//------------------------------// // To Bridlewood!/A Mousy Kidnapping // Story: G5 Adventures in The Great Mouse Detective // by ponydog127 //------------------------------// A week or two after returning from their latest Unity Quest in Tokyo with Mystery Incorporated, the ponies got back to their usual lives, at least for a little while. Zipp, deciding to spend some of her time focusing on how she could help Misty convince her mother to change, had an ultimatum one day-- if Misty and her mother both came from Bridlewood, maybe there would be answer there that could help! So one evening after everypony got back from running their errands, Zipp gathered them all together and got into the Marestream, immediately setting off for Bridlewood. “This is your pilot, Zipp Storm, speaking,” Zipp said through the intercom to her friends in the back. “I'm expecting clear skies and smooth conditions as we cruise into our destination, Bridlewood.” “Thank moons for that!” Misty cheered. “I really hope there might be something we can use to turn my mom to the right side. And, maybe we’ll get to see Dad while we’re here!” “I’m sure we can,” said Sunny with a smile. “Plus, if there's time, I wanna forage for some exotic forest berries for my smoothies!” “And I,” said Pipp, “wanna see if there are some natural herbs and flowers I can use in my next mane and hoof line!” “Starting our descent!” Zipp said as the Marestream began to lower itself toward the forest below, landing right near the Crystal Tea room. “We should start by asking Alphabittle if he knows anything. He knew Paradise better than anypony else, so he might be able to give us some clues.” The group immediately got out and trotted toward the Crystal Tea Room, opening its doors to see Alphabittle chatting with Queen Haven, who gave a laugh to a funny remark Alphabittle once made. Seeing her father made Misty gasp in delight, rushing toward him. “Dad!” “Mom!” Pipp cried as she and her sister ran toward her mother, and all three girls enveloped their parents in huge hugs. “Oh, darlings! What a surprise!” Queen Haven smiled. “Yeah, I thought you weren’t coming to visit till next week, Tea,” Alphabittle said, using the special nickname Misty created for herself. “What are you and your friends doing here?” “We were hoping to ask you some questions… about Mom,” Misty said slowly. “Zipp thought that since you were super close to her before I was born, you might know of something we could use to get her to come to our side?” Alphabittle hummed in thought. “Sorry, Tea… I can’t really think straight. Your mom seems to have changed so much.” “Didn’t you say your wife used to love sitting underneath the Wishing Tree?” asked Queen Haven. “Maybe there’s something there that could remind her of her love for you and Misty.” “Oh, good idea!” Alphabittle said. “The Wishing Tree was one of your mom’s most favorite places in Bridlewood, especially during the winter. There has to be something there that can help. We’ll go with you to search.” “Great!” Sunny smiled. “Just lead the way!” XXXXXXXX Alphabittle led everypony to the Wishing Tree and gestured to a particular spot in its roots. “There we are,” he said. “Your mom used to sit under this tree for hours at a time, thinking about… well, just about everything. She would often tell me that the tree was forged by friendship between the three tribes, but... since earth ponies, unicorns and pegasi weren't really friendly back then... anyway, you kids see anything?” “No… not yet,” Hitch shook his head. “If this was Paradise’s favorite spot, maybe she left something behind that can give us a clue?” “Maybe,” Misty rested her hoof up on the roots as her cutie mark began to sparkle. “But what?” Suddenly, magic flowed out of Misty’s hooves and up the roots, causing Queen Haven to gasp. “Misty, dear! Your cutie mark is glowing extremely bright!” “And it’s doing something to the tree!” Hitch said, cradling Sparky. “Look!” Everypony watched as the tree illuminated with bright lights, and flowers blossomed from the very top of it, causing everypony around them to ooh and aww in delight. Finally, the transformation seemed to stop, and Misty was the most awestruck out of all of them. “Dad… did I do that?” “I… I think you did!” Zipp smiled. “No idea how, but… you did!” Alphabittle chuckled and wrapped his hoof around his daughter. “I knew my little Misty-Wisty was special!” Suddenly, there came a light vibrating sound, which seemed to grow louder as the group looked on curiously. “What’s that sound?” Sunny wondered. “Is the tree… vibrating?” “No…” Izzy listened closely. “It… it sounds like… no, it couldn’t be! I didn’t think they were real!” “You didn’t think what was real?!” Zipp questioned as she got into a fighting stance in case it was something more dangerous than Paradise. Just them, small glowing creatures flew out of the tree and caused Izzy to laugh in delight upon realization. “Breezies!” Several breezies began to fly around the room escatically, and one of them approached Sunny, as did two more. “No way! My dad always old me bedtime ponytails about breezies!” “It seems like they’re trying to tell us something,” Queen Haven theorized just before a breezie spoke up