It was now the winter season in Equestria in early December. Pegasi all around the kingdom set out the snow clouds over the towns and cities, where the first snowfall of the season began. The weather got colder, snowflakes hoof crafted at the Weather Factory in Cloudsdale were starting to fall, and all the colts and fillies would eventually have a couple weeks off to have fun in the snow when the ground was covered in a sheet of white a few inches high. However, not everyone enjoyed winter all that much, whether from the lower temperatures or the slippery ice left behind on the roads as ponies walked along without watching where they stepped.

Inside the castle, Emerald miserably looked out her window, watching the snow fall outside. Ever since she was able to talk and understand what her parents said, it pained her to know that she was unable to go outside when it was winter. Her daddy told her she was just like her mommy, her Changeling blood making her prone to getting very cold whenever they were out in freezing temperatures. That was one reason why she wasn't allowed to go to school today, nor could she for the next couple months until Winter Wrap-Up came. But it didn't help Emerald, her young mind curious to know what snow felt like and wishing to play around in the white fluff that slowly blanketed the ground outside.

The filly let out a heavy sigh, pressing her cheek against the glass pane, whining miserably. "I wanna go outside...I wanna go to school...But I can't." Emerald grumbled and moved away from her window, trudging up to her dollhouse and flopping onto her belly. She levitated a couple of her dolls, unable to make up a scenario for the two toys due to her growing boredom. "Mrph! Stupid winter."

"I know. I hate it, too." Emerald looked up to her door, seeing her mother standing under the opened doorway. It was about a half hour until Emerald was supposed to go to school, Trill's mane a frazzled mess, looking tired as she had just woken up a few minutes ago. "I woke up cause I lost my heating snuggle pillow."

"Did you drop it, mommy?" Emerald asked.

"I was talking about your father," Trill said with a lighthearted chuckle. "I guess he went down to your school to get you whatever fun assignments you need to do for the next couple months."

"Oh." Emerald put her dolls down in her dollhouse and approached her mother. "I'm already bored."

"Same here, Em." Trill's stomach began growling, then Emerald's growled as well. "Well, guess that means it's breakfast time. Let's see if the chefs are in the mood to cook up."

"Can we have chocolate chip pancakes?" the filly begged, licking her lips as she craved her favorite breakfast to eat.

"Anything with chocolate in it makes everything else taste better." Trill lowered her head down to her daughter and whispered in her ear. "Let's have ourselves a big stack and keep it a secret from daddy."

Emerald giggled and nodded her head, moving her hoof across her lips as she swore to not tell. Both mother and daughter made their way to the dining hall, asking the chefs to make them tall stacks of chocolate chip pancakes for the two of them. As they waited in anticipation, Solaris walked into the room, finding his wife and daughter already at the table for breakfast.

"Hey, girls," he greeted, surprising them as they fidgeted nervously in their seats. "Sorry if I woke you, hon. I had to go down to the school and get Emmy's schoolwork for the winter. I know you hate waking up not as warm as the room without my body heat within hooves reach of you." Solaris gave Trill a small kiss, lighting up her horn slightly from the love she consumed from it. He sat down next to his wife, wondering what the girls had picked out to eat for breakfast. "So, what are we having girls?"

"For Her Highnesses," one of the chefs announced, levitating two plates stacked flapjacks with melted, gooey chocolate chips inside. Emerald's was about as tall as her, already cut into slices for her so she didn't accidentally hurt herself with a knife, while Trill's was about a foot high. Solaris gave a blank stare, receiving his obvious answer to his question. As the unicorn levitated a small pitcher of warm maple syrup for their chocolaty flapjacks, he turned to the prince. "Anything you prefer, Prince Solaris?"

Solaris slowly looked at Trill, then at Emerald, both of them giving him sheepish grins. "...Alright. Who's idea was it to have that many pancakes? For the both of you?"

"Mommy said I could have some!" Emerald said first, pointing a hoof at the mare.

"Hey, I asked you what you wanted!" Trill countered. "Solly, she practically begged me and she began whining."

