The next day in Ponyville at the library, Twilight woke up. She leaned down from the edge of her bed to Spike who was still asleep, “Rise and shine, Spike. It's a new day.
Spike disturbed by her wake up call, yawned followed up by a shiver, “Why does it feel so cold?”
Twilight suddenly felt the cold sensation as well, “Hey you're right. Did we leave the window open?” Twilight asked curiously.
“Doesn't look like it,” Spike said as he jumped out of his basket and went to the window to look out it, only for his eyes to widen “ Uh Twilight, you might want to take a look at this.”
Twilight went over to the window, and her eyed widened in shock, “What in Equestria?!” Outside the library, all of Ponyville was covered in snow with chilly winds making it colder, “Snow in the middle of summer?” the alicorn gasped. She quickly grabbed some winter clothes, “We better talk to Rainbow Dash about this.”
Spike went to the fireplace, “Better warm up.” he used his flame to start it.
“When you finish that could you write a letter to Princess Celestia and tell her about the situation?” she requested.
“I will as soon as the ink unfreezes.” he answered while showing her the frozen ink he was trying to thaw.
Twilight wrapped her hooves around Spike happily, “What would I do without you, Spike?”
Spike smirked, “That's what I'm here for.”
So Twilight took off and galloped through the snowy weather as multiple earth ponies were using plows to try and clear the roads. She reached Sweet Apple acres to find Applejack and her family trying to salvage whatever apples they could into their barn.
Granny Smith looked up at the sky crossed, “What in sam hill are those pegasi doing up there?!”
“I don't know, but this sure isn't some practical joke." Applejack noted.
“Eeyup.” Big Mac replied.
“It's getting colder by the minute.” Applebloom shivered.
“Keep it together, Applebloom. If we don't get these apples into the barn soon we'll loose half our crops." AJ said as they worked faster.
“Applejack!” Twilight called as she reached her honest friend.
“Twi, you have any idea what's going on?” the earth pony asked hopefully.
“I don't know, but I'm hoping Rainbow Dash has an answer for this.” she answered.
“Well ya best find her and put a stop to this.” Granny Smith instructed.
“Right, A.J you coming?” Twilight asked.
“Well...” Applejack began not wanting to abandon her family.
“Don't worry Applejack, we can get the rest just fine.” Granny Smith assured her.
“Are yall sure?”
“Eeyup.” Big Mac nodded.
“All right. Let's go, Twi.” Applejack said as they hurried off.
Meanwhile at Fluttershy's, all of her animals were crowing inside to keep warm. Fluttershy was passing out warm blankets to every animal, “Here you all are,” she turned to angel who was giving out soup to the animals, “Make sure they all have a blanket, Angel.” the rabbit saluted in response.
Fluttershy put on her winter clothes planning to see if Rainbow Dash needed any extra help. She went outside to see Twilight and Applejack, “Fluttershy, have ya seen Rainbow Dash?” A.J asked.
“No, but I was on my way to see her.” she answered.
“Well we better hurry. It's getting colder.” Twilight instructed, while shivering a bit.
“Then might I suggest more comfortable ensembles?" Rarity trotted up and used her magic to levitate extra scarves around her friends necks.
Suddenly Pinkie Pie popped out of a snowbank, “Snow day!” she cheered.
“You know it's the middle of Summer, Pinkie.” Applejack reminded her dryly.
“I know. Snow during Summer is awesome!” she shrieked in joy.
Rarity rolled her eyes before looking up seeing their sixth friend, “Look, there's Rainbow Dash now!” the pegasus was flying around poofing all the clouds but they kept coming.
Rainbow growled in frustration and spoke, “Come on get lost!” she poofed another.
Another came back as Fluttershy and Twilight came up to her, “Rainbow Dash, what's happening here?” Fluttershy asked.
“Some other Pegasi flew around here and started up all these snow clouds." Rainbow explained as she tried to continue poofing them.
