My Little Warhorse: Friendship is Broken - Cold

by Script Singer

(3) They're Back

“Well I think that wraps up this decade's Summit.” Celestia announced, finishing her cake.

“And a good summit it was, welcoming the Crystal Empire back into the alliance!” the Dragon Lord Torch boomed.

“Agreed.” Mayor Gruff, well, gruffed. “The new Empress and Prince Consort will have much work to do, but they’ve done so much already there’s no doubt in my mind that they will persevere.”

The Alliance leaders got up and began chatting amongst themselves, slowly moving out of the Manor. Cadence and Shining chatting idly with Torch as they reach the train station.

“It’s nice to see the Crystal Empire under friendly management again!” Torch boomed.

“We’re glad to see we have so many allies, and even ones that remember!” Cadence returned. Torch waved goodbye as he takes flight back toward the Dragonlands, leaving the parents to figure out their next steps. Cadence turned to her Husband, “Well that was rather successful.”

“Yes, it was.” he gave her a nuzzle, “Now to pick up Flurry from Twilight and go back home.”

“We’ll need to get home as soon as possible though, the Crystalling is in less than a week and there is still so much to be done.” Cadence worried.

“I’ll take the train directly to the Empire while you fly down to Ponyville, with some luck we should arrive within hours of each other.”

-*｡･.:༄*:･----✶-❦-♬----*｡･.:༄*:･-

Twilight was making her lunch when the knock came. “Wonder who that could be?” she mumbled to herself as she went to answer the door. “Cadence?”

“Hi Twilight! How was Flurry?” Cadence beamed.

“Uh, what?”

“Where is Flurry? I thought she’d be here with you?”

“You, well, I, Cadence?” Twilight stammered.

“Yes?”

“You picked Flurry up already?”

“What? No I didn’t?”

“The night you dropped her off, you just appeared at my door and said the Summit had been canceled.”

Cadence stared at Twilight, horror growing between the sisters.

“Twilight,” she began. “That wasn’t me.”

Twilight took off toward town square, two days, it had been two days since Twilight let Flurry be foal-napped right out of her own house! Who knows what could have happened in that time! Hopefully it wasn't too late.

“Capitan! Gather the Guard!” Twilight shouted, skidding to a stop in the guardhouse.

Cadence ran on, Flurry was out there, in the hooves of. Of. She didn’t even want to think it. She wouldn’t let it happen. She breached the border of the Everfree, she had to find Flurry Heart.

-*｡･.:༄*:･----✶-❦-♬----*｡･.:༄*:･-

Twilight had moved the base of operations to her throne room, maps and papers strewn about, covering every available surface. Cadence walked in, her hair messier than usual.

“Any luck yet?” she asked.

“No, we’ve covered all of the Everfree.” Twilight reported. “Cadence I-”

“No need for that Twilight, I don't blame you.” Cadence placed a comforting hoof on Twilight’s shoulder.

“But still!”

“We’re wasting time arguing like this, where to next?”

“To the west, there’s not much out there except open fields and Sweet Apple Acres, so it should be fast.”

“OK,” Cadence picked up a stray quill, circling an area on Twilight’s map. “I’ll take this area.”

“Be safe out there Cadence.” Twilight said as Cadence left again.

She didn’t have much downtime before another group of ponies returned from searching and it was back to assigning areas and sending out scouts, the town guard had pulled in the weather ponies, and Twilight’s friends were all out there, leading their own groups of searchers.

“I brought the next round of maps Twilight.” Starlight announced, dropping another stack of maps on the Table.

“Thanks Starlight.” Twilight said, then she stopped Starlight before she left again. “I want you to go check on Cadence. It’s been too long since her last check in, she’s here in this area.” Twilight levitated a map to Starlight with Cadence’s circle in stark black ink.

“That’s a huge area Twilight!” Starlight exclaimed. “I’d need a whole other search-and-rescue team to cover an area this size!”

“Luckily I have a spell for that.” Twilight levitated an open book to Starlight, “it’s a finding spell, unfortunately it only works if you’ve seen the pony in the last day or so.”

“You've been looking too haven't you?” Starlight realized.

“In any way I can without moving from here.” Twilight confirmed.

“OK, I’ll go check on Cadence.” Starlight took the spellbook, turning toward the door and looking it over, “You’ve been doing good Twilight.” she said by way of farewell. Twilight smiled and turned back to her piles of paper and books.

“Spike!”

-*｡･.:༄*:･----✶-❦-♬----*｡･.:༄*:･-

“Capitan Horus, take the southern religion here with Lieutenant Grapes.”

“Yes, ma’am!” the captain salutes, running out of the throne room.

“Good and-” Twilight is cut off by the door slamming open.

“TWILIGHT!” Starlight is panting, horn sparking from overuse.

“Starlight? What is it? Where’s Cadence?”

“They- they’re back!” she panted, panic clear on her face.

“Whoa, take a breath, Starlight.” Twilight placed a calming hoof on her student’s shoulder. “Who’s back?”

“Cha-changelings!” Starlight nearly shouted, “I- I saw them take Cadence! There were so many of them!”

Twilight tried to not panic, taking a deep breath and letting it out. “Change of plans, Featherfall please go find my friends, the rest of you get the word out! Changelings have taken The Princess of Love and her daughter.” then quieter, “Spike, contact Celestia, I have a feeling that we’re going to need all the help we can get. You did good Starlight, now get some rest.”

It’s minutes later that Twilight and her friends are sitting in their thrones, pondering how they’re going to find where the Changelings have hidden Cadence and Flurry.

“Ah don like this one bit Twilight.” AJ stated, studying the magical map of the Table “what could the Changelin’s possibly wan?”

“They’ve been gone four years, Darling.” Rarity added. “Who knows how their motives have changed.”

“Maybe they wanna be friends!” Pinkie cheered.

“Or they want to drain us all.” RD grouched.

“The real question is how we’re going to find Cadence and Flurry.” Twilight pondered.

“Maybe I can help with that.” a suave voice said, scaring everyone but Fluttershy.

“Oh! Discord!” she greeted.

“Hello my dear Fluttershy and Friends.” the Draconequus, bowed, “I have the answers you seek, you need only ask and I, Discord, shall deliver!”

“You know where the Changelings are keeping Cadence and Flurry Heart?” Twilight asked.

“Indeed I do my dear! Their Hive” Discord indicated an area of the southern Badlands with a detached claw. “Here.”

“Lets go girls!” Twilight exclaimed, jumping up from her seat. The others followed, on a mission now that they knew where they were going.

“Thanks Discord.” Fluttershy said on her own way out.

“Ah, alone again, except for you.” Discord snaps his paw.

-*｡･.:༄*:･----✶-❦-♬----*｡･.:༄*:･-

Twilight led the girls deeper into the Badlands, the harsh sun beating down and searing their eyes. They round a bend, the vista revealing the Changeling Hive, right where Discord said it would be. It’s many changing openings and dark coloration making for an intimidating sight.

“This is it, girls.’ she said, “lets go save Cadence and Flurry!”

“Yeah!”

Author's Note:

Okay, I know there's not much that's super different atm, but do believe me, this will be very different from the original so bear with me everyone!

Comments

[Octoskan]

I am absolutely riveted right now! Looking forward to the next update :)

[Script Singer]

11909141
Tysm!!! That means a lot to me!