"No I didn't! And you said we could have big stacks if we don't tell daddy!" The filly gasped and covered her mouth, already breaking her promise.

Trill's eye twitched, turning her head to Solaris. He raised a brow at her, shaking his head in amusement as she stammered a little.

"What am I going to do with you two?" he asked, letting out a light chuckle. He turned to the chef to give him his desired breakfast for the day. "Sunny side up eggs, shredded hash browns, and a couple slices of toast. Unlike my chocolate addicted wife and daughter, I'd prefer something a little healthier."

The stallion bowed and returned to the kitchen. Solaris brought his attention back to his family, tapping his hooves together patiently with a small grin. Trill and Emerald didn't know what to do as his eyes calmly shifted to them.

"...Umm...does this mean we can't eat our pancakes?" Emerald asked.

"Well, you did ask for them. I'd suggest eating them before they get cold," he said.

"Yay! Pancakes!" The filly levitated the pitcher of syrup and poured a decent amount on her pancakes.

"However," Solaris quickly said, interrupting Emerald from sticking a couple slices with her fork. "For the rest of the week, you are going to eat something healthy for breakfast with a stack that big." She whined, knowing there had to be some catch as she unenthusiastically took a bite of her breakfast. The alicorn then brought his attention to Trill. "Same for you, dear. Something else other than chocolate. For a month."

"Oh, sure. Play favorites," Trill playfully scoffed. "Our daughter gets a week off of her favorite breakfast and I get a month of no chocolate. Admit it; you love Emerald more than your own wife."

"I love the both of you equally. There's no favoritism being played in this family." Solaris leaned over and gave Trill a soft, passionate kiss on the lips, her horn glowing as she so desperately wanted to taste more of his love. While she was distracted, he looked at Emerald and gave her a wink, making the filly giggle with her mouth full of syrupy soft pancakes. He pulled away, watching his beloved sensually lick her lips at the morning dosage of love she craved before he left. "Now, you eat your breakfast. Because after you're done, I'm making sure you're not hiding any chocolate from me so you can sneak any behind my back."

"Fine, 'Your Highness'," Trill obeyed, using her magic to levitated a knife and begin slicing her stack of flapjacks. "I shall obey your every command like the good little mare that I am."

"And you're going to end up ignoring me in a few seconds," the alicorn said.

"What?" Trill asked, looking at Solaris as she poured some syrup over her breakfast.

"Exactly my point." The mare stuck her tongue out at him teasingly before diving into her pancakes like Emerald, though the filly took her time and savored them.

Solaris silently watched his wife and daughter eat until his breakfast arrived a moment later. He was going to make sure they don't pull off another sneaky, unhealthy breakfast choice again, keeping a very close eye on Trill especially so she doesn't let Emerald inherit too much of her rebellious nature. The large dining room was relatively quiet aside from the light clattering of silverware tapping against the dishes. Emerald had nearly finished up her food, only a couple pancakes left from her big breakfast she and her mother decided to have. Her belly was already getting full, but after she finished, she was going to go back to being bored, which will always continue until the end of winter.

As she took a sip of her apple juice, freshly squeezed apples from Sweet Apple Acres, Emerald looked out the windows behind her parents. She watched the snow fall, wishing she could go outside and play around. But because of the cold, she couldn't, and she hated it. Melody would be able to play outside after school, and so would Virtuo, making snow ponies, have snowball fights, or jump around and hear the crunch of the snow under their hooves. Not only could she go outside because of the cold, but she could also get very sick due to the weather if the castle wasn't properly kept at a suitable temperature for her and Trill.

She placed her cup down on the table, sighing in boredom already. "Daddy?" Solaris looked up, wiping his lips with a napkin. "I wanna go outside."

"...Emmy, you know you can't," Solaris said. "I know it can be a bit boring sitting around in the castle for three months, but we don't want you to get sick."

"I know..." Emerald pouted and lowered her head on the table, poking her remaining flapjacks with her fork.

