Chapters That night back at the Crystal Empire palace, Shining goes into bed early and just cries himself to sleep. He's so worried about his baby sister. Growing up, Twily was his world and now she's missing. It's the worst thing to possibly happen to him. Then he gets an idea in his sleep, what if this is all Discord's doing? What if Discord's not the reformed creature Fluttershy thought he was? That would definitely explain a lot including the disappearance of Twilight and her friends.
The next day, Shining gets up before the sun and goes and meets up with Discord just to talk.
"What did you do to my sister and her friends? You're the only creature I know of that can open alternate dimensions." Demands Shining Armor.
"Me?" Questions Discord. "Yes I can open pocket dimensions, alternate dimensions, but I'd never do anything to harm Fluttershy, Twilight, or their friends. I can promise you that. Who you are looking for is Tirek. This has his giant centaur prints all over it because like me, he can open alternate dimensions and trap ponies within them."
"Thanks for the help, Discord," mumbles Shining, "is there any way you can help me track this Tirek down?"
"Sure, anything if it means saving my dear Fluttershy!" replies Discord. He then returns with Shining to the Crystal Empire where they promptly meet up with Flash Sentry in the Crystal Garden. From there, the three head out in search of Tirek accompanied by only six more guards: two more pegasi, two more unicorns, and two more earth ponies. They also pick up the help of Thorax the changeling since he also has a specialty in identifying the scents of magic usage. The group then heads out on their journey to find Tirek.
That night, they stop in the Granite Caves and start a fire and set up to spend the night. "We'll find them, we'll find Twilight, we will," Flash Sentry reassures Shining Armor.
"How can you be so sure?" asks Shining Armor as a tear drops from his eye and onto the stones below them.
"Because of the hope and faith of a better tomorrow that I always keep in my heart, it helps me through everyday," responds Flash.
"Thanks for the reassurance," sighs Shining Armor before bursting into tears. All he wants is his little sister back. To Flash, Discord, and Thorax, that is indeed clear to see.
The next morning, Shining, Flash, Discord, and Thorax are up with the sun. They have to head out early if they want to do a decent sized search for where Tirek may be located before nightfall. Not long after they headed out, the four were joined by a mysterious figure: one that was definitely not a pony. It took them by surprise. Was this the dreaded creature they were looking for? Alas, no it was not. It was just one of several teenage dragons that was trying to stir up trouble. Shining convinced the dragon to let him and his friends go on their way to which the dragon reluctantly agreed. After all, the dragon had to admit, he didn't want a full out war with the Crystal Empire for attempting to pony nap their prince.
By mid afternoon, the four stumbled upon a small village. There, they stopped to enjoy some much needed lunch. Not long after they had sat down to eat, they were greeted by a unicorn, who said she was an old friend of Cadence. "Hello, my name is Golden Token," said the unicorn mare, "I'm an old friend of Cadence. She contacted me and told me you needed help finding the centaur known as Tirek."
"Yes, that's right," replies Shining, "I'm her husband and these are my friends. We are looking for Tirek because he sent my sister and her friends to these different dimensions and we're going after him in order to make him bring them back."
About a half hour later, the five set out in search of Tirek once again. Not long after that, they approach an old centaur cave carved into the side of the mountain. "We're going the right way," says Thorax as he sniffs the air, "there's a magic residue here, a residue that is signature only to centaurs."
"Good, that means we're making progress," replies Shining albeit still with a glum look on his face.
"We'll get your sister and her friends back," Golden Token reassures him. Shining hopes she's right.
The group continues on through the mountainous caves and winding valleys of the area known simply as Centaur Gorge. They walk for hours with Thorax leading the way. As they walk, Golden hums to herself. She hums a song her mother used to sing to her whenever she got scared. Soon, she gets everyone to hum along. Humming, she knows, will keep them both focused and calm as they continue on their journey. After all, she's not a wizard in training for nothing. She has strong magic and a level head, that's why she's a wizard in training.
Around midnight, the five set up camp on the other side of the Centaur Gorge. Once settled, Shining asks Golden Token to tell them a little bit about herself.
"Well," says Golden Token, "I've known Cadence since we were foals. When the Crystal Empire disappeared, she came to live with us. At the time, we had no idea that she was a princess of a vanished empire. All we knew was that we were destined to become the best of friends. I'd go with her when she went to babysit your sister, Twilight, Shining Armor. I saw how much she loved and cared about you and your sister just from going to babysit with her. A few years later, Cadence moved in with us, for what we thought to be full time. During that same time, I also began my wizard training with my father. I'm actually the great, great, great, great, great granddaughter of Starswirl the Bearded. Wizardry was in my blood. How my parents hid that from me for so many years, I still have no clue. Cadence helped me through my studies. Through this, I watched her use magic she had learned, although she had no horn, to help fix ponies who were arguing to make them love each other again. I watched her as she ascended and became a princess. I was there for all of it. We were best friends through all of it and still are to this day."
