The Vanishings

"Adagio, get up. We're heading out." I say as I put on my backpack, ready to head out as soon as possible. However, I freeze when I see that Adagio is still sitting on the couch, scrolling through her phone. "Umm…Adagio? Have you been sitting on the couch this whole time? Why aren't you getting ready to head out."

Adagio shrugs as though it's no big deal. "I'm not going."

I blink. "You're not going? What do you mean you're not going? Of course you're going. You don't have a choice if you want my help."

"Why? Don't trust me to hold down the fort here? Tragic." Adagio says, though the way she said it, it obviously didn't matter to her.

What goes through this girl's head? I take a deep breath. In. And out. In. And out. Okay, Sunset. Be the bigger person. Just be the bigger person. "It's not that I don't trust you, it's just that…" I pause. Well, nothing good ever did come of lying. "Actually, that's exactly it. I don't trust you."

Adagio rolls her eyes. "And here I thought you were known for your empathy and forgiveness. I guess not."

"Yeah, I am empathetic. Not stupid." I look closer at Adagio, the way her jaw is clenched, the way she just stares at her phone in one place, her eyes not even moving. Like she's not really looking at the stuff on her phone, she's just scrolling for something to do. "What aren't you telling me?" I ask, my gut instinct telling me there's more to this than she's letting on.

Adagio is silent for a long while. I'm about to urge her to just spit it out because I want to leave as soon as possible, but then she finally speaks. "I…can't." She mutters, her eyes still on the phone.

I blink, feeling as though I'm missing a huge part of the story. "What do you mean you can't?"

Adagio rolls her eyes. "And here you claim not to be stupid. I was banished by Starswirl the Idiot. I can't return, no matter how much I want to. And believe me, I want to."

I'm silent for a moment. Well, things just got a whole lot more complicated. Though, it made sense. I doubt the Sirens would've been here for a thousand years in a world they hate if they had a way back to Equestria.

But that still left the question of what now. I certainly didn't trust Adagio here by herself, though seeing as how I haven't found anything worthwhile, there was really nothing to trust her with, but, knowing her, she'd find something. She always did.

That was when something occurred to me. "You said you were banished by Starswirl the Bearded?"

"Yeah. Haven't you been listening?"

"That's it! You just need to get unbanished." I say, snapping my fingers.

Adagio stares at me for a long while before she breaks out in laughter, causing me to scowl. "You were Celestia's top pupil?! Do you even know how banishment works? I can't just get myself 'unbanished'. Unless the banishment has a time limit, only the pony or person or whatever who cast the spell can reverse it. And trust me, the spell he used did not have a time limit." She continues to laugh, tears filling her eyes. Well, at least one person is enjoying themselves.

"Are you quite done yet?" I ask, crossing my arms. "Or shall I halt my explanation so you can keep laughing?"

"No no. Go ahead." Adagio says in between bouts of laughter, waving her hand for me to continue, wiping tears from her eyes with the other. I raise an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced that she'll let me. "No, really, I'll be quiet. I promise." She says, letting out a last chuckle.

I wait, making sure she's done, before continuing. "What I meant was that Starswirl is here, which means I can get Twilight to convince him to let up the spell."

Adagio immediately sobers up, looking at me with wide shocked eyes. Clearly, she had no idea and was completely caught off guard. Good. That's what she gets for laughing at me.

"That old fart is still alive?! You're joking. Tell me you're joking."

I shake my head, a small smile on my face. "Nope. He and the other pillars banished the Pony of Shadows to Limbo and banished themselves in the process. That's where they've been for the past thousand-plus years until Twilight and her friends recently freed them." I explain, leaning against the doorframe that separates the kitchen from the living room.

"So…you're telling me…he banished himself and his friends to an alternate world where time doesn't exist?!" Adagio says incredulously, clearly trying to hold back more laughter, but it comes out anyway. "Nice one, Red."

I remain silent, just staring at her, my expression completely sober. When she realizes I haven't confirmed or denied the fact that I'm joking, she looks up at me. When she sees the look on my face, her eyes widen.

"Wait, hold up. You're actually serious? The greatest sorcerer of all time accidentally banished himself and his friends to an alternate world?"

"It wasn't an accident," I say, not the least bit amused. "It was the only way to get rid of the Pony of Shadows."

