice free.

"No, not really," I agreed.

"What if you were right?" Azure asked.

My brow furrowed. A thousand what-ifs played out in my head, but Azure's question still struck me dumb. "About?"

"What if she gets angry about what you told her? What If I jinxed it? You didn't do anything wrong."

I rolled my eyes. "Even if you did…" I reached out and pulled the downcast filly into another hug. Her rose eyes edged with unshed tears. "... I'll, no, not I. We'll figure it out, all of us. Right, Wayward?" I turned to my fellow pegasus, who'd all but given up the serious mad schtick. No, Wayward, the mad was gone, replaced with a filly whose own unshed tears were not of her own worry but of another's. So, orange joined purple and blue in a trinity of three silly foals hugging away all their problems, as only foals could.

"It'll be okay; Glacial stopped a mudslide; he can stop a princess from turning him to charcoal," Wayward said, a cynical wit hidden between innocent green eyes. She thought no pony could see it, but I did. Well, if it was there at all. I might have imagined it.

"He'll be fine. No reason to worry, young ladies," Foresight said. He wore a tired smile, eyes flickering with amusement as the three of us foals turned to him. "Unfortunately, we do need to get moving. We're running low on time as it stands, and we have one more place to be before the Princess whisks a poor colt away to her castle in the sky."

"He's right. Time stops for no pony."

I pulled myself from their impromptu cuddle session and flapped my wings idly. They were still sore, and even my feathers felt drained and heavy. It was taking more than I'd have liked to admit just to stay standing.

"Do you know when you'll be back?" Wayward asked.

"Not a clue when Princess Celestia thinks I'm no longer in danger of freezing half of Equestria, probably. Weeks, months, too long, really." It hurt, admitting to just how easily I was ripped away from my life in Bogwood. Weeks it took weeks for me to uproot everything I knew. I might have been impressed if it weren't so frustrating. I never wanted any of this.

"Who knows? If you can freeze a sludge wave while under pressure, I bet learning the simple stuff will be easy. I give it a few weeks, a month at most." My dear sergeant had sidled up and patted me on the head.

"Thanks, Sarge," I said through gritted teeth. "Way to raise the bar."

"Always, cadet, the bar never stops rising higher."

"Right, well, we better get going, or Night Glider and Dossy might end me before I even leave Bogwood," I said. Foresight snorted and took to the air.

"You better come back," Azure pointed a hoof to me with a hiss.

"Why is every mare I know crazy?" I took flight before Azure could tackle and throttle me to the ground.

Thus, that made four, with the girls dealt with, I at least wouldn't be leaving anypony plotting my murder while I was away. The longer I thought about Celestia and her potential plans, the less my own achievements or cryomancy seemed to matter. If anything, they felt more like an excuse. I was in checkmate before we'd ever even met.

"How long do you really think I'll be gone?" I asked Foresight as I fell into a glide beside him. He'd yet to pull me onto his back like he'd promised earlier. An empty threat or reverse psychology. Sargeant Foresight was capable of either flavor, depending on his coffee levels.

"Truth being Glacial, longer than you'd hope. If it were less than a year, I'd be floored. But training aside, whatever you told the Princess when we stepped out clearly swayed her one way or another. I pray to Luna you didn't overplay your hoof."

"So do I, Sarge."

Another minute of flight later, a thought crossed my mind: "Sarge, will anypony be at the Night House right now? Shouldn't everypony be out helping with the clean-up?" I could see maybe one guard staying behind in case something came up or somepony dropped by, but that would not solve the whole goodbye thing.

"Normally, yes, that would be the case; however, while you and Princess Celestia were sharing secrets, I may have found Distant Point and told her to have everypony return to base at their earliest convenience. So, most should have returned by now if I had to wager."

"Huh." The Sargeant living up to his name, in more cosmic irony than I cared to contemplate. With Hal's memories, the whole naming convention of ponies and their somehow almost universal relation to their special talent had been something I'd noted more than once. One I've had to repress once or twice lest I go insane.

"Speaking of, The Night House is in sight. I hope you've got your farewell speech planned. I have a feeling our fellow Night Guard aren't going to be too pleased."

