There she stood. She wore a cloak like mine that was every bit as torn if not moreso, the wind whipping it in every direction. She had accessories over all her body; rope, bags of food hanging over her back, water, and something broad and slung over her back. She looked like she had possibly encountered the wolves - her eyebrows were encrusted in ice, there was traces of blood on her left cheek, and her breath was heavy.

Her face was nothing like I'd ever seen. Her expression, somehow even now, was stoic... ever committed to conquering everything thrown at her, though it couldn't hide how much suffering she'd been through in such a short time period. I knew she was tough, but I found it utterly impossible that anyone could be this resilient. How much pain that she had been through was I responsible for, I wondered. It was a haunting tragedy that she should hear what happened to me right before all of this went down.

We both were overwhelmed to see each other and not the cold nor the raging winds could distract us - it felt like we'd been separated for years. Concern and interest in the other's well-being dominated both of our first reactions; she examined every part of me to assess my state of being, wondering fiercely what had I been through and if I was alright while my own feelings mirrored hers. Eventually she seemed so relieved and happy to have found me that it looked like she was about to cry, and at first her presence breathed a new life into me and I was engulfed with love and admiration in return... but little did I know just how awful I was setting myself up.

"Where's the team?" she asked, as the first signs of mortal terror made their way across her face. My heart was dropped off a cliff as I was suddenly so aware of all the devastating truths I had to bestow on her, as I looked into her eyes that longed for good news.

The weight of that burden and all the implications therein hit me like a train and immediately forced me off my hooves and into the snow as I grappled completely in vain with the pain. She thundered forward and threw herself around me as I suppressed thoughts and images of suffering kids that I couldn't save. I comprehended everything.... What this meant for her, for the kids, for their parents, for their brothers and sisters...

"Sonic it's alright! I'm here!" she offered at her best and most desperate attempt to console. Everything I did just seemed to make everything worse... the last thing I wanted to do was make her even more miserable, but the realities of the situation took on a physical form like a mortal illness raging through my body. What a nightmare my life turned out to be, I thought to myself.

"I'm s-so s-sorry!" I lamented, crying hysterically into her shoulder. This was the one and only time in my entire life when embracing her actually made the pain a million times worse... I knew I had failed her, I knew the impact knowing the team had left would have on her, and I knew the kids were doomed. Rainbow deserved so much better than all of this, and having her grip me so tightly seemed to amplify the internal ache to an incomprehensible level. How were the two of us supposed to rescue eighteen foals by ourselves, when the loss of just one was a tragedy beyond words? "I tried so hard..."

"I know!" she sobbed, rocking me back and fourth. "I know, Sonic!"

We both shared so deeply in our misery and we both willed so strongly that the other feel better that somewhere deep inside I think there was eventually a mutual relief, each just for the other's sake, as we hugged each other harder than we ever have.

"Rainbow?" called a voice from the wind. We both turned our heads. The shadowy silhouette in the snow stepped forward - it was Thunderlane, who looked as somber and sympathetic as I've ever seen him. I must say though I love him dearly, seeing him wasn't quite enough to free me from this discouragement.

However behind Thunderlane another shadowy outline of a pony appeared. It too inched closer until Blossomforth emerged looking on with pity. Before long three more outlines appeared at their side, and the worn, rugged faces of Merry May, Clear Skies, and Buddy created a line of five ponies in awestruck disbelief of Rainbow.

Her and I looked at each other. All of a sudden the pain wasn't quite so unbearable. I could see they were all genuinely impressed and inspired, despite their own weariness and depleted morale. Maybe seeing her now they were willing to stay a little longer, and look just a little harder.

"You're incredible," uttered Blossomforth to Rainbow under breath.

Rainbow was in the exact same position as me. She had pieced together that all of these ponies plus Whitewash and the Wonderbolts had abandoned the mission, but now these five had returned. It was awkward transition for us two but they gave us a reason to suspend our despair and were the legitimate foundation for one last effort.

"Sonic," started Merry May to me, breaking the silence. She was struggling to compose her words. "I don't know how to describe it, but when you look at me... you make me feel like I really matter. Like I'm not just another background pony. I can't-"

"I think what she's trying to say," started Clear Skies, "we can't leave this place until - "

"Until we truly have *nothing* left," said Blossomforth.

