Issue 1:
Years ago, it was a beautiful day in Maretime Bay as Filly Sunny was looking through her telescope at the top as she was looking for something while writing on a piece of paper while her father came in.
“Anything to report, explorer?” Argyle Starshine asked her daughter with a smile.
“I thought I saw the Royal Castle, but it was just a stack of oranges at the market.” Sunny answered her father as she thought she saw a castle but it was a false alarm.
Argyle then came to his daughter as he spoke to her. “Canterlot might be a bit too far for us to see from here.” He explained to her that finding the ancient capital of Equestria, Canterlot during the Gaurdians of Friendship time, might be a bit too far for them to see from their own home. “But you’ll find it one day.” Argyle assures Sunny with a smile that one day she will find Canterlot.
“You think so?” Sunny asks her father with a hopeful smile.
“Twilight Sparkle built The Gates of Ancients to welcome those who believed and trusted in the Magic of Friendship to Canterlot.” Argyle explains to his daughter with a smile as they both start to have a vision of Princess Twilight showing her fellow ponies to the door of ancients to Canterlot back in the day when she and the other guardians of friendship were still around. Argyle then holds Sunny close to him as they both look straight through the glass of the lighthouse, looking at the view of Maretime Bay. “You lead with love, Sunny.” Argyle said to her daughter with a smile. “And so long as you make sure no Earth Pony, Pegasus or Unicorn ever feels lesser than because of who they are, Canterlot will always be your home.” Argyle gave her daughter some wisdom as Sunny then smiled as she’s inspired by her father’s words as they both looked on at the view of Maretime Bay.
In the present inside the Crystal Brighthouse, Sunny was tilting the picture of her and her dad next to the door as she gave a smile to it.
“Nothing new to report, Dad.” Sunny said to the picture of her father. “But not every week can be as beautiful as reuniting the Unity Crystals and restoring magic to all ponykind.” She said to the photo as she felt close to her father as she gave out the lessons she’s been learning. “And to top it all, it’s nice to have a Guaridan of Friendship to look after me and my friends. Sunset has been a good mentor and sister figure to me ever since she came into our lives. And she’s been teaching me and the others more about friendship and some more stories about Twilight and her friends, and been teaching me and Izzy more about magic since she’s the only known unicorn who knows magic.” She said with a smile, ever since Sunset came into their lives, things have been quite interesting even more so since having a Guardian of Friendship by her side really feels like a dream come true and to know more about friendship and the magic. “Do you think Twilight would be proud of me?” Sunny asks her father with a smile, she would know that her father would say that Twilight would be proud of her for bringing back the magic and bringing the ponies together again and knowing that Sunset is there for them.
And then from out of nowhere, Pipp came zooming by and placed a hoof over Sunny, bringing her into a side hug as she answered with a smile. “Of course she would be!” Pipp answered Sunny’s question with a smile as she turned to a certain Alicorn. “Isn’t that right, Sunset?” She asked Sunset who was walking towards them with a smile.
Sunset chuckled a bit before she answered Pipp’s question. “I believe you're right, Pipp.” She answered before turning to Sunny. “Knowing Twilight, she would be proud of how much you accomplish in bringing back the magic and reuniting the three pony tribes, Sunny.” She added with a smile as she knew that Twilight would be proud of Sunny for rebuilding her legacy and bringing back the magic of friendship. “I am also proud of you for bringing back the magic and the friendship Twilight worked hard to create.” She finished with a proud smile, happy that the magic of equestria has returned and the three tribes are together again.
“Thanks, guys. That means a lot to me.” Sunny replied with a smile of joy to two of her best friends.
Pipp then took out her phone as she smiled at the proud comments her Pippsqueaks are posting on livestream. “And the Pippsqueaks even agree. Say hi!” Pipp added with a smile to Sunny as she smiled at her livestream as Sunny smiled at Pipp’s livestreaming to her Pippsqueaks.
Sunny and Sunset both chuckled at Pipp’s love of her Pippsqueaks as they walked out the door, where Zipp is waiting for them in the air.
“If you’re done livestreaming, we’ve got a game of flyball to play!” Zipp called out to her friends as she set her board diagram down as Sunset, Sunny and Pipp looked at the rules she wrote down as Sunny activated her Alicorn form so that she could take flight to play. “The rules are simple. Get the ball in the net five times, and you win. But there’s tons of strategy to this game as well.” She explained to them how the game works.
And then Izzy suddenly came from behind the board as she gave a cheerful smile at her friends. “Ooh, are we playing a game? Is this a pie-eating contest? A cake-eating contest? A cookie-eating contest?” She asks her friends many questions about if it’s an eating contest. Before Sunny could answer, Izzy came and covered Sunny’s mouth as she continued. “No need to twist my hoof, I’m in! Point me on the field.” She said, meaning that she will join the game.
Sunny, Sunset and the others looked at her nervously as Sunset answered. “Izzy, it’s not an eating contest if that’s what you are wondering. And I don’t think you can play this game.” Sunset tries to explain it to her calmly to Izzy.
Sunny continued for Sunset. “Because, it’s up near that cloud over there…” She pointed to the nearby cloud in the sky, since Zipp and Pipp are Pegasus and Sunny and Sunset are Alicorns, they can fly into the sky to play the game, but Izzy’s a unicorn, so she can’t fly or play with them.
