//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: Preparations // Story: Sweetie Belle Missing // by Braven //------------------------------// Time was no friend to Rarity. It stretched out the seconds to make them feel like minutes as if to torture her with her current thoughts. Too Late had never been something on Rarity’s mind until now, it was an oppressive thing to think about and it lingered for her now, setting up its own space in the corner of her mental landscape so that she could be tormented by it in the future whenever it fancied. “Granny, what the hay are you going on about? How do you know anything about this and why didn’t you say something earlier if you did?” Applejack asked in an interrogative way, upset that Granny Smith had been potentially withholding information from her. “Now calm yerself Applejack, the last time I saw something like this was when I was a filly, memories that far back don’t come so easy when you’re my age,” said Granny Smith sourly. Twilight had stopped scribbling her rushed notes when Granny Smith had started talking. “So something like this has happened in the past? What can you tell us about it?” she asked inquisitively. “Well let’s see here,” Granny Smith paused and tried to remember as many details as she could muster. “It was right around the time that we first started settlin’ the area for Ponyville. Strange disappearances were happening just like they are now, although back then it would only be for a few hours at most, nopony could really remember where they had gone so we just assumed they were slackin’" “Yeah yeah yeah, that’s great and all but I don’t see how ponies from olden times skipping work relates to all this?” asked Rainbow Dash with an impatient tone. “Hold up there Dash,” said Applejack, unhappy that her friend was interrupting her grandmother. “Granny may seem like she’s as aware as a chicken foraging in a bear den but if she says she knows something about this situation then she means it.” “Oh come on, you're taking her side now? You were the first one angry at her!” “I’m her family so it’s alright for me, that said I ain’t angry with her I was just shocked-” “That’s the same thing!” “Oh for pete’s sake DashI was just trying to say that we should stop interruptin’ and let Granny say her piece so that we can go out and look for Sweetie Belle that much faster.” The fatigue from the past two days had caught up to Rainbow Dash, she hadn’t been feeling her best but now that fatigue was replaced with frustration at the potential misplaced use of her time. “Well I heard your Granny! It sounds like she’s suggesting that Sweetie Belle is already dead-” Rainbow Dash quickly tried to cut herself off by putting two hooves over her mouth but she was too late. Rainbow Dash looked towards Rarity in a panic and her expression was worse than expected. Her once pristine face was taken over by terror, her stomach lurched as she tried to stay conscious. She was unable to respond to Rainbow Dash, unsure whether to be angry or forgiving, the room spun wildly for her and she felt herself drifting away from the situation as time sadistically turned her seconds into hours now. “Right that does it Dash you’ve gone too far now! I know we’re all a little on edge from a lack of sleep but that doesn’t give you a right to go and suggest something so awful,” said Applejack as she moved within a forelegs length to confront Rainbow Dash’s behavior. “Well it’s been two days! I’m not exactly happy about this but maybe we’ve got to face the facts here.” Rainbow Dash pushed Applejack back hard with both of her front hooves, creating some distance between them. Both ponies quickly closed the distance again between them intending to butt heads. Before they could though, Pinkie Pie managed to rush her way into their path, beaming an unnatural smile. “Heya party ponies we oughta turn these frowns upside down and get rid of this icky tension if we want to find Sweetie Belle” “Out of the way Pinkie you’re not needed, I’m going to give Dash there a piece of my mind,” Applejack snapped. “Not.. needed?” Pinkie responded, feeling another attack coming, her fake smile started to crumble. “Applejack! Be a bit nicer to Pinkie she was just trying to help her friends!” said Twilight who had now set aside her investigation notes on the table next to Apple Bloom’s half eaten breakfast. Apple Bloom had been observing the feud with horror, she had not seen everypony so tense before, she was currently watching Fluttershy who had been attempting to quell the situation but kept getting cut off by everypony talking at unpredicatable intervals, her voice unable to carry enough volume to be heard. “Oh dear… I think we should all take a moment to calm down and think rationally,” squeaked Fluttershy, her words falling on deaf ears once again. Things were getting a bit too serious for Apple Bloom’s liking but she knew they wouldn’t listen to her, she looked towards Granny Smith with pleading eyes but was met with a half smile and her grandmother shaking her head, letting Apple Bloom know not to get involved. Tensions were bubbling faster than anypony could manage, the argument was now turning into a way for the