"I have been really afraid of things my whole life," offered Buddy. "What we've been through the last 24 hours, what do I have left to be afraid of? I'm way more of afraid of going back having not faced my fears for the sake of a bunch of kids... and for you, Sonic."

"Now that I know Rainbow came all the way out here without wings, I'm definitely not going back until I die or hypothermia sets in," said Thunderlane. "Both of you are my heroes. I've got a few more hours left in me, and I owe to you and those kids to stay out here a little longer," he said to the two of us.

Out of the corner of my eye Rainbow was shooting me a look of wondrous pride. Unlike her I couldn't put on a stoic face and my feelings were usually fully on display. But I hoped they could see how much it actually it meant to me. I try my best to love unconditionally, but the reality for me is that knowing that it's appreciated is significant. I wanted to know each of them deeply and meaningfully. Up to this point I had tried so hard to be a good teammate for them working towards a goal where everyone could all go home happy. When they had left, I assumed that meant I utterly failed.

"I- uh," I started, looking gratefully at each one of them. "I don't know what to say that's not cliche, but-"

"Well then don't bother," remarked Thunderlane.

"But there truly aren't words to describe how much your support means to me," I continued, trying hard in vain to hold back my outwardly emotional appearance as Rainbow reached a hoof around me and buried her head in me for support.

"You have believed in us," said Blossomforth, speaking for the rest of them now. "Now we need you to believe in yourself."

"Seriously Rainbow, we knew you were tough but come on, this is ridiculous," said Thunderlane, no doubt trying to diffuse the tension as best he could though no one was certainly about to crack a smile anytime soon, and how he was able to maintain remarks like that close to hypothermia was beyond me.

"Alright guys," said Rainbow Dash, with ice water in her veins. "Let's do this."

"What is that on your back?" asked Clear Skies, referring to the large flat object hanging over back.

"This is a sled. Since I can't fly back, I figured I could fit about four foals on this sled and haul them back with this rope attached to me."

What an incredibly genius idea! I thought to myself, and it seemed as though the rest agreed.

"Four foals?" asked Clear Skies in disbelief.

"I mean - I really respect the idea, but you think you could haul *four* of them all the way back?" said a doubting Blossomforth.

"Watch me," snorted Rainbow, who's incredible resolve was as visible in her expression as it was evident in her voice. She was Rainbow Dash, the greatest athlete in Equestrian. With wing power and the resistance of the wind and weather, the absolute maximum amount of foals a strong pegasus could fly back was two, and that seemed against the odds. If Rainbow could haul four of them back, it would be significant, though she was undoubtedly the only one in the group and likely Equestria that could something like that.

"There's eighteen of them..." said Blossomforth. "If you take four, that leaves fourteen foals between six of us... how are we supposed to account for the rest of them? It would take a miracle for us all to take two back."

"We'll deal with that when we get there," replied Rainbow.

"If only that coward Whitewash hadn't left," muttered Thunderlane.

"Can't help that now," I said. I didn't bare much ill-will towards Whitewash for not coming back, though we needed him. I always thought I sensed a lot of pain underneath his hard exterior rather than ego or apathy.

At that moment though the wind seemed to quick up and the snow seemed to get a little heavier, so everyone had to raise their voices.

"Have you found any sign of them?" asked Rainbow, as apparently she had not.

"No, but we think they're on this side of the valley," I said, motioning to the unexplored darkness in front of us away from the valley entrance. "We were captured by ice dragons who told us the white-eyed one has them, so they may be in some kind of cave or structure of some kind."

"Ok," she replied, absorbing this information decisively. "Clear Skies, Buddy, and Merry May... you take that side of the valley along those mountains, look for caves, tracks, anything you can find," she said pointing to the left hand side. "Blossomforth and Thunderlane, you take the middle... look inside pine trees, look for any sign of them!" she commanded as the wind whipped her hood wildly around her face. "Sonic and I will take the side with these mountains," she finished, pointing to the right of the valley as I scaled the steep peaks above that side. I realized we needed some kind of reference. I looked around for a distinguished tree.

"Should we meet there in what, two hours?" I offered, pointing to a large downed tree several yards away.

