Twilight groaned quietly, lifting her head at the sensation of sunlight brushing against her eyelids. She pulled herself into a sitting position and looked around. She was sitting in her bedroom like any other normal day, but something felt...off. She brushed the sensation aside and stretched her arms out and yawned. For whatever reason, she felt absolutely delightful. Amazing, really. Like the best night's sleep she'd had in a long, long time. That was an inconsistency. Most of the time when she woke up, after they brought her back she felt normal, not like she'd been asleep after she badly needed it. They definitely did something different. It's okay. Not to worry. You still have time to figure all of this out before something bad happens. Just keep calm. Twilight yawned and pulled herself out of bed. Regardless of the situation, she was feeling perky and energetic.

It was strange that Spike hadn't woken her up like usual, but he was probably down stairs making breakfast. Not uncommon in the slightest. She sat down in front of her mirror and tugged her favorite brush into position, starting to preen for the day. She had to take it slow. Everything she could do to keep herself calm. She knew something was wrong, she could feel it, but running around screaming at the top of her lungs wouldn't help anything. Calm. Breathe. Think. Ten minutes later, she found herself trotting down the stairs to an empty library.

"Spike?" She called, perking an ear. No response. She frowned, it wasn't normal for Spike to be gone in the morning, but it was entirely possible he was at an event she'd forgotten about. Once the girls had gathered together to have breakfast in the park, and while Spike had did his best, he could not rouse Twilight out of bed after her late night of studying. Yes, thats what happened. They didn't take him. They didn't hurt Spike. Do NOT start to panic. She forced a quiet chuckle and glanced around the empty library. Already she was pushing her schedule up to deal with this situation. It could be dangerous if it kept on for too long. She wondered why it would have taken her so long to come up with a plan...

Everything seemed normal- but empty and silent. Spike wasn't home, but a note on the counter drew her attention instantly, and the little pony grasped it with a purple cusp of magic. Oh, thank goodness...

Had the window repaired.
Gone out to look for you.
Spike.

Twilight frowned. The window? She glanced around the library and tilted her head in confusion. None of the windows were broken, or so it seemed. No glass on the floor, nothing to indicate why they'd need a window fixed. And Spike had gone out to look for her? She hadn't gone anywhere. Twilight paused, vexed by the situation. The last thing she clearly remembered was waiting for Rainbow Dash to get off of work so they could discuss the dreams they'd been having. She frowned. After that....well, after that was sort of a blank. She could remember feeling kind of steamy, Rainbow arriving, the two of them talking about something...looking at Rainbow...then they were kissing and...Nothing. There was nothing after that. Why wasn't there anything after that? Twilight gave a little huff of frustration as a bubble of panic started to rise in side of her. She pushed it back and snarled. She'd rather be angry then panicked. They were messing with her. Screwing around with her daily life like she were some toy. Like she didn't have things to do and goals to reach for! No. No. Focus. Logic. Think. Last night? A blank. She was missing time. It was a clue. Something important had happened last night, and she needed to figure out what it was. First, she had to find Spike, that would be a great deal of help. With one more glance around the library, she trotted outside.

Cheerful and sunny. Deja vu. The little unicorn felt a shudder race down her back and she examined the facts she held. Something to keep her mind busy and away from panic while she looked for Spike. Rainbow was experiencing odd phenomena but it might not have been the same thing. What happened last night when Rainbow came over? Is that what they talked about? Where did Spike go? More and more questions without answers. Twilight gave a groan and found her steps leading her around in circles. What was she suppose to do? Why did they keep taking her memories? How maybe more important than the why. Where would Spike go? That was the one she was worried about the most. What if they'd done something to Spike while she was asleep? No. No no no, push it out of your mind! Spike is fine! Everything is fine! Focus!

