It appeared that Pinkie was the only one who wasn't startled by the apparently random teleportation of the whole group across Equestria and its various landmarks. Though most confusing of all was when the group found themselves outside the royal palace, each wearing black camouflage gear.
"Um, Pinkie, what just happ..." Rainbow as she started to regain her senses, however she was quickly cut off as Pinkie pulled her to the ground and placed a hoof against her lips.
"Shh," Pinkie whispered. "We all have to be very quiet."
"Why is that?" asked Rarity, her voice hushed to avoid Pinkie pulling her unceremoniously to the ground as well.
"Duh. So we don't alert the guards." Pinkie rolled her eyes. "Now, I'm going to try and sneak in the library since it's the most likely place to start searching for Twilight. The rest of you try and find your own entrances and do your best to avoid being caught."
The moment Pinkie's hoof left Rainbow's lips, she opened her mouth to say something to the pink pony but found that Pinkie had strangely disappeared almost immediately.
"She does realize the guards know who we are right?" Rainbow asked scratching her head.
"Indeed, it does seem foolish that the guards would deny us entry. But then again, Pinkie has never been the brightest of bulbs." said Rarity.
"Wait, so we're not going to sneak in?" asked Fluttershy nervously.
"I'd imagine not, darling. I'm pretty sure if we just asked the guards nicely they'd let us in, and tell us where Twilight and Applejack are."
"That's a relief," sighed Fluttershy. "I don't think I could sneak around the palace at night, not by myself."
"So... Should I go get Pinkie? Or just go find the nearest guards and find out what's going on?" asked Rainbow.
"I think it's probably best to let Pinkie be Pinkie," said Rarity. "I doubt we could convince her the guards aren't serving whatever evil she's imagined up no matter how hard we've tried."
"Fair enough, so where to?" asked Rainbow. "You know the palace better than I do."
"Hmm," hummed Rarity as she recalled her previous visits to the palace. "Well, it seems like we're in the gardens, which would mean there should be a entrance over there somewhere." Rarity pointed off into the distance.
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Rainbow took to the air, quickly gliding off into the gloom, Rarity following quickly behind.
"Um, wait for me, if you want to I mean." Fluttershy called quietly after them as she found herself alone in the darkness.
"So, how does it look?" Twilight asked nervously as she watched Wilson. He was peering down a microscope at a blood sample which had been painstakingly prepared.
"Give me a minute," he said as he adjusted the sights. "These devices are so much harder to use as a pony."
"Hmm." Twilight hummed impatiently. "Might I remind you that this is the Princess's life we're dealing with here?"
"And may I reiterate that this microscope is a lot more difficult to use with hooves." Wilson said, waving a hoof about. "Could I please get a bit of patience please? I mean I did only start using them this morning."
"Alright," Twilight sighed. "I'm sorry, but can you please work as fast as you can."
"Will do."
The next few minutes were spent in near silence. The only sounds, Wilsons mild cursing, and scraping of metal on metal as he studied the samples. Soon however, he looked up from the microscope and turned to face Twilight with a neutral expression.
"So..?" asked Twilight nervously. "What's the verdict?"
"It isn't cancer." said Wilson, and Twilght let out a sigh of relief.
"That's good right?" Twilight asked, a forced smile plastered across her face.
"Not necessarily." Wilson Shook his head. "I mean, it's good she doesn't have cancer, but all we've done is eliminate an option. We're no closer to finding out what it is."
"So we're back to square zero." said Twilight defeatestly.
"Not necessarily," said Wilson. "There's always the chance that House has found something. And like it or not, he usually does."
"Is he really that good?"
"As a person? Not really. He's a complete ass to be honest, but as a doctor? He's literally worked out what was wrong with someone by taking a dip in a fountain."
"Really? That's rather interesting. What was the problem?"
"Turned out he had a problem with his hyperthalmus that hinted at some deeper disease. A shot of cortisol cured him in seconds."
"Wow, that's rather cool. Doesn't stop him being an ass though." said Twilight, quickly changing her tone from one of amazement to one of annoyance
"No, it does not. In fact if anything, it only made him more of an ass." said Wilson with a shake of the head.
"How is that possible?" asked Twilight.
"Well, in his defence, his boss wanted to try and teach him a lesson about humilty, sufice to say it ultimately failed."
"It definetly appears that way. So what now? Do we just go and ask House what he's found?"
