“This way, granny!” “I'm not granny anymore, Apple Bloom!” “Big Macintosh-” “You mean Lil' Macintosh.” “Eeyup.” “Lookit that over there!” “This is amazing!”
As the sun hung high in the sky, everypony was whipped into a frenzy, racing this way and that to get a taste of all the attractions. Twilight, Cadence and Shining Armor both marveled at a gigantic Ferris wheel while Rainbow Dash, Scootaloo, Spike, Applejack, Apple Bloom and Babs Seed hurried after a zooming roller coaster, Fluttershy, Rarity and Sweetie Belle shuddering as they watched it race the tracks at high speeds. Apple Smith (formerly Granny Smith), Pinkie Pie and Lil' Macintosh each rushed to a vendor selling various treats and snacks. This carnival just had so much. There wasn't a single moment where they weren't overwhelmed by the many many things the Endless Carnival had to offer.
“Let's ride this next, big bro!” Twilight grinned as the Ferris wheel came to a stop, a plethora of ponies flooding off of it.
“Yeah! I love Ferris wheels!” Cadence cheered happily as Rainbow Dash and her crowd piled onto the roller coaster. Shining Armor sighed as the same cloaked, elderly pony motioned them to enter into the compartment.
“Alright.” he sighed. “But only just 'cause you insist.” Laughing and jeering, the three climbed into the box as the giant wheel began to turn, giving them a breath-taking view of Canterlot. It all looked so beautiful, countless little colts and fillies racing up and down the streets as they raced to the many many rides and games and such. Twilight clapped her hooves together, her tiny wing flapping wildly.
“This is so much fun!” she cheered, Shining Armor and Cadence both looking out over the rest of the grand city with her. “I wish Flash could be here for this.” she said, remembering that Flash was still out field training. Still, as the Ferris wheel turned and turned, she felt so happy and carefree. This was just too good to be true.
=====
Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Apple Bloom, and Babs wobbled off the roller coaster, all of them having had the time of their lives.
“Who wants to go again?” Rainbow Dash cheered.
“Eeyup.” Applejack said quickly, her face lighting up.
“I'll do it again!” “Me too!” Spike and Scootaloo called in union, running to join up with them from a target game just down the cobbled street. Apple Bloom raised her hooves to join in, but Pinkie rushed in a flash for the line.
“I love roller coasters!” she cheered, Apple Bloom tumbling toward a haunted house attraction. Shaking her head, she slowly climbed back up to her hooves and raced to join her sister, but something caught her eye. The strange old stallion at the entrance stood completely still, grinning through his long platinum beard, his face still shrouded under his dark cloak. For some reason, Apple Bloom walked closer to him, wanting to know what he wanted.
“You seem like a fine young mare.” he said suddenly as she came to him, shuddering at his deep whisper. “Tell me, young mare, would you care for a balloon?” he asked, holding a shiny red balloon, Apple Bloom's eyes following as it floated about slightly.
"Hey cuz, let's catch up... cuz?" Babs looked around for Apple Bloom but saw her nowhere. She shrugged, figuring she went off to some other ride or the like and hurried to join up with the others.
=====
Fluttershy, Rarity and Sweetie Belle were in total heaven. The carnival had a petting zoo with many many different animals, all of which were very friendly and quickly flooded around the three.
“Aren't you all just the most adorable critters I've ever seen?” Fluttershy mused as she sat on a large bail of hay, stroking a tiny lamb.
“They are just simply the sweetest little animals I've ever seen.” Rarity said with a big grin as she stroked a particularly gruff looking goat.
“I love animals.” Sweetie Belle cheered, Fluttershy and Rarity noddy and smiling in agreement as she nuzzled a chubby pig which squealed happily.
“Maybe we can get you a Cutie mark in caring for animals!” Rarity said suddenly, her tiny wings flapping all about as the goat trotted off. “Fluttershy can help you.”
“Really?” Sweetie Belle gasped, her eyes twinkling. Fluttershy, however, looked more nervous than usual. She was just a little filly, not nearly as skilled as before when she was a full grown mare.
“Well, um...” she stammered, searching for the right words to say. “We... we-”
“Start by singing to them!” Sweetie Belle interjected. “You're so good at singing to animals, so that's the perfect place to start!”
“That's a great idea, Sweetie Belle!” Rarity added with glee. “Try singing, Fluttershy.” Almost as soon as Rarity suggested it, Fluttershy felt a swell of confidence. The animals always loved her songs.
“Okay then.” the yellow filly said quietly, turning to some grazing sheep. “Just follow my lead.” Jittery and excited, Sweetie Belle hurried up to her friend, ready to sing her heart out... until Fluttershy began to coo a calm, mellow tune for the lambs, each of their ears perking up as they listened to her sweet voice and gathered around her. Sweetie Belle, however, folded her hooves.
“No no no!” she said irritably. “Like this!” the unicorn filly said proudly as she began to sing in a loud, bouncy manner, the animals all hurrying over to her as they hopped about to her joyous singing.
“But-but-but-” Fluttershy stammered as the animals began to dance more spastic, hay being torn everywhere. Rarity put her hoof to Fluttershy's shoulder, shaking her head. They both just watched as Sweetie Belle continued to sing with her animal friends.
Finally, after singing for so long with them, the trio walked out of the petting zoo, their spirits still high as the sun had begun to drift slightly to the west.
“That was so much fun.” Sweetie Belle sighed as she hurried to keep up with Rarity and Fluttershy as they chatted happily.
“Oh, that looks good!” Fluttershy said quietly as they saw a small vendor, the smell of warm cakes hanging in the air. Rarity squealed with delight as she and Fluttershy hurried for the stand.
