With Shining's departure to Tartarus there was nothing the other stallions could do aside from return to Ponyville and wait for news. Although this was hardly the first time they'd been without their friend they were still most uncomfortable with his decision this time around. None dared to say it out loud but they were more than a little concerned that this time their friend might have erred.
Thunderlane in particular was quite frustrated by this situation, because of an experience from not too long ago (a little over a year to be exact). "It really ticks me off how he could just run off like that. He was the one who told me not to try to rush into things when Rumble came down with swamp fever, and he was right. If I'd listened to his advice I wouldn't have collapsed and gotten sick myself."
Fancy Pants couldn't help but sigh. "He tends to personalize these things more than he should. I understand taking your job seriously, and I get not wanting to treat yourself as more important than others. But that doesn't mean you throw yourself into danger the moment you get the chance. Could he really not have just let Princess Luna go instead? In a situation like this his help would be most appreciated, he always seems to know how to take command in these situations."
But Braeburn interjected with a hint of positivity in his voice. "Now hold on there, let's not go shootin' off in all directions. Shining ain't perfect, but it ain't like he ran off to Tartarus all by himself without a plan. He's got Discord to back him up."
"I suppose that's true. But even Discord will be affected by the magic drain, eventually even his powers will run out. And if that happens before Shining finds out the truth he'll be stuck," Soarin commented. "He really should have back up for a situation like this."
"What are we supposed to do about that though? None of us have the magical abilities he has as an alicorn, and all the other princesses have their responsibilities too." Big Macintosh pointed out.
Thunderlane reluctantly concluded. "Well there's nothing we can do about it now. We just have to have faith that Shining will come through like he often does in these situations. And we'll need to keep our own eyes peeled in case anything comes up around here."
"Not to mention inform Twilight of where her brother is before she starts to panic. I just hope she doesn't lash out at us for not stopping him." Fancy Pants glumly commented, already he dreaded the conversation that would have to be had.
Twilight seemed to take the news of Shining Armor's plan quite well all things considered. She took a few deep breaths and her eyes went wide, but unlike some of her more infamous cases she didn't start to freak out and pace nervously. "That's my big brother for you, he always did like being the hero. Sometimes I think our mom rubbed off on him too much, though she certainly influenced me in more than a few ways."
"You're not mad with us for not stopping him? Or mad with him for rushing off without saying goodbye?" Thunderlane questioned.
Twilight confirmed with a shake of her head. "When he left for Ponyville it was quite abrupt, and before that he left to join the royal guard with barely a goodbye. By now I've come to expect him to come and go as he pleases, he has his life and I have mine. It just means the time we do get to spend with each other is all the sweeter because of that."
"Well, I guess that's it then. There's not much we can really do without a lead," Soarin commented with a puzzled expression upon his face. "You haven't told the students about the disappearing magic yet, have you?"
Twilight shook her head again. "There's no need to cause a panic, though I suspect some of the students already suspect something's going on. And there's Cozy Glow, she's been acting awfully strange. Ever since my brother told me about what she said to some of the students I've been keeping an eye on her, but I can't monitor everything she says or does."
"You think she's behind all of us? She's just a filly you know." Braeburn commented with concern.
Twilight sighed, her shoulders slouching a bit as she did so. "I have no idea what she might be up to. I want to believe with all my heart she's innocent, but unfortunately I have more urgent matters to tend to. Let's just say I wasn't expecting company."
At that moment there came a knock at the doors of the headmare's office. "Speaking of..." Twilight began as she rose from her desk.
The doors swung open and two very familiar ponies trotted in: The first was a very recognizable pegasus stallion clad in royal guard armor. And the other was a unicorn stallion with a flowing red robe with golden trim around the cuffs, and a pendent with a horseshoe emblazoned into the center. It didn't take a genius to figure out who these ponies were: Flash Sentry and Chancellor (or rather Ex-Chancellor as the case was) Neighsay.
The presence of Neighsay came as a shock to everyone in the room, but especially to Twilight! Immediately her brows narrowed as she glared at the stallion who had given her so much trouble before. "What are you doing here, Neighsay?! I thought I made it perfectly clear that this isn't an EEA school, therefore it's not under your jurisdiction! You can't do anything!"
But the disgruntled chancellor only shook his head. "Now now, princess, there's no need for such harsh words. We've had our... 'disagreements' in the past," The pause and the malice in his tone of voice did not go unnoticed. "But even if this isn't an EEA school it doesn't mean I can't still observe it and take notes on it. Despite what you may think of me, I assure you my goal is to protect Equestria."
"Are you implying that one of my students is responsible for the magic theft?" Twilight eyed the chancellor with suspicion. "I'll have you know I won't tolerate baseless accusations around here. If you go after my students without reason you'll answer to me!"
Neighsay simply waved a hoof. "Relax, princess, I now know better than to allow my emotions to control my actions. And given the dire circumstances Equestria is in right now, I mean it when I say that you need me."
"Yeah, like I need fur rash!" Twilight grumbled and stomped a hoof. "Why should I trust you after the stunt you pulled last time?"
"Because, Princess Twilight Sparkle," Neighsay answered as he used the full name. "I have reason to believe the cause or culprit behind the magic theft is here at this school. And the sooner I can conduct my search to confirm whether that's true, the sooner I can leave and be out of your mane."
Twilight pondered this proposal for a moment, putting a hoof to her chin. Then, very reluctantly she told the chancellor. "Oh, alright. I suppose there's little harm in letting you investigate, so long as you don't try anything funny."
