The Elements board a train after their most recent stop. Trixie and Raindrops say goodbye to the mayor.
‘We had a wonderful time in your city,’ Raindrops thanks.
‘It was our pleasure,’ the mayor replies. ‘We are so glad we were able to recover in time.’
‘Oh? What happened?’ Trixie asks.
The mayor looks sheepish. ‘Well, we had an incident where the funds for our welcome committee were stolen. Thankfully, a wandering psychic was able to find them.’
In the train, ponies screams as Alba gallops to the nearest window.
‘Was the so-called “psychic” a young griffin with red spots on his feathers?’ the princess demands.
‘Why, yes. He was.’
‘Did he say where he was going next?’
Shaun Gusty takes several bows as a group of ponies applaud him. ‘Please. Please. You are too kind. I don’t deserve this.’
‘That is an understatement if I have ever heard one,’ Alba snorts, storming on the scene. ‘What is going on here?’
Everypony turns their attention to the princess. Most of the gathered ponies are in police uniforms. Trixie rolls her eyes as she enters the police station behind her charge.
Shaun puts a wing around Alba. ‘We were just celebrating another successful case. I was able to help catch a Diamond Dog gang selling counterfeit griffin and Neighponese artefacts. Really helped save the local museum a bundle of money and a lot of embarrassment.’
‘Likely story. You probably set up the whole thing,’ Alba accuses, forcing herself free.
‘Um, Shaun showed up after the artefacts started coming to town,’ a pegasus officer interrupts. ‘According to our experts, you would have to have grown up in the imperial palace in Eagleland to have the knowledge that Shaun was able to divine.’
Shaun smiles smugly. ‘So, unless you really want to stroke my ego and call me “Prince Shaun of the Griffin Empire”, I think even you can agree in my mystical powers.’
Alba snorts and marches away. Trixie tries catching the princess.
‘What? No stroking?’ Shaun asks. ‘Come on. Just one little “prince” will be fine.’
‘I’ll find something to expose you!’ Alba shouts before slamming the station door behind her.
‘She won’t stroke me, but she wants to expose me. I haven’t had this many missed signals since my last girlfriend.’
…
‘Alba, was it really necessary to come all this way just to argue with Shaun again?’ Trixie asks.
‘He is a liar and con artist,’ Alba accuses. ‘We have to stop him before he swindles another pony.’
‘Alba… You’re taking this grudge a little too far. Maybe you should let it go. There are lots of beings in the world just like him. I mean, remember when that self-help guru Iron Will got busted a few months ago for stealing excerpts from other authors’ books? Just trust in the system and everything will go fine.’
‘The system is too slow! I am justice now!’
Alba spreads her wings and flies off to stalk Shaun.
‘Oh geez,’ Trixie groans. ‘I have to get her parents to clear this one before it gets too far out of hoof.’
The unicorn sighs as she gets out her mobile.
A trio of Diamond Dogs lurk behind a building. They are beat-up and covered in bandages. One is licking his wounds.
‘Stupid griffin,’ a large Diamond Dog grumbles. ‘Ruined all our plans.’
‘Maybe we should have just imported from Inucheon...’ a small one replies.
‘At least we aren’t in jail with the others...’ a fluffy one moans.
‘We could have run a hot dog stand...’ the small one mutters.
‘Tofu dog or real meat?’
‘We’re in pony country. What do you think?’
‘I miss real meat...’
The small and fluffy Diamond Dogs groan in unison.
‘Idiots...’ the large one growls.
A sound from around the corner catches the large Diamond Dog’s attention. He peeks out and sees a group of ponies. Raindrops pulls Rainbow behind her on a cloud while she and Razzly trot down the street. The mare and filly have ice cream cones.
‘I want ice cream too,’ Fluffy moans.
‘Shut up!’ Large hisses. ‘Don’t you recognize them?’
‘They look like regular ponies to me,’ Small replies.
‘Regular ponies with ice cream,’ Fluffy adds.
‘Morons! Those are Elements of Harmony! Their king and queen would pay handsomely to get them back...’
‘Back from where?’
‘Shut up and follow me.’
The large Diamond Dog burrows into the the street. The others shrug and follow.
‘Very good choice in shop, Razzly,’ Raindrops compliments.
‘My aunt Lemon used to teach me all about ice cream when she visited us,’ Razzly replies. ‘That includes how to tell if an ice cream shop is a good one.’
‘Well, I’ll have to thank her if we ever meet.’
Suddenly, the ground rumbles beneath the ponies. Razzy screams as the large Diamond Dog bursts from the pavement and grabs her. The small Diamond Dog knocks Raindrops back before she can react. Rainbow sleeps on her cloud. Prey in paw, the Diamond Dogs flee back underground. Octavia lands on the street right as the holes are filled in.