Izzy looked a little down at what they said to her, knowing that she can’t play if she can’t fly. She put in a forced smile. “Oh! Well, I always say it’s just as much fun cheering on your friends as it is playing with them…” She said to them, getting that it’s no big deal, she can just cheer for them in the sidelines.
Sunset then put a hoof on Izzy’s shoulder. “We’ll play a different game that is on the ground once we’re done in the sky, Izzy. I promise.” Sunset assures the unicorn that they will play a game on the ground to cheer Izzy up so she can play along.
Then the four ponies took flight into the sky as Sunny turned to Izzy as she waved to her. “See you later, Izzy!” She called out as she took flight.
Izzy waved back as she secretly drew a sad face on the back of the board with a pen, sad that she is unable to play with her friends in the sky.
“Over here!” Izzy heard Hitch’s voice called out as she turned and saw Hitch leading a family of Earth Ponies into the forest. Izzy takes interest in wanting to see what they are looking for as she catches up to Hitch’s and the earth pony family in the forest. “These critters say we’re getting closer.” Hitch said to the earth pony family as he is translating what the animals just said to them.
“I can feel it.” The earth pony stallion said to his wife and son with a smile, feeling that they may be closer to what they are looking for.
Hitch lookd at the ground, looking for any tracks or a clue of somekind as Izzy came down to his level, Hitch knows Izzy is there and don’t really mind. “What are we looking for?” Izzy asked Hitch, wondering what they were looking in the woods.
Hitch and Izzy brought their heads up when Hitch answered her question. “A family of butterflies. But they scare so easily so we’ve got to keep very quiet.” He explained to Izzy what they are looking for. “So no speaking.”
“Veeerrry quiet.” Izzy said in a whispered tone. But it didn't last long as she turned to the earth pony family. “HE SAID NO SPEAKING. YOU HEAR THAT, EVERYPONY?!” She yelled out to them, which startled Hitch as his mane got all frizz out from Izzy’s yell.
And then it just got worse, the butterflies they were looking for started flying away, startled from Izzy’s yelling that they flew out of the bushes. The critters, earth ponies family, Izzy and Hitch saw the butterflies flying away. The Earth Pony parents start glaring at Izzy for ruining their chance of seeing the butterflies as their son was about to break down into tears, the critters flop onto the ground as Izzy ruins the butterfly thing, Hitch was tearing up when the butterflies flew away.
Izzy looked at them with a sheepishly and embarrassing expression as she placed a hoof over her mouth. “Guess even the butterflies heard that.” She said, feeling bad for ruining their chance of seeing the butterflies.
A little while later, Izzy was walking through Maretime Bay with a sad expression, feeling left out as her friends were having fun. Izzy then came up to a smoothie stand while at the side were a unicorn levitating a statue of the three pony tribes together with a Pegasus and an Earth Pony showing her where to put it on the statue stand.
“A rainbow swirl. And make it a double.” Izzy requested a smoothie with a down expression as the earth pony stallion poured the smoothie into the cup. Izzy looks up and sees Sunset, Sunny, Zipp and Pipp in the sky, Pipp is livestreaming the whole game while Sunny and Sunset try to beat Zipp.
“She swerves, and she scores!” Zipp cheers as she shoots the ball into the net, getting a score as Sunset and Sunny tries to block her but fails.
Izzy looks on, still sad as she paid for the smoothie and slurps it as she is so left out that she can’t join her friends. And then, something behind her happens as the ponies are setting up the statue.
“Hold it steady.” The earth pony said to the unicorn to hold the statue.
But for some reason, the unicorn is having trouble carrying the statue in her magic. “It’s my magic. It’s--” She strained before the magic from her horn went out and caused the statue to fall, and it was about to fall right on top of her. The unicorn screamed as she was about to get flatten.
But then Izzy came to the rescue as she saw this as she trotted and lit up her horn. “I gotchu, I gotchu!” She called out as she used her magic to levitate the statue before it flattened the unicorn, the unicorn got up as the earth pony comforted her from that scary experience as Izzy put the statue down.
“HELP!” Izzy heard Pipp’s voice as she turned and looked at the sky, seeing Pipp falling. “Sompony help me!” Pipp cried out as Sunset, Sunny and Zipp saw Pipp falling, they freaked out, especially Zipp, worried for her little sister.
“I’m coming!” Zipp cried out to her sister as she, Sunny and Sunset flew down if one of them could catch Pipp before she could hit the ground. But Zipp’s wings suddenly stops working as it sparkled a bit. “What the--” Zipp said to herself as she is now free falling in the sky, as she can’t fly for somereason.
Sunny saw this and used her alicorn magic to levitate Zipp. “I’ve got you.” She assures Zipp.
Zipp was not calm as she looked down. “But… Pipp!” She cried out as Pipp was still falling as she curled herself in fright with tears in her eyes.
“I got her!” Sunset cries out as she tries to fly close to Pipp to save her, but a random Pegasus hits her, knocking her off course as she crashes into the building. “I don’t got her.” Sunset groans as she is unable to fly back in time to save Pipp.
Izzy then tries to save Pipp with her magic, but for some reason, her’s starts to frizz out as well. “Come on, come on!” Izzy said in frustration as she tries to use her magic, but fails as the ponies around watch in worry as Pipp continues to fall and gets closer to the ground. “Believe you can fly, and you will!” Izzy cried out to Pipp with an idea.
