//------------------------------// // Not So Good Mornings // Story: The Guardian of Unity // by Jet Lignite //------------------------------// It was another beautiful morning in Ponyville, the sun was rising from the west of the valley. The sky had scattered snow clouds, gentle winter breeze followed by snowflakes slowly cascading down to the earth. The thunder clouds from the previous night could still be seen but at a distance that did not disturb the peacefulness it left. Winter had just begun and every foal had excited as ever to go out and play, and at that moment 3 pre-teen fillies were dashing through the snow on a... well, what was left of a go-cart now turned into a sleigh. Behind the wheel was a yellow earth pony filly, wearing a green scarf with a matching beanie. Hanging on for dear life next to her was a white unicorn filly, wearing a magenta scarf and matching snow cap both gleaming in small lavender gems. Powering this crate in the back was an orange Pegasus filly wearing a dark grey hoodie, with black rims. They flew down the streets, spreading a wave of snow on passing ponies, to their destination: CMC Club house. Assuming they make it there in one piece or their new destination would be: Ponyville General! "Scootaloo, please slow down before sompony gets hurt!" yelled Sweetie Belle. "Aw, don't be a wuss. Besides were almost there!" replied Scootaloo. "Ah think Sweetie's right, we kinda are going fast." "Will you both relax, nothings happened yet and we're almost there." "We hit 3 snow ponies, got caught in the cross fire of a snowball fight, nearly crashed into Granny Smith and you STILL think we shouldn't slow down" "Pretty much" "Your crazy" "Crybaby" "Dodo" "Hey! Don't call me things I don't now the meaning of! "Then read a book more often" "Ha! Spoken like a true egg head" "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" "Hey, Scoots guess what?" asked Applebloom looking back. "What?" "Chicken butt!" "URGH! That's it! I'm gonna-" "Look out!" shrieked Sweetie" "Huh?" asked both in unison. Looking ahead they saw they were heading off the road and down a hill. Trying to get her steering back, Applebloom turned the wheel to get back on course, but it slid off. While they all started screaming, Scootaloo tried to slow the sleigh down, but her efforts were futile as the sleigh soon reached one of Scootaloo's old skating ramps. instead of smashing through, they took off, soaring through the air hanging on to their go-cart/sleigh/wingless plane. Meanwhile, somewhere further away... Two colts and a young stallion were making a snow pony. "All right boys, looks like we got us a snow pirate pony" Neo stated proudly. "But Neo-" "For the last time Snips, we already made three snow ponies of Trixie. Besides you lost 2 to 1. Get over it." "I wish Snails were here to back me up" "Where is he any way?" Pipsqueak asked. "He's hanging out with Peppermint Twist...again" "Pfft ha ha! I can't believe Snails, Snails, of all ponies got a girl left ya hanging" "Hanging on what?" "Forget it. So Pip, whatcha wanna do? "Hmmm? OH! I know, let's make a pirate ship snow fort!" Both Snips and Neo's eye brows shot up. "We MUST do that immediately. Brohoof on three." "One" "Two" "Thre-GAH!" SWOOSH! Before they could get to three, Pipsqueak, Snips, and Neo found themselves taken along on a runaway sleigh with 3 familiar screaming fillies. Soon they were back in town, trying to avoid hitting anypony. Ponies were scattering to avoid any injuries, running into each other and random object didn't really help. Good news: they didn't hit anypony, bad news: they were heading straight for Golden Oaks Library! "OH, SHIIIIIYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" Thinking quickly, Neo shifted his weight to the right, avoiding the library while screaming like a filly. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Twilight jumped at the sudden sound of snow smashing against her window as well as the screams that went by. She rushed to her balcony just in time to see three fillies, two colts and one stallion speeding down the street on a weird-looking sleigh until they where out of sight. Rolling her eyes, Twilight trotted back inside to get ready for her trip to Canterlot. She had been going back and forth all morning preparing for this trip. She walked past her desk, with the photo of Spike and her when they went star-gazing. She walked past a chalk board that had a map, photos of Spike and some photos of the Everfree Forest. There were arrows, circles and question marks as well, surrounding the photos. Then she passed the shelf next to