friends to vent their frustrations. “Well Twilight maybe we wouldn’t be in this mess if you got Princess Celestia involved from the beginning!” shouted Rainbow Dash, making sure she could be heard over everyone else. “You know I sent letters to her right away! I haven’t been getting any responses and she isn’t in Canterlot at the moment.” “Well she wasn’t anywhere else in Equestria I can tell you that, I’ve already searched everywhere through the skies!” “If you had searched everywhere then you and Pinkie would have already found Sweetie Belle,” concluded Twilight. Hearing Pinkie Pie’s name Applejack voiced her thoughts to everypony. “That’s assumin’ she even bothered to look at all and wasn’t out there smelling the roses.” “I did search though! I tried my bestest and the locket even glowed once but I couldn’t find her,” Pinkie Pie defended herself with tears in her eyes, she could feel her heart in her throat and it was getting more and more difficult to keep her composure in front of her friends. “What!? You mean it glowed and you still couldn’t find-” “ENOUGH EVERYPONY” Applejack was cut off by an earth shattering bellow from Rarity who had a complicated expression on her. It was a harsh mix of anger and sadness showing everpony that her limit had been reached, she let out a pained sigh before continuing. “I’m sure you all mean well and you have your own fair share of grievances but please... Can you allow me this one selfish request to hear out Granny Smith to see if she knows anything that could help us find out what happened to my sister?” The kitchen had gone silent and Rarity’s statement was met by sheepish nods from each of her friends as they took some distance from each other to listen to Granny Smith. “You youngins’ are filled with all sorts of energy,” said Granny Smith, impressed with the scene that had broken out in her kitchen. “Now Pinkie Pie, what was this you were mentioning about a glowing locket? If I’m not mistaken Applejack mentioned you were using those to find Sweetie Belle.” At these words a listless Pinkie Pie regained some energy, her mane inflating like a fluffy balloon. “Oh, I did!” she said, hoping to bring the energy of the room back up for her friends. “It happened just before one of Fluttershy’s animal friends came to give me a message. I was out in an abandoned village that was all crumbly. It only glowed for a little bit though and I couldn’t find any clues there.” Pinkie Pie held out the locket around her neck in one hoof, observing it with a determined expression, hoping it could glow again and spread some much needed joy to the others. “Hang on there’s no way that’s true,” said Rainbow Dash, taking to the air to bring the attention of the kitchen her way. “My locket must have been glowing around the same time and I was on top of a mountain, I was nowhere near you!” “Ooooh were you able to find any clues?” “Hmph, not a one, it only glowed for a short bit of time for me too.” After hearing this news Granny Smith reached into her scarf and pulled out Applejack’s locket, surprising everypony and causing Rarity to observe Applejack with suspicion. “Well this here locket was also glowin’ for a bit not that long ago too.”  Granny Smith closed her eyes, deep in thought, the other ponies waiting with anticipation. Once she finished piecing together the intricate weaves of thoughts in her mind Granny Smith opened her eyes and smiled. “Perhaps then… it ain’t too late for Sweetie Belle," said Granny Smith with a soft reassuring smile. "Now I mentioned earlier that the ponies back then would return none the wiser of what happened to them but this would only happen if they were on their own.” Granny Smith rocked her chair forward using the momentum to slide off and onto her hooves. “After about a week of these disappearances going on there was finally somepony that had seen what was going on. They described that spooky blue light you’ve been going on about yanking a pony out of sight somehow. There was only one problem though.” As Granny Smith she had made her way over to a large wooden dresser and picked up a small picture frame of her as a filly smiling and surrounded by at least a hundred ponies as they posed in front of the sign for Sweet Apple Acres under construction. She gave the picture a warm smile as she reminisced to herself about old almost forgotten bonds that were made with the other settler ponies before continuing. “That pony was never seen again.” A gasp could be heard from Flutteshy as she held a hoof to her mouth, her friends shared similar shocked expressions mixed with worry. Twilight Sparkle looked on with worry and grabbed her notes and quill with her magic once more. “I'm so sorry to hear that, do you know what could have been different?” she asked. “Were there any other ponies that went missing?” “Hmm, yes there were five altogether that didn’t return. The thing that was different for them is that there was at least one pony with them at the time they were taken, that’s why I figured it would be too late for Sweetie Belle. We even had the princess helping us search and she wasn’t able to find them, however this activity with your magic lockets is making me think that hope