"Wow!" replies Shining. "I had no idea you and my wife were so close."
"Well, you do now," replies Golden Token with a tender, mild voice. She then curls up and falls asleep. Shining and Flash soon follow suit and do the same. They're tired from the long journey. Tomorrow, they'll continue their search for Tirek.
Meanwhile, in the dessert, Twilight and Applejack are still in search of water. "Twi, it's hopeless," sighs Applejack.
"Don't give up hope, that's what you always tell me," replies Twilight. "We'll find water, I promise." They track on for hours. About ten hours later, they finally stumble across water and drink their fill. They then continue on their journey. About a day later, they stumble into an old abandoned town. There, they go into an old bar and sit down. They order two root beers.
"I don't believe I've seen you two around here b'fore," says a voice in the corner. The young stallion then walks over to their table. "The name's Lone Star," says the stallion. "What are yers?"
"Applejack and Twilight," reply Applejack and Twilight.
"Well hello Miss Applejack and Miss Twilight," replies Lone Star with a smile, "what can I do fer ya?"
"We're lost, we got separated from our friends," replies Twilight, "and we have no idea where they are. We think we may be in an alternate universe from our own."
"Ya don't say," replies Lone Star, "you are in a different dimension. This is the Tejas dimension. The home of Westerns, cowboys, and Indians every day of the week, every month of the year."
"Then do you know how we can get out of here?" asks Applejack.
"Yes ma'am," replies Lone Star, "you're looking for the big baddy known as Tirek. He's the one who did this to ya and yer friends."
"Thanks Lone Star," replies Applejack.
"No problem, I'll help you on your quest," he replies. He helps the two mares out of the bar and the three head off in search of Tirek but not before kissing his sweet wife Cherry Jubilee goodbye. She blushes as she watches him leave the town. "I wish ya well, Lone Star," she sighs before going back inside to run the bar while he's away.
"So," says Lone Star, "where are ya two gals from anyways?"
"A place called Ponyville, Equestria," replies Applejack.
"Oh," replies Lone Star.
The three continue to walk. Within the day, they cover over forty miles of empty dessert before stopping at another off the map town for the night. They purchase two hotel rooms and go to sleep. Applejack and Twilight fall fast asleep, while in his room, Lone Star looks at a picture of his beloved Cherry Jubilee. About three hours later, he falls fast asleep. How he misses his sweet Jubilee! Alas, he has to help these two find Tirek before he can return to his beloved wife and son.
The next day, the three eat breakfast and then head off on their journey to find Tirek once more. As they walk, Lone Star whistles to himself. Applejack soon begins to do the same. Twilight looks at the two of them puzzled. "Why do you whistle?" she asks.
"It helps the time pass quicker," replies Applejack before promptly starting to whistle again. Twilight just shakes her head. All she wants is to get back home to her brother, sister in law, niece, mom, and dad. She misses them oh so much. She knows that Shining must be worried sick and out in search of her and her friends. Thinking this thought makes her smile. She's glad he's going to find a way to get her back. She just hopes he doesn't get himself killed in the process.
Meanwhile, in the snowy scape of their dimension, Rainbow and Rarity soon stumble across an old log cabin and go inside. Inside, they are greeted by an old man with a scruffy beard of pure white.
"Hello," says the old man, "who might you two be?"
"We're Rarity and Rainbow Dash," say the two ponies. "We came here in search of shelter and to find out where we are."
"Well, girls, you're in Antarctica, no one lives her save for me," replies the man, "the name's Gerald Paul."
"Well," replies Rainbow, "we think we may be in another dimension."
"That you are," replies Gerald.
"Then how do we get out of here?" asks Rainbow.
"You'd be looking for the Great Snow Husky," says the man, "you can find him in the tallest glacier in all Antarctica. For now, though, please sit around the fire and get warmed up." The two ponies nod and come join him by the fire. He gets them scarves, boots, hats, and coats. The two wiggle into them. A few hours later, they head out in search of the Great Snow Husky.
That night, they spend it in a small makeshift tent that Gerald Paul had given them. There, they fall fast asleep. The two just want to get home to Ponyville. They're tired of freezing to death. They just want to get back to the lives they used to have and the warm homes they have back in Equestria. As they sleep, that's all they can dream about. Rarity dreams about her mother, father, and little sister. Rainbow dreams about her mother, father, and her idols the Wonderbolts. How she's ready to get back to flying alongside them!
Meanwhile, in the old abandoned amusement park, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie look around for someone who can possibly tell them where they are. Alas, their search seems in vain until they stumble onto a young clown named Giggles who tells them where they are.
"You're in a dimension known as the Dimension of Laughs, or rather, it used to be, until a tyrant named Tiren took over. He can get you back to your friends and back to Equestria. After all, he's the one that created the portal that brought you to this dimension in the first place."
"Thank you," replies Pinkie. She and Fluttershy then head off in search of Tiren. If he's anything like their Tirek back home, he can do just what Tirek can do, open a portal and bring them back home to Equestria.
