Down in the caves, because the foals were getting a bit tired of all the walking, Cadence and Shining Armor said to stop getting alot of relived sighs from everyone.
Smiling and nodding in agreement, mostly because Amber was starting to get a bit heavy in her arms, Sarah gently placed her down next to a yawning Chris making sure they were asleep before she went to find Cadence and Shining.
Sarah found them together a bit away from everyone else asking each other what to expect when they get out of these caves.
"Ahem," Sarah said getting their attention.
"Hello Sarah," Cadence said a gentle smile on her face as she got up and moved over a bit making room for Sarah to sit in between them. "Good idea with the singing by the way. I doubt we would of made it this far if the foals were all holding us back because they were scared."
"Thank you." Sarah said sitting down. "But the reason I came over is to tell you more on who I am and ask how do you know Twilight? That is of course if that's alright, I just thought you did because you looked worried when I said her name when you... Umm... When I joined you."
Not expecting this both ponies were silent for a minute then Shining Armor explained.
"She's my little sister." he said looking to the roof of the cave. " And I'm not sure how it works for you, excusing my rudeness here. But when a younger sister is in danger or whatever, the older brother isn't happy again until she's safe."
"I know how that feels like." Sarah said tears coming to her eyes as she thought of Jack and Emma, wishing he went for her first.
"Anyway," she said after a few seconds driving the memory out of her mind before the tears started.
"As I already said I'm Sarah Jones. About five months ago, by accident in my eyes, although I'm sure someone else would say otherwise, me and Eric found out his Grandfather's old painting set had a very special paintbrush in it, and that's how we came to Equestria.
He was taken by Nightmare Moon to the castle in the woods. While I went down to Ponyville and met everyone who told me about her and we went out to get him back.
Along the way I learnt some things about friends and those Elements of Harmony.
Finally when we got back together, and after Moon-Butt knocked the bearers out cold I got this new outfit, that comes with a charm bracelet to help me with my powers but I took it off when Sombra captured me, and Eric got one as well and together we defeated her."
Sarah finished leaning back smiling at the memories of that day. When suddenly her head began to hurt with a whole new level of pain, making her clutch it and bend over in pain trying to hold back her screaming so not to scare or wake up the other ponies.
After a few minutes that felt like hours to her Sarah thought she could hear voices.
"Sarah..." someone was saying. "Sarah are you alright?"
"Yeah..." she answered not caring who it was as she came back to her original sitting position, knees to her chest head resting gently on top. "Celestia and Luna said I'm suddenly getting these headaches because of the tipped balance of Harmony here." Sarah just explained. "And they're getting worse and going for longer."
Gently Cadence placed a hoof on Sarah's back just above the wings, and rubbed it to help calm her down.
"Everything will be ok," she said in a 'I am certain' kind of voice. "We just have to get out of here, stop Chrysalis and Sombra and that should fix the Harmony. Then we can get you and Eric back together too. I'm sure their looking for you." she said smiling.
"Then why are they not here yet?" Sarah said sighing "Or... Or why haven't we heard of anything?" she asked tears coming to her eyes she didn't have the strength to wipe away.
"Well this place is pretty big Sarah," Shining Armor said trying to make her smile "Why else do you think we're still down here, other than the fact we kept getting lost when we started. And Changelings are known to fool the friends of the one they're replacing. Maybe they don't know yet."
"First of Shining, you would of kept getting lost too, if you had only been down here once in your just gotten a bit shorter life." Cadence said not looking happy at the Unicorn. Then turning to Sarah said "But he's right Sarah, lets just give it sometime somehow we're going to get out of here. And I'm sure you're friends do know and are working even more hard to come and find you."
"Thanks you guys." Sarah said to show she had been listening but stayed put when they went to check on the others thinking 'What position she would been in now, if she just stayed inside last night'.
Up top, Twilight, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Applejack and Pinkamena had got as close to the castle as they could ducking back behind buildings every now and then so not to be spotted by the Changelings coming and going.
"So how exactly are we going to get down to the caves if we don't know where they are?" Rainbow asked looking around for a sign that says 'Caves Down Here'.
"We can either, let ourselves be caught and taken to them, Blast the street to pieces since they're meant to be right under us, Or we can continue searching and/or watching the Changelings to see if we can work out where they are ourselves. Twilight listed.
"So it depends if we want the slow and sneaky, or fast, loud and sure to be found way to get down there." she said looking all over the castle.
"All right y'all," Applejack said. "Hooves up for 'fast, loud and sure to be found' way," not surprising to anyone Rainbow was the first one to put her hoof in the air followed by Pinkamena.
"Hooves up for 'slow and sneaky' way" Applejack continued raising her own hoof, along with the rest of the girls.
"Four to two, Slow and Sneaky wins." she said lowering her own and moving to the corner of the building to take her turn watching for them.
"What about the 'let yourselves be caught' option?" a voice said behind all of them making them spin only to see no one there.
"Well?" it said again making them look all over the place.
"That was a joke option..." Twilight said not sure who she was speaking to but began charging her horn anyway.