“Wait for me!” Sweetie Belle called as she raced after them, only to stop suddenly as she saw the cloaked old stallion watching her from a short distance, holding a shiny red balloon.
“You seem like a fine young mare.” he said suddenly as she came to him, shuddering at his deep whisper. “Tell me, young mare, would you care for a balloon?” he asked, holding the balloon for her.
“Those cakes look so good!” Rarity said as she and Fluttershy looked them over. Suddenly, the cloaked stranger they saw before stepped gingerly behind the stand.
“Would you care to sample some, young fillies?” he asked politely in his deep tone, smiling behind his platinum-colored beard.
“I dunno.” Fluttershy said as she looked over the many treats, each of them looking so tasty. “What about you, Sweetie Belle?” she said turning, only to see the little filly was nowhere to be found.
=====
Rainbow Dash, Scootaloo, Spike, Applejack and Pinkie Pie all piled off the roller coaster after riding it AGAIN, dizzy and giggling (Babs having ditched them long ago).
“That's was so much fun.” Rainbow Dash said slowly, her scruffy mane more of a mess than before. Scootaloo and Pinkie stumbled this way and that as the two tried to support each other while Spike plopped to the ground.
“Where's Apple Bloom?” Applejack suddenly said, noticing her sister was nowhere to be found.
“Aw, she probably went with Granny Smith an' Big Macintosh.” Rainbow Dash said, shaking her head. “Let's go see if we can't find them an' see what they're up to.”
“Let's surprise them!” Pinkie called suddenly, jumping up and down, Scootaloo flopping to the ground.
“Last I saw 'em, they were at a skee-ball game.” Applejack said as her heart swelled with excitement.
"Then let's go sneak up on 'em!" Rainbow Dash cheered together. With that, the three were off. “C'mon, Scootaloo!” the young blue unicorn called back to her friend. Scootaloo jumped up, her wings flapping faster and faster, hurrying for her friends as they left Spike unconscious on the ground. Just then, however, she saw something strange. The elderly stallion from before, watching her from a bit away, everypony hurrying by him as if they didn't even notice him.
“You seem like a fine young mare.” he said suddenly as she came to him, shuddering at his deep whisper. “Tell me, young mare, would you care for a balloon?” he asked, holding a shiny red balloon, Scootaloo's eyes following as it floated about slightly.
=====
Everypony had gathered in the square as the moon shined bright on the carnival, worried about their friends while the rest of the Canterlot fillies and colts played about on the rides and attractions. Twilight could see them up ahead as she, Shining Armor, Cadence and Babs (who ultimately joined up with them) left the haunted house.
"That was so much fun." Babs sighed.
"It was kinda scary, too, though." Shining Armor added, Cadence giggling. "What? Colts can't get scared, too?"
"Yeah, you were pretty scared, princess." Babs added, Cadence blushing. It wasn't long, however, that the other three spotted the crowd as well.
“This doesn't look good.” Shining Armor said cautiously, the trio hurrying to their friends. “What's wrong?” he asked.
“Scootaloo is missing!” “So is Sweetie Belle!” “An' Apple Bloom.” they all stammered, Twilight at a loss for words, everypony looking frightened at the thought. Why would they all disappear so suddenly. They were always together all the time, always doing funny things together, always trying to get their...
“Wait a minute!” Spike said suddenly, everypony jumping as he finally came to and joined back up with them. “This is Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle we're talking about.” Nopony said a word. “You know them, they're probably off trying to do some over-the-top things trying to get their Cutie marks. That's probably why we haven't seen them.”
“That's right, Spike, that's probably where they are.” Twilight agreed. Everypony let out a sigh of relief, knowing Spike and Twilight was probably right.
“Even at a fun carnival, Apple Bloom an' them can't give up on getting' their Cutie marks, huh?” Applejack said wiping her brow, Lil' Macintosh nodding.
“Oh, I was just the same as her.” Apple Smith said, putting her hooves over their shoulders. Rarity sighed as they watched everypony else play up and down the streets.
“This was just so much fun.” she said, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash nodding with her as the giant clock tower rang out the midnight hour. “I just wish this could last forever.” “Me too.” Cadence said quickly. “Me three!” Pinkie cheered, everypony chortling as the bell let out its final clang.
“Let's go and see what else there is.” Rainbow Dash cheering, everypony agreeing and hurrying with her.
“Let's sneak up an' scare those three if we find them!” Spike called, a number of the agreeing with him as well.
"Yeah, it's the least we can do for Apple Bloom an' them ditchin' me to go an' get their Cutie marks." Babs said in a slightly disgruntled tone. As Twilight hurried at the head of the crowd, however, the tiny alicorn felt herself lifted from the crowd, everypony stopping to see Princess Celestia using her horn to levitate Twilight.
“Don't worry, everypony.” she said. “Just a little something I want to discuss with little Twilight.” she said smiling. Everypony bowed to her and hurried back off into the carnival.
“What's the matter, princess?” Twilight said as Celestia slowly lowered Twilight back to the cobblestone street.
“Something is very wrong, Twilight.” she said gravely. “The midnight hour has come, and yet while every time before the Endless Carnival has faded away, it now remains here.” Twilight didn't say anything.
“Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle have also disappeared.” Twilight and Luna said, both Twilight and Celestia blinking as the blue alicorn princess glided down to join them. “I'm sure these both are connected.”
“But... what can we do?” Twilight asked nervously. Celestia closed her eyes and left out a low exhale.
“We will need to meet with the Gatekeeper.” she said. “He will likely know what is happening.”
“Who is the Gatekeeper?” Twilight said suddenly.
“That would be me.” came a low hoarse whisper. Twilight turned to see the elderly stallion from before, grinning from under his hooded cloak.