Chapter 14: Journey to Yakyakistan
Twilight, Dusk, Nyx, Daylight and Spike were heading to the train station. Spike was the only one in the group who wasn't wearing any snow gear.
"I still can't believe we're going to Yakyakistan," Nyx said.
"How far is Yakyakistan in the first place?" Dusk asked.
"Actually, we were closer to it when we were visiting Shining, Cadance and Flurry," Twilight said. "It just up the mountain range outside the Crystal Empire."
"Okay, so we head to the Crystal Empire, and then walk up the mountains?" Daylight asked. "Sounds like we're gonna do a lot of walking."
"Especially in the cold weather," Twilight said. "It's gonna be a lot colder than Griffonstone in the colder seasons. Which is why we're wearing winter gear." Eventually, they met up with the rest of the Mane 6, the Tri-Pies, Big Mac and Discord. Big Mac and Discord weren't wearing any winter gear either.
"Ah got mah bedroll, parka, unattractive but functional hikin' boots..." Applejack said, listing off the things she had. She then looked at Pinkie Pie. "Uh, anything I forgot, Pinkie Pie? You're our resident Yakyakistan expert."
"Nope! I brought yeti food!" Pinkie Pie said, making everypony, Spike and Discord either shocked, nervous or confused. "Did I forget to mention there's a pony-eating yeti on Frost Field Glacier? We're gonna have so much fun!"
"Okay, now I'm scared to go," Nyx said.
Rainbow Dash chuckled and said, "If he messes with us, I'll turn that yeti into confetti!" Just then, the train pulled up to the station. The train stopped and the doors to the train cars opened up. Just then, Big Mac was pushing Applejack towards the train car and then stepped back.
Applejack chuckled and said, "Somepony's in an awful quick hurry to get us out of here. Don't y'all have too much fun without us." Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie and the Tri-Pies headed into the train car. Rainbow Dash was flying while Pinkie and the Tri-Pies were hopping.
"I bet you boys have big plans," Twilight said with a smug look towards Spike. "Right, Spike?"
"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about," Spike said, crossing his arms and his eyes closed. Big Mac nodded while Discord rolled his eyes. Spike then got closer to Rarity and said, "Although if I did, I certainly wouldn't be allowed to discuss it with you girls." Rarity rolled her eyes and headed for the train.
"Buh-bye!" Twilight said as she, Dusk, Nyx and Daylight headed onto the train. All the ponies who were travelling were in the same train car as the train started to move. "Okay, Princess Celestia is going to meet us in the Crystal Empire. Then we'll all head up to Yakyakistan together."
"Pinkie, you weren't serious about a pony-eating yeti up there, were you?" Dusk asked.
"Oh, I was very serious about that," Pinkie said. "I'm just bringing yeti food just in case we run into him again."
"Oh... kay," Dusk said, nervously.
"I'm sure Discord is gonna be fine with Spike and Big Mac," Fluttershy said. "He almost tried to make the train track go into an active volcano that he made appear suddenly."
"Okay, guess he has some serious separation anxiety," Twilight said. "But, I'm sure he'll be fine."
"Like Silverstream and Ocellus are gonna be fine back at the castle?" Daylight asked.
"Ocellus?" Applejack asked. "Is that the name o' that changeling ya brought back from the Crystal Empire?"
"She is," Dusk said. "Apparently, Chrysalis banished her from the hive when she suggested that the changelings should give friendship a try."
"Ouch," Rainbow Dash said. "She's been through a lot, hasn't she?"
"At least she's learning about friendship," Nyx said. "Hopefully, she and Silverstream will get along."
Back in the Castle of Friendship, in the family room, Silverstream, Ocellus, Velvet and Night Light were sitting there quietly. Velvet, Night Light and Silverstream were looking at Ocellus, still a little concerned that a changeling is staying in the castle.
"So, this is awkward," Velvet said.
