Dawn's new day.

A lone young colt wearing a wide rimmed Cowboy hat with a rubber chicken in a saddle on his back overlooked the nearby town with pride. “Well Boneless we did it. Just like our Pink filly friend, we brought smiles to the faces of another sad group of townsfolk.”

He adjusted his hat. “Guess it’s about time we…” The colt felt a tingle in his spine, somepony was unhappy and they were close. Looking over the town at all the smiling faces only made him more confused.

“Run!” I yelled at the funny looking colt standing in the middle of the road. I had been running for the better part of ten minutes from the wolves chasing me. They had caught me off guard while resting my wings and, while I was pissed at them, Fluttershy would end Me if I killed them. Not that I want to, wolves are normally cute and easy to deal with, if only I wasn’t tired and magically drained from traveling so long. These wolves weren’t the first threat I had to deal with.

The cowboy looking colt just stood his ground and pulled out a cannon. “No need partner.” He flicked up his hat and shot out a massive amount of confetti from his cannon. The resulting noise and smoke scared off the wolves and made my sensitive Thestral ears ring.

“Oh wow that actually worked.” He began laughing, a complete contradiction to his previous demeanor. “You alright there friend?”

Still flicking my ears in agitation I didn’t bother looking his way. “Yeah I’m fine.” I huffed. “Just been stuck in this bucking forest for two days then, when I stop ta rest I get attacked by wolves, and finally I get saved by a party cannon wielding pony that makes my ears ring.” I sigh. I knew the colt had only done it to save me but my ears really hurt.

“Ah, sorry about that partner.” He took back on the cowboy persona. “Didn’t mean to cause ya any distress.”

I finally looked his way as he held out a hoof in apology. Looking at it then him I gave it a bump. “Well my ears will recover I guess. Better them ringing a bit than getting my flank bitten off.”

“Great.” He reverted again with a big smile. “I’m Cheese Sandwich by the way. What about you stranger?”

“Lost.” I said as sarcastically as possible with a half chuckle. I thought he looked familiar.

“Well it’s nice to meet ya Lost.” The way he said it earned an actual laugh and I fell on my back exasperated and exhausted. He really is just like Pinkie.

“Oh, so you were the unhappy pony I sensed.” He nodded and cause his rubber chicken to flop around.

“Yeah. It hasn’t been a great couple of days for me. Anyway my name is Balanced Dawn my current status in the world is lost.” I huffed, standing back up and shaking myself off.

“Well Dawn nice to meet you again.” He tipped his hat.

“You too Cheese.” I nodded. “Um, anyway do you know where in Equestria we are?” I motioned to the nearby buildings.

“Well this little village has no name.” He motioned with his hooves. “But we’re right on the border between Equestria and the Griffin wild lands.”

“Oh, that’s not good.” I fell on my haunches. Depending where along the border I was the trip could take a week or a month by hoof. I knew the foalnappers had used teleportation and probably another train but the thought I had probably spent my time going the wrong direction made it worse. I could have easily teleported back, If only I knew where exactly I was!

As I sat there feeling upset Cheese put a hoof on my shoulder and gave me a friendly side nuzzle. “Hey it will be oaky. Where ya heading? I could tag along.”

“Canterlot.” My ears perked up.

“Well then Dawn and Boneless we have our destination.” He pointed north west which made sense considering fall had yet to properly set in around here. “This is Boneless by the way.” He showed off the rubber chicken. “My faithful travel companion. So I guess that makes you, Dawn, my second travel companion.”

“You’re going to have to let them know.” Imago sat at Celestia’s side. Her princess had run herself ragged the past few days, organizing search parties and handing the aftermath of the train attack.

“I can’t. The family has been through this once already and we don’t even have a clue as to who took him this time.” Celestia slumped at her desk.

“Couldn’t it be the two that escaped?” Imago idly checked a few papers. She also had a lot on her mind with the changelings that had show up. Feeding them had been no problem but they needed to be connected to her hive mind soon yet she was busy helping her princess.

“No. Reports on them had them last spotted being sold as slaves in one of the lawless towns. My agent lost track of them after that.” Celestia leaned against her partner. She was eternally grateful she no longer had to stand alone. The two sat in silence until Celestia spoke again. “When will you preform your hive ceremony?”

Imago froze a moment. “That can wait.”

Celestia nuzzled against Imago’s cool chitin. “No. Your subjects need you same as my little ponies. Go take care of them while I handle this.”