"Em, I feel your pain, honey," Trill said. "I get just as bored as you do during this time."

"And yet you find a way to pass the time by napping all day," Solaris muttered.

"Well, it's either that or 'wrestling' when you have any free time." Trill's comment made the stallion nearly choke on his drink, smirking slyly as he got flustered. "Or in the middle of the night when we're asleep. You don't want to admit it, hon, but you do get a little grabby sometimes."

"Ok, topic change!" Solaris quickly said as Trill giggled, only to yelp as he gave her a light tug of her tail with his magic. She gave him a playful leer, feeling in the mood to "wrestle" after that little act to get her to stop talking. "Anyway, umm...your mother is right. She does get a little bored staying cooped up in the castle. And if she ever wanted to go outside, or visit Uncle Shining, Aunt Cadence, and Flurry in the Crystal Empire, she bundles up in four layers of warm clothing."

"Six if there's a blizzard," Trill added as she took another bite of her food.

"Can't I do that?" Emerald asked, her ears perking up a little at the idea.

"I don't think you would be able to move around that much." She groaned as her ears drooped back down. "I know, sweetheart. I want you to at least try to play in the snow one day, but not right now. I've been trying find some way for you and other changelings to be able to wander around outside during the winter, but with my duties, taking care of you two, and all these events I have to plan for next year's holidays or banquets, I barely have time to research anything on it at the moment."

"Please don't make me another guinea pig for any magic experiments," Trill pleaded. "Remember when you were so eager to have a foal, and Emerald happened to be that foal? After blasting me with that last spell to make me act like a wild animal, I practically dehydrated you."

Solaris chuckled nervously, never forgetting that slightly horrifying experience. "R-Right..."

"Daddy turned you into a guinea pig, mommy?" Emerald asked curiously.

"No. I mean I was a test dummy," Trill answered. "Though I wished he turned me into a guinea pig. Would have been a little better than almost draining every single liter of body fluids out of him."

"Ok, don't explain everything in euphemisms around Emmy," Solaris begged. "When she gets old enough to understand what you're saying, she's going to end up using both the subtle and not so subtle descriptions of your meanings."

"Then brace yourself for when the teenage years come," Trill said, giving the alicorn a light boop on the nose with her hoof. "That's when the real trouble will begin."

"Don't remind me..." Solaris looked back at Emerald, who was back to being heavily bored, tuning out their conversation about how she was conceived. He didn't want her to be bored all winter, wanting to spend as much time with her as he could. "Well, today, I don't have anything planned that requires my attendance. After we finish eating, we can get started on some of your schoolwork. I think Mrs. Smiley packed in a lot of fun learning activities we can both enjoy to pass the time."

"I guess," Emerald said, perking up a little at the idea of learning new things.

"And, I also met with Virtuo and Melody's parents at the school as well," the alicorn added. "I told Melody's mother that you won't be in school for the season and asked if she would allow your friend to come over to the castle to play when school's out for the day during the winter."

"Can they!?" the filly asked excitedly, her mood already shifting around. Solaris nodded, Emerald cheering happily as she fluttered her wings, flying to him and tackling him into a hug. "Thank you, daddy!"

"You're welcome, sweetie." He hugged Emerald back, feeling her nuzzle him as she squirmed happily. "I knew it was going to be really boring for you with no school, so I figured this would help sate that boredom. Now, finish eating and we'll get started on your assignments."

"Ugh. Learning stuff is so boring," Trill moaned, already bored hearing about learning anything school related.

"It is not," Solaris and Emerald said simultaneously.

Trill sighed in annoyance as her husband and daughter giggled saying the same thing. "I don't even see why learning is considered fun for you two."

After breakfast, Solaris and Emerald headed back up to the young princess's bedroom to begin her first school lesson for her "winter break". Even though it wasn't going to be any fun like it was at school with Melody, at least she wouldn't have to deal with Gold Plate and Platinum Band constantly teasing her. Sadly, Melody was going to take the brunt of their bullying for the next few months, but she'll make it up to her after school.