"Yes, we should," said Blossomforth.

"Great idea," said Rainbow. "Meet back here in roughly two hours. If you have to take a quick break, these big pine trees offer a nice shelter in the middle," said Rainbow.

"Oh we know," replied Thunderlane.

"If we find anything should we use our green flares?" asked Buddy.

"Yes!" affirmed Rainbow. It was a good idea. "Any sign of the kids or if you're in danger. But only use them if you really have to, they're loud... they could alert other creatures to you too."

An awkward silence ensued with uncomfortable glances into the darkness around us. We all understood that the hour of reckoning was approaching, as we couldn't survive out here for much longer if we didn't find them and get back within a few hours or so. I wasn't sure how this was going to work, how we could bring all of the children back between the seven of us, but it was enough for me to suppress any despair and make one last gallant effort, especially knowing they had their true leader now in Rainbow. With her taking up to four, we could definitely save a significant number if we could just find them alive.

Everyone traded soulful glances. There wasn't a single one of us who wasn't deathly afraid, but our fear and struggles were all shared, and that had created a powerful bond between us all. Rainbow put a hoof around me and pulled me close, and she raised her other hoof for Thunderlane to come to. He walked forward and lowered his head into us, raising his other hoof to embrace another until the rest followed suit and we were joined in a group hug. We felt each other's bodies, we breathed each other's breath, and we resolved to give it one more go.

Princess Celestia couldn't believe the amount of ponies that surrounded her on all sides, many of them bowing as she walked down the path to the royal tent. She had been visiting the doctors and the hospital area they had set up to receive the team, and comforting the families of all those involved and was now on her way back to her royal tent to plan some more with her sister. The entire site had come to resemble a kind of primitive makeshift city in the middle of the arctic plains, with tents, fires, and large groups of heavily-dressed ponies in every direction, weathering the frigid night for the citizens of Ponyville.

Her stress was boiling over. In meeting with parents and family members of the missing foals - who she suspected were kidnapped - she had just endured one of the most emotionally taxing endeavors she'd ever experienced in centuries of rule, but her very real love for them demanded it. The team had been gone a full day already and it was now pushing into the next night, and many, including herself, were starting to wonder if and when the team was going to return at all. Now on top of everything ponies were showing up in droves all around the area, with pitched tents and fires of their own.

"This is ridiculous," she wondered aloud as she walked swiftly down the path, a team of advisors made up of about ten consisting of doctors, scientists, professionals, and guards trailing her. She noticed a middle-aged stallion who looked to her based on his scarf, glasses, and mane to be from Manehattan. She knew most of the ponies from Ponyville's faces and identity, but he stood out of group that looked to be from one of the northern cities.

"You there - come with me please," she commanded, and a look of shock and fear overtook him. "Nothing to be afraid of, I have a few questions."

Without much of a choice, he reluctantly began following along while his surprised group of upperclass cityfolk watched him leave them behind. When she arrived she strolled swiftly past the royal guards at the entrance of the royal tent with purpose, entering inside where Luna was waiting. She barely waited for the rest of them to come in behind her before she turned around.

"Where are all these ponies coming from? I'm trying to understand how this got out to Equestria so quickly," she asked again with frustration. "You there," she said to the stallion she had called. "What is your name? Where are you from? You're not in trouble, I'm just trying to understand what's going on."

"Me, Princess?" he repeated nervously. "My name is Blackberry. I-I am f-from Manehattan, your majesty."

"I thought so," she replied. "Maybe you can help me. I'm trying to understand why there are so many ponies here. Why is it that you came and how did you hear about this situation? You have nothing to fear - I'm not angry with you, Blackberry."

The stallion gulped and took a deep breath, stuttering on his opening. She wished that the common ponies from the further areas of Equestrian could approach her without being so nervous but she was more than used to this by now - she just wanted the truth.

"Well your majesty, many of us came here by train when we read Bucky's story in the newspapers," he replied.

"Bucky?" asked the Princess, as it occurred to her that she knew Bucky Quill as the popular journalist and columnist with the Manhattan Times. She knew Pinkie and Rarity had organized something, but she didn't think they could've pulled something off of this scale. Bucky, on the other hand...

