Bowing back and forth from trying to land for the fifth time, Rainbow Dash kicked at a rock in front of her in frustration. “Going slow is one thing Twilight, but your kicking me to land every ten minuets isn't going to get us there!” she had to shout over the wind and snow blowing into the purple magic bubble surrounding her and Twilight.
“I'm sorry Dash, this spell was always so easy to maintain but, just like you can't touch the clouds as well as at home, my magic is getting harder to use!” Twilight said, breathing heavily. Leaning down onto a half unconscious Spike, she relaxed most of the purple bubble until it was only blocking the most direct aim of the wind and snow. “I just need a moment to catch my breath again then we can take off.”
Dash tucked her wings up tight to try warming the muscles as she starts walking along the path in front of her. The mountain peaks howled above them with such volume that Dash's ears swivel in discomfort, trying to figure out which way they were heading. After about five minutes of walking the deep breaths on her back stopped for only a moment before Twilight sat up-right in the harness and spread the shield back out around them. “Okay Rainbow, you can take off.” her tone was low and was still clearly short on breath.
'Maybe we should have waited until summer for this.' was all Dash could think about after she sprung back into the air; the wind that was allowed to pass through the magic lifting her wings.
The snow won out eventually as the barer of magic finally broke just as Dash feel into a packed hill of soft snow. Cold winds blew slowly across both ponies but the air was finally clear of ice and snow. Forcing her head up from the white mound and spiting out the snow that had gotten pushed through her teeth. Dash moaned “Okay, okay. Everypony off, the ride's over.” She blew snow out from her nose.
There was no replay from her back. Rainbow Dash twisted her head back to see an unconscious Twilight laying forward and to the right on her back. “Um, Twi – are you alright?” The replay that came from her words was little more then Twilight scrunching up her face and turning away from Dash's voice. A sigh of relief came over Dash at figuring that her friend was just too tired to talk. 'If she doesn't wake up though – I can't get them off of me on my own.'
Spike's mumbled voice from between the two ponies brought a quick shock to Dash “Twilight, your crushing me.” With the blanket cocooning him tightly and the open space for him to breath growing to a minimum he couldn't help but wake up to try freeing himself. His movement from trying to wiggle himself out causes another sigh from Dash.
“Spike, do you think you can get the straps? I think Twilight's passed out from holding that shield up for so long.” Rainbow asked. She lowered her head down to give Spike as much room as she could.
“I might be able to – if I can get my tail out from under Twilight's stomach.” he worked himself forward by taking hold of the Rainbow mane in front of him and with a final twist his tail popped out. All the movement caused Twilight to moan which in turn made Rainbow Dash look back at the sudden sound, they met each other half way in the turn.
Light stars danced in front of Dash's eyes for several seconds before she realized the blow had stunned her enough to drop her back down into the snow. She cocked her jaw, feeling a pinch but nothing that would need any real attention, and asked. “Spike? Are you still up there?”
“Only for a bit longer-” he said, strain in his voice at the last word. A click of metal and a deep breath was signal of his freedom. He jumped clear of Dash's wings and went to his knees for more air. “Oh sweet Celestia!”
“Hey, if your done over there. Could you get Twi off my back now?”
Not knowing how the harness was suppose to be done up Spike looked at it with a mix of confusion and determination. The small metal latches behind Twilight's legs and under the saddle bag were all the same so they were the first thing he went for. The latch over Twilight's back came off first, than the ones around the left side. Stepping back from the two, Spike quickly warmed his hands with a gout of fire before going to Rainbow Dash's right side.
With a soft 'whoomp' Twilight finally dropped to the snow, her eyes jolting open at the sudden cold snow on her cheek. “Did – Did we just crash!” Twilight yelled then scrambled to get her hooves beneath her. “I'm not strapped in! What happened, Dash where...” when her eyes passed over Dash she stopped, the panic inside her draining as quickly as it came in.
“We made it through the storm.” Dash said while balling up some of the snow and dabbing it on her cheek; both to calm the bruise and to cool them of the glow she felt after seeing Twilight moving.
“That's great, we can take a moment to rest then finish our last...” Twilight stopped mid sentence, her eyes widening with surprise. “Dash-”
Already looking at Twilight, Dash turned away and immediately saw the same thing Twilight had. Mountain peaks that stood side by side, they towered over them and were so packed together that the way they had come in was the only point low enough for any clouds to come near the center. The sky was clear inside the cold valley and they could both easily see to the far side and the bottom that rested so many yards bellow them. A glass like varnish coated the floor reflecting the red afternoon sky with its own icy blue contrasts.
“So Twi, how long do we get to rest before getting to our last stop?” Dash asked with a sarcastic tone. “Oh, also, can you get this thing off me now?”
“Spike would you help her out?” Twilight ordered while trying to keep her jaw from going slack.
The saddle-bolt, once off Dash's back, was folded up and laid neatly on top of Twilight's saddle bag. Spike did his part to make the area they landed into a more comfortable spot to rest by again melting a patch in the snow. He also began a letter at Twilight's command.
Dear Princes Celestia:
Rainbow Dash, Spike, and I have all reached our destination, the fjord inside the boundrys of the Griffin Kingdoms, safely. Looking at it now I know that this valley will be everything we need for the experiment that Rainbow Dash and myself had came up with. We will do our best to be back by tomorrow night, so please wait till then for my next letter.
Always: your faithful student
Twilight Sparkle
PS. We did get side tracked on our way here so if you could include in your replay the time of day we would be grateful.
Spike rolled the scroll up the lit it on fire. The three of them watched it turn to nothing then settled in to wait for Spike to 'upchuck' the replay. It took less then a minute for a scroll to come and force Spike to belch it out.
To My Ever Adventurous Subjects:
You three have gone much farther then most ponies have ever dared too, and I am gladdened to know you have remained safe in your travels. It is just pass five in the afternoon and if the map I supplied you with is accurate then you three should still be within the same time zone. I would also like to wish for Rainbow Dash's acceptance of my apology for the storm that was sent to Ponyville last night, though it was an emergency I should not have forgotten your plans so quickly when I allowed the storm call to be sent out.
I will await your safe return home and the results of your experiment with much anticipation.
Your Princess
Celestia
“Pass five?” Twilight asked to no one in particular as she lifted a hoof to her chin and set herself to plotting the time scale for the test. “Well, we're only an hour late so that's not a problem, I can easily work around that.” She grunt lightly to get back onto her hooves and walked over to the saddle bag, opening the heavier of the two bags. The gauze wrapped instruments were slid out one at a time for her inspection. “It looks like everything here made it too.”
“Then lets get to work.” Dash called, smiling with confidence.
“For us to get everything ready, you will need a rest. I set it up for you to have a three hour break, you can still take that much time, or we can cut it to two for the time we were late. It's fine with me either way Dash.”