“Now where do ya s’pose he could’a gone?” Apple Bloom shrugged, conversing with Sweetie Belle, sitting to the right and a row in front.

“I don’t know Apple Bloom.” Sweetie Belle shook her head and shrugged. “That stallion sure knows how to find himself in interesting situations though! I sure hope Applejack finds him!”

“No kidding,” Scootaloo interjected from across the room, “He’s kind of awesome. But not as awesome as Rainbow Dash! She’s the coolest.”

Diamond Tiara rolled her eyes and glared at the purple maned, orange Pegasus for a moment.

“What?” Scootaloo shrugged, actually receiving looks from quite a few classmates.

Apple Bloom giggled, and an idea popped into Sweetie Belle’s head as Cheerilee trotted into the classroom of noisy chatting little ponies.

She gasped, “I have an idea!”

Scootaloo facehooved, “Uh oh.”

“We should totally get Miss Cheerilee and Davin to go on a date with each other!”

Apple Bloom gasped, “No! Remember what happened last time we tried to get two ponies to go on a date together?”

Diamond Tiara interrupted, “Yeah, everypony knows about what you three did. How would’ve that even got you three your cutie marks?”

Silver Spoon scoffed, “Blank Flanks. Pfft.”

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle glared at the two prissy little fillies, Scootaloo rolled her eyes, shrugging off their two cents.

“Yeah, anyways... No thanks Sweetie Belle.” Scootaloo shook her head, “Besides, I think Davin already has a marefriend.” Scootaloo gagged, sticking out her tongue and pointing a hoof to her mouth.

“Alright everypony, settle down.” Cheerilee addressed the class full of foals, eventually everypony quieted down.

“He has a marefriend?” Sweetie Belle gestured over Scootaloo, “Who?”

“Is it Fluttershy?” Apple Bloom guessed with a whisper.

“No,” Scootaloo shook her head, “I think it’s Lyra.”

“Why do you three even care about that stallion? He practically ruined the town hall!” Diamond Tiara glared at all three Cutie Mark Crusaders.

“Yeah, my dad says he’s a menace!” Silver Spoon added rather bluntly, and a bit loudly.

Cheerilee rolled her eyes that the arguing fillies. “Everypony, please quiet down.” She clearly directed most of the blame on the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

The three foals grumbled and sunk their heads onto their desk, while Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara giggled.

“Alright my little ponies, shall we continue our lesson on the history of Canterlot?” Cheerilee picked up a piece of chalk in her mouth and began making notes on the blackboard.

A few foals groaned, and Snips raised his hoof. “Ooh! Ooh! Miss Cheerilee! Miss Cheerilee!”

The purple mare rolled her eyes and giggled, setting down the chalk before turning around to face the class. “Yes Snips?”

“When are we going on the field trip to the crystal caverns under Canterlot?” Snips was clearly eager to know, and the orange colt seated next to him shared his enthusiasm.

“Field trip? To the Canterlot caverns? Eew!” Diamond Tiara cringed at the thought.

Scootaloo shared surprised looks with both Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, who weren’t even aware of the trip.

Cheerilee giggled at the reaction of the class to Snips’s question, “Well, I was planning on keeping it a surprise, but I guess the cat is out of the bag now.”

“Well? When do we go Miss Cheerilee?” Sweetie Belle stood on her seat, with both her front hooves atop her desk.

“I’m glad to see how eager you all are!” Cheerilee nodded her head, “We are going to the Crystal Caverns next Friday!”

“Tomorrow?” Snails asked from the back of the class.

Cheerilee shook her head, “No, unfortunately you all have to wait another week until next Friday, Snails.”

Everypony except Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon groaned.

Sweetie Belle slumped back into her seat. “Oh c’mon...”

“Lyra can we please stop running!?” I could hardly breathe after trying to keep up with the green mare. I know I’m actually a quick sprinter, but damn, Lyra must’ve been really spooked to be able to just keep on running like that.

She didn’t reply, she just kept on galloping. Well I better keep up too; I’d rather not fall back into the darkness from straggling behind. We definitely covered a lot of ground, but not really in a fashion I’d like to; running from god-knows-what through some unknown cavern just after waking up definitely isn’t how I like spending my morning work-out.

Ok, I was seriously loosing my breath. If we don’t stop now I’ll probably die. “Lyra! Seriously, I’m gunna pass out here!”

She finally heard me I guess, because she finally slowed to a gradual stop. I trotted up next to her and plopped onto my back, panting for air. Man I must be out of shape; can’t even keep up to a mare. She was out of breath too, but not panting nearly as hard as I was, and she was running faster than me!

