Scootaloo felt like she had her own private army. Every unicorn in town was following her, she could go faster but she needed to slow down so the rest of the ponies could keep up. She didn't want to get back to the barrier on her own.

"Applebloom! Sweetie Belle!" She shouted loudly. She was quite sure she was approaching the barrier but since the land all looked similar it was hard to tell where she was. She could see the Cutie Mark Crusader treehouse in the distance so she knew she must be close to where she tripped.

"Applebloom! Sweetie Belle!" Applejack and Twilight Sparkle echoed. The were shortly followed by every unicorn in town and their horns glowed brightly looking for any sign of magic. Then Scootaloo spotted the rock that she tripped on.

"This is it!" Scootaloo shouted excitedly. "The strange invisible wall is right there!" Twilight approached where she pointed with her horn glowing and walked. As soon as she walked past where she remembered her friends being unable to go she gasped in surprised.

"Huh?" Scootaloo stomped a hoof. "Twilight I swear it was right here, they were supposed to wait for me to bring some adults. Big Mac too". Twilight waved her hoof at her and nodded. She focused her magic as she picked up the area's magical energy and formed a picture in her mind.

"There was an invisible barrier spell here." She announced. Scootaloo was relieved that Twilight believed her. But then she thought of her friends.

"Twilight, Applebloom, Sweetie Belle and Big Mac were right here, what happened to them!"

Applejack ran to where Twilight was and began searching frantically. "Applebloom, Applebloom, git out ere this instant!" She shouted in concern. Twilight put a hoof on her back.

"I'm sorry Applejack I promise I will find her" Twilight consoled. "I can feel the quickly dissolving magical energy of a invisible barrier spell. If we arrived an hour later there would have been no trace". The unicorns nodded, they felt something too, but none of them were as much of an expert about magic as Twilight. She was always humble about it, but she really was the most powerful unicorn in Ponyville.

"What now?" Applejack asked.

"I can sense that a teleportation spell was cast recently, there used to be something here, but it's moved now, It's.... really powerful.... a teleportation spell strong enough to teleport an entire house, maybe more" Twilight scratched her head trying to understand what was going on.

"What pony could cast a spell like that?" Scootaloo asked.

Twilight thought it over and she seemed afraid to answer.

Pinkie had been very quiet, she was getting really scared and unhappy and so her uplifting personality was constantly drifting away, she seem to be going into a depression. Even her coat was starting to go grey and her curly pink hair was sagging and becoming straight.

"Twilight, what is it spill the beans?" Pinkie asked with an awful frown of concern on her face, that made her look like a completely different pony.

"A pony that could send another pony to the moon..." Twilight sunk her head down. She couldn't believe what she was saying. There is no way the princess could be involved, but she had never heard of such a powerful spell being cast in her entire life and even in the many books she read spells of that magnitude were only legends and myths.

Applejack got the insinuation and gasped. "Ya cain't mean..."

"Princess Celestia?" Pinkie gasped.

Twilight collapsed in her hooves and lost herself deep in thought. She trusted her mentor more than anypony in the world, she was sure she couldn't be involved, she thought back to all her books of powerful ponies that are living today, she ran each through her head like a machine. The rest of the ponies watched her expecting an answer from her.

After several minutes, noticed them all staring at her and shouted. "No, it's got nothing to do with Celestia, there are other living ponies out there that could have done this, I'm sure of it.

"Wha abou' Luna?" Applejack speculated.

"What!" Twilight snapped at her. "No, no no no no! Luna isn't evil anymore Nightmare Moon is long gone!"

"But it's a possibility assumin' she may still be evil, righ'?" Applejack asked.

"Urgh!" Twilight stomped a hoof. "I suppose she would be powerful enough, but she wouldn't do that!"

"Can ya be so sure?" Applejack asked. "Wha if Nightmare Moon was only suppressed and is still in her, maybe makin' her do things against her will?"

