AN: OVER SIX HUNDRED READS?! Wow, thanks you guys! This is hard to believe! I hope you all continue to enjoy this book and I hope more people discover it! I'm so grateful to have readers like you. :) Hope you enjoy the chapter. *grins* I can't wait to see what you think! Oh, also, as you may have noticed I changed the cover! I've been meaning to improve it, even if only a little.
I do not own the picture above!

"I'm telling you Whirlwind, something's going on!" Winter Frost shouted from where she sat on her unmade bed, putting her right hoof up exasperatedly.

"It's not my business, and quite frankly it shouldn't be yours either. "Whirlwind replied, shrugging. "I mean, you borrowed the book from Princess Twilight, and it was Princess Twilight's notes you read."

Winter groaned and laid down atop her messy dark blue, sky blue, and white sheets. She let out a sigh, using her magic to slide the books back over to her. She began reading a note that was left in one of the books again, her muzzle practically touching the paper. Whirlwind, slightly annoyed with her best friend for seemingly disregarding what she said, she blew her white and gray bangs out of her face before speaking again.

"Need I say it again? Twilight's a Princess. Princess! Do I have to spell it out for you? P-R-I-"

"I know how to spell, Whirlwind!"

"Maybe. Look, I'm glad you're good friends with her and all, especially given what happened back then and well... still kinda does. But when will you get it in your head that she's royalty and her notes are strictly her businesses?!"

"I know, I know, but come on, tell me what I told you about the elements doesn't sound like us?!"

Whirlwind remained silent, staring at her friend with a fixed, troubled gaze. The pegasus pressed her lips tightly together, watching her friend intently. Winter returned her stare with a level confidence she rarely had.

"Tell me it doesn't sound like us, and I'll drop it." Winter told, putting a hoof over a page.

"I... It just..." Whirlwind tried arguing before sighing. "Fine, it does sound like us, okay?"

"See! I mean, look at this note!" Winter exclaimed, considering Whirlwind's comment a win and levitating a note with curling edges in front of her. "It says she's found two of them, and Princess Cadence has sent another her way! Those first two could be us! We're air and ice! It directly relates to our cutie-"

"Winter, this is crazy!" Whirlwind shouted back after speed-reading the note and pushing it away with her hoof.

Whirlwind put a hoof to her forehead before putting it back down and pacing back and forth in front of Winter. The pegasus shook her head, knowing exactly what her friend was trying to say, but whether or not it was true, remained to be seen.

"Look, I can see why you think that... but come on, bearers of some ancient magical elements? Winter Frost and Whirlwind of Ponyville?"

"Yeah, I guess you're right. It does seem unlikely... I just need more info then!"

Winter then leapt off her bed and flew over to her closet. The light blue alicorn then began rummaging through it, tossing objects and some pieces of clothing aside before finding her dark blue saddle bags. She then put the books on cutie marks in the saddle bags.

"You're not going to ask Twilight about her notes, are you?!" Whirlwind panicked. "You crazy alicorn!"

"Well... no." Said Winter, picking at the floor with her hoof, shyly. "But I'm going to find some way to learn more."

Whirlwind shook her head as she followed Winter, who was leading her out of her house, "Since when am I the one with the voice of reason?"

After sharing a few laughs, Winter started walking faster before she was practically jogging. She turned her head as she walked, telling Whirlwind she hoped Twilight had more on the previously mentioned subject, but when she turned her head back she found herself almost muzzle to muzzle with somepony! Both came to a screeching halt, Winter peering into light blue eyes that literally sparkled. And… so did the pony's gray and black mane? And his tail, and his entire body for that matter!

He had a gray body, a black mane with gray mixed in that had two loose strands hanging behind his eye, and a tail with the same colors as well as the same cut. If Winter had to describe his mane in one word it would be: Pointy. On his back he had on a white saddle bag that stood out from his coat. He looked as if he was just about to say something when Whirlwind flew in and landed beside Winter, a mere hoofstep ahead.

"Who are you?" Whirlwind demanded, narrowing her eyes at the colt.

The startled colt trailed off. "I could ask you the same question."

"I asked first." She responded, puffing out her chest and standing tall.

"I'm Geode, from the Crystal Empire." He introduced himself, rolling his eyes a bit.

"Ah, that would explain why you're... Sparkling." She said with a firm nod.