Ocellus raised an eyebrow and asked, "What is?"
"Seeing a changeling in the same room as us," Velvet said. "Last time we saw one in the same room, she sent a swarm to infiltrate Canterlot during my son's wedding."
"Oh, I wasn't there," Ocellus said. "I was still back at the hive. Before I was banished." There was a moment of silence as the two ponies and hippogriff were looking at Ocellus.
"Was... any-changeling watching you?" Silverstream asked.
"What?" Ocellus asked.
"Was there a changeling that stayed to watch over you?" Silverstream asked.
"No," Ocellus said. "They said I was too weak to join in the invasion."
"Oh... kay," Velvet said. They continued to sit in silence.
Walking up the path to Yakyakistan, the Mane 6, Dusk, Nyx, Daylight, the Tri-Pies, Princess Celestia and a few guards, one of the guards being Flash Sentry, were trying to push through the snowstorm.
"Wow, it is really cold," Nyx said. "I should've worn a second set of winter gear."
"We'll be there in a few minutes," Princess Celestia said. "We're just gonna have to push through this storm!"
"I just hope that these yaks can make a decent cup of hot chocolate," Dusk said. "I'm freezing my tail off. And that's something I never thought I'd say here or back on Earth in my old life."
Pinkie Pie then stopped. Her knee started feeling pinchy. She then said, "Ooh, ooh! Pinchy knee! Pinchy knee!"
"Pinchy knee?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Wait, is that one of your Pinkie Senses?"
"Uh-huh!" Pinkie Pie respond.
"What does pinchy knee mean?" Applejack asked.
"If I recall her senses from when I was trying to study her, pinchy knee means..." Twilight said before being interrupted by another voice. One not from the group.
"HELP!!"
The group looked up the path in shock. They then started running and when they turned a corner up the mountain they saw a young yak moving back towards a cliff.
"Why is that yak here all by herself?" Rarity asked.
"I don't know," Twilight said. "But I think that's why Pinkie's knee was twitching." She pointed at something that the yak girl was backing away from.
The beast roared towards the others, making the group of ponies all scream. The beast then charged towards the yak, but Princess Celestia fired a beam of magic from her horn, going across the nose of the yeti, making it stop in shock.
"Stay away from her!" Princess Celestia said. The yeti then roared and charged towards the ponies. But then Rainbow Dash came flying in, hitting the yeti with multiple attacks. Twilight then used her magic to lift up the yeti, and then she threw it into the cave that was closest to the yeti. Then Princess Celestia used her magic to fire a beam across the top of the cave, making the entry cave in, leaving a small hole on the top so the yeti has air to breathe.
"Okay, that was close," Twilight said. She then approached the young yak. "Are you okay?"
"Yak okay," the young yak replied. "Yak was outside of village, getting a look down mountain, then yak tripped on braids, and rolled right down the mountain."
"Oh, my," Rarity said. "Well, how about we escort you back up the mountain?"
"Yona would appreciate that," the yak said.
"Oh, so your name is Yona?" Twilight asked.
"How pony know that?" the yak, known as Yona, asked.
"You just said it," Twilight said. "And you yaks have kind of a broken speech pattern."
"Well, yaks still learning pony language," Yona said. They started walking up the mountain. Yona then stepped on her left braid, making her trip. "Whoa-oa-oa!" Yona was about to fall off the mountain, but Celestia caught Yona in her magic.
"Maybe it'd be best if you try looping those braids of yours," Princess Celestia said.
"Oh, I believe I can help with that," Rarity said. She then used her magic to undo the ends of the braids, brought the ends up to the beginning, and tying the ribbons to the front, turning the braid styles into monkey swing styles. "There. That should keep you from tripping on your own hair."
"Ooh!" Yona said, looking at her hair. "Yona like this!"
"Well, then, Yona," Princess Celestia said. "I am Princess Celestia, ruler of Equestria. Prince Rutherford has invited us to attend the overnight goodwill tour in Yakyakistan."