Solaris pushed a wheeled blackboard in his daughter's room, along with the lesson plan Mrs. Smiley had given him. It would be a fun experience playing as a teacher to Emerald, seeing as he and Trill have already taught her a few things to remember in life. Though the potty training was a bit of a problem when she was old enough to stop using diapers, everything else seemed to go a bit smoother. For this week, they were continuing practicing how to write the alphabet and spelling their names. He wrote down the letters, both in uppercase and lowercase, though while his back was turned, Emerald was busy setting up her classroom, placing some of her toys and dolls in rows and columns, sitting in the front row as she waited for her daddy to start class.

"Ok. There's the alphabet, she has to write them and her name a couple times every day, and next week will be numbers. Sounds simple." He turned around, noticing the class of Emerald and her toys sitting and waiting for him. He was a little caught off guard at his daughter making it seem like a real classroom, shaking his head with a lighthearted chuckle. "Well, I thought it was just going to be us, but now I've got a whole class to teach."

"We're all ready to learn, daddy!" Emerald said, smiling innocently.

"I see." He lowered the chalk down and faced the "class", clearing his throat as he acted as the teacher to make this more fun. "Good morning, class. Today, we're going to be learning about the alphabet, or our ABCs. Can anypony recite them without looking at the board?"

"Ooh! I do!" Emerald called out, waving a hoof erratically. "Pick me! Pick me!"

"Hmmm..." Solaris looked around, purposely ignoring Emerald as she began bouncing in place while trying to get his attention. He raised a hoof, lazily waving it around as he pointed at the toys and Emerald. "How about-" He pointed at Emerald's favorite stuffed teddy bear sitting beside her. "-you?"

"Aww!" Emerald whined, lowering her hooves and pouted.

After waiting for the toy, pretending to hear it recite the alphabet, he spoke up. "Wow. Very good. All the way from "A" to "Z"."

"Teddy only made it up to "R", daddy," Emerald corrected.

"...Oh. Well, more than half," Solaris corrected himself, going by his daughter's pretend logic. "That's still very good. But, if you think you know it all, Emmy, can you write all the letters?"

"Yes!" she exclaimed.

"Then let's see if the smartest of her classmates can do it." He levitated a piece of paper and a pencil down in front of Emerald, placing her paper on a hard cover book so her writing wasn't ruined by the carpet. "I'm going to check on mommy and make sure she doesn't sleep past noon. Again. Call me when you're done."

"Ok, daddy!" Emerald began getting to work, sticking out her tongue in concentration as she used her magic to levitate her pencil and slowly write out the letters perfectly.

Solaris left his daughter's room and walked across the hall to his and Trill's. Just as he expected upon opening the door, Trill was on the bed, her face buried in a pillow. The alicorn sighed in exhaustion and approached their bed, sitting beside his lazy wife.

"Hon, get up," he said, poking her side. "You're not going to be sleeping in every single day this season."

Trill groaned, bopping his nose with her hoof. "Snooze button. Stop not working."

"You know, you can do something with Emmy during the winter now." She continued poking his muzzle, trying to get him to stop talking. He gave her a blank stare, grabbed her hoof, then placed it back down on the bed. "Please stop doing that. I'm not an alarm clock."

"You sound like one." She rolled over onto her side, only for Solaris to grab her and flip her around to face him.

"Trill, I know you're always bored around this time, but you can always do something with Emerald," Solaris said. "I may not have anything to do today, but eventually, I'm going to have a busy day with my royal duties as a prince. She's going to need someone to give her lessons for school, and it'll give you something to do besides laying in bed until the middle of the afternoon."

"But that's so boring," Trill whined.

"You're not going to be doing the assignments," Solaris corrected. "All you have to do is follow the lesson plan Mrs. Smiley gave us and help Emerald if she has any trouble. Besides, she's in preschool. It's not like she's learning advanced scientific equations for chemistry...at least until she's in high school if she does take a course like that." Trill grumbled, pouting in irritation. "Don't give me that look. You and her could do with a bit of mommy and me time when most of her infancy was spent clinging to me."

