Storming through the carpeted halls of Canterlot Castle was a dutiful pale orange pegasus clad in golden armor. “Open the doors, Gallus!”
Gallus heeded the command. His armor mirrored that of the rushing stallion, but he had a slight modification with specially crafted gold talons. As Gallus saluted, he pushed open the large doors behind him, which stood over three meters tall. “Aye-aye, Flash.”
What expected Flash Sentry on the other side was the throne room of Canterlot Castle. The walls and the floor were an icy blue hue, with pale purple columns supporting the room from the sides. Tapestries adorned the space alongside a myriad of stained windows, each sharing its own story through colorful depictions of art. The same carpet from the halls stretched across the room, past the small continuous water fountains of multiple stacked basins, to the raised throne of Equestria.
Two seats were present, though one of them was vacant. Flash Sentry came here for the one that was occupied. Seated on the uncomfortable-looking throne was a mature alicorn—the ruler of Equestria, Princess Twilight Sparkle. As soon as she saw a member of her royal guard rushing toward her, her heart was pulled with anticipation of the possibly awful news.
“Haa… Haa…” Flash Sentry exhaled a few labored breaths from the inexplicable information. He came in a rush because it concerned him.
Twilight locked eyes on Flash Sentry and took on an apprehensive expression. Even so, she attempted to conceal her inner turmoil with a serious countenance. “Flash Sentry, is something wrong?”
After Flash Sentry entered the throne room, Gallus followed suit. It disturbed him to witness a fellow comrade troubled, so he patted the metallic back of his panting comrade for support. “Take it easy there, Flash. Can’t tell us anything if you’re so out of breath.”
“Haa… I know, you’re right. Thanks, Gallus. But this is pretty urgent news from the Crystal Empire,” Flash Sentry replied, having broken out into a cold sweat.
Upon hearing that, Gallus felt his stomach plummet. He took a few paces back, allowing Flash Sentry to have the spotlight.
Twilight found herself on the edge of her seat. Whatever the problem was, she wanted to resolve it posthaste. Yet, she couldn’t shake off the anxiety that overwhelmed her when she contemplated the potentially daunting size of the unknown problem. She fought a certain inclination of nibbling away at her hoof and came out victorious.
Flash Sentry caught his breath and proclaimed the unsettling news. “I regret to inform you of this, Princess Twilight, but according to a report from Glitter Drops… Tempest Shadow has vanished without a trace.”
As Twilight’s blood turned icy, a sharp scream eluded her lips. “What?!”
Gallus himself was taken aback by the information, too. Tempest was a pony he had sparred with and learned valuable combat experience from. Although they may not have been the closest of friends, a meaningful relationship had certainly developed between them. No doubt, Gallus was emotionally invested in the topic.
Flash Sentry continued with his report. “Glitter Drops hasn’t seen her in days. She left behind her black cloak as well. And knowing Tempest, she would never leave her best friend unannounced, right?”
The sinking feeling in Twilight’s gut grew heavier, pulling her deeper into a state of unease. Her thoughts were scattered in every direction. She did not know what to think, but now was not the time to pause. Because there was one thing she had complete certainty about. “Flash Sentry, put out a search party throughout Equestria and look for clues.”
“Yes, Princess.” Flash Sentry replied with a quick salute.
Twilight carried on with her commands. “Gallus, I want you to search outside the southern regions of Equestria. Klugetown, Badlands, and all. If our objective is to locate Tempest, I believe that would be our most viable option.”
“And if we still can’t find her?” Gallus questioned.
“Then...” Twilight had reservations about even contemplating the possibility. However, in her role as a confidant, she remained resolute in discovering the whereabouts of her missing friend. So she briefly pondered and provided an alternative solution. “We’ll enlist the help of detectives.”
Gallus joined Flash and saluted. “We’ll get to work then. No time to waste, Flash.”
“Right,” Flash Sentry nodded.
They both took flight, their wings beating in unison as they left the throne room to assign their various search parties.
Twilight loathed moments like these. “Is there anything I can do to contribute…?” Twilight asked herself, her voice resonating through the cavernous space, glancing at the storytelling-stained windows. Of course, all that greeted her ears was a profound silence.
Behind her, towering snow-capped mountains stood.
Remorse. It continues to pester me without end.
“Glitter Drops… Rambler…”
A lone pony draped in a dark blue mantle wandered through the outer region of Equestria, muttering to herself. With her cape billowing in the faint, brisk air, she stared at the minuscule dock before her, wondering how it could lodge any boats. Well, it didn’t. It accommodated a boat. That was more than enough.
In front of her, extended a vast expanse of blue, with the impressive view of large, weathered sea stacks emerging from the calm waves. Far beyond the ocean, the silhouettes of other mountains loomed. The dark orchid-colored mare peered up at the sky, causing her to squint her blue-green eyes—despite wearing the hood of the cloak—from the sun. Luck came in her favor, though, as a few wisps of clouds drifted in front of the sun and blocked the distracting brightness for the moment. “Twilight…”
She traveled along the damp earthy shore, the continuous muffled clops of her hooves resounding from the iced grassy hill extending quite a ways off. Other than her, there lazed another pony—an older stallion, to be exact. In a wooden rocking chair, he sat outside a small wooden home built for one. The green tea-colored stallion donned a tattered olive-yellow cap and had a long white beard. Holding a blade of grass between his hooves, he brought it to his mouth and blew into it. Not a sound emerged.
The sound of approaching hoofsteps drew his attention. “Hm? Has a buyer come to take this off my hooves?” the old stallion asked, pointing at the meager dark brown dock.
The mare withdrew her hood, revealing a grim individual wearing a serious face. “You wouldn’t be mistaken.”
The elderly stallion gandered at the unannounced buyer. At first, his attention was captivated by the sight of her shattered horn and the scar that marred her right eye. Then he noticed her cloak, which showed glimpses of the sleek black combat armor underneath. Her hair, put into a stiff fashion, showcased a moderate rose-colored mohawk, providing her with a bold and edgy appeal—while her tail remained partially hidden beneath the cloak.
He did not care about her identity. Only one thing consumed his thoughts at the moment. “You have the required bits on you underneath all that?” He blew into the grass blade again. Not a sound.
The buyer rolled her eyes. Sfzzf—zap!
Opal green sparks broke out and appeared in the frosted grass by the aged stallion’s rocking chair. The sparks caused him to jolt in surprise. But there lay a dark brown saddlebag, burdened by the clinking objects within.
Ffvvv…!
The seller managed to produce a clear, melodic whistle using just a blade of grass. “You seriously traveled around Yaket Range to buy her?”
“I’m not exactly known for my sense of humor.”
The old stallion unclasped the bag and examined the contents. It brimmed with bits. “Shoooot… I could move to Manehattan with this kind of money. Thanks, stranger! She’s all yours! And don’t worry, she’s got you covered with a generous reserve of protein bars and around three bottles of water to keep you sustained and refreshed.” He withdrew into his cabin, bringing along clatters.
Upon examining the cabin, it became clear to the mare that the stallion had carved out a part of the hill to fit his small abode, splitting the endless frosted hill line in two. But that did not matter. Her attention was now fixated on the neglected dock. It was pitiful. It barely stretched past three meters. A closer look revealed that the rest had been decimated by an unknown force, leaving behind broken dock supports. The boat that awaited on the side lacked exceptional quality as well.
“Everypony… I’m sorry, but I still need to figure out where I fit in this world.”
On that day, on that dock, that cynical, lost mare was — —