Taken

The sun enveloped the students on the front lawn like a nice warm blanket. It was a brilliant day outside, and even though it was only Thursday, the Wondercolts knew how to make any day a fun one. Twilight Sparkle smiled as she pushed up her thick rimmed glasses before accepting a cup of tea from Rarity. She and the rest of her new friends sat at the base of the crumbled horse statue for their usual picnic. At least the portal was still intact, that’s what really mattered.

“--And then their pendants got smashed into a million gazillion pieces!” Pinkie Pie finished before slurping the last bit of her chocolate milk through her bendy straw.

“Incredible,” Twilight murmured.

“I still can’t believe it myself,” Fluttershy admitted. “It seems so long ago now.”

A soccer ball sailed through the air and collided with Rarity’s cup, spilling tea all over the grass. Rarity shrieked as she rolled away. “Sorry!” Cloudkicker called from fifteen feet away. “Can you toss it back?”

Rarity huffed, grabbed the ball and handed it to Pinkie, who volleyed it to Rainbow Dash, who smirked and tossed it to Applejack. Applejack chuckled as she got to her feet. “Heads up!”

Cloudkicker pupils shrunk into pinpricks as the ball came speeding towards her. “Aah!” She ducked at the last second, making the ball hit the unfortunate person behind her.

The girls chortled as Diamond Tiara’s shrill voice rang throughout the quad.

“Nice!” Rainbow laughed.

“My bad!” Applejack yelled as Diamond snatched her fallen tiara off the ground.

Sunset Shimmer shook her head, but couldn’t help but grin. “A.J., sometimes I really do think you’re too strong for your own good.”

Applejack sat back down and criss crossed her legs. “Well, you know what they say about an apple a day!”

Unbeknownst to the girls, three hooded figures sat crouched behind a cluster of bushes a few feet away. “You know what they say about an apple a day!” Aria mimicked in a high pitched voice. She crossed her arms and growled in disgust.

Adagio bit down on the corner of her lip and swatted the purple Siren on the arm. “Quiet!” she hissed. “You want to blow our cover?”

“You sure about this?” Sonata asked uncertainly. “Now that we’re here, I’m not sure if--”

“Do you want to go home or not?” Adagio snapped irritably.

Sonata blinked and wrung her wrists. “Of course I do.”

Adagio peered over the bush, watching their enemies laugh and frolic in the sunlight. “You have to learn to understand, Sonata. This whole time, they knew about that portal. I can’t believe we wasted all that time when our ticket home was right there in front of us.”

“But why can’t we just come back when it’s night time?” Sonata whined. “No one’s gonna be around…”

“I tried that,” Adagio said with a sigh. “Apparently, they put some kind of magical barrier around it since their little Games. We can’t go through...no, they’d have to be willing...more than willing.”

Sonata frowned at the implication woven through her sister’s voice. She turned and watched Pinkie stuff two cupcakes in her mouth at once, smearing blue and purple colored icing on her cheeks. “But...why her?”

Adagio rolled her eyes. “You ask way too many questions, Sonata. When they get up to leave, just follow my lead, got it?”

“I’d better be going too,” they heard Fluttershy say. “I need to clean out the fish tanks at the shelter today.”

“And I need to finish my essay,” Rainbow said, zipping up her backpack.

Sunset looked over her shoulder and smiled knowingly. “The one that’s due tomorrow?”

“You know it!”

The Sirens watched silently as the group started to part ways. Pinkie leapt up and gave Applejack a hug, sending a small pang of guilt through Sonata. “Don’t forget about our movie night  tomorrow!” Pinkie said with a big grin. “Our alphabet appetizers continue!”

“But the letter’s Z this time!” Applejack replied. “There ain’t no food on this planet that starts with Z that I’d want to eat.”

“What about Zuccini?”

“Allergic.”

Pinkie tapped her chin. “Hmmm. Pizza has two Zs.” She gasped in delight. “Wanna order Pizza?!”

Applejack laughed. “We ain’t cheatn’ no more, Pinkie! I’m sure we’ll figure out somethin’.” She pulled Pinkie in for a side hug before pulling away with two firm pats on the back. “See ya tomorrow.”

