“She took a hessonite crystal?! From where?”

“I dunno sugarcube. Well we arrived at her house to comfort seeing how she flew away after the doctor revealed Fluttershy’s disease during your hospital visit, there was nothing there but a very traumatized Scootaloo.” Applejack explained.

“She left her sister behind alone?!” Twilight gasped.

“You can bet my hoofs that she did! I couldn’t believe that she would do such a thing…it’s even worse than breaking a Pinkie promise!” Pinkie growled.

“And don’t worry about little Scoots. After calming her down she” now staying with Sweetie Belle at Rarity’s place.” Applejack assured.

“So there was no trace of anything in the house? Then how did you form the conclusion that Rainbow stole Hessonite?”

“Sorry dear, the pure shock of seeing somepony abandon their sister must have gotten into me. Actually, we did try to find some evidence, and through my gem finding spell I managed to catch some small shards of dark gems on the floor. I tried to pick it up with my magic but it just didn’t work, proving it to be Hessonite.” Rarity informed.

“Where is it now?”

“I picked them up with my hoofs and placed them inside a bag. Excuse me for just a second…”

The unicorn took out a plastic bag from the shelves surrounding the castle in the background of the room. Inside were several shards of black crystals that sunk to the bottom of the flying plastic, not affected by the floatation of the levitation spell.

“That’s Hessonite all right…Shoot. We need to think more clearly about this, even I’m not quite sure what to do now.” Twilight groaned.

“First Fluttershy, now Rainbow Dash…Pinkie was right to say that the other day. Oh ponyfeathers, I can’t bear witness to any more tragedies.” Applejack remarked, perplexed.

“Wait…bear witness…Witness! Of course! The only reason Scootaloo would be traumatized is if she witnessed Rainbow Dash leaving! Rarity, she’s still at the boutique, right?”

“Why yes, that’s a ingenious idea, Twilight! Let’s go!”

The mane 4 set off towards Rarity’s home. Rushing inside and going upstairs to Sweetie Belle’s room, they found all the members of the CMC. Applebloom was still trying to comfort the weeping Scootaloo while Sweetie Belle was rewashing the towels at the sink.

“Oh it’s your sister, Sweetie Belle. Wait a second, Twilight? Pinkie? Big sister? Applebloom said, surprised at the large reception.

“Hi, Applebloom. Do you mind if Sweetie Belle and you leave this room for just a while? We would like to ask Scootaloo some questions regarding Rainbow Dash, if she doesn’t mind.” Twilight quipped.

They looked at their friend, who nodded slowly. Seeing this, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle left the room and closed the door behind them, leaving the mane 4 with the remaining pegasus.

“Sniff…I’m ok…just tell me what I need to answer about…cough…Rainbow Dash…” Scootaloo sniffed.

“What exactly happened when Rainbow Dash came back home?!” Pinkie questioned, grasping the filly to her chest softly.

“Um…well…I was preparing a surprise for Rainbow Dash, since today is the anniversary of the day she got her cutie mark! When she came in, I was prepared to throw her the best party I could ever make! But then…then…she…” She started out excited, and then her faint smile faded to a depressed state as the rest of the memories came.

“Then what, Scootaloo? Please, take your time dear.” Rarity assured.

“Rainbow Dash…she pushed me out of the way and starting packing all her things into her bag, you know the one that she used during her awesome training at the Wonderbolts academy…then when I asked her where was she going…”

She pulled away from Pinkie and stared out of the window into the horizon, in the direction of the cloud house.

“What happened then, Scootaloo?” Twilight enquired.

“She…she said to leave her alone, and without even looking at me she just flew out of the door without even saying goodbye. She didn’t even acknowledge my existence!” And with the memories recalled she once again started to weep, waves of tears that hit the ground with heavy emotion.

Applejack went out of the door and quickly came back with her younger sister as the rest of the mane 4 left the premises, the need for Rainbow Dash’s return rising higher than before as they closed the door behind them.

“Gosh Darn it! It” just a dead end one after the other! We don’t have a clue to what RD’s doing and where she is!” She erupted.

