//------------------------------//
// Foalnapped! 
// Story: The Traveler’s Sorrow 
// by ShadowsDarkHeart 
//------------------------------//



"I'm sorry Twilight but I really don't think I'll ever understand you," Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes for what felt like the hundredth time since the six friends had come to Sugercube Corner for lunch "you want to go back to Canterlot for two weeks, just so you can get MORE BOOKS!, I mean you live in a stinkin' tree that's full of them," 

"Well excuse me, if I like a little variety," Twilight blushed a little and added quietly "besides I've already read them all anyway"

Dash's mouth fell open "you've read them all! there's like three hundred books in that freakin' tree! You've only been living here six months, how is that even possible!?

For your information there's four hundred and thirty seven books in that "stinkin' freakin' tree, and seeing as you've seen fit to describe my current home as smelly and freakish you can go and find your Daring Do books somewhere else," The smile on Twilight's face as she finished speaking was decidedly evil.

Having heard that there was actually four hundred books, Rainbow had been about about to say something else about Twilight's tree that probably wouldn't have helped her in newly self-inflicted problem. So she quickly shut her mouth and rethought her next response. "Dang Twi no need to get snarky, I'm just sayin' you read to many musty old books that no one even cares abou-" Judging by the look Twilight was throwing her, Dash figured that her words didn't seem to be having the effect she was going for, and though a change in tactics was in order. "I mean you've got such awesome friends now you should come and hang out more, Am I right AJ?

"Oh no you don't Ah'm not getting in the middle of this" the good-natured grin Applejack had been wearing since the little fight began turned a little mischievous "Besides I saw ya diggin' this hole, now I want to see if ya can climb out"

The look Dash gave AJ promised she'd have her revenge.

Deciding she'd like to get in on the fun Rarity added "I think Twilight has every right to be cross with you Rainbow, after all you did insult her home" Rarity's face was the complete look of reproach, but Rainbow could see the twinkle in her eye that said it was taking all she had not to smile. 

Rainbow's look of vengeance settled on Rarity,

"Uh Twilight, I really don't think she really meant anything by it"

Pinkie Pie pulled out an ear horn from seemingly nowhere and held it up to her ear "I'm sorry Fluttershy I didn't quite catch that," She pulled a megaphone up from under the table "you can use this if you want," 

Fluttershy shook her head "oh no I could never use that, it'd be so loud, I'd just bother everypony"

"Okay if you say so" she put the ear horn and the megaphone under the table.

Twilight rubbed her eyes in frustration, even though she was sitting right next to Pinkie during the appearance of said items, she had failed to notice them beforehand. "I swear one of these days I'll figure out how she does that," she turned toward Fluttershy "I'm sorry Fluttershy I missed what you said to"

Everypony turned to look at Fluttershy, who proceeded curl into a ball at all the unwanted attention "I said I don't think Rainbow really meant to insult your tree I think she was just saying she didn't want you to leave for two weeks"

Pinkie had appeared next to Fluttershy as she was speaking and held up the megaphone from earlier "Hmm you were right that was a little loud," she pulled out a slightly smaller one "here try this one"

Fluttershy who was still recovering from the shock of having heard her own voice come out so loudly, only squeaked out a few unintelligible words that even the megaphone could barely pick up.

"Pinkie! its going to take all week to get her speaking normally again and she was the only one on my side!," Dash huffed.

All of a sudden there was a bright flash of light. When everypony could see again there were two letters with wax seals, indented with the image of a moon with a few clouds beneath it, One in front of Rarity and the other in front Applejack.

"Hey!?" Pinkie yelled, "who lit the fireworks without me!"

Applejack recovered next, "What the hay was that?"

Twilight answered with a surprised look on her face "Someone 'Sent' you two a letter!"

Rainbow scoffed "Uh, then what was the deal with the big light show then Twi?, I mean the letters you get from Celestia never do that and she raises the dang sun every day"

"She sends those though Spikes dragon magic, these letters where sent with a 'Sending Spell!' " Twilight said with awe.

