The Unbroken Circle
"We've seen many things, haven't we?" the mare asked, not missing a step as she continued her dance.
"Absolutely. Things that would drive a lesser being mad."
Rarity and Rainbow exchanged glances before stepping forward.
"Okay... so have you seen a yellow pegasus come through here or not?" Dash asked again.
"She's in these woods, that I can assure you," the stallion replied.
His partner snorted, stifling a laugh. "Come now, can anyone really be assured of anything?"
"Of course they can. I was certain the Songbird ended up here, and I assured you he was."
The mare sighed. "I suppose you're right." They continued their dance as though they weren't being addressed, lost to the world. "But I don't believe finding your yellow friend will be as easy as you think, considering her company."
Rainbow stomped forward. "Will you two whack-jobs quit being all mysterious and just tell us where she is? You're gonna be in big trouble if Celestia finds out you had something to do with this!"
"We had little to do with your friend's disappearance," the stallion said calmly.
"Though in a way, I suppose we did have a hand—or should I say hoof—in the matter," his partner completed.
"Your friend was taken by a being not of this world, but I can guarantee she is safer now than she's ever been before. South is always a good direction to begin searching, in my experience," said the stallion, still locked in his constant dance with his partner.
Rainbow and Rarity glanced at each other, as if to confirm they were both hearing and seeing the same thing. When they turned back to the clearing, the dancers and their record player had vanished.
"Who in Celestia's name were they?" Rarity asked, stepping in front of Dash and examining the area where the two had just been waltzing.
"A couple of weirdos. I bet Whitetail Woods is full of them," she replied, stepping toward the edge of the clearing.
Rarity looked up as Dash started back into the woods. "You aren't actually going to listen to them, are you?" she asked incredulously.
"I don't want to, but what choice do we have? They said they knew where we could find her, and that's been our only clue so far."
"But it could be a trap!" Rarity answered, chewing her lip as she contemplated signaling Twilight. "They could be waiting in the bushes to kidnap us, or worse!"
Dash scoffed. "You've been reading too many books. None of that junk happens here, and it definitely won't happen to us. I bet those other ponies are miles away by now."
As Rainbow worked her way into the woods, Rarity gave a whinny of defeat before following her companion back into the forest.
"I must admit, I thought this door would be rather dull, but you've proven me wrong," Robert said as he walked beside Rosalind.
"As I told you, simply because a dimension isn't populated by humans doesn't mean it can't be amusing. I find their society mirrors our own in many ways," Rosalind replied as they walked through Ponyville's busy town square. The other ponies paid no mind to them, though a few of the animals noticed something wrong about them.
"Now, we know Songbird is here," Robert commented. "We simply need to lure it out."
"Yes, but it must wait until we can construct the device. Finding Songbird serves no purpose without having the device functional first."
Rosalind nodded. "That's true, but how will we construct the materials and equipment?" she asked as the two of them strolled through town, oblivious to the goings on around them.
Robert stopped, tilting his head slightly as he looked at his companion. "Magic, of course."
She rolled her eyes. "You know good and well I don't believe in such foolishness."
"I'm aware, but just because one does not believe in something doesn't mean it isn't real."
As the Lutece twins approached an apple cart with a large red stallion behind it, his small dog began to growl.
"Winona!" The stallion scolded. "What's gotten inta you?"
As they took a few more steps, her growl morphed into a whimper and she withdrew behind the cart, tail between her legs.
"Sorry about that. She's usually real friendly with strangers. Name's Macintosh Apple. See anything ya like?" he asked, stepping aside to show them his wares. The strangers took a moment to scan his cart, seeming to search for the perfect fruit.
"Ah, here it is," The stallion said pleasantly, gripping the apple in his magic and hovering it towards his sister.
"You're certain this is the one from before?" she asked skeptically.
"Positive. Care to wager against me again?" he proposed. His sister simply rolled her eyes.
"No, the odds are not in my favor this time."
"Very well," the stallion replied in a bored tone, setting the fruit back into Mac's cart.
"So... do y'all want ta buy somethin' or not?"
"Unfortunately not, but we shall pay you for your trouble," the stallion replied, producing a small golden coin. "But before we do, I must ask you one question." The mare turned to Mac, looking him in the eyes. Something about those shining green orbs fixed on him sent a chill down his spine.
In a near whisper, she asked him: "Heads or tails?"
"Ah gotta agree with RD on this one," Applejack commented as she followed Twilight up an incline through a beaten path through the forest. "Ah just can't see Fluttershy gettin' herself lost in the forest. She's practically more familiar with the outdoors than me!"
Her words rang true in Twilight's head as she continued to blaze a trail into the wilderness. "I know, it doesn't make sense to me either," she replied, using her magic to cut down any shrub or tree blocking their path. "But she hasn't come back, and we know it's not like her to just disappear."
"It ain't like anypony ta just up and disappear," Applejack answered.