After I caught my breath, I got back to my hooves. “What in the hell were we running from?”

Lyra shook her head and rubbed her eyes with a hoof. “Sorry. Just got a little scared back there I guess...”

No, really?

“It’s ok. I just want to know what scared you so much.”

I don’t smell bad, do I? Well, at least not bad for spending a night in a dark cave... Anyways...

“Don’t laugh at how ridiculous this is, ok?” Lyra gave me a concerned look.

Well that caught me off guard. “Uh, ok I won’t.” I took a step back.

“Alright...” Lyra took a deep breath as she prepared herself.

Jeez, I hope she doesn’t feel like she HAS to tell me about it; if she isn’t prepared to talk about it, I don’t want to make her feel like she needs to with me...

“Lyra, if it bothers you this much you don’t have to tell me. It’s ok.”

“No, it’s ok. I’ll tell you.” Lyra looked me in the eye and managed a half-smile, “I trust you.”

Now that REALLY caught me off guard!

What do I even say in response to that?!

“Well a while back, I was offered to be a bride’s maid at a royal wedding in Canterlot...”

...

“...they essentially brainwashed me to help in their plan to take over Equestria. Luckily the spell wore off and they failed.” Lyra sat down on her flank, and stared at the ground; the illumination spell she was holding was dwindling down to a flicker, as her focus on maintaining the spell dissipated.

“Uh... W-Wow... I uh...” I scratched the back of my head as I tried to comprehend what Lyra had just told me. I was at a loss for words. Again...

“Sorry. It’s probably a lot to take in...” Lyra just remained sitting, and I finally managed to find something to say.

“It’s ok Lyra. I’m here for you if you ever need somepony to talk to. It must’ve been a lot to endure...” I moved in next to her, offering her a hoof back up.

I can’t even fathom what kind of horrible things she went through while she was held captive and brainwashed by those ‘shape-shifter’ creatures she was talking about. Personally, I’d probably go insane. Even if I recovered!

Lyra stood back up and nuzzled me, then gave me a peck on the cheek. I looked into her bright golden eyes for a moment, and noticed a glimmer in her eye. I snapped around, and I gazed into the darkness of the cavern.

What met my eyes wasn’t total darkness; in fact, the cavern forked off into two separate tunnels. Up the one on the left, sunlight was peeking through. Down the opposite way however, was a different story entirely.

I turned back around to face Lyra, who was looking over my shoulder at the same sight I was gawking at. She looked me back in the eye.

“Are you seeing what I’m seeing?” We both asked each other in unison, but I’m not sure if we were actually talking about the same thing.

Down one tunnel, freedom. Down the other, it looked like hell. The tunnel on the right descended downwards, and looked like it opened up into a prison of some sort. Rusty bars of jail cells lined most of the walls.

“Well this is rather unsettling!” I trotted closer to the tunnel on the right, peering into the darkness of the cave. Lyra did the same, just only trotted closer to the tunnel leading to freedom.

I got that feeling that I was being watched. A shiver shot down my spine.

“C’mon Davin. Let’s get out of here.” Lyra began her way up the left tunnel, into freedom from the cavern.

I hesitated to follow her, only to look into the tunnel on the right.

Something tells me I should go down there and check it out, but honestly, I just want to get the hell out of here. I guess I could compromise looking around for asking if anyone’s home I suppose.

“Anyone down there?” I called into the darkness.

I was answered by nothing but silence.

I looked into the cavern again, to try to make out anything but darkness and rusty old jail cells.

Nothing.

I turned and headed up after Lyra. Just as I took a step forth, out of the corner of my eye, I swear I saw a pair of eyes and I know I heard something shuffle behind me in the tunnel on the right.

It startled me enough to make one final glance over my shoulder for anything, or anyone.

Darkness and silence.

Ok, enough of this; I’m getting pretty creeped out. I’m getting the hell out of here.

I trotted up after Lyra, and as the tunnel dew closer and closer to the opening, the stifling air of the cavern began to subside, making way for the fresh, clean air of the freedom from the surface.

“Howdy Twi’.” Applejack welcomed herself into the library.

“Hi Applejack,” Twilight looked up from the book she had herself buried into, “what brings you around here this time of day?”

“Ah just came by ta ask if’n ya seen Davin ‘round anywhere.”

“Davin? No, I haven’t. I haven’t seen him since Tuesday evening. I’ve been here trying to find out how he managed to conjure up such an advanced spell with no magic experience, but I can’t find anything!” Twilight closed the book she was researching with her magic, and tossed it into a pile of books across the library and grumbled in frustration.