“That’s your Plan B?!” Pipp cried out as she fell, thinking Izzy’s idea of a plan B is all she can come up with.
“Okay…” Izzy said with an even more worried expression as she placed her hooves on her face. “Moving onto Plan C.” She said as she tries to think fast before Pipp becomes a Pony on a sidewalk, she looks around as she see’s the smoothie stand from earlier as a earth pony mare and stallion looked in shock at Pipp as the mare continues to slurp as the stallion kepts pouring the smoothie. Izzy smiled as she got an idea. “BINGO!” She cried out.
Izzy then zoomed to the smoothie stand, pushed the earth pony stallion aside, tilted the stand to the ground, opened up the smoothie compartment, and then sprayed out the smoothies to make a pile, that results in Pipp landed on the pile of smoothies that soften her landing.
Everypony in Maretime Bay is relieved that Pipp is alright as Sunset and Sunny, who is levitation Zipp, flew to the ground, Cloudpuff and Hitch come into the scene as Cloudpuff barks. Hitch then translates for him with a rhetorical tone. “What’s that, Cloudpuff? You want me to know Pipp’s no longer falling through the air and in imminent danger?” He translated, but cleared seeing that as he saw it with his own eyes.
Pipp popped her head out of the smoothie as she looked at Izzy with a look, clearly not liking that now she got sticky smoothie all over her. “Wish you could have figured out a way that wasn’t so sticky.” Pipp said to Izzy, she is grateful that Izzy saved her, but could she not think of something that is not messy.
“Sticky… or delicious?” Izzy asked with a smile, finding the smoothie delicious even if it's a little sticky.
The others came to Pipp as she was rinsing the smoothie out of her coat and mane. “Are you okay, Pipp?” Sunset asks in concern.
“I’m okay, Sunset.” Pipp answered. “It was so freaky. One second, my wings were totally fine, and the next my magic started glitching out.” She pointed out in a worried tone, that were magic was glitching, which resulted in her falling.
“The same thing happened to me.” Zipp added, experiencing the same thing as well with a hoof on her chin.
“And me.” Izzy added, experiencing that as well with her horn glitching out.
“Same here.” Sunny said, experiencing her alicorn magic starts glitching out.
Hitch then looks around and sees that other ponies are having the same glitches, the Pegasi are having trouble flying, the Unicorns magic are glitching out and the Earth Ponies can’t seem to tap into their Earth Pony magic. “And everypony else in Maretime Bay.” He pointedd out to the rest of the ponies near them having the same problem.
“Except you two, Sunny and Sunset. Your wings worked the whole time.” Zipp pointed out to the two ponies as Sunset and Sunny’s wings worked fine, the only reason Sunset crashed was because a Pegasus bumped into her and making her crash.
“I could still feel my magic glitching. But it seems better now.” Sunny pointed out that even with her wings working as she flaps them to prove her point, she still felt the glitch, just not that much as Cloudpuff is behind her, biting his wings. Sunny then turned to Sunset. “What about you, Sunset?” She asked the alicorn next to her.
Sunset then uses her magic and wings for a bit before speaking. “Nope. I didn’t feel the glitch.” She answered them, which surprised the group. “What? I really didn’t feel the glitch at all when it happened.” She pointed out, meaning she didn’t feel the slightest glitch in her magic the whole time.
“Oh, look, my magic is coming back, too!” Izzy cheered as she felt her magic return as her horn started to glow. “Looks like this topsy-turvy magical crisis has been averted.” She added thinking everything is gonna be okay now.
Hitch however, wasn’t convinced that it was over that earlier. “Just because our magic’s back doesn’t mean it's back back. If it fizzled away once, the same thing could happen again.” He poitned out that it might happen again sooner or later.
Pipp then crossed her hooves with an irritated expression as Cloudpuff licked her ears to lick out the extra smoothies she had on her. “And next time we might not have a smoothie machine at the ready.” She retorically pointed out.
“None of this makes any sense.” Zipp said as she finds this weird on why it is happening. “So long there’s been unity between our species, the crystals are supposed to keep our magic stable.” She pointed out that there hasn't been disharmony lately and the crystals are stable. “Pegasi, Unicorns, and Earth Ponies have never been tighter. If anything, our magic should be stronger.” She finished.
“You’re right.” Sunny said to Zipp. “So if our magic, except for Sunset, is going haywire, it can’t be about friendships---” Sunny stopped midsection as she might know what is wrong with a worried expression.. “Oh, no.” She said in a worried tone.
Izzy pops her head next to Sunny with a worried look as well. “Do we think that’s a good ‘Oh no’ or…” She said, hoping that it’s not that bad.
Sunset knows what Sunny is thinking as she too gives out a worried expression. “Sunny, don’t tell me that something happened to…” She stopped in midsection when Sunny started running.
“And we’re running.” Hitch stated as he and the others ran to catch up with Sunny.
Zipp has to drag Pipp at the start of their running. “Get your hooves moving, Pipp!” She told her sister.
“Haven’t I’ve been throug enough trauma for one day?” Pipp complained about not wanting to deal with any trauma.
“Get it together, Pipp! Something must be wrong with the crystals!” Sunset cried out. “Now, come on!” She cried out as she, along with their friends, and Cloudpuff, followed Sunny to the Brighthouse.