I scoffed. "Has anypony been happy about my trip to Canterlot?"

Foresight hummed, tapping his chin. "Bright Whimsey, maybe?"

"Touché."

By the time we landed in front of the oh-so-benign block of stone the Night Guard had called home, I was left just the faintest bit nervous. The collective strain of the day was catching up to my too-young-for-this-nonsense body, and I could really have gone for a nap or two. One thing became very apparent the second I landed. There was no way I'd be getting airborne again today. My wings felt dipped in tar, and my vision was flecked with dots.

"Look sharp, cadet."

With the grace of an angry yak, Foresight threw open the Night House's front door. I never even saw it coming. One instant, I stood beside the Sargeant; the next, I was in the House proper, staring into the less-than-thrilled eyes of one Private Levvy.

"There you are, you little troublemaker. We were beginning to think you and Foresight had gotten eaten by Border Toads. A right shame that would have been."

"Morning, Private, I take it everypony is present?" Foresight said without missing a beat. He smirked and plodded his way into the office.

"Aye, sir."

"Alright, Colt, you've got some explainin' to do. Distant Point said you went and had some private words with Her Majesty. Sounds like a certain colt is in for right trouble."

"Probably," I said, patting one of Levvy's hooves. As such, I was carried by said Levvy into the main office, where the others had supposedly gathered.

"Here comes the little hero now," Night Glider said from somewhere in the room. I could only twist myself so far in Levvy's grip. "Or, would he be the local menace now? Off to the mines are ya, little colt?"

"Probably."

Levvy dropped me to the floor like I was a sack of grain. My poor, sore bottom did not appreciate her brand of tenderness, love, and care. As Levvy had attested, the room was packed. Distant and Dossy were at their desks, not for long, I'm sure, and Night Glider was leaning over Distant's desk tiredly. Wings limp, eyes barely open, and coat and mane bedraggled. That could be given to every guard present. There was little time for self-care when your town was beaten, battered, and wetter than usual.

"Poor colt looks ready to drop," Distant said. She gave a limp wave and continued to do as little as her seated form could.

"You don't look much better," Glider said.

"Tough morning?" I asked.

"Could be better," Dossy said. As usual, she had a stack of papers three hooves high on her desk. The only thing of note was the three separate mugs drained dry beside her. It was a strange thing, in fact. Unlike in Hal's world, coffee wasn't so readily available or as convenient to make; the whole thing was hoof-ground. Foresight had literal bags of beans stuffed in the corner of his tiny office.

Coffee was also primarily a Noble class of luxury. Well, aside from Thestrals. Since it was thestrals, who grew the beans. It was Dam who introduced it to Father, one of the many things he still held on to with her gone. However, in the case of ponies like Foresight, it was an addiction, and sometimes a necessary one, for thestrals who have to be up during the day more than they'd prefer. As far as I was aware, until this morning, Dopssy was not one of those thestrals.

"Well, cadet, don't keep the ladies waiting out with it," Foresight said.

"I met with Celestia and chatted about my frozen art piece. One or two of you may have noticed up north. Then, well, as Distant apparently told you. I had another private conversation about things the Princess was less happy about but more intrigued by. Now, I'm being absconded by said Princess and will be going to Canterlot for a while."

I stopped and gave a big, fake smile. The mares in the room stared back in uniform silence. A trick of the trade I'd yet to learn. Then, a hoof descended atop my head.

"Say again, Colt," Levvy said from behind me.

"I'm off to the big city, ma'am," I said with a salute.

"What in the name of Luna did you tell Princess Celestia that has her taking you back to the capital with her?" Dossy said. She'd stood and looked stuck between horror and revilement.

"I could tell you, but then you might get abducted too."

"Colt!" Private First Class Clean Dossier hissed. Not like a pony may hiss in anger or offense. No, this was far more primal, the hiss of a bat coming down on its prey. The type one dreads hearing in the dead of night.

"I'm serious. I could tell you, nopony has told me I can't. Others know, but if I tell you. I can't promise you'll like what I have to say. That and the fact that we're on a deadline means it would be the abridged version. So, if you want to know, now is the time."