“Other Pegasi?” Twilight asked in confusion.
“Yeah ones not from around here or Cloudsdale.” she explained.
“Why would Pegasi not from around here be doing this?" Applejack inquired.
“Well they better leave and take this winter with them,” Rarity began, “The pipes in my shop are starting to freeze up.”
Back at the library, Spike had finished writing the letter to give the princess, “Ok, now I just hope this can get to the princess fast enough," he opened the window ignoring the chilly wind and used his fire to send the letter. He shivered at the chilly weather and quickly closed the window. He walked back to the fire to warm up, but started looking around the place cautiously, '”You ever get the feeling that your being watched?” he asked himself. Suddenly he felt as if the place was getting colder inside the library. Suddenly the fire mysteriously went out, startling him.
Suddenly he belched up a letter from the princess. He opened it and read a bit to himself, “My dear Spike, you must alert Twilight and her friends that this is no ordinary winter storm," he rolled it up and grabbed his own winter wear, “I gotta find them.” he prepared to exit the library only to see the door was frozen shut, “Oh no the doors frozen. I know, out the window!” he went over to it only to see it was suddenly frozen shut as well, “No now I'm trapped in here. I know I'll use my flames to melt it." he took a deep breath and was about to release his fire, until a hoof covered his mouth.
He struggled and looked up seeing a snow pegasus, “Our queen requests your company." Owlowiscious peeked at the pegasi who opened the window and flew off carrying Spike. The owl grabbed the letter Spike dropped and flew out the window to find Twilight.
Meanwhile, the girls noticed the snow was letting up but was still coming down, “Well it's slowing down, but jeez what pony would pull something like this on us?” Rainbow asked.
“Hoot-hoot!” Owlowiscious flew over.
“Owlowiscious, what're you doing here?" Twilight asked.
The owl hooted as Fluttershy listened, “Yes, uh-huh. What?!” she gasped.
“What's he hootin's about?” AJ asked not liking her reaction.
“Spike received the letter from the princess and was trying to warn us, but he was captured by some snow like Pegasus." she explained.
“What? Somepony kidnapped Spikey-Wikey?!” Rarity asked in shock.
“Oh no, this is horrible!” Twilight added in worry.
“What meanie pants would do such a thing?” Pinkie asked feeling crossed.
Rainbow spoke as Owlowiscious handed Twilight the letter from Celestia, “Whoever did it is gonna have to deal with me."
“I think you may be over your head, Rainbow," Twilight replied, “According to Princess Celestia, this is the work of somepony that not even I read about,” the girls looked to her wondering what Princess Celestia put down, “We have to get to Canterlot right away."
“Well what're we waiting for?” Rainbow asked her friends wanting them to get a move on right away.
“But what about Spike?” Fluttershy asked still in worry.
“I have a feeling this storm and Spike's kidnapping is connected,” Twilight noted to her as they were worried even more, “We better hurry.” they trotted off.
Meanwhile, the snow pegasus was flying across the sky past the Crystal Empire. Spike who started riding on its back was worried, "Just where are you taking me?" he demanded nervously.
“You shall know soon enough." the pegasus answered.
Spike looked around the place and saw snowy and icy mountains ahead of them, “What is this place?”
“These are the Glacier Mountains.” the Pegasus answered.
“I never knew these existed on the map." Spike noted.
“That's because nopony comes here.”
“I can imagine why.” Spike shivered.
“We're here.” The Pegasus stated.
Spike looked and saw the ice palace, “Whoa. It's solid ice!”
The pegasus landed and walked in with Spike at his side. Spike looked seeing the unicorn guards who were made from snow like the Pegasus but were alive as well, “Wow, are all of you made of snow?”
“Yes. Our queen made us this way.” the Pegasus explained.
“Your queen?” he asked puzzled.
“Yes. Follow us, please.” he instructed and Spike did so.
