Panic arose in the Empire that morning. Ponies ran all around their houses and across the streets to search for their missing children. The royals, unaware of their own children’s disappearance, heard the ghastly news and sent out guards to help the citizens search for their little ones. Thanks to the chaos and anxiety surging through the kingdom, the newsponies took the opportunity to print the papers with the headlines of…
“Mystery after party night!” the editor of the newspaper sang, “It says ‘Mystery of the Children’s Flight’! ‘Mystified’, all the papers say…’We are mystified…We suspect foul play’… Goodbye, any wedded bliss…First the soldiers, now there’s this…Still, at least, the news gets sold…Gossip’s worth its weight in gold…”
At the castle, Shining Armor held the newspaper with his magic. He tossed it aside and made his way down the hall as he sang wearily, “What a way to run a kingdom…Spare me these unending trials…The children disappear and the crowd will jeer ‘Where are they?!’ It’s more than I can handle…Have a scandal…And you’re sure to have a blow…”
Suddenly, a group of servants flocked to him and one sang in worry, “Your Highness, will all war break out? This is terrible!”
Shining Armor whispered quickly, “Quiet, please don’t shout!”
The butler sang in explanation, “It’s publicity, and the take is vast…It’s publicity…”
“Then we must work fast!”
After Shining Armor left the servants, Skyla came up to him and sang, “Did ponies complain to you?”
Her father sang, “Yes…And your mom’s got some, too…”
In the throne room, Cadance sat on the throne as some of the royal guests surrounded her. Upper Crust sang, “Dear Cadance, what a charming kingdom…This place is, in a word, sublime…although we are bereft that the children left…”
Jet Set sang, “On that note, the guards are a disaster…Were they faster, then they would’ve stopped the crime…”
Glass Slipper raised her hoof and sang, “Oh, Your Grace, just a brief reminder…your handmaidens have made me wait…Give them a talking-to and don’t just drop a hint or clue…No one likes a dragger, so to honor my small request would be great…”
Meanwhile, Twilight and her six biological sisters trotted down the halls as they sang, “Who would have the gall to take them? Someone who had a lot to gain…”
Applejack sang, “Dandy’s no idiot…”
Fluttershy sang, “How would he do it?”
Pinkie Pie chimed, “His Riders!”
Rarity sang with a sneer, “It’s nothing short of shocking…”
Rainbow Dash sang in contempt, “He’s mocking us with his legion…”
Twilight sang, “In addition, he wants his throne…”
Sunset sang sarcastically, “He’s such a grown-up stallion…”
All seven sang, “Who knew Dandy was much vainer? Nothing plainer, he is causing us this strain…”
In another part of the castle, Starling sang to two servants worriedly, “Where is she?”
The female servant sang, “You mean, Flurry Heart?”
“I mean, Corona…Where is she?”
The male servant sang, “Well, how should we know?”
“I want an answer…I take it that you sent me this note…”
The stallion sang, “What’s all this nonsense?”
The mare sang, “Of course not!”
“Don’t look at us!”
Starling sang, “You didn’t send this?”
The male servant replied in indignation, “Of course not!”
The female servant sang, “We’re in the dark…”
The princess sang, “Oh, please, don’t argue, this is a note that Dandy wrote…”
The stallion sang, “And what is it that he meant to have wrote?” He caught himself and corrected, “Written.”
The female servant took the note and read aloud, “’Do not fear for your daughter. She is safe and well-protected from harm. Make no attempt to see her again.’”
Starling asked, “If you didn’t send it, who did?”
Just then, Discord, Screwball, and Mothball barged into the foyer as the draconequus sang angrily, “Where is he?”
The male servant sang in surprise, “Prince Discord!”
“My precious Oddball…”
He, his daughter, and his son-in-law all sang, “Where is he?”
Starling sang as she came up to them, “What is it now?”
Discord sang in fury, “I have a letter….a letter which I rather resent…”
The two servants asked Starling, “And did you know this?”
Starling sang in retaliation, “Of course not!”
The female servant sang, “As if she would…”
The three royals asked Starling, “You didn’t know this?”
Starling repeated, “Of course not!”
The male servant sang, “What’s going on?”
Discord sang as he held out a folded piece of paper, “Starling, my dear niece, this is the letter Dandy sent!”
Starling sang as she magically took the note, “And what is it that he meant to have sent?” When she opened it, she read aloud, “’You won’t be able to rescue little Oddball. I’ve put a spell on him that disables you from coming to his aid. Be prepared for a great misfortune should you attempt to ignore my words.’”
Just then, Whirl Wind and Sky Blitz came into the foyer and sang, “Way too many notes for our taste…”
The Guardians soon entered and sang, “And most of them about Dandy…”
Jet Set and Upper Crust then entered and sang, “All we’ve heard since we came is that tarnished name…”
Just then, the butler pony came in with a guard and sang, “Young Gale Force has been found…”
Starling sang in relief, “I hope no worse for wear…as far as we’re concerned…”
Jet Set asked, “Where precisely is she now?”
The butler sang, “She’s been brought back to her bedroom…”
The guard nodded, “She needed rest…”
Whirl Wind asked, “May we see her?”
The butler replied, “She’s tired, so she’ll see no one…”
Screwball and Mothball sang, “Where’s she been? Where’s she been?”