"No, I refuse to believe either princess cast these spells, there could other ponies that could do it.... or...." Twilight got lost in thought again.

"What is it?" The depressed dark grey pink pony deadpanned.

"That's it!" Twilight lit up and bounced in the spot.

"Huh? Applejack looked at her confused.

"Maybe it was many unicorns! Maybe we aren't looking for a pony napper but a whole bunch of them, maybe ten or so particularly gifted unicorns, or... thirty average unicorns could do something like this". Twilight explained in revelation.

"Uh... what would their motive be Twi?" Applejack reasoned.

"I don't know..." Twilight replied.

She looked at the ground and began to draw circles in the dirt.

"Wha'cha doing?" Pinkie Pie observed.

"Well" She explained. "Assuming enough ponies worked together to be as powerful as Celestia. If an entire house was transported, even her magic couldn't take it further than this radius" She pointed and put a hoof print in the center to represent the edge of Ponyville they were at.

"Uh... that mostly covers the Everfree Forest" Pinkie announced.

"Exactly, there is no better place to hide" Twilight announced.

"No place more dangerous" Applejack nodded.

"Let let's go everypony!" Pinkie squealed in an attempt to sound excited. "I'm going to find these ponynappers and... and... MAKE THEM A CAKE! A POISON CAKE!" Pinkie looked angry, she had gotten even more grey and she had a look in her eyes of seething anger. The looked back into the eyes of the messy maned purple pony as they twitched and they nodded.at each other a look of mutual understanding of their dark ideas.

Applejack was concerned, both of their personalities were changing and she was worried that they may cause the first murder in Ponyville, she wanted to see the ponynapper put to justice, but no pony deserved to be killed. She would have to keep an eye her friends that seemed to be getting too emotional.

"Scootaloo" Applejack turned to her. "Thank ya for ya help but please leave it to tha big ponies now". Scootaloo looked insulted. "But I am a big pony, I want to help find my friends."

"Just go home and keep ya self safe, ah promise we'll do everythin' ta find em". Applejack argued.

"I'll take Scootaloo home" Pinkie announced. "This Earth pony isn't much help anyway". Pinkie felt her bare head that was lacking a horn to make her point. She actually looked disappointed in herself that she wasn't a unicorn, her frown looked so wrong on her normally grinning face.

"Are ya okay Pinkie?" Applejack ask concerned with her friends mood.

"I'm supertacular" Pinkie replied but in a bored and unexcited tone. Pinkie was tired and just wanted to give up. But she didn't want her bad mood to be a burden so she just wanted to get away from them. So she decided to use this as an excuse.

Twilight, Applejack and many of the unicorns headed into the Everfree Forest. Some stayed back to search the rest of the area the radius covered in case the barrier was teleported somewhere still near Ponyville.

_______________________________________________________________________

Applebloom woke up still in her cell. She looked around to see Sweetiebelle still sleeping next to her. Big Macintosh too was sleeping in his separate cage. Applebloom was tired of the confining cage and her boredom so she woke up her friend.

"Sweetie Belle wake up". She demanded urgently.

"Uh... what is it Applebloom". SweetieBelle looked around to see where she was, she was disappointed it wasn't just a bad dream.

"We need ta get out of ere'" Applebloom said.

Sweetie Belle shook her head, "There is no way out, we may as well just sleep".

"Nah Sweetie Belle, ya used magic before, maybe y'all could use it again". Applebloom tapped on the cage door.

Sweetie Belle got up on her haunches. "I don't think i'm good enough Applebloom."

"yeh ya are Sweetie Belle, why is it ah never see ya practice magic?" The orange farm pony asked.

"Because I am awful at it, I won't find my special talent there" The pearl white unicorn replied.

"Maybe not". Applebloom encouraged. "But ya managed ta get inta that barrier a little". Applebloom points to the padlock on the cage. "Why not try ta just use a little telekinesis to mess with tha lock, just try Sweetie Belle".

