M A G I C

Twilight,
Our delegate who was supposed to take care of the Yakut Pegasi is sick. It is of the utmost importance that you get here tomorrow to take care of them until they recover.

I'm sorry to do this to you at the last second, but think of it as a test.

Princess Celestia

Spike looks over the letter nervously. "Twilight, maybe you should ask one of your friends to help you. You look awful."

"There's no time." Twilight finishes packing her things. "I have to leave now, Spike." She immediately takes off for her balloon.

"But, Twilight!"

"Tell the others what happened!" She shouts back. The cold air nips at her exposed skin. "Oh. What an awful time for this to happen." She whines to herself. After a few moments she reaches her balloon and gets it inflated and ready to take off, but before she leaves; a brief glance back. "I hope they'll understand." The hot air balloon lifts into the dark cloud covered night. The wind is unforgiving at this height. The chill cuts through Twilight's cold weather gear. "I should have taken the train." She mutters uncomfortably.

Spike is standing there, unsure of what to do, but the wind quickly shoos him inside. "Do I tell them now, or should I wait until morning?" He paces inside the giant tree. "I mean do trains even run this late? Would I just make everypony worry?" He stops. "It would probably cause less trouble to just tell them tomorrow. They need their sleep." He glances down. "Ugh but so does Twilight." He quickly grabs his scarf. "If I tell them now, then we can take the earliest train to help her." He runs out the door, and skids to a halt. "I should bring the letter, that'll explain faster than me." He re-enters the library, grabs the letter, and rushes off.

"Who could that be." Rarity yawns. "This better be important, it's interrupting my beauty sleep." She grumbles and tiredly wobbles towards her front door. "What?" She opens the door. "Spikey-wikey?"

"Rarity. Twilight. Trouble. Help." He hands her the letter between gasps.

"What's all this then? What about Twilight?" She lifts the letter and quickly reads it. "Oh dear. Twilight is much to exhausted and high strung for something this delicate." She turns to get some stuff. "Hurry and get the others, we must leave at once."

"But the trains aren't running."

"Oh. I know how to get the train running." She smiles to him. "Now hurry." She closes the door and starts packing her things. Spike turns and runs to the next pony.

"Just a moment." Spike hears Fluttershy's voice. After a moment the door opens. "Spike? What are you doing here?"

He hands her the letter. "Twilight needs your help."

She looks a little confused before she reads the letter. "Oh no. She hasn't slept well in days. I don't think she can do this on her own." She looks up at Spike. "But how—"

"Rarity says she can get the train running. So hurry there, I still have to tell the others." He interrupts her and quickly runs off.

"O...oh. Okay."

Spike isn't sure if he can continue to take running in the biting cold much longer. "Ah there's the farm." His pace has slowed down quite a bit since he started. "After this, I'll ask Pinkie Pie to help get Rainbow Dash."

"What in tarnation?" Spike could hear Applejack. "Who in their right mind would be wakin' people up at this hour?" The door swings open. "Spike? What's wrong with you?"

"I—"

"Its like three in the morning."

"I—"

"You can't just go around bangin' on our door—" Spike shoves the letter in Applejack's face. "What's this now...." She reads the letter. "Twilight can't even guide herself into bed." Applejack sighs.

"Rarity says to meet her in front of the station." Spike finally finishes a sentence. "Hurry up." He turns and coldly hobbles off.

"Pinkie~." Spike knocks on the door. "Pinkie~. Pinki—"

"Yes, Spike?" Pinkie walks up behind Spike.

"I...what are you doing out here?" He looks at her blankly.

"I don't know, what are you doing out here?"

"Looking for you. I came to give you this letter."

"Oh! Oh! I love letters!" She shouts and quickly reads the letter.

"We need to help Twilight. She's too exhausted to do this by herself. And I need your help to find Rainbow Dash."

"Well." She finishes reading the letter. "Okie dokie lokie." She smiles and bounces. "How about you get ready and I'll tell Dashie?" She picks up the letter and bounces off.

"I...guess that works." He turns and stumbles home. "I guess it's for the best, I can barely feel my feet I'm so cold."

Pinkie bounces toward an odd grouping of clouds. "Now how to get her attention?" She thinks for a little and then she folds the letter into a paper airplane. "DASHIE~!" She shouts and tosses the plane.

"Wha...?" Rainbow Dash looks over the cloud tiredly only to get hit square in the face by the letter. "Pinkie, what is this. It's way too early for pranks."

"Read it!" She shouts to her friend.

"Fine." Rainbow Dash mumbles and unfolds the letter. "I'm sure she'll be fine. She knows what she's doing."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. It'll be like the last time we thought she was overreacting." Pinkie turns around and starts bouncing off.

"Wait!" Rainbow Dash yelps. "Maybe we should help her."

The sun is peaking over the horizon. "Oh, thank Celestia." Twilight whispers in relief as Canterlot come into view. "It's so cold. I hope I can get something warm to drink before the day starts." She starts to descend into the Royal courtyard.

"Halt!" A guard exclaims.

"It's just me." Twilight says as she stumbles out of the balloon.

"Twilight Sparkle? What are you doing at this hour?"

"Princess Celestia needs to see me." She responds and quickly runs into the castle. "I'm here Princess Celestia...." She announces her arrival when she enters the audience chamber, but nopony is there. "What?" she looks around confused.

"Twilight Sparkle." A familiar voice comes from behind her. "What are you doing?"

