//------------------------------// // 8 - Without a Trace // Story: Little Changes // by tom117z //------------------------------// “Where are you, my niece?” Princess Luna frowned as she soared lazily through the dream realm, weaving between the countless bubbles of light that were each an individual dream. Her eyes swept across them slowly and deliberately, searching for the tell-tale prismatic shimmer that she had come to recognize as belonging to Rainbow Dash. But much to her dismay, there was no sign of the pegasus. She was completely absent from the dream realm, just like the previous night. Luna grimaced as her hooves lightly touched down upon a wispy tendril of pale blue light. “This makes no sense…” she muttered to herself, turning in place to scan the bubbles yet again. When she had initially noticed a lack of Rainbow’s mind in the dream realm the previous night, she hadn’t thought much of it. Some ponies were occasionally prone to staying up through the night and sleeping in the day. It was more common in the modern-day than it had ever been before she was banished, at least. But then the letter had come from Ponyville, and suddenly Rainbow’s disappearance had taken on a whole new, far more unsettling feeling. The fact that Spike had apparently failed to contact her with his dragon fire made it worse, as did Rainbow’s continued absence from the dream realm. The world suddenly shook around her, and Luna frowned. Somepony was shaking her in the waking world. She closed her eyes and focused. With a subtle pop and whoosh, the motionless void of the dream realm gave way to a chilly breeze, and the sound of birds singing their morning songs reached her ears. Luna opened her eyes, and was met by the sight of a still-groggy Princess Celestia. Luna smiled. “Good morning, sister,” she greeted, briefly sweeping her eyes around to ensure she was where she meant to be. Seated on a cloud over the heart of Ponyville. Just as she had intended. The sun was just starting to appear on the horizon, prompting Luna to subconsciously lower the moon to make way for the dawn. “Luna,” Celestia managed to offer up a small smile before leaning in and giving Luna an affectionate hug. The lunar alicorn flinched from the sudden contact, her eyes darting down to the world below. Luckily, at this early hour, there were few ponies out and about to spot the public display of affection, and those that were had the manners to not look up. After a moment, Celestia backed out of the embrace, her expression hardening into a far more serious one. “Have you found my daughter?” Luna winced and looked away, her ears drooping. “I am afraid not, sister. Wherever she is, she is either not among those that sleep, or is beyond my reach entirely. Neither of which are particularly thrilling possibilities.” Celestia’s shoulders slumped, her face falling with disappointment. “I see… your lunar guards have nothing to report either,” she said, turning to look out over Ponyville herself. “I know. I checked with one of them as I was coming up here.” Luna’s frown deepened, and she took another more careful look at the village. Sure enough, off in the distance, her eyes could pick out the unmistakable shapes of thestrals and pegasi flying around outside the edge of the town. “So she is not near Ponyville itself, then…” Luna deduced after a moment, her expression twisting with concern and suspicion. “It would seem that way,” Celestia agreed, sitting down by Luna’s side and closing her eyes. She heaved a tired sigh before lazily slumping to rest against her younger sister’s side. Luna couldn’t help the teasing smirk that spread on her face. “Tia, if you require more sleep, then please, go and take a nap. But my shoulder is not a pillow.” Celestia lifted her head and pouted indignantly at Luna. “And my belly is?” she asked with a raised eyebrow. Luna’s cheeks burned at the reminder of one of her less-dignified fillyhood habits. Coughing into a hoof, she looked away to hide her blush. “T-that is different! We were but foals at the time and had not the weight of the crown upon our heads. Besides…” she managed to get her smirk back as she glanced over her shoulder at Celestia. “All of those pastries you so love to ingest make for a very plush belly.” Now it was Celestia’s turn to blush. “I beg your pardon? Did you just call me fat?!” she asked, appalled. Luna tittered, glad to have turned the tables. “I would not know, sister. I am not the one who had cake for dessert every night.” “No, you eat bananas. Or rather, their peels.” “Admirable riposte. Touché.” The two broke down into a fit of giggles after that. The levity, sadly, could not last for long, as the matter of their missing family came back into their minds. Luna’s smile faded away, her eyes staring longingly into the distance. “...Sister, you have known Rainbow Dash for far longer than I have, and far better,” she began uneasily, an unpleasant thought creeping into her mind. Celestia turned to Luna