“But you need me too.” Imago nuzzled her warm fur.

“Yes, but I can’t be helped right now. They can.” Celestia retorted.

“Fine but you still need to let Dawn’s family know. News of the train attack is already spreading in the city so once news get out they will come asking about him.” Imago gave her a kiss on the cheek and left the study to go prepare for the induction of new hive members.

She really does make a fine partner.

“So my no feathered friend what exactly are you, some kind of bat pony?” Cheese asked with pure curiosity. We had been walking about an hour, one that was spent with Cheese regaling me with the tale of the previous town he helped regain their smiles.

“I’m a Thestral, calling us bats is a bit rude unless part of the ponies name.” I flapped my wings. For some reason I couldn’t currently change back into my original features but had no issues hiding or revealing my horn.

“Sorry chum just haven’t seen a pony like you in my travels. Have we boneless?” The chicken remained silent.

“I’m not surprised. Thestrals typically don’t interact with the other tribes.” At least not openly. My ear flicked. I had been researching them ever since getting my mission but they had hidden themselves from society very well.

“What about you then partner?” Cheese flicked his tail my way.

“Foalnapped by griffin slavers.” He was thrown off by how nonchalantly I answered with a shrug. “Not the first time.”

He worked his jaw for a few moments and broke both his characters. “Well dang.”

“Eeyup.”

Big Mac sneezed.

“Oh Mac you’re not catching a cold are you?” Cheerilee asked as she was laying on his side. Unfettered rested on the other while the three caught up outside on the family farm’s porch.

Both Cheery and Mac had been excited to hear about her travels and studies.

”Nnope.” The young stallion shook his head and wondered if this is what his younger brother went through with his fillies.

“Well let us know if you are.” Unfettered draped a wing over him. Mac knew he had to be careful of falling into the stallion’s trap of letting his mares pamper him to much. He was a proud, hardworking draft pony and he didn’t want to change that.

“This is the song that never ends.🎵”
“Yes it goes on and on my friends. 🎵”
“Somepony started singing it not knowing what it was and then continued singing it forever! ‘Just Because’~.🎵”

I was having a hard time not walking over to a tree and banging my head against it as evening set in. Even with my ears pinned back it wasn’t blocking out Cheese’s singing.

“Bard, would you please stop singing and giving away our position.” I don’t know why I said it like that but chalked it up to exhaustion. Probably all that O&O with Mac over break.

“Oh good line.” He finally stopped singing. “Does that make you the rogue of our party?”

I just groaned. It was going to be a long trip back. I can’t tell if this is better or worse than last time.

Twilight and Trixie slept cuddled together in Twilight’s castle room, Spike pinned between them. Neither had wanted to leave the others side after Dawn went missing and Twilight had kept Spike unusually close the past few days as if he too would disappear.

“This isn’t healthy.” Cadence had poked her head in on the three with Shining at her side. She could feel the painful love coming off both the fillies.

“Well what do you expect. They both miss him.” Shining nuzzled under his marefriends chin.

“I know but preventing Spike from seeing his new friends Digit and Ditto even inside the castle isn’t good for him.” Cadence turned to look him in the eye. “He needs some freedom.”

“Give it time. When we find Dawn things will get better. Though even if it takes a while classes will be starting back up and that will help keep them busy.” He turned to leave.

“And where are you going?” Cadence called after him.

“To get some sleep. Celestia has had us going non stop.”

Cadence sighed and nodded. She then walked into Twilight’s room and wrapped herself around both fillies and the drake. “It will be okay. We’re going to find him or maybe he finds us.”

“Where are they!” Ironhammer, a bulked up minotaur roared from behind his desk. “The mercenaries he hired should’ve already been back by now!”

“We don’t know sir but, the cart you lent them was found smashed up on the road near the borders.” His goat secretary bleated out. Goats and Minotaurs had a unique symbiotic relationship of protectors and assistants.

“I bet those flightless chickens are trying to cut me out.” Ironhammer stood up and slammed a fist on his desk causing it to groan. “I did all the research regarding those rumors then finding the brat and getting some buyers interested yet they just run off with him!”

“What would you like to do sir?” The goat bleated out.

“Get me some new mercs, let’s use some of those pesky felines this time, they have more honor at least. Though for what they charge they better.” Ironhammer slumped back into his chair. He knew he shouldn’t have gotten buyers before getting the goods in his hands.