But the poor unicorn suddenly felt very very tired. She sighed and collapsed onto a nearby bench. Maybe it was time to just give up and head to Princess Celestia. And...and then what? And where would they even start? Sure, the Princess would hold an audience with her. And then what? Say the Princess actually believed her? She wouldn't even need evidence, she knew Celestia well enough that she could talk to her. What evidence was she supposed to bring for the guards to work with? If the guard were even involved, and if they were to be involved and an investigation to take place, where were they supposed to start? She had no theories, no evidence, nothing to trace. Tartarus, in retrospect, what did she even want the princess to do?

"Hey, Princess Celestia, I'm sorry to bother you, but I think I'm being kidnapped in the middle of the night for some mind numbing incredible sex that I really secretly like but feel kinda odd about so could you do me a solid and look into this for me?" "Why, yes, Twilight, I'd be happy to help. I'll just send the royal guard all the way to Ponyville and have them stand outside of your bed room door for the night. No one will get in to carry you off for sweet, sweet lovin's!" Twilight groaned. She didn't know what would be worse, in that scenario. Not being kidnapped and making it seem like she was a raving, horny loon, or having a group of kidnappers fight the royal guard just so they could tie her down and give her sticky girlgasms. The little unicorn blushed and stood up with a sigh. Who was she supposed to go to for help with this? Shining Armor? She shuddered at the thought. Her friends? No, no no. The last thing she wanted them to think was that she was some sort of crazy pervert. What could she get from them, anyway if she asked for help? Pinkie Pie? Giggles and frustration, at best.. Rarity? She'd just swoon over the idea. Applejack? No, she'd tell Twilight she needed more rest. Fluttershy? She'd just faint. Which only left Rainbow Dash. Twilight groaned. Where was she anyway? She and Spike seemed to be missing, which further upset her. Had something happened to them? No, no, no, that would just set her into a panic. She had to be calm and rational about this. She had to think clearly, and approach this as a problem solver but the town was so large and finding a single pony in it could prove to be like finding a needle in a haystack. But there were just to many questions now! Where was Spike?! What happened last night?! Why couldn't she remember what was being done to her?! Why wasn't Rainbow Dash around to help her?!

"Aarrgghh, where ARE you?!" Twilight growled in frustration. Moments ticked by, before a rainbow streak of light shot through the clouds and over the Everfree forest. Perfect timing. Too perfect. Had Rainbow been listening? If she had, why not come out and tell her? Why hide at all? She must have known something about last night! Twilight glanced around curiously. The town seemed completely oblivious to Rainbow just soaring past and into the Everfree forest but Rainbow soaring somewhere was a daily event. Of course they wouldn't notice. Which meant they probably wouldn't notice a little unicorn wandering into the Everfree forest after her. Well, hopefully they wouldn't.

She galloped forward, throwing herself towards the woods and paused as she trotted towards the entrance of the forest. Steel yourself Twilight. Gather your resolve. You are going to go inside the forest. You are going to go inside, and you are going to find Rainbow Dash and she will tell you where Spike is, and everything is going to be alright. Your friends are safe. You can do this. Breathe.

Yes. Yes she could do this. One hoof in front of the other. Okay. You are having trouble remembering last night. They are effecting you somehow with some sort of magic curse or virus or something. All she needed to do, was-Her thoughts were torn from her when a blazing streak of blue shot past her, knocking her off the forest path into some underbrush.

With a groan, Twilight slowly climbed to her hooves, glancing around slowly. Had that been...?

"Rainbow Dash?" Twilight called out quietly. For some reason she didn't want her voice to be loud and for whatever reason, Rainbow didn't want her's loud either.

"Pssst, Twilight. Deeper. Into the forest. Over here. " The voice hissed. Rainbow Dashs' voice. Twilight perked her ears and glanced around her. The forest was quiet, and suspicious, like usual, but for some reason, Twilight felt an extra ping of paranoia coursing through her. Were they following her? Whoever was doing this to her? Were they watching her every move?

"Rainbow Dash?" She called out in half a whisper. No response. She frowned. Prepare a spell. Something for self defense. A paralyze spell would do the trick. Just something to keep at the ready. Just something to-

"Over here! Closer..." The voice was coming from a nearby clearing. Twilight narrowed her eyes. Of course this screamed trap. She'd read Daring Do books. The little unicorn continued along, keeping her head on a swivel. Oh yeah, a trap in the middle of the Everfree forest, where no one could hear her scream. Pounce her, take her, kidnap her for good. Not happening.