Meanwhile, back in Equestria, Shining Armor, Flash Sentry, Discord, Thorax, and Golden Token are right on Tirek's tail. They charge into the unknown and soon find Tirek. "Bring them back! Bring them back!" yells Flash. Shining pushes him aside.
"Tirek!" hollers Shining. The centaur turns around. "I've come to bargain. Bring my sister and her friends back from whatever dimensions you sent them to and I won't send you back to the pit of Tartarus. Do we have a deal?"
"Yes," says Tirek, "we have a deal." He snaps his fingers and the Mane Six soon reappear. Twilight then runs into her brother's hooves excitedly. She's so glad to see him again. Shining hugs her tightly and refuses to let go. He then leaves with his sister and her friends as well as Flash, Discord, Thorax, and Golden Token returns back to Canterlot by way of a transportation spell.
"I'm so glad you're back!" says Shining to Twilight.
"I'm glad to be back. I was in a twisted alternate dimension with AJ where all our fellow ponies were part of a real life Western. It was so weird seeing Cherry Jubilee as Lone Star's wife. It was creepy," replies Twilight.
"I can imagine," chuckles Shining.
A few hours later, they all arrive back in the Crystal Empire where Twilight runs in and hugs Cadence and kisses her niece on the forehead. She's so glad to see them again. She's so glad to see all of them again. That's for certain.
The next day, all Equestria has a giant party in Canterlot to celebrate the return of the Mane Six. Even Celestia and Luna decide to show up. They're glad Twilight is back. They're glad her friends are back. Twilight runs over to Celestia and gives her a hug. She then does the same to Luna. It's a happy, happy day in Equestria. Even so, only Shining knows the true cost and he hopes to keep it that way. He can't let anyone else know that he didn't send Tirek back to Tartarus. Besides, everyone is celebrating and he doesn't want to ruin the mood.
Pinkie Pie begins to sing. It's a song about how great all her friends are and how great the ponies that love them are. Her friends just giggle, smile, and laugh. They're glad to see Pinkie back to her spunky self. Pinkie shares a hug with her five best friends. She's thrilled that they're all back in Equestria side by side. Her friends begin to sing at her side. Everything is truly perfect.
Meanwhile, Tirek has taken to hiding in the dark shadows of the unknown. There, he finally starts to feel bad for what he's done and ends up banishing himself to Tartarus. Everything is now truly perfect in the world, no thanks to Shining Armor and the Mane Six. This time, it's thanks to the villain and that's a rare thing in Equestria, a very rare thing in Equestria indeed.
"Ugh, my head!" sighs Twilight rubbing it. She then looks up and sees dessert all around her. "Where am I?"
"Don't ask me!" replies Applejack, who sits up and rubs her head before embracing Twilight in a hug. The two then go out in search of water.
If they're going to be stranded in the dessert together, they might as well try to find water amongst the endless sand that surrounds them.
"Oh my wing," grunts Rainbow Dash as she prunes it. She then looks up and sees nothing but snow. Then she looks over and sees a freezing Rarity.
"Where are we?" asks Rarity.
"No clue," replies Rainbow Dash. The two get up and begin off in search of somewhere warm to spend the night. Rarity whines all the while.
"Oh, my balloons..." sighs Pinkie Pie, "I just bought those, now they're all destroyed."
"Oh get over it," replies Fluttershy. "We need to figure out where we are."
"Fine," whines Pinkie. "It seems to me that we're in an old abandoned amusement park, spooky."
Meanwhile, back at the Crystal Empire, Shining has just gotten news that his sister and all her friends have mysteriously disappeared. He starts to fear for the worst, so he goes and gathers his guard including his wife's most trusted guard: Flash Sentry.
"Okay men," says Shining Armor, "we need to find my sister and her friends. Here are copies of their picture. Now it's up to us to find them. Flash Sentry, you're with me, so are you Jinx Cube, Spearhead, and Upstood Shield."
"Sir, yes sir," reply the three stallions as they follow behind Shining Armor at their fastest running speed. Shining is going to find Twilight and her friends if it's the last thing he does.
Meanwhile, the Mane Six are trying to find a way to find each other. Unfortunately, their efforts are in vain. Twilight soon comes to the realization that they might all be in separate dimensions. Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie soon come to that same conclusion. They're in three separate dimensions with no idea how to get back to where they belong. Needless to say, they are scared, confused, with their hope running low. All they can do now is try to survive.
Meanwhile, all across Equestria, Shining and his men are in search of Twilight and her friends. Spike, however, stayed back at the castle with Cadance and little Flurry Heart. He knows he can do more good there than out in the freezing night alongside Shining and his best soldiers. They search all night without prevail. Twilight and her friends are nowhere to be found. Shining breaks down in tears. His sister is missing and so are her friends and to him, it feels as though it's all his fault even though, deep down inside, he knows it's not. If he's lost Twilight for good, though, there's no way he can forgive himself for it.
