Equestria Ninjas: The Point of No Return

by Jebens1

The Search for Dusty Pages

Twilight ran through the Canterlot streets, with Leo, Bright Eyes, and Spike following close behind. After learning what happened to Dusty Pages, she'd become racked with guilt, feeling that her little mistake cost somepony her job. And a fellow book lover at that too.

As they ran, Spike stopped and called out, "Twilight, the library is that way!" He pointed down a street. But when the alicorn didn't stop, he frowned and flew to catch up.

"Change of plans!" Twilight explained. "We're going to Dusty's house. She used to invite me over for tea all the time."

"But what about your late fees," Bright Eyes reminded her.

"Their not as important as making things right," Twilight replied.

"So you're not gonna return the book?" Leo asked.

"No. Dusty Pages is," Twilight stated. "It's my fault she lost her job. So if I give her the book, she can get her old job back. It'll fix everything.

"Well, if your sure," Leo relented, as they passed under an arched bridge and arrived at a small house.

But then he noticed a lot of signs posted outside the house, and none of them were welcoming signs.

Before he could say anything however, Twilight knocked on the door. But the pony who answered it was not Dusty Pages. It was a big, light blue stallion, with a spikey orange mane, who Bright Eyes thought looked like an older version of her brother Teddy.

The stallion didn't look happy to see them. "Didn't you see the sign?" He asked gruffly, pointing to one of the signs. "No salesponies!"

"Oh, we're not selling anything," Twilight began but the pony cut her off.

"No carolers either," he pointed to another sign. "No surveys, no petitions, no free literature..." After that, he tried to close the door, but Leo blocked it with his hoof and forced it back open.

"We're sorry to disturb you, sir," he said. "But we're NONE of those things."

"Obviously," Bright Eyes chimed in.

"We're just looking for somepony who used to live here," Twilight explained. "I'm pretty sure this was her house."

"Dusty Pages?" The pony asked.

Twilight gave a double take, "Yes!"

"Hold on," the pony went inside and came back carrying a mail bag." She moved to... Silver somethin'. Shoals, Seas, Surfer, whatever. When you find her, give her this." And he dumped a pile of mail all over Spike. "It's been stackin' up for years. And tell her to CHANGE HER ADDRESS!" He shouted, slamming the door.

"Isn't he a ray of sunshine," Bright Eyes frowned.

"No kidding," Spike agreed, popping out of the pile.

"So... how many places in Equestria have the name Silver?" Leo asked Twilight.

Twilight levitated out a map and answered, "A lot."

---

So the four traveled across Equestria, while Spike carried the mailbag, checking every town and place named Silver, or places that were near the sea, in hopes that they would find Dusty Pages.

First, they stopped by two houses and Twilight showed Dusty's picture to the two mares that lived there, asking if they had seen Dusty Pages or where to find her, but neither one knew anything about the librarian.

So she crossed off the spot on the map.

---

Next they searched around a shoreline. Bright Eyes told Leo that Applejack, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie had a sailing mishap there, when a creature called a tri-horned bunuip accidentally capsized their boat and that the three had blamed each other for the incident before Twilight fixed the situation.

Leo said it reminded him of when human Twilight, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie went for a sail during their time at the beach, which also ended in disaster.

When they saw no sign of Dusty, Twilight checked off that spot as well.

---

They next went into a silver mine and showed Dusty's picture to the miner stallion, who also didn't know who Dusty Pages was.

---

Back at the School, Silverstream was chatting with Gallus and Smolder, when she felt a tap on her shoulder and turned around to find Twilight and Bright Eyes standing behind her. Twilight showed her Dusty's picture, but Silverstream just shrugged.

"Told you she wouldn't know," Bright Eyes said to the alicorn.

---

Finally, they all arrived at a large building that was near a shoreline, as Twilight read the sign. "Silver Stable Community: For the best golden years. This has to be it!"

"I hope so," Spike said, taking out the map. "It's the last "Silver" spot on the map we haven't looked."

"Well, let's start asking if anyone's seen Dusty," Leo stated.

As they all went inside , Spike struggled with the mailbag, getting tired from carrying it around all over Equestria, when he glanced around, "Whoa! This place is—"

"Terrible, I know!" Twilight cut him off.

"What?" Leo asked in confusion. "How is it terrible?"

"There's not a single bookshelf in sight!" Twilight answered. "Poor Dusty..."

"Well, not everypony are as in to books," Bright Eyes stated.

They arrived at the front desk and Twilight spoke to the receptionist mare, "Excuse me?"