"Well, the story he wrote concerning the missing foals and the team that went in after them. It was written here and translated back to Manhattan where it spread like wildfire, your majesty. Many of us started coming here by train when we read it to support the team and family members."

"Captain," remarked Princess to her lead guard. "Find Bucky Quill and bring him to me immediately, please," she commanded, causing Blackberry to gasp as the captain saluted her and left. "And bring a copy of his story. So Blackberry, you came here by train after you read Bucky's story... to support the team and the affected families in person?"

"Yes, my Princess... I swear it... we mean no harm at all, on the contrary we- we want to be here for them, and to see the team is received with the welcome they deserve."

"I see," she said, studying his humble body language and deeming him sincere. "I believe you, Blackberry. You are not in trouble. Thank you for your help."

There was a brief and uncomfortable silence between her, Luna, Blackberry, and the team of advisors. Blackberry was obviously wondering something, and as it turns out Princess Luna and a few others were wondering it as well. Princess Celestia was under so much stress it was hard to tell exactly what she was thinking.

"Thank you, your majesty," he said nervously, bowing.

"Go ahead, you can ask," replied Princess Celestia.

"Um... is Bucky in trouble?"

Celestia took a deep breath and looked away from his face. She briefly glanced over at Luna, who was just as curious. The elder had a lot of feelings about this. On one hoof she knew the ponies coming here meant well, but on the other hoof, she wasn't sure how long they could last out here or the implications for them and the rest of Equestria if her worst fears about the mission were realized.

"I don't know. I definitely did not intend for this to get out to every corner of the land as quickly as this, nor am I so sure that ponies flooding here in these conditions is a good idea. This is a dangerous place, even with a strong temporary settlement. How much food did you bring? Are ponies bringing firewood with them on these trains? I have a lot of questions... though I should like to read this story of his first, I suppose."

"Most of us have a couple day's worth of food, and yes, your majesty, there was some firewood brought by many of us on the train I took," he said. He couldn't hide from her that he was hurt by her comments and questions; it was something she did not intend, but she was too stressed and the bigger problems were much too big for her to worry about his feelings much. That didn't keep her from trying, however.

"I understand. Thank you for your cooperation and for your noble and selfless support, my good stallion... I know your heart is in the right place. I give you my word," she said tenderly, and the easing of his face seemed to reflect that he believed her. "You may return to your group now."

"Yes, your majesty. Thank you, your majesty," he said with a bow, and then departed the tent.

As he exited, the team of advisors looked on at the sun princess as she took this short moment of relative inaction to try and calm herself. She lowered her head to the ground and shut her eyes, focusing her thoughts on organizing what she needed to do in the next few hours to ensure they were best prepared to receive the team and the rest of her subjects out here in the plains. The only movement in the room now was the long, slow expansion of her stomach followed by a similar compression as she breathed deeply in and out.

"Is there anything else needed in the infirmary?" she asked her lead doctor, Doctor Snowmane - a gray mare with a white man in a white doctor's scrub.

"With what we are able to bring out here I believe we are as prepared as we can be. We have enough blankets, hospital beds, antiseptics, and the food and warm fluids are ready for heating at the first sign of a return."

The sun princess nodded her head. It didn't seem there was much anything they could do at this point but wait for their return. Princess Luna stepped forward.

"Leave us," she told the team of advisors and royal guards standing there, and the lot of them slowly cleared the room without hesitation. When there was nothing left but themselves Princess Luna stepped in closer to her older sister. "This was going to get out eventually, you know."

"I know that," replied the elder.

"Are you worried that Bucky is going to cast us in a bad light?"

That thought had crossed Celestia's mind. Their virtue demanded them to not to fear negative opinions of themselves, but she also understood that the reality was the perception of their rule was important to maintaining a happy society.

"This is not about me resisting being held accountable for my mistakes," said, confronting many that she'd made recently in her mind.

"This situation is not the result of your neglect. They will understand," affirmed the night princess. "They are just here to support the town and receive the team."

"Sister, what happens if the team returns empty-hoofed? What happens if they don't return at all?" whispered Celestia, prompting a deeply wounded expression from Luna. She hated more than anything the world doing that to her, but she knew this was a situation where it didn't do any good to hold back the truth. "What is that going to do to the ponies that came all the way out here for them? How are these cities going to take it if and when they return with no good news?"

