Canterlot Bridge

Ponyville Train Station
Early Morning

Clickity-clack! Clickity-clack! Clickity-clack! Clickity-clack!

The earliest train was arriving into Ponyville as silently as it could possibly be. The only source of light that came from the Night Express was the front headlamp, which brightly lit up the track in front. It was clear that everypony on board was fast asleep, apart from the driver and the guard who was at the rear with an orange lamp, which he waved around in the air. The Night Express slowed down and eventually braked when it pulled into the station, allowing the guard to step off and walk onto the platform. The steam swept into the station like a thick fog and made the place feel very warm against the cold, fresh morning air.

The guard wandered down the platform to the entrance of the station, where a gathering of multi-coloured ponies was walking towards him. He halted, allowing them to come closer. Twilight was in front, followed by her friends. As soon as he noticed that it was the Princess of Friendship, the guard put on a friendlier and more respectful expression on his face. Twilight stopped in front of him before the guard interacted with her.

"Good morning, Princess," the stallion began, "you catching this train tonight?"

Twilight nodded, before walking up to the guard and leaning in closer to him.

"Seven tickets to Canterlot, please?"

The guard nodded and pulled out a portable ticket machine which was hanging around his neck. He used his horn to fiddle with the machine, before pulling out seven tickets and handing them over to Twilight. After Twilight paid the unicorn, she led the rest of her friends into one of the carriages and they all crowded into one of the apartments. They all sat down on the empty beds and closed the door and blinds, giving them some privacy. Twilight was, of course, the first to start talking.

"Now remember, we're only going to Canterlot to find Starlight and see if she's okay. We're not going to be looking at attractions, friends or go shopping. Sorry, Rarity."

Rarity gave a loud huff, but then replaced her stroppy frown with a gentle smile.

"It's fine, Twilight. We can have a mares-out trip to Canterlot another time. Finding Starlight, though, is much more of a concern than my particular taste to fashion."

Apart from Twilight, the other ponies and Spike were extremely tired. They yawned themselves onto the train and they wandered down the carriage before they reached the compartment that they had been given. Twilight unlocked the door and walked in, followed by the rest of the gang.

Twilight laid down on one of the beds that were prepared for them. The rest of her friends did the same, throwing their belongings into the luggage compartment and then collapsing onto the beds. There was a sudden urge in their bodies, which made them extremely tired. The Mane Six and Spike looked at each other for a while, before they started tucking themselves under the covers.

"So, Twilight...?" Fluttershy began. Applejack poked Twilight over her shoulder to grab her attention, then pointing towards Fluttershy, who looked very sleepy. "Star... Starlight's going to be fine, is she?"

Twilight moved over to Fluttershy's bed, then moving in to give her a gentle hug. Fluttershy returned the favour and buried her head in Twilight shoulder, which she had never done before to her.

"I hope so, Fluttershy. I promise, though, we will find her and we will know what has happened to her."

They remained in hold whilst the others watched, but soon, it was just too early in the morning to stay up any longer and one by one, each of them collapsed into their beds and fell asleep.

Two miles from Canterlot International, 08:00

Morning came as a sudden shock to Twilight and her friends. It wasn't until the glare of the bright, shining sun came through the blinds that covered the window of the compartment that Twilight, who was the first to get up, opened her eyes and sat up in her bed. The air was crisp and cold; Twilight wrapped herself in the bed sheets to keep warm. She crawled over, keeping as quiet as she possibly could, and peered out of the window. It was obvious that it had been a cold night; frost had covered the farming fields. Not that many ponies were wandering around and those who were, had wrapped up themselves tightly in thick clothing. Every breath that came out of their muzzles was thick enough to see from a far distance, and as the train slowed down into Canterlot International, a large gathering of ponies were standing either outside or in the waiting rooms, waiting for the train that Twilight and her friends were travelling on.

The station guard appeared from behind the crowd, waving a red lamp in the air with his horn. He turned around and looked at the crowd again.

"Stand back, please! Let the passengers come off first!"

Twilight and the heroes of Equestria were the first to come off. They took their belongings along with them and then went into the station's building, where a hot breakfast was waiting for them. Pinkie Pie, who had not eaten anything in the last few hours, gasped at the sight of how much food was available in the cafeteria of the station. She raced over and placed herself in the queue to the canteen. The others followed slowly behind her and realised that they were also very hungry and hadn't eaten since dinner last night, which was hours ago. Pinkie was the one who suffered the most from not eating anything.

"So... hungry... food looks... so... tasty!"

Pinkie licked her lips with her long, pink tongue and panted loudly like a puppy on a hot day. Twilight was the pony behind her, making sure that her friend didn't get carried away with how much was cooked and prepared for those who were travelling (besides, she was the pony who was going to be paying for all of this). She used her magic to hold back Pinkie's mane; it was like holding an uncontrollable dog on a leash. The others remained standing behind Twilight and when they got to the canteen, Twilight was the one who did the talking.