Back at the Brighthouse, the Mane 6 burst the door open as Sunny was the first to run up the steps, then Sunset, Zipp, Hitch, Izzy and then Pipp as they ran up to the top of the lighthouse with Cloudpuff behind.
Once they made it to the top, Sunny and Sunset were the first to stop as Sunny placed her hoof to the side to stop Zipp as the others followed.
“Oof!” Zipp said with a grunt from being blocked by Sunny’s hoof.
Sunny, Sunset and the others gasp in shock on what they are seeing, they are seeing the crystals but something was really bad when they saw it.
“Sompony’s taken one of the unity crystals!” Sunny cries out in shock, as she and the others are seeing the Unicorn and Earth Pony Crystals, but the Pegasus Crystal is on mission as the two crystals are separated from each other.
“Oh no!” Izzy cried out in worry and shock as Sunny picked up the earth pony and unicorn crystals as she looked at them with a grim expression.
“The Unicorn and Earth Pony Crystals are still here, but somepony have stolen the Pegasus Crystal.” Sunset pointed out that they still have two of the crystals, but without all three, magic is unstable and is going haywire like earlier.
Hitch spoke up with Cloudpuff on his back. “Let’s not get our manes tied up in a bunch. The crystal could be anywhere.” He tries to assure them as he placed a hoof on Sunny’s back to comfort her, stating that the Pegasus Crystal must’ve fallen off and must be somewhere in the room.
“You do have a whole lot of clutter around here, Sunny.” Pipp added, agreeing with Hitch since Sunny has alot things in the room with her dad’s research and any other personal items she and her father collectd over the years. “Remind me to send you a video on harmonious organization later.” She finished as Sunny should really clean up the room later.
Sunny ignores Pipp’s words as she is inspecting the two remaining crystals. “I didn’t think the crystals would be separated. This looks intentional.” Sunny said as she starts to see a pattern here.
“Well, the crystals were separated before. So, it may have been possible for them to be separated again.” Sunset pointed out that the crystals were already separated before they were reunited. “But this time, the Pegasus Crystal is missing, and I doubt it was by falling off the rest of the Unity Crystal.” She added, since the crystals shouldn’t have fallen apart like that.
“You’re right, Sunset.” Sunny agrees as she turns to the rest of her friends. “These crystals are a symbol of ponykind’s ability to live in harmony. If somepony separated them, it’s because they want magic to fizzle out unil it’s gone--for life to go back to the way it was before.” She stated to them as Izzy inspects the Unicorn Crystal, meaning that somepony wants the magic to go and go back to the way when there was no magic and the three tribes were divided. “But we are not going to let that happen.” She said as she placed the Earth Pony Crystal down and raised her hoof as she gave her friends a determined look. “We were able to unite the crystals once before, we can do it again. Let’s find the crystal thief and get that crystal back!” She announced to her friends, they’ve reunited the crystals onced, and they will do it again, and catch that theft.
“Yeah!” Zipp cheered as she brought Pipp to a side hug, both of them smiled in agreement.
Cloudpuff barks as he jumps up and down Hitch’s back, which shows that he is in on finding the thief and the crystal, which Hitch agreed as well as he gaved a smile.
“Mission initiated.” Izzy announced with a smile while holding a magifing glass over her eye.
“Then let’s find that crystal thief and get that crystal back!” Sunset pointed out with a determined smile, wanting to keep Twilight’s legacy alive and keep the magic stable. They did this adventure once, they would do it again.
Pipp brought out her phone as she livedstream with a sad look. “Pippsqueaks, I know you’re all scared right now… and you should be.” She said the bad news to her Pippsqueaks as Zipp looked at her sister with a look. “Your magic might be back, but it might disappear again, and then come back, and then disappear again, until it disappears completeley… Because somepony stole a Unity Crystal. It’s really bad!” She gave the bad news on her livestream as Zipp had enough of her sister making things worse as she grabbed Pipp’s phone out of her hoof. “Hey! They deserve the truth.” She pointed out that she needs to tell everypony the bad news.
“And a bit of hope.” Zipp countered. “All you’re doing is throwing them into panic mode.” She pointed out that the bad news Pipp spoke about will make ponies panic.
Pipp huffs as she places her hoof on her chest. “My Pippsqueaks meditate when they’re overwhelmed. They don’t panic.” Pipp countered, thinking that her Pippsqueaks meditate when things go bad.
But outside in Maretime Bay, the ponies who have heard Pipp’s bad news from her livestream start to panic when they realize that a crystal is missing and the magic is fading.
“If magic’s going to disappear, I’ll fly as much as I can now!” A Pegasus stallion cried out as he tried to fly up, but was stopped when an Earth Pony mare grabbed one of his hinds legs.
“What if it fizzles out while you’re in the air? What then!?” The mare asked him, trying to prevent him from flying, that if his magic went out again, he might fall.
A unicorn stallion looked at his phone while brushing his mane with teary eyes. “I can’t go back to manually brushing my mane like some pedestrian pony!” He cried out that he loved his magic and can’t brush his mane without using his hooves again.
The other ponies around looked in despair at the news as a Unicorn is crying on the floor while the ones sitting on the table, a unicorn mare and a pegasus stallion, looked on with pity expressions, feeling bad about the news that the magic is fading.