"So what's so excitin' a bout that?" Applejack asked.

"It means a really powerful unicorn sent these to you two, Celestia uses Spikes magic because a 'Sending Spell' from Canterlot to Ponyville uses to much power,"

"You mean this pony's more powerful than Celestia!? that's awesome!" Pinkie laughed. "Hey Twilight you think they could send me to that baking contest in Baltimare" 

Twilight looked indignant. "I didn't say this pony was stronger than Celestia, she could send me letters with the 'Sending Spell' but its wasteful, the 'Sending Spell' uses a lot more magic than 'Dragon Magic Sendings', don't ask me why its just how dragon magic works," Twilight paused for moment to think "I don't think anypony but the alicorn sisters could send anything from Canterlot here"

"Then where do you think these letters came from Twilight?" Rarity asked.

Twilight thought about it for a minute "I really can't say, somewhere further than the outskirts of Ponyville, I would  have felt it with my magic if it were in town, but closer than Canterlot, I think if anypony besides Celestia or Luna tried a sending that distance they'd die" Twilight had a thoughtful look on her face.

"what cha' thinkin' about now Twi? Applejack asked.

"I'm trying to think of who could have sent these, since I didn't feel the starting point of the sending it means whoever sent these is stronger than me"

"So? aren't there a lot of unicorns stronger than you darling?" Rarity asked. "I mean a unicorn's magic gets stronger the older they get and your still fairly young dear" 

"Actually no Rarity, there aren't that many, I mean my special talent is magic, theirs probably more out there, but I've only met four, and I can't think of a reason why those four would send you two a letter, so these are most likely from somepony I've never met,"

"Well Ah suppose we'll have to open them to find out" Applejack said.

Rarity and AJ broke the seals and opened up the letters. As they read them Applejack paled and Rarity looked like she was about to faint.

Seeing that Rarity looked about as sick as she felt, AJ assumed her letter was the same as hers and quickly spoke up before Rarity's dramatic temperament could cause a scene. "Uh Twilight would you let us use your tree house for a bit, me and Rarity would like to discuss these letters with y'all somewhere a little more private,"

"Uh sure Applejack my home is your home"

"Much obliged Twi"

Applejack got up from their table and headed for the door at slightly quicker pace than normal and it seemed like she was trying to look as though nothing was wrong, but she wasn't very convincing. Rarity on the other hoof looked like she had gotten a handle on her emotions and had plastered her best 'everything's under control' face on and followed AJ, which made the remaining four friend's even more nervous.

"The last time I saw her face like that was when we made her use our designs for our gala gowns," Fluttershy said.

"What the hay did those letters say?" Rainbow asked nervously.

"I suppose we'll find out," Twilight got up and followed her two friends out of the restaurant. The other three weren't far behind.


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The trip the six friends had to the library in the middle of town, was a quite and a tense one and considering Pinkie Pie was a part of that group of ponies that was saying something! "As much as i want to lighten the mood, I can tell this isn't the time for jokes" Pinkie thought to herself.

When they finally enter'd Twilight's home Applejack collapsed onto one of the reading couches looking exhausted, as if the short trip across town had really been a hundred mile trek up a mountain, Rarity's mask of composure on the other hoof melted like wax in an oven and rushed over to Applejack and began to wail "Applejack what are we going to do?! this is worst thing that's ever happened to us, the girl's have been foalnapped!"

Applejack leapt off the couch and threw a hoof over Rarity's mouth "Quite Rarity!" Applejack looked over the room as if looking for eavesdroppers and spies until she finally stopped at Twilight "Twilight, Where's Spike?"

Twilight and the others were shocked at Applejack's behavior almost as much as they were by Rarity's outburst, almost but not quite.

Foalnapped!? they all shouted at once but that's as far as got to inquire.

Applejack shouted, it was the loudest any of them had ever heard her speak "TWILIGHT, WHERE'S IS SPIKE!?" 