"Geez, how welcoming." Geode sighed. "Do I get your name?"

"I haven't decided yet."

"Oh really?"

"Yes really."

"Well, what's your name then?" Geode tried again, his tone bright and carefree as he looked towards Winter.

Winter looked at the pony called Geode and opened her mouth to speak, but found no words coming out. Her heart began to speed up ever so slightly and she offered an awkward smile. Biting her lip, the alicorn looked down at the ground, digging the tip of her hoof in the ground. Geode waited expectantly, an eyebrow raised.

"I'm... Winter Frost." She trailed off quietly.

"Winter Frost?" He repeated uncertainly, leaning forward slightly, gaining a small nearly inaudible squeak from Winter.

Whirlwind then put her wing out, her hard-set gaze now practically a glare. She wrapped it around Winter's side in a sort of embrace and nodded at him. Geode and Whirlwind exchanged a few tense words before Winter managed to tell Whirlwind that everything was fine. At her best friend's comment, the pegasus relaxed, but still watched Geode closely.

"Sorry I nearly ran into you there." Geode apologized, chuckling. "I was a bit distracted."

"It's fine." Winter assured, averting her eyes. "Uh, why were you... distracted?"

"Oh, this is my first time in Ponyville."

"What brings ya here?" Whirlwind asked, tone back to her normal voice.

"My friend Sunburst said he needed a book from Princess Twilight Sparkle. He says he's been needing some specific volume for his studies."

Winter instantly brightened, "I know Twilight!"

"You do?"

"Yes, Whirlwind and I would be happy to walk you to her castle!"

"Wow thanks! That'll certainly make it a lot easier for me to approach her if I'm with somepony she knows."

"How come Princess Twilight didn't just send it by mail, or magic or whatever?" Whirlwind asked, tilting her head to the side a bit.

"I dunno." Geode answered honestly, shrugging. "My guess is that it's important or something. All I know is that Sunburst really wanted me to go get it."

Winter then lead Geode and Whirlwind to Twilight's castle, prancing along the road. The trio talked along the way. Whirlwind still eyeing the colt suspiciously but speaking normally from where she walked just behind the two while they talked briefly again about Geode visiting to get a book. The crystal pony explained that Sunburst had seemed worried that he didn't know enough about being a royal crystaler, so practically begged him to bring back some new information before he had to meet with Princess Cadence and Shining Armor. He even mentioned he had the privilege of meeting the mentioned royals once or twice. Soon enough, they reached Twilight's castle, the shimmering gem-like surface and overall appearance putting Geode in awe.

Geode stared at the castle towering above him, blowing his bangs to the side to see it in all its glory. For a short while the mares listened to him go on and on about its beauty. He talked about its obvious, shiny beauty, and yammered on about its more subtle, detailed beauty. Winter was trying hard not to zone out while Whirlwind listened with vague interest, giggling to herself quietly at his funny behavior. Eventually he stopped and flushed a reddish color, before he knocked on Princess Twilight Sparkle's castle door.

In a little under a minute, Twilight and Spike were opening the doorway and greeting the three of them. The giggling of her friends along with the buzz of talking rang through the halls and opened door, reaching the ears of the others. They all talked for another short minute or two until an extra loud bit of laughing was heard, prompting Twilight and Spike to make their way inside. However, Geode paused a moment in the doorway.

"Thanks again for walking with me here." Geode thanked, turning halfway around.

"No problem." Winter responded quietly.

Whirlwind shrugged, "Eh, it's no big deal."

"Oh, and earlier I believe she said your name was Whirlwind, right?"

The purple-gray pegasus tensed, and let out a nearly inaudible yet aggravated sigh. Whirlwind didn't answer him, instead she rolled her eyes and blew her bangs out of her face. Muttering about how he figured out her name anyway.

"Whirlwind," He nodded, turning to face her with a smile. "I like it."

And with that, he turned back around and gave the giant golden doors of the castle a little nudge, and they started to slowly close. Just before they shut however, Winter straightened and squinted, looking closely at his flank. Three sparkling white colored crystals protruding from the base of the gem-like structure were pictured on his gray coat. Yes, seemingly fitting for a crystal pony, and yet Winter couldn't take her eyes off it until the doors finally slipped shut. One thing was clear to her: It was time to consult those notes and books again.