"You come out. I'm not taking another step." Twilight snapped suddenly. That's right, make them do what you want. Keep them guessing at your next moves. They want you, so you call the shots.

To Twilight's surprise, no kidnappers jumped out. No net fell, no lights burst into existence. The only thing that changed, was the little blue figure of a pegasus poking her head out behind a tree.

"Rainbow Dash!" Twilight squealed, suddenly overjoyed to see a friendly face. Rainbow gave her a careful smile, but did not return Twilight's hug when she moved to embrace her.

"Rainbow Dash, where were you? Are they watching us? Of course they're watching us in town, that's a dumb question. Look, I need your help, last night, what happened? I can't remember anything. Spike! SPIKE! Rainbow, have you seen Spike, where is he, is he okay?!" Twilight babbled. Rainbow took a deep breath and nodded her head, giving a quiet sigh.

Twilight frowned. "What's wrong?" She asked. Rainbow gave another huff.

"Last night, I screwed up. I screwed everything up. I was supposed to be watching you, I was your eyes in the sky. I'm sorry, Twilight, I'm so sorry!! " She explained bursting into tears. Twilight frowned, but coddled her companion closer, giving Rainbow her best reassuring hug.

"Calm down. Rainbow Dash? Hey...shhhhh, look at me. Rainbow Dash we're gonna get through this, but Rainbow, listen, I can't remember what happened to us last night. I need you to fill me in, okay? All I can remember about last night, is we were in the library, trying to figure out what was going on. "Twilight explained. Rainbow Dash balked, sniffling quietly.

"What? Noooooo, yesterday we spent in Everfree Forest, with Zecora, coming up with a plan. Your plan, remember? We were gonna tear them down from the inside out? You don't remember any of this? The last time we were in the library was two days ago, Twilight." Rainbow said in growing alarm. Twilight's ears perked curiously and she gave a nervous chuckle.

"Are-Are you telling me I'm missing an entire day of memory in my head?! They set me back an entire day?" She whimpered. Rainbow Dash nodded slowly with a shudder.

Y-yeah. Twilight? Twilight Zecora is with you, right? I mean, she's okay, right? She's with you?" Rainbow whimpered, rubbing at her arm nervously. Twilight slowly shook her head and winced when the motion sent a shockwave of panic through Rainbow Dash.

"Hey, heyheyhey hey, Rainbow, we're gonna fix this, okay? I need you to tell me everything that happened yesterday. You said you knew where Spike was, right? Is he okay?" Twilight asked. Rainbow sniffled quietly, and nodded her head, cocking her head in the direction towards Zecora's hut.

"The plan was to let them kidnap you again. We figured since they didn't know we were on to them, we could sneak in and take them down from the inside and find out what was really going on. Zecora gave you some potion that was supposed to let you fight the effects of the sleeping and afro-dasiylack gas that-"

"Gas?! Thats clever, it's physical, not magical, of course I wouldn't be able to detect it." Twilight suddenly interrupted, blushed and bit her lower lip.

"Right, so, Zecora gave you the potion. We picked up Spike and took him to Zecora's hut, and filled him in on everything. Zecora was supposed to follow you from the ground, and I was supposed to follow you from the sky. Now that I think about it, we probably gave ourselves away. We should have made things exactly the way things were when they kidnapped us before. But you were worried about Spike." What if they took him instead of me?" you said. Anyway, they came in took you. They were these black sorta shadowy shapes. Super weird. Anyway, I was supposed to watch from a cloud high above, but they took you into the everfree forest, and I lost sight of you. Zecroa told me to stay out of the forest at night and she could follow them, but neither of you came out. " Dash hiccuped sadly.

"I-I should have went in with her. I should have protected Zecora. I should have just gone in with her. She told me to stay back, but I shoulda-" Rainbow dash cried, and found herself silenced by Twilight squeezing her in her arms. She took a step back, and cupped Rainbow's cheeks in her hooves.