“Calm down Applejack. I’m as frustrated as you are, but there’s really nothing we can do right now.” Twilight pleaded glumly.

“Um…Twilight? There is something that Rainbow Dash left. Scootaloo just forgot to show it to you.”

Sweetie Belle was standing in front of the stairs, and floating through her magic was a knotted up feather. One was blue, the other yellow, with the two tying together into a perfect double knot.

“Those feathers…they must be from Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash’s wings!” Rarity exclaimed.

Sweetie Belle nodded. “I’m not sure if they can help you in finding Rainbow Dash, but this is all that we have. We want to help too, but as you can see, Scootaloo needs our company right now.”

“We understand. Thank you Sweetie Belle. Be sure to tell Scootaloo that we thank her as well, and that we’ll definitely bring her back.” Twilight assured.

With a final goodbye hug shared between the two sisters, the mane 4 left the boutique and headed towards the Crystal Castle.

“Do you think that we can find a tracking spell for these two feathers in the library?” Rarity enquired.

“I don’t know. Tracking spells for living objects are more complicated, and I don’t know if it can work with only two feathers…Pinkie what are you doing?”

The pink pony had untied both of the feathers and placed them on the respective chairs of the empty seats. Unknown to any of them a faint light started to glow from the chairs as the objects were placed.

“I just thought that it would feel better if a part of Rainbow and Fluttershy were with us.” She sniffed sadly.

“We will find Rainbow Dash and save Fluttershy, Pinkie. None of us are going to give up.” Applejack clarified as she sat on her throne.

“I completely agree.” Rarity chimed in, doing the same.

“Will…will they be alive to smile again?” Pinkie whimpered in her chair.

“It’s our responsibility.” Twilight cracked a small smile. “Yours, to be exact. What future do you want to have?”

“A happy one?”

“Count on it.” And the final piece was completed.

The symbols of each of the chairs started to glow in a bright and cheerful light, shocking and surprising Twilight and her friends. The colors of purple, orange, white, pink, yellow, and blue exploded respectively on the star in the middle. Crystals then formed from six sides, pushing towards the center and creating the crystal roots.

“Wha…What’s happening?!”

From the point of intersection the table rose up graciously, revealing what was to be known as the cutie map, the whole kingdom of Equestria revealed in a circular pattern.

“Twilight! I just came back from the Boutique! I think that Rainbow Dash…um…is that new?” Spike dropped his jaw in fascination.

His sudden arrival snapped Twilight out of her stupor.

“It is…what is this map? It looks like Equestria, but there are a lot of places that I can’t recognise!”

“It has to be! There’s Ponyville, there’s Canterlot…And oh! Even my parents are here!” Pinkie said as she walked on the surface.

“It must have formed when all parts of us were at the thrones! Pinkie Pie, you’re a genius!” Rarity stammered.

“I am?!” She quizzed, confused.

“You really are, Pinkie. Why, if you didn” place those feathers, we never would have…what’s that tickling feeling behind my back?”

Applejack stared backwards, and found to her further surprise that her cutie mark was glowing repeatedly, as the rest of her friends were having the same result as well. Even from the feathers they could see that both of the pegasus’ cutie marks were now embedded on the respective owner.

Without even giving the mane 4 a chance to react, the symbols of the mane 6 flew out of their locations as projections, spinning together in harmony before scattering in different directions. Although four cutie marks stayed at the location of the castle, Fluttershy’s mark was at the hospital. And Rainbow Dash’s…

“Where is that cutie mark at?!” Pinkie asked. “Why does it seem to be in a…village?” She looked deeper. “A village with identical houses?!”

“That…that must be where Rainbow Dash is!” Twilight shrieked.

“Then what are we waiting for? We need to go there immediately!” Applejacked shouted, as excited as Twilight.

“I’m coming with you girls. I want to save Fluttershy as much as the next pony, and if getting Rainbow Dash is the solution, I’m in.” Spike insisted seriously.

Twilight nodded. “Looks like it’s time for a roadtrip!”

Author's Note