For a large Yak, Runcord could live up to his running name. Misty was quickly finding this out as she struggled to keep up as Runcord weaved his way through the Night Market.
“Blue Pony follow,” Runcord reaffirmed. “Runcord have important information for Blue Pony.”
“You move really fast for such a large, erm, creature,” Misty commented.
Runcord only grunted as he continued on his path through the avenue of stalls, weaving this way and that between the many Ponies of all kinds that were now frequenting the market.
Finally, Runcord turned a corner behind a large tree root and abruptly came to a stop. Misty skidded to a stand, almost running into the back of the large furry Yak that was now standing before her. Misty blinked with confusion as Runcord remained completely still, despite all the rush to get there. However, before she could say anything a light blue Breezie floated down in front of Runcord, carrying a large ornate key.
“Yes, this is one,” Runcord grunted before taking the key. “Thank you.”
The breezie only nodded before fluttering away. Runcord grunted and turned around towards Misty, holding out the key.
“This is for Blue Pony,” Runcord said. “Blue Pony take key.”
Misty gasped as she took the key in her hoof. Turning it around with interest at the strangely familiar patterns. “W…what is it for?” she asked.
“For door,” Runcord grunted as though it was obvious. “Is enchanted key for enchanted door. Will take Blue Pony for one round trip to where Blue Pony most wants to go.”
“Where I most want to go,” Misty echoed as she stared at the key intently. “But where is the door?”
Hearing no response, Misty looked up and gasped as she found Runcord was no longer there.
“Wait, Runcord?” she gasped. “Where did you go? What door?”
She turned around and around as she tried to see where Runcord had gone. However, she suddenly gasped as she realised, she’d been so focused on following she had no idea where she was either.
“Runcord? Sunny? Sunset?” she shouted. “Oh, hay bales. What do I do now?”
Meanwhile, Sunset and Sunny had been searching for Misty. Whilst they hadn’t found her for the seemingly endless sea of ponies, they had run into Hitch and Sparky.
“So, she just disappeared?” Hitch asked.
“We were both distracted,” Sunset admitted. “She could have spotted something and wandered off. There are so many ponies here, finding her is all but impossible.”
“She’ll likely spot you Sunset,” Sunny smiled.
“What? Why?” Sunset frowned before looking down at her human body. “Oh, of course.”
“I bet you’ve got a much better view over everypony too,” Hitch smiled.
“Actually, that is true,” Sunset smiled as she suddenly shot an arm in the air and started waving. “Zipp, Pipp, come over here.”
Hitch and Sunny blinked with confusion as Zipp and Pipp both suddenly appeared from the crowds. Following behind them was Peach Fizz.
“Sunset?” Pipp gasped. “Is…Is that you?”
“Yep,” Sunset replied as she gave a twirl. “Meet Human me,”
“Okay, that is both awesome but also quite unnerving,” Zipp replied. “I don’t even want to try balancing on two hoofs like that.”
“Don’t worry, I don’t think we’ll be seeing you all transform,” Sunset winked. “It’s something to do with this being another different world. Like a pocket dimension. Also, they’re not hoofs, they’re feet and it’s not as hard as you think.”
“Oh, you would go and do this when there’s no signal here,” Pipp groaned. “How am I supposed to stream this?”
“You’ll have to make do with some photos then,” Sunset smiled as she stuck a pose.
Pipp’s eyes suddenly twinkled, and she was soon snapping away. Meanwhile, Sunny turned her attention towards Peach Fizz. “How are you, Peach Fizz?” She asked kindly.
“I’m fine now,” Peach Fizz replied. “It was so scary though.”
“She doesn’t remember many details,” Zipp sighed. “But it sounds like Misty was right, she appeared outside Opaline’s castle and then ran away.”
“It’s amazing you managed to find your way back then,” Hitch replied as he rubbed Peach Fizz’s head.
“I used what we’ve been learning at scouts,” Peach Fizz replied simply.