“Y’all been tryin’ ta find how he did that since Tuesday?” Applejack cocked her head back.

Twilight mumbled to herself as she trotted to a bookshelf across the library and studied the titles for a moment before making her choice and grabbing a blue book off the shelf with her magic. She set the book down and frantically flipped through the pages.

“Actually, I’ve been looking since Sunday morning when I found out about what happened that night with town hall.” She pointed a hoof out the window without drawing her head up from the book.

“Tell me y’all have had some sleep since then.” Applejack deadpanned.

Twilight looked up from the book with a glare.

“Ah’m jus’ sayin’ ya have done a whole lot of stressin’ over things before, sugarcube.” Applejack raised a hoof in surrender.

“I’m not stressing over anything Applejack; I’m just doing a favor for a friend.” Twilight softened her glare and flipped through a few more pages in the book.

“He asked ya to find out?”

“No actually,” Twilight tossed the book and pulled another from the shelf, “he agreed to let me try to find out for him. It was my idea.”

“Well that was mighty nice of ya Twi’. I’m sure he’ll appreciate that.”

“I’m sure I’ll also learn a new lesson on friendship by helping him out too—Aha!!” Twilight appeared to have found some useful information in the new book she had opened before her.

“Uh huh...” AJ lowered a brow, “Alright, well good luck findin’ out that magic...an’ stuff.” Applejack rolled a hoof and turned for the door. “Nice seein’ ya Twi’.”

Twilight waved a hoof, keeping her face buried in the book, making notes on a piece of parchment with a quill using her magic.

AJ shrugged as the door to the library closed behind her. She started off back towards the center of town, to start the day’s work of selling the usual Apple Family varieties.

“Hi there Applejack!”

Applejack turned around towards the voice who addressed her, “Oh, howdy Bon Bon! How’re y’all doin’?”

“Uh, I’d be better if I knew where Lyra was.” She bit her bottom lip, taking a glance around wearily.

“Lyra’s missin’? This ain’t good; Davin’s missin’ too.”

“He is?” Bon Bon’s eyes widened, making her appear even more concerned now than she was a moment ago.

“Yeah, can’t find that darn colt anywhere.” Applejack was beginning to show signs of worry as well.

“Why do I suddenly get a really, really bad feeling about this?”

Freedom. At last.

As Lyra and I freed ourselves from the cave, we were met with a cool breeze, and early morning sunshine; it felt amazing. Although, it did take a while for my eyes to re-adjust to the brightness of the surface.

The small end of the tunnel emerged out of the side of a mountain, a few feet off the ground, near a small stream. The opening was wide enough for Lyra to easily get free, but just barely big enough for me. I almost got stuck half-way out, and I needed Lyra to lend me a hoof and help me through.

I let out a huge sigh of relief as all four of my hooves met the ground.

“FREEDOM!” I yelled out, standing on my back legs, thrusting both my hooves into the air.

Lyra rolled her eyes at me and giggled.

Oh, like you didn’t want to do the same thing Lyra...

Her optimism dropped as she peered past me, and up the mountain.

Great, now what?

“What’s wrong?”

Lyra pointed a hoof up to the top of the mountain. I turned around and looked up. I immediately wished I hadn’t have.

“Canterlot?!” My shoulders fell limp, “Are you kidding me...”

This was going to be a long, excruciating hike back to Ponyville, that's for sure. Good thing it was still fairly early, I might actually make it to work at a decent time if I step on it back to town! Now only just to start in the proper direction...

The base of the mountain was surrounded mostly by forest, and I couldn’t find any reference point other than the city of Canterlot itself, high up above, which didn’t really help. Needless to say, my sense of direction was way out of whack.

“Um, so where should we head?”

Lyra scrutinized the area, looking for anything to start us off in the right direction. Luck was definitely on our side this morning, because she quickly spotting something.

“Let’s just head for that bridge! It might lead us the right way.” Lyra pointed to a small train bridge crossing over the stream, several yards away.

How didn’t I notice that? Ah well, I’ll take what I can get in this situation! Frick, the cavern could have emerged out of the side of a sheer cliff; thank God it didn’t! Even if that track doesn’t lead the way to Ponyville, I’m sure it’d still help us out in the right way.

“Alright well no point sticking around. Let’s get back home.” I rustled my mane with a hoof, in attempt to shake out some of the dirt and filth that accumulated from the cave.

“Yeah...” There was some hesitation in her voice as she turned her head towards the stream.