“Suddenly, I hardly doubt that, Pipp.” Sunset said with a not convinced expression, having a feeling that the ponies are freaking out right now.
Sunny stepped in as she spoke out. “Nopony should be scared because we are going to solve this by beginning our search right here, where the break-in happened.” She pointed out that they will search the room for any clues to see if the thief left behind any clues that might lead them to the missing crystal.
“But how are we going to find the right clue if this room is a mess, Sunny? We’re do we start?” Sunset asked that since Sunny cleaned up the top floor of the lighthouse, it would be a little tough to find a clue that the thief might have left behind.
“And that’s the thing about break-ins, Sunset…” ZIpp voiced spoked out as the others looked out her direction as they saw Zipp wearing a detective hat while playfully inspecting a cactus while she looked at her friends. “...No matter how hard a thief tries, they’ll never be able to leave the scene exactly as they found it. Something’s always just a little bit off. A little bit broken… in.” She said with a look that made her like a true detective.
Izzy looked surprised and excited after seeing Zipp like that. “Ooh, I would like fifty of those hat’s please. Where’s it from?” She asked Zipp, wondering where she got that hat from, and wanting one of those.
Hitch and Pipp gave Zipp a look, clearly seeing her showing off a bit with her detective side. “Probably all this clutter.” Pipp answered Izzy’s question, guessed right that Zipp probably found that hat from Sunny’s pile all over the room.
Zipp continued as she lifted her hat up. “Detective Zipp always comes prepared.” She said as she smiled at them.
“Detective Zipp?” Sunny and Sunset asked with a smug look on them, seeing that Zipp made herself a detective name.
“That’s right.” Zipp answered. “Because I zipp my way through a good mystery unil I track down the perpetrator and bring them to justice.” She added while making a slogging for her detective side.
“We’re going to bet those crystals back in no time!” Izzy cheered as she bounced up and down.
“I wouldn’t be so sure.” Pipp pointed out to not get ahead of themselves. “How many successful cases have you solved, Detective Zipp?” She asked her sister since she never saw Zipp do a detective case before.
“Yeah, how many cases have you had before, Zipp?” Sunset asked as well, wanting to know if Zipp has done this before.
“Well.. This would technically be my first case.” Zipp sheepishly admits as she tosses the hat away. “Which, if you think about it, means I’ve never had any unsuccessful cases either.” She added which results in Hitch and Pipp to take huffs with an unamuse expression from Zipp’s answer while Sunset facehoof herself, clearly seeing that Zipp never done any cases before. Zipp then turned to them as she continued with a determined smile. “So if you’re ready, let’s get solving.” She finished as they got started with the case as she brought out her phone while her friends huddled close to her to get a better look. “To catch our thief and find our missing crystal, it’s important to keep an eye out for the specifics. The minutia. The details.” She explained to them as she scrolled through her phone to find a picture that they needed. She then stopped at one of Pipp’s films she posted earlier. “Pipp filmed this before we left this morning. And as you can see from the rainbow light behind her, the crystal hadn’t been stolen yet.” She pointed out that since the rainbow was shining at the time, the crystals were still together before the Pegasus Crystal was stolen. “Look closely. What else do you see?” She asked her friends the question as they walked down the stairs to the spot where Pipp took the film.
“Besides the gorgeous way the light’s brushing my cheeks?” Pipp questioned braggfully with a smile, finding herself beautiful that the rainbow light was reflecting off her.
“Yeah. Besides that.” Zipp said while giving Pipp a look, not what she ment by that as she placed her phone next to the shelf that Pipp took in her film and found something strange about both sides. “The vase has been moved.” Zipp pointed out that the vase is facing the opposite direction, that doesn’t match the film, which means it’s a clue. Zipp inspected the vase and found a strand of a long white fur of somekind. Zipp turned to her sister with a smug look on her face. “Consider the case zipped.” She said to her sister as Pipp blew a raspberry at Zipp, ignoring it.
Sunny, Sunset, Zipp and Izzy inspect the clue as Zipp and Izzy hold both ends for them to look at it closely. “It doesn’t look like it belongs to anypony I know.” Sunny pointed out that she is not familiar with this fur piece and hasn't seen it before.
“It’s definitely fur of somekind. But not like any kind of fur I ever saw in my time.” Sunset added since she thinks that she is the only pony left who is from ancient Equestria and the last of Twilight’s infulence, she is not familiar with these new ponies in this new age of Equestria since she got back.
“It’s long and stretchy like the fur of a Platipony or a Unicooger! Or maybe even a Pugasus!” Zipp pointed out that this fur could be any of the animals they saw around Equestria lately. “If we follow the scent, we’ll find them.” Zipp pointed out that if they follow the scent the fur has, they can find the thief and more importantly find the Pegasus Crystal.
“You’re up to the taks, Cloudpuff?” Hitch asked the Pegasus dog underneath him with a smile, Cloudpuff barks in responds as Hitch replied back to him with a bore expression. “No, it’s the crystal that was stolen. If I’d been stolen, I wouldn’t be here right now.” he pointed out that if he was stolen, he wouldn’t be around, clearly stating to Cloudpuff that the crystal was stolen, not him.