Her eyes suddenly lit up as she spotted Seashell and Glory in the distance who were with their parents and her father.
“I don’t think there’s any reason to keep her,” Zipp sighed.
“I don’t either,” Hitch replied. “Let’s return her to her father.”
As Hitch, Zipp and Peach Fizz started to go, Sunset frowned as she put a hand on her geode. She reached out and touched Peach Fizz as she passed by. Immediately, her mussels stiffened, and her eyes went completely white for a second.
Peach Fizz noticed nothing as she continued to follow Hitch and Zipp. However, Sunny looked at Sunset with concern.
“What? What was that?” Sunny asked.
“My geode’s power,” Sunset advised as she held her head and gasped for air. “I wasn’t sure it would work.”
“What power?” Sunny blinked.
“Reading minds,” Sunset advised. “It was strange though; I don’t think Peach Fizz is lying when she says she appeared outside Opaline’s Castle. But…I’m not sure I saw everything.”
Sunny said nothing more as she watched Sunset continue to hold her head.
In the meantime, Misty was making her way through the market. She’d placed the key on a ribbon around her neck to ensure she didn’t lose it. However, she was very aware that she still couldn’t find any of her friends.
“Oh, they’ll be so worried,” she moaned. “I didn’t think Runcord was taking me so far from them.”
Suddenly, Misty felt even more confused, she wasn’t surrounded by stalls anymore. She turned around but didn’t find any behind her either.
“Oh, Haycakes,” she groaned. “How’d I end up here?”
“How indeed?” a voice said.
“W…who’s there?” Misty gasped as she spun around.
Suddenly, she found three humans standing before her, each holding large boxes in their arms.
“This area is off limits to customers,” one of them with orange hair advised. “It’s the route to the storage areas.”
“I…I’m sorry,” Misty gasped. “I had no idea. I’ve gotten completely lost and can’t find my friends at all.”
“Sounds like an honest mistake,” the human replied. “Follow me, I’ll guide you back to the main market.”
“But we’ve got to get these fossils to the fossil stall Adagio,” one of the others replied.
“Which is why you’re both taking yours straight there Sonata,” Adagio replied. “No sense all of us getting waylaid but we can’t leave one of our valued customers lost and confused.”
“Thank you,” Misty grinned. “Thank you so much.”
“No problem at all,” Adagio smiled. “This way.”
With that, the group split up. Aria and Sonata headed one way with their boxes whilst Adagio led Misty in the other direction.
Meanwhile, the others had all gathered together again, aided by how easy Sunset was to spot.
“So, Peach Fizz didn’t go into the Castle?” Zipp asked.
“I don’t know,” Sunset admitted. “I saw her getting lost in the mist with Glory. Jumping from rock to rock. Then there was just static for a few seconds before she was running through the countryside, away from the castle.”
“Away from the castle,” Pipp responded reassuringly. “That’s got to mean she didn’t go in.”
“I don’t like that static though,” Starlight frowned. “Have you ever seen static in a memory before Sunset?”
“No, I haven’t,” Sunset admitted as she held the side of her head. “She’s the first pony I’ve ever read the mind of though.”
“You’ve never used that power in your Pony form then?” Zipp asked.
Sunset shook her head. “No, it’s the power my geode provides me with. I don’t have it when I’m in Equestria.”
“Reading minds isn’t exactly easy to do,” Starlight advised. “You’re technically starting to get into the realms of dark magic. Trust me, playing with ponies’ minds isn’t something you want to be doing, it doesn’t usually end well.”
“Yet another of Phyllis’s key propaganda pieces busted then,” Sunny muttered.
“Right, so we need to keep an eye on Peach Fizz,” Hitch decided. “I’ll have to get Skywalk on that.”
“Okay, next problem then,” Zipp sighed. “We need to find where Misty’s gone to.”
“Let’s split up into pairs then meet back here in about five minutes,” Sunny suggested.
They all agreed and started walking in different directions. However, none realised Sunset had walked off alone, still holding a hand to her head.