She trotted over to the bank of the stream, looking down into her reflection. She cringed at the sight of herself. To my surprise, she just hopped right into the water.

Both her and I were both pretty filthy from spending a good 13-or-so hours in some dirty, damp, dark cavern, so I guess just jumping in some random stream would substitute for a shower I suppose; the water did look fairly clean and it would probably feel better to make the trip back to Ponyville clean, rather than be covered in god-knows what kind of filth from the cavern.

I too trotted over to the bank of the stream, and looked at my own reflection. No horn still, that's no surprise. Although the pains of it beginning to grow back come and go. I was also pretty damn dirty.

Holy crap; my mane was reduced to a black and dirty grey-brown, and my dark blue fur didn’t fair much better. I was a lot dirtier than Lyra was, that’s for sure.

I dipped a hoof into the stream to check the temperature. Meh; a little chilly, but not bad. Just as I prepared to step in, Lyra swung her hoof across the water, splashing me in the face.

“Oh just come in already!” She giggled teasingly.

Yeah, you’re going to pay for that Lyra.

I took a few steps back, before taking a running start back towards the stream. I leapt into the air, landing mere inches from where Lyra was standing; completely drenching her.

She stood there blank faced as the water dripped off her now soaking wet mane partly covering her face.

I had a good laugh at the look she had on her face. “Two can play at that game, you know.”

Her eyes narrowed to a glare and she trotted out of the stream. I immediately felt bad.

Shit, I pissed her off and now she’s walking away. WAY TO GO DAVIN! DAMNIT!

I sighed and sunk my head, looking again down into my own reflection. “You suck.” I swung a hoof at my reflection, distorting the image in the water.

Before I knew it, there Lyra was, standing atop a tall rock that slightly overhung the stream. She grinned sadistically at me.

“Oh shit.” I didn’t even have a split second to react.

She leapt from the rock, landing next to me in the water, soaking me even worse than I did her.

I guess my expression on my face didn’t differ much from the look she had before, because she practically fell onto her back into the water laughing.

“Ahem.” A gruff voice cleared his throat, catching both Lyra’s and my attention.

We both looked up, and the stream was surrounded by several white, fully-armored stallions.

“Oh, shit.”

“Rainbow! Hey, Rainbow! Wakey-wakey!” Applejack called up to a certain blue Pegasus’s cloud home floating several feet in the air.

The front door creaked open, revealing a very tired and annoyed Rainbow Dash.

“Ugh. It’s too early...” She rubbed her eyes with a hoof as she took a step outside, “What do you want Applejack?” she replied, peering over the edge of the cloud.

“Ah recon we might have a problem Dash.” Applejack rubbed the back of her neck, with worry in her eye. “An’ ah need yer help.”

Rainbow Dash sighed and lazily glided down from her home, joining Applejack and Bon Bon on the ground.

“Sure thing AJ,” she yawned, “what can I do for ya?”

“Davin an’ Lyra are both missin’.”

“Soooo~?” Rainbow shared glances at both AJ and Bon Bon.

“So we need you to come help us find them!” Bon Bon finally piped up, “Something’s wrong; it’s not like Lyra to just go missing like this!”

“Alright, alright... Calm down Bon Bon.” Rainbow raised a hoof and silenced the worried mare, “When did ya guys last see him?”

“When he left work yesterday evenin’ was the last ah seen of ‘im.” AJ shrugged.

“Um,” Bon Bon thought for a moment and had a hoof to her chin, “Saturday night.”

Rainbow Dash facehooved and groaned, “Well that doesn’t really help.”

“When was the last y’all seen him, Dash?”

“Uh,” Rainbow bit her bottom lip as she thought, realizing she was probably the last one to actually speak with him. “I saw him yesterday before his date with Lyra, actually.”

Applejack and Bon Bon glanced at each other, trying to make any possible assumptions.

After a few moments of silence, Rainbow piped up. “Alright... Well, where do you suppose we go look?”

Bon Bon placed a hoof to her chin as she thought.

“Well ah s’pose we should ask ‘round town to see if anypony’s seen him.” AJ shrugged.

“No, that would take too long...” Rainbow shook her head, “I’ve got a better idea! AJ, how about if you ask ponies if they’ve seen him when they come by your cart to buy apple stuff? You get enough business, so you could probably find out if anyone saw him later last night.”

Bon Bon added, “Yeah, I’m sure somepony must’ve seen him or Lyra after their date.”

“Um, I s’pose I could do that.” Applejack uncertainly rubbed the back of her neck with a hoof, “What are y’all gunna do?”

