Black Cross was at the school library, he was alone and no-one was around for some odd reason. He wondered if something had happened to the students, but that's impossible, they come every Thursday to return their books and pick some new ones. Pretty sure they'll come by later, or tomorrow perhaps. He was feeling a bit uneasy, this is one of those days where students always visit the library on school days, or maybe it's one of those slow days.
He sighs and sits there on his chair where he usually sits, waiting for some pony,... or anybody to show up, but hours have passed and no one showed up. Except for one pony.
Maud Pie walks in carrying some books as she puts them in a basket and finds something else to read.
Things were getting weird around here, only one pony had shown up, but why Maud Pie, she's not a student and she doesn't work here. Perhaps it was all in your head, Black Cross.
Black Cross gets down from his chair and walks up to Maud Pie but quickly stops realizing that he might disturb her.
Maud Pie did not notice Black Cross, she continues to read her book that she picked out, it looked like she was studying about a record of rocks and their properties that these inanimate objects were able to withhold powerful magic but the question is, why would Maud Pie read something like that, didn't she get her doctors degree a few years ago?
Black Cross goes back to his seat, then Maud Pie sits up and leaves the library with her books.
Black Cross patiently waits for the school to close so he could leave and meet up with his brother later this evening. As the clock reaches to 6:30 PM he gets off his chair and leaves the school, but strangely no-pony was around, usually he would see students leave their classrooms to go home or perhaps some rather stayed in their rooms, he thought.
As Black Cross left the school, he notice the sun was still set from the east side. Okay now things were getting weirder, did Princess Twilight forget to lower the sun during the afternoon or has time truly stopped. He decided to go back to the School of Friendship, after wandering around the halls and entering the rooms, no-one was inside, or maybe everyone was sent home early.
"Where the hell is everybody, this cannot be real" said Black Cross, he paces back and forth to check every room again, still nobody around even on a school night, he wondered if the alicorn from his dream was telling the truth; did everyone really disappeared but if that were the case, why is Black Cross still alive?
Black Cross ran for his life as if he was going to be next.
Black Cross ran straight home but as he came through Ponyville, there was nobody else around and no sign of anypony or Maud Pie either. As he got to his house, he immedidately unlocked the door and went inside closing the door behind him, he looks out the window to make sure nothing was following him. He was paranoid, something was out there or perhaps he believed there was something grabbing everybody, but that does not explain why everyone had disappeared all of a sudden. He was worried that his brother could have been affected by this occurrence, he grabs a scroll and writes a note to make sure if he was alright.
Black Cross was shaking up.
After waiting a full hour while staying put right beside the front door as if he was protecting himself from something. He hears a knock on the door, he reacts and slowly looks out from the window, it looked like something had flew by but he can't see as the sun was shining by the figure creating a black silhouette or a shadow he thought. Black Cross slowly turns over the knob and the figure seems to be standing by the doorstep looking at him.
"Brother, it's me!" said Hearts Dalliance, it became more clear to him and he gets Black Cross off the floor.
Black Cross hugs Hearts Dalliance tightly.
It was a relief that Hearts Dalliance was all right. They sat down in the living room where both of them had looked at each other not knowing what the hell was going on. It appears that both brothers were freaked out by this occurrence.
"I want to know what's going on, tell me everything what you did today, leave nothing out of it" said Black Cross.
Hearts Dalliance had explained to his brother on his way to work, he was the only one guarding Twilight's castle, there were no other guards in the castle, this usually never happens unless she tells them to go on break or take a vacation but Twilight would never do that. He went on about his shift, then he went to visit Princess Twilight at her throne but what was truly disturbing was that Princess Twilight was not there.
"So Twilight is missing...?" asked Black Cross.
Hearts Dalliance shook his head, that would never be the case, "That's impossible, Princess Twilight would never leave her throne, unless she is needed, but we would've been notified if she was going to a meeting" he said, as he paced around the room.
"I am worried about Princess Twilight" said Heart Dalliance.
Black Cross realized that this was a time of crisis, he suspects that this is no-longer a hoax or a coincidence. This is real.
"Don't worry, we'll find her," said Black Cross, as he got up to comfort his brother.
Now they know this isn't a dream, it's really happening, but could they still bring back their friends? If one thing, only one pony might be able to help them, at least that is what they were told from the beginning. Hearts Dalliance had looked at his brother, maybe he had an answer to all of this and why it's happening.
"What should we do?" asked Hearts Dalliance.
Black Cross thought that the alicorn from their dream had gave them a clue where to go, "Remember that dream we had together, what if that alicorn had spoken to us about what's going on, I believe we were suppose to find somepony" he said.
"You do? Who??" asked Hearts Dalliance.
"I think I remember his name was Starswirl" said Black Cross, he picks out a book from a shelf and finds a page where it tells a legend about the Pillars of old Equestria, he shows it to Hearts Dalliance.
It was a sketch of what Starswirl looks like, Black Cross suspects that this is the pony they have to find.
"I never heard of him, who is he?" asked Hearts Dalliance.
It was believed that after Starswirl had returned to Equestria from limbo, he helped Twilight Sparkle to defeat Equestria's most dangerous threats, then he just suddenly disappeared without a trace. According to Princess Luna, there might be a chance that Starswirl may still be alive at this point, and even after helping Twilight a long time ago.
"We were blind from the beginning, but there is nothing else we can do to change the past, let's not waste anymore time, let's get to the train station to find this Starswirl" said Black Cross.
"...but where are we going?" asked Hearts Dalliance.
"According to Starswirl's journal, which Twilight had kept some records of Starswirl, where he lived, and what he does, it looks like we'll have to travel far to find him" said Black Cross.
Black Cross had brought out a long and slim tool covered by some cloth, he unwraps it to reveal a sword. It had a handle with two edges, only one side had a strange gnarld tip that would balance the weight for the user, the blade was so sharp it could cut through flesh and bones. The sword had belonged to his father, a gift to him before he passed away. He puts it alongside of his waist to bring with him when they decide to travel and find Starswirl to end this nightmare.
"What are going to do with that?" asked Hearts Dalliance.
"Something to protect us with..." Black Cross replied, as he sheathed it to cover the blade.
Both brothers set foot out the door on a journey to find Starswirl the bearded and help their friends be free from wherever they may be. Then a mysterious dark cloud hovers over Ponyville, killing all the flowers and houses were turning gray as if everything was being inverted into something sinister or evil. The two brothers haven't notice the dark clouds behind them hovering over Ponyville as they arrived to the train station, however there was no train to be found or perhaps someone was operating the train somewhere else before everyone had disappeared.
"I guess we're walking, come on" said Black Cross, as he pulled out a map to reveal Equestria and every known location. He shows the map to Hearts Dalliance to a mark where Starswirl may be and they both journey across Equestria to find him just south of Ponyville.