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// I Can Help 
// Story: Don't Leave Me Now 
// by Harmony_Charmer 
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	Twilight raced down the street to a building that resembled a gingerbread house; a cream store with a chocolate brown roof. White lacing around the rims of the roof resembled icing with decorative swirls running up the sides. A weather vane stuck out from the roof that had a rearing pony holding a candy cane. A tall, white dome poked out from the top of the building with a pink roof. It looked like a cupcake with candles. A sign hung from above the door. It had a painting of a cupcake and said Sugarcube Corner.

Twilight dashed in, and almost ran over a bouncy pink pony. Her frizzy mane and tail were a darker shade of pink than her body, but she was all pink. On her rump, three balloons, two blue and one yellow, floated joyously. Bright blue eyes peered excitedly into Twilights.

"Hiya, Twilight! Wow! You sure came in here in a hurry! I thought you were Rainbow Dash! We were going to bake cupcakes today, so I was excited to see her, but then I saw it was you, so I -"

"Yeah, okay, Pinkie Pie. I need to borrow your hot-air balloon now! It's an emergency!" interrupted Twilight.

Pinkie stopped bouncing, and the smile fell from her face. "Okey dokey lokey. I'll go get it up for you," she said slowly, and she hopped away. A few seconds later, Twilight heard a high-pitch screech, like metal grinding metal, and she walked out of the sweet shop. She looked up at the top of the shop, and the pink cupcake at the top was splitting open at the top. As it opened, a large pink balloon with yellow lace floated upwards slowly. Pinkie Pie was sitting in the basket that hung from the big pink balloon. Pinkie pulled a string, and it drifted down towards Twilight. Twilight climbed into the basket, and Spike, who just arrived, quickly climbed into the wicker basket before the balloon flew away.

*		*		*

The pink balloon floated quickly, but not quick enough for Twilight. The purple unicorn paced in the small basket, while Spike sat, curled up in a little ball, in the corner. Twilight started to murmur inaudibly to herself. Spike looked up at her, staring with big, round, sad eyes. He slowly stood, and crept over to Twilight. He gently tapped her shoulder. She jumped slightly, and stopped pacing and mumbling. Her scared, purple eyes gazed into his green eyes. They stayed like that for a while, then Twilight used her magic to grow the fire that powered the hot-air balloon, and the balloon went twice as fast.

Now that the balloon was moving at an acceptable pace, Twilight sat at the edge, and watched for Canterlot. She stood up when it came into view, clouds moving aside as they flew. The large palace sat on the edge of a mountain, towers and buildings and domes were placed almost randomly. The balloon drifted over the gate, dozens of guards craning their necks to get a look at who was in the basket. Twilight waved nervously over the edge. Spike brought the airship to a halt, and landed it on a make-shift landing strip. Twilight leaped out of the basket and ran to the nearest guard.

"Where is Celestia being kept?" she asked, panting slightly. The guard pointed up some stairs. Twilight threw Spike on her back, and ambled up the steps. At the top, there was a set of two large, simple doors. Twilight turned around, and using her back legs, kicked the doors open. The room was fairly large, with a high, domed ceiling. It was empty, except for a round bed that was placed right in the middle. Curtains draped from the top point of the roof, and flowed freely from the gentle breeze that drifted from the open window on the far side of the room. Twilight squinted. She could not see any princess. Had the guard deceived her? A sudden gust of wind tore open the curtains, and there was a bulky figure hidden under the sheets. Celestia's younger sister, Princess Luna, was sitting loyally at the frail lumps side. The lump turned, and looked at Twilight and Spike with hollow, rose eyes. Her pure white coat had thinned. Twilight let out a small choking noise, and stumbled over to the bed that held her beloved mentor.

Twilight looked up at Princess Luna with eyes that flooded with tears. The indigo mare stared sadly at Twilight with her dark blue eyes. Her starry hair resembled the night sky, and it waved majestically in the slight breeze. She closed her eyes slowly as two thin streams of tears poured from her eyes. Twilight heard a low, raspy gurgle, and saw that Princess Celestia was attempting to speak.

"T -- Twi -- Twilight?" Celestia pushed out with effort. Her wide eyes searched wildly. Twilight held her breath, placed her forehead beside her teacher's and cried..