ain’t lost just yet.” The heavy atmosphere that had been lingering in the kitchen lifted all at once from Granny Smith’s words, causing a collective sigh of relief to break out amongst the ponies and even a genuine smile from Pinkie Pie. Twilight Sparkle started to flick through her notes to double check if there was anything she missed so far. “Well the book I found on those lockets mentioned they’d only be effective if the pony it's looking for is still alive so she must be safe in that sense at least,” said Twilight as she set aside her notes on the table. Even Rarity started to feel some reassurance after this. She looked down at her hooves and almost allowed herself a smile but thought better of it for now, at least until she could see that her sister was safe and sound. The big question for her though was the next step, so she approached Granny Smith by the dresser who had set the picture frame in the exact position it was before. “What must we do now? I’m happy that you’ve changed your opinion on my sister's fate but if even Princess Celestia was unable to find those ponies I’m not sure where we could start,” said Rarity, observing the picture frame as she spoke. Granny Smith smiled and gave Rarity a gentle tap on the back with one of her rattling hooves. “I think it would be best if you had a chat with the Princess. I'm sure she can set you on the right path.” “You heard Twilight earlier, she has tried getting in touch with Princess Celestia and to no avail. Nopony knows where she is.” “Ha! Have a bit more faith in me, I’m not senile yet. If i’m not mistaken, ain’t there more than one Princess in Canterlot nowadays?” Granny Smith asked in a cocky way, a smile full of smugness plastered on her face. “Princess Luna of course!” shouted Twilight Sparkle in surprise. “I can’t believe I didn’t think to ask her, she may not know where Sweetie Belle is but there’s always a chance she knows where to find Princess Celestia!” Fluttershy who had been standing next to Apple Bloom as a fellow observer approached Twilight, moving her hooves in a delicate manner as if to avoid another argument amongst friends. “It’s OK Twilight, none of us have slept particularly well recently, it can be easy to miss what’s in front of us.” As if to prove her point, Fluttershy placed a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder in a gentle, reassuring fashion that only she could pull off. “Thanks Fluttershy,” said Twilight, smiling as she patted Fluttershy’s hoof before turning to the rest of her friends. “Alright everypony our next move is to head over to Canterlot. I think it would be best for all of us to go. I need to let Spike know that I’m heading out, meet me at the library when all of you are ready.” Grabbing her saddlebags of potions with her magic, Twilight slung them over her back causing them to sit uneven from her haste. Her friends watched as she galloped out the front door, nearly tripping over the bench Apple Bloom was sitting on as she started to compile a new set of notes more organized than the previous. “Hey wait up, it doesn’t sound like it’s safe for us to be out there by ourselves!” shouted Rainbow Dash in alarm, opting to fly out the window. An unlucky flower pot was blown off its home on the windowsill and crashed into the ground as she passed. Full of renewed energy and hope, Pinkie Pie wrapped both of her forelegs around Fluttershy’s and threw her over her back as if she were a pair of saddlebags. “Hehe! Come on Fluttershy lets get after them!” “Oh dear,” said Fluttershy with concern as she accepted her fate. Before anypony could react, Pinkie Pie was already halfway down the farm road, her impromptu saddlebags letting out yelps whenever there was a bump in the path. “Um Rarity?” asked Apple Bloom. “Can I come too? I want to help find Sweetie Belle!” She looked towards Rarity with pleading eyes. Rarity met her gaze and gave Apple Bloom a weak smile that was meant to be a reassuring one. “I appreciate that you want to help sweetheart but I can’t let you put yourself in danger, you need to stay here and watch out for your Granny.” Rarity could see that Applejack was watching over them with a conflicted expression. “We could really use your help Applejack,” said Rarity as she organized Apple Bloom’s mane to fit just that little bit neater on her head. “I’ll understand though if you’d prefer to stay here” A sigh escaped from Applejack. “I do want to help but-” “But nothing young missy,” said Granny Smith, cutting off Applejack. “Family’s important but you can’t go using that as an excuse to neglect your friends.  