Twilight barely ate breakfast on December 4th. She had to meet up with Doctor Hooves at Town Hall to see what he had come up with.
Spike tagged along as usual. He rode on Twilight's back as she galloped away from the castle.
The dragon had been looking forward to visiting Canterlot again. But ever since the news arrived about the Friendship Express and the weather, Spike was doubting spending a Hearth's Warming Eve back home.
"What do you think Doctor Hooves made, Twilight?" Spike asked.
"I don't know. It could be really big, it could be really small," Twilight replied. "All I know is that Doctor Hooves managed to make this invention in just three days!"
Spike was eager to find out what it was. Of course, afterward, they'd be able to go back to the castle and sleep some more.
"Have you gotten a letter from my mom?" Twilight asked.
"Not since the first day of December," Spike replied. It was strange. Usually, Twilight Velvet would write a new letter in a few hours, but there had been no reply ever since.
They arrived at Town Hall. A crowd of ponies had gathered in front of a wooden stage set up by some earth ponies. A red drape was covering something onstage. Doctor Hooves was trotting back and forth. He waved Twilight and Spike onstage.
"Good morning, Princess!" Doctor Hooves greeted. "I've completed the creation! I was waiting for you to arrive so I could unveil it to Ponyville. The wait is now over!"
He turned to the crowd of gathering ponies. "Ladies and gentlecolts! My name is Doctor Hooves and I am presenting to you all a machine that will help predict the chaotic weather."
"This is very mild if it's chaotic," commented Discord in the crowd.
"You all know it sleeted yesterday and it was quite windy the day before," Doctor Hooves said. "So I have devised a machine that will help us until Cloudsdale will be able to control the weather again. Princess Twilight, if you may do the honors?"
Twilight levitated the drape up.
"Behold! I call it the Predicter!" Doctor Hooves said. The Predictor was a control panel with several buttons and screens. One of them showed 48 Fahrenheit. Another showed a picture of clouds. A screen showed, "December 4."
"How does it work?" one pony asked. Others mumbled in agreement, unsure of Doctor Hooves's creation.
"Simple!" Doctor Hooves said. "You see, with a few samples of oxygen, I am able to insert it into a slot in the back of this machine. And with just a bit of magic, it can show what the weather will be like. Currently, it is 48 degrees and cloudy."
Ponies mumbled in wonder and curiosity. Some stared to the sky, where there were clouds blocking the sun's rays. Spike thought the Predicter was awesome! It was cloudy, and the machine predicted it was cloudy. Maybe Doctor Hooves could make him an automatic claw massager.
"Would you like to know tomorrow's weather?" Doctor Hooves asked. Ponies nodded and mumbled.
The doctor spun the date to December 5th. It showed: Showers, 50 Fahrenheit.
"Now, my little ponies, we're going to wait for tomorrow to come so we can see that my Predicter is reliable and will guarantee safety until the weather can once again be controlled," Doctor Hooves said. "Come back tomorrow to check!"
Ponies went back to their everyday lives, some whispering about the Predicter.
"Thank you so much, Doctor Hooves!" Twilight said. "Now, at least, Ponyville knows what to expect. Could you possibly make another one to send to Canterlot? I think it'd be of much help there."
Doctor Hooves shook his head. "Unfortunately, I'd need even more materials to make another. I believe your search was quite difficult, after all. Besides, I want to make upgrades to the current Predicter. Imagine what could be predicted!"
"Understood, Doctor Hooves." Twilight seemed to deflate a little. Spike was disappointed, too. They could have gone when the weather was fine in Ponyville and Canterlot. Then they would make it home for Hearth's Warming Eve. "Well, thank you again for helping Ponyville."
"Anything for the good of the ponies and their safety," Doctor Hooves said.
"Well, Spike, what do you think we should do now?" Twilight asked.
"Maybe we should check on Cloudsdale to check on their progress with the weather factory," Spike suggested.
"You read my mind," Twilight said. She flapped her wings and soared into Cloudsdale.
Pegasi were working harder with the clouds and flying faster than usual. The clouds were a dark gray and they felt rough and stiff. Some pegasi were doing their best to repair the weather factory. Rainbow Feathers was carrying a stack of papers as he flew down to Twilight and Spike.
"Princess Twilight, I've received updates on the weather from all the corners of Equestria," Rainbow Feathers explained. "There have been blizzards, sleet, and fog. I've also received word that Doctor Hooves has helped us with the weather."
"Yes. He has created a machine called the Predicter to know what the weather will be like each day," Twilight replied.
"That, I'm afraid, is not the only news I've received." Feathers exhaled. "I've heard you were going to travel to Canterlot on Hearth's Warming Eve. Unfortunately, the Friendship Express has declared bankruptcy and it will be shut down on December 10th."
Twilight and Spike gasped in disappointment and shock. The weather was under control with the Predicter, but did this mean they wouldn't be able to go back home for Hearth's Warming Eve?