“You know what? This is the best I’ve felt for months, thanks Fluttershy.”
“Your welcome, Twilight. Though it was really Spike’s idea.”
Comfortable silence reigned but then it was broken by Twilight.
“I’m worried for the princesses, Fluttershy! I can’t help but feel like I should be doing something to help them, to get them back. Or even just know whether they are alive! Its driving me crazy! How could there be no trace? They can’t have just vanished into thin air! There’s no magical traces, nothing! Nopony saw them leave, nopony saw anyone come in! Even Discord doesn’t know what happened, if he’s really telling the truth-“
“Of course he’s telling the truth! I know how he was before and I know you and the girls don’t trust him but I do and I know he is being honest; I’m sure of it. You really need to stop worrying about the princesses because there’s nothing you can do to help them, there is no way you can. Oh I’m sorry, Twilight. There, there its okay…”
Twilight clung to Fluttershy like a lifeline and cried her heart out into her mane. They stayed like that for a while with Fluttershy stroking her back and murmuring reassurances.
“I-I’m sorry, Fluttershy, I-“
“No, its alright Twilight.”
Twilight's head cleared for a moment. She smiled.
“You know there is something I could do.”
The yellow pegasus heard alarm bells go off in her head, surely Twilight wouldn’t do something really reckless would she? But then, this was Twilight and Twilight tends to be reckless over small things sometimes, so this…
“W-what would that be?”
She replied as a plan formed in her head.
“I have to go to Canterlot, steal Luna’s feather, I remember reading about a tracking spell, yes, i remember it! Hm, Princess Celestia had banned it because it was too dangerous for even the most skilled unicorns- but it’s nothing I’ll be fine! Don’t worry, Fluttershy, I’m sure she was just being over precautious.”
“Twilight are you sure? I mean the princess wouldn’t ban something for a small bit of danger would she? There are lots of dangerous legal spells aren’t there?”
“Fluttershy, I have to! I can’t sit by and do nothing anymore… I can’t.”
“Please don’t, Twilight.”
“I’m sorry, Fluttershy. Good night.”
With that Twilight got up and walked out into the twilight.
~~~
The Royal Museum in Canterlot Castle displayed only the best the world had to offer.
Weapons from ancient times, precious artifacts holding immense power, flags and banner of the past, and so much more that was too invaluable to lose.
Which was why Twilight was beyond appalled at the state of the guards. They were useless.
But she wasn't going to complain, not right now.
Twilight ducked behind a display for what felt like the thousandth time, heart hammering in her ears. She gulped Okay, just one more corner to go. Just one.
Three, two… A squeak on the floor as her hoof slipped made her gasp. No! Go away! Horseapples! The Unicorn ceased to breathe as she stared frozen, wide-eyed at the guard as his gaze slid across the room and fixed on the spot where she hid.
He called out and moved towards her with his spear held ready.
She panicked and teleported to the feather, grabbed it with her magic and set all the alarms off. With her heartbeat pounding in her ears, she lit up her horn and went back to her library for what was sure to be her last time.
~~~
“Spike! Get our saddlebags! Now!” Panicking, the thief started throwing throwing random 'necessities' into a pile in centre of her library.
“Wha-? Gimmie five more minutes!” He said as he wormed his way further into his blankets.
“We don’t have five minutes! The Royal Guard will be here any second! Come ON!”
“Why are they coming here? Did something happen? Wha-!”
“We don’t have time.” Twilight said as she dropped Spike on her back. “We are outlaws now, Spike. I’m sorry.”
“Hello!”
Twilight screamed as she reared back, dropping Spike in the process.
“Discord! What in Celestia’s name are you doing here?! We don’t have time, please, please just leave us alone!”
“Why my dear Twilight, What has gotten you into such a frenzy? Surely you have just a second for some friendly tea? Or some other beverage if you prefer? Though I really shouldn't be offering you tea in your house, I should be offering it at mine!” And with a snap of his fingers and a burst of light, they vanished.
“My dear, dear friends! Welcome to my humble abode, may I introduce you to my pet blobfish? His name is Charles. We absolutely adore having guests! Don't we Charles? But it does gets a little bit lonesome sometimes. Clock! Get the tea and spaghetti! Mat! Take our visitors’ things! Put them up the chimney!”
“Discord! What’s happened to my magic?!” Twilight screamed whilst her futile attempts at teleporting did nothing but make her head ache.
“Discord we’ve gotta get out of here, you see we’re running fro-“
“Don’t you say another word, Spike!”
Wincing, he fell silent.
“Oh? Who are you running from? Not the Royal Guard, I do hope; because they have surrounded your little tree-house.”
“What?! We have to go, we need to get away right now!” Eyes wide in panic, she doubled her efforts, but not even a spark came out.
“Wait, Twilight. If they’re at the library and we’re not, we’re okay, right?”
“That is right, young Spike!-" he patted Spikes head, much to the baby dragon's annoyance "-You have no need to worry, we are no longer even in Equestria! Welcome to a place called Nowhere. Absolutely charming isn’t it? I made it myself!” He bowed and was showered in roses that came out of nowhere.
Spike looked around the room at all the flying furniture, spitting lamps, rotating walls, floating bathtubs, shrieking napkins, flying books, swimming worms and flying penguins. “Yeah… Sure. Charming.”
“Discord. You know they can track you by your magical trace. They’ll know you helped us and at the moment that makes us all criminals. Blueblood won’t stand for any trespassing in the castle let alone theft from the Royal Museum! Especially if he’s involved with the disappearances. We have to go to a magic-cancelling area, until the effects from the last spell is gone. This obviously isn't.”
“Oh Twilight, I thought you were cleverer than this! Don’t you feel your magic’s gone? Of course this is a magic-cancelling area! It’s Nowhere! We are perfectly safe here. Perfectly safe!”
“Of course I've felt it! Did you not notice me trying to use it ever since we arrived here? But your magic is still going! If you turn up anywhere in Equestria they will have you arrested!”
“Me? Arrested? By that whiny little colt? Pah-leese! And besides do you really think that I would be so careless? They won’t have a clue that I even saw you today. I’m at Fluttershy’s this minute!”
“That’s impossible, Discord!”
“Oh you naïve, little ignorant child. Of course it is, which is why I’m safe!”
“But- but that doesn’t make any sense!”
“Enough! You bore me with your 'sense'. Go find your princesses, child. They are somewhere in your universe, there is nowhere else they can be. If you do find them alive, do send my regards, if you will. But if they aren't… well find out where the next two alicorns are lurking. You’ll figure out what to do with them. Now if you will kindly leave, that would be wonderful. I have business to attend to elsewhere. Arrivederci!”
“But we don’t know how to get back!” Twilight said but it was too late as Discord had already vanished.
She looked desperately out the windows that showed nothing but swirling colours that made her want to vomit.
"Spike, do you have any idea how to get out? Spike?”
The unicorn looked around and realised that her assistant was gone and a fresh wave of panic came over her. “Spike? Spike! Spike?! Where in Celestia’s name have you gone? Spike!” She spun dizzily around and stopped, panting for breath. She then became aware that she was no longer in Discord’s house and instead was floating in the sea of colour.
“Oh no, no, no, no, no! Where the hell am I supposed to go?!” Twilight yelled just before she fell through a trap door that opened up beneath her hooves.