//------------------------------// // Chapter Two // Story: Cor Tuum Audire // by Darkswirl //------------------------------// "Another one, with the same giant red ruby as before?" Rarity inquired with a giddy little hoofstomp as she and Twilight made their way through Ponyville at night. They avoided the marketplace as to not interfere with the ponies as they moved their carts and stock out of the street, and instead opted to skirt around the edge of the town towards the castle. "Well, it's not as big as the one in the Alicorn Amulet, but Princess Celestia and I think it was made by the same pony, or group of ponies, at the very least." Twilight explained. "And it's definitely enchanted, I just don't know how." "Oh, my stars, this is so exciting!" Rarity exclaimed. "To be able to examine an enchanted ring crafted by ancient unicorns, first hoof! Do you know why rubies were used primarily in enchanted items?" As quickly as she had asked the question, Rarity answered it herself; leaving no time for Twilight to even guess. "Because rubies are one of the few gemstones that allow magic to pass easily through it as if it wasn't even there, while still acting like a conduit!" Rarity giggled in excitement as Twilight gave a little chuckle. "Well, that would certainly explain why they used a ruby for the Alicorn Amulet; all those magic-amplifiers spells would have been a lot harder to cast without a ruby." Twilight mused as they neared the castle. "Princess Twilight Sparkle, welcome home." the guard greeted with a salute, to which Twilight replied with a silent nod. "Three mares came by to see you, recently, but you were not at home. I let them wait inside for ten minutes before they left." "Who was it? Did they say what they wanted?" Twilight asked as Rarity calmed herself in front of the guard. "Unfortunately not, Princess. However, the three mares were Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle." the guard replied. "Oh, alright. Well, they're probably all at home, now." Twilight chuckled as the guard swung open the door for her and saluted, before stepping to the side to let the two mares pass. "I'll see what Sweetie Belle wanted when I leave here." Rarity promised as she followed her friend through the crystal halls and into the library. "If it's anything important I'll come rushing over, otherwise I'll see you in the morning. Now, where is that beautiful ring?" Twilight's face turned from a small smile into a confused and worried frown as she pushed aside a pile of books on the table. "I-I don't know. I left it right on the letter Princess Celestia left me before I went to come get you." "Did it maybe fall onto the floor? You did practically slam into my door in excitement." Rarity smiled as she bent her head down to scan the floor for any sight of the ring. "Maybe. I may have accidentally bumped into the table, too, on my way out." Twilight admitted with a nervous laugh before she, too, ducked her head down low to begin searching. After a few minutes of fruitless searching, Twilight raised her head with a defeated groan. "I can't believe I lost the ring on the first day... Princess Celestia won't send me anything like this ever again if she fins out I lost it... Wait! The Cutie Mark Crusaders, the guard said they were here!" "Twilight, while I understand your thought process, if you are perhaps implying that Sweetie Belle would steal from anyone, let alone you-" Rarity began with a shocked tone, before Twilight interrupted her. "No, Rarity, I'm not saying Sweetie Belle or the other Crusaders stole it, but think about it: have you ever seen me wear jewelry?" Twilight explained. "I hate the stuff, and practically every pony knows it. If they found something like that just laying around, they'd probably think that you had dropped it!" Rarity opened her mouth to protest, before slowly closing it with a nod. "Alright, I'll go check on Sweetie Belle. Do you want to go visit Rainbow Dash and see if, perhaps, Scootaloo has it? If Apple Bloom has it, well, she's a responsible young filly who can't go very far to begin with." "Alright, meet back at the castle when one of us has the ring?" Twilight asked, to which Rarity gave another short nod before the pair hurried through the castle and back out into Ponyville. "Apple Bloom!" Scootaloo whispered loudly as she tapped on Apple Bloom's second-story window. A candle lit inside the room and Apple Bloom slowly trotted towards the window while rubbing her eyes. "What do y'all want? I just went to bed." Apple Bloom asked with slight annoyance. "Can we come in? You gotta see this!" Scootaloo continued as she dropped down to pick up Sweetie Belle and carry her up to the window. Apple Bloom sighed and opened the window as much as she could before climbing back into bed as Scootaloo carefully angled Sweetie Belle so that she could climb in through the window, before all three Crusaders quietly climbed into the bed. "Now what's so darn important that you had to wake me up? I got chores in the morning!" Apple Bloom explained. "This." Sweetie Belle said as she flared up her magic once more; the ring on her horn forcing it out through the glimmering ruby center piece to produce a glowing map with two flashing red symbols. Apple Bloom's tired eyes opened wide as she took in the magical map. "T-That's Equestria." Apple Bloom explained, simply. "See, that