with a curious look. “...Tell me. Do you believe it is possible that Rainbow has, for one reason or another, decided to run away?” Luna eventually asked, her ears folding back with distaste at the mere idea. Celestia’s eyes widened. “What?! Of course not! What in the world makes you think that is even a possibility?” she asked, taken aback by the idea. Luna frowned guiltily. “Forgive me, but as I said, I have not known Rainbow as long as you. The vast majority of my interactions with her have, to date, been in her dreams, and most of them were during all of that recent carnage with Chrysalis and the Empire. I have only shared a few scattered interactions with her face to face. As much as it pains me to admit it, I cannot claim to predict her behaviour as well as you can. You are her mother, after all.” Celestia fell quiet at that before shaking her head. “I see. No, I do not believe Rainbow would flee and abandon her friends. It is contrary to her very nature, and the Element of Harmony she represents. Her actions in the Empire have proven to me that, no matter how painful things become, she will always stay with her friends. And that goes double for Twilight.” Luna hummed quietly at that before slowly rising to her hooves. “Very well… if there is nothing else, then I believe it is your turn to keep watch,” she said, slowly unfurling her wings. “I shall head for the library and have Twilight organize a meeting with the rest of her friends for later this morning. With any luck, maybe one of them knows something useful that we have yet missed.” “Just make sure you get some rest, little sister,” Celestia called after her. “I understand how protective you are of Rainbow after everything she has done for you, but running yourself ragged will not help us find her faster.” Luna nodded, smiling back at Celestia in understanding. “Of course, sister. Good luck,” she replied before leaping from the cloud and sailing down to the streets below, her eyes set on the Golden Oaks Library. Twilight had not been able to sleep at all the entire night. In the short amount of time she had dealt with her amnesia, she had been used to having Rainbow within reach at any given time. The pegasus had been the one to welcome her into the world, along with Spike, and so to have her missing out of the blue like this… It was just like those first few days all over again. Confusion, fear, anxiety, and dread filled Twilight’s entire being. Combine all of that with the disturbingly loud silence left in the wake of Rainbow’s snores, and Twilight was left an insomniac for the entire night. What little rest she did get was not enough to chase away her drowsiness or her fears, and she knew it was plainly visible to the mares gathered in her living room. Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Princess Luna were all gathered together, each one occupying their time in their own way while waiting for Applejack to arrive. Pinkie Pie was making rounds around the room, quietly checking up with each of her friends. Doubly so with Twilight, giving her more encouraging smiles and bumps than all the others put together. Rarity had plucked some novel from the shelves and was silently reading to pass the time. Fluttershy was curled up next to her with her muzzle partially hidden by her hooves. Luna, meanwhile, was pacing anxiously across the room, her hooves moving in a steady, unchanging rhythm across the hardwood floor. Finally, the silence was brought to an end when the door opened and Applejack wandered in, looking just as tired as all the rest of them. “Howdy, girls. Yer Highness,” she greeted, bowing her head to Luna. “Sorry to keep y’all waiting.” “It is fine, Applejack,” Luna assured her before nodding for a vacant chair. “Please, have a seat.” Once the farmer was settled, Luna took a look around the room to ensure she had everypony’s attention. Pinkie settled down next to Applejack, a hopeful look on her face. “So, is there any sign of Dashie?” she asked. Luna cringed. “I am afraid not… it would appear that she has left the area entirely. I cannot even reach her through the dream realm. It is as if she disappeared altogether,” she relayed to the gathered mares, her eyes falling in regret. “I could not find her all through the night.” “Oh, my…” Fluttershy whimpered, shifting closer to Rarity for support. “But wherever could she have gone?” Rarity asked while draping a hoof over Fluttershy in a comforting manner. “Rainbow Dash is fast, but Princess, you can search the dreams of anypony so long as they are asleep, regardless of distance, can you not?” Luna frowned. “I can, yes, but forming the connection is typically a longer and more strenuous process depending on distance,” she explained before striding for the end of the room to face the ponies head-on. “But that is not the point. As matters stand, Rainbow has vanished. My night guard proved ineffective in scouring the areas around Ponyville, and I cannot help but fear that my sister’s