"Can I place a suggestion into the pot then Miss?" another voice asked still neither owner showing themselves.
"Depends what it is um..." Twilight said.
"Ruby," the second voice said.
"And I'm Jade." the first one said.
Then two little filly's one red and one green with the same mane-do's came out from behind the cardboard boxes and other junk stored down the ally.
"Now what are two little filly's like you doing out here?" Applejack asked in her stern mothering voice she reserved for Apple Bloom when she did something wrong.
"Hiding here to 'keep safe' from those bugs, while our Mama and Papa try and rescue our sister from the caves." Jade said.
"They're exhibition experts so they know everything about the caves beneath Canterlot." Ruby said her eyes wide.
"You mind if we go see you parents my little ponies?" Twilight asked a smile on her face.
"Er... Twi," Applejack said pulling Twilight away so they can have a private conversation. "I'm not saying we shouldn't try that. But we have to remember Changelings are running free all over Canterlot at the moment. And don't y'all think it a might suspicious that when we ask for help we get it in the form of two little filly's?"
"You saying that their Changeling AJ?" Twilight whispered so not to get Pinkamena to react.
"I'm saying we can't put all our trust into them straight away." Applejack said rubbing her chin. "And need to ask them a question only ponies will know the answer for."
Turning back Jade and Ruby looked at the mares wondering what they were talking about.
"Before we set out anywhere girls," Applejack asked thinking "Just a simple question here, What happened on the one-thousandth Summer Sun Celebration?"
"Nightmare Moon came back." they both said happily.
"Anything else?"
"You, being the Elements of Harmony turned her back into Preencess Luna."
Applejack was at a crossroad here. Because those answers were right, but these filly's looked a bit young to know all that. However, they could of been taught about it in school.
"Just one more." she said thinking of a new question. "Can you tell me when a Pony get's his or her Cutie-Mark?"
"When they find that special something that makes them special." Jade said a nodding Ruby in agreement.
"Err... why all the questions AJ?" Rainbow asked in to her friends ear stepping forward.
"Just checking something." Applejack whispered back nodding to Twilight.
"Do you know where your parents are girls?" she asked getting down to look them in the eye to show they can trust her.
"They went over there," Ruby said pointing to the castle's gardens.
"But that was a few hours ago." Jade continued, shuffling her feet.
"But they said don't move until they come back with Amber."
"But we're scared Preencess Twilight." they said together tears in their eyes.
"Oh girls," Twilight said opening her arms nearly getting knocked over by the girls running into her. "It will be ok." she said rubbing their backs trying to comfort them. "We're here now. We will help you and your parents rescue your sister."
"But... But what if we can't Preencess Twilight?" Jade asked pulling back rubbing her nose.
"Girls. If there's one thing I learnt since moving to Ponyville," Twilight said hugging them again. "Is that you need to trust your friends, new and old and keep your hopes high. This will all work out. You'll see. We just need to rescue everyone who's down in those caves before we do anything else."
"Just out of curiosity girls," Rarity asked "How long ago did your parents leave you here? Not that I'm saying anything bad Twilight," she said after a look she got. "But if you've lost this much hope, I'm just wondering."
"We got here last night," Ruby said "We were on our way to the caves anyway, because they got Amber the day before."
"And then when Preencess Celestia rose the sun this morning, they told us to stay here and hidden, and not to come out or move until they come back with her." Jade finished.
"So, you've been on your own since this morning?" Fluttershy asked in her quiet voice getting nods from the girls.
"What are we going to do Twi?" Rainbow asked. "We can't really leave them here on their own, but we can't take them with us in case their parents come back, or something happens."
After a minute to think, Twilight just said one name.
"Discord."
Suddenly there was a flash of light and the Draconequus in question was floating right above them on 'surprise' one of his cotton-candy clouds.
"You called Twilight?" he asked.
"Discord, can you take these two filly's back to the library and watch over them with Eric and Sarah, while we go to the caves, please." Twilight asked writing a note she slid under the box they both came out of after closing it with the Canterlot seal, in case their parents came back.
Suddenly Twilight felt a tug on her mane and turned to Jade and Ruby again.
After they made sure Discord wasn't listening they said.
"We're not meant to go off with strangers Preencess Twilight,"
"My dear filly's," Discord said setting his ears a flame as a joke of burning ears "I am no stranger. I may be strange. But I am no stranger. I'm a celebrity in fact." he said poofing up a red carpet and a outfit set for a celebrity complete with sunglasses.
"I know girls," Twilight replied trying to ignore the Draconequus behind her. "But he'll take you somewhere safe, and look after you there. Right Discord?" she asked turning around.
"On my word as the Master of Chaos Princess," Discord said zapping away everything making a halo appear above his head.
"Just keep them safe, and don't blow up the library." she said rubbing the bridge of her nose.
"Ok," Discord said his halo losing it's shine. "Just be careful in those caves. There may be some unsuspected things down there." with that and a snap on his fingers, Discord and the filly's disappeared.
After a minute to get over what just happened, and to let a troupe of Changelings get out of the way, the girls set off for the castle gardens.