mountain in the center is Canterlot, and that sun and moon must be Princess Celestia and Princess Luna." "I know, right?" Scootaloo exclaimed. "But why are they on the map? Why are they being 'tracked' by this ring, and what are these other symbols?" "Well," Sweetie Belle began. "This little black flag is right on Canterlot, and the other one is in the Everfree Forest, so that might be those old ruins that Ms. Cheerilee said was New Canterlot before Canterlot was rebuilt." Sweetie Belle pressed her hoof into her chin as her eyes wandered over the map; her friends waiting patiently for her to continue. "And this red ring symbol might be us, here in Ponyville, but I don't know what that green swirly thing in Ponyville is, or why there's a red flag in the San Palomino Desert; there's nothing there but desert and mountains." "Ancient ruins!" Scootaloo shouted in excitement before Apple Bloom tackled her and held her mouth shut. "I'm supposed to be asleep, you two! Keep it down!" Apple Bloom whispered harshly to Scootaloo before climbing off of her. "I don't think so, Scootaloo." Sweetie Belle continued. "If there was anything in San Palomino, I'm sure somepony would have found it by now. And besides, Canterlot is still around, and they have a black flag." "Yeah, but that old castle in the Everfree Forest is destroyed, and it still has a black flag." Scootaloo challenged. "The mountains in San Palomino go on for miles, and they're so cloudy that weather ponies haven't been able to push them all out of the way. Plus it's theorized that there are hundreds of miles of cave networks from the river that used to run from Saddle Lake straight into San Palomino." Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle gave Scootaloo a concerned look before Scootaloo shifted nervously on the bed. "Hey, just because I failed a lot of my classes doesn't mean I didn't pay attention to parts of them." Apple Bloom gave a little huff as she sat next to Sweetie Belle for a better view of the map. "Scootaloo may be right, but from here to there is miles away. If you're implying that we go see why there's a red flag in the middle of the desert, we'd be gone for weeks, and I have stuff to do on the farm." "Apple Bloom, you always have stuff to do on the farm; the same things, day in and day out." Scootaloo complained. "All I've ever seen you do here is kick trees and fix the barn. Don't you ever want to do something different?" "I like picking apples and I like fixing things on the farm." Apple Bloom defended. "I have a responsibility here, I can't just get up and leave whenever I want." "Why not?" Sweetie Belle began as she let her magic drop, and with it the map. "Scootaloo has a point; all you do outside of the farm is hang out with us and go to school. And with school over, what else is there to do? This could be the adventure of a lifetime. Applejack and Big MacIntosh handled the farm fine for years before you were born, no offense. I'm sure they could handle it for a few weeks at the least." "But I can't just get up and leave!" Apple Bloom said. "And for that matter, neither can either of y'all! Applejack an' Big Mac will be worried out of their minds as to where I went, and Rarity would tear houses out of the ground tryin' to find Sweetie Belle." "So? We'll just leave them all a note to say where we've gone. What's the big deal, Rainbow Dash lets me do whatever I want." Scootaloo explained. "I know." Apple Bloom said flatly. "And I don't think it's right, but I ain't yer mother." "Apple Bloom's right, Scootaloo. Ponies will notice if we go missing, and they'll come after us even if we leave a note." Sweetie Belle said. "Girls, listen to me." Scootaloo began. "We made it through these past few years bored out of our minds. Twilight and her friends have taken down almost every problem that's popped up in Equestria. There's nothing fun to do, anymore. Don't you guys miss the adventures we had when we were fillies? Remember that time Apple Bloom followed Zecora into the Everfree the first time she saw her?" "Yeah, and Twilight and her friends nearly put her head on a stake thinking she kidnapped me." Apple Bloom explained. "But she didn't kidnap you, and they didn't put her head on a stake. In fact, you taught them all not to judge a book by its cover, that just because something may seem dangerous doesn't necessarily mean that it is; we have to experience it before we can come to conclusions." Scootaloo continued. "And what about that time at the Canterlot Wedding when Sweetie Belle lead us all into a charge at the Changelings?" "They had our sisters held hostage!" Sweetie Belle defended. "Plus we lost, anyways..." "Yeah, but at least we tried." Scootaloo explained, encouragingly. "We never would have had a chance at saving them if we didn't try in the first place. It's exactly like this map: we know it's here, but unless we follow it we'll never find out what it leads to in the first place. Those two other flags, the one on Canterlot and the ruins of the Everfree Forest, those were all huge cities at some point; the capitals of the entire nation! Who knows what that red flag in the desert means, or why it's red in the first place? We could be sitting on the biggest find of the century, but it'll stay hidden for who knows how long unless we seize the chance, now." As Scootaloo finished