"Hey, hey listen to me. You did not fail. This is not your fault. I know, being Loyalty means being there, and you really like to rescue ponies, and save the day, but you did not screw this up. I know I haven't been up to one hundred percent lately, and I know they've been messing with you too. They are employing some really nasty tactics to try and keep us in the dark. If you'd have gone in with Zecora, you'd have both been captured and that isn't your fault either. We're gonna save her, okay? We're gonna find out where they took her, and we're gonna get her back. I promise. I've got the most awesome pegasus in the world to help me. We can't lose!" Twilight whispered.

Rainbow sniffled quietly and rubbed her nose, pulling back to flash Twilight her flashiest smile and drew in a deep breath. Twilight was right, of course. Brainy little thing was always right. She stomped a hoof to the ground.

"Y-yeah. Sorry. I kinda...like you said we're not at one hundred percent. But we got this. I've got the smartest unicorn in Equestria to help me, after all. "She explained,forcing Twilight to blush faintly. She nudged Rainbow Dash with her hip, as the two of them approached Zecora's hut. Inside, Spike was sitting quietly on the hammock, looking glum, until Twilight arrived. From zero to ninety, Rainbow had never seen something move so fast! Spike shot across the room and slammed into Twilight, giving her a ferocious hug. They were together again. Small victories.

"I don't like it. If they can mess with my memories, Anything we think of could be false. How do we know they haven't been messing with us this whole time?" Twilight frowned. The three of them had settled down around Zecora's cauldron to try and figure out a plan. Rainbow Dash shook her head.

"I think they're mostly worried about you, Twi. I haven't been affected by anything like that but you're the one they're really working on. I remember all the other dreams I had n' stuff. You're questioning everything. And you're smart. They know that you're smart. You'd be able to solve this if they weren't constantly filling our noses with sex smoke and resetting your memories. " Rainbow snorted, forcing a giggle from Spike. Twilight rolled her eyes. "My question is, why put you back? I didn't even see them do it, but let's say you're a major threat now, right? You're onto them, they KNOW you're on to them, why go through all the trouble of putting you back in the library. Why not just take you out and be done with you?" Rainbow Dash asked. Twilight nodded her head with a sigh. One more question. She was getting tired of questions.

"Well, in issue 357 of the Power Ponies, after The Bitter Bronco kidnapped Radiance, he and his gang expected the Power Ponies would stay put and play nice to make sure their friend stayed safe. The Bitter Bronco said if he saw any Power Ponies approaching, Radiance would get it. But it worked the opposite way, The Power Ponies became super determined to rescue Radiance. If they kidnapped you, Twilight, and they didn't want the rest of your friends to find out, they'd HAVE to put you back, wouldn't they? Make it look like nothing was going on, or the elements of Harmony would show up and kick their butts, and all this is supposed to be super secret, right?" Spike asked. Rainbow and Twilight glanced at each other before Twilight slowly nodded her head.

"It makes sense. I mean, I wasn't about to start telling you guys about all the dreams I've been having. They're really sneaky with this." Rainbow groaned. Twilight nodded.

"Yeah I haven't told anyone about the kidnappings, except you Rainbow. It's really kind of embarrassing. They're using social phobias and stigmas. Psychological combat. No pony wants to be involved in some sort of crazy scandal. Equestria doesn't need to think their protectors are sexually indulgent perverts, who lose to machines. "Twilight mumbled, blushing faintly.

Rainbow Dash gave a nod. "Not to mention the insanity of the story itself. Who would believe us? And like you said, if they did, it would just make us look lame. And with the ability to screw with our memories, do we even know whats real? " She groaned.

"Well, I know something's been up. I can vouch for you guys that something's been weird lately. But the idea that they can mess with your head is kinda spooky. This totally reminds me of when Chrysalis was messing with your brother, remember Twilight?" Spike chirped.

The world stopped turning.

