Wednesday, 9am – The Four Stallions, Las Pegasus

Somehow, Twilight, Rainbow and Pinkie managed to escape Jet Stream's room without letting the flamingos out of the bathroom or waking its sleeping occupant. As an afterthought, Twilight hung the "Do Not Disturb" sign on the door. Then the three of them began to drag themselves downstairs for breakfast – or rather two of them began dragging themselves downstairs. Twilight and Rainbow were both suffering from the after-effects of their Mare-quila binge, but Pinkie Pie bounced along as fresh as a daisy.

"How can she not be feeling completely awful?" Twilight whispered sotto voce to Rainbow.

"Duh, because she's Pinkie?" Replied the Pegasus, then she gave Twilight a sly wink "By the way, nice work sister!"

"'Nice work'?!"

"Yeah, you scored with the sports star; kudos!"

The Alicorn winced, still suffering from her throbbing head "I don't know if you noticed Rainbow, but I don't think I did anything to be proud of last night. Even if I could remember what happened!"

"Well, I do kinda-sorta remember you spending a lot of time dancing with him," Said Pinkie "And you woke up in bed together after having a skinful of booze, so I'd say it's a pretty safe bet that you – "

"Okay, okay!" Said Twilight, clearly mortified.

"Oh relax Twi," Said Rainbow Dash "So you bumped hindquarters with the hockey captain – big deal!"

"But I don't know anything about him! I didn't even know his name until you told me!"

"It's just a hoof up, it's not like you have to start going steady," Rainbow sighed "I mean I wouldn't include it in your next letter to Princess Celestia or nothin' but sheesh, just chalk it up to experience!"

"Hey what about you?" Twilight said suddenly "What were you two doing anyway?"

"Well what does it look like we were doing, silly?" Pinkie giggled "Just having some girlie funtime!"

Twilight looked at Rainbow, who shrugged and nodded. The Alicorn took a few seconds to process this information "Wait you mean … hang on, you two can remember what happened last night?"

Dash shook her head and took a breath to speak but Pinkie jumped in "Oh no! Actually I don't remember much after we started dancing with the hockey team," She said cheerfully "But it's not like this is the first time we've ended up doing the bump and grind after a crazy party!"

This time the Pegasus swung round in irritation "Pinkie!"

"Sorry Dashie, but she did catch us in bed together. I thought it was kinda obvious. I mean Twilight's a smart cookie, I'm sure she would'a worked it out for herself."

"Yeah but you didn't have to tell her about the other times!"

"Sooo," Twilight began slowly "Are you two an … item now or what?"

"I told you Twi it's just a hoof-up!" Dash snorted "Just because you knock hooves with somepony that doesn't mean you have to start dating them. Me and Pinkie were just having a good time, right Pinkie?" She looked around "Pinkie Pie?"

They both turned to see Pinkie had stopped dead "But Dashie," She said plaintively "Are you saying it didn't mean anything to you?"

The Pegasus stared at her, dumbfounded "Oh Pinkie, I'm sorry – I didn't – I wasn't – I never meant for – uh – I mean – I just thought we were just fooling around!" She wailed "You thought we were… serious?"

Pinkie stood there with her lower lip trembling for a few seconds. Then suddenly she grinned "Gotcha Dashie!" The Earth mare bounded over and ruffled her friend's rainbow mane "Sorry but I couldn't resist, you're such a crack-up!" And she bounced off down the hall "Lalalala!"

"Huh, very funny!" Rainbow glowered after Pinkie.

Twilight giggled behind her hoof, then her face turned serious as another thought occurred to her "So… while I was busy seducing Jet Stream and you two were busy seducing each other, where was everypony else? We'd better go look for them!"

"They're probably still asleep," Grumbled Dash, still annoyed about being teased.

"Omigosh!" Twilight's eyes widened in horror "What about Spike? I can't believe I left him on his own!"

"Relax Twi, I'm sure he's fine," Said the Blue Pegasus "I'll bet they're lying poolside, nursing the mother of all hangovers – where I'd like to be!"

"Why don't we check their rooms?" Called Pinkie.


Wednesday, 9.20am – The Four Stallions, Las Pegasus

Luckily, as the rooms had been booked together, they were on the same floor and virtually all on the same corridor. The three friends worked their way down the hall, knocking on each door in turn.

There was no answer from Spike's room, although Twilight called through the door and banged on it for a while, getting progressively more and more worried when the Dragon did not appear. Applejack, Fluttershy and Rarity's rooms all seemed to be likewise deserted.

Discord's room happened to be a little apart from the others, further down the corridor and around a corner. As they approached, they all noticed the 'Do Not Disturb' sign hanging on the doorhandle but knocked anyway. There was no answer.

"Do you think he's feeling as lousy as we are?" Rainbow asked.