"Yes, how may I help you?" The receptionist, Teddie Safari, asked.

"Do you have a resident named Dusty Pages?" Twilight inquired.

"Oh, yes," Teddie Safari nodded. "Her apartment is in the next complex, ground floor."

"Thank you!" Twilight smiled as they headed off. Soon, they were walking down a line of apartments. Each of the doors had a framed picture of their owners. "I can't believe that my carelessness sent her here, when she could be happily surrounded by millions of wonderful-smelling books!"

"You realize that might just be a you thing, right?" Spike noted.

"Yeah," Bright Eyes added.

Leo glanced at one of the apartment doors they passed, when he noticed Dusty's picture was on it, "Guys, I found her!" He called.

Twilight gasped, "There she is! Here we go." She took a deep breath and knocked on the door. But Dusty didn't answer. She and the others waited. And waited. Twilight checked a pocket watch.

"I don't think she's home," Bright Eyes said and Twilight let out an exasperated groan.

"She's bound to be back soon," Spike assured. "Maybe we should just wait here."

"No. We are fixing this now," Twilight said firmly. "This place isn't that big. We can find her."

"The sooner the better, I suppose," Leo said.

After that, they arrived at a wooden dock where three ponies were painting. One of them was Apple Rose, a member of the Apple Family.

Twilight spoke to them, "Sorry to interrupt your plein air painting, but we're looking for Dusty Pages. Have you seen her?"

"Sure have!" Apple Rose said then went back to painting.

After a beat, Twilight let out a breath, "And...?"

"She had to leave early to get to her fengbi de ti session," Apple Rose explained.

"Which is right before she leads the woodworking class with me," an old stallion added. "Then she's on to windsurfing.

"Ooh, and don't forget theatre rehearsal!" Apple Rose continued. "Dusty's playing the lead role. Again." She frowned in envy.

"Then there's her band practice later," the old stallion finished.

"Thank you!" Twilight said and they turned back.

"Wow," Spike was impressed. "Dusty sounds like one busy pony."

"You can say that again," Leo agreed.

"And I thought I had a busy schedule," Bright Eyes commented.

Twilight had a different opinion, "Oh, she's just filling her days with distractions to cover the pain of losing the best job ever! But not for long!"

---

Three ponies stood on their hind legs, doing some movements when Twilight, Leo, Bright Eyes, and Spike came and showed them Dusty's picture.

One of the ponies, Pearly Whites, shook her head and pointed at a swinging gate, saying that Dusty had just left. Twilight lowered her head at this.

Next she teleported herself and the others to the wood working class and asked a stallion working on a bird house about Dusty, but the stallion shook his head and pointed toward the door right as a pony left through it. Twilight and the others quickly hurried out only to find the pony had already gone.

Then Twilight, Spike, Leo, and Bright Eyes were looking around on the dock when they spotted some ponies out wind surfing. So they each took two wind boards and caught up to them. Twilight showed them Dusty's picture but they shook their heads, saying Dusty wasn't with them before sailing on.

Twilight looked around to see if Dusty was elsewhere, when she suddenly lost her balance, causing the board she and Spike were on to turn over, knocking into Leo and Bright Eyes' board, spilling all of them into the water. They resurfaced onto their boards, wet and frowning.

Later they opened a door to the theatre where three ponies where rehursing a play, dressed as a fox, bunny, and jester. Twilight showed them Dusty's picture, which was still wet and slightly crumpled.

The first pony took off her fox mask and shook her head. The second took off his bunny mask and shook his head. The third took off his jester mask with a long pointy nose and shook his head. But when he did, the group saw that his own nose was also long and pointy.

Twilight's eye twitched, Leo and Bright Eyes stared in bewilderment, and Spike just rolled his eyes.

Then Leo closed the door and spoke, "Well... that was... something..."

"I had the same reaction when I saw his 'unique' facial feature too," came a voice. The four turned and saw a familiar elderly unicorn mare.

"Melody Spirit!" Twilight exclaimed.

"Twilight, Spike, and Leonardo, long time no see," Melody greeted. "And you must be Bright Eyes."

"Yeah, and you're Blade Swipe's sister, Melody Spirit," Bright Eyes noted.

"That I am," Melody chuckled. "My brother told me how much help you were to him in the other world. Nice to finally meet you." She shook hooves with Bright Eyes.

"It's great to see you again, Melody, but what are you doing here?" Leo asked.

"Well, I moved here a few months ago to be closer to some of my old friends," Melody explained. "I lead a pony parkour class and organize scavenger hunts. Though the question is, what are all of you doing here?"