"...I guess..." She sighed and sat up, brushing away some of her mane drooping over her face. "Ever since she was born, she always wanted you to hold her, feed her, change her, play with her..."

Her ears drooped, upsetting herself when she realized she didn't spend as much time with their daughter as Solaris had. When Emerald was a baby, she always wanted Solaris to hold her, flying out of her sight to find him, and always wanting to play with him even when she tried to keep her entertained. Even though she did her share of taking care of her daughter, the only attention she needed was from the alicorn and she gets fussy when he wasn't around. Seeing tears begin welling up in her eyes, Solaris wrapped his hooves around her in a comforting embrace, knowing she was already feeling like a terrible mother when that wasn't true.

"Trill, don't think Emmy doesn't love you. I know she was a bit clingy when she was a baby, but don't think that you feel like a bad mom just because she always wants my attention." She buried her face against his shoulder, feeling him nuzzle her neck. "You're a wonderful mother. And I think the best time for you two to get some bonding together is right now, during the winter. You two are going to be cooped up in the castle until Winter Wrap-Up, and when her friends are still in school and I'm in the middle of a diplomatic meeting, you two can pass the time together since she can't go outside in the snow to play. And I know you hate school stuff, but Emmy's a smart filly.

"In fact, I think she'll be done with writing her letters right about..." Solaris waited a few seconds before he gently turned Trill's head to their opened door, looking at Emerald's bedroom door across the hall. "...now."

Right on cue, Emerald came out with her paper in her aura with a grin as she walked into her parents' room. "I'm done, daddy!"

"Ok, sweetheart," Solaris said, leaning her head close to Trill, giving her a peck on the cheek. "Called it." The filly skipped up to their bed as her daddy gently took her work out of her telekinetic grasp for them to see. Though her writing was a bit sloppy since she was still learning, she did manage to write out the whole alphabet, both capital and lowercase letters in the right order. "Wow. Very good, Emmy. Of course, we wouldn't expect any less from the smartest filly in her class." Emerald giggled, beaming proudly at the praise. "Now, next we're going to see if you can spell your name."

"Yay!" Emerald cheered, bouncing up and down on the bed. She leapt into her parents, wrapping her hooves around Trill and nuzzled her side while Solaris chuckled at her enthusiasm. "Mommy, wanna teach me with daddy? You can be daddy's assistant!"

"I think I'd like an assistant to help me," Solaris said. "We've got such a big class, I don't think I can handle so many students on my own." He gently squeezed Trill's barrel lovingly, hoping she'll say yes to get out of bed and feel a little better about herself. "What do you say, hon? I know learning might be boring for you, but who says you can't have fun when you learn new things? You might even enjoy it."

Trill looked at her husband, then back down at Emerald, both of them giving her pleading eyes, begging them to join in and make it a fun and educational activity for all three of them to enjoy. Even though she didn't find teaching Emerald anything for school as exciting as they did, she was willing to do anything to pass the time than sleep in all winter. She had done enough reading trying to find the spell she and Solaris searched for to conceive their daughter, and read most of the books in the library she actually was interested in. But she wanted to spend time with Emerald and grow a better bond than the filly's fussy and clingy behavior as an infant.

"...Well...I guess I'll join you two," she finally said, Emerald cheering and hugging her as tightly as her hooves were able to. "I just need to brush my hair, first."

"Gotta look professional for our 'students'," Solaris said with a laugh. "Head on back in your room, Emmy. We'll be there in a bit."

"Ok, daddy! I'm gonna get started on writing my name!" Emerald took her paper back and ran back to her room to begin her next fun assignment.

As soon as she was out of sight, Solaris levitated a hair brush, floating it over to Trill for her. "Trust me; you're going to have fun teaching her, even if you whine and complain about it. She can also learn a little bit about her changeling heritage when she gets older: spells, history, possible abilities she might have with her mixed blood. And when she becomes a teenager, years I know will bring me a lot more worry in the future, you two can do some shopping, hang out at a spa...just no teaching her how to flirt with colts."