"Discord? Does he even get hangovers?" Twilight frowned "Now I come to think of it, I can't even remember if he seemed drunk or not." She grimaced "It's so frustrating not being able to remember!"

"Shhh, you guys," Pinkie pressed her ear to the door "I can hear something weird in there!"

"Pinkie!" Twilight scolded "We really shouldn't be listening at his door!"

"Hey, lemme have a go," Rainbow put her ear to the door alongside the earth pony "Sounds like running water!"

The Alicorn shrugged "Maybe he left the shower on?"

"No it's louder than that, it sounds like… a river or a waterfall or something," Her eyes widened "And birds! I can hear birds in there!"

"Oh noooo," Twilight groaned "Not more flamingos!"

"D'you think we should we go in?" Pinkie asked.

All three of them hesitated. Nopony wanted to go bursting into the trickster god's hotel room uninvited, especially not when he might be asleep in there. Who knew what they might find.

"Look," Said Rainbow "Whatever freaky stuff Discord's got going on in his hotel room, I can't handle any more weirdness on an empty stomach! Let's just go down to the pool and grab some breakfast. Then we can figure out what to do about finding the others. They might all be downstairs having breakfast already."

At that moment, a bellpony came hurrying down the corridor towards them.

"Oh Princess Twilight!" He panted "I've been looking all over for you! I tried your room first thing but there was nobody there!"

"Oh yes, sorry," Twilight blushed "I was – ahem – up early."

The colt was too flustered to notice her embarrassment and pulled an envelope from his pocket "An urgent message came for you this morning, your Highness!"

"Oh, thank you!" Twilight took the envelope with her magic and opened it, skimming the contents quickly.

"Omigosh!" She cried and took off down the hallway. Pinkie and Rainbow looked at each other for a moment and then pelted after her, Pinkie pulling three bits from her mane which she tossed to the bellpony before she rounded the corner.

"Twilight!" Said Rainbow as she and Pinkie managed to catch up "What gives?"

"It's the others! We have to go help them!"

"What is it?!" Pinkie cried "Are they all ok?"

"They're in big trouble! We have to go right now!"

"Go where?!" Rainbow demanded in frustration.

Twilight skidded to a halt and thrust the crumpled note under their noses "To the jailhouse!"


Wednesday, 7am – Las Pegasus Jailhouse

"Ooooooh, I think I'm dy-y-y-ying!" Rarity moaned, rolling over and putting her hooves over her head. She wasn't sure what was worse, the sickness, the headache or the smell of stale booze that was assaulting her nostrils.

Things were not improved when she looked around and realised she wasn't in a plush hotel room at all. What this room lacked in plushiness, it made up for in filthy, bare, grottiness "Hello? Is anyone there?"

"Rarity?" She heard Spike's voice from somewhere nearby, it was hard to tell in the dim candlelight and the fug of alcohol.

"Spike?" She turned and saw the little dragon, just uncurling from the floor.

"It's OK Rarity, it's me!" He said.

"Ah'm here too!" Came Applejack's unmistakeable country twang to her right, though she sounded a little woozier than normal. When Rarity turned, she saw the Earth pony lying on the straw only a few feet away. She looked awful, as did Spike – red eyed and rumpled. Rarity supposed she probably didn't look too much better. Her mascara felt as if it had melted down her face and she was sure that her mane was full of stinking straw. As she moved, her head throbbed painfully.

"Thank goodness! I thought I was here on my own," She said and then looked around again "What is this terrible place?" She said in appalled tones.

"Danged if'n ah know!" Applejack said, sitting up and rubbing her head.

"It's the Las Pegasus jailhouse!" Wheezed a gurgling voice and a toothless old Earth pony with a long white beard hobbled forward from the shadows "But don't even think of trying to – " Here he succumbed to a powerful fit of coughing, bent double. The three of them waited politely until he had finished hacking and spluttering.

"Don't even think of trying to escape." He finished, in a much more normal voice.

"The jailhouse?!" All three of them yelled.

"Yup!" Said the greybeard, "Name's Old Timer; you youngsters spent the night in the cells."

"But why?!" Spike demanded "Have we been kidnapped and thrown in the deepest, darkest dungeon of an evil wizard who won't rest until he's conquered all of Equestria and taken a beautiful unicorn princess as his bride?"

Old Timer considered this for a moment "Ah don't reckon so," He said "This is the drunk tank!"

"But … what are we doing in the drunk tank?" Quavered Rarity.

"Aw shoot Rarity, don't ya remember anything?" Applejack said, pressing her hoof to her forehead to relieve her pounding headache "Ah mean, ma recollection's a little fuzzy but Ah do recall Twilight and Rainbow Dash getting us all to drink those crazy shooters!"