Whilst she was doing that, Applejack started talking to the others.

"Do you guys have any idea where Starlight's gotten to?"

Rainbow Dash bit her lip and looked at Rarity, who simply shrugged back.

"We don't know. Then again, that's why we're on this trip, isn't it?" Rainbow Dash replied.

"Oh, she could be lost, or injured or worse...!" Fluttershy began. Everypony looked directly at her. "...dead!"

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and groaned loudly. "I don't think Starlight's going to be dead, Fluttershy. Starlight managed to travel back in time, screw up the present and then manage to survive it all. If she had died, I'm sure it will be all over the press in Equestria. She was originally going to jail for her crimes, but Twilight and Princess Celestia forgave her, so I'm pretty sure she's... fine."

At first, Rainbow seemed confident that this statement was true, but stopped just before she finished her sentence with the word "fine". What did that even mean, exactly? Did fine mean that Starlight was perfectly okay, or did it mean that she wasn't too injured but a little hurt? Even though she was confident that Starlight could manage by herself, there was still the odd situation that even one of the most powerful unicorns to have ever lived, that she would find herself somewhere that even she needed a friend by her side.

"Well, Starlight is still a mare who knows when she stands her ground," Rarity added, "I'm sure, for a mare, that she can push away anypony who bothers her in any way. You have to stand your ground; stomp your hoof in the ground and go 'no, I don't wanna do it', and then everypony will know not to mess with you!"

Fluttershy raised an eyebrow but didn't respond. She couldn't quite grab the idea of what Rarity was trying to show to her; then again, Rarity was just simply a drama-queen at heart. But before she could continue, Fluttershy found herself being pushed along in the queue to the canteen and eventually she was standing next to her friends, reading to order from the ponies who were serving them.

A mare who had her mane tied up in a bun and wore a chef's uniform was standing in between two stallions who were both helping her serve the commutators who had stopped at the station.

"Welcome to Canterlot International's official restaurant," the mare said in a dull voice, "how may we be able to serve you?"

Twilight laughed nervously at the pony's question. She then replaced her face with a serious expression.

"We just want the basic English Breakfast, if that's okay, please?"

Pinkie Pie wined.

"Why can't we have everything, Twilight?!"

After Twilight finished paying the mare, she turned around and faced Pinkie directly in the eye.

"Because I don't have the time, money or patience, Pinkie! We need to find Starlight and see if she's okay. The longer we hang around, the less chance we have of finding her before it's too late. Look, we're just getting something to eat, and then we'll be on our way. Sunburst will be able to help us, as he's coming over from the Crystal Empire. He'll be here shortly."

The cooks delivered Twilight the food she ordered and she, Spike and the rest of the Mane Six went outside and sat at a picnic table, where they began eating. Luckily, the sun had appeared from the clouds, revealing bright sunlight, making it feel warmer than it would normally be. The hunger inside them made Twilight and her friends eat quickly, and once they finished, they cleared up and walked over to the edge of the platform.

"What train did Sunburst get in the end?" Twilight asked Rarity.

Rarity looked at her pocket watch and then back up to Twilight.

"The next train coming," Rarity replied, "he should be here in a minute or so."

Twilight nodded and then watched in the direction of the Crystal Empire, where Sunburst's train would be coming from. Rarity stood beside her, but the others stood back from the platform edge. Instead, they sat on a nearby bench. They, however, didn't need to wait for long, as Sunburst's train appeared on the horizon. Some of those who were on the same platform as the Mane Six began to make their way to the platform edge, carrying their suitcases and saddlebags with them. Just then, the intercom rang and a mare's voice started talking from it.

"The train now arriving at Platform 3 is the 08:15 to Mysterious South Terminal. Calling at Ponyville, Ghastly Gorge, Appleloosa and Mysterious South Terminal. Please stand back from the platform edge."

In the distance, the train started to become visible. It blew its whistle and continued at great speed into Canterlot, before slowing down when it got closer to the station. The train eventually came to a complete stop, allowing a familiar pony to burst out towards Twilight. Sunburst was hyperventilating and shaking madly. It was like he had seen a ghost or something terrible enough to scare him like this. Twilight walked up to him.

"Starlight... missing... she's nowhere...!"

"Sunburst, are you okay? What happened to you? Where is Starlight?"

In her last question, there was a hint of sternness in Twilight's voice. Sunburst eventually stopped breathing too quickly and started talking normally.

"Twilight, this is serious! I can't find Starlight anywhere. I asked those in the Crystal Empire who know her a little bit, but they have no idea where she could be. I checked the library, but nothing!"

Twilight frowned even more. She was now very worried about Starlight now. This was beyond serious; this was concerning. If Sunburst had no idea where Starlight could be, then there was only one pony who could now help them.

"We must ask Princess Cadance for help immediately. She needs to come here."