own efforts will prove much the same. As such, I want all of you to explain to me exactly what happened the night of her disappearance. Spare not a single detail!” Pinkie Pie grimaced. “I was too pooped from hosting a birthday party for Rumble that day, so I hit the sack early. The only thing weird I noticed was that the flamingoes were all really happy to see me, but I just think that’s because they’re pink and I’m pink and pink is great fun.” “Alas, I cannot say that I saw much out of the ordinary, myself,” Rarity added with a lamenting sigh. “All that comes to mind is that gorgeous light show in the sky. Sweetie Belle and I admired that for a short time before retiring to bed.” “Ah dunno how any of y’all were able to sleep with that goin’ on,” Applejack grunted with a small frown. “Them lights were brighter then Twi after studyin’ the history of light bulbs.” Fluttershy shuddered. “Um… do any of you think that the storm had something to do with it?” Luna turned to Fluttershy with a sceptical look. “I sincerely doubt it, Fluttershy. I scanned the storm extensively when it first appeared to determine its origin and nature, and whilst most of its nature eluded me, the lack of risk did not. It should have been utterly benign.” Twilight swallowed heavily, the same idea locking into place in her mind. She cleared her throat. “Ahem. Ah, actually, I think Fluttershy might be on to something,” she said hesitantly, drawing the attention of the whole room. Her anxiety creeping up on her again, and her next words came out with far less strength than before. “I-I mean… the timing is just too perfect to be a coincidence, right? The storm comes, and when it goes away, Rainbow’s gone, too.” The idea settled over the room, and everypony present became visibly uncomfortable with the idea. It wasn’t a reassuring notion that an unknown cosmic storm had somehow swept Rainbow away to who-knows-where. If it was magical in nature, then who knew what kinds of experiences Rainbow was suffering at that very moment? She shivered as the memory of Rainbow thrashing and screaming in her magic flashed through her mind. The look of raw, unfiltered terror and panic on the pegasus’ face had been beyond unsettling for Twilight to see, especially so suddenly. If all it took to set that off was a gentle magical hold, then… Luna hummed, rolling her jaw in thought. “Hmmm… I still harbour my doubts about this idea, but it is nevertheless an avenue worth exploring. After all, conventional methods of searching have, as of yet, proven fruitless…” “Is there anythin’ we can do to help?” Applejack asked after a moment of tense silence. She leaned forward in her seat. “Ah’m not crazy ‘bout sittin’ on mah rump and doin’ nothin’ while RD’s out there in some unknown situation. What if she’s in danger?” “Here, here,” Rarity agreed, lifting her head high. “If there is anything we can do-” “For the time being,” Luna cut her off with a sympathetic and apologetic look. “It would be for the best if you all kept out of the way. I mean no disrespect, but if the storm was responsible for my niece’s disappearance, then Rainbow’s whereabouts will be impossible for any of you to discern. I will bring this idea to my sister, and we’ll begin making plans on how to proceed.” “So we can’t do anything?!” Pinkie whined pitifully, her ears lowering while she waved her hooves in front of her in exasperation. “Oh, come on!” “I am sorry, truly,” Luna replied with a sigh. “Believe me, I know all too well how unpleasant it is to be powerless when I wanted to help. My time imprisoned in a changeling pod in Canterlot educated me on that feeling more than well enough… but this is one matter where, for now, there is nothing you can do except wait and hope.” Pinkie frowned. “Nuh-uh! I’m doing something! Maybe it won’t help you find her, but I am absolutely going to plan a ‘welcome back Rainbow Dash’ party for when she comes home!” she declared with enthusiasm. Luna managed a small smile at that. “Heh. I imagine she would not have it any other way. Now…” she turned for the door and made to take her leave. “If any of you think of anything else that may be of help, tell one of my or my sister’s guards.” Twilight watched as Luna pulled open the door with her magic, allowing early morning sunlight to filter in. Something tugged at her heart, and before she knew it, she was standing up and trotting forward. “W-wait, Luna!” The princess stopped and glanced back at Twilight with an unreadable look. “...Yes?” Twilight hesitated, briefly cowering back from Luna’s eyes. Then, with a shaky breath, she managed to lock gazes with the taller alicorn. “Just… find her. Please. I need her…” Luna’s eyes lowered for a moment, her ears flicking with indecision. She then nodded her head and offered Twilight a small, timid smile. “I shall do my best, Twilight Sparkle. Do not forget, she is my family… and I owe her much.” With that, Luna took her leave, closing the door behind her with a reverberating click.