Zipp brought the fur closer to Cloudpuff. “Go on. Get a good ol’ sniff of this.” She instructed Cloudpuff as her pet sniffed the fur, and then Cloudpuff twitched as he got a scent and ran/flew right out the door with him barking along the way. “We’ve got a hint. Let’s roll.” Zipp said with a smile, saying that her friends got the trail.
Pipp was however unsure of going now. “But I haven’t packed my bags! If I go a morning without my meditation pillow, aromatherapy candles, toner, and moisturizer, I will be a nervous wreck with blemishes. That’s a bad combination.” She pointed out that she needs her things if she goes a morning without them if they follow the trail that long.
Sunset counters it. “Pipp, we don’t have time for your, over packing thing. It’s not like we’re moving, we’re going out on a quest to get a missing crystal back.” She pointed out, even though Pipp needs her morning routines, they don’t have time to pack, and it’s funny since Pipp really reminds Sunset more about Rarity and her overdoing things in the past.
Zipp then grabbed her sister as she and her friends ran out the Brighthouse, following Cloudpuff who was sniffing the trail. “And Cloudpuff could lose the scents if we don’t leave now!” She pointed out that Cloudpuff might lose the scent if they don’t get going. “C’mon, sis. It’ll be fun.” She added, thinking that this quest might be fun while searching for the thief and the crystal as the others follow Cloudpuff who is sniffing out the trail.
Several hours later, the Mane 6 are now walking through the forest while following Cloudpuff. The Mane 6 looked very tired from all the walking and running they’ve been doing, except for Izzy who is singing to herself.
“You’ll let me know when we hit the fun part, right?” Pipp retorically asked Zipp about what her sister said hours ago, finding this not fun at the moment.
Zipp ignored Pipp’s question as she spoke to the group with a tired expression. “The good news is that whoeverpony stole the crystal must be getting just as tired.” She pointed out as if they are tired, then maybe so is the thief who stole the crystal as Sunny rubs her eyes tiredly as Sunset yawns from all the running/walking they did while following Cloudpuff.
“Let’s hope so. Because if they have gone far, we might pass out from exhaustion from traveling all this way.” Sunset said with a yawn, wondering how fast the thief is if it was this far from Maretime Bay in the middle of the woods.
“You and me both, Sunset.” Sunny agrees as she rubbed her eyes, hoping the thief didn’t get far as well.
Pipp brought out her phone to give the news to her Pippsqueaks. “Here’s the deal, Pippsqueaks. We’ve been tracking our thief for a millennium--” She was cut off when her sister spoke.
“Three hours.” Zipp corrected her sister for complaining with an irritated look.
Pipp continues. “Because Zipp is a horrible detective, Hitch keeps attracting all these creepy animals, Izzy keeps singing, and Cloudpuff keeps going in circles!” She pointed out the things that they’ve been doing while tracking the thief. “So if you’re hearing this, for the love of all ponykind, send help.” She said to the livestream, but then her phone powered down when the battery died, leaving Pipp to look in shock for a moment before she starts wailing as she stomps the ground and she starts crying a waterfall out of her eyes. “No, my phone died! And I don’t have a charger because somepony didn’t give me enough time to pack anything.” She complained while Izzy looked at her, blaming Zipp for not letting her pack her things.
“We were going to lose the trail and maybe lose magic all together!” Zipp yelled at her sister for her complaints. “I think that’s more important than a phone charger--” She was cut off when Pipp yelled at her.
“Now I can’t even call for help if we need it!” Pipp cried out, now that her phone is dead, she can’t update her Pippsqueaks or call for help if they need it if things go south.
Sunset looked at the two Pegasi with an annoying look, not wanting this to continue as she took a breath and walked up to the arguing sisters as she pushed them back. “Get it together, you two! We don’t have time for a sibling squabble! We have a thief to catch and a crystal to retrieve! We have magic to stablize, harmony to balanced, and most importantly, to reunite the Unity Crystal!” She scolded them, and reminded them about the matter at hoofs of retrieving the Pegasus Crystal and reuniting the Unity Crystal to fix the magic before it fades.
Zipp and Pipp calmed down a bit and a little scared from Sunset’s lecture as Sunny then came next to the Pegasus sisters as she spoke after Sunset in a calm voice. “I know you’re all scared. I am too. Be we can’t let fear tear us apart. The only way through this is by sticking together.” She said to them that they shouldn’t be afraid, if they work together, they can find the crystal and reunite the Unity Crystal to stablize the magic and the friendship.
Sunset then spoke again after Sunny. “Sunny’s right, guys. We can’t let fear get to us. I know things may seem dim, but if we keep our heads straight and our minds focused, we can find the thief and get the crystal back if we stay together.” She added.
Zipp and Pipp looked at each other for a moment before they turned away from each other as they crossed their hooves. “Yeah, fine./Whatever.” They huffed after they both said it at the same time, they may argue but they still need to catch the thief and get the crystal back.
Pipp, Sunset and Sunny looked at Cloudpuff with a bore expression as said dog ran around but trip as Sunny raise her hind’s leg to move out of Cloudpuff’s path as the dog tripped as the three ponies gave Cloudpuff a bore expression. “You’re right about one thing, Pipp…Empathis on one thing.” Sunny spoke. “Following Cloudpuff isn’t getting us anywhere.” She pointed out, agreeing about the part where Pipp said that following Cloudpuff isn’t getting them nowhere. Sunny then pointed to the sky. “We’ll get a better lay of the land from above the trees. Zipp, Pipp, can you fly?” She asks, wondering if the two sisters can fly now so that they will know where to go in the sky.
