The Missing Elements

Rainbow Dash awoke with a start. That was more than enough sleep for her! Flying downstairs to her living room, where Feather Wish and Cloud Dash were sleeping, she stopped cold in her tracks.

They were gone. She would've shrugged it off if it weren't for the fact that it was strangely quiet, their stuff was out in a mess, and a strange scuff mark led to the door.

Those two don't make black scuff marks and dirty messes, do they? She thought.

Curious, she stopped at Rainbow Shine's door.

"Huh? Oh, yes, is there something wrong, Rainbow Dash?"

"Uh...kind of. You know, have you seen those two colts of yours? When I went downstairs, they weren't there and their stuff was all over the place."

Rainbow Shine had a worried expression on her face. "That's strange...Even when Cloud Dash makes a mess, 'Wish is always there to clean up...and Cloud Dash is a tight sleeper. Did you look around nearby?"

"Yeah, but they aren't there. Maybe they're at Rarity's?"

By this time, Thunderlane also came over. Thunderlane, Rarity's supposedly step-brother, thought for a moment.

"I'll go over and check, and give you the news, if you'd like, Shine."

"Yes dear, that's very sweet of you. Go on."

~Into the evening~

"Dash! Feather?"

"Feather Wish! Cloud Dash!

"Cloud, where are you?"

"Wish, come back!!! Feather Wish!"

In only a couple of hours it seemed that the whole of Ponyville was calling and searching for the lost twins. Twilight Sparkle sent a note to the princess stating what was going on, and assembled Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Apple Jack, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie in a search party to investigate.

Now that Twilight had wings, she could fly up with Rainbow and Fluttershy to investigate Rainbow's house. Hoofing at the dark scuff marks on the white cloud floor of Dash's house, she looked up.

"It's some sort of substance...Soot, maybe?"

"That's weird. Why would there be soot in my house? Rainbow asked.

"That's just the thing...Soot comes from fire, smoke, things like that..."

Just then, a pegasus charged through the door. "We heard something in the Everfree Forest!" he said.

"What? The Everfree Forest!?" Fluttershy exclaimed quietly.

~~

Twilight and the others ran to the edge of the Everfree Forest. The same soot-like substance was here, along with a blue feather. "The girls were here!"

Roaming farther into the gloomy forest, the day was coming to a close. They would have to go back soon.

"Twailight, it's gettin' darker. Shouldn't we y'all be headin' back now?" Apple Jack commented.

Rarity and Rainbow Dash both turned around and at the same time said, "No!"

"We can't head back yet, right Twilight?" Rarity pleaded.

Sighing, Twilight paused. "I'm afraid Apple Jack's right...If we don't head back now, we might run into something that we don't want to!

Heading back, Rainbow looked down. This is all my fault! If I had kept my eye on those two than maybe this wouldn't have happened! Wait...Why would I have to keep an eye on those two? So it's not my fault they disappeared! ...Right?