The changeling princess snickered, unable to promise keeping Emerald from being interested in colts when she reached puberty. "That last one might be out of my hooves, Solly...but, maybe it can be a little fun showing her changeling roots when she gets older."

"That's the spirit." Solaris gave Trill a small peck on the lips, letting go of her as he made his way back to Emerald's room. "Don't be too long. You don't want to miss out on the fun."

Trill remained sitting on the bed, contemplating what Solaris had said. She had always worried how things would go if she ever had children, thinking it would go just as poorly as her relationship with her own mother. They never got along, Chrysalis always being overly strict and never showing any love for Trill or her other siblings, while she herself was irresponsible, paid no attention to what she said, and always acted out in some way to tick her off to get some kind of attention, though it was always negative. Nearly eleven months of carrying Emerald in her womb, she always worried she might not be a good mother, even when Solaris constantly assured her that wasn't true.

Maybe as an infant, Trill thought Emerald always wanted Solaris more because of the love he always gives her and wanting to take it due to her changeling nature. Now that she was able to talk and learn about the world around her after a couple years from her birth, she does look up to her mother now, getting into a little mischief now and then like earlier with their big breakfast. Emerald's first day of school also seemed to be a big shock after she got into trouble, where she feared Solaris wouldn't love her anymore after a day that was supposed to be exciting for her. Both her husband and foal were able to easily break emotionally, the former from suffering through the worst year of his teenage life while the latter was still really young and just starting to learn more about the world with other foals her age, though some might end up being bullies to her like those two colts she would love to terrorize if they keep making fun of her or hurt her again.

Trill finally stood up and moved over to the vanity mirror, brushing down her frazzled bed head. "Maybe Solly's right," she said to herself. "Might not be too boring to teach Emerald what it's like being a changeling, aside from her natural love absorbing she knows about."

Once every strand of hair in her mane was brushed down, she walked out of the room and to Emerald's bedroom. She was supposed to be the fun parent, and she wasn't going to be outdone by Solaris. Trill let out a sigh, ignoring the fact she was going to try to have fun teaching something to Emerald. She'll need to get up earlier than usual, but it'll be worth it as she had something else to do instead of doing nothing in the castle during the winter.

As soon as school was over for the day, many of the older foals ran out as soon as the bell rang, making their way to their homes so they can play in the snow before they're called back inside to do homework. Virtuo and Melody waited for their parents, the unicorn unable to wait to go back to the castle and see Trill after spending the first day of winter without her in class.

"So, she really can't be out in the cold, can she?" Melody asked Virtuo.

"Nope," the colt said. "She's like her mom. I never see them outside when winter starts. I think it's some kind of changeling thing where they can't stay out in the cold unless they're in a lot of warm clothes."

"That means she can't play in the snow..." Melody began to imagine what Emerald would look like if she ever went outside during this season. She began giggling, seeing her bundled up in a lot of warm clothing covering her from head to hoof, barely able to move as she waddled about, losing her balance, and flailing her legs as she can't get herself back up. "That would be a little funny if she did that."

"I guess that would be a little silly." Eventually, both foals' mothers arrived to pick them up, Melody's mother an earth pony with a dark blue coat and black hair, her mane tied up in a ponytail.

As they walked through the snow covered streets of Canterlot, Sweetie Belle and Melody's mother acquainted with each other. Sweetie Belle surprised the mare after introducing herself, both as a talented singer who was a big fan of the unicorn's music and how she knew Solaris. Granted, she was a bit nervous meeting the prince personally when her daughter was friends with Emerald, even after meeting with him earlier today as he asked her if Melody wanted to come over to the castle to play with the young princess while she was unable to come to school during the season. It was understandable to hear how Emerald couldn't step outside due to her changeling blood and her low tolerance to the cold, and she did give permission to let her daughter come over to the castle after school and during the weekends until winter is over.

