The train carrying three young fillies on a mission to rescue their friend began to pull out of Ponyville station. Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Silver Spoon all took their seats while the train picked up speed.
“How long do you think it will take to get there?” Silver Spoon asked Sweetie Belle
“The trip to the Crystal Empire should only take about a couple hours,” Sweetie Belle said, “when Spike, Scoots, Apple Bloom, and I went there while pet sitting we left around 2:00 and got there by 4”
“How much farther is it from the Crystal Empire to Yakyakistan?” asked Scootaloo, lowering her voice as the ticket checker came through checking tickets of everypony who he’d missed before the train left, “I just hope it isn’t already too late for Tiara”
All three of them became subdued after that. What would they do if they went all that way, just to find out Diamond Tiara had been cooked and eaten by Krampus. Approximately ten minutes the food cart pony came by and they each ordered a hayburger with salad.
“Diamond Tiara always liked eating hayburgers,” said Silver Spoon sadly, “I don’t want… to lose… one… of my… best friends”
Tears began to drip, then pour down Silver Spoon’s face. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle scooted closer to her and Sweetie Belle put her right arm around her while Scootaloo draped her left wing over both Sweetie’s arm and Silver Spoon’s back.
“She was my very first friend,” Silver Spoon said between huge sobs, “We’ve always been together. We even got our cutie marks at the same time, just like you three. The cute-cenẽra where you three met was actually for both of us”
Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle looked at each other. They had never known that Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara had such a profound connection. It was just as profound as the connection the crusaders shared. Scootaloo still got a tingle down her spine when she thought of the moment when they had gotten what they had so long wished for.
“It’ll be okay Spoon,” said Sweetie Belle, “you’ll see, we’ll rescue Tiara before Krampus can eat her and then we’ll all come back home. We’ll be heroes”
“I hope you’re right,” sniffled Silver Spoon, taking her glasses off and wiping her eyes on her arm, “sorry I lost it. I’m just so worried about her”
At this point the food cart pony came back with their salads and hayburgers. She noticed the unicorn and Pegasus had an arm and wing over the earth filly, who, judging by the redness of her eyes, looked like she had just been crying. As she handed out the food, she asked the three if everything was okay.
“Yes,” Sweetie Belle said, “She just doesn’t do very well around Hearths Warming”
“Oh,” said the food pony, “that’s too bad. If there’s anything I can help with, let me know” She started to walk away.
“Do you know how long it would take a pony to walk from the Crystal Empire to Yak Yakistan?” Sweetie Belle asked.
“It would take about ten days to walk there,” the food pony said
The three fillies became crestfallen at this news. It seemed they wouldn’t make it after all.
“But,” said the food pony, “ever since relations improved between Equestria and Yak Yakistan they’ve been able to build a rail line from the Empire to the capital of Yak Yakistan. Ever since, it only takes about 6 hours depending on the conductor and time of year”
“Really!” the three fillies yelled, “That means we’ll be able to make it”
“Make what?” the food pony asked, “Is there something happening in Yak Yakistan?”
“Oh…um…uh,” stuttered Scootaloo, “we’re doing a report on it for school, yeah that’s it, we have to learn about a place outside of Ponyville and we chose that place”
The food pony seemed unconvinced but decided to not question the fillies anymore.
“Well,” she said, “We’ll be at the Crystal Empire station in about an hour. Where were you three planning to stay?”
“We hadn’t thought of that,” Silver Spoon said, “I guess we can stay at an inn. I hope we have enough bits for that”
“You know,” said the food pony, “Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armor recently passed a bill that says all ponies under a certain age can stay anywhere for free”
“That’s wonderful,” Sweetie Belle said, “now we won’t have to worry about finding someplace to stay tonight”
The rest of the train ride continued without incident. The three fillies were feeling extremely hopeful and confident they would be able to save their friend. That is, until the train finally pulled the station outside the Empire. Standing on the platform were at least half a dozen crystal pony royal guards, along with Princess Cadence and her husband Shining Armor. Upon seeing this greeting committee, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Silver Spoon all ducked under their seats.
“Alright you three,” Cadence called, “we know you’re on this train, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Silver Spoon.” The three fillies jumped. “We’ve already gotten word from Ponyville that you three boarded this train. We promise not to punish you. Your families just asked us to keep you safe until tomorrow, at which time we’ll be escorting you back home”
“If you knew my sister, you’d know that that amounts to a death sentence for me” called Sweetie Belle, “she’ll skin me alive and use my fur for her next outfit”
They heard a snicker and a ‘Hush’ from Cadence. They were then enveloped in a blue aura and lifted out from under the seats. They were carried through the window of the train and deposited in front of the rulers of the Crystal Empire. The two were standing looking at the three fillies dressed in Hearths Warming sweaters, which Sweetie Belle recognized as her sister’s design.
