//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 Spike's worries, Discord's Concern, and princesses plight // Story: Recovering Friendship // by Redwalllover28 //------------------------------// When Twilight and the others first left Ponyville Spike didn't mind. After all it meant he had more time for himself without having to do a lot of chores, errands, and other things that cut into his naps. But things started to change when the girls hadn't returned to Ponyville in about a week. It started with Discord arriving at Twilight's castle unannounced, or rather Discord just appearing of thin air and startling young Spike. "Have you seen Flutttershy lately?" Discord asked "She wasn't at her cottage. And today was the day we were suppose to be having afternoon tea together. Even Angel bunny doesn't know where Fluttershy is at. All he said was that the last place Fluttershy had been was Twilight's new castle. And that she had been gone a week. The other animals confirmed it. I asked them too, so what's going on? Have the girls been having some kind of week long sleepover or something to help strengthen their friendship or what? And if they have I feel as though I should be part of it. After all, I still have much to learn about friendship you know." As he was talking he was using his magic to hold Spike in the air. It didn't scare the young drake too much, but he was surprised that Discord cared about Fluttershy's feelings. After the Tirek fiasco Spike was still unsure about Discord. But what he said was sort of the same story he had heard from Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Applebloom as well as the rest of the Apple family. Scootaloo hadn't seen Rainbow Dash anywhere around town, Sweetie Belle had to go to Sweet Apple Acres where Applebloom lives because Rarity hadn't returned home for a week either. Applejack'swhole family was wondering where she had disappeared to since it was not like her to go off somewhere without telling them where. Originally, Spike told everypony not to worry, that they were on some kind of mission and would be back soon. But now that a week had gone by without even lettter from Twilight Spike himself was beginning to worry. But something Discord said surprised Spike. So, he asked: "You can understand non-talking animals?" "Well I am the spirit of chaos." Discord said in a quite matter-a-fact way "But my question is: do you know where Fluttershy and the others are?" "No I don't." Spike answered "All I know is that the castle suddenly produced some kind of magical table map and the girls went off to investigate." Discord just noticed the mysterious table in the middle of the room. He said: "I have lived for centuries, I am older than the princesses you know, and I have neverseen anything like this!" Then he noticed the cutie marks. Not only were they in one place, but most of them had changed to equal marks! "What do you make of this?" he asked pointing out the unusual thing to Spike said he didn't know. but now he was REALLY worried. "We better get Sun and Moon Butts." Discord suggested, Spike agreed, but reminded Discord that he should be more respectful of the princesses. "Oh fine. Don't be a killjoy Spike." And before Spike could say anything else, Discord teleported both of them to Canterlot castle. Celestia was astonished to say the least when Discord and Spike suddenly appeared in the throne room. Fortunately Celestia was having a lunch break so no pony else saw Discord. That wasn't to say she was pleased by his sudden pop-up. "Discord! You better have a good excuse for showing up unannounced!" Celestia exclaimed "Don't make me call my guards!" "Really Tia, I am the spirit of chaos, I could easily take care of your guards. " Discord reminds her matter-of-factly "But I just want to talk to you and Lulu about a most important matter." Spike who was standing behind Discord says: "He's not joking princess. It involves Twilight and the others!" Celestia would have dismissed Discord's words if Spike hadn't spoken up.After canceling the rest of the court sessions for the day, she went to wake up Luna. And while not accustomed to getting up a little before sunset, Celestia woke up her sister Luna, who after hearing the strange things happening at Twilight's castle agreed they should go there at once. Once there they saw the unusual map. "This is something we have never seen before in our lifetime. " Celestia said "Agreed. " said Luna "The question is 'what is going on?' Because it looks like some pony is using strange magic. For what purpose I don't know. But something tells me that this may not end well. " Celestia didn't like what Luna had just said, and hated Discord's next words even more: " And you can't send Twilight and the others to investigate because their already there. " "So, what do we do?" Celestia asked slightly annoyed "Why not go to the mirror world and ask Sunset Shimmer for help?" Spike suggested While Celestia was a little nervous about this suggestion, she knew they had no other choice. Luna meanwhile was thinking 'I hope everything works out. Otherwise we may have something worse than Nightmare Moon on our hooves. ' Meanwhile in Our Town In Starlight Glimmer's shack she was putting Twilight through her final stage of training. Twilight was no longer resisting her and was willingly answering her questions without Starlight having to use her truth serum. The equal mark was stronger now, but Twilight didn't care. Starlight Glimmer's had put Twilight in a trance using a pocket watch. Twilight just sat there listening to Starlight's motherly voice convincing her to let go of the last bit of her personality. "After all, you want to rejoin your friends don't you?" She asks sweetly and gets a nod from Twilight, "Good. And if any pony but me which includes you should get their cutie marks back, you will remember your brother's wedding and trust no pony but me. Any pony who was at your brother's wedding and has a cutie mark is not to be trusted, understand?" This gets a yes. "Good. And you will continue to wear the halter and tell ponies it is to remind yourself to be humble yes?" "Yes Starlight my master. " was Twilight's response "Good now get some rest, tomorrow you become part of the community. When I stomp my hoof 3 times you will go to sleep and in the morning act like every pony else, but should your friends return to normal you will only trust me." With that she stomps her hoof 3 times and Twilight goes to sleep.In the morning Twilight publicly gets her mane cut like the rest of the town, also her tail shortened. She gives the explanation for the halter and her friends are happy. But Double Diamond and his friends are concerned. As well as 3 young fillies in Our Town who had noticed the mane 6's friendship and wondered what would happen next.