Rainbow Dash shook her head.

"No, Twilight. We need Princess Celestia for this."

"I'm afraid not, Rainbow," Twilight argued, "Both Princess Celestia and Luna are busy doing princess paperwork today. It has to be Cadance. After all, it was Sunburst who performed the Crystalling for her daughter and my niece, Flurry Heart."

Sunburst nodded in agreement. "You have a point there, Twilight. We must head over to Cadance's Canterlot's quarters at once! No more time must be wasted!"

And with that, they raced out of the station and ran all the way to Canterlot Castle, without a moment to lose.

Corridor after corridor, Twilight led her friends to where Cadance's guest room was in the castle. It was quite a trek though, as Cadance stayed on the third floor, and the lift that was meant to make their journey quicker was out of use, so Twilight and her friends had to climb all the way up to the top via the stairs. Each step was harder to walk up than the previous one; it was an epic workout for those who weren't as fit as others, but they soon reached a guard on the third floor and they stopped before him.

"Good morning, Princess Twilight," the guard said, "Princess Cadance is waiting for you. Allow me to take you there."

The royal guard took Twilight and her fellow companions to the next set of stairs, where they began the ascent to the top, which began to tire them out quickly. Still, the good news was that Cadance's room was placed in the centre of the third floor, so at least they didn't have to cross rooms or go in zig-zags as if they were wondering in a never-ending maze. However, they eventually found themselves just outside of Cadance's room. The guard then knocked on the door lightly and the sound of rustling came from behind.

"Who is it?!"

Princess Cadance sounded very distressed and exhausted, which made Twilight put off from coming to visit her at all. The guard ignored the princess' moaning and answered her question.

"It's Princess Twilight of Ponyville, your highness. She has come to see you on the disappearance of the mare Starlight Glimmer. And she has come with her friends and Sunburst."

There was a brief silence, but eventually, the sound of hooves trotting over to the door alerted Twilight that her former foal sitter was coming. Slowly, the door opened, to reveal Cadance in a silk, pink dress and fluffy slippers. It was like she was wearing a mix of her posh princess overalls and her pyjamas; she looked like she had just come out of bed. By the time, however, Twilight noticed the red under her eyes, the swollen nose and the dripping snot that poured out from her nostrils and either into her mouth or down her chin. Cadance was clearly sick, but seeing Twilight immediately made her smile.

"Twilight! Oh, I'm so gla... gla... achoo! I'm so glad to see you!"

Twilight gave Cadance a semi-hug, before walking into her room, followed by the rest of the group. Cadance allowed Twilight and her friends to sit on her bed.

"Sorry to see ya so sick, Cadance," Applejack said, "cold, I'm guessing?"

Cadance nodded. She grabbed a tissue and blew hard into it, before throwing it into a bin full of other dirty tissues.

"Yes, Applejack. I'm afraid I caught it from poor Flurry Heart. She's better now, but I've been suffering for the past two days now. Now, down to business, Twilight. You were here to talk about Starlight, weren't you?"

Twilight nodded and so did the rest of her friends, however, neither of them spoke. They allowed Twilight to talk to Cadance without any distractions.

"I'm afraid so, Cadance. You were the pony princess I could go to. Princess Celestia and Luna are busy at the moment, so you are our last option at the moment."

Cadance sighed. She, for a while, looked away from Twilight, eyes closed. It was clear that Cadance was in serious pain, as her eyes were bright red, her breathing was deep and she shook frantically every moment or so. Twilight began to think that this wasn't such a good idea anymore.

"I think we should leave-"

"NO! DON'T GO!" Cadance stretched her hoof to Twilight, drawing her in for another hug. "Please. You've only just arrived."

"But you're ill, Cadance."

Cadance lay down on her bed and looked up at the ceiling. She still held Twilight's hoof, like she didn't want to let go of her. Twilight looked down into her eyes and started to breathe deeply. Her stomach churned and twisted, making her feel sick with fear. Cadance then coughed and continued talking.

"I... need you to stay, Twilight. There's something very important that I need to explain to you. Somthing about your friend, Starlight. I don't know where exactly she is, but I do know somepony who may be responsable for her disappearance."

The ponies and Spike gasped loudly. There was a long pause; everyone held their breath and didn't make a sound for a moment. Twilight leaned in closer to Cadance.

"Who, Cadance? WHO?!" Twilight was almost screaming out, desprate to know what had happened to one of her best friends. She needed to know. She had to know. She couldn't give up on Starlight Glimmer. She couldn't give up. No. No. No. Twilight had to know what Cadance was trying to say, but she was just too ill. She coughed each time she tried to breathe in deeply and the obvious signs of pain grew bigger and became more disturbing by the minute. Twilight needed an answer now, otherwise Cadance would go into another cougthing fit again and it would another conversation to get what she wanted. But this was an answer that perhaps she didn't want to hear.

"On Canterlot Bridge."