"I see your point," Princess Luna conceded, glancing away worriedly.

"It is wonderful and great that they have come all this way from all over for these ponies, but by getting all of Equestria so intimately involved, Bucky has raised the stakes on this mission exponentially . If they don't return, we could see a state of depression we have not seen since Discord ruled this land."

Just then, the captain of the royal guard returned entered the room and saluted; entering in behind him was a white stallion with a blonde mane... the well-dressed, spectacled columnist for the Manehattan Times - Bucky Quill. He had met her once in Canterlot at the Galloping Gala, a much different setting; now as he walked in and immediately noticed her wondering eyes he was he braced for a rebuke of some kind. He feared that had something to do with his story blowing up across the northern cities in an incredibly short amount of time, thanks to use of some simple magic and his friends back home with a printing press.

"Bucky, are you aware that most of the ponies out there are not even from Ponyville, and they here because of your story?" asked the white princess.

"Um," he replied, struggling mightily with how to approach this situation. As a columnist he certainly wasn't used to being on the spot like this. "Y-yes ma'am - er, your majesty."

"Did you bring a copy of your story like I asked?" she inquired. Bucky handed her the strap across his neck carrying a scroll on the inside; the original scroll on which he composed the first copy.

"Yes, your majesty - please forgive me, your majesty..."

Celestia ignored his pleas and held up the scroll in front of her face, reading as quickly as she could. It featured a short but surprisingly accurate description of what had happened, what was happening to save the foals, and hitting her quite hard in the heart, it featured a section on every member of the team - their likes, interests, family... the details of each soul next to their respective pictures.

"How did you get all of this information together so quickly?" she asked him disbelief. That was a source of pride for Bucky.

"Uh... well, you might say I'm 'well connected' I guess."

As she read on it was quickly turning into yet another moment that required a great effort to keep one's feelings in check as she looked into the lives of each pony out there suffering in the mountains just to west. Most shockingly to her, it featured a candid and beautiful section on Sonic - it mentioned how he was falsely accused, how bad the townsponies felt they never got the chance to apologize, and how much he loved Rainbow. Unbeknownst to her, their romance had become the talk of many of the social circles. The ending implored his readers to send all of their thoughts, empathy, sacrifices, prayers, and support to all those affected. Now, it seems, she understood why ponies had all come in droves.

Princess Celestia closed the scroll back into it's container and handed it to Bucky, initially unable to make eye contact as she thought in depth and quelled her emotions. Eventually she did turn to his direction, and saw him waiting much like a child waiting fearfully for the verdict from his mother.

"Your highness, I'm sorry," he repeated, hoping for some kind of feedback. "I just didn't think that heroes should remain hidden."

"Nor do I, Bucky. I'm certainly not angry with you. It's just that-" she briefly looked to her sister Luna, who would know exactly what she was trying to say having just discussed with her. "You may not have intended it, but because of your story this mission will now have massive implications for the rest of Equestria. Do you understand that?"

Before Bucky could respond, a royal guard rushed in with an urgent look on his face. The two princesses knew immediately that there was major news.

"What is it?" they both asked in unison.

"Our scouts just signaled to us," he cried. "They're back!"

The two princesses galloped out of the tent as fast as they could. As soon as they were outside they spread their wings and took in flight towards western edge of the town facing the mountains. Bucky was unable to fly, but he galloped down the street after them as fast as he could. The rest of the ponies immediately recognized the running stallion meant big news and a huge crowd of thousands of ponies began running after him as noise and gossip erupted throughout the campsite.

When Bucky arrived at edge near the designated medical tents, a line of royal guards formed to stand in his way, though somehow he was able to just make through before the guards came together. The line closed quickly behind him and stiffened for the huge herd of ponies bearing down on them. Bucky's friends and assistants Lucky and Ash were on his side of the line, having been relaxing near one of the fires. He ran up and stood in between them, not wanting to get too close to the princesses.

"STAND BACK!" bellowed the captain of the royal guard, and the curious mob calmed down as they all watched the princess. The crowd was way too large to contain with just a few royal guards men, so it began moving in both directions to the side, ponies trying to get a glimpse of the return of the team.