“Up you three get,” said Cadence, her pink fur matching the color of the sweater. There were blue sapphire buttons down the front that matched her magic aura color, “We’ve been asked to make sure you three are comfortable tonight. Will you make sure that their saddle bags are brought up to the castle?”
This question was directed to the royal guards, who promptly saluted and marched into the train to retrieve the fillies’ belongings. Cadence and Shining Armor took up flanking positions on either side of Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle with Silver Spoon in the middle. As they walked past the brochures detailing the different train routes and times of departure, Sweetie Belle’s horn began to glow a faint green color as one of the brochures lifted up and floated after the group.
The march to the castle took approximately ten minutes and the sun had set by the time they reached the castle doors. As soon as they were inside, pony servants came up and removed the coats from the monarchs’ and led them all down the hall towards the dining room. There they enjoyed a simple vegetable stew with rolls. While they ate Sweetie Belle asked, “How did you know we were on the train? We thought we had boarded it sneakily enough”
“You’ve got to be sneakier then,” Shining Armor chuckled, “As soon as the train pulled out of the station, the ticket pony went to tell your families what you were doing and where you were going. After that it was a simple matter for Twilight to send us a letter through Spike. They asked us to meet you at the station and then bring you home tomorrow. We’re going to send them a letter after supper”
Once they had finished eating, Cadence and Shining Armor sent the three fillies to get ready for bed while they sent the letter to Ponyville informing their families that the three little ponies were safe and would be back home the next day.
After they had been tucked into bed for the night, Sweetie Belle lifted up the brochure she had kept hidden since their arrival. She then used her magic to light the candles in their room.
“Ok girls,” she said, “according to this pamphlet I got from the station, the only train to Yak Yakistan leaves at 6:00 tomorrow. That means we’ll have to sneak out of here early tomorrow. My suggestion is we just stay up all night. We can sleep on the train tomorrow”
The other two agreed to this and they sat down and started playing card games to help keep themselves awake.
As the sun began to rise above the mountains, Diamond Tiara opened her eyes and looked around. Remembering where she was and what would happen to her later that day she began to cry.
“Oh brother,” came the voice of Dust Devil from across the hall, “don’t start crying again. It makes you look pathetic”
“I told you to leave her alone Dust Devil,” came Windy Night’s voice from the cell next door, “Did you forget what today is? It’s Hearths Warming Eve. Krampus is going to cook us up and eat us tonight. If she wants to cry, let her cry”
“Thanks, Windy” said Diamond Tiara.
“tch, whatever” grumbled Dust Devil
Scootaloo peeked her head through the bedroom door and glanced up and down the corridor. Seeing nopony in sight she turned to the other two.
“Ok,” she whispered, “the coast is clear. This is probably our best chance to get to the station and on the train to Yak Yakistan”
Quietly, the three rescuers snuck out of the bedroom and down the hall towards the stairs. They didn’t see anyone standing at the bottom so they tiptoed down the stairs and across the foyer. Sweetie Belle’s horn began to glow as the doors became incased in a pale green light and swung silently open. Outside Luna’s moon hung near the horizon. Night was almost over and the rescuers needed to get the station as quick as possible.
To help stay inconspicuous, they had grabbed cloaks from the closet in the room before leaving. They threw the cloaks over their saddlebags as they walked warily down the steps and towards the train station. They didn’t see anypony as they walked but they took no chances. As soon as they were clear of the view from the castle windows they broke into a gallop and sped towards the station.
They didn’t stop until they reached the ticket teller and had bought their tickets to Yak Yakistan. As the three boarded the train, each one suppressed a yawn. They took their seats and promptly fell asleep.It seemed like only minutes later that the train came to a jarring halt. Sweetie Belle and Silver Spoon fell out of their seats and landed on the floor with a thud while Scootaloo continued sleeping.
Groaning and stretching their stiff muscles, Sweetie Belle and Silver Spoon got off the floor and shook Scootaloo awake.
“Wake up Scoots,” said Sweetie Belle while Silver Spoon got their luggage down from the racks above the seats, “it looks like we’re in the Yakistani capital”