"Oh! Yona love that tour!" Yona said. "Is one of best traditions in Yakyakistan!"
"Well, then, what are we waiting for?!" Dusk asked. Then they all continued up the mountain.
It was the middle of the night. Dusk, Nyx, Daylight and the Tri-Pies were sleeping in a covered wagon, all covered under three thick blankets, each. Applejack was strapped to the covered wagon. Several yaks, including Prince Rutherford, were about to see them out.
"Thank ya kindly fer letting us pull this cart until we get to the train station in the Crystal Empire," Applejack said, looking at Prince Rutherford. "Ah'm surprised ya had one in handy."
"Since ponies and yaks made alliance, we yaks believed guests should have cart to borrow to pull sleeping young ones," Prince Rutherford said. "At least until train station."
"I believe I can pull the cart back up here once the train takes these ponies home," Flash Sentry said to Prince Rutherford.
"Ponies welcome back to Yakyakistan anytime," Prince Rutherford said. "Also, one more thing." Then Yona came up to the group. "Yona has told of how ponies saved Yona's life from dreaded yeti. And since Yona kept tripping on own hair, we'd thought it best if she's in place less dangerous for her to run. With permission from parents, Yona would like to go see and live in pony town."
"Really?" Twilight asked.
"Yeah!" Yona said. "Yona really want to see place where ponies live and grow! Maybe safer than yeti on path to Yakyakistan."
"Well, we do have a hippogriff and a changeling back in the castle, and the castle does have a lot of empty rooms that we need to fill," Twilight said. "I guess we can let her stay with us."
"We might as well get going now," Princess Celestia said. "We don't want to wake the young ones." She then placed a sound blocking spell around Dusk, Nyx, Daylight and the Tri-Pies so they wouldn't wake up from the loud noise from the howling winds of the mountain range of the Frozen North, and the train whistle when they reach the train station.
The Mane 6, Princess Celestia, the guards, the foals and Yona started heading down the mountain, heading back to their homes.
The Mane 6, Dusk, Nyx, Daylight, the Tri-Pies and Yona finally arrived at the Castle of Friendship. Twilight looked towards Yona.
"Listen, Yona," Twilight said. "I know you yaks really love to smash things, but this place is the home of myself, Dusk, Nyx, Daylight, and a few others, including my parents. So, try not to smash anything inside the castle."
"Yona will be careful," Yona said. "Yaks best of following instructions."
"Is that true?" Daylight asked, leaning her head towards Dusk. Dusk responded by shrugging his shoulders and raising a hoof, giving the gesture that he didn't know either. As soon as Twilight opened the door, all the ponies and Yona gasped at what they saw. They saw Spike, Big Mac and Discord playing a real life version of the game, Ogres and Oubliettes.
"What the heck is going on here?!" Dusk asked, getting the attention of Spike, Big Mac and Discord. Discord looked towards Fluttershy, who nodded with pride. "I think I'll head to my room... and unpack."
"Me, too," Nyx said.
"Same here," Daylight said. Then the three of them went down one hall, taking the long way to their bedrooms.
"As for us, we should just close the door and let them finish... whatever this... is," Twilight said.
"No way!" Rainbow Dash said. Did you see Big Mac's sword? I totally want in!" She then zoomed towards the area where Spike, Big Mac and Discord were.
"Yeah!" Pinkie Pie said. "I don't know what it is, but it looks like super duper fun!" Then she and the Tri-Pies went towards the area, and as soon as they crossed the line of fantasy and reality, their outfits changed to match the surrounding area.
Rainbow Dash was now dressed as a Rogue, Pinkie Pie was now dressed as a Bard, and the Tri-Pies were dressed up as little knights. The armors of the Tri-Pies were colored darker than their manes.
"Guys Night!" the five of them shouted, then joined Spike, Big Mac and Discord in the imaginary fight.