The Snailmancer and the Long Winter
Everypony knows that each year has a summer and each has a winter. Through the summer we play in the sun all day but in winter it is darker and colder for this is when the great Princess Celestia must rest and when her powers are at their weakest.
One winter, a long time ago, the princess became very ill, and the winter raged on as never before; blizzards each day and night and the sun invisible in the turbulent weather. This long winter was seemingly unending and ponies throughout Equestria worried; how long would their princess be ill? Could she be so ill that she may never recover? Princess Celestia heard these worries and, sick though she was, she knew she must give comfort to her subjects. She told her castle servants to ready the royal chariot so that she could visit and reassure her ponies. They worried about taking her outside but she would hear none of it.
"My subjects need me," she told them, and so ready the chariot they did.
The weather outside was far too cold for flight and so Princess Celestia's two strongest guards, wearing large coats, waited for a brief lull in the blizzard before setting off on hoof, pulling the chariot in which their princess was wrapped up as warm as possible.
Pushing through the snowdrifts and over exposed patches of icy paths, the guards soon got their princess to a great river, frozen solid but treacherously icy; an obstacle they needed to cross.
"We will take the Northern Bridge!" said the first guard, and so they headed north.
They got to the Northern Bridge to find it covered in thick ice, and as the first guard tried to take a step forward he slipped, rocking the chariot as he stumbled before the other guard caught him.
"It is too icy here," said Princess Celestia, watching fearfully.
"Then we shall try the Southern Bridge!" said the second guard, and they set off to the south.
When they came to the Southern Bridge they found it clear of snow and ice; its wide surface completely windswept by gale force winds.
The second guard went to lead them forth but before he could take two steps the wind snatched up his helmet, whisking it away into the distance.
"It is too windy here!" gasped Princess Celestia.
"Then we must try the old bridge..." agreed her guards, and they headed to where the river passed the Wild Forest. There, forgotten by most of Equestria, was a small humpback bridge. It had been left to be overgrown and this was its strength for the cold, hungry, snails of the Wild Forest had come to the bridge and eaten off all of the moss, vines and flowers, leaving a thick covering of slime that the winter could not freeze.
The guards perked up at this sight; this would get them across the river! Boldly they both started up the bridge, but the thick snail mucus was slippery and they stumbled and slid before falling back.
"This is no better than the Northern Bridge's ice!" cried Princess Celestia, shivering in her blankets.
Then, out of the corner of his eye, one of the guards saw something, "Look there!"
They all squinted to see the other side of the icy river in the dark and worsening weather. There, on the opposite bank, stood a tall figure; a unicorn pony in a dark cloak.
"The Snailmancer!" the guards gasped!
"Snailmancer! You can help us!" they called, but the Snailmancer did not move, his long cloak whipping around him as the wind picked up.
"Please, we must cross this bridge! Use your powers to clear it!" they pleaded, but still the Snailmancer did not move. The guards became angry.
"You foal, your princess needs you! How dare you stand by and watch as we suffer!"
Yet their words seemed to fall on deaf ears, for the Snailmancer did not reply or even move but to adjust his footing.
Soon the guards gave up and, unfastening themselves from the chariot, went to comfort their princess.
"I am sorry, it seems he will not aid us..." said one guard.
"I don't understand..." added the other, "In the stories I've heard he'll help anypony in trouble..."
The princess nodded, her head bowed. Yes, she had heard the stories, and in all of them... But wait! Princess Celestia gasped, her guards' ears perking up to the noise, and they watched in confusion as a smile spread across their princess' face.
"Of course!" she exclaimed and with that she sat up and reached out to the ground with one unsteady leg.
"Your majesty!" gasped one guard, but she shook her head, and reached out a second foreleg to the snow-covered ground.
"Your highness!" cried the other guard, but again Princess Celestia shook her head.
"Oh my little ponies..." she said, "Is not this trip to prove that I am not so sick as to cause worry? That my strength is far from gone?"
With that Princess Celestia stepped fully out of the chariot and slowly made her way to the foot of the old bridge. She was unsteady after so long ill and the icy wind was all around her but although she shivered she was also determined and she knew that she could make it, and as soon as she got to the bridge a yellow light came from the other side.
Vrom... Vrom... VROM!
The slime covering parted, clearing a dry path over the little bridge, which Princess Celestia walked. The guards, in awe of the scene, came to their senses and, bringing the chariot, followed their princess over.
It took only a few moments to reach the other side but the Snailmancer, without saying a word, had already briefly bowed his head to the princess in respect and was now heading back into the Wild Forest.
"I don't understand," said the guards, "Why did he wait so long to help us?"
"Oh my little ponies..." replied the princess, "Remember the stories...? It's not just anypony the Snailmancer can help...
"He comes to those,
Who are in need,
And everypony's hope
He'll heed,
So long as ponies
Try their best,
He'll help them all
And never rest!"
The guards look confused, "But we were trying our best...?"
Princess Celestia smiled, "Not quite, for you see; the Snailmancer could not help us three when only two of us were trying. I have been ill, but not so much that I cannot myself go to cross a bridge. Now..." She turned to face the path ahead, "Come. We must reassure Equestria that their princess will soon bring back summer."
And that is how even our great Princess Celestia was helped by the Snailmancer.