The Night House had a right, should they choose, to know. The Thestral populace had a right to know that Luna was still out there, trapped in the clutches of a parasite. That her banishment was not eternal. The issue was never 'IF' I would tell them, only when.

"Best leave it then, you can tell us when you aren't being marched to the gallows," Night Glider said. The rest of the room remained silent. Thoughts were being had, but as it seemed most of the time, everypony defaulted to their senior. Even Foresight did not attempt to pry my secrets free. Though with him being there for the meeting with Celestia, he'd be the one least likely to demand answers.

"That's probably for the best. Secrets rushed are never as impressive," Dossy said.

"How long will ya be gone?" Distant asked. The poor mare could barely keep her eyes open. She'd propped her head on a hoof and was struggling just to keep the hoof upright.

"Celestia wants to have me trained on how to use Cryomancy so I don't hurt myself or others. So, a while. I'll be back, though, eventually."

"Eventually, he says," Levvy said, bopping me on the head once more.

"If it keeps you from looking like you did yesterday, then I'm all for it. You really were on death's door, Colt. A sight no mare wants to see." Night Glider would have looked righteous if she wasn't as tired as Distant Point.

"Not a sight any pony wants to see, I'll have you know," Foresight added.

"Wait!" Night Glider shot up from her slump on Distant Point's desk.

"Corporal?" Foresight asked.

"The letter."

"The letter?"

Night Glider nodded. "For the colt, he got a 'Letter.'"

My thoughts came to a screeching halt. A letter, for me, could only be from one pony. It hadn't been that long. Days. I'd have expected weeks prior to now. Yet, if there was a letter, it meant somepony rush delivered it.

"Dam." I hadn't realized I'd started crying. There were no sobs, just tears, silent and calm. Nopony said anything. Instead, Night Glider made her way to her own desk and, within seconds, retrieved a simple, folded piece of paper. One she jogged across the room and placed gently in my hooves.

"I didn't read it, not for my eyes. But I'm glad. I'm glad Belfry got it to you today before you left. I hadn't expected a response this quickly. Luna blessed the courier and you on this day."

Without thinking, I unfolded the paper and let Dam's words speak for themselves.

"Dear Glacial,

You surprised me, though you are my son. That means you're smart enough to find all those silly things adults hide from foals. I won't deny I cried when I read your letter, which surprised every pony and everyone else too. Your father has sent a few letters, that's true. He's told me a lot of things, but not about your cutie mark. You'll need to tell me all about it in your following letter. I can't brag to everypony else if I don't even know how you got it. I'm sure there are more than a few bats up here, who'd love to blow some of this blasted snow to Manehattan and back. Night Glider mentioned you in her last letter. I'm happy the Night Guard has taken you in. They're a good bunch, a little odd, but hearts in the right places. Someday, my little colt, we'll see each other again. You, me, your father. We'll be a family again. I may not have done anything wrong, but you don't need to for someone else to be afraid. I can't tell you how happy your letter made me, how much it means to me. I can't wait for your following letter. I'm sure you'll have all sorts of stories to tell me. Until you can tell me to my face, we can sit side by side and talk late into the dawn. I'll be counting down the days until the next courier. I'm so proud of you, and no matter what any of those foals some call Nobles say, that will never change.

Love,
Mom."

"Love you too, Mom."

I don't recall folding the letter back up or the kind whispers of the others in the room. I don't recall Foresight lifting me onto his back or leaving the Night House. But I do recall the landing. I recall Celestia and her unbearable heat. Next stop, Canterlot.

Author's Note

So, here begins ACT 1 proper. For the brevity of the reader, the story follows, for the most part, a three-act structure, as much as I love the stories that inspired me to write this one. I am not nearly as adept at slice-of-life as they are. Seriously, “Life Finds a Way” Could theoretically go on forever.

I have also noted this as a recurring comment, so I wish to address it. The name of the story, “Frozen Through the Ages,” is not used without intent; however, I fear some may be taking its purpose a bit too literally. It does hold meaning, but it might not be quite what you think it is. I just wanted to curb this quandary before it somehow confuses or upsets readers.

That said, I want to thank you for joining me on this journey so far and wish each and every one of you a Happy Holiday and a fantastic New Year.