"We came here looking for a pony named Dusty Pages," Spike answered.

"I don't suppose you've seen her, have you?" Twilight showed Melody Dusty's picture.

"Well of course I've seen her," Melody confirmed.

"You have?!" Twilight said in excitement.

"Why yes, we're very good friends," Melody stated. "But why are you looking for her?"

"Well, you see, Dusty used to work at the Canterlot Library," Twilight began. "But then I checked out this book," she levitated it out for Melody to see. "And completely forgot all about it. When we went to return it, we found out that she was fired!"

"She was?" Melody asked, before she muttered to herself, "That's not how I heard it?"

Twilight went on, "So that's why we're here. So that Dusty can return the book and get her job back."

"Problem is, we keep missing her at all her activities," Bright Eyes noted.

"We heard she has band practice, only we don't know where that is?" Leo added.

"Well then, you're in luck," Melody smiled. "I know exactly where she and her band practice. Follow me."

"Thank you!" Twilight beamed as they all followed Melody, with Spike dragging the mail bag.

---

Soon the group had entered a caffet with a small stage. A five pony band was currently playing. An old pony mare played a base fiddle, another played some drums, two old stallions played a saxophone and a trumpet, and sitting on a stool playing a guitar was the very pony they'd been looking for.

"Dusty Pages, finally!" Twilight beamed. "Come on, guys!" But as she stepped forward, Spike suddenly flew up, blocking her.

"Wait, she looks pretty happy up there," He said, motioning to Dusty. The elderly mare dropped from her stool and began playing like a rock star.

"Not to mention she's really rocking!" Bright Eyes tapped her hoof.

"Oh yeah," Melody nodded. "Dusty's a real natural."

"Trust me, it's all an act," Twilight insisted. "She'll be a lot happier when I deliver the news that she can go back to working at the library."

"If you're sure," Leo shrugged.

Twilight used her magic to levitate all the instruments out of the ponies hooves, making Dusty and her band mates look at her with frowns.

"Hey, Dusty, you got a visitor," Melody said, nodded to Twilight.

"Care to take five, everypony?" The princess asked.

Dusty's frown instantly vanished, "Ah! Twilight Sparkle?! My stars!" She nodded to her band mates as they took their leave. "It's so wonderful to see you!" She said, walking down from the stage. "Oh, and who are your friends?"

"This is Leonardo and Bright Eyes," Twilight quickly introduced.

"A pleasure to finally meet you, Dusty Pages," Leo shook her hoof.

"We've heard a lot about you," Bright Eyes said.

"The pleasure all mine," Dusty smiled, then she spoke to Twilight. "What are you doing here?"

"I've been looking all over Equestria for you!" Twilight said, while Spike dragged the mail bag over. "I need to tell you something."

Dusty noticed the mail bag, "Well, you brought my mail! Oh, thank you!" She gave Twilight a big hug.

"No. I mean, yes, we did, but that's not why we're here," Twilight explained. "I let you down, and I can't forgive myself until I set things right."

"I don't remember you doing anything wrong," Dusty stated in confusion.

Twilight explained, "You told me to take care of a special book I checked out from the Canterlot Library, and I never brought it back!"

Dusty gasped, as if suddenly remembering, "It was you that had that book out? The one that broke my perfect record?"

Twilight sadly nodded and levitated the book out of her saddlebag, "But now you can bring it to Canterlot Library and get your job back!"

But instead of taking the book, Dusty frowned and shook her head. "No, thank you!" She said, sounding mad. "I don't ever need to see that library again!" She picked up her mail bag and pushed the book back to Twilight. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have somewhere to be." And with that, she walked off.

"Uh, the owner of your old house said to change your address," Bright Eyes called.

"Thank you, dearie," Dusty called back as she left the cafe.

Twilight watched with a sad look on her face. It seemed that Dusty Pages really was upset with her after all.

"Well," Melody broke the awkward silence. "That certainly could've gone better."

Comments

[WarriorofFaith18]

Yikes! Now Twilight's gonna feel very bad!

[Wildcard25]

I’m surprised Leo didn’t call Twilight out on her denial of thinking Dusty wasn’t actually happy and it was all an act. And it’s nice Melody Spirit is there as well.

[Red Tagg]

Great to see Melody Spirit again.

"Well, I moved here a few months ago to be closer to some of my old friends," Melody explained. "I lead a pony park-core class and organize scavenger hunts. Though The question is, what are all of you doing here?"

I think you mean, Parkour.

[Jebens1]

11779006
Fixed.