Twilight managed to catch her balance as she fell out of the horse shaped statue. She took of a few moments to look at her new bodily features, placed her backpack comfortably onto her back, then ran towards Sugar Cube Corner. She had to contact all of her friends, and Sugar Cube Corner was the closest to the school. She would go and ask Pinkie to help contact the other.
Once there, Twilight entered and walked up to the front counter.
"What can I get you?" asked the human version of Mrs. Cake.
"Hi, um, I'm actually looking for Pinkie Pie. Is she work-"
"TWILIGHT!!!"
Twilight only had a few second to register the fact that a pink blur had just slammed into her, knocking her to the ground. The pink blur embraced Twilight in a tight hug.
"I'm so glad to see you again!"
"Pinkie! . . . Can't! . . . Breath!"
Pinkie Pie released Twilight from her arms and help her to her feet. "OhIcan'tbelieveyourbackIthoughtyouwouldn'tbebacksosoonwellIknewyouwouldcomebacksoonbutIdidn'tknowthissoo-"
"Pinkie slow down! I have no idea what your saying" said Twilight.
"Oh! Well I'm just soooo glad that your back! I mean the battle of the bands was like two months ago! So I didn't think you would be back so soon! What cha doing here anyway Twi? Back to fight another bad guy?" asked Pinkie.
"Actually, I'm here because I think Sunset Shimmer might be in trouble-"
"WHAT!?! SUNSETS IN TROUBLE!?!"
Twilight quickly clamped her hand to Pinkies mouth, silencing her. So looked around and noticed that everyone in the bakery were staring at them. Blushing, Twilight chuckled weakly and sat Pinkie down in one of the booths. She sat next to Pinkie and started explaining. "Yes, I think Sunset might be in trouble. Earlier today I received messages from Sunsets communication book, but it wasn't Sunsets handwriting. The person who stole the book seems to know exactly what it is, so it can't be just any old human playing with a new toy. I think someone intentionally stole this from Sunset. I don't know if Sunset really is in danger, but I just want to make sure nothing bad has happen to her before I start assuming she's safe. That and we really can't have this book fall into the wrong hoofs, er, hands".
Pinkie nodded and reached for her phone. "Looks like this is a job for, the Mane Six!"
"Mane who?" asked Twilight.
"Oh you know. Me, you, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, and Fluttershy! That's what the fans like to call us!"
"Fans?"
"Oh no body from this dimension. I'm talking about the place where people don't have multicolored skin, and they have this HUGE fandom about us! With conventions! And fan art! And this website that lets you write your own stories about our world!"
" . . . Pinkie, are you talking about something that's real?"
"Well their not real to us! But we're not real to them either!"
" . . . Just call our friends already".
"Okeydokielokey!" said Pinkie, as she dialed the numbers.
Pinkie Pie and Twilight waited for over an hour. Eventually, one by one the rest of the group had arrived. Twilight explained to them the situation as they drank milkshakes.
"Well I do hope Sunsets not in any danger, have you tried calling her already?" asked Rarity.
"I have, but she didn't answer!" said Pinkie Pie.
"Well what kind ah trouble do you reckon she's in" asked Applejack.
"I don't know, but whoever stole her book knew what it was and how to use it. So its most likely someone who knows about our world".
"Someone who knows your world huh? If I didn't know any better I'd say it was those Sirens!" said Rainbow Dash.
"That's actually a very good point, the Sirens most likely have a grudge against us after we beat them in the battle of the bands" said Twilight.
The bell on the door to Sugar Cube Corner rung as some one entered.
"They probably stole that book and is using it to communicate with me, but why?" asked Twilight.
"Um, girls?" whispered Fluttershy.
"Do you think they did something to Sunset?" asked Rarity.
"Girls" said Fluttershy, slightly louder.
"They better not! I swear if they laid a finger on Sunset then I'm gonna-"
"Girls!" Fluttershy shouted, interrupting Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy hid behind her hair and blushed as all the attention was put onto her. "Look at the counter" Fluttershy whispered, pointing to the front counter.
All girls turned to the counter, their jaws dropping simultaneously.
At the front counter was Sonata, ordering a box of muffins. Once Mrs. Cake handed the box to Sonata, Sonata turned and was humming to herself as she walked towards the door.