talking, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle twisted their snouts up in thought. Scootaloo was right; the Cutie Mark Crusaders had learned several important things over the years, and they had been bored out of their minds ever since. But the fact of the matter was that they had responsibilities, here in Ponyville. They had ponies that cared for them. And yes, they would come looking for them if they were to go missing, but was the adventure really worth putting their loved ones through that heartache? Seeing that her friends may be close to turning down the adventure for good, Scootaloo gave a little half-hearted smile as she spoke up. "We could get our cutie marks along the way." "Sweetie Belle wasn't at home!" Rarity called out to Twilight as she descended from the clouds back into Ponyville, with Rainbow Dash in-tow. "Rainbow Dash" Twilight began accusingly. "Lets Scootaloo come home at any time before twelve, and she doesn't even know where she's been all day. "Hey, lay off, Twilight!" Rainbow Dash defended. "Scoots is practically an adult! She can take care of herself!" "Rainbow Dash, dear," Rarity interrupted. "Scootaloo is still a teenager. She is at a point in her life where she begins rebelling against authority and doing whatever she pleases, most of the time because she finds it 'fun'. She is more likely to be irresponsible, now, more than ever." "Pfft, as if! Scootaloo is one of the most responsible fillies I know!" Rainbow Dash retorted as she stayed above Twilight and Rarity, who hurried down the dirt road towards Sweet Apple Acres. "Coming from Rainbow Dash, that doesn't surprise me in the least." Twilight mused. "Oh, darling, don't be so harsh on her." Rarity pleaded. "You know that she always tries, but being raised without a supportive mother figure doesn't exactly leave lots of room for good judgement. At least she still genuinely cares for Scootaloo." "Sorry, Rarity." Twilight began. "I know what you mean, but right now I'm more worried about the ring than Rainbow Dash's feelings. Given what we know about the Alicorn Amulet, there's no telling what this ring could do, and the fact that it's in the possession of three inexperienced fillies just makes me worry even more!" "I understand where you're coming from, dear, but just because we're preoccupied does not mean you shouldn't apologize to Rainbow Dash." Rarity said, sternly. "She's still Scootaloo's guardian, and she still tries her best to raise her as properly as she sees fit." Twilight gave a knowing sigh of defeat as her pace slowed a bit. "Rainbow Dash?" She called out, prompting the pegasus to fly a bit lower to the ground. "Yeah, Twilight?" Rainbow Dash inquired with an impatient little huff. "I'm sorry for what I said, I know you really try to be a good parent to Scootaloo, and I shouldn't push my expectations of how to raise her on you. It's unfair and I'm sorry." Twilight apologized as the trio neared the farm. "It's cool." Rainbow Dash replied, simply, with a little shrug before flying up to her original height. "It's 'cool'?" Twilight asked Rarity. "She deals with things her own way, dear. She internalizes things a lot. Just give it time, and she'll start acting like she forgives you." Rarity explained as they slowed to a trot at Applejack's door before knocking quietly. "Whoever it is, y'all better have a good darn reason for wakin' me up in the dead of night." Applejack yawned as she opened the door. "Oh, Twilight. An' Rarity." "And Rainbow Dash!" Rainbow Dash called out from above as she pressed her face against one of the second-story windows. "Uh huh..." Applejack began. "So, what can I help y'all with at this hour?" "Well, I'm helping Princess Celestia figure out what some of the magical items locked away for years in the Canterlot vaults do, and she sent me a ring with similar craftsmanship to the Alicorn Amulet-" Twilight began to explain. "You mean that tarnished silver and ruby necklace thing Trixie tried to kill you with years ago?" Applejack interrupted. "Yes, that Alicorn Amulet. The point is, I think the Cutie Mark Crusaders took it without realizing what it was, and we can't find Sweetie Belle or Scootaloo." Twilight continued. "Is Apple Bloom home? Are the rest of the Cutie Mark Crusaders here?" "I sent Apple Bloom to bed a few hours ago, and Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo haven't dropped by since yesterday evening." Applejack explained as she opened the door wider to let her friends in. "Why don't y'all have a seat and I'll fetch Apple Bloom; we'll have this mess sorted out right quick." Twilight and her friends settled into one of the couches in Applejack's living room as she slowly ascended the stairs to Apple Bloom's room. "Do you really think the CMC would just steal from you like that, Twilight?" Rainbow Dash began. "I mean, if they thought it was Rarity's, we would have found Sweetie Belle at home, right? What are we going to do if that ring acts like the Alicorn Amulet and drives the wearer mad with power?" "Please don't talk like that, dear, especially not when I'm sitting right next to you." Rarity grumbled. "No matter what happens, we'll get Sweetie Belle and her friends back safe and sound, Rarity. I promise." Twilight explained as frantic hooves were heard on the floor above them before Applejack came bounding down the stairs. "Apple Bloom is gone!"