At that moment, Gladmane entered the foyer and sang, “Friends, I have a thought…”
All of his peers sang in urgency, “Let us hear it!”
Starling blushed and added, “Please.”
Gladmane obliged and said, “Everypony, this is clearly a kidnapping crisis which Dandy Grandeur has perfectly orchestrated. The only one to escape was Gale Force, who may give us our one chance.” He then sang smoothly, “Your children have been taken from you…and you are anxious to have them all return…So with that in mind, my troubled royals…we will therefore create a plan…to save the kids…and give posh Dandy exactly what he’s earned…The former king Dandy is known for charm and appeal…We’ll lure him and catch him in the act…which makes the set-up, in a word, ideal…”
The purple stallion told them, “Whatever details little Gale might give us could help us expose the rotten colt he is. However, if our plan fails, a disaster beyond mere imagination will occur. Don’t say there won’t be risks. I’ll be in my room if you need me.”
After Gladmane left the room, Discord sang in rage, “Dandy!”
The male servant sang, “Whatever next?”
“Now there’s the matter of Dandy!”
Sky Blitz sang, “This is insane!”
Upper Crust sang, “I know who helped him! Feather Bangs, his nephew!”
Flurry rebuked, “Indeed! Can you believe this?”
When the Guardians followed the Canterlot couple, Nova sang, “He’d never!”
Jet Set overlapped, “But he’s Prance king!”
Mischief sang over Jet Set, “He’s not involved!”
Upper Crust sang in retaliation, “That changes nothing!”
Flurry sang over the haughty unicorn, “Feather Bangs would never!”
Skater sang, “Flurry’s right!”
Blaze sang, “He is our friend!”
Apple Butter sang in agreement, “And always will be!”
The butler pony sang in an attempt to stop the arguing, “Your Highness...”
Jet Set sang, “You all are mad!”
Upper Crust sang with her head held high, “We will take our leave!”
When the Canterlot couple left the Guardians, Roller Blade suggested, “We should prove that FB’s innocent.”
Flurry said, “By getting to the source.”
When the Guardians knew what she was getting at, they all sang, “We’re going to see Dandy Grandeur!”
After the Guardians had packed their bags, the others knew what they were up to and tried to deter them from their mission.
Cadance pleaded to them, “It's useless trying to talk to him!”
The Guardians sang in reply, “Oh, we will…”
Shining Armor sang in worry, “Whatever you say will not please him!”
“We’ll please him…”
The servants sang in fear, “Guardians, please don’t go! No, no, no, it’s too dangerous! You’d be needlessly risking your lives! Oh, please, Your Highness! Don’t go!”
Nova sang to her friends, “I must admit…”
Glass Slipper, who was part of the crowd, sang to remind the Guardians, “He has reviled us!”
“It’s a new low...”
Zealot, Apple Butter’s boyfriend, sang, “What does he want?”
Apple Butter sang as she shrugged her shoulders, “We do not know…”
Glass Slipper sang, “He has rebuked us!”
Flurry’s parents sang together, “Dandy will not listen...”
“He has attacked us!”
The servants pleaded, “Please, Guardians…We beseech you...”
Skyla sang in worry, “This hour shall see our darkest fears…”
Whirl Wind overlapped, “We must see her…”
Gemstone sang in worry, “Our children are gone!”
Discord overlapped in anger, “He’s responsible!”
Starling pointed out, “Gale Force escaped…”
Mauve sang, “It’s Dandy’s crime!”
Sky Blitz overlapped, “Where did she go?”
Cannon Fire overlapped, “He must pay for this!”
Flurry Heart sang, “We’re going to Prance…”
The servants sang, “Your Highness, we beg you…don’t be a martyr…”
The alicorns princess overlapped, “And we’ll sort this out…”
Pen Pusher sang, “What new surprises lie in…”
The servants vocalized, “Don’t…”
Nova noticed something and sang, “Our cutie…”
Pen, the servants, and Nova all overlapped, “…store/go/marks!”
Everyone stopped as the Guardians saw their cutie marks shimmering.
Skater groaned, “Oh, no! A Cutie Map mission now?!”
Blaze spoke up, “Right when we’re trying to rescue the kids?!”
Roller Blade said, “Talk about bad timing.”
Flurry suggested, “Wait. Maybe this is a good thing. What if the map is trying to send us to the kids?”
Mischief agreed, “That’s a good point.”
Discord scoffed, “And just why would the map send you somewhere that even I cannot go? I tried to find Oddball, but the note was right. I wasn’t able to.”
Blaze said, “Well, whoever’s got Oddball must also have the other kids. If the map is sending us to find them, then maybe only we can rescue them.”
Zealot came up to them and said, “And it looks like I’ll be coming along, too.”
The Guardians were surprised to find that Zealot’s cutie mark was shimmering and chiming just like theirs were!
Mischief remarked in astonishment, “Wow, Zealot…”
Apple Butter wrapped her arms around him and cried, “This is amazing! You get to come with us!”
Roller gave Zealot’s shoulder a tap as he said, “Hey, congrats, dude!”
Zealot smiled, “Thank you.” His smile then faded as he asked, “But aren’t we supposed to gather around the table to see where our cutie marks will go?”
Flurry assured, “Don’t worry, Zealot. We have a copy of the Cutie Map in case we’re far from the Castle of Friendship.”
Cadance suggested, “Let’s take it up to the throne room, then.”