"HEY YOU!" Rainbow Dash shouted, pointing at Sonata.
Sonata stopped and turned to Rainbow. Her happy attitude suddenly dropped as she saw all of the Rainbooms sitting at the table. "O-Oh! Hey there! I didn't k-know you guys went here" Sonata stammered, wearing a fake smile (it was evident that she was scared).
"You did something to Sunset! Didn't you!" Rainbow shouted.
"What! No! I was just coming here for muffins! I would never hurt any of your friends!" said Sonata.
"Uh huh, like were gonna believe that after what you did at the battle of the bands!" said Applejack.
"Girls! Please restrain yourself! Don't you see how scared she is? She hasn't done anything bad to Sunset Shimmer! So stop yelling at her" said Twilight.
Applejack and Rainbow glared at Twilight. "Are you serious!? Twilight she-"
"I mean it Rainbow! Stop yelling at her!" said Twilight, sternly.
Rainbow and Applejack obeyed. Sonata gave Twilight a smile that said "thanks" and left the bakery.
"What was that all about! You just made us lose our chance to finding out if they did something to Sunset!" said Rainbow Dash, angrily.
"Actually, I made it easier. Do you really think she would have told us anything while we were shouting at her?" asked Twilight.
"We'll probably not, but we could have tried to force the information out of her" said Rainbow.
"Rainbow Dash! Are you implying that we hurt her!" exclaimed Rarity.
"No! But we could have done something instead of just let her leave!"
"Rainbow, I didn't just let her leave. I let her leave feeling that she was safe from us questioning her. So now it'll be easier to find out what she's up to" said Twilight.
"What? So, you meant to make her leave so that we could-"
"Follow her!" Twilight interrupted Rainbow Dash.
Twilight quickly left the booth and towards the door. The rest of the girls followed shortly.
"With her guard down, it'll make it easier for us to follow her and see what she's up to" said Twilight, as they walked down the sidewalk.
"Wait? So you still suspect that the Sirens did somthin to Sunset?" asked Applejack.
"Of course! Its too obvious not to suspect them! I only made it seem like I didn't think it was them just to lower her guard. There she is!" said Twilight, pointing ahead of her.
Sonata had walked down the street and into another store. The Rainbooms quickly followed behind and entered into the store. Twilight stopped to look at a sign posted on the window before entering.
It was a large thrift shop filled with random merchandise.
They saw Sonata walk towards the back of the thrift shop, through a door that said "Employees Only".
"I didn't know Sonata worked at a thrift shop" said Rarity.
"That's because she doesn't. Did you girls see the sign outside as we entered? It said that the store is open from between eight A.M. and eight P.M. Rarity, what time is it?" asked Twilight.
Rarity checked her phone. "Its nine thirty".
"Then this store is supposed to be close, so why are all the lights on?" asked Twilight. Twilight walked closer to the employees only door, the Rainbooms followed behind. Once there, Twilight leaned her ear against the door and listened.
"Did they follow you?"
"No, I think I'm safe. And look, I brought muffins! You want one Adagio?"
"What are they saying?" asked Rainbow Dash.
"Are they talking about Sunset?" asked Applejack.
"Shh!" said Twilight as she focused back onto the voices in the room.
"Why do you think a bakery is open this late night?"
"Don't know, but I'm glad it is! We can have yummy muffins any time we want!"
"Excuse me!" said a voice from behind.
The Rainbooms turned quickly, expecting one of the Sirens. All of them sighed with relief when they saw it was just the janitor, holding a broom in his hand. He wore his janitor hat in a downwards position, covering his face.
"Oh, sorry sir. I know we're not supposed to be here so late! It just that . . . we . . . uh-"
"Are waiting for some friends to give them a surprise!" shouted Pinkie, finishing Twilights sentence.
"Oh is that so. Well normally people are not supposed to be here past closing time. But for you girls-". The janitor lifted his hat, revealing his face. He had pale skin, piercing red eyes, and short well combed white hair. He gave them a gentle smile. "I'm willing to make an exception. Besides, it does get rather lonely here at nights". The janitor took his broom and started sweeping the floor.
"Oh, well, thank you mister" said Twilight.
The janitor chuckled. "Please, call me Draco".