The soon reached the castle, where they met Solaris and trill waiting for them in the foyer. Meoldy's mother instinctively bowed to them, but Solaris requested not to show any formalities between them, all of them just normal parents here for their kids to have their play date. While the adults talked, Melody and Virtuo took off their scarves and boots, following Trill through the halls to Emerald's room. As they arrived, the filly had finished putting her dolls away after her lessons for the day were done.

"Emerald, you've got visitors," Trill called out.

She turned around, squealing happily as she saw Virtuo and Melody. "Yay! You're here!" She ran up to them, starting with Virtuo as the colt was glomped by the changeling/pony princess, who had braced himself from the expected greeting she gives him. To his luck, her hug ended quickly as her body shivered, remnants of the cold air still lingering on his fur. "Ahh! You're cold!"

Virtuo giggled, finally finding a way to avoid the crushing hug of death for more than half a minute. "That's for all the hugs you give me."

"Then get warm so I can give you a bigger one," Emerald said, making the colt groan in annoyance.

"Ok, you three. Have fun," Trill said. "I'll be back in a bit with some snacks. Sadly, no hot cocoa because a certain somepony won't allow us to have any chocolate after our big breakfast this morning." Emerald slowly lifted a hoof, pointing at her mother while she looked away from her. Trill noticed the hoof-pointing, knowing it was mostly her fault, letting out a grunt while Melody stifled her giggling at her friend's nonchalant blame game. "Well, you wanted those pancakes, too, little missy."

"But you said we could have big stacks, so it was mostly your fault, mommy," Emerald corrected.

"And that's why you don't tempt me by asking for anything with chocolate in them," Trill said, giving the filly's nose a boop with her hoof. "Now, don't play too rough, kids."

Trill made her leave to get the fillies and colt an afternoon snack. As soon as she left, Emerald gave Melody a friendly hug as soon as her chilled body was warm enough.

"How was school, Melody?" Emerald asked.

"It was...ok, I guess," she said, though her tone didn't sound as good as she claimed.

"Gold Plate and Platinum Band picked on you," Emerald said, clearly right as Melody nodded her head. The hybrid filly let out a sigh, feeling bad for letting her friend take the brunt of those two colts' teasing while she was stuck in the castle. "They didn't do anything too bad, did they?"

"Just calling me names. They also made fun of you too after Mrs. Smiley told us you couldn't come to school for a while." Emerald rolled her eyes, even being mocked by them when she wasn't around them.

"They're probably just jealous because I can't go outside in the cold," the princess said. "Lucky for them, because I wished I went to school. I was really bored, and I really wanted to see what it's like to play in the snow...Did you tell Mrs. Smiley they were bothering you?"

"Yeah, I did," Melody said.

"Those two jerks aren't going to learn. And if they keep bugging us, Vivi will take care of them for us!" Virtuo balked at the crazy idea of being Emerald's bodyguard against Gold Plate and Platinum Band, and he did not want to get in any fights that will get him in trouble.

"Why me!?" he asked.

"Because you're a colt, and it's the nice thing to do for two fillies like us when we're in trouble," Emerald said. She walked up to him and gave him a sad pout, putting the cute charm on Virtuo to break him. "You wouldn't want to see us get hurt, do you?"

If Virtuo had a cold heart, it would have already shattered and warmed up in a millisecond, sighing in defeat as she added the lip quiver for added effect. "...No...Fine, I'll keep them away, but I'm not going to fight them."

The colt was awarded with the bone-crushing hug he always gets from Emerald, his body already warmed up enough to his chagrin. "You're the bestest friend ever, Vivi!"

"H-How are you this strong!?" Virtuo gasped. She then gave him a kiss on the cheek, making him gag as somepony other than his mom did that to him. "Eww! Cooties!"