"I'm looking for Princess Celestia." Twilight turns around to see Princess Luna.

"She is on the balcony, ensuring that the sun rises proper." Luna looks at Twilight, who has an air of urgency about her. "Since this seems important I will take you to her."

"Thank you, Princess Luna!" Twilight quickly stumbles after her. They walk though some long corridors and hallways that never seem to end. "I've never been to this part of the castle. How do you not get lost?"

"We see the way." Luna responds cryptically and gives Twilight a serious look. "Here we are." Luna opens a door leading to a balcony where Celestia is standing. Her horn glows with powerful magic and the sun continues to slowly rise.

"Twilight! There you are." Celestia says as soon as they enter.

"You summoned me Princess."

"Yes, it is important that the Yakut pegasi don't feel left out."

"Is there anything I should know?"

"Talking to them can be difficult." Celestia starts. "They have a unique name calling system. The Delegate you need to know is Glacial Wings." Twilight gives a confused look. "I'm afraid it really isn't something that can be explained." Celestia finished her spell. "Come."

"Of course." Twilight immediately follows her. They walk back through the labyrinth of a castle.

"Are you sure you can handle this, Twilight?" Celestia looks at her student who seems to be wobbling a little.

"Yes. I won't let you down." Twilight assures her mentor. Celestia leads Twilight out the courtyard. Some of the foreigners have already started to gather. Celestia nudges Twilight towards the few Yakut.

"H...hello. My name is Twilight Sparkle." She says nervously.

The leader speaks up. "Hello horned one. My name is Glacial Wings." Twilight was surprised by how deep their voices were.

The Yakut are an interesting species of pony. They're a little shorter than the ponies in Canterlot, but quite a bit stockier. They're covered in a shaggy coat and most of them have wing. Their wings don't look like normal pegasi wings. They are rounder and a little larger. The Yakut cannot fly though, their wings are meant for trapping warm air to keep them alive in their cold climate.

"You are not the guide we were told would be here." Glacial Wings' deep voice brings Twilight out of her observation.

"I'm afraid that pony is sick and needs rest." Twilight responds.

"Hmm. I see. And who are you horned one?" He bellows back.

"I'm Princess Celestia's student." When Twilight responds the Yakut's eyes widen.

"You are favored of light wings?" There is a hint of awe in his voice. He then shouts to the others, "Light wings has favored us!" The air is filled with the loud boisterous laughter of the Yakut. "This means we are better than feather horns and sand hooves. Come lets enter the public."

"Feather horns and sand hooves?" Twilight asks unsure.

"Ya. Feather horns from sparse trees and sand hooves from the hot sea."

Twilight ponders a bit. "Do you mean the Gypsies and Arabians?"

"Ya." He laughs. "Now lets go."

"Sure." Twilight leads them into the city of Canterlot.

"Ah it has not changed much." Glacial Wings states as they enter the city.

"That's right you come here every year don't you?"

"Ya. We look forward to the warm drink." He laughs again.

"Don't you have warm drinks in the tundra?"

"Only water. It is good, ya. But its not like here." He looks at Twilight. "Are you alright student of light wings?"

"Yeah. It's a really busy couple of weeks for me." She wobbles a little. The Yakut mumble to themselves.

"Perhaps you should rest." He tells her. "We don't need guide. We've been here." He laughs.

"Twilight Sparkle?" A familiar voice calls out.

"That sounds like...." Twilight quickly looks around.

"What are you doing here?" The pony says walking up behind Twilight.

"I'm escorting the Yakut." Twilight sighs. "What are you doing here..." The pony stops right in front of her, "Trixie?"

Trixie looks a little offended at the question. "I'm going to enjoy the festival once it gets started."

Twilight gives her a look of disbelief. "You aren't plotting anything?"

"No. I really changed." She looks a little hurt at the accusation.

"Student of light wings...." Glacial Wings calls out. "We will drink there." He points to a nearby building.

"Okay. Just tell me when you're ready to go." She smiles at the Yakut leader.

"Are you okay?" Trixie asks.

Twilight gives her a suspicious glance. "I'm just tired. I've been busy."

"I see." Trixie takes her hat off and looks at the sky. "Where are your friends? Shouldn't they help you?"

"This was last second...." Twilight follows her gaze into the sky. "There wasn't time to tell them."

"Isn't that just an excuse?" Trixie's gaze falls to Twilight.

"I...." She pauses. Twilight hadn't considered that. "I don't know?" The train station blows a loud whistle in the distance. Twilight looks at Trixie.

"Is something on my face?" She asks defensively; a light blush marking her cheeks.

Twilight giggles. "No. I guess I never expected to get advice from you."

Trixie shoots Twilight another offended look. "I told you, I've changed." The station whistle blows again. "I didn't realized that there were trains running this early."

"Now that you mention it." She looks towards the station. "I don't believe the trains start for another thirty minutes."

"Odd."

"It makes me worried. Trixie, can I ask a favor?" She turns back to Trixie. "Can you please stay here and keep the Yakut busy if they stop drinking?"

"Y...yeah." She looks utterly surprised by the request.

"I just need to check out the station. There might be some problem that needs to be reported." Twilight starts following the whistle.

"Twilight...." Trixie starts, but she changes her mind. "Be safe."

Twilight stops and glances back. "Thanks...Trixie." She takes off running to the station. "I hope everything is alright...."