Zipp then checks her wings as she starts flapping them and starting to fly, seeing that they can fly now. “Wings seem to be working right now.” She answered as Sunny summoned her Alicorn form as she sprouted her wings and horn, ready to take flight with them.
“And if they stop working in the air?” Pipp asked, worried that their magic might glitch out again, which results in them falling from the sky.
“We’ll make sure we’re low enough that the trees can catch our fall.” Sunny assured, stating that if they fly low enough, the trees can cushion their fall so they won’t have to fall that hard.
“I can ask some of the critters around here if they’ve seen anything.” Hitch said, wanting to see if the critters of the forest got any leads they can use.
Izzy then came to them as she spoke what she thought. “I don’t think it’s a good idea to split up.” She stated, saying that splitting up might be a bad idea for them.
“We don’t have a choice.” Sunny replied to her. “Every minute that the crystal is separated from the others, our magic will glitch out more and more.” She reasoned to Izzy that they don’t have time to think of a better plan, they need to find the Pegasus Crystal before the magic gets even more glitchy. “We need to use every advantage we have. That means using our magic.” She added, meaning that if they need to find the crystal quickly, they need to use their magic as long as it is stable to use.
“I still think…” Izzy was cut off when the rest of her friends, except for her and Sunset, already spread out, Sunny stopped and looked at Sunset.
“Sunset, you coming?” Sunny asked, wondering if Sunset might join them for the sky search.
Sunset looked at Izzy and seeing that she is sad, feeling bad for her, Sunset turned to Sunny and answered her question. “You girls go on ahead. I’ll stay here and search the ground with Izzy.” She said to Sunny, wanting to stay with Izzy so that she doesn’t feel alone.
“Okay, good luck.” Sunny said, understanding what Sunset means as she flew to catch up with Zipp and Pipp to begin their search.
Sunset and Izzy watch them fly as Izzy calls out to them. “...Well that’s okay! We’ll just look for a place to use our magic down here, okay?!” She calls out to them, making sure they’ve heard her. “Leave it to us!” She yelled out as she waved at them, feeling a little down that her friends didn’t hear her out.
Sunset feels bad for Izzy as she places a wing around her. Izzy looks at Sunset as the alicorn gives a comforting smile to her. “Don’t worry, Izzy. You have me to search with you.” She said, which makes Izzy smile a bit that at least one of her friends is by her side for the search. “C’mon, let's start searching.” She said as she and Izzy began their search on the ground.
A few hours later, Izzy and Sunset spend time searching as they now find a cave that is blocked by a pile of rocks. Izzy also was mumbling half the time while she and Sunset moved the rocks with their magic.
“It’s a good thing they left us down here… totally good!” Izzy mumbled at her friends leaving her and Sunset behind when they didn’t let her speak her idea. “I mean, who else would’ve noticed this totally not-suspicious cave in a totally non-suspicious part of this totally non-suspicious woods?” She said about the cave they have found in the woods as she moved the rocks along with Sunset, who is concerned about Izzy’s feelings. “And who else would’ve…Moved. All. THESE. RRROOOCCKKS?!” She cried out in frustration while straining from moving all the rocks she and Sunset moved by levitation them to clear a path into the cave as she tried to stay positive from all this.
Sunset frowns are concerned for Izzy. She dropped a rock as she came to Izzy's side. “You’re still upset about not joining the game that me and the girls were playing in the sky, huh Izzy?” She asks, wanting to know what’s been eating Izzy lately.
Izzy took a deep breath as she spoke her reason. “It’s not the game I’m sad about, Sunset. It’s the way I was being left out. I mean, you and the others have wings to play in the sky Zipp planned out, and when I tried to join Hitch on his little critter hunt, I only ruined it. And now, the others won’t even listen to my plan of finding the thief and getting the crystal back.” She explained her reasons on why she is a little upset. “I know that we are in a hurry to get the crystal back and the magic is glitching, but will our friends just stop and think before they leap, like us finding a cave in the woods? I mean, they can see the sky, but what about on the ground? But they didn’t hear me out, and that hurts me.” She added as she began to sniff a bit in sadness.
Sunset felt bad for Izzy for being left out and that her friends won’t hear her out as she gave Izzy a hug. “They are just worried about the crystal and the magic, Izzy. Look, we all know that you being left out of the fun made you feel sad, heck even we feel bad for you not joining us.” She said to her, admitting that she and the others felt bad for Izzy not joining in on the fun with them. “And sorry the others didn’t hear you out, but they are just in a rush to find the thief and get the crystal back, that they would do anything to find it. Even I would’ve done the same thing.” She told her, she would’ve rushed things to save the day quickly. “But let’s give our friends time to process, and when they get back, we can think of a better plan and maybe you can tell them how you feel today.” She added, stating that when the others get back for a better plan of searching, Izzy would get her chance to tell her friends how she feels.
Izzy smiled as she hugged Sunset back. “Thanks for understanding, Sunset. And it’s nice that I’m not alone in this search.” She thanked the alicorn for being there for her.
