Chapter 9: Searchin’
“What do you mean Twilight hasn’t returned yet?” Rarity asks the next morning. “She left with more than enough time to deliver the message and return yesterday. Plus she had that date last night with Flash, I’m sure she wouldn’t have missed that.”
“I don’t know Rarity,” Spike says. “The dress you and Sweetie made her for her date is still in her closet. Also I haven’t seen Rainbow Dash so she probably hasn’t returned yet either, so they’re still together wherever they are.”
“I suppose that is a good thing.” Rarity says.
“I suppose it’s possible that she went to tell Princess Celestia that Ash is awake.” Spike says. “Then Celestia might’ve sent her to her date in court clothes.”
“That is possible. Can’t you send Princess Celestia and letter and ask her?” Rarity asks.
“Great Idea Rarity,” Spike says as he goes and gets some parchment and a quill and quickly jots down a letter then wraps it up with a seal and breathes fire on it to send it away. A few minutes later Spike coughs up a reply. He opens the letter and reads it.
~Dearest Spike,
Your letter distresses me greatly as I too have not heard from Princess Twilight. I will send an envoy to Griffonholm to investigate and let you know the minute I hear anything. I trust if anything changes there you will inform me as well.
Sincerely,
Celestia, Sun Princess~
“Well,” Rarity says. “That is not good news, that is for sure.”
“No, it’s not.” Spike says. “At least Rainbow Dash put in for a couple days of leave from weather crew in case something happened.”
“I’ll go see if I can get Fluttershy to fly up to the weather office and tell them she’s missing, maybe they can keep an eye out for her.” Rarity offers.
“That might be a good idea, Dash is pretty hard to miss.” Spike says. “The weather teams can keep an eye out for her.”
“Very good, I shall go tell them then.” Rarity says as she leaves and heads to Fluttershy’s place.
“Rarity,” Discord says as he appears outside Fluttershy’s house. “What brings you here?”
“Discord,” Rarity says looking at the draconequus. “I had no idea you were visiting Fluttershy.”
“She asked me to keep anypony from bothering her while she was feeding the animals.” Discord says. “I figure why not?”
“You’re being awfully helpful,” Rarity says suspiciously.
Discord looks to the ground. “I’m trying to make up for my bad decisions Rarity. I feel horrible for what I did.”
“A revelation coming from you, I’m sure.” Rarity says. “I can’t say as I understand why Twilight forgave you, but she asked us to do so to, so I suppose I must.”
Discord looks slightly hurt. “You only forgave me because Twilight asked you too?”
“Yes, I did.” Rarity admits. “But since you look so hurt I’ll give you a chance to prove to me that you should be forgiven.”
“I suppose I deserve that, so what is it you need?”
“Princess Twilight and Rainbow Dash have gone missing. I was wondering if you could use your powers to locate them.” Rarity admits.
Discord looks back to Fluttershy’s house. “I can start looking when she’s done.”
“Will you please start now?” Rarity asks. “I promise I’ll tell Fluttershy what’s going on, and I’ll keep her from being bothered.”
Discord sighs, “Fine, only because the two missing ponies are my friends.” With that he leaves.
A good bit later Fluttershy walks up to Rarity. “Rarity what are you doing here?”
“I had come to talk to you, but Discord stopped me.”
“He did?” Fluttershy asks. “Why did he leave?”
“I begged him to,” Rarity says. “Twilight and Dash are missing, I asked him to look for them.”
“And he agreed?”
“Only after I promised him I’d tell you he wasn’t shirking his duties, and would stand watch for him.”
Fluttershy smiles, “Discord’s been so sweet to me since..” she pauses. “Everything.”
“Fluttershy darling, have you fallen for Discord?” Rarity asks.
Fluttershy blushes and whispers, “maybe.”
“Oh Fluttershy, this is fantastic, maybe you’re just what he needs to truly reform himself.”
“Rarity, I can’t tell him.”
“Why not?”
“I.. I just can’t Rarity.” Fluttershy admits. “I know how most of you feel when he betrayed us.”
“Twilight forgave him immediately, saving him from Tirek, and the rest of us forgave him soon after.” Rarity says. “I told him searching for Twilight and Rainbow would be a good way to show that I can trust him and truly earn my forgiveness.”
“That’s sweet Rarity.” Fluttershy says. “Maybe you can help me tell him after we find Twilight and Dash?”
“I would be delighted to help you.” Rarity says.
“Good, now how can I help find Twilight and Rainbow Dash?”