"Okay well, Mister Draco Sir. We have a friend who's in the employees only room right now. Sonata I think her name is. Do you know why she would be her so late at night? Even though the store is supposed to be closed?"
"Well the store may be closed, but us janitors still have our jobs to attend to. We work after the store has closed, so that we don't disturb the costumers trying to clean messes".
"Oh, so Sonatas a janitor" asked Twilight. All of the Rainbooms had skeptical looks.
The janitor nodded. "Indeed she is. She actually just came back from getting us muffins. Such a sweet girl, always trying to make everyone smile".
"Uh, well . . . do you mind if we see her?" asked Twilight.
"Sorry girls, but only employees are allowed in the back" said Draco.
"But we have to see her! This is an emergency!" said Rainbow Dash.
"Oh, an emergency? What kind of emergency?" asked Draco.
"One of our friends went missing and we think that Sonata might have done something to her!" said Rainbow Dash.
"Rainbow! Don't tell him that!" said Twilight, annoyed.
"Your friend is missing? And you think Sonata has done something to her?" asked Draco.
"Please mister, jus let us talk to her please? It'll only take a couple a minutes" said Applejack.
Draco thought for a minute, then smiled to the Rainbooms. "Sure, you can talk to her". Draco walked up to the door and knocked. "Sonata! You have some friends here who want to talk to you!"
The door opened, and Sonata came out. "Oh! Hello! What are you doing here?" asked Sonata, surprised.
'This isn't how the plan should have worked! We were supposed to follow her! Not interrogate her!' thought Twilight. Twilight sighed, "hello again Sonata! We, um, just had a few . . . questions for you. We were wondering if-"
"Did you kidnap Sunset or what!?!" shouted Rainbow Dash.
Sonata was taken aback. She looked to Twilight, "I thought you said that I didn't do anything to her!"
Twilight gave her an apologetic look. "We just wanted to make sure, that's all".
Sonata stomped her foot to the ground. "No! I didn't hurt Sunset! Tell them Draco! Tell them I would never hurt anyone!"
Draco looked confused about the whole situation, then smiled at them. "Sonata has worked for me for a while now. I highly doubt she would hurt anybody. Perhaps this Sunset Shimmer girl you are talking about is just somewhere else at the moment. Have any of you tried contacting her? Or going to where she lives?"
Twilight looked to the Rainbooms, then back at Draco and Sonata. "We haven't been to her house, but we did try and-"
"Wait a minute! None of us said what Sunset's last name was. How do you know her last name is Shimmer?" asked Rainbow, interrupting Twilight.
Draco's smiling expression immediately changed to a worried one. He chuckled, "w-well. Sonata and her friends talk about her sometimes so I just . . . happened to know her last name".
All of the Rainbooms stared at Draco accusingly. "Oh really? So how come you described her as "this Sunset Shimmer girl?" asked Rainbow.
"I-I, well, you see".
"I think your working with the Sirens! Aren't you!" shouted Rainbow.
"Sirens! That's preposterous! I would never-" Draco stopped and looked to the Rainbooms expressions. None of them believed him, and he knew the jig was up. "Oh, blast! And here I thought this could have gone smoothly. Sonata, tell the other to close shop, we're going home".
Sonata walked back into the employees only room. Draco took of his janitor hat and clothing, revealing his normal attire. "Well you girls are quite smart, I'll give you that".
"Wait! You really kidnapped Sunset?" asked Twilight.
"Well in a manner of speaking yes we did forcibly take your friend against her will. But I promise she is in great cond-".
Rainbow ran to Draco and socked him in the jaw, she tried to attack him further before Applejack grabbed hold of her. "Who are you!?! What have you done with Sunset!?!" she shouted.
"Whoa there! Calm down!" said Applejack, struggling to keep hold of Rainbow.
"Calm down! He just admitted to kidnapping Sunset and you want me to calm down! Who does this guy think he is anyway! Who are you!?!"
Draco felt his jaw, then chuckled. Rainbow looked to Draco's jaw and stopped struggling due to being shocked. His jaw was clean, Rainbow didn't even leave a scratch. "But, I punched you as hard as I could!"
Draco's chuckle turned into a laugh. "Indeed you did, and I would have felt it too if your Equestrian friend hadn't provided me with the "nutrients" to become stronger".
"Nutrients?" asked Twilight.