They walked into a throne room as two rows of unicorns blew into trumpets of ice as one spoke, “Announcing her Royal Highness; Queen Gwyneira...The Windigo Queen!"
'Windigo Queen?' Spike thought as he looked ahead.
The alicorn from before came down flanking her two windigos who left. Spike gasped at the sight of her, but trembled on the inside. The alicorn known as Queen Gwyneira spoke to him, “Step forward young drake,” she ordered. Spike gulped and did so with a bow of his head, “I welcome you to my kindgom.”
“The pleasure's all mine, your highness." Spike replied respectively.
“Now I shall not let you be formal with me,” she continued, “Call me Neira.”
“Ok then, Neira.” Spike replied.
“Now I assume you're wondering why I brought you here?" she asked.
“Obviously.” he replied.
The queen spoke as she went over to him, forcing him to look up at her, “Well I have been watching over Equestria for many many years," she began, “And I happened across you during one of my observations.”
“Me?” Spike asked with a raised brow.
“Yes. It's rare to see a dragon like you still in your child stage.” she explained.
“Well I'm not as greedy as most dragons.” he admitted.
Neira smiled and spoke, “That's very admirable. Deciding to take the shorter way to grow rather than the normal dragon way.”
“Well the last time I tried practicing greed, I nearly laid waste on my home.” Spike explained sheepishly.
“That's only natural,” Neira explained, “A dragon's nature is suppose to be that of greed wanting everything for themselves, but you are different.”
“That's because I wasn't raised by dragons.” he replied.
“So I've seen. You were raised by ponies, correct?” she guessed.
“Yeah. I was hatched as an egg by my friend Twilight for her magic academy exam. I was raised by the princess there, until I was older and since then had become Twilight's assistant.” he explained.
“And are you happy with being an assistant?” she questioned him.
“Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?” he asked wondering where she was going.
“Because I happen to notice you are exploited for your services.” she explained as if taking the words right out of his mouth that he was spurting out yesterday to Owlowiscious.
“Well I sometimes feel I do a lot,” he admitted, but didn't want to sound like he hated it, “But they're my friends."
“Even friends should know when they ask too much from another.” she noted.
Spike looked down unable to create a comeback for that, “Well they have been asking me for help more than usual.
“And it pains me to see someone so young exploited for your good services,” the queen continued to pity him. Spike looked up at the queen as she continued, “We are of a kind you and I.”
“We are, how?” he asked puzzled.
The queen lifted his chin with her hoof and answered, “Walk with me.” and with that she walked with Spike through an ice hall and into a chamber with ice like images carved into that that appeared to depict legends like the stain glass windows in Canterlot's castle.
“Well I like what you've done to the place.” Spike admitted.
“Thank you.” Neira thanked him.
“Though I never knew this castle existed.” the dragon noted.
Neira sighed, “That's because I've lived in isolation with my land.”
“Isolation?” Spike gasped.
“Yes. You see I am not a true pony. I am part windigo.” she explained.
“You're half windigo?” Spike gasped.
“Yes. The other half came from my mother's side who was a unicorn.” she continued.
“Really?” he gasped.
“Yes. Let me tell you a story,” she began while motioning to the ice like images surrounding the chamber, “Many years ago before Equestria was founded, the three pony tribes were separate. My mother's name was Prism Light. She was once a student of Star Swirl the Bearded, along side her best friend Clover the Clever.”
Spike listened with interest as she continued, “The two of them grew up close like they were siblings. Then one day Princess Platinum and Clover went to search for new land, and my mother followed in secret. However she had gotten lost in the storm and was surrounded by windigos,” Spike looked at the image of a pony surrounded by windigos as Neira continued, “She felt as if she would never escape the terrible storm. Just then the windigos leader approached her with a choice.”
“A choice?” Spike asked.
Neira nodded, “It offered her this. Either she become a frozen statue or mate with his only son.”
“Whoa.” Spike gasped.
