Musical Labyrinth

Octavia was first chair cellist. She took her bow and started playing with other musicians. She was nervous and excited at the same time.

Outside, Vinyl Scratch set up her equipment. She placed two records on the turntables and placed the needles on them. She cranked up the volume, while creating loud music.

Rarity saw Blueblood, this is her chance to finally meet him. She came closer, one of the waiters bumped into one of the guards. His spear cut a rope, which was holding the chandelier. It was place above Blueblood. Rarity can it about to fall. She galloped and pushed him out of the way.

Twilight and Applejack heard the crash. They came to the scene where a huge crowd surround the wreck. The chandelier was destroyed.

“Rarity? Are you ok?” Twilight was worried.

“She is one lucky unicorn,” answered Applejack

Rarity didn’t answer, she was focusing on the stallion she saved. Blueblood groaned, he turned his head and gazed into Rarity’s eyes. “Th… Thank You.”

Rarity helped him on his hooves. They still stare into each other’s eyes.

“I waited so long to meet you. I’m Rarity.”

“And I’m…”

“Blueblood,” Rarity said in a lovestruck state.

“Do you want to talk or maybe…”

“Yes I will!” Rarity almost leaped into his forelegs. Instead she embraced him.

“I think we should leave them lovebirds alone,” suggested Applejack.

Twilight agreed and left them alone.

Blueblood and Rarity began to hit it off.

“So you’re a fashion designer,” smiled Blueblood. “You could design our clothes for our wedding.”

“I was thinking the same thing!” laughed Rarity. She mentioned Octavia and Vinyl Scratch.

“That Celestia, she knows how to bring joy to Equestria,” grinned Blueblood.

“All thanks to moi and some friends.” She mentioned the friendship reports and the different experiences they had. He was fascinated by them.

“Did your friends come as well?”

“Certainly, we know the princesses very much.”

Blueblood was confused at first. Then he remembered Luna. They can hear the loud techno beats from outside. This didn’t distract them.

“Now I know why that kind of music is for outdoors,” said Blueblood.

They see Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy busting moves. He watched Octavia playing the cello. "At least some pony knows the right kind of music for this Gala."

“Just because Octavia and Vinyl Scratch have different tastes in music, doesn’t mean they should be shunned by every pony.” She remembers when they quickly judged Zecora when she first entered Ponyville.

“Good looking, and wise. You’re not like any unicorn, pony or pegasus I met.”

One of the guards knocked on the door. He was checking on Celestia and Luna.

“Your majesties?” he called.

He opened the door and something crashed into him. The figure jumped through the window. He opened the door, he gasped in shock. “Holy Allicorn!”

He alerted all of the castle. He interrupted the Gala. “The princesses are gone!”

Every pony gasped. Octavia slipped her bow off her strings. The cellist next to her broken all of the strings.

Vinyl moved both needles of the records. Even though the music was loud, she can see that something has gone wrong. All of Mane 6 went to the guard.

“What happened?” asked Twilight.

“I went to check on the princesses then something attacked me. When I checked inside, they’re gone.”

They hurried to Celestia’s bedroom. It was a huge mess. Everything was broken and torn to pieces. On the bed, there’s an image of a labyrinth, inked in a strange black liquid.

“What is that?” Fluttershy pointed to the image.

Twilight carefully trotted to the symbol. The black liquid looked like it’s about to come alive. She climbed on the bed. She stared at it, almost like see a lifeless being.

“I think this might be where Celestia and Luna are,” Twilight theorised.

“What made you think so?” asked the guard.

“We need to do some research.”

Twilight searched through every book she had. The others helped too.

“Equestrian Fighters, Changeling Love, How to Make Your Own Elements, Crystal Delights? Who reads this?” Rarity was baffled with the collection of books.

“I want to break into fiction,” said Twilight. “It was Celestia who said I should try non-factual books.”

“Do you have any idea what kind of maze it is?” Applejack asked.

Twilight used her horn to draw it with a quill and piece of paper. She showed it to them. It’s a circular maze. It had no entrances or exits. Instead of dead ends, there were secret entrances that lead to other sections.

“I’ve never seen one like this,” said Twilight.

“So this is where the princesses are huh?” said Applejack.

“Why would anything would leave the map of where Celestia and Luna are?” Rarity asked.

“Maybe it’s a calling card,” suggested Pinkie Pie. “Evil masterminds always leave their marks behind. They like to call themselves artists of the criminal underworld.”

“That’s a load of puff,” Rainbow Dash detested.

“You could be right Pinkie.” Twilight never deducts a theory, especially if the others think it’s a silly one. “I’m just worried about what’s going to happen to them.”

A knock on the door alerted them. Twilight opened it slowly, fearing it might be the culprit. It was Derpy Hooves, she has a letter for her.

“Letter from the Crystal Empire.” Derpy didn’t sound cheerful. It must have been the news of the Allicorn princesses being kidnapped.

“Derpy doesn’t look too happy,” said Rainbow Dash.

Twilight read the letter. Instead of being written in ink, there were bits of paper glued on it. The letters were cut from numerous magazines, menus, and newspapers. It contains more bad news. “Oh no!”

“What is it?” asked Fluttershy.

“What does it say?” asked Applejack.

“Whoever kidnapped Celestia and Luna has also kidnapped… Cadance and my brother!”

They all gasped. Rainbow found something suspicious. “Why would the kidnapper sent you a letter telling you this?”

“Who knows, this pony, or thing knows more than we do.”

Both Octavia and Vinyl couldn’t believe this happened. They left Canterlot on hoof. They didn’t bother take any form of transportation. They met each at an intersection, they were taking different paths.

“I can’t believe this. This was a big night for me and the rulers of Equestria were gone.” This was a huge blow for Octavia.

“One minute every pony was jamming, now the both Luna and Celestia are gone.” Vinyl treated the whole thing like it’s on the front page of a newspaper.

“Do you know who might find them?” asked Octavia.

“There has to be a pony who knows about them than any pony, unicorn or pegasi,” said Vinyl.

Both of them came up with a solution. “Twilight Sparkle!”

They hurried to Twilight’s house. She answered and saw them standing outside. “Octavia, Vinyl Scratch. What are you doing?”

“We came because you know Princess Celestia than all of Ponyville,” answered Octavia.

“We want to help as well,” agreed Vinyl.

“Of course.” Twilight invited them inside.

They saw the sketch of the labyrinth. This immediately triggered Vinyl and Octavia’s memories, they’ve seen it before.

“That’s Musical Labyrinth!” exclaimed Vinyl.

“How did you know?” asked Twilight.

“We were told stories about it when we were fillies," said Octavia. "Even before we met each other.”

“It’s a maze where they only way to escape is the use of music. The mastermind behind it is known as the composer,” Octavia explained.

“It choses any pony, unicorn and pegasus, and traps them inside. They must solve different challenges. It has been rumoured that the obstacles change, but the goals remain the same,” Vinyl continued.

“Has any pony escaped?” asked Rainbow Dash.

“None of them have made it alive.” Octavia explained it in a grave voice.

“We all thought it was an excuse to scare wannabe musicians, now we know it’s real.” Vinyl can see it coming to a reality.

“I think I know who will help us,” said Twilight. “But it can’t any pony.”

“Who?” they all asked.

“We need a human.”