Sunset smiled at Izzy’s response. “You’re welcome, Izzy. Now come on, we got enough clearing to get through the cave.” She reminded her of the clearing they made and got enough rocks out to make an opening into the cave.
Izzy and Sunset climbed the rocks as they poke their heads through as Izzy called out. “Helloooo, Crystal Thief. We come in peace and with a song if you’d like to hear it!” She called out as Sunset covered her mouth.
“Izzy, we’re not supposed to call out for the thief.” Sunset scolded the unicorn with a whispered tone. “We’re trying to catch it, not lose it.” She added the reason for finding the thief as she took her hoof out of Izzy’s muzzle as she gave a sheepish smile with a chuckle.
“Sorry. I’ll remember that next time.” Izzy said sheepishly as a few rocks fell on the two ponies head, they were startled as they saw a big rock was about to fall on their heads. “Oops!” Izzy cried out as she caught the rock in her magic and threw it into the cave as she and Sunset sigh in relief.
“That was close.” Sunset said as the rock rolled down the pile of rocks until it hit the wall, which made a clang sound for some reason, which made Sunset courioust. “Huh. That’s strange. The wall that is made of rocks shouldn’t make a clang sound.” She pointed out as she and Izzy came closer to the cave as they saw a wall of vines covering something. “Now this is getting interesting.” She added.
Izzy then spoke up to the wall the rock hit. “Crystal Thief, if that’s you, I’m sorry for hitting you with a rock.” She apologized while thinking it was the thief she hit.
“I don’t think it was the thief, Izzy. There is something behind these vines.” Sunset pointed out as she and Izzy moved some vines a bit and saw something behind it, and it’s not a wall made of rocks, it was something else.
Izzy and Sunset then yanks the vines out of the way, revealing it to be an old gate of some kind, a little run down due to how long and how old it is while being in a cave. But the funny part is, the gate is slightly open.
“Whoa…” Izzy said in amazement. “Is this a creepy gate for a creepy crystal thief? Bet I can say that five times fast.” She asked Sunset, who inspected the gate a bit and started to gasp in shock. “Sunset, what is it?” Izzy asked, wondering what got Sunset all shocked.
Sunset found her voice as she spoke. “Izzy, I regonize these carving symbols on this gate. These are Twilight and her friends' symbols of their cutie marks!” She spoke out as she regoinze the symbols on the gate, they looked a little worn out but she can definitely tell that these are Twilight and her friends’ cutie marks, symbols of the Elements of Harmony and the Magic of Friendship.
Izzy gasps in shock at what Sunset just explained. “Really?!” Izzy said in excitement, Sunset nodded her head and responded by saying yes. Izzy then grabs the gate as she tries to pull it open. “Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s open this gate up and see where it leads!” Izzy said in excitement, wondering what this gate leads to that might be a relic or historical place for the Guardians of Friendship.
Sunset snapped out of her shock as she shook her head a bit. “R-right. Got it.” She said as she helped Izzy, trying to open the gate with their combined strength.
While pulling, Izzy said the words about the gate from earlier, wondering if she can say it five times fast. “A creepy gate for a creepy crystal thief, a creepy gate for a creepy crystal thief, a creepy gate…” She stops in midsentence as she and Sunset get the gate open a bit as she can see through it, Izzy gasps in shock, totally shocked at what she is seeing.
Sunset then looked at Izzy. “What, Izzy? What are you seeing?” She asks, wanting to know what Izzy is seeing.
Izzy didn’t answer yet as she got the gate open enough for both her and Sunset to see. Sunset then gasps in shock at what she is seeing as well, shock and is a very familiar place that she thought she would never see again.
“CANTERLOT?!” Izzy cried out in shock, seeing the legendary place and former capital of Equestria back in Accient Equestrian times, back from the time Twilight and the rest of the Guardians of Friendship were still around.
They are seeing Canterlot, what’s left of it as it lays in ruins, buildings demolished while most is still standing, dead plants around the area, dark clouds covering up most of Canterlot, debris all around, and a really batterup flag sign that saids ‘Welcome to Canterlot.’ as it hung on one side of what’s left of a building while the other end is on the floor.
Izzy then turned to Sunset, who was looking at what’s left of Canterlot, the former capital kingdom of Equestria, the former place where Twilight was Princess of Equestria and the captial of Friendship, and her old home, which lies in ruins. “Sunset?” Izzy asks, wondering if Sunset is okay and how she is seeing this, since Sunset is a little too shocked to speak.
Sunset looked around at the ruins of Canterlot, shocked and a little sad to see it, and to see it in ruins. Sunset found her voice as she spoke with a barely whispered tone. “Canterlot… My home.” She said with a weak tone, seeing the one place she called home, and the place that was the capital kingdom of Equestria, the place Twilight took when she became Princess of Equestria, a place of what’s left of Sunset’s home, in ruins.
Sunset then begins to tear up, seeing her home like this, she finally gets to see what has happened to Canterlot, and now she finally knows, the results are not good for her. Sunset began to sob as she sat on her haunches. Izzy then came to Sunset, knowing from what Sunset told her and her friends about the story of Canterlot and that it was Sunset’s old home, really brought Sunset to tears on seeing her home like this. Izzy gave Sunset a comforting hug as Sunset began to cry, seeing her home like this, Izzy stayed by Sunset’s side until she let out the rest of the tears.
End of Issue 1.