Twilight's ears perked immediately, and her eyes went wide. Rainbow knew that look. The unicorn stood up, slowly beginning to circle the cauldron. She walked around that way for almost a full two minutes before Rainbow coughed. Twilight didn't stop, she just held up a hoof for silence as she circled the room. Finally, she turned to the dragon and the pegasus.

"OK. This is a stretch but...tell me what you think? What if it is changelings. Let's say a group of changelings are doing this to us. Let's say, they could take on the disguise of any pony they wanted. Not for a long period of time. Not an infiltration or anything, just long enough for a quick observation. Transform into Lyra, boom, walk across the street. Long enough to glance at the library. That's how they're watching us. Okay?" Twilight asked slowly. Rainbow Dash slowly nodded her head. So far so good...

"Now let's say, they wanted to do more than that. Let's say they wanted our 'awesome sauce' for something. What? I dunno, a potion maybe, so lets make that our working theory. They're making a potion. If any creature is going to steal the love juice from a mare, and make a potion with it, it's going to be changelings. They feed off emotions right? Right?! So you're drugged up on aphrodisiacs! You're in a laboratory, unfamiliar! You're scared, then you're mad that you've been kidnapped. I was absolutely furious this afternoon. Then it keeps happening and you relax, you calm down, it's not so bad, it doesn't hurt, in the morning you feel fantastic! It's a smorgasbord of emotions to feed off of every night! Rainbow, your dreams. You were scared when Gilda came up to you, then it turned you on, were you happy at the end?!" Twilight asked, eyes wide now, breathing heavy. Rainbow Dash blushed furiously, but sheepishly nodded her head.

"Y- yeah...I was happy that we weren't mad at each other anymore." Rainbow stammered. Twilight stomped her hoof into the ground with a quiet cheer. She was onto something again! She really was- still only a theory, but so far it was a working theory.

"But this doesn't seem like something Chrysalis would do you know, this seems like..I don't know, it's too smart for her." Rainbow sighed. Twilight had to admit, she had a point. This was sneaky and clever, but it wasn't quite the same kind of sneaky changelings were known for. This was the work of somepony besides Chrysalis. It didn't fit her M.O. at all. But...then...why did it need to?

"Unless...somepony hired the changelings to do this." Twilight said slowly. Rainbow perked her ears.

"What? For real?"She squeaked. Twilight nodded her head.

"It's perfect. Changelings do the grunt work. Drones, right? Chrysalis's personal army, So someone went up to Chrysalis and said, look, I wanna mess with the Elements of Harmony, but I need help to do it. You help me, we get back at Twilight for ruining your little invasion. In exchange, you get all the emotions you can eat from them. If they get caught, well it just looks like Chrysalis failed in another invasion." Twilight said slowly. Rainbow frowned.

"That's great, Twilight, but it still doesn't tell us WHO is running the show. " She snapped. Twilight nodded.

"Exactly! That's exactly the point, they're hiding. They're going though different channels, different creatures, different routes and methods. Machines for me, Magic for you, thats what I said, right? They're using different methods to keep us off track. Whoever is doing this is taking no chances that we catch onto them. Which is why we've GOT to find that facility where Zecora and I were being held. " Twilight announced.

Rainbow frowned but nodded her head. "Ok, I'll buy all that, but how are we supposed to figure out where you and Zecora went? I wish Zecora had some sort of memory potion. If you could remember what the place looked like, at least maybe we could come up with some clues." Rainbow sighed."

"Gotcha covered! "Spike announced brightly. He'd grown restless sitting in the hammock, and had started snooping around the hut and came across Zecora's recipe book while Twilight had been talking. He happily picked up the book and held it out for Twilight and Rainbow to read. The ponies glanced at each other.

"...Lets make us a potion." Rainbow grinned.

Author's Note

Woke up at two am, now it's 5. Insomnia, you horrible, horrible bastard. I did my best to edit this. I know my grammar isn't the best and I'm sorry. I hope it doesn't take away from your ability to enjoy the plot. I wanted to put sex in this chapter, I really really really did, but I couldn't find a way to cram it in. It just didn't fit.