the bedroom's entrance. This weeks news paper laid on the shelf, the front page read "MISSING TRAIN" showing a picture of the Friendship Express and some of its missing passengers. She had her bags ready, her materials, and her crown didn't bother her as much as it used to, but for some reason being a princess was just so stressful for her sometimes. She shook the thought away. "Right now I have more important things to worry about." "Who" "Me-wait'" "Who" Twilight turned to her pet owl who had been patiently watching her in silence, which had been a full 30 min. "Oh, sorry Owlowiscious" Twilight said sheepishly. Owlowiscious just waved a dismissing wing, flew to her side and presented her a paper with check marks. "You finished all everything on the list?" the owl answered with a nod. "Great! Then you can just head on over to Fluttershy's until I return tomorrow" she said cheerfully. After she nuzzled him, Owlowiscious took off through an open window. Twilight was as eager as ever to make the trip to Canterlot. For today, Twilight was to attend an important meeting with the Director of the Equestrian Bureau of Investigation. The EBI is an equine government organization that has been the most reliable in investigations, national security, and justice since its establishment by the four alicorn monarchs two years ago. Ever since Spike went missing, she had maintained contact with the Director on a weekly basis for the last year. She hoped and prayed that she would be united with the BEST friend she has ever had, and every time she received an update on the investigation was all she could think of, she went to search with the field agents, the forensics team, and still very few clues were found that could tell the where abouts of Spike. When they discovered what appeared to have a disturbing resemblance to dragon's blood near the Everfree forest, Twilight went absolutely hysterical. The other elements of harmony didn't take the news well either, but they had to help their friend before she did anything drastic. Once they gathered at the library, Princess Celestia, arrived with a somber look on her face. She was upset as Twilight but seemed more in control of her emotions. She told them that Spike was still alive, though she could not find his site, she explained that since the first week of Spike's birth, Celestia created a magical link with him to send messages and small objects. She still sensed her connection with him, though she could not send any thing to confirm if he was well. This was comforting for them all, but with the search looking bleak, Twilight slowly slipped into depression, letting her nightmarish fears roam her mind. She feared Spike had been abducted, trapped, injured, or worst of all...dying. Fears that to be banished by the other element bearers, as they confronted and comforted Twilight before she could get any worse and encouraged her to have faith in the ponies searching and Spike. Once Twilight re-composed herself, she returned to her duties as princess and seemed to have progressing well. Twilight saw a royal carriage descending outside and gathered all her belongings by the door. "Nothing can possibly go wrong today." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "How could things have possibly gone wrong today!" "This never would have happened if we made a snowpony of Trixie." "SHUT UP SNIPS!" Neo was running out of options. On one hoof he could jump off with some of the foals before the rest hit the lake. On the other he could throw them all off on the soft pile of snow and risk hitting the lake himself. Oh boy, this was a tuff. 'No wonder I almost didn't graduate high school' he thought. He looked back at the kids and made his decision. "Curse you stupid conscience!" One by one, he started flinging them of the sleigh and into the snow. Each of them let out an 'oof!' as they hit the snow. Neo chuckled to himself as they fell in very odd-looking positions that would make a grumpy dude go LOL. Especially when he saw Snips had done a scorpion fall. Neo was getting closer to the lake, but he still had time to jump. "Yippee ki yay motherfu-woah what?" He was about to jump, but his flank got stuck in the kids seat! He started panicking, struggling to get free. He huffed and sweated like he was having trouble taking a crap. "No, No, No, No, NO!" He braced himself for the pain. Yet, he only felt a jolt, Neo opened one eye to see what was the hold up. The front of the sleigh pierced in the ice! Neo sighed, relieved that he didn't get dunked in the ice water. CRACK Neo's eyes shot open, the ice was starting to give way!