//------------------------------// // Chapter One // Story: Something's Ahoof // by Monsoon Rose //------------------------------// Eight Days Later... Applejack sighed as she wiped her brow. Nearly every pony in Equestria was looking for the missing princess. She herself had scrounged all over Ponyville and then went all the to Zecora in one day. She was exhausted after doing that on top of harvesting the apple trees. "Applejack, what are you doing?" Rainbow Dash questioned as she flew down to the orange pony. "Taking a break," the pony responded as she rubbed her eyes. "I keep on wondering what happened to her. She isn't anywhere in Ponyville or near Zecora. Zecora has been searching the Everfree Forest too. She said she isn't there." "Well, even Celestia hasn't gotten any remark from what happened to her," Dash murmured as she landed and walked over to the tree that Applejack was sitting under. "I don't see why anyone would hurt Twilight." "Hopefully, no one has hurt that filly. Her brother is going crazy over this," she replied. "If anypony put a hoof on her, he would probably destroy that pony. Poor Cadance and Shining Armor." "Hey," another voice came. The two fillies turned to see the retest of their friends coming towards them. Pinkie Pie wasn't bouncing like normal; in fact, she seemed a bit deflated after the news of Twilight disappearing. Rarity didn't look like her usual self either. Her hair wasn't perfect, but instead, a little frizzy and her fur was slightly dirty. Fluttershy looked worried, more worried than normal. "Hey," Rainbow Dash and Applejack greeted their friends. "Any news?" Applejack questioned. "The only news I have is that no pony has seen Twilight for eight days now," Rarity sighed. "On the other hoof, I heard that Cadance has sent a member of the Royal Guard to Ponyville. You know, that one colt?" "Oh, the one she liked?" Pinkie laughed slowly, seemingly testing it. "That'll be interesting." "Fillies, I think we should get back to searching. We'll find her faster if we work together," Applejack suggested. "Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, fly overhead. Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and me will search on the ground. When that colt gets here, he can help you two." The two pegasi nodded and flew into the sky. The others started trotting through the forest, their eyes scanning for the violet alicorn. "Are you Princess Twilight Sparkle's friends?" A voice came. Rarity shrieked as the three spun around. Behind them stood the yellow-orange colt. His wings were folded by his sides as he peered at them. "Sorry to scare you." "Oh, it's fine," Pinkie Pie smiled. "Who are you?" "I'm Flash Sentry. Princess Cadance sent me to help you search for Princess Twilight," he explained. "Oooooohh," Pinkie Pie drawled. "Well, could you help them two from up there?" Applejack pointed to the flying ponies. "Hey, I think I saw something!" Rainbow Dash suddenly shouted before zooming off down into the forrest. "Follow that Pegasus!" Rarity shouted before galloping after her friend. The other ponies did the same. Flash Sentry flew after the rainbow colored pony, the yellow pony flying ahead of him. He had no idea how he was involved in what happened. After not receiving a letter, according to the castle's maids, Princess Cadance freaked out and started sending Royal Guard ponies out after the Princess Twilight. He was recruited, though he wasn't exactly fighting that part. In truthfulness, he did like the violet alicorn when he first saw her. When she bumped into him for the first time, he felt something. For some unexplained reason, he felt a spark of energy fly through him from where their fur touched. Maybe it was because she was a princess, he had thought. But it felt slightly wrong to say that when he saw her again. Her purple eyes had soe,thing that he had never seen in another pony. It also made him fear for his sanity. Although his Captain, Shining Armor, and the Pricness, Cadance, had married, he knew there was not a chance he would even be allowed the chance to even get to romantically know Twilight. He knew he liked her as a crush, but he knew it would never be returned. She was a princess while he was just a member of the Royal Guard. He didn't even do enough to to be rewarded. "Twilight!" A voice snapped him out of thinking. Below, he saw the fillies gathered around a familiar violet filly. He grinned happily as he lowered himself down to the ground until he noticed that her eyes were closed. "Can you carry her, Dash?" The Orange filly questioned the rainbow Pegasus. "It'll be tough," the Pegasus murmured. "I can do it," Flash volunteered. The fillies turned to him, as though just then remembering he was with them. "We've got to get her help," the earth pony stratched her forehead. "You sure you can do it?" He nodded before the filly nodded as well. Within a second, he pulled the princess into his arms and flew off, the two pegasi following him. Something didn't feel right when holding the princess. There was no spark of energy this time. Perhaps because she is asleep, he thought. He waved the thought off with the mention of the remaining fact: she was a princess while he was just a Royal Guard pony. "What's going on?" A voice came. His eyes dropped to the filly in his arms. Her eyes were open now, but instead of being purple, they flashed green for a moment. He almost dropped her as he saw that. It was so strange. "You are safe, Princess Twilight," he assured. It must have been a spark of her magic, he told himself. It had to be. "You've been missing for eight days. Do you remember what happened?" "No," the alicorn murmured before closing her eyes again. "I have no idea."