"Fine" Sweetie Belle focused the magic in her horn. It glows a little and then fizzles out quickly. "See, i'm awful".

"Wha about' Rarity and tha best babysitter eva' Fluttershy? do it for them." Applebloom consoled while rubbing her friend on the back.

"Rarity and Fluttershy" Sweetie Belle echoed. "Rarity and Fluttershy" She focused her horn on the lock again and it began to glow. "RARITY AND FLUTTERSHY!" She yelled. The lock began to glow brightly, but instead of her just picking the lock like Applebloom suggested, it exploded and a piece of shrapnel hit Sweetie Belle in the face causing it to bleed. "Owww!"

"Wow... Sweetie Belle that was amazing!" Applebloom clapped happily.

"I... uh... wha...?" Sweetie Belle looked in surprise at the shattered lock. "I did that?"

"Yes" Applebloom applauded. "Maybe ya special talent is exploding things.”

Sweetiebelle looked back at her flank in curiousity. It was still blank. "I don't think so, if anything I think me trying to use my magic is dangerous, I can't pick a simple lock without exploding it. she complained.

"It ain't worth worrin' about, ya set us free Sweetie Belle". Applebloom gives her friend a hug then uses her hooves to push the mangled lock off the cage and then pushed it open.

Applebloom ran around a bit in the room relieved at her freedom. "Thank ya Sweetie Belle, yeehaw!”

Sweetie Belle walked out after and looked around. "Where are we?"

Applebloom stood still at last. "Ah dunno". The orange pony points at Big Macintosh's cage and asks. "Do ya think ya can explode twice? tha locks ah mean.”

"I can try". Sweetie Belle replied. She trotted over to his cage and focused on the lock.

"Rarity and Fluttershy!" She announces with determination as if they are magic words. "Rarity and Fluttershy!" Her horn glows and so does the lock. "RARITY AND FLUTTERSHY!" She screams. The lock explodes again violently and a piece smacks Sweetiebelle in the nose making it bleed. "Oooooowwwwww!" She screams. The blast wakes Big Macintosh up and he looks around confused.

"Big brother ye are free!" Applebloom opens the cage and hugs her big brother tightly. "Thank you Sweetie Belle". Both farm ponies turned to look at her and she is was still flowing blood from her nose.

"Are ya okay?" Applebloom asks.

"Yeah. I just think I need a face mask next time" She replied.

Excitedly Applebloom bounces up to the door of the room and tries to open it, but it is locked. It is also made of steel and not the cheap iron of the padlocks. "Darn, we may be outta our cages but, how're we going to get outta this room?"

"Nope" Big Mac answers.

Applebloom looks at her brother with disappointment "Well ahm not gonna have a give up attitude like that" Applebloom body slams into the door and does nothing but hurt herself.

"I....I wonder if I can explode this too?" Sweetie Belle considers. She walks up to it and puts her horn against it.

"Uh... Sweetiebelle this is big, if ya explode it ya'll probably get pretty hurt." Applebloom objects.

"No I want to try, I think I'm good at this". Sweetie Belle's horn starts to glow as well as the door.

"Oh wow" Applebloom looks wide eyed as the entire door lights up just like the padlocks did. "Ya got this Sweetie Belle ya got this!"

Sweetie Belle focused harder. "Rarity and Fluttershy, Rarity and Fluttershy, RARITY AND FLUTTERSHY" She starts shouting. "RARITY and FLUTTER... Urgh!" Sweetie Belle grimaces in pain coming from her horn. "RARITY AND URGHHH!" Sweetie Belle screams in pain again.

"Uh... Sweetie Belle maybe ya should stop" Applebloom suggests, feeling each grunt of pain herself.

"Eeeyup" Big Mac agrees.

But the little white filly ignored them both.

"RARI URGH! TY AND URGH! FLUTT URRRRRGGGGHHHHH"! Sweetiebelle starts screaming and the door begins to shake, the glow getting brighter.