Now Applejack looked ready to pounce on Draco. "What did you do to Sunset!"
"I told you, she's fine. But I do believe its time we part ways" said Draco.
"Not until you tell us what you did to Sunset!" said Twilight.
"Sorry girls, but its closing time" said Draco. He snapped his fingers and as he did, the lights went out.
"What happen to the lights?" asked Rarity.
"Oooh! Are we playing three blind mice?" asked Pinkie.
"What's happening! I can't see!" shouted Fluttershy.
"Their getting away!" shouted Rainbow.
"Girls remain calm! Their just escaping, they won't hurt us! We'll try and go after them as soon as we- OOF!" Twilight didn't finish, something had hit her on the back of the head.
"Twilight!!! Are you- GAAGH!" Applejack shouted. Something had also hit her on the back of the head.
"Applejack! Twilight! Are you okay! Where are you! I can't see!" Rainbow shouted. She had felt Applejack release her and disappear.
"Rainbow what happened!? are they alright?" asked Rarity.
"Omygoshomygoshomygosh!!!" Fluttershy wailed.
"This doesn't seem very fun anymore!" shouted Pinkie.
Suddenly they heard the doors to the store open and close.
"This way! Follow the sound of my voice!" shouted Rainbow.
A few moments later, Rainbow had led the Rainbooms outside. They could see again thanks to the light the full moon was providing. Fluttershy, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie gasped when they that Applejack and Twilight were missing.
"What happened to Twilight and Applejack!?" asked Rarity, starting to panic.
"They were just with us!" shouted Rainbow.
"Do you think the bad guy took them?" asked Pinkie.
"They must have. Great, now they have Sunset, Twilight, and Applejack held hostage!" said Rainbow, angrily.
"Should I call the police?" asked Rarity.
"The police? Ha! You think the police can take on the Sirens?" asked Rainbow.
"But didn't they lose their magic?" asked Rarity.
"Ya! But whoever that guy was is probably also using magic! Didn't you see when I hit him? I didn't even leave a scratch! I can take down a football player with one punch! So that scrawny guy must be using magic!"
"So what do we do then?" asked Pinkie Pie.
"We go find them of course!" said Rainbow.
"But how are we going to save them? If this Draco fellow is using magic, then how can we get past him?" asked Rarity.
"I don't know. But the first thing we need to do is find out where their heading!" said Rainbow.
"Um, I think I know where their going" said Fluttershy.
"Oh, really? Where?" asked Rainbow.
Fluttershy pointed to a trail of oil going out of the parking lot and down the road.
Rainbow smiled. "Alright! Lets go find them! Then we'll decide how to save our friends!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Meanwhile~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Draco and the Sirens laughed to their success.
"That was easier then I thought! Who would have thought breaking into a thrift shop and using that place for a trap would be so simple! Good job by the way getting the elements to follow you from the bakery" said Draco, as he drove and ate a muffin simultaneously.
"It wasn't too hard. I made myself look innocent. Of course, they didn't believe me" said Sonata, biting into her own muffin.
"Hey one question, why did we bring the farm girl with us? I thought we only needed the princess" said Adagio.
"Oh it was too dark in there, I accidently knocked out the wrong person before I realized it" said Draco, obviously lying.
"Draco, we can tell when your lying. Why did you bring the farm girl with us?" asked Adagio.
"I-I, uh . . . I just need to find out a few things. That's all" said Draco.
"A few things? Draco, do you know who this girl is?" asked Adagio.
Draco didn't answer. They drove for a few minutes before Adagio said, "Draco, do you know who this girl is?"
Draco sighed. "Maybe I do, maybe I don't. And maybe I'm wondering why you girls didn't tell me she was part of the Elements of Harmony".
The car went silent for a moment before Sonata spoke. "Oh, so you do know".
Draco chuckled, "How did you think I wouldn't know? She looks just like Almata!"
"We didn't want you to worry-"
Draco cut Adagio off. "Don't worry about it, I understand. Lets just . . . not talk about it until we get home, okay?"
The Sirens nodded and remained silent for the rest of the ride.
As they stopped at a stop light, Draco looked in the mirror to the unconscious farm girl in the back seat. He smiled as he felt tears form in his eyes.
'She looks just like her mother' thought Draco.