“Not wanting to die a frozen death she took the latter, and so the marriage was set,” she continued, “After the ceremony my mother had awoken in a cave not seeing the windigos. She decided to leave and find Clover and the Princess. She soon found them and saw they were making a new community with Pegasai and earth ponies. Thus leading to the formation of Equestria.”
“Doesn't sound like it turned out too bad.” Spike noted.
Neira looked at the image of her mother reunited with her friend and smiled, “Yes my mother was reunited with her best friend,” suddenly her smile shifted to a look of despair, “But as the years followed complications arose. One night my mother was on a nightly stroll when my father appeared to her.”
Spike saw the image of the windigo before her mother, “ He reminded her of their marriage and that they were now binded. My mother was left with no choice but to go with him. If she hadn't my father would attack the newly forming Equestria. So they lives together until I was born. When I was born I was originally a pegasus because my mother had been seeing a pegasus before my father came looking for her. When my parents had me, the magic from mixing windigo blood with the unicorn and pegasus genes that was within her magically allowed me access my mother's unicorn magic, and with the magic of the windigo tribe gave me this ice power.”
“Wow.” Spike gasped in shock.
“Eventually my mother no longer wanting to be with him used magic to cast a spell to hide my horn. She left with me not wanting to be with the windigo leader and instead returned to Equestria. My mother didn't want anypony else to know about my magic, and feared if I were revealed the others would fear me. After all the only alicorns that existed during the time would be Princess Celestia and Luna. If they or anypony else found out I was a halfbreed... Well you can imagine the reactions.”
Spike spoke up, “That does sound like something hard for anypony to accept.”
Neira nodded, “Yes. For years I lived a peaceful and happy life,” she then looked down in despair once again, “Until one day a terrible thing happened. I was happily playing with other ponies my age. But I was startled by one of them, and that act triggered my magic. I ended up freezing a fountain in front of all the citizens of Canterlot. When they saw my horn they thought it was unnatural, that nopony else could have both horn and wings unless they were royalty. At the same time Celestia and Luna saw me. I didn't want to stick around and hear what they had to say so I flew away afraid and never went back. I flew past Canterlot, the Crystal Empire, all the way to the mountains here.”
“Wow.” Spike gasped.
“Out here I learned to control my magic and my ice with no disturbance, no interruptions, and nopony to call me a freak,” she continued, “Eventually my father's tribe found me and pledged their allegiance to me since my father passed on. So since then I have commanded the windigos along with some soldiers of my own.”
“So the unicorns and pegasi out there?” Spike noted.
Neira nodded, “Were originally snow ponies, until my magic gave them life.”
Spike thought as he looked at the queen and thought, 'This one is definitely different from Celestia and Luna. And she feels pity for me?'
“So you see I understand what it's like being neglected and left out.” she explained.
Spike looked up at her and spoke, “Well I was left out at Twilight's birthday in Canterlot, and some other special events like the Grand Galloping Gala.”
“How horrible,” Neira gasped, “Being neglected that much?” she went to his level, “You're even worse off than I thought.”
Spike spoke up not wanting to give her the wrong idea about his friends, “But I've been included in more than not being included. That counts.”
“But whose to say you will be neglected more if you continue to live amongst them,” she continued to egg him on, “I can offer you a better life.”
“A better life?” Spike asked in confusion.
She smiled and showed him to the dining hall, “Yes, but please allow me to offer you nourishment. You must be hungry after a long flight from Ponyville.”
Spike looked and saw all kinds of gems set up for him, “NO WAY!” he gasped with an open mouth and wide eyes.
“Neira smiled, “Oh yes. I have collected many of these throughout the years. I personally have no use for them. You however may gorge to your hearts content.” she encouraged him.
“Don't mind if I do!” he jumped to a seat and pulled a bowl of gems over and began eating.
Neira smiled and thought to herself, ' He is pleased. This is exactly what he needs to be.'