"Wow. Now that's what I call poetic justice. Seriously. Karma does exist in the world."

I clenched my jaw, my frustration rising. I swear to Celestia, I am going to clobber this girl. "It wasn't karma. He did it to save Equestria. He and the other Pillars sacrificed themselves to keep Equestria and its citizens safe. And because of their sacrifice, they're heroes. Not like you'd know anything about sacrifice." I add in a mutter, looking away.

Adagio remains silent, which throws me off. I look up at Adagio to see her staring at me with an uncharacteristically serious and deep look on her face, catching me off guard.

"You think I don't know about sacrifice?" She asks, raising an eyebrow. I remain silent, suddenly feeling uncomfortable with Adagio's heavy look on me. "Cause, trust me, I do." Adagio looks away, the bad attitude written all over her face again, breaking the moment. "I just don't do it very often."

I stare at her, speechless. That's the most emotion I've seen her show that wasn't anger or irritation. I can't help but wonder if maybe there's a whole other side to Adagio I don't know about. A softer side. And I'm not sure which is more shocking. The fact that she may actually have one or the fact that I'm starting to believe it exists.

I sigh, the silence that stretches on now becoming awkward and defening. "Okay. Well, pack a bag. Since whoever took all the kids somehow closed the portal at the school, we have a long way to travel to get to the other one."

"Question…why didn't you just go their after all the kids disappeared?" Adagio asks as she stands up, grabbing her own backpack.

I shrug. "Was saving up to rent a boat to get there."

Adagio rolls her eyes as we walk out of the door. "And what? You just…expect me to be rolling in cash or something?"

"Hey, you said you'd help me as long as I help you." When she only grumbles, i pat her patronizingly on the back. "Think of it as…an investment for yourself. You're helping me help you."

Adagio twists her lips. "Stop it. You're starting to sound like a loaning agency."

I shrug. "There's a reason they're able to suck people in. Is it working?"

"If you mean me buying the boat out of the goodness of my heart? No. I'm buying it because we had a deal."

There was a moment when we're both silent before we both start chuckling. We're silent the rest of the way to the docks, but it seems as though the wall between us is growing a little less thick.

"Here. Take this." I say, handing her my magic journal that allows me to communicate with a person…er…pony in Equestria. "That way we can keep in touch."

"Aww…worried about me going missing? I'm touched." Adagio says, acting heartfelt, but I can tell it's full of sarcasm.

"No," I say a little too quickly for it to be completely believable. "It's just that…how else will I tell you when Starswirl lifts the banishment spell."

"Wouldn't it just be better if one of us stayed here to keep an eye on things so we can give the other updates?"

"That's what Maud's here for."

"Who?" Adagio asks, but when I give her a look, understanding dawns on her expression. "Oh, you mean the creepy lady we dragged with us?"

I cross my arms. "She's not creepy, she's just…zen. And surprisingly open-minded."

"Rocks have healing properties that, to many, seem magical. There have also been many known rock phenomena that have no scientific explanation." Maud piped up with that monotone, almost emotionless voice. But to those who know her, me not being one of those, there's apparently lots emotion to her voice, but one would have to know her to hear the…slight differences. "Doesn't mean you can't see it, doesn't mean you can't explain it, doesn't mean it doesn't exist."

Tears fill my eyes at Maud's words. Not her words per say, but what they triggered. They sound like something Pinkie Pie would say, if she were here. And the fact that she's not, the fact that she's not agreeing with her sister and calling her wise, is what brings tears to my eyes. We need to find them. All of them. Those girls are my family and I don't know how much longer I can last without them.

"Right, well, you stay here with Maud. I'll right you in the book when Starswirl lifts the banishment spell and then you'll give the book to Maud so she can keep us updated. See you soon." I say before turning and walking into the forest that reminds me so much of the Everfree Forest.

Swallowing nervously, I slowly open the door to Twilight's castle with my hoof, my heart racing. Not only did I need to convince my best friend that bringing her unapologetic enemy to her home wound bagfire in the end, but I also had to convince the greatest sorcerer who ever lived that unbanishing, one of the greatest threats to equestria, well, not backfire, in the end, either.