Bucky observed a distressed pegasus fly up to the two princesses, whispering frantically in their ears. He studied body language and listened closely for any information. He stole a glance over at the husbands and wives waiting in each other's embrace... the parents.

"What are they saying?" asked Ash.

"I don't know," said Bucky, deeply focused. As he watched more and more, his heart started to sink. "But I don't think it's good..."

Just then, the source of nightmares, the worst image Bucky had seen - he saw the life leave the princesses' eyes as they reacted to something they were told. A few moments later, the deepest fear on everyone's mind happened before everyone's eyes... A return with no foals. Several Wonderbolt members began fluttering down from the sky and stumbling into the medical tents, collapsing in front of the warm fires with cries and moaning. They had none of the kids and a significant part of the team - the Ponyville members, to be specific - was missing.

It didn't take a doctor to see they were in really bad condition. They looked both frozen and exhausted, flying in on their last fumes and chilled to the bone, and the gravest faces any of them ever seen. These were the best athletes in Equestria, so if they couldn't do it, Bucky understood that meant nobody could.

As the worst feeling he'd ever experienced gripped his existence, Bucky turned his head back to the now silent crowd and saw a sea of disappointment and horror. A deep depression swept over the entire area.

"What happened?" asked Princess Celestia, barely able to compose words. Her question was directed to Spitfire, the captain of the Wonderbolts, who had just landed and was struggling with her breathing. She sank down by the fire and stared at the ground as doctors threw a blanket over her.

"No sign of the foals anywhere," she mustered, which was met with gasps and cries.

"R-rest of t-team?" whispered Princess Celestia.

Spitfire didn't seem to understand. She looked wearily over her shoulder expecting the rest of the team to be there with them, except for Sonic. In the blinding snow of the valley she did not realize that several ponies who had gone missing, all of them part of the Ponyville team.

"They stayed behind," uttered an ice cold Fleetfoot, who was the only Wonderbolt standing rather than sitting or laying. "To die."

A deathly silence descended and froze everyone in place. Bucky saw as Celestia's heartbroken face turned slowly and despairingly to the ones no one wanted to even think about - the parents.

"Wait," remarked Soarin' over the silence, as shivered and shook under a blanket. "There *was* a mention of them."

"What?" whispered the Princess.

"Sonic and the others stayed back to keep looking," he uttered quietly, though most of the ponies in the vicinity including Bucky and the first few rows of the onlookers still heard him. A few of the other Wonderbolts - notably Spitfire and Fleetfoot - shot him looks of surprise almost as though he had betrayed them, though at this moment he didn't care. He was devastated... seeing the ponies here waiting for them and the unspeakable anguish they had brought back, he now wished he had stayed behind with Sonic and the rest of them even though it felt like he had nothing left. "But they can't last much longer out there."

"What did you mean there was a mention of them?" asked a tearful but focused Celestia. Soarin' had never been put on the spot like this and was so tired he could barely think straight, not to mention the aching body and the aching heart. But he felt he owed this information to them.

"Sonic and the other Ponyvillians were captured by ice dragons and escaped... the dragons told them that the foals were in the possession of a 'white-eyed one'."

Bucky could see Celestia's mind get sent into a swirl of horror and confusion upon hearing this. She seemed to know what this meant, but wasn't sure how to fully process it. Whenever Soarin' spoke whispers spread like wildfire from the front of the crowd to the back, with the front relaying the latest info.

"They may still be alive," she finally declared aloud, though to no one in particular, which was followed by more gasps. Only her and her sister knew what that meant.

"Princess," said a teary-eyed Soarin'. "We have no other leads... no idea where to look. The conditions were so terrible- if we stayed out there much longer -"

"What were we supposed to do?" cried Spitfire hysterically of all of a sudden, drawing the attention of everyone. "Die out there? That's not fair!" she said, and began weeping into her blanket. "This wasn't fair."

A tortured and conflicted Princess Celestia glanced around at the crowd of ponies, not sure of what to say or do. Certainly this was a situation she never expected to find herself in with so many of her subjects. Then followed by everyone else she turned her attention to the dark, looming mountains. The only glimmers of hope now rested with Rainbow, Sonic and the remaining team inside those mountains.