“Duh...” Rainbow Dash flashed her wings, “I have weather duty later today, so I’ll keep a lookout for him up above while I work.”

“Uh,” Bon Bon cut in between both the blue and orange mares, “what about me?”

"Umm..." Rainbow bit her bottom lip awkwardly and looked to AJ, not coming up with any brilliant plan for Bon Bon. Luckily, Applejack had already come up with an idea.

“Well y’all know Lyra better than Rainbow an’ ah do,” AJ glanced at the blue Pegasus for a moment, “Ah’m sure you’d know someplace she’d like to go after a date.”

“Yeah!” Rainbow Dash agreed, “Look for any sign of her in her favorite places around town!”

“Alright, I guess so.” Bon Bon skeptically agreed, “So we’ll just meet up again if we find something?”

“Sounds like a plan ta me!” Applejack gave a tip of her hat and began trotting off, “Ah’ll be workin’ mah usual spot if y’all find somthin’!”

“Ok!” Rainbow took off from the ground with a powerful gust of air, leaving a poor Bon Bon in her dusty wake.

Bon Bon coughed, brushing the dust off herself. “Uh, alright then.”

“What was that all about Twilight?” Spike asked as he walked down the stairs into the library.

“Oh, Applejack just stopped by to ask if I’ve seen Davin is all.” She answered from the open pages of a book.

“Oh, alright. Well I--” Spike was cut off as he burped up a ball of magic fames, revealing a scroll and a thick book.

Catching both the scroll and the book in a violet aura of magic, Twilight brought both over towards her and began to read the scroll. Spike too stepped forth, and also read the scroll over Twilight’s shoulder.

My dearest student Twilight Sparkle,

I’m afraid I have some bad news. Unfortunately, myself, along with the Royal Guard, will not be able to attend this year’s annual Cider Season in Ponyville.

Due to the total lack of mechanical professionals in Canterlot, the Royal Canterlot Express cannot be repaired in time to attend. I regret relaying this information to you this way, but there’s a current situation that is likely involving the reasons for the Canterlot Express’ derailment, and it requires my attention.

I’ll be sure to schedule a date with you and your friends again soon, and I am looking forward to your continuing research and studies in friendship.

Your faithful mentor,
Princess Celestia

“Well this can’t be good.” Twilight set down the scroll and glanced over to Spike.

“Why do I get a bad feeling about this, Twilight?”

“I don’t know Spike, but I do too.” Twilight picked up the book returned from Princess Celestia, entitled ‘Advanced Mechanics of Locomotion’. She studied the book for a moment, and an idea popped into her head.

“Spike, take a letter.” Twilight set the book back down.

“Twilight?” Spike cocked his head back and puzzled as to where Twilight was going with this.

“Hurry Spike, the Princess seemed urgent. It’s important I get this to her as soon as possible!”

“Uh, alright. You’re the boss.” Spike shrugged and picked up a piece of parchment and a quill.

“Dearest Princess Celestia,” Twilight began to relay, “I happen to have recently befriended somepony who is, in fact, highly educated in mechanics...”

“Braeburn? Did you hear that?”

“Hear what, Miss Jubilee?”

Cherry Jubilee’s ears perked as she arose to her hooves.

“I swear I heard somepony’s voice.”

“Miss Jubilee, we’ve been in here long enough that our minds are tryin’ to pull tricks on us.”

“No, Braeburn, I swear.”

Braeburn tilted his head lazily to the side, raising one ear up as he lied flat on the rock ground of his cell.

“Anyone down there?” a voice clearly echoed through the cavern.

“Ok, now I know that ain’t my mind playin’ tricks on me.”

Cherry cleared her sore throat, and prepared herself to answer to the voice. Just as Cherry opened her mouth, a Changeling guard wearing a menacing grimace, silently stood affront of her cell; his horn glowing a dark green, threatening Celestia-knows-what if she tried to call back to the voice.

The guard shook his head, and made a slicing motion across his neck to both Braeburn and the now very frightened Cherry Jubilee.

Another Changeling guard approached from the direction of where the voice emanated from.

“They left.” Assured the approaching guard.

“Did they see you?” the guard before the prisoners asked, without taking his malevolent blue eyes off Cherry.

“No.”

“Good.” The guard took one more, long look at both the prisoners, grinning smugly before leaving back into the darkness with the other.

Author's Note

This was a fun one to write I must say! Those Changelings just don't want to come out and play, do they? Haha. Soon guys... Soon.

As always, feedback me!