@hironakamura  
Headcanon: In the pre-Equestrian days (as recounted in “A Hearth’s Warming Eve”), when the ponies were driven from their homeland by the Windigos and fled south to warmer lands, not all of the ponies left. A few remained behind to fight. They found their own magic and managed to drive the Windigos off, but at a terrible cost to their land and to themselves.
 
These were the ancestors of the Crystal Ponies, their bodies transformed by the powerful magic they had unleashed to defeat the Windigos. The Crystal Empire was built on the ruins of the ancient pony homeland, a little Shangri-la hidden in the frozen north, kept habitable by the love-power the Crystal Ponies had discovered.

Spike laying (sleeping?) on Twi’s back in the top panel is so precious!

@hironakamura  
Judging by how many dangerous creatures, monsters and the weather, I’d say its more like Australia up there. Just cold….
 
 
_{Find me the portal and I would move there in a heartbeat.}

Is the Crystal Empire, like, Canada of Equestria?

sheesh you replace a mare’s shampoo with mayonnaise one time…

Bracing for incoming feels.

@Itsthinking
 
She really does. I’m looking forward to the rest of it.

Man, this artist does this kind of story really well.