As I slowly walk the halls, feeling uncomfortable just walking in, a familiar blue unicorn trots towards me. I'd recognize that hair and skin color anywhere. "T-Trixie?"

The blue uniform stomps in her tracks, looking at me clearly confused. "Uh…does Trixie know you?"

"T-T-Trixie!" I exclaim galloping towards her and embracing her tightly, squeezing her to me. I didn't realize how much I'd miss her until seeing her now.

She awkwardly stands there for a moment before raising an awkward hoof, and slowly wrapping it around my neck. She pats my back once before slowly untangling herself from my grip.

"Do we know each other?" She asks thoroughly confused.

My eyes widen as my cheeks blush and embarrassment. Shoot! I forgot there was a carbon copy for everyone at Canterlot High. So while this is Trixie, this isn't my Trixie. That certainly takes some getting used to. How does Twilight do it?

"N-no…we don't. I'm sorry. I mistook you for someone else."

"No, you did not. You knew Trixie's name. How?" Trixie smiled deviously. "Was it through Trixie's awesome spectacular magic shows. Well, if you want an autograph, Trixie would be happy to give you one. But you're–"

"No, Trixie," Another, familiar voice says.

Trixie and I both turn to look at a purple unicorn approaching us, with a dark purple mane with a blue streak. She flashes me a quick smile before turning back to the magician.

"She doesn't know you." Trixie opens her mouth to argue, but Starlight just sighs heavily. "It's complicated. Let's just say she comes from a place where everypony has a double, including you, and leave it at that. It's that double she knows, not you." Starlight turns to me. "Sunset, this is Trixie. Trixie, this is my friend, Sunset Shimmer."

"Yes. I'm the Great and Powerful Trixie. Starlight's Great and Powerful Best Friend!" Trixie exclaims with overzealous bravado.

Starlight rolls her eyes, before nudging Trixie away. "Go. We'll talk later."

Trixie huffs before hugging Starlight and walking out of the castle, glancing back at me curiously. Once the door closes behind her, I turn to Starlight. "Nice to see this version of her is still as self-centered and overdramatic as the other one."

Starlight chuckles. "Yeah. That's what we love most about them. So," Starlight says in a sigh. "What brings you here?" She paused as a thought occurred to her. "Why did you walk through the front door and not the library where the mirror is?"

I swallow nervously. "It's a long story. Let's just say…I had to use the other portal because the one at Canterlot High is…nonaccesible at the moment." Nonaccessible? Try nonexistent. Nice understatement, me.

"Oh…I'm assuming you're looking for Twilight?"

"Uh, yeah," I rub the back of my neck with my ha…er, hoof. "It's kind of a…delicate situation. Do you know where she is?"

Starlight's eyes widen momentarily. "Oh…I…I thought you knew…"

I blink, confused. "Knew? Knew what?"

"Well…Twilight's living at Canterlot Castle now. She's kinda the ruler of Equestria now…"

"The…the coronation already happened?" I ask, feelings of hurt welling up inside me. I hadn't realized that…why didn't she tell me? I would've come. I wanted to come. I told her so when she told me she was going to be ruler of Equestria. She's my best friend and I wanted to be there for her. Or…I thought she was. Why didn't she tell me?

"Y-yeah, I'm sorry. I truly thought you knew."

"It's…it's fine. I guess I should buy a ticket to Canterlot." I mutter, wondering how I'll buy a ticket with no bits.

"W-well, whatever it is, maybe I can help instead?"

"I appreciate the offer, Starlight, but…I don't think so. I need Twilight to get in contact with Starswirl."

Starlight waves a dismissive hoof. "Oh, please. You don't need to go all the way to Canterlot for that. I can just send him a letter real quick."

I blink. "You can send him a letter and he'll come?"

"Yeah, we're kinda…not quite friends but…well, he and I know each other. We kinda helped save Equestria together. I got you."

I smile, feeling better already. I'm not sure I'm completely ready to face Twilight yet after hearing that. I mean, this isn't just some forgotten invitation to some birthday party. This is an invitation to her coronation, crowning her as ruler of an entire kingdom. When your friend is the one being crowned, you kinda wanna be there. And it hurts when your forgotten and you miss the biggest event in your friend's life because of it.

"Thanks, Starlight. You're a true friend."