“Bye cuz!” Pinkie sang as she skipped off.

Adagio gave Aria a nudge. “Go go go!” The Sirens piled out of the bushes and carefully followed Pinkie, ducking behind trees as they did so. Pinkie had a noticeable spring in her step as she made her way home, swinging her arms and humming a tune to herself.

Every so often she would wave to anyone who crossed her path and greet them in her own cheerful way before continuing on. She was completely oblivious.

A part of Sonata wanted to warn Pinkie, to tell her to run, but another part of her really wanted to go home. She missed Equestria with every fiber of her being.  She needed to get a grip. This would only be temporary. In just a few days, everything will go back to normal. Everyone will be happy by then...I need to do what’s best for us.

Pinkie came at an intersection and stopped. She seemed to ponder about something as she looked across the street, then at a path that lead to the local park to her left. With a smile, she turned and walked down the path.

“Get ready, girls,” Adagio whispered under her breath. They followed even more carefully as the Wondercolt bounced past the swings and seesaws. She paused to give a little boy a big push on the swings.

“She’s heading towards the jogging route,” Aria murmured before casting a glance towards her sisters. “Lots of trees.”

A smirk grew on Adagio’s face. “Perfect…”

Pinkie skipped merrily along the jogging trail, deeply inhaling the fresh smell of pine trees. Though energetic as she usually tended to be, Pinkie couldn't wait to go home and relax after a long day at school. Her nose wrinkled at the memory of algebra class still lingering in  her mind. All that dividing and equating could really do a number on a girl's mind! Unless her name was Twilight Sparkle or Sunset Shimmer. She giggled to herself. Luckily she had great friends like them to help tutor her and the others.

Pinkie neared the end of the trail when she suddenly stopped short. Her hand went to her knee, and a look of puzzlement came over her normally bright features. "Pinchy knee? Well, that usually happens when..."

Her face visibly paled.

"When something scary's about to happen..."

snap!

Pinkie jumped and turned around in a circle, her eyes darting about. "Hello?" she called out timidly. "Is anybody--"

Two strong hands grabbed her from behind, making Pinkie give out a surprised yelp. A hand slapped a rag over her nose and mouth, forcing her to breathe in a strange scent. The smell wasn't unpleasant, but it was strong.

Pinkie gave a muffled squeal and started put up a fight, trying to elbow her assailant in the ribs, but kept missing her intended target. She frantically reached up and pulled on the hand that held the rag over her face, but a second figure moved in in front of her pried her hands off with ease and gripped her wrists tightly. Pinkie squirmed helplessly in their grasp, her frightened muffled screams barely audible. “Shush, sweetie,” a frighteningly familiar voice cooed. “Just breathe it in nice and slow, and it’ll all be over soon.”

Pinkie gasped and choked behind the rag, her senses blurring together in a jumbled mix. “Mmph! MMPH!” Pinkie shook her head vigorously, freeing herself from the rag for just a few moments. She coughed twice and yelled “HELP! HE--”

The first assailant slipped the rag over the pink girl’s face, silencing her. “Go to sleep, you little brat!” Pinkie struggled even more, kicking her legs and yanking her arms, but her attackers held fast. After a minute or two, Pinkie’s struggling started to cease, her movements growing more sluggish and uncoordinated by the second. Pinkie sighed softly as her legs gave out from under her; the two pairs of arms eased her to the ground while still keeping the rag over her face.

Pinkie’s eyes fluttered open and shut in a weak attempt to stay awake. She looked up at the two blurry figures, her eyes glazing over before finally drifting shut.

"That's a good girl," Adagio whispered.

Sonata emerged from a brush and briefly glanced at Pinkie's limp body before looking to Adagio. “I found us a car,” she announced, holding up a set of keys. “I swiped these from a lady when I bumped into her. It’s the dark car nearest to the feeding area.”

Adagio smiled as she stood up. “So you did pay attention during your lessons.” She took the keys from Sonata and gave them a jingle. “Impressive.” Sonata grinned at the compliment. “Now go and help Aria with Pinkie. I’ll bring the car around.”

She strode forward with an evil smirk. "We've got you now, Rainbooms."