//------------------------------// // Celestia's Missing, Too?! // Story: I'm No Legend // by Short Stories //------------------------------// The train ride took two hours to long, but they finally made it to Canterlot. Twilight kept getting fan-frenzied stares, creepy smiles, and lots of questions if she could give others her hoofagraph. She tried to ignore it all to the best of her ability, and luckily, once they got off, the problem dwindled to one or two excited shouts. The trio seemed to make it up to the palace in no time at all, easily passing the Royal Guards, and moved hurriedly into Celestia's chambers. But once they were at the door, everypony stopped. The place had been ransacked; the mattress was halfway across the room, scorch marks were etched into the walls, and the lovely white curtains had been shredded and were burnt at the tips. Most notable of all; Celestia was gone. "What in Equestria happened here?" Twilight blurted as she gazed upon the sight. "I was here yester---er--the last time I was here, it didn't look like this." Spike took a couple steps into the room, as if drawn to the scene. "I don't think it's ever been like this..." Scootaloo, meanwhile, was trying to fight the urge of yelling with cheer that she was actually in the castle--actually in the princesses bedroom. "I wonder who could have done this..." she mumbled instead. Twilight followed the duo into the room, and immediately began tiding up, self unaware. "Has Nightmare Moon returned yet?" She asked them, "maybe she attacked." "That was two years ago." Spike explained without a trace of irritation in his voice. "You and your friends reformed her once you realized the spark was caused when you realized they were your friends." Twilight gave him an odd look, already feeling the memory claw it's way forward. "...if that makes sense..." Spike finished, mentally going over what he had said. But Twilight was already spacing out; Spike waved his claw in front of her face, trying to see if she was still with them. When she didn't respond, he shot her a concerned look and walked towards Scootaloo. "Find anything?" He asked her, "anything that can help us, I mean?" Scootaloo, who had been over looking at the vanity, pointed down to reveal a couple strands of a thick, black mane. "Wow, Celestia really put up a fight...but...who would be strong enough to take her away?" Scootaloo blinked, thinking of a couple villainous ponies that could easily overpower her, and, after mulling it over, decided to suggest a couple. "What about Discord?" She asked, "he could probably overpower her with his chaos magic; I remember Twilight told Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and I about how Celestia and Luna defeated him with the Elements of Harmony during a Twilight Time. If those are really the only thing that can defeat him, and you sacrificed them to save the Tree of Harmony....he's unstoppable..." Spike's eyes widened in alarm as what Scootaloo had said sank in "Sweet Celestia, you're right!" He exclaimed, "he could go back to the way he was before her got reformed! What are we going to do?!" "We can always get the others rounded up and have them summon them." She said. "But, honestly, I think I'd like to have him as a tyrannical ruler. Unlike Sombra, he tries to put fun in everything." Spike froze, a horrible thought hitting him head on. "What if it is Sombra?" He shuddered, "what if he got Discord to work together with him? What if--" Scootaloo put her hoof in his mouth, raising an eyebrow. "Didn't they blast him to smithereens a while back?" "Well...yeah..." Spike scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "But...what if he's--" "--how about we try not to ask all these 'what if' questions and focus on the task at hoof?" Scootaloo sighed and walked towards the bed, trying to find more clues. Spike was about to follow when he heard a groan emit from Twilight and went over to help her instead. "Are you okay?" He asked, "I've never seen a--a memory...I guess...take so much out of you." Twilight nodded, trying her best to persuade the little guy. "Don't worry about me, Spike, I'm perfectly fine. I just---had a montage or something. It was all the times we battled villains...I just need to rest a little, is all...I don't think I'd be much help here, anyway." "I completely understand." He said, helping her lie down so she wouldn't hurt herself. "But.." he looked over his shoulder at the hoofful of mane left behind and grimaced at how much that could have hurt. "...before you do..." he added, going to get the clue. He laid it where Twilight could see it and took a step back. "...since you..uh...remembered, just now...do you have any ideas on who's mane this might belong to?" The moment Twilight's eyes laid upon it was the moment she started to freak out. She sprang to her feet and mentioned something about leaving the oven on. She then quickly grabbed the mane and teleported back to the castle. Scootaloo and Spike shared a shrug before venturing around the room a little more. With Spike getting increasingly nervous and curious on the thought of why Twilight had freaked out over a little pit of hair, he and Scootaloo agreed to call it quits for now and try and get back to the alicorn. Once they told a guard what had happened, of course. They were finally done explaining what they saw and got a train ticket back to Ponyville. Rainbow Dash looked up at the ceiling of the Celestia-forsaken room for the umpteenth time. She knew, without a doubt, there was a hidden trap door up there. She looked at the ties that had her earth bound and started tearing at them with her mouth again. A foot of paper came loose, but her wings were still trapped. She sighed. This was going to take a while. ~*~ Pinkie Pie was bored. Deathly bored. Her spronging around the room had only caused a latch on the ceiling to unhook..barely. She heaved out a huge sigh, crossed her forelegs in front of her, and rested her chin on them. Her tail started immediately twitching, so she lazily rolled to the side to avoid whatever was falling. Up above, the latch shut again. She looked up and it finally hit her like a sac of potatoes. She was going to have to bounce her way out. This was going to be a piece of cake...speaking of which, she hadn't had anything since yesterday. Her stomach gave a low growl and she sighed again. She wished she had a piece of cake with her right now... ~*~ Rarity's magic was as high as it could get as she aimed all her energy at the latch above. She had noticed it when seeing if the ceiling would be better in a shade of blue; a hole had appeared through her vision and, ever since then, it popped out like last season's fashion. Taunting her.She scowled at whomever had put her in the dreadful place and felt another burst of energy...one stronger than before. A ray shot out of her horn and disintegrated the latch. Though she was quite burnt out, she quickly teleported herself up to the roof of the place she was in. Then, before she could get a good look around, collapsed in a heap of exhaustion.