"Well ya sure made one ding-dong of a noise when they brought yuh in!" The grey pony smiled gummily "Feudin' and a'fightin', darn well woke me up!"

"Wh-a-a-at?" Rarity shrieked in horror "We were locked up for being drunk and fighting! I can't believe it! I won't believe it!"

"Well whether ya believe it or not," Said Applejack "We better find a way to get outta here and fast!"

"But he said it was useless trying to escape!" Said Spike, indicating their fellow prisoner "I mean you musta been in here for years, right Old Timer? Just look how long his beard is!"

At that moment there was a rattle from outside the cell and a stern looking police unicorn in dark glasses trotted into view, jangling a set of keys "OK Old Timer," He said "It's all over for you!"

"You mean you're gonna…" Spike gulped "…execute him?"

The blue unicorn stared at him for a long moment and then both he and the old pony burst out laughing "Of course not," The cop chuckled "I mean he's free to go! Up to your usual mischief were you, you old rascal?"

Old Timer got up to leave "Now Blue Streak, I dunno what I'd do without ma regular spell in the cells. Gets me out from under ma old lady's hooves!"

The police unicorn shook his head wryly "Drunk in a public place? You should know better at your age!"

Encouraged by this friendly exchange Spike made a move towards the exit "Does this mean we're free to go too?" He asked hopefully.

Immediately the unicorn slammed the cell door in his face with a clang "Don't even think about it punk!" He said grimly "You hoodlums can stay here until you get hauled up before the judge tomorrow!"

"The judge?!" Applejack exclaimed "Now just what in tarnation do we need to see a judge for?"

"All three of you are being charged with drunk and disorderly conduct." He told her "The ponies you assaulted want to press charges."

"Oh, this is a nightmare!" Rarity said "We have to do something, get a message to Twilight somehow!"

"That's it!" Applejack turned back to the police officer "We're here in Las Pegasus with one of the most important ponies in all Equestria, Princess Twilight Sparkle! She's attendin' the Equestria summit."

"We're staying with her at Four Stallions," Added Spike "Please can you get a message to her there right away and let her know that we're here? I'm sure she'll be straight over."

"You know the Princess of Friendship?" The unicorn said dubiously.

"I'm her assistant!" Said the dragon.

"Oh yes darling, we're extremely close!" Smiled Rarity regaining some of her composure "She's probably out frantically searching for us right now and I'm sure you wouldn't want her to find out you had deliberately withheld information about where her very dear friends have got to."

"Well I dunno…" Blue Streak still looked doubtful, but finally decided it wasn't worth upsetting royalty "OK, I'll send your message."

"Thank you." Rarity said sweetly "I'm sure the Princess will be just so grateful! I mean she must be worried sick."

When the police pony had gone, Applejack breathed a sigh of relief "Well now, Ah'm sure Twilight'll be right over here in a jiffy and then we can get this whole mess straightened out."

Spike gulped "As long as she is at the hotel and not in a jam like we are!"

The two mares looked very worried at this unwelcome thought "Ya think that's likely?" Asked Applejack.

"The state we were in last night, who knows?" Said Spike "I guess that's what you get when you agree to go on vacation with the Spirit of Chaos!"

"Ya think Discord's behind this?" Applejack's brows raised in surprise.

"Well, maybe not directly behind it, but even when he's not trying to cause trouble you gotta admit things get out of control a lot faster when he's around." Spike sighed "I wouldn't be surprised if we're not the only ones who woke up somewhere weird this morning!"


Wednesday, 9.30am - ?

Fluttershy could hear a strange sound, on the edge of consciousness; continuous white noise, like the roaring of water. Her lashes flittered against her cheeks.

Then her eyelids snapped open.

"Oh my!" She breathed "I don't think I'm in Las Pegasus anymore!"

The place she had woken up in bore almost no resemblance to her hotel room, or to any hotel room she had ever seen.

For one thing there was no ceiling. Instead, there were clouds drifting above her in a pink sky and islands floating overhead. From one of the floating islands, a waterfall poured down into a vast pool. All around her she could see plants; there were palm trees and giant, exotic flowers. Butterflies hovered amongst the huge blossoms and flocks of brightly coloured tropical birds flew past, squawking.

"Where in Equestria am I?"

She blinked in surprise as she began to notice other details "This giant four poster bed I'm lying in wasn't in my room... but I think the nightstand was, or one just like it… and I'm sure that carpet on the floor is the same as the one in the hotel... I think I might be at the Four Stallions after all, but then… what happened to this room?"

Then, slow but unstoppable as the dawn, realisation crept over her. She knew where she must be.

At that same moment, she felt an arm curl around her, squeezing her tightly up against something warm. With heart-stopping inevitability, she turned over and found herself muzzle to snout with…

"Discord?!"