"Sweetie Belle ah think you are doin' something dangerous stop". Applebloom gets closer and look closely at Sweetie Belle's horn.

"Oh no! Seriously Sweetie Belle, stop it, your... your horn is crack..."

'BOOM!' A loud is explosion is heard and the door still stands, a little dented and charred but completely intact.

Sweetiebelle lay on her back thrashing in pain. She had her hooves to her forehead and was screaming. "Ahhhhhhh! No! My horn, my horn is gone.”

Applebloom ran over to her friend and indeed where her horn used to be is nothing but a short stump of one. Applebloom could see little pieces of her white horn shattered and spread around the room.

Sweetie Belle started crying as blood rushed from her horn stump. "Applebloom, I'm getting dizzy!" She announced in panic. "Help me!" Applebloom put her hoof to her friend's stump and tried to keep the blood from leaking out.

"Don't die Sweetie Belle, don't ya dare die!" Applebloom cried.

In response the white filly starts singing their favourite bedtime song. "Hush now quiet now it's time to lay your sleepy head" she begins.

"No Sweetie Belle, it ain't time for bed yet, stay awake, don't ya dare sleep!"

The pain was making Sweetiebelle delirious, a broken horn everypony knows is the worst way for a unicorn to die.

"Hush now quiet now, it's time to go to bed" the singing filly continues.

"Nope!" Big Macintosh objects and starts to buck hard at the steel door. Applebloom continues trying to stop the rush of blood.

"Please, Sweetie Belle, we'll get ya help, don't sleep yet". Applebloom cried.

"Off to sleep, leave the exciting day behind you". She sang.

"Shut up, Sweetie Belle, it ain't time for bed". Applebloom slapped her friend’s face.

Sweetie Belle just smiled at her and continued singing softly and sweetly. "Off to sleep, let the joy of dreamland find you".

"That's enough Sweetie Belle, shut up" Applebloom whimpered.

Sweetie Belle's song fades out and her eyes began to close.

"No!" Applebloom screams. "NO! STAY AWAKE STAY AWAKE!"

Big Mac using his powerful legs dented the door a bit more, but it seemed to be too strong to actually budge out of it's hinges.

Sweetie Belle was now completely silent and no matter how much Applebloom slapped her she doesn't respond. One last hit brought the white filly back for a moment and Applebloom hugged her.

"I love you Sweetie Belle, you are the best friend I ever had" she cried.

Sweetiebelle nodded and stroked her friends mane. She then closed her eyes and and fell asleep.

Her flank was still blank.

"No...." Applebloom sobbed. "I cain't lose her".

She too began to body slam the door whatever little good it did. Sweetie Belle's horn had stopped bleeding and she hoped that meant there was still hope for her.

"Come on Brother, together" She ordered, like she was the big sister.

__________________________________________________________________

Scootaloo rode off on her scooter, leaving Pinkie in her dust.

"Hey!" She objected. "I'm meant to keep you safe wait up!"

"I don't care what any pony says, I'm looking for my friends!" Scootaloo yelled back at her.

Surprising wasn't a word that could be associated with Pinkie. So she unsurprisingly suddenly appeared in front of Scootaloo around a corner she was turning.

"Hey! wait, where are you going? this isn't home". Pinkie said.

"I'm not going home!" Scootaloo kept riding with her top speed and somehow Pinkie kept up with her.

"Where are you going?" She asked.

"To Carosel Boutique." Scootaloo answered.

"Why?" Pinkie nagged.

"Because all these stupid adult ponies haven't thought to see if Rarity is just at home, or if there is a clue there, I don't need these stupid mares and stallions". Scootaloo seethed.

"Ok, well I can't stop you, so I'll come with you instead" Pinkie offered.

"Well okay fine" Scootaloo agreed, she felt vulnerable on her own, even if she was the most courageous of her friends. "But you aren't telling me what to do."

Pinkie nodded. She felt depressed but would still push through it to help her friends. She had to admit that Scootaloo's idea had merit.