We’re safe Applejack and your friends need you, go be that pony they can rely on.” While she spoke Granny Smith wrapped the chain of the locket she’d been holding onto around Applejack’s neck. Applejack held the locket in her right hoof and looked towards Rarity. The usual elegant air Rarity carried herself with couldn’t be found, her fur was even beginning to show signs of matting in places. Applejack's gaze found its way to Apple Bloom who met her with a beaming smile that stretched to the sides of her face. “Alright,  if you’re sure you’re all good here.” “Ha! I can take on anything, plus Big Mac is here for backup if needed,” said Granny Smith confidently. “Shoot where even is that big lug?” “Well his sibling has been slacking on her apple bucking duties so he’s been doing the harvest.” “Yikes I definitely owe him one,” responded Applejack with a sheepish smile. She gave Granny Smith a gentle hug and moved over to Apple Bloom to give her a much more aggressive one, messing up her previously neatened mane. “I appreciate this Applejack, it’s certainly reassuring knowing that you’ll be there,” said Rarity in a relaxed tone. “We’ll find her safe and sound ya hear? Let’s get ourselves over to the library and quick.” Granny Smith watched the two ponies leave the farm and out of sight, she smiled and returned to her rocking chair which gave a few disgruntled creaks. “Good luck out there youngins’” Spike found himself at the edge of the Everfree forest, the branches on the trees closest to him swayed in the wind, almost beckoning him to join the entanglement of wood and vines. A group of ten timberwolves could be seen amongst the trees, attentively watching Spike, convincing him against returning. Returning? He pondered this word, finding it difficult to understand how he could return to somewhere he hasn’t been to before. With a muddled mind incapable of producing clear memories he backed away from the trees with caution, deciding it would be better to keep his eyes on the woods until he managed to back away far enough to the buildings of Ponyville. A hooded figure holding a battered tome watched Spike trip over a plant pot before scrambling to his feet, fleeing around the corner of the nearest building, away from the forest’s gaze. Spike sprinted his way through Ponyville, narrowly dodging ponies along the way. As he approached the library his pace started to gradually slow until he was until he started walking towards the library instead. Something wasn’t right, he couldn’t figure out what he was running from, there was fear in him but no reason for it and there was a small cut on his right arm causing blood to gently trickle out but no memory associated with the injury. Deep in thought, Spike reached the library, looking curiously at the open door. He found a disheveled Twilight Sparkle who was uncharacteristically tossing aside books with abandon as she searched for something. As she lifted a particularly large collection of musty books her eyes locked onto Spike. “There you are!” she said, rushing towards Spike to bring him into a constricting hug. “Where did you go? I’ve been looking for you. Oh and you’re injured!” Encasing some nearby cotton buds in her magic, Twilight dabbed one against the cut, slowly turning half of it red before moving onto another. “Um, I’m not sure where I’ve been actually,” said Spike, stretching out two claws from his right hand along the bottom of his chin. “The last thing I remember was reading this weird book but I couldn’t make out any of the writing. Then all of a sudden I was next to the Everfree forest and I felt like I was being watched so I ran back here.” Twilight was horrified at the news he told her, she had just heard a similar story from Granny Smith. “How are you feeling Spike? I think whatever took away Sweetie Belle may have taken you as well.” A shocked expression found its way across Spike’s face now. “Oh.. I uh, I think I’m OK, apart from my arm the only issue is that I can’t remember anything.” “Well you’re safe now, I’m going to be heading to Canterlot with my friends to find out where Princess Celestia is, it seems she may know more about what’s causing all of this. I’ll drop you at the Apple Farm and they can watch out for you,” Twilight spoke in a calm motherly tone as she started wrapping a bandage around Spike’s wound. “Wait I can come help-” “And I’m sure she could, but I’m worried, there’s something we’re overlooking and I have no idea what to expect other than danger.” “Hmm it’s not often I see you this serious about something that isn’t a book,” said Spike with concern for her. “Alright I won’t come but be careful out there, I know you’re all Equestria’s saviors and everything but now you’ve got me worrying.” “Thank you Spike. I will be.” Twilight neatly tied up the ends of the bandage into a bow before giving him a much more gentle hug. Their moment was interrupted by Rainbow Dash who crash landed just outside the doorway. “Oh good you found him!” Rainbow Dash said as she scrambled to her hooves. “I was totally ready to deliver bad news because I wasn’t seeing him at all out there.” “Thanks for looking for him,” smiled Twilight. As she did she noticed that Pinkie Pie was standing next to Rainbow Dash. “Gah!?” screamed Rainbow Dash before falling off her hooves. “Hiya ponies!” Pinkie Pie said with excitement. “I was over at Fluttershy’s helping her feed the animals before our trip. “Help…” A weak voice belonging to a much paler than usual Fluttershy could be heard from Pinkie Pie’s back as she slid off like a heavy towel would slide off of a bathroom rail and landing on the ground in a similar fashion. “Hehe, oops!” said Pinkie Pie with a now embarrassed smile. Just shy from the entrance to Ponyville, Rarity was walking closely behind Applejack, she felt