Twilight's eye's were wide with shock, she'd never heard her friend sound so afraid, she answered slowly "He said he was going to the gem fields to restock"

Applejack nodded "Good he should out there for a while" Applejack brought her gaze back to Rarity "Calm down Rarity we need to be smart about this, Ah'm going to pull my hoof away and we're going plan this out with the group, in a nice and calm manner, Okay?"

Rarity nodded and Applejack put her hoof back on the ground, Rarity started crying "I'm so sorry AJ, I'm just so scared"

Applejack looked like she was on the verge of crying too "Ah've never been more scared in my life than Ah am right now, but we need to be strong and calm now, more than ever before,"

Rarity wiped her eye's "Your right AJ" she took a deep breath and addressed the others "I'm so sorry, you all must be so confused, Applejack lets just show them"

Applejack just nodded mutely, she and Rarity walked over to the table in the middle of the room and placed the two letters on either side of it. The four other friends slowly approached as though the table held a wounded animal instead of two pieces of paper. They were identical and consisted of only two short paragraphs, but they fully explained their two friend actions:

I've taken Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, if you ever wish to see them again bring the Elements of Harmony and their bearers to the site of your victory over Nightmare Moon this evening.

Do not inform anyone but the bearers of this, or the Cutie Mark Crusaders as these foals call themselves will never be seen again.  Just like the old fool you charged with their safety.

The effect these words had on three of the four ponies was instant, Fluttershy began to cry and wailed "Those poor girls must be terrified"

Rainbow shouted "they've got Scootaloo too!, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom was bad enough!, but their messing with the wrong mare's protégé!"

Pinkie reaction was little scary "Oooooo those meanie mcmean ponies when I find them, I'm going party cannon them into ground"

Twilight though just stood there shocked and slowly started crying, she look over at Applejack "Applejack it wasn't Granny Smith with the girls was it? Please say it wasn't her!"

The first three went silent, Rainbow, Pinkie and Fluttershy hadn't even considered the last line in the letter till now they all turned and looked at AJ. The tears she'd been trying so hard to hold back finally broke though her iron will "No Twilight it wasn't Granny," Applejack took a deep breath and sobbed "but it was still family, It was Doc Past" Applejack pulled her hat down off her head and hid her face in the brim.

Fluttershy gasped in shock. Even though she'd been crying since she read the letter her tears turned into full blown sobs and she curled into a ball.

Pinkie cried out. "no it can't be" Twilight couldn't believe it. She'd never seen Pinkie so shook up before! She always looked like everything was going to fine, even when they on their way to confront Nightmare Moon! when everyone else was panicking in the forest she had just laughed, pulled faces and even sang, but now she was pale and shaking her head in disbelief.

Rainbow Dash who'd been flying since they'd enter'd the library, had slowly dropped to the ground and quietly said. "Pasts gone?, it can't be"

Twilight looked around at all her friends "Doctor Past Search? That sweet old stallion that ran the library before I moved in, of course I'm sad he's gone, but I didn't know you all thought of him as family?"

Rarity whose tears had started falling again when Twilight had asked if it was Granny spoke up "Pasts been in Ponyville for a long time, we all love'd him" Twilight looked around and noticed that Pinkie Pie and even Rainbow Dash had started crying, Rarity continued. "But Past and the Apples have always been like family, he moved into that house on the edge of their property around the same time as Applejack, Big Mac, and Apple Bloom's parents died, he was kind of like a second father to them"

AJ had regained some of her composure though tears still fell steadily from her eye's. She gazed around the library "this is actually where Ah first met him, us Apples weren't very neighborly when we lost maw and paw, he'd been living just down the road from us for a few weeks and we'd never met him" AJ smiled at the memory and continued "Mackey and Ah'd been moping around the house during those weeks and Granny had had enough she kicked us out and told us to go have some fun like foals were suppose to" AJ stopped and shook her head ruefully  "course now Ah see she was right, but at the time me and Mackey thought she was heartless, we went into town trying to find something to, and ran into some of Mac's friends, they invited him to play some hoofball, he agreed to play and told them to go on ahead then he turned to me and said: 'AJ..... Ah miss em' to, but Granny's right we can't mope forever, try and find something fun to do' then he ran to catch up with his friends" 