He finally broke free from Emerald's grip, both fillies giggling at Virtuo as he wiped his face in disgust. After teasing the colt a little, the trio began to play a few games, though most of them were playing dress-up or with Emerald's dolls. Virtuo didn't really want to do anything meant for fillies, but the princess demanded he play with them otherwise she'll keep hugging him and infect him with more cooties. At least they spared him some mercy with a board game they could play so he wouldn't feel embarrassed playing with dolls and wearing girly clothes.

The afternoon came and went pretty quickly as the trio of friends played and shared a snack Trill brought for them. The sun was about to set, which meant Virtuo and Melody had to go back home, have dinner, then get ready for bed since they had school tomorrow. At least Emerald wasn't too disappointed since she'll be seeing them again tomorrow after school, although still feeling jealous that she couldn't go for nearly three months. Even though she was far away from the colts who bullied her, she still felt bad knowing Melody was going to hear their verbal abuse every day for a while, at least until winter break where she would finally get a break.

After dinner, a warm bath, and brushed her teeth until they were sparkling clean, Emerald was ready for bed, unable to wait for what she'll do tomorrow with her friends and what she'll learn for school. Trill tucked the filly under her covers as she snuggled up with her teddy bear. She gave her little filly a kiss on the forehead goodnight.

"Good night, Emerald," Trill said.

"Night, mommy," Emerald said back.

With a yawn, Emerald fell asleep, already exhausted from her excited day spending her first school day at the beginning of winter inside. Trill crept out of the room, turning off the lights, and gently closed the door. She headed back to hers and Solaris's bedroom, the alicorn looking over his schedule for tomorrow as he sat on the bed. Knowing he was going to be busy with Hearth's Warming coming up, she was going to be giving Emerald more of her lessons in the near future. After seeing the little classroom setup and pretending she was in a classroom with her toys, she figured it might not be too bad being a teacher, at least until she was in middle school.

She climbed up into bed and plopped down on her stomach, her husband looking up from his paperwork to the changeling. "I didn't think Emmy would give you that much trouble for bedtime."

"No, it went smoothly, as usual," Trill said. "I'm just gonna hit the hay."

"Right now?" Solaris looked at the clock, a few minutes after Emerald's scheduled bedtime. "...Uhh, that's...pretty early for you. Usually, you try to seduce me, win me over, then cuddle after having sex before going to bed. Most of those attempts end in failure and you snuggle with me regardless."

"You're going to be busy tomorrow?" she asked, his response a slow nod. "Then if I'm going to give Emerald her lessons, I have to start getting up early. Without being forced awake by a dogpiling filly. Or you with your idea of a wake-up call." Trill wiggled her rump, reminding him of the few times in the past where he gave her a good whack on the behind when she was too stubborn to get up. Solaris smirked, letting out a sinister chuckle. "Laugh while you can, dear. I still need to get you back for those spanks."

"I thought you liked them," Solaris said.

"Not while I'm sleeping, you jerk." He continued laughing, making Trill groan in annoyance. "Do you have anything to do for this weekend?" Trill asked, Solaris quickly looking over his schedule with a shake of his head. "Good. I've got big plans for you Saturday morning. I suggest sleeping with one eye open Friday night, baby."

"Uhh, what?" Solaris did a double take, disliking the sly grin on Trill's face as she laid her head on her pillow. "But what about Emerald?"

"Foals don't have school on the weekends, and she's going to be very busy playing with her friends when they come over." Trill giggled, pulling the covers over her and getting herself comfortable. "I'll set them up with a little activity after I make sure you're not going anywhere, have some of the maids check up on them to make sure they don't make too much of a mess, and while they're distracted, I'll make sure you're very well taken care of."

Solaris's cheeks began burning, swallowing a nervous lump in his throat, both worried and a little excited with what Trill had in store for him. "W-What...what are you going to do to me?"

"You'll find out Saturday morning." She rolled over and closed her eyes. "Night, Solly."

As Trill fell asleep, Solaris stared at his wife for a moment, then slowly turned back to his list of important meetings and duties planned for him. "I'm afraid to know what you have planned," he whispered to himself. "Why can't I have my own perverted fun without her getting revenge that'll end up making me sore in some way?"