"Princess, it's like you don't even know me. If I tried anything it wouldn't be funny. But I assure you that we're on the same side. For security reasons I can't give exact details, but I'm here not on behalf of the EEA but on behalf of a much higher authority." Neighsay explained.
"Whatever, just make sure that if you find anything at all you run it by me. And if you give me any reason to think you're targeting my students for no reason I won't hesitate to kick you out. Is that clear?!" Twilight told Neighsay as she looked into his eyes.
Neighsay nodded his head. "Crystal. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be making my rounds. You'll know by tomorrow if I've found anything." And without waiting for another reply he turned around and departed.
"I don't trust that guy as far as I can throw him. I just know he's up to no good." Soarin commented with a glare.
"Maybe, but I think even he would know better than to try any tricks. Since this isn't an EEA school he has no authority," Fancy Pants replied. "And I doubt he's behind all of this. He's many things, but a traitor isn't one of them."
Meanwhile, Thunderlane was eyeing Flash Sentry with the most perplexed look on his face. "But that doesn't explain what you're doing here, Flash. Ain't you supposed to be in the Crystal Empire, keeping watch over Flurry Heart? Shining sent her back before we left for Canterlot."
Flash waved a hoof. "Sunburst and Cadence have everything under control, they've got far more experience with little ones than I do. Security is my specialty, not foalsitting."
"And you're sure you're not just here to be close to Twilight?" Soarin teased the pegasus. "What will Shining Armor say if he finds out you're here and not in the Crystal Empire?"
Flash struggled to keep from blushing and losing his composure. "What Captain Armor doesn't know what hurt him. And as for Twilight I have no idea what you're talking about," He coughed into a hoof, desperate to change the subject. "If you don't mind I would like to do my own security sweep, princess. At least that way somepony can keep an eye on Neighsay and hopefully reign him if he goes too far."
"You're welcome to look around if you like, Flash," Twilight sincerely smiled. "But I'm going to have ask you to keep your hooves off Neighsay. I don't know who he's working for now and we can't risk getting swept up in it. Best if we stay out of his way until this all blows over or we find out who or what is behind all of this."
"As you wish, your highness," Flash bowed his head. "If I find anything though, I promise I'll inform you ASAP. I will not let you down!"
"I know you won't, Flash. Now you'd better get on out there." Twilight encouraged. She then watched as the pegasus stallion trotted away too.
Hours passed with no developments, no news of any sort reached the ponies ears and the students remained in the dark about the disappearance of magic from Equestria. All the students knew was that classes had postponed for the foreseeable future.
But after Twilight had left the headmare's office for the evening and retired to the castle for a good night's sleep, said office became the sight of a most unusual meeting between two very unlikely ponies: Chancellor Neighsay and Cozy Glow.
Cozy closed the doors behind her just as Neighsay spun around in the chair to see her. His exact expression was hard to read but it appeared that he had something akin to a half smile on his face. Or at least that's what Cozy thought of it given the weird half upturned, half neutral appearance of his face. "You... wanted to see me?" She asked the chancellor in the most innocent tone of voice she could muster up.
"Indeed I did, Cozy Glow. If that is your actual name. You're surprisingly vague about a lot of things," Neighsay immediately questioned of the filly. "I heard right, you told Princess Twilight that you have no family?"
"None that she'd want to know about." Cozy declared as the tears welled up in her eyes.
Neighsay stomped a hoof down. "Quit it with the crocodile tears, they won't work on me! I've been subjected to them more times than I dare to count, I've learned when to recognize them," He glared at Cozy further. "I'm not stupid! You asked me to come here and to meet you in the headmare's office after hours. I know a set up when I see one. You're up to something, young filly! I wanna know what it is and I wanna know now! Do you understand?!"
Cozy trembled and shuddered. "W-who me? W-what would I have to hide? I-I mean... I'm just a filly, an innocent little filly. What makes you think I have anything to do with Prince Shining Armor's disappearance?"
At that Neighsay's left eyebrow arched up ever so slightly. "Funny, that sort of information hasn't been made public yet. How could you know about such a thing?"
"Because you just told me, chancellor, duh!" Cozy retorted and stuck out her tongue in protest.
Neighsay growled, growing steadily more frustrated as he continued to talk with the filly. "The point still stands that you couldn't have possibly known or guessed about that without inside knowledge. You may have everyone else here fooled but not me! One way or another, I'll find out what it is you're trying to hide! After Princess Twilight deceived me with the purpose of this school, I swore to myself I'd never be blindsided by that again! And that's a promise I intend to keep. So are you going to tell what you really know, or are you going to force my hoof?"
"You can't do anything to me! This is Twilight's school, and I'm practically her right hoof pony." Cozy bragged to the chancellor.
"So that's the way you want to play it, little filly? I offered you a sensible solution, you really don't want me as your enemy," Neighsay warned in an ominous tone of voice. "I won't ask again: What do you know about the recent developments concerning Equestria's safety, and what is your role in them?"
Cozy Glow only replied in a taunting, childish tone of voice. "That's for me to know and you to never find out, Ex-Chancellor."
Unknown to either Cozy Glow or Neighsay, the conversation was being overheard by another pony. From the other side of the doors Flash Sentry was keeping silent, watchful tabs on the back and forth between the two. "Those two, what are they planning?" He thought to himself. "It sounds like they might be in cahoots, but if that's the case why are they at each other's throats and trying to hide things from each other?" Then and there he made up his mind. He was going to get the bottom of this, no matter how deep the rabbit hole might go. "It sounds like Captain Armor's not going to be much help this time around," He barely resisted the urge to gasp as realization struck him! "Wait a second! That means he's charging right into a trap! And there's no way I can warn him! Whoa! I'm in it now!"