hopeful and almost confident that Sweetie Belle would be OK and that they could actually find her. There were dark rain clouds forming in the skies, slowly strangling away rays of light, the clouds though contained no water and were not naturally made by the weather pegasi. Rarity looked at the looming clouds with apprehension, the drab color they brought to the sky was upsetting enough but she could tell that there was something unnatural about them and they appeared to be gaining volume at a fast pace. “Applejack dear, do those clouds above look a bit off to you?” she asked, still fixated on the sky above. The only response Rarity had gotten though was silence. She craned her neck away from the sky to double check that her friend was still there in front of her. Applejack certainly was still in front of her but she appeared to have stopped mid-stride and her usual bright coloration was muted. Rarity reached out a hoof towards her, “...Applejack?” Before her hoof touched Applejack’s shoulder Rarity noticed that there were several ponies near and beyond the entrance that weren’t moving. It’s not that they were standing still either but that they had frozen in place during whatever activity they may have been up to at the time. One pony had thrown some popcorn in the air waiting to catch it in his mouth and another pony was mid-air on the way to the ground after tripping over an unfortunately placed rock. Even falling leaves opted to take a break from gravity for the time being. The clouds above though still moved and were encroaching on Rarity, but out of the corner of her eye she saw movement from something else. Just off the path to Ponyville there was a hooded pony moving amongst the grass, seemingly finding joy with the rougher terrain. Analyzing the figure Rarity could tell that he was most likely a stallion though he was no bigger than the average mare. His fur was pitch black and Rarity could just about make out a few streaks of silver from his mane poking out from under his hood. There was an air of grace to the pony that Rarity would have normally admired, the fur on his legs looked to be well kept and unaffected by the ground he walked on and the brown hooded cloak he wore was not frayed or dirty. Looking upon him the fur on Rarity’s neck stood up, there was something deeply unsettling about seeing him move in a frozen world, she thought it wise to not call out to him and instead started to back away towards Applejack. Before she could escape though the pony she was watching with caution stopped and turned towards her, Rarity was unable to make out his face still but his piercing red eyes were all too visible, almost seeming to glow as they fixated their gaze on her. “I do hope you’re able to find your dear sweet sister… Rarity,” he said with a soft spoken voice. “Pardon?” asked Rarity. She was flabbergasted by his voice and words, it almost sounded reassuring as if one of her friends spoke it but she felt like his words carried a heinous meaning. Pleased with her reaction the pony smiled sadistically and chuckled to himself before pulling out an old tattered book from under his cloak that Rarity recognised as one of the ones she attempted to read at the Library. “We’re here Rarity,” said Applejack. Caught off guard by the voice coming from behind, Rarity gave out a loud gasp, unable to even scream from her surprise and fell to the ground as she turned to face Applejack whose orange fur was back to being bright and vibrant. “Pete’s sake Rarity, what's got you so spooked? It’s only me,” said Applejack, unamused with her friend’s reaction. Rarity snapped her gaze back around to where she saw the hooded pony but instead only witnessed the usual peaceful roaming expanse of the outskirts along with clear blue skies and not a single pony in sight, just the odd bird or two practicing some swift aerial maneuvers. “Applejack please tell me you saw somepony out there,” asked Rarity, still scanning the area where she had spotted the stallion. “Hmm no I don’t recall seeing anypony,” responded Applejack, allowing Rarity to sigh with relief. “We ain’t got time to be lookin’ for strangers right now. I saw Pinkie zippin' across Ponyville to the library so we best be getting there quick.” She extended a hoof towards Rarity who accepted it after a brief pause. Once Rarity was back on her hooves she gave her surroundings another once over before being pleased that the hooded pony she saw was no longer around. She would love to chalk it up to her exhausted mind playing tricks on her but Rarity knew deep down that what she experienced could very well have been real. Despite this there was no time to consider the implications of what happened as the safety of Sweetie Belle was still very much at the forefront of her mind. “Right you are darling, let’s be off,” Rarity said with renewed confidence as they both galloped towards the library. When the building drew closer they could see a shocked Rainbow Dash and a worn out Fluttershy splayed on the ground. Twilight greeted the new ponies with a confident smile. “Looks like we’re all here, let’s go everypony,” she said, stuffing extra notes and quills into her saddlebags with her magic.