Now, while Icy wouldn't have blamed them for telling her to walk back herself, she did expect them to say yes to her request, either sending Scootaloo or waking up an adult pegasus.
She did not, however, expect Princess Twilight herself to swoop in, pick her up in her magic, put her on her back and fly her all the way back to the castle, thanking her profusely for saving the Horstensia diamond.
This would, normally, have been a dream come true for Icy – being ferried back by an actual princess. However, Twilight's regal image had been a bit undermined when her thanks had lead her to talking about the diamond itself, its special magical properties and the research she had done on it over the past week.
It was a lot of long words, only a quarter of which Icy had heard before and a tenth of which she understood and, as far as she could tell, it basically amounted to “It's supernaturally shiny.”
As they flew in for a landing, Icy looked over the scene – the two goons were being lead away by the police – the real police, this time, Icy noticed – while the others were giving statements and Spike was looking over everything, shaking his head.
Twilight landed and Icy slid off her back, tumbling down lightly and rolling over at the hooves of another filly. Looking up, she saw the face of the filly she'd dreaded talking to.
“I'm... I'm sorry.” She panted, looking down, away from Scootaloo.
“Sorry?” Scootaloo smirked, offering a hoof to help Icy up. “What are ya sorry for?”
“Huh?” Icy took the hoof dazedly, standing up and tilting her head. Scootaloo had been so viciously determined to catch Magic Eye, yet she didn't seem bother by Icy's failure to retrieve him, despite having him literally in her hooves. “Well, I... let him get away kinda sorta. Aren't you mad?”
“Mad? Why would I be mad? Didn't you hear what his goon said?” Scootaloo leaned her head in towards Icy's and whispered conspiratorially. “He said he was told to take me down.” When Icy didn't show understanding, Scootaloo clarified. “He knows I could have caught him. He wanted to stop me so I wouldn't.”
The orange filly's grin looked like it had just a few too many teeth in it as she hissed quietly.
“He's afraid of me.”
Icy blinked, but was thankfully saved from having to think about the implications of Scootaloo's cheerfulness by a hoof on her shoulder. Looking around, she saw Princess Twilight smiling at her.
“I've already told the others this, but I think you deserve to hear it too.” She said, bowing her head in respect. “You have saved a priceless artifact and a national treasure of the Crystal Empire from a terrible thief and my own carelessness.” She sounded a little overly-formal, like she was trying to imitate someone more regal than she was, but Icy wasn’t bothered. “I am in your debt. If there's anything you want of me, just ask.”
Icy waved a hoof. “All in a day's work, your majesty!” She grinned internally – she'd always wanted to say that.
The Princess looked up at the night sky and smiled slyly. “But it's not day.”
Icy smiled too, getting her implication. “Well, in that case, there is one thing.” At the Princess's nod, she continued. “My magic. I was wondering if you could maybe give me some help learning about it – if that's okay with you, you don't have to, I don't mind if...”
“Okay, okay,” Twilight interrupted her, a knowing smile on her face as she heard Icy's desperate politenesses, “I can help you a bit, but for Pegasus magic, you'd be better off with-” She stopped as she saw a look of pain come over Icy's face. “Are you okay?!”
“I'm fine, I'm fine!” Icy held up a hoof, then put it to her chest. “My magic's weird – I can freeze things and make ice somehow. Was going to show you but... little bit drained right now.”
“Making ice?” Twilight's eyes widened and a slight twinkle came into them. “Interesting. Okay, I'll help you with it. On one condition:” she leaned down to Icy's level and grinned, “I get to study it!”
Icy giggled, pulling her head back a little – partially out of respect and partially because the Princess, while still amazingly regal, amazingly clever and amazingly amazing, did have a little bit of morning breath. “Okay, that'd be great.” She started to lower into a bow before remembering something else. “Oh, there is one more thing. Not for you really but maybe you can help me – do you know anyone who could teach me how to ice skate?”
Twilight chuckled as she raised herself up again. “I think I might know a pony.”
Icy smiled, beginning to understand Scootaloo's feelings on the matter.
Next time, Magic Eye. Next time, I'll be ready for you.