She paused for a moment then went on slowly. "Ah felt so betrayed and abandoned, Ah just wanted to find someplace quiet where Ah could be alone and I saw this place"  AJ had been pacing around the room looking at the books as she spoke, and stopped at the young readers section. "Ah came in here and laid down on one of the sofas, Ah was so angry and sad, Ah started crying thinking it all wasn't fair, but Ah wasn't alone, Ah looked up and there he was with the kindest look on his face that Ah'd ever seen and asked if Ah was OK, but Ah was so angry, Ah yell at em' said Ah was fine and to me leave me be" 

Applejack had sat down in front of the fairy-tales and pulled a book off the shelf "He said something to me then that Ah've never forgotten: " 'You don't need to be Honest with me girl, I'm just some nosy pony you don't even know, but lying to yourself gets you nowhere in this world and you my friend are not fine", Applejack laughed and continued her story, "a little filly enters his library and starts crying and he starts giving her a lecture," AJ shook her head at the memory a smile on her face. "but his stern face softened and he went on: 'If you need to be alone I'll leave you be, but if you want to talk or help finding a book to help you forget your troubles I'll be at the help desk"

AJ had been looking threw the picture book she'd taken of the shelf, but stopped at a picture of knight in shining armor saving the princess from the villain. "Ah sat there for a while, thinking about what he'd said, It reminded me of Maw, she had always said to me that lies never really help anypony, I looked up and there he was right where he said he'd be, Ah got up and went up to his desk and asked If he could find me a good book, he smiled and led me to these books" She gestured to the fairy-tales. "He said when he was sad nothing made him feel better, than reading about a hero saving the day" AJ closed the book and held it to her chest and closed her tear-filled eyes picturing the memory, "Ah stayed here all afternoon, he read to me, and made me laugh just like Paw used to do at bedtime"

Applejack's voice broke "and when A-Ah was lea-leavin' for home he said: 'Applejack if you ever need a friend I'll always be here" AJ sobbed, "Even af-after all these years Ah nev-never told him, he was my hero that day"

Twilight walked over to Applejack and put her hoof over Applejack's shoulders and gave her a comforting squeeze. " AJ I'm so sorry" Twilight looked up and smiled at the others. "We'll find this unicorn, and get the girls back" 

"You said it Twi!" Rainbow said as she hovered over Twi and AJ "this time we'll be the heroes and save the day," she held her hoof out to AJ and smirked, AJ smiled and smacked her hoof against Rainbows'  

Rarity walked over and put her hoof around AJ's shoulders from her other side and patted Twilight's leg and they both they both squeezed her again "we'll find this ruffian no matter where he or she goes"

"I-I'll do m-my best-to help too AJ" Fluttershy had been whispering behind the three friends when Pinkie held up the the smaller megaphone from earlier

"Ah-ha! I knew this one was the right size" Even though she was still crying Pinkie smiled her famous grin and pulled all her friends into a hug. "lets go and find that meanie mcmean pony"

"The note said to meet at the old ruins in the Everfree forest this evening" Twilight said thoughtfully and smiled "That gives us plenty of time to come up with a plan"

Everyone's faces hardened with their resolve and nodded gravely. Twilight nodded and continued "here's what I've got so far-"


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The sun was going down when the six friends reached the edge of the Everfree forest. They all gazed into the dark branches with a look of grim determination.

Twilight walked to front of the group and turned and faced the others "everyone ready?" Five heads nodded "lets go" Twilight turned and headed into the forest and the others followed her in, all but one.

AJ hung back and looked toward her family's orchard till she found the little house at its border. Ah'm sorry Ah'll never get to ask you about your past like I wanted to Past, but I'll make sure those promises you made to Rarity are kept! Applejack turned around and followed the rest of her friends into the forest and thought with a cold look in her eye "Ah'm gonna show this pony what happens when ya mess with the Apple family"