“Could you fly up to the weather office and have them keep an eye out for Twilight and Dash?”
“Sure,” Fluttershy says. “Then I’ll stop by the post office and have them keep an eye out too.”
“That’s a good idea” Rarity says.
“I’ll see you later.” Fluttershy says as she flies away.
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Fluttershy flies up to main weather office in Cloudsdale. “Excuse me,” she says to the orange-pegasus mare with a sun partially covered with a cloud cutie-mark standing at the counter.
“Hello there. I’m Partly Cloudy, how can I help you?”
“My friend Rainbow Dash is missing, I was wondering..” Fluttershy starts but is quickly cut off.
“Rainbow Dash is missing?” Partly Cloudy quickly takes wing and flies to the back. “Captain Doppler! Captain Doppler!”
“What is it?” the captain, a dark-blue stallion wearing a jacket with a set of three concentric circles with a fuzzy green line going through the radius as his cutie mark.
“Rainbow Dash is missing.” Partly Cloudy reports.
“Pass the word along with the emergency broadcast,” Captain Doppler says. “Tell all teams to keep an eye out for her.”
“Yes, sir!” Partly Cloudy says and goes to walk off
“Excuse me,” Fluttershy says just loud enough to for them both to hear.
“Who is this?” Captain Doppler asks.
“This is the pegasus that told me about Rainbow Dash,” Partly Cloudy answers. “Says she’s her friend.”
“You must be Fluttershy,” Captain Doppler states.
“I am,” Fluttershy says. “But I wanted to let you know that Rainbow isn’t the only pony that is missing. its also Princess Twilight sparkle.”
“You hear that Cloudy Weather?” Captain Doppler asks. “Make sure you include that on your broadcast, we can’t have a missing Princess now, can we?”
“I’ll get right on it,” Partly Cloudy says as she heads off.
“How exactly are you going to contact the weather teams?” Fluttershy asks.
“We call it a radio. We capture lightning in glass jars and use it to power the device, the receivers are powered by the energy in the clouds. The team captains wear them around their necks and as clouds are dispersed the resulting energy keeps the receivers charged.”
“That’s a brilliant idea,” Fluttershy states.
Captain Doppler nods. “That’s what I thought when I heard it.”
“Thank you so much,” Fluttershy says. “Now I’m off to the post office to ask them to keep an eye out on them.”
“You don’t have to worry about that ma’am. They have a unit similar to ours that we keep charged for them, they’ll get the message when I send it.”
“Oh, thank you.” Fluttershy says then leaves.
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Twilight and Rainbow sit in a cell. “This is so boring.” Rainbow says as she kicks a rock.
“Sorry Dashie,” Twilight says. “But at least we’re unhurt, that’s what’s important.”
"If you say so Twilight," Rainbow grumbles.
"How dismal," Discord says as he appears. "You would think that royal accommodations would be a little snazzier." He snaps his eagle talons and the dark cell is suddenly accented with some drapes and a throw rug. "So much better."
"Are you here to gloat?" Rainbow asks.
"Actually Rarity had asked me to find the two of you, she never mentioned what I should do if I found you."
"Might I suggest rescuing us?" Twilight suggests looking agitated.
"Why Princess don't you enjoy being a prisoner of war? Political prisoners always have the highest ransom."
"Remind me of that the next time you're trapped in a bubble by a mad pony." Twilight sneers.
"Touche," Discord says. "I suppose good friends rescue each other from life or death situations on a daily basis."
"Yes," Twilight says agitated. "That's exactly what friends do."
"Those flashing eyes. Those flushed cheeks. Those trembling lips. You know something princess, you are ugly when you're angry."
Rainbow tries not to chuckle as Twilight gives Discord a look that would probably literally kill if Twilight's magic was active. "Come on Discord," Rainbow say. "Get us out of this cage already."
"Fine!" Discord exclaims as he snaps his talons, the cage vanishes as he does. "Now that you're all rescued I should go tell everypony you're okay." With that he vanishes.
Twilight sighs. "Looks like we're flying home Rainbow."
"Let's get going then," Rainbow says before taking to the air. Twilight grumbles as she takes wing. "Something the matter Twilight?"
"Just missing my magic, I could just teleport us home." Twilight admits.
"As soon as we get home we'll find one of the Crusaders and get them to remove the ring."
"Apple Bloom or Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle's been using her magic."
"I still can't get Scoots to fly so she's probably your best bet. Applejack's had Bloom bucking trees the last couple days."
"I'll keep that in mind," Twilight says as they begin the flight back to Ponyville.