The sun rose in a lethargic crawl up and over the horizon, painting the many-colored land of Equestria with its brilliant, warm rays. Mountains stood tall, imposing and white-capped, brooding over the green valleys below. Golden fields swayed to the slow music of gentle winds, segmented by playful trickling streams.
Far to the east, as if directly from the sun itself, there appeared an enormous flying beast; a great winged snail approached. Each flap of its wings (attached at the top of its shell) took several seconds to complete. Its four eye stalks rose from its face like tall castle towers, and they were constantly searching, twisting and tilting, extending and retracting. The slime-covered body shimmered in the early morning light, like wet polished clay. Congealed globs fell to the land below, blessing it with godly goop.
As the snail passed overhead, ponies stepped out of their houses and cottages and workplaces. They all smiled, every one of them, and nodded in understanding, for it was the Day of the Snail. Griffons stopped arguing to pay the creature its due respect with a moment of silent reflection. Dragons cleared the sky and made way for it, breathing celebratory jets of fire. Bison ran circles around their camps, singing. Changelings directly fed it steady streams of love. Hippogriffs screeched. Yaks smashed sticks. Creatures of the forest that never looked up did so now.
Once near Canterlot, the snail opened its mouth into an ill-defined 'o' and it sang, but its song was not one of sound. It was, instead, a silent thrumming in the air that could only be felt. Ponies' hearts were warmed and their days enriched. All creatures in range of its Gift were rewarded with pure joy. Colors brightened, emotions intensified, flowers bloomed.
In Manehattan, an elderly mare was being robbed. The thief dropped her purse, hooves shaking, and broke down, sobbing in the alley. The two hugged, and he was forgiven.
A husband and wife in Hoofington were fighting, threatening to leave each other. They soon found themselves in a tearful embrace, with nothing but apologies for one another.
In Las Pegasus, a stallion running a Three-card Monte scam reached under his table where his ill-gotten profits were contained in a box, and he spilled its contents out onto the street.
Creatures, so simple that the only thoughts they understood were hunger and fear, briefly obtained a true understanding of the abstract just to appreciate the deep beauty of the snail's divine song. They experienced love, and even the technically heartless felt it in their hearts.
Grass, trees, and shrubs all sang in return, the music of life itself and unfettered gratitude that rose up into the sky in unseen bubbles, flying on air and delight.
The majestic creature saw all of this. Felt all of it. Its song changed in pitch, to one of acknowledgement. Your world will be spared, it said. And Equestria itself, as if it were all one single being, gave its thanks.
Inside the tallest tower of Castle Canterlot, Princess Celestia stepped onto her balcony, and her spirit was filled to overflowing with positivity. Her polished crown and boots shined regally, reflecting the sunlight she was responsible for. Her mane was spritzed with a light oil to make it glisten. Her coat was freshly cleaned and brushed until not a single stray hair protruded. She took flight, rising straight up until she was directly in the snail's path, and she stayed there.
It was close.
The downward wing thrusts of the great beast flattened grass that grew high on Canterlot Mountain, and trees swayed violently, but never broke, for the strong winds were born of love and not hate. It came to a stop before the Princess, and its song ended. It was nearly as large as the castle she lived in, but she had no fear. The ensuing silence was one of comfort, a pause to let the moment sink in. And then, finally, she spoke.
"Hello, old friend," Celestia said, a tear in her eye and a warm and genuine smile upon her lips. "How fortunate we are to be blessed by your presence this day."
The snail hovered in place for a moment before a wet sloshing sound began to emanate from deep within it. The noise slowly grew in intensity until it was a loud hiss of quickly-moving fluids. Nearly a full minute later, the hiss became a harsh grating, and then there was a sudden crunch.
Princess Celestia's tear fell from her face, and it was scattered by the wind below.
The snail opened its mouth, this time not to sing, but to reveal a small glowing orb of pure energy inside, a bright golden light shining from it. The Princess hovered forward reverently and took the orb in her mouth, only just able to fit it in. Her lower jaw loosened and she threw her head back and let the ball rest in her throat before swallowing it. Her neck glowed and bulged where it slid along her esophagus, a slow struggle, but it made steady downward progress until it disappeared into her body. She took a deep, sighing breath, and a wisp of gold came out with her exhale.
"Thank you," she said with respectful reverence. She flew forward and pressed her face against the front of the snail's head for a few seconds, and she came away wet with divine slime. Then she waited patiently.
The sloshing began anew.
After the crunch, its mouth opened once again. Inside was another orb, this one seeming to emit darkness itself. Princess Celestia took it in her mouth and slipped it into a satchel tied around her neck. There was a white crescent moon sewn into its side.
"Princess Luna thanks you too, Great One," Celestia said with a bow.
The creature opened its mouth for a parting song. It slowly turned in the air, then, once again facing east, returned to the horizon whence it came.