to Hitch. “They’re just excited to see us!” he translated as another breezie spoke up. “These two say they hadn’t seen other ponies for a long time.” “You know breezie language too?” Sunny asked. “It’s our pony language. But at too high of a speed for most to understand them.” “I can help with that!” Zipp said as she brought out her phone again. “Watch this. What were you saying again?” The breezies then repeated what they said, and Zipp slowed down the audio so they could listen. “We haven't seen new friends for hundreds of moons!” said the first breezie. “We have a special treat for you!” “Follow us, new friends. The Night Market awaits!” the second breezie declared. “Night Market?” Misty questioned. “What’s that, Izzy?” Izzy immediately gasped from this. “I have no idea! Something in Bridlewood I never knew about?! I've gotta see this!” Everypony watched as the breezies’ magic opened up a golden pathway inside the tree, and everypony stepped into it, seeing an entire market of breezies and their shops, much to their surprise. “How’d they do this?” Sunny asked in awe. “It looks like it goes on forever!” “I really don’t know how it’s here,” said Queen Haven, “but it’s absolutely divine!” “All right, guys, split up,” said Zipp. “And let me know if one of you finds something of value!” The group nodded and decided to split up, hoping to cover the entire Night Market before anything interrupted them… namely, another Unity Quest. XXXXXXXX In another time, in another place, specifically in England in the year 1897, there was a little, mouse-sized toyshop called Flaversham's Toys, where Mr. Flaversham worked as the toymaker in London. His little daughter Olivia had just turned five that particularly foggy day, and late that night, Olivia played with a small rocking horse while her father adjusted his apron. “You know, Daddy, this is my very best birthday.” “Ah,” Mr. Flaversham smiled. “But I haven’t given you your present yet.” “What is it? What is it?” Olivia asked excitedly. “Now, now. Close your eyes,” Mr. Flaversham began to move toward a small cupboard as Olivia tried to take a peek through her hands. “Uh-uh-uh-uh. Auch, no. No peeking now.” Olivia giggled as .r Flaversham returned to the table, a small toy in his hands that resembled a flowerbud. He turned the key before setting the toy on the table. As a gentle tune played throughout the shop, Olivia opened her eyes and saw that the bud has turned into a mouse ballerina, who danced the most beautiful for her. “Ohhh... Daddy!” Olivia gasped in awe. “You made this, just for me?” As Olivia and her father watched the doll dance, a peg-legged figure slowly approached, cackling as his shadow loomed over the toyshop door. Inside, the doll has finished her dance, and Olivia got down from her chair to hug her father happily. “You’re the most wonderful father in the… in the whole world!” Unfortunately, the tender moment was soon interrupted as the locked door began to rattle. Olivia and her father looked towards the door as the rattling becomes more intense, and Mr. Flaversham put a protective arm around his daughter. “Who...” Olivia stammered, “...who's that?!” “I-I don’t know! Quickly, dear, stay in here and don’t come out!” Mr. Flaversham carried her to a cupboard before standing in front of it just as Fidget, the bat, cackled and burst in though the window. From inside her hiding place, Olivia cracked the door and watched in terror as her father and Fidget struggled, just before a table flew in front of the door, knocking her backwards as she heard shouts from the outside. “Now I gotcha, toy maker!” “OH!! Olivia!” Olivia pushed against the door and was finally able to move the table, creaking the door open slowly. The shop was dark and a total mess; furniture was scattered and empty paint buckets are spilling out all over the floor. “Daddy!” Olivia called. “Where are you?!” That's when Olivia decided to go to the window and call for her father that way. “Daddy! Where are you?!” she called again, but just like before... there was only silence. “Daddy!! DADDY!!!” XXXXXXXX Back in Equestria, Misty felt a shiver run down her spine, causing her to groan as her father turned to her. “You already, Misty-Wisty?” “Just... thought I felt something. I'm sure it's fine,” Misty reassured. “Did you find anything?” “Well... yeah. Look at this.” Alphabittle found an old pendant that looked like a beautiful shell covered in sparkles. “I gave this to your mom as a welcome to Bridlewood gift many moons ago. She told me she lost it, and apparently the breezies found it for me. I bet you can use this to get her to remember the good times we all had.” Misty took the pendant and put it in her saddlebag. “Thanks, Dad. This really helps.” “Misty, Misty!” Sunny exclaimed as the other ponies rushed over to them. “We gotta go! Our cutie marks are glowing again!” Misty looked at her flank and discovered Sunny was right, sighing and looking at her father. “Keep looking, okay? We'll be back from our quest as soon as we can.” “Be safe!” “We will!” Sunny and the others galloped out of the Night Market, into the Marestream and into the night sky, hoping to make sure this quest wasn't as life-threatening as those before it.