Twilight ruffled her wings as she stopped at the crest of the hill. Applejack stepped up beside her, surveying a small part of the valley not obscured by the trees.
"Consarnit, she could be anywhere!" Applejack swore, stomping a hoof in frustration. "How are we gonna search all this?"
For one of only a few times in her life, Twilight was at a loss. "I... don't know." She bit her lip in frustration. "But I know that if it were one of us, Fluttershy would search high and low."
Applejack nodded. "You're right, Twi. Where should we start?"
"How abou—"
An incredibly powerful shriek cut her off and she fought the urge to cover her ears with her wings. It felt as though it came from miles away, yet was strong enough to carry through the forest.
"What in tarnation do ya think that was?"
"I don't know, but if there's a monster in these woods, chances are it found Fluttershy! Let's go!" Twilight dashed toward the sound followed closely behind by Applejack. They crashed through the underbrush, heading in the direction of the sound and hoping whatever made it hadn't anything to do with their friend's disappearance. Twilight had dealt with forest monsters and mythical-ish beasts before, and none had proven too much for her to handle.
Every other time she'd charged into battle, a numbing confidence washed over her. This time, something was different. A weight rested heavily in the pit of her stomach, and grew with every step she took towards whatever had made that sound. She'd studied the calls and roars of many wild beasts in Equestria, but none of them shrieked like that. There was some unknown actor out there, and if there was one thing Twilight hated, it was the unknown.
The organ had been reassembled in her conservatory, though she had no time to inspect it, nor the mysterious note given to her by the two who didn't belong. The events had been so strange, she'd have thought it a dream if not for the instrument now waiting for her. Try as she might, she simply couldn't get the mysterious figures out of her mind. Where had they come from? Why were they here? Why did they appear to her, and not the Griffon chancellor, or the Dragon King?
She sipped her tea, sitting on one of the many plush pillows in her chamber. As the last rays of sunlight began to set, she patiently waited on her sister to change the guard. Although normally she disliked being kept waiting, this time she took the opportunity to ponder the puzzle left to her by those mysterious visitors.
Cage? she thought. What does a cage have to do with a weapon? She drew the card they had given her off of her desk. Celestia examined it closely, scouring for any hint as to what it might be used for. As she wondered, a gentle knock roused her from her thoughts.
"Come in," she said softly. Her sister strode in, ready to take on her duties for the evening. Usually, she was quite chipper during the start of her work night, but this night, she seemed somber. "Luna? Is something troubling you?"
Princess Luna sat quietly on the seat across from her sister. "The borderlands have been raided again." She spoke plainly. "The griffons are responsible, I just know it!" Luna snapped.
Celestia nodded. "It's common knowledge in my council chambers, but without hard evidence linking the raiders and Grifaria, we have nothing to bring to the war council. If we retaliate, we look like the war mongers."
Luna scoffed. "Retaliate? With what? We have nary enough ponies to raid a pantry, let alone a country!"
Celestia bit her lip for a moment. "You're correct. We haven't had need of an army for a thousand years. Our magic kept the kingdom safe." She looked out of her window and over the town of Canterlot sparkling like the stars in the night sky. "Now I fear our enemies will soon outmatch us, even with our magic."
"We could raise an army," Luna suggested. "We have the numbers, and in a few short months, we could field an army grand enough to make Syrell's ragtag bunch of bandits cower in fear!"
Celestia had not forgotten about the griffon chancellor, Hogar Syrell. He was the constant thorn in Celestia's side, and the one she knew to be ordering the raids on Equestria's border towns. But, with no way to prove it, all she could do was plot as he strode around her castle with her citizens' blood on his talons. It infuriated her to no end.
"We could, but it would raise their suspicions. We don't need an arms race."
"Then what do you propose we do?" Luna asked, her annoyance at having her hooves tied by international politics clear in her tone.
Celestia opened her mouth, and closed it. She glanced down at the card she'd been studying.
"How about a show of force?"
"Rainbow, are you sure you know which direction is south?" Rarity asked, swearing to herself that they'd passed the same tree four times.
"Of course I do! Pegasi have an excellent sense of direction—"
Rarity and Rainbow jumped and shrank down as a distant, otherworldy shriek suddenly echoed through the trees
"What in Celestia's name was that?" Rarity asked, shielding her ears against any repeat performances.
Rainbow shrugged. "Let me take a look." She hovered above the treetops, scanning across the forest. As she was about to descend, she spotted a dark shape with dragon-like wings rise out of the trees. In its talon, she caught a glimpse of yellow and pink.
"It's a dragon! It's got Fluttershy!" Dash screamed as she raced toward the beast.
"Rainbow! Wait for me! You don't know what you're getting into!" Rarity pled, cutting through the bushes and trying her best to follow her companion.
As Rainbow Dash sped towards her enemy, the creature came into focus.
It was no dragon.