"That's as good as plan as any," said Wilson. "Though, perhaps you should lead the way."
"Woah woah woah, wait a second." Interrupted Celestia's mother.
"Yes?" asked Celestia. "What is it?"
"You said before that you just found out that other worlds exist. But that's not true is it?" asked her mother accusingly
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, where did your former student, Sunset Shimmer go? Through the mirror to another world."
Celestia shook her head.
"Not really, the world she went to was a mirror of our own. The fact she changes when she's transported proves that. But House, he's human in our world. Which means he comes from a world not linked via a mirror. A new world, and not one with slight differences."
"So how does that make you, or shall I say us, feel?" asked her mother.
"I'm, not sure. On one hoof it could pose a risk, beings from another world being transported here. But at the same time, it's only one being. Hardly a national security problem." Replied Celestia.
"Indeed, in fact, he seemed more of a nuisance than a threat if you ask me." Her mother giggled. "Especially when he attempted to ride on your back."
"You dare laugh at me?" questioned Celestia.
"I'm your subconcious, remember. Which means you're laughing at yourself. You do have a sense of humour after all." said her mother, patting her on the head.
"So that's why I'm here, for you to laugh at me?" wondered Celestia.
"No, you're here because you're deathly ill. I'm here because your mind is questioning the alien's existence while dying."
"What abou his accent would I be questioning?" asked Celestia.
"Why is he here? Even if he didn't come by his own force, what's the motive of what or who brought him here?" said her mother.
"That makes sense. Though, there is a small chance it doesn't mean anything. Perhaps he was brought by some sort of temporal fluxuation." said Celestia
"Indeed." Agreed her mother. "There is also the chance that he was brought to aid us in some way. Perhaps he has skills that would be valuable in the times to come?"
"What sort of times? And what kind of skills?" asked Celestia, rising from the couch.
"How would I know?" asked her mother. "I'm your subconcious, if you don't know, I don't know."
"Sometimes the subconcious is aware of things, or maintains information about stuff the concious isn't aware of." Said Celestia.
"That may be true, but I can tell you I have no information other than what you already know. That a bipedal creature calling himself House apparantly appeared within our Gardens and claims to have a friend elsewhere in the Kingdom. Then shortly after, while waiting for a meeting with a farmer you fell off your balcony." Said her mother. "A result of us falling ill I'm sure."
"Hmm," Celestia mused. "About that, do you think he could have caused it?"
"Possible, but nothing we can do about it if he did. All we can do is sit here and chat while hoping your sister will deal with the situation. Whatever it may be." Said her mother.
"A grim prospect indeed." Sighed Celestia.
"Cheer up, Princess. It could be worse?"
"How so?" asked Celestia.
"Pinkie Pie could be here."
Pinkie Pie gasped quietly as she pressed her snout against the window. Inside, next to a pile of books in what could only be the library was some strange creature she'd never seen before. Staring carefully at it, making sure not to be seen herself, she observed it flicking rapidly through the pages of a rather thick volume with pale claws similar to Spike's, only far more squishier and consideribly less sharp.
As she watched the creature scan each page before quickly turning to the next, she noticed that the same word kept appearing at regular intervals. 'Alicorn'.
'So, this creature is the reason Twilight didn't return.' She thought to herself. 'It captured her and the Princesses and is now trying to find their weaknesses to complete its fiendish plot.'
Pinkie smiled as she crouched low to the ground and moved away from the window towards a nearby tree. Upon reaching it she reached inside its trunk through a well concealed hole and pulled out a canvas sack that rattled quietely as she removed it from the tree.
"Well, I really hope reading about Alicorns was enjoyable mr kidnapper." Whispered Pinkie as she approached the window with sack in hoof. "However, it's such a shame you'll never get to use any of it."
House turned the page and sighed, he had already skimmed through three books about alicorns and all he found were either glorious portrayals of Celestia and Luna's apparant exploits or the most ludicrous claims he doubted could be true, even in a magical filled land such as Equestria. Deeming this book yet another failure in his search for information, he closed it and moved it to the top of the 'useless' pile and reached for the next book.
Suddenly, his vision went dark as something rough and scratchy that felt remarkably like a burlap sack was shoved over his head. He reached up to remove the offending object but stopped when he felt something furry grab his hand.
"Hold it right there you monster!" A female voice commanded from right next to his ear. "One wrong move and a cupcake in your eye will the least of your worries."