‘Damn it. Lost them,’ Octavia curses. ‘Once they’re underground, you can never track them.’ She feels the ground. ‘Get back to the hotel. I’ll see what I can do here.’
Raindrops groans and rubs her head. Octavia gallops off before the pegasus can react.
Rainbow yawns and stretches. ‘Somepony said something about ice cream?’
‘YOU LOST RAZZLY!’
Alba’s scream shakes the hotel room. Trixie’s and Helios’ magic can barely hold the filly back from attacking Raindrops.
‘Alba, calm down,’ Trixie says. ‘Octavia, Apple Pie and Apple Bloom are out looking for her, and the police are on high alert. We’ll find her.’
‘But she let Razzly get foalnapped!’ the princess screams. ‘She should pay with her blood!’
‘Screaming about it and threatening Raindrops won’t do any good,’ Trixie scolds. ‘She and Rainbow were just leaving to help search.’
‘Th-that’s right,’ Raindrops stutters. ‘I want to make up for losing her on my watch.’
‘Do I have to?’ Rainbow complains.
‘If you don’t, I’ll vaporize Cloudsdale and Lucky Heart from here,’ Alba snarls.
A rainbow streak leaves the room to search the city. Raindrops quickly follows Rainbow from the room.
‘I’m going too!’ Alba declares. ‘I can’t leave my friend out there all alone and defenceless.’
‘You’re staying right here, missy,’ Trixie states.
‘What?!’
‘You are too young and hot-headed to be out there right now. We need you here, if not to coordinate the rest of us, then to just cool yourself down.’ She puts a hoof on Alba’s shoulder. ‘No good will come from you wanting to destroy the city to find one pony right now.’
Alba sits, tears in her eyes. ‘I just want Razzly back.’
‘Don’t worry, little sis,’ Helios assures. ‘We’ll find her.’
‘At any cost,’ Trixie adds.
The older ponies leave to join the search. Alba stares at the ground, crying. She looks up.
‘At any cost...’ She grimaces. ‘This is the worst cost I can think of.’
…
A door opens.
‘I need your help,’ Alba states plainly.
A large smile creeps across Shaun’s beak. ‘What was that?’
‘I said I need your help.’
Shaun dances giddily. ‘Sorry. Can’t hear you. Dancing.’
Alba wraps a magical grip around the griffin’s neck and pulls him down to her. ‘Listen. I don’t like you, but I am out of other options. Now, I need you to stop acting like a complete nitwit and help me!’
‘How about acting like an incomplete nitwit?’
‘ARG! Just do what I say, and I’ll let you off this time.’
‘Aren’t you a little young for that?’
‘What?’
‘Oh, right. You weren’t there for the joke earlier.’
Alba growls. Her wings spread, and a purple aura surroundings her eyes.
‘Okay! Okay! Calm down, princess.’ Shaun backs away. ‘What do you need my help finding?’
‘Some Diamond Dogs took Razzly. I heard you mention them earlier.’
Shaun raises a talon to his temple. ‘A large one, a small one and a fluffy one?’
‘Yes, I saw them on the wanted board too.’
‘I’m sensing they will want a ransom and safe passage out of the New Lunar Republic.’
‘Duh. That would be a logical thing to ask for.’
‘I also sense they aren’t in any of the hideouts the police know about.’
‘Then what about the ones they don’t know about?’
The Diamond Dogs set Razzly in the middle of an abandoned dry cleaner. The bound and gagged filly looks at her captors, terrified.
‘This is your home for now,’ Large says. ‘Get comfortable.’
‘Hopefully, your king and queen will pay out soon, and you can go back to saving the world.’
The Diamond Dogs laugh. The fluffy one pops up from the hole.
‘Ransom note delivered!’ Fluffy reports.
‘Good. Now, little filly, do you have anything to say?’ Large asks, removing Razzly’s gag.
The filly look at her captors. Tears build up and she starts wailing as loud as she can. The Diamond Dogs cover their ears to block the noise.
‘What is this! Stop crying!’ Large demands.
Razzly cries even louder.
‘What can we do to stop the crying!’
‘Ice cream!’ Razzly screams.
‘Yes, you are!’ Fluffy replies.
‘No! She wants ice cream!’ Small shouts.
‘Yes, you are too now!’
The large one slaps the others in the back of the head. ‘Get her something sweet to eat! Go!’
The others salute and leap into the hole. The large Diamond Dog replaces the gag, but he still has to cover his ears to block Razzly’s screams.
Alba follows Shaun as they fly over the city.
‘What are we looking for?’ the princess asks.
‘I’ll know it when I sense it.’
‘Or you can tell me so I know what to look for too.’
Shaun stops and turns to the princess. ‘You don’t believe that I’m really psychic, do you?’
‘Honestly? I would have an easier time accepting you as the last Element of Harmony than believing you are some sort of clairvoyant.’
‘Your brother clops before bed.’
Alba rolls her eyes. ‘Which? The one who is too scared to make a move on his fillyfriend, or the one who finally got a fillyfriend and is overcome by his hormones? I’ve heard them both.’
‘Your friend we’re looking for wishes that Trixie was her real mom.’
‘Yeah. So do I. She would be a great mother for Razzly.’
Shaun closes his eyes and focuses. ‘Your father has a hoof in the end of the world.’
Alba shrugs. ‘Knowing him, that seems about right.’
Shaun tilts his head. ‘No wait. That wasn’t a hoof. What was it?’
‘Can we get on with this farce?’ the princess hisses. ‘I want to save my friend.’
‘I’m on it.’
Shaun raises his talons to his temples and looks around. He tilts his head when he notices something.
‘Look! A couple centimeter depression running parallel to the roadway!’ Alba points out. ‘Do you see that?’
The griffin avoids eye contact. ‘Maybe. No. Who couldn’t?’ Something catches his eye. ‘Your friend has a sweet tooth, does she not?’
‘Uh, yeah. Her special talent is baking.’
‘I am sensing that we should head...’
‘Oh! I see a line going from a cake store heading west! I bet they are that way!’
Shaun frowns. ‘You just love taking the piss out of everything I am going to say, don’t you?’
Alba smirks and raises a hoof to her temple. ‘I sense you don’t like being challenged.’
The princess flies away laughing. Shaun huffs and follows.
…
Shaun and Alba land outside of a boarded-up building. The pair case the perimeter and find an unblocked window. Shaun leans up to peek inside. Alba climbs up some debris to look inside, but she slips and crashes into a garbage bin. Shaun covers a laugh.
‘I guess they have it,’ the griffin snorts.
‘What?’ Alba snaps back.
‘Princess Alba in a can.’
‘I am going to kill you when I am free.’
Shaun laughs and pulls the princess free. ‘There are only two of them in there, but I saw your friend. We can take them if we...’
Alba slips through an unlocked door.
‘If we are sneaky...’
Shaun chases after the princess. They slink closer to watch the foalnappers. Alba casts a spell to protect their ears from Razzly’s crying.
‘Where is he!’ Large shouts.
‘He should be back soon! The cake she wanted was across town!’
‘He better hurry!’
The Diamond Dogs turn away. In front of Razzly is a table full of sweets. She stops crying for a moment to eat some ice cream before she screams again. Alba cannot hold back a snort of laughter. The princess charges a spell on her horn. A light purple aura appears around Razzly’s horn.
‘Razzly, we’ll get you out of here,’ Alba says via their link.
Razzly shakes her head and screams louder.
‘Don’t worry. I’m strong enough to take them.’
‘But what about my cake?’ Razzly whines.
‘We’re getting your damn..!’ Large snaps, turning around. ‘What do we have here?’
The large Diamond Dog shoves the small one. The small one turns then burrows into the ground. He pops up behind Alba and Shaun. Razzly stops her screaming as the Diamond Dogs trap the rescuers.
‘We have a purple pony princess now,’ Large cackles. ‘I think our demands have gone up.’
‘Not quite.’
The Diamond Dogs look to see Octavia holding her hidden blade to the fluffy Diamond Dog’s throat.
‘Let Razzly free and back off or this one is going to be a short hair real quick.’
‘Did he at least bring my cake?’ Razzly asks.
Alba and Razzly wait with Shaun in the police station as the officers lock up the Diamond Dogs. The three eat the leftover treats Razzly had gathered.
‘So you weren’t really scared?’ Alba asks.
‘Nope!’ Razzly replies. She rubs against her friend. ‘I knew you would save me.’
‘I knew that too,’ Shaun adds.
‘Shut up,’ Alba hisses. She frowns and looks up at the griffin. ‘Thanks for your help.’
‘I knew when I saw you again that we would have another adventure together. Call it psychic intuition.’
‘Call it the princess screwing up.’
The group turns. Alba flinches when she see a very angry Trixie standing next to an upset Helios behind her.
‘Cake?’ the princess offers.
Trixie frowns as she trots past the filly. She extends a hoof to Shaun. ‘Thanks for your help. Every time we run into you, something exciting happens.’
Shaun shakes Trixie’s hoof. ‘Honestly, I have a lot of fun.’ He leans close and whispers. ‘I sense Alba has a crush on me.’
‘I DO NOT!’ Alba screams, getting everypony’s attention.
‘Alba, wait outside.’
The filly frowns and marches out under her brother’s gaze. Razzly follows, levitating her treats with her.
Trixie bows. ‘Until we meet again, Mr Shaun.’
The unicorn follows her charges and starts scolding